No matter where you are in your life, it should be no surprise to hear how impactful technology can be to your career. Technology is a crucial part of any aspect of business, and if you’ve been out of the job search market for awhile, there may be some things you need to learn. The lessons that can be taken from companies that did not keep up with technology can also be applied to an individual’s personal career path. There are plenty of other candidates ready to fill your shoes if you can not learn to adapt.
1. Don’t Remain Stuck In Your Ways
The world is a constantly evolving place. The failure to try new avenues will only stall you in your own personal development. Not only are jobs posted on LinkedIn but it is a great tool for reaching out to people in your industry who may be able to provide useful advice to you. There are numerous other social websites that provide the same opportunities but you will never learn about them unless you branch out as well as accept that technology is a crucial component in the world of business.
2. Seek Guidance From a Pro
Chances are you have a friend or coworker that is already active in the world of technology. Seeking their guidance may be the quickest way to learn the benefits of certain social media sites over others. If you don’t have any tech-savvy friends, you will quickly learn that reaching out and asking questions on forums, blogs, etc. is a quick and easy way to receive a lot of valuable information from other users.
3. Determine Your Goals
After familiarizing yourself with the different paths of the world of technology, it should be easy to come up with some goals related to technology that will help you progress in your career. Perhaps you want to contact career mentors of yours via Twitter and see if they have any advice to offer related to your career. If you are in the job hunt, you may consider making it a goal to apply for jobs in nontraditional ways such as LinkedIn or a job board.
4. Stick With It
Regardless of what your goals end up being, the best way to start is to get your hands dirty. Browsing sites and doing research are the best ways to learn how you can start using technology to benefit you. Not to mention, the more often you use these tools, the quicker they will become habit.
5. Be Current
With the Internet at your fingertips, staying current on the latest news in technology and specifically how it relates to your job or industry, is especially easy. Staying ahead of the curve is essential in today’s rapidly growing business world. If something is tried and true, it is still not necessarily the best way. Continue experimenting and exploring as it is oftentimes the case that there is a better solution out there just waiting to be found.
In any career, networking is key. Technology has made it easier than ever to connect with people from both your past and present. Choosing to ignore this great opportunity is a missed opportunity. Technology will always be around, so learning to embrace it and use it to its full potential is a skill that will be learned over time with practice and persistence.
I find it so important to stay updated with technology. It gives you an edge at work, and technology can be great to help you move forward and stay organized. Great post.
This is one of the reasons why the poor don’t trend upwards in their careers. They tend to have very little access to the technology that drives our society. You need to stay current with all forms in order to advance to your highest potential.
Great point, Grayson. I’m of the opinion that it should be taught in high schools and universities. Everyone has access to technology, but not everyone has access to valuable insights on career advice.
Having a great mentor, I’ve found, is a critical source of advice and support.
Agreed. A good mentor is the first step in networking which is a key piece to advancing any career.