Remaining employable doesn’t end when you get that job. Think of it, how many people land their dream jobs and even if you did, with the amount of talent coming out of the universities these days and the limited positions available for them, you can be deemed replaceable quickly. Then you factor in the speed at which technology is developing, your job in its entirety could be done by a computer program in a couple of years, my point is you must stay ahead of the pack and here are some tips to help you stay ahead and help you stay employable even when employed.
UP TO DATE
Pay attention to what’s going on in (and out of your) industry. The first thing you should do is to create a database of newspaper titles, news sites and even blogsites that can keep you updated about your industry or career path, this can help you figure out the modern trends in your industry, this would help you make informed decisions on your next career steps. Beyond that, you should be on the lookout for innovations in other related industries. For example, if you’re in marketing, keep an eye on what’s happening in Finance. Crossovers within these industries happen a lot more that you would think and it would do no harm if you kept yourself in the know of related industries.
SCHEDULE REGULAR CHECK-UPS
You probably go for a medical check-up twice a year, you probably make sure your car is serviced regularly but do you check to see if your skills are up to date or on par with the current industry standards. In this job market, slacking on improving the look of your CV means you run the risk of having your CV look antiquated within a couple of years. Professionals need to re-evaluate their CVs at regular intervals and contemplate on how well their skills would fare in the current job market, this would help ascertain what skills to be working on, or acquiring.
STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE
Don’t adopt storylines that will hold you back, such as “I’m not a tech person, or “I could never learn to code”. You are probably going to have to get increasingly comfortable with technology as it will invariably become a bigger part of every job. Work on skills that are obviously more in demand, such as the ability to collaborate virtually and manage change. Staying ready for the future will likely mean doing things you really don’t want to do or feel prepared to do. However, the minute you let fear or hesitation stop you from learning what you need to navigate to the future of your work, you are beginning to let your skills expire. You can’t be focused on trying to keep everything in a neat little box. You have to step outside that box.