The job market is an ever-evolving landscape, one that demands a constant state of flux in your CV. The race you’re in for the dream job is very real, but that doesn’t mean building your skillset has to be a slog.
Below, we’ve collected a few tips to help you stand out from the crowd. Give them a go and your CV will have heads turning during the next application process.
Try a Distance Learning Course
Grappling with a new accredited course in your off-hours is one of the more satisfying ways to spend your free time.
Many providers of distance learning courses even specialize in building business acumen, with course providers like Signum Magnum Education providing special courses in Business Administration, Finance and Public Administration to give you a more holistic skillset.
Temporary Contracts Can Lead to Something Bigger
You’ve crash landed into the job of your dreams, but on a contract that seems all too fleeting. Temporary positions can seem like a risky proposition (and their finite nature means they very much are) but they’re also a way to sample a workplace without being weighed down by the anchor of a long-term contract.
With the right application and training, the ideal temporary contract could put you in touch with the right people, condense your training, and teach you a skill or two that’ll be invaluable for the road ahead. And best of all, the honeymoon period won’t have even finished before you’re moving onto the next opportunity.
Make Friends at a Local Networking Session
Entering a networking session with the notion that you have to impress is a natural first instinct, but one that runs the risk of making you appear overly confident.
Instead, treat these business-minded mixers as an opportunity to make friends who may reap benefits in the long run. Striking a balance between personable and professional will take some time and plenty of networking events. Sessions are easy to find via sites like Eventbrite.
Remember your Hobbies are Transferable Skills
Plenty of books on entrepreneurialism tend to favor the acquisition of business-focused skills, be that communication, managerial or financial. Yet the truth is that understanding a skill, or even a simple pastime, can mold virtues of perseverance and empathy that those focusing on skills with a purely capitalist basis won’t have.
Sites like Domestika have sprung up and gained an active base of users for exactly that reason, selling instructional videos with titles like ‘Daily Sketching for Creative Inspiration’ to foreground how artistic practice can be beneficial to other aspects of professional life.
Find a New Challenge
Just as the arc of justice is long, the quest to pin down your dream job will take a circuitous path, and many positions you stumble into may not always seem like a natural progression into the role you covet.
Yet different challenges (be they charity work, supporting your local community, or helping a business in a junior role) can have a major impact on your CV, building skills and confidence in multiple fields. When a challenge seems daunting don’t be afraid to grab it.
Do you know of any ways to enhance your CV? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
