In a competitive job market, every job seeker is looking to have an advantage that will increase their chances of finding a job. Employability skills are the skills required of most jobs such as effective leadership, communication and being an expert in your field. Employability skills can often always be improved, so what are you waiting for? Improve on your employability skills now to help give you a leg up in the job search.
Go back to school. Furthering your education shows that you have a deep commitment to your job. Take a class for certification or a class to learn a new skill emerging in your job field like new media. Take some classes part-time to work on getting your master’s degree. Career centers are also a good place to turn to for career advice and they tend to offer classes on necessary job skills. Whatever it is you do, advancing your education will make you a stronger job candidate.
Get yourself out there on the internet and improve your online brand. Maintaining a professional online presence engaged in social media will help you connect with people in your industry. Follow thought leaders on Twitter to get updates on the latest news or connect with people on LinkedIn in your desired field, you never know when they may have a job opening.
Improve your communication skills by becoming a volunteer leader of a local volunteer organization or join a local Toastmasters chapter to improve your public speaking skills. Communication skills are important to have for job seekers because they are utilized in virtually every job field. Being an effective leader and good team player through volunteer work will look great on your resume. Finally, working with a Toastmasters chapter will show that you sought to improve upon your weakness in public speaking.
Join professional networking groups to show that you are taking your professional life seriously. Being involved in a professional networking group will also help you work on your networking skills if you haven’t already that can lead you to making more contacts.
Improving on any of these skills will help increase your chances of finding a job during the job search. Job seekers will show that they are self-reliant and motivated to do what it takes to have their dream job. These activities will also keep you busy during the job search.
Do you need to work on your employability skills? Let us know how you plan to do it in the comments below!
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