Author: Max Stein
With the U.S. economy still slumping and unemployment numbers barely
moving forward, many workers may be considering what their employment
future could be like if they were to lose their job. If you’re in a
healthcare field, or possess computer skills, you don’t have much to worry
about, except explaining why you left your last job. On the other hand, if
you’re employed in production or manufacturing, you may be asking
yourself, “when should I update my job skills?”
If you’re lucky enough to still have a job in this economy and you’re
pondering the future, you should consider updating your job skills
immediately. Your current education level will determine what you should
update. If you already possess a Bachelor’s degree, examine what your
skills deficits may be. For instance, are you up to date on computer
programs commonly used in an office environment? If you want to make a
move into healthcare, do you have medical terminology or CPR? Some states
allow degree holders to get into teaching without having a related degree.
Some may require a certificate. Your employer may even pay for your
continuing education. Career colleges offer courses with flexible times so
you can work and update your skills.
On the other hand, if you’re one of the over eight million people who is
currently looking for full or part-time work and your job prospects are
not very good, updating your skills could be very important to your
future. Again, you should assess your current educational inventory.
Consider the industry you’ve been in and see if it makes sense to change.
There are a lot of openings in sales, healthcare and computer related
industries. Federal or state aid may be available to you for educational
purposes.
Finally, if you feel safe in your current job, create a strategy of
cross-training. Make yourself so valuable to your employer, that even if
the job you hold now is eliminated, you could easily move to another one
within the company. Advancing your computer skills is one of the best ways
to do this. Improving your sales skills is another. By creating added
value to your employer, you put yourself far down the list to be trimmed.
The answer to when you should update your job skills is - always. Whether
you need to update the computer programs you know or train for a
completely new industry, your ability to adapt to change will help keep
you employed, both now and in the future.
About the author:
Max Stein, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
http://www.degreesource.com/articles Max Stein is a freelance writer who
writes about business, education and marketing.
maxstein_9@hotmail.com
www.degreesource.com
