As a career coach I find that one of the major stumbling blocks to finding a job in a struggling economy is that job seekers do not update their skill sets. As we know, it’s an employer’s market and most employers can choose from a large pool of qualified or overqualified applicants. Why would they hire someone who does not have the required skills?
Why don’t job seekers acquire these skills? I’ve heard people say time and again – “I don’t have time”…”I don’t have money”… “I hate school.” Wake up people! It’s time to start looking for workable solutions. Now more than ever, you need to adopt a “can do” attitude and find ways to “make it work” (as Tim Gunn would say).
Why are companies laying off employees yet still hiring new personnel? One reason is because existing staff lack the necessary skills to fill new positions. Our economy, and the jobs that support it, are constantly evolving and changing and workers need to change with it. Employees need to stay abreast of industry trends to ensure their companies remain competitive. One way to do so is by continuing to update knowledge and skills. If you aren’t willing to change the way you do things then YOU WILL BE LEFT BEHIND.
A few years ago, I was hired to provide outplacement services for a company that was downsizing its Information Technology staff. The first thing I noticed was that a considerable number of workers had antiquated technological skill sets. This seriously limited their job search capabilities as they were lacking the knowledge and experience to work with newer technology. Even though they received quite respectable severance packages, many of them did nothing to gain additional skills.
Professional development is not a topic to be taken lightly. If your employer offers it as part of your compensation or severance package – take them up on it. If you have to pay for it yourself, then do so. Chances are high you will thank yourself in the future.
Below you will find some inexpensive or free resources to help you expand your skills.
Local community colleges or online universities
Offer financial aid and distance learning (for credit or non-credit) courses in many disciplines.
Baltimore County Community College offers a six-week course – Computer Skills for the Workplace – and the cost is $99.
Free or low cost internet tutorials
www.free-ed.net is a site that offers more than 300 courses free-of-charge
www.dtp-aus.com/htmcderm.html offers HTML code tutorials
www.office.microsoft.com offers free training courses on Microsoft products including Word, PowerPoint and Excel
Resource books
Kaplan Scholarships 2010: Billions of Dollars in Free money for College by Gail Schlachter and R. David Weber (the cost is $18.47 at www.amazon.com )
Business and trade magazines and web sites
These resources contain a wealth of information and excellent leads. If you cannot afford to buy your own subscription use your local library.
I share because I care – Debbie!
