in the economic landscape and things may just be starting to look up by the Summer of 2009.
There are three things I want to share with you today:
1. Upgrade Your Skills....... It will eventually show up on your personal bottom line.
2. Get Linked In..or risk being Left Out!
(yes, I do mean the social networking sites and not just Linked In)
3. Health Care & Education ARE hiring and that old Hidden Job Market is quite active.
1. Upgrade your Skills NOW!
Please........ You know your own line of work, your industry and the people who seem to be the most connected in your field. But are you also building your skills? It's important to not only cultivate your network but to cultivate and upgrade your critical thinking, your networking and your physical/educational skills. Ask yourself, "What have I done to Upgrade My Value Lately?" If the answer is nothing, then you are quickly losing ground and enabling your competition (other job seekers, those employed and unemployed and even the lookie loos) to distance themselves out in front of you. Employers who keep people who do not grow endanger their survival in today's global, technologically challenging world.
For example a new study at Ball State University now shows that employees with Web 2.0 skills may command higher salaries. Employees with Web 2.0 skills may command higher salaries, study says . Please click on the link to see the full report.
Nearly a quarter of employers polled said they were willing to offer employees with Web 2.0 skills a salary premium of up to 8%. BenefitNews.com (3/12)
Is this age discrimination? Some say Yes, but I say it is Skills Preference and employers have long known employees with contemporary skills sets enable the organization to be more productive and grow faster.
2. Get Linked In or Risk Being Left Behind....... my book calls it, Risk Being Locked Out.
Just like the job hunters who did not have a telephone in the 1950's and 60's, or those who did not use email in the 1990's you do not want to look like you belong to the last millenium unless your choose to live the Quaker lifestyle. There is much to be said for the Quaker lifestyle and values.... but do not expect to be taken seriously in the competitive world of the job market and forget the basics. Get Linked In, get your bio on http://www.nuresume.com/ and troll Craigs List. Not only do you need to stay connected to your alumnai association and professional/trade organizations, you also need to be able to be found. As in, hey," what ever happened to Harry the wizard with the new software package or that young Oprah Winfrey, the wonderful young actress with great potential?"
Think... " ME, Incorporated" and build your personal brand. Who are you and What do you stand for? It's time to let the true callings in your heart and share your gifts with the world. Take advantage of these wonderful free resources and build your personal network and get good at social networking. The whole world "virtually and literally" can open up to you if you will get on Linked In and other web2.0 superhighways! To help build your brand and make a name for yourself find ways to make yourself a "fresh contributor" to the body of new knowledge being added to your field or your own company. Find ways to do good for others, refer info and leads, generally contribute to that "Universal favor bank" and particularly refer and do good for those who might be in a position to reciprocate. My career was built on believing that I could never give too much to the Universe....that it always returned more to me that I sent off into it! Join Linked In special interest groups and start today!
One caveat please, remember that anything you post on line can come back and represent you later, so please make sure to only post that which you would like on the front page of the New York times, OK? :-)
§ Networking site adds new users at a quick paceNetworking site LinkedIn is adding new users at the rate of about one per second as laid-off executives search for new connections and job opportunities. Observers say the recession is driving traffic to the site, which, per comScore, has seen user numbers soar from roughly 3.6 million unique visitors per month a year ago to 7.7 million at present. Workforce Management Online (3/2009)3. Hiring today...... Tap That Hidden Job Market with your personal network. Don't deny those folks the opportunity to help you! § Some companies continue to hire amid recessionThe nation's unemployment rate is at its highest point in decades, but demand remains steady in such fields as health care and education, experts say. They also note that employers continue to demand workers with highly specialized skills. Government data indicates that 2 million jobs openings exist in a variety of fields. Yahoo!/The Associated Press (3/9)
Patty DeDominic
www.dedominic.com patty@dedominic.com
California Based Business and Entrepreneurial Coaches to High Achievers
Serving Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and the USA.
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