Whether you are someone who is looking for their first job, a mom returning to the workplace after a spell looking after your children, or a professional looking to make a career change, there are a number of things you can do right now to make yourself more employable. Not to mention that these tips will also make it much easier for you to secure a position sooner, rather than later.
Sounds good right? Here are 11 good ways to make yourself more employable right now:
1. Refresh your resume
When looking for a new job, one of the first things you should do is refresh your resume. A good resume is one that is simple, accurate and tailored to the kinds of positions you are looking to apply for.
There are numerous online resources and resume builder that can help you create a perfect modern resume, so I suggest that you make this a top priority ahead of applying for a new job.
2. Acquire new skills
This will take you a bit longer to achieve, but if you want to be as employable as you can possibly be, and beat out the competition when it comes to applying for jobs, then the more usable skills you have on your resume the better.
Chances are you have already acquired a wide range of skills during the course of your working life or at school and college, but it never hurts to learn more if you want to make yourself stand out as a candidate.
Things like this BLS certification course are ideal because they teach you practical skills that can be useful in the office, but which not every candidate for the job will have, so if you stick to practical, functional, and transferable skills, and acquire as many of them as you can, you will undoubtedly be more employable as a result.
3. Clean up your social media
Right now, it is not unusual for employers to check out your social media when you apply for a job with them. This is not a problem if your social media is tame, professional and free from profanities, revealing pictures or anything else that might not show you in the best light.
If your social media is a bit wild, then it would undoubtedly be a good idea to curate it and remove anything that might not show you in the most employable light, while really enhancing the things that do make you good for the job.
4. Take up a sport
This might seem like a bit of a silly suggestion, but various studies have shown that candidates who play a sport are more likely to be hired when they include said sporting activities on their resume, than people who do not take part in regular physical activities.
This is probably because sports encourage teamwork, mental discipline, and a whole host of other qualities that are desirable in the workplace, and since lying on your resume is a really bad idea, actually taking up a sport and getting into it could really help to make you more employable. If not, it will have made you fitter so it is always worth the effort.
5. Start networking
Whether it is right or wrong, there is no denying that who you know counts just as much if not more, as what you know and how well-qualified you are. So, if you know you are going to be looking for a new job role in the near future, it would be incredibly useful to start networking with people in the relevant sector.
These days, it’s really easy to network online using sites like LinkedIn and industry-specific forums, so you should definitely start there, but going to conferences and trade events, where you can strike up conversations face-to-face, name contact, and put out feelers, is also a really good idea. You will undoubtedly get more leads if you do.
6. Bone up on the company
If you want to get hired, then you need to make sure that you know everything there is to know about the company you are applying to. By researching them as thoroughly a possible, but only will you be able to effectively answer any questions they throw at you, but you will also be able to show them just how keen you are on working for them, specifically.
So many businesses have to field candidates who are looking for any job they can get, that interviewing someone who is actually enthusiastic, knowledgeable and eager can be very refreshing.
7. Learn a language
In 2023, it really is the case that we live in a global economy with many businesses having branches in all corners of the world. So, one thing that will likely get your resume to the top of the pile is learning a different language.
Good languages to learn include Mandarin, English, if you are not living in an English-speaking country, Japanese, and Spanish, but really, if you can speak any second language fluently, HR teams will think of you as an asset.
8. Practice your interview technique
If you have not interviewed for a job role for a while then it can be a good idea to have a friend or family member take you through a mock interview practice. They can play the person hiring you and ask you the kinds of questions you are likely to hear in real interviews, so that you can practice coming up with clear, concise ideas and presenting them confidently. That way, when you do get a real interview, you will be more than ready for it and more able to impress.
9. Volunteer
If you have been out of the workplace for a while, or if you are looking to move into a completely new career for you, volunteering can be an excellent way to get some recent experience that you can put on your resume, and show that you have the skills required to do the job. It is, of course, also a great way to give back to your local community, meet new people, and build confidence.
10. Stay positive
When you are looking for a new job, it is important that you stay positive because you are likely to get some knockbacks along the way, and if you give in to negativity, this will make it harder for you to meet your goals.
Not only that, but people who have a positive attitude are always more attractive to employers because they are the kinds of people who look for solutions instead of finding problems and that is just what every business needs.
11. Get a mentor
If you can find a mentor who is working in the industry you wish to work in, not only will you be instantly better connected, but you will have someone who is there for you and who can advise you on what to do and say and what not to do and say if you want to impress the interview panel and get a job. Good mentors are not always easy to find, but they are out there and they will make a difference to you, so do make an effort to seek one out if you can.
As you can see, there are a number of, mostly, very simple things you can do to make yourself more employable and increase your chances of securing that job role you have been eyeing. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and make it happen!
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