Job Search January Challenge #12

Don’t let the gap in your employment become a gap in your skills! The longer you are out of work, the more outdated and out of touch you might appear. Stay current on your job skills and industry happenings as you conduct your job search.

Follow industry trends through books, magazines, newsletters, and blogs

In addition to visiting the library and bookstores for books and magazines, tap into the endless (and mostly free) recourses available online. Conduct a google search for industry keywords and you’ll find numerous industry newsletters and blogs. You can subscribe to follow them regularly through email, RSS, and even on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

There are also online seminars (webinars) that are often incredibly informative and available for you to watch at your convenience. Check Youtube for relevant videos as well.

Be active in social networking

We’ve discussed how to use social networking in your job search. Be actively involved! Join the conversation, ask and answer questions, and comment on blogs to keep current with what is being discussed in real time. You could also write your own blog post as a guest blogger for one of these sites or create your own!

Volunteer for your career

We all know that the benefits of volunteering are plenty. Not only can we help others and promote something we believe in, we can also build skills that we can apply to our resume. In fact, it is often possible to volunteer for industry events that you might not otherwise afford to attend, and gain all the access and information of a paying attendee.

Challenge #12: Follow and Be Involved in Industry Trends to Stay Current

Read, write, question and comment on all the industry resources you can find. Not only will this keep you abreast of industry happenings and players, but it could establish your own credibility as an expert.

Volunteer and be involved in activities that will improve your skills and connections.

Use all of these experiences to keep your resume up-to-date!