If you have experienced a layoff, numerous thoughts might be running through your mind not the least being what are you going to do now? A layoff can be a challenging time, but it doesn’t have to be. Instead, you can turn it into a productive experience that can better position you for your next job. Another thought going through your mind might be how you will account for your “in-between-jobs” time on your resume.
After you get laid off, you might want to spend a few days letting it sink in and even licking your wounds. But then the job search process begins and you take on a new job title of “job seeker.” Depending on the economy, your search for a new job could take anywhere between 4 to 18 months. This is normal, but how do you account for this time on a resume? Simply stating job hunting doesn’t work. Instead, you want to show that you took control of the situation and made it into a career advancing opportunity.
Ideally, you have maintained a current assessment of your skills and qualifications throughout your career to ensure that you remained marketable. However, a layoff is always a good motivator to do this assessment. This process will help you determine if you need to sharpen your skills in some areas and even develop some new ones.
If you decide to advance your career or even change your occupational focus, your job search process can be a good training ground for acquiring new skills. To account for this time, create a new section on your resume titled Professional Development. Your job description under this section can include all of the processes you completed to become employed. These tasks will likely include research, marketing, public speaking, and written communication. List all of the training courses and tutorials you completed and all of the processes you went through to market yourself.
You can start by listing your current skills and strengths (you would be amazed at how many of these will transfer to other occupations). Once you know our current skills status, start canvassing job descriptions, industry publications, and the business section of the newspaper. Also stay active and visible in your desired industry by attending professional association events and trade shows. Use these resources to identify industry trends and the skills employers are seeking. This will help you decide which new skills you need to develop to become a contender in the job market.
If returning to school is not financially feasible, there are numerous online courses and tutorials that you can complete as you engage in your professional development. To supplement your training and gain hands-on experience, look for volunteer opportunities that will enable you to apply your new training. Volunteering is one of the most productive activities you can do during your job search. It puts you in touch with new people and organizations that could lead to job opportunities.
The rapid emergence of technologies and trends continue to raise the expectations of your performance in the workforce. By detailing your performance and professional development activities on your resume you show that you take initiative, are resourceful, and can resolve problems. Whether you are gainfully employed or actively seeking employment, you cannot afford to underestimate the importance of continuous skills development.
After you get laid off, you might want to spend a few days letting it sink in and even licking your wounds. But then the job search process begins and you take on a new job title of “job seeker.” Depending on the economy, your search for a new job could take anywhere between 4 to 18 months. This is normal, but how do you account for this time on a resume? Simply stating job hunting doesn’t work. Instead, you want to show that you took control of the situation and made it into a career advancing opportunity.
Ideally, you have maintained a current assessment of your skills and qualifications throughout your career to ensure that you remained marketable. However, a layoff is always a good motivator to do this assessment. This process will help you determine if you need to sharpen your skills in some areas and even develop some new ones.
If you decide to advance your career or even change your occupational focus, your job search process can be a good training ground for acquiring new skills. To account for this time, create a new section on your resume titled Professional Development. Your job description under this section can include all of the processes you completed to become employed. These tasks will likely include research, marketing, public speaking, and written communication. List all of the training courses and tutorials you completed and all of the processes you went through to market yourself.
You can start by listing your current skills and strengths (you would be amazed at how many of these will transfer to other occupations). Once you know our current skills status, start canvassing job descriptions, industry publications, and the business section of the newspaper. Also stay active and visible in your desired industry by attending professional association events and trade shows. Use these resources to identify industry trends and the skills employers are seeking. This will help you decide which new skills you need to develop to become a contender in the job market.
If returning to school is not financially feasible, there are numerous online courses and tutorials that you can complete as you engage in your professional development. To supplement your training and gain hands-on experience, look for volunteer opportunities that will enable you to apply your new training. Volunteering is one of the most productive activities you can do during your job search. It puts you in touch with new people and organizations that could lead to job opportunities.
The rapid emergence of technologies and trends continue to raise the expectations of your performance in the workforce. By detailing your performance and professional development activities on your resume you show that you take initiative, are resourceful, and can resolve problems. Whether you are gainfully employed or actively seeking employment, you cannot afford to underestimate the importance of continuous skills development.
By: David Jensen, Elance.com
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!