Tag Archive for: #skillset

You are here: / / #skillset

Posts

#YourCareer : Skills You Need To Cultivate Now To Be Competitive In 2023. Prepare for Downsizing & Layoffs.

/in /by

The key is to have a skill stack that makes you holistic. Having only one or two specific talents won’t be sufficient for the world we’re entering. You’ll need a combination of different talents and skills to advance within your organization or do well in a job interview.

Businesses desire people who are strong communicators, cultivated interpersonal skills, and can write well, along with a high level of emotional intelligence and empathy. You’ll also need a balance consisting of knowledge about artificial intelligence, software coding and all sorts of tech platforms and apps. It doesn’t stop there. As we’ve seen the acceleration of trends during the pandemic, things will continually change, and you’ll need to be flexible and always be learning.

The New Year Is Nearly Here

It’s hard to wrap your mind around the fact that we are only about two and a half months away from the New Year. Most people can’t wait to put 2022 behind us. However, just because you turn the page on the calendar, it doesn’t mean that everything changes for the better.

From now until the holiday season, it’s likely that we’ll see high rates of unemployment, the stock market continuing to plummet, and home and apartment prices out of reach due to high mortgage payments. The primary reason for the negativity is that the Fed war being waged against inflation calls for a contracting economy, higher interest rates and costs, along with businesses cutting expenses which largely causes worker layoffs.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

Having Money Helps You Get Through Tough Times

One of the first things you need to do in a contracting economy characterized by job losses, falling stock prices and rising costs caused by inflation is to save as much money as possible. Building an emergency fund can help you weather the storm and potential bouts of unemployment. If you spend beyond your means and lose your job, it could be financially ruinous as seeking out a new opportunity during a recession is difficult. Having money offers a safety vest to stay afloat during tumultuous times. It offers you options. Instead of accepting a low-paying, go-nowhere dead-end job because you can’t afford to be out of work, a financial nest egg will offer the chance to wait things out. You’ll have more time to search out and find the job you desire that pays well and offers future growth potential.

Becoming Adaptive To Change

You have no other choice than to embrace change. We’ve seen how fast and volatile things can get. Look at the toxic way we now interact with each other in person and on social media. The economy, stock and job markets feel like they’ve gone haywire. Throughout most of last year, we benefited from robust hiring, skyrocketing stock prices, and the creation of new and exciting startups.

Now it’s different. On an almost regular basis, businesses are announcing layoffs, hiring freezes, job offer rescissions and allowing attrition without replacing the quitting workers. The new era may cause you to switch jobs or embark upon new careers. You may be required to go into an office five days a week, told to stay home and work remotely, or become a digital nomad. To adapt to changes, you may need to continually reinvent yourself and pivot to new career directions.

On the positive side, if you are good at critical thinking and problem-solving and have a flexible attitude, you can go with the flow. To succeed, keep your eyes open for changes that will usher in new and exciting opportunities that coincide with your skill sets.

Learn To Code, Write, And Speak Well

In the new digital work world, you don’t have to be a software engineer, but it will be helpful to possess a comfort level with new technologies. Take some online courses in coding, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics or cybersecurity. It wouldn’t hurt to start dabbling in the metaverse and virtual reality.

The ability to write well, speak intelligently, and communicate clearly and effectively is prized by major corporations. These skills greatly enhance your marketability. It’s essential to continue learning to keep up with new developments and trends impacting your job and career. If you become a lifelong learner, you’ll stand out and be far ahead of your cohorts. Since we are all online, you must be digitally fluent and active on social media to garner attention, burnish your reputation, and possibly lead to job offers

Resilience And Grit

It’s said that good times make weak people, which leads to tough times that make strong people. The harsh reality is that our lifestyle and financial situation may be less than our parent’s. Finding a job, building a career, and purchasing a home or vehicle, won’t be as easy as it used to be.

No one will be coming to your rescue. In a rougher economic climate, you’ll need to rely upon yourself. It’s a reversion to the archetype of rugged individualist that characterized the early American colonists and wild west cowboys. Back then, people didn’t solely depend upon the federal government but made things happen through their unyielding hard work, efforts and determination.

There could be times when your skills and talents aren’t appreciated, and you’ll have to start all over again. You’ll need to be mentally and emotionally strong to deal with downsizings and losses in your 401-k and retirement plans. It shouldn’t be surprising that you must continually switch jobs and pivot to new careers.

Teach yourself how to be self-resilient, and build the confidence to pursue what you want. It’s okay to have fear and trepidation, but you must keep forging against all odds and obstacles.

The future of work will offer new and different types of roles. Some jobs may no longer exist due to technological advancements. The rapid advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning and other software tools create a need for human creativity, which may open new doors for you. By starting right now, you’ll be far ahead of your peers by being more prepared and competitive by the New Year.

 

Forbes.com | October 12, 2022 | Jack Kelly 

#JobSearch : What Skills Can Help You Make A Career Transition? Simply, A MUst REad for All!

/in /by

In How Universities Die, Australian academic Peter Fleming bemoans the neoliberal influence on universities over the last 20 years, which he believes is resulting in the slow demise of once-great institutions. A central part of his thesis is that universities have stopped being places for intellectual exploration and have turned into breeding grounds for the next generation of workers.

The question of whether universities should support widespread academic inquiry or act more as preparation for specific careers has been one with a long and storied history.  from Rice University last year, for instance, suggested that graduates earn more when their degree program is tightly linked to specific jobs.

“College major linkage strength and occupational match were positively related to wages,” the researchers write. “In particular, strong linkage increased the wages of workers in matched occupations more than workers not in matched occupations.”

Transferable skills

The flip side of the argument is provided by a  from the London School of Economics, which highlights the importance of transferable skills.  The authors suggest that in a world in which jobs change so readily, it is actually transferable skills that are increasingly important.  The problem is that not only are universities not really providing these, but employers are not investing in these skills either, despite finding them so valuable.

“Most of the skills employers find to be lacking among applicants and existing staff are transferable: gaps in complex analytical skills reportedly contribute to 40% of all skill-shortage vacancies, and a third of all skill-shortage vacancies were attributed, at least in part, to a lack of digital skills, including both basic computer literacy and more advanced or specialist IT skills,” the researchers write. “For personal skills, in both 2015 and 2017, the most common skill of this type lacking in the labor market was the ability to manage one’s’ own time and task prioritization (51% of all skill-shortage vacancies were attributed to this).”

As we are in the midst of the so-called “Great Resignation”, where many professionals are thinking of moving to new jobs or new careers, having a good handle on the skills we have that could enable such transitions is crucial. In her latest book, Next Move, Best Move, career development expert Kimberly Cummings outlines how you can conduct a “skills audit” of every skill you have gained in every role you have had during your career. Cummings advocates then tagging each of these skills according to whether you would like to keep using them in your future or not.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

 

Auditing your skills

Cummings provides a template you can use to conduct this skills audit, although of course, you can equally just use a notebook and pen. The key is that you are able to undertake an accurate assessment of the skills you have gained, utilized, and wish to build upon in your future career. Cummings recommends asking yourself the following questions:

  1. What are the top skills you have acquired throughout your career?
  2. What skills do you consider your strengths?
  3. What skills helped you obtain the greatest results?
  4. What skills do you find yourself teaching others?
  5. Moving forward in your career, what skills do you prefer not to use?
  6. What skills do you want to use in your next role?

 

“After answering those questions, you should have a clear list of your transferable skills that you would like to continue to use in your career,” Cummings writes.  “The exercise is worth doing because if you cannot quickly showcase your skill-set in career-related conversations, you are at risk for presenting yourself as a Jack or Jill of all trades and master of none.”

Skills in demand

Not only are soft skills likely to be among the most transferable, but they are also among those most in demand. Analysis performed a few years ago by the learning provider Udemy outlined some of the most valuable soft skills in the labor market today.

These skills include:

  • Conflict management
  • Time management
  • Stress management
  • Communication skills
  • Customer service
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Storytelling
  • Change management

Understanding not only the transferable skills you have but also the skills that are valuable in a range of professions is likely to be especially important in a future of work in which we are going to have multiple different careers. Being able to connect the dots between different careers and to understand what skills you possess and could apply in novel ways is a skill that in itself will be increasingly important.

 

Forbes.com Author:  

 

Forbes.com – August 8, 2021

Your Career: 8 Job Skills To Succeed In A Post-Coronavirus World. A Must Read!

/in /by

As most of us are in lockdown at home, we are left to wonder what a post-coronavirus-world might look like. There’s a lot unknown about how the world will transform after we get the novel coronavirus under control, but it is extremely unlikely that things will just go back to exactly the way they were before. Our workplaces are likely to change, and with it, the skills companies will require.

Here are 8 job skills that are likely to be in high demand in a post-coronavirus world.

Adaptability and Flexibility

One thing is for certain, the ways companies operate and work are going to change. The world was already changing rapidly, but the pandemic accelerated it. There will be few “jobs for life.” Someone that is going to succeed in a post-coronavirus-world will need to be able to adapt to ever-evolving workplaces and have the ability to continuously update and refresh their skills.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

Tech Savviness

One of the best ways to prepare yourself for a post-coronavirus-world is to acquire technology skills. The COVID-19 pandemic is fast-tracking digital transformations in companies as they are trying to become more resilient to future outbreaks and disruptions. The reality is that technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, the Internet of Things, virtual and augmented reality, and robotics will make businesses more resilient to future pandemics, and anyone that can help companies exploit these technologies will be in a great position. Whether you work in a factory or an accounting office in a post-coronavirus world, you need to be comfortable with these tech tools as well as be able to work with them effectively.

Creativity & Innovation

We have already seen the importance of creativity and innovation during the pandemic. Businesses that have been able to come up with ways to deliver services virtually (like many healthcare providers have done) or quickly shift to new products (like Mercedes F1 that have shifted from making racing cars to innovative breathing aids) have been able to better weather the storm. In a post-coronavirus world, we will need human ingenuity to invent, dream up new products and ways of working. Human creativity is going to be essential.

Data Literacy

As the fuel of the 4th Industrial Revolution, data is a critical asset for every company. With the right data, companies are able to better predict the impact of future business disruptions and are better able to serve customers with the right products and services during or after any pandemic. Companies that understand business trends and shifting customer needs are better able to respond in the right way should a future pandemic come along. However, the data is useless to a company unless there is data literacy—people equipped with skills to understand the data and make better decisions because of it. Professionals with data literacy will be even more appealing to prospective employers than ever before.

Critical Thinking

Another skill that will be essential as our global economy rebuilds from the damage done by COVID-19 is critical thinking. During the pandemic, we have seen a spike in fake news and misrepresentations of data and studies, as leaders, businesses, and governments are trying to shift blame and divert attention and proper scrutiny. People who can objectively evaluate information from diverse sources to determine what is credible will be valued. Not all information should be trusted, but organizations will need to rely on critical thinking to understand what information should inform decision-making.

Digital And Coding Skills

The digital transformation of organizations got a boost because of coronavirus; therefore, professionals with digital skills, including coding, web development, and digital marketing, will become even more important than they are now. People who can keep the digital business running—and thriving—during economic downturns or pandemics that make in-person business impossible or less efficient are going to be on the must-hire list. And, basically, ALL companies are now digitally based in some way, so the opportunities to put digital skills to work are countless.

Leadership

One of the changes in a world that is heavily augmented by the support of machines and where social distancing and home working might continue for the foreseeable future, is that more people at all levels of an organization will be in a position where they lead others. The gig economy is only going to grow post coronavirus, and people will be working in more fluent teams where people are taking the lead at different times. Professionals with strong skills in leadership, including how to bring out the best and inspire teams as well as encourage collaboration, will be in demand.

Emotional Intelligence

Closely linked to leadership is another skill that is even more important in uncertain and challenging times: Emotional Intelligence (EQ). The ability to be aware of, express, and control our emotions and be aware of others’ emotions is what emotional intelligence is all about. At times when people might feel uncertain about their job and the future of their business, it is key to connect with people on an emotional level. Individuals with strong EQ will be coveted by organizations of all sizes and in all industries.

Commit to a Lifetime of Learning

According to the World Economic Forum, in just five years, 35 percent of the skills deemed essential today will change. There’s only one way to remain relevant in a post-coronavirus reality: commit to a lifetime of learning.

When faced with a tight job market, professionals with advanced and expert job skills will still be in demand and will likely struggle less to find employment. The good news is that improving your skills has never been easier. Today, it doesn’t require years of study or hefty loans to build up your skillset to be prepared for a post-coronavirus world. There are endless free and open online courses (MOOCs) available that will help you improve your skills.

Here are just a few examples:

·        Artificial intelligence and machine learning courses

·        Data literacy and data science courses

·        Emotional Intelligence courses

Or just search for the skills you want to develop on platforms such as Coursera, edX, Udacity, FutureLearn, or iversity 

 

Forbes.com | April 17, 2020 |  Bernard Marr Contributor Enterprise Tech

 

More About the Author: For more on AI and technology trends, see Bernard Marr’s book Artificial Intelligence in Practice: How 50 Companies Used AI and Machine Learning To Solve Problems and his forthcoming book Tech Trends in Practice: The 25 Technologies That Are Driving The 4Th Industrial Revolution, which is available to pre-order now.