ComputerHunter.org |
|
|
|||
|
 |
When Should You Update Your Job Skills?
With the U.S. economy still slumping and unemployment numbers barely moving forward, many workers may be considering what their employment future could be like if they were to lose their job. If you're in a healthcare field, or possess computer skills, you don't have much to worry about, except explaining why you left your last job. On the other hand, if you're employed in production or manufacturing, you may be asking yourself, "when should I update my job skills?" If you're lucky enough to still have a job in this economy and you're pondering the future, you should consider updating your job skills immediately. Your current education level will determine what you should update. If you already possess a Bachelor's degree, examine what your skills deficits may be. For instance, are you up to date on computer programs commonly used in an office environment? If you want to make a move into healthcare, do you have medical terminology or CPR? Some states allow degree holders to get into teaching without having a related degree. Some may require a certificate. Your employer may even pay for your continuing education. Career colleges offer courses with flexible times so you can work and update your skills. On the other hand, if you're one of the over eight million people who is currently looking for full or part-time work and your job prospects are not very good, updating your skills could be very important to your future. Again, you should assess your current educational inventory. Consider the industry you've been in and see if it makes sense to change. There are a lot of openings in sales, healthcare and computer related industries. Federal or state aid may be available to you for educational purposes. Finally, if you feel safe in your current job, create a strategy of cross-training. Make yourself so valuable to your employer, that even if the job you hold now is eliminated, you could easily move to another one within the company. Advancing your computer skills is one of the best ways to do this. Improving your sales skills is another. By creating added value to your employer, you put yourself far down the list to be trimmed. The answer to when you should update your job skills is - always. Whether you need to update the computer programs you know or train for a completely new industry, your ability to adapt to change will help keep you employed, both now and in the future. Career Education Opportunities - www.top-colleges.com About The Author Max Stein, Salt Lake City, UT, USA http://www.degreesource.com/articles Max Stein is a freelance writer who writes about business, education and marketing. For daily updates, read our blog at http://degreesource.blogspot.com
Google News - Top Stories
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Hiring the Perfect Fit Through ELance.com Outsourcing has moved upward in the most-improved columns of efficiency and respectability through eLance.com. This website offers time-saving access to high-quality expertise that enables you to offload projects for quick completion, while maximizing your budget and letting you focus on those items not easily delegated. If the project you have in mind falls into one of the twelve categories currently supported by eLance, you are literally in business: 1) Software & Technology, 2) Writing & Translation, 3) Sales & Marketing, 4) Management & Finance, 5) Legal, 6) Website Development, 7) Graphic Design & Art, 8) Search Advertising, 9) Administrative Support, 10) Training & Development, 11) Audio, Video & Multi-media, and 12) Architecture & Engineering. 8 Steps to Getting On-Track When You Start a New Job Starting a new job can feel like moving to a new country. Your language skills may be modest. You have little knowledge of the laws, let alone the customs and traditions of the society you are entering. All you have is a passport and the goodwill of management as you enter unfamiliar borders. Is a Career Change on Your Horizon? Making a career change is nothing new in today's job market. Dissatisfied With Your Job? Stop Putting Your Attention on What You Dont Want! If I were to ask you the percentage of time you spend thinking about what you don't want, what would it be? And the percentage of time thinking about what you do want? Seeking Knowledge Will Give You Power What are you interested in? We all have a passion for something. So, what is your passion? Staying In Shape Why Lawyers Should Eat Bananas by Simon Tupman is a book that caught my eye both because of its unusual title and because I coach lawyers who are growing their practices. The book cover says it gives "Inspirational Ideas for Lawyers Wanting More Out of Life" Dont Get Caught In The Security Trap The day you begin to think of your job in terms of the security versus the opportunities it provides is the day you start to put the brakes on building your career. The Art of Selling Yourself! To "sell" oneself on paper is not easy. Creating a resume is a design and