Skill Up: Raise Your Career Metabolism, Bring Your A+ Game

Skill Up: Raise Your Career Metabolism, Bring Your A+ Game, and Develop More Magnetism

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by Deborah Shane

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show 2.7 million jobs remained unfilled in the United States in August 2011, and employers are reporting having a hard time finding skilled workers to add to their payroll. Manpower's 2011 Job Shortage Report confirms job applicants are not qualified for the hard and soft skills and intangibles companies need and seek in job applicants today. The human world and the work world have shifted and changed. They will eventually find an alignment and become whatever the norm is for our time. As the generations continue to age out and up, consumerism will also change.

The full 2011 Talent Shortage Report is here. Take some time and read it. It will give you ideas, clues, calls to action and direction on what it takes to be skilled, qualified, sought after and appreciated if you want to be hired by a quality company today and secure your career future.

Are you a player on the field and in the game? Or are you on the sideline watching the game play out?

This skill gap developing and simmering for almost 10 years has finally emerged and reared its ugly head -- and it's deep, wide, and bad. The only person, place, or thing that can change it is you. Don't wait for business, the government, your county, alumni association, or chamber to help you skill up and personally brand yourself.

Take control and command of your future, your career, your life, and move it where you want it to go. Take the challenge, responsibility and get to work on you now, today!

You can do so many things you to ...

Up your game.
Add value to yourself.
Stand out.

The business, work, and career world require a much stronger personal and career brand and much more aggressive branding activity.

My 5-5-5 Plan

5 ways to close the skills gap:
1. Become highly relevant in your field, industry, and expertise.
2. Invest in skills education.
3. Become trend-savvy and smart.
4. Develop a leadership mindset.
5. Prepare to move fast and pounce on opportunity.

5 activities to up your game:
1. Define your strong personal brand and launch a blog, Website, or splash page.
2. Invest in a branded business card or postcard.
3. Find an internship, mentorship, or volunteer opportