One mistake that many professionals make is believing that once you have entered the job market, that’s it – you’re employable for life. You must continuously work at staying marketable so that you will always be valuable to current and potential employers.
I would like to share a few ways that you can remain competitive in the job market, even if you are not looking to make a move to a new employer.
Grow your skills with Professional Development. It is important to take an active role in your professional development. Identifying new ways to continuously learn or grow your skills within your profession will always be worth the investment. There are always new technologies, strategies and work methods emerging in any given field. The key is to identify the skills that you can grow or learn that will be transferable to prospect employers. Professional development doesn’t have to require a lot of time or expense – it can be in the form of workshops, online webinars, association affiliations for examples, will help you to stay on top of best practices and give you a chance to learn from colleague’s and other professionals.
Use your network! Building up your professional network is great, whether you are thinking about future job prospects or simply staying connected to professionals that you can lean on for professional guidance. Whether it’s growing your network via social media or attending a virtual conference, building a strong network can will help you develop and improve your skills set, stay on top of the latest trends in your industry, keep a pulse on the job market, meet prospective mentors, professional mentors, and prospect employers and gain access to the necessary resources that will foster your career development.
Volunteering Volunteering offers incredible networking opportunities. It can also help you retain, learn, and sharpen new skills. Most industries have established networking groups or associations who are run by volunteers. Volunteering is the perfect place to develop new skills. Serving on a volunteer committee or board is a great way to learn group dynamics and teamwork. Serving as a committee chair increases facilitation skills. Volunteering offers unlimited opportunities to cultivate new skills that can enhance a career.
Take initiative. The more you are open to trying new things and taking on roles or responsibilities that are outside of your usual duties, will open opportunities to learn, grow and shine.
If your boss wants someone to take over a new project, do not wait until it’s assigned to you. Instead, offer to take the lead on it (as long as it will not make your workload unmanageable). This will show your employer that you are a go-getter, and it could end up being a positive experience that will also increase your skills.
Research, Read and Listen In today’s market, there is fierce competition for every job and industries change much more rapidly than they did in the past. Consider subscribing to a blog or listening to a podcast that relates to your field, reading relevant journals or magazines or signing up to get email alerts every time something newsworthy happens in your industry.
Find a Mentor Finding a mentor does not have to require a huge commitment or be a formal and demanding relationship. Everyone needs a bit of guidance sometimes and thankfully there are many people out there (likely in your network) who are willing to pass on what they have learned to those who are just starting out.
Use these strategies to show the world that you are serious about your career and that you are willing to do whatever it takes to rise above and beyond. Whatever you need to do, try to be aware of current trends and new developments that could impact your work and the future of your career. And as always, we are here to help you in meeting your career aspirations in any way that we can. Sign up for our BCM Career Alert notifications at https://www.bcmanagement.com/business-continuity-jobs to ensure you receive timely new career notifications matching your search preferences. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you might have. Arrange a complimentary discussion today at info@bcmanagement.com.
