Whether you are in a job or searching for a new gig, you need to stand out from the crowd. The job market can be extremely competitive, so learning how to be marketable is essential for promoting your personal skills and expertise. To make sure you are presenting yourself to employers in the strongest way possible, we spoke to the experts at Absolute Translations who share their 7 tips on how to be more marketable to employers.
1) Build a strong presence on social media
Whether you are looking to market yourself or your business, it must be understood that you are your own brand. Like any other brand, building a strong social media presence is key for others to identify your niche and for you to seek recognition for your skills. After all, it is your responsibility to sell yourself to prospective employers. Being active on all social media platforms will showcase your skillset within the industry you are working in, alongside more about your personality. Just remember to always keep your social media posts professional and light-hearted – you don’t want extremely controversial views or last Saturday nights antics to be the reason you aren’t getting your dream job!
2) Gain management experience
Getting management experience may seem like a daunting task, but you do not need to have a management position to gain leadership experience. Whether or not you are applying for a managerial position, showing that you can manage a small team of people shows that you have the ability to be creative, motivated and hard working. This can be done in several ways such as managing your company’s work experience program, organizing a company event or leading a new co-worker or club. This will give you something to highlight on your CV and talk about during future job interviews.
3) Offer to take on new projects
Employers are looking for employees who are proactive, tenacious and passionate. By offering to take on new projects inside or outside your work, you are creating examples to demonstrate you can be all of those qualities! Not only is it bound to enhance your CV, but it will impress employers of the present and future.
4) Learn a language
Employers are looking for candidates who can multitask and have a diverse range of talents that they can share within the company. The best way to showcase your differing talents, your work ethic and your curiosity about the world is by learning a new language. Being multilingual means that you can interact with a broader range of people, therefore upping your professional value to prospective employers.
5) Teach yourself new software skills
A fantastic way to increase your marketability is by expanding your skills. As we live in a digital age, the most in-demand skills include an in-depth knowledge surrounding technology. For instance, skills such as cloud computing, video production like the one serviced by a video production company near me, SEO, mobile development and data engineering are extremely sought after. If you take the time to learn even just one of these skills, you will instantly become a more appealing candidate to future employers. Learn about your dream job and what skills are necessary to blossom within your industry. Becoming marketable includes becoming the best you can be.
6) Perfect your portfolio
A well- maintained portfolio is essential for any employee’s success. Not only is it evidence of all your hard work, but it is an easy-read, visual document for employers to look at. By keeping your portfolio up to date, you are showing that you are a consistent individual dedicated to long term growth. In certain professions, such as journalism, keeping a portfolio can show that you are able to stay relevant in your industry despite changing trends and patterns.
7) Network, network, network!
It can never be said enough times- it’s not about what you know, but rather who you know. Without doubt, networking is the best way to market yourself. Knowing the right people can expose you to the perfect opportunities and having experienced personal references can help to make you a standout candidate amongst the competition.
Attend events, reach out to people via LinkedIn to ask for advice in your industry and connect with friends of co-workers in order to really expand your network. Remember that networking is not just about taking, it is also about sharing ideas, gaining new perspectives and interconnecting businesses.
