It’s essential to stay current in your field; continuing to sharpen your skill and building knowledge can help set you apart professionally. However, it is especially important to stay on top of your game while looking for your next opportunity.
Why is it important?
Filling the Gaps
In the job market today, employers are used to seeing gaps in employment and they don’t carry the same level of stigma that they used to. It’s still a good idea to continue to stay active professionally while you are looking for work to help keep gaps in your resume to a minimum. Ways to fill in these intervals can include working as a consultant, volunteer opportunities and pursuing educational goals.
Networking
Actively working on your professional development will help you network with other professionals. Staying connected to your peers will strengthen your network, keep you top-of-mind when your colleagues need to fill a new role, and help you build good references.
Where do I start?
Join a Professional Association
Many professions have associations which can have both national and local chapters, events and conferences. In addition to becoming a member and attending events, consider volunteering for the association. With missions that range from advancing the profession to individual professional development, these organizations need your talents to help support their goals. From speaking at a conference to manning the name tag table at a local event, there are countless ways to get involved.
Consulting
If you work in an industry that hires independent consultants or contractors, consider expanding your short-term job search to these types of opportunities while you look for full-time employment. Working on shorter projects helps build your experience and expand your portfolio of work, while also earning a paycheck.
What if I need more education or a certification?
Hitting the Books
Changes in the job market, your specific field, or your overall goals can create a need for additional education. There is an ever-growing list of options when it comes to going back to school. Beyond traditional colleges and universities, there’s online degree programs, extension programs, and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC). Research your field and discuss education options with people in your field to find the program that’s right for you.
Certifications
Especially when you want to change fields or develop a new emphasis, certifications can help you demonstrate a required skill set or a level of mastery to a potential employer. Many certification programs are available through professional associations and networks. Review job postings in your desired field and speak with peers to find out which certification has value in your field.