construction job and a test of your writing skills as well. A resume can either be self written or written with professional help. Your Interview Questions Are a Serious Matter Of course interviews are mainly about you answering the questions they put to you, but at the end of your allotted interview time, the questions that really matter most are yours. You should hope to hear the interviewer ask you: To All Managers: How Does ADD Affect Your Workplace? Tent caterpillars create a cocoon for an entire colony. Within one colony there are two types of caterpillar. One type, pioneers, weave long threads forming the skeleton of the tent. The others, the workers, weave cross threads filling in the structure. If there are too many pioneers, the tent is too big and collapses. If there are not enough pioneers, the tent is too dense and the colony suffocates. Viva la difference. About Your Work I like Simon, one of three judges on American Idol. I find his feedback refreshingly honest. And while his words startle me with their ego wounding potential, the traditional feel-good, let-you-down-easy, sugar-coated feedback is not much of a gift. It's hard to tell someone they're not good enough and their dreams are not going to happen, at least in this venue. But not telling them is no gift either. Some contestants rise to the challenges he throws at them. Some don't. And, some can't. Which one are you? Are You an Ex-career Woman Living In a New Country? Were you once a successful, professional woman who had a significant status level and received adequate remuneration for your work? Simple Tips to Move Forward on the Job, Part II After establishing a trusting relationship with the safety officer, it would be helpful to document what was talked about with the safety officer. What kinds of information was shared? Was that person helpful? Was another meeting or on-going meetings scheduled? Did the frequent meetings taper off so that there was still communication, but on an informal basis? Surviving Corporate Politics Part 2: Keeping Up Appearances Never a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression, or so the saying goes. We all know that when someone is introduced into your work environment for the first time, their peers size them up immediately. How they are dressed, how they talk, and how they set up their workspace. Especially in large companies, where there is constant personnel movement, keeping up your appearance is a full time task. In smaller companies, how you compose yourself from Day 1 is of utmost importance. We will start with the basics: Dont Quit Your Day Job! Convincing Your Boss To Let You Telecommute (Part 2 of 2) Ok, so you've determined that you have the right skills and qualities to do your job effectively from home. You're sure that your job is well suited to telecommuting. Now you just need your boss to agree that this is a great idea, but how? Five Powerful Tips for Interns Interning is about more than earning money during summer break. It's a wonderful way to gain work experience and lay the foundation for your future career. But to get the most out of it, you have to do more than just land the job, show up for work and collect your paycheck. Here are some tips that will help you get the full benefits of interning: Create Your Plan B Before the Layoff Axe Falls In one short week, the axe fell at a number of companies and thousands of employees were without jobs. Hewlett Packard, Kodak, Ford Motor Company of Canada, PNC Financial and Kimberley Clark each had to make critical business decisions and lay off large numbers of employees. Reasons ranged from "maintaining a tighter rein on costs" to creating a "simpler nimbler" organization". Although the news is usually shocking, layoffs don't just happen. There are usually some subtle signs that changes are coming. How does one prepare for such an eventuality? By having a plan in place...creating a Plan B. Make it your responsibility to manage your own career, to swim out and meet your ship, not wait until it comes ashore. Such a mindset will help lessen the impact of a layoff, and will enable you to weather the storm if and when it comes. Here are some tips to help with your preparation: The Best Business And Economy Solutions In todays Business and economy, starting any business service requires a good business plan. A little money wouldn't hurt either. Leave Your Dead End Job?For Good! So here you are?stuck in a dead end job. Are you hitting the glass ceiling in a job you once loved, but now can't stand? Maybe the hours are long. Maybe you can't stand retail customers anymore. Maybe you're like 70% of college students who didn't earn a degree and you feel this is the best job you can get without one. Job Interviews -- The Real Reasons Why You Need to Follow Up Effective follow-up after a job interview is often a key reason why someone gets a job, even though there are other equally qualified candidates. Many candidates treat follow up as an optional add-on to their job search. That's just not the case.
|
|
|
|
|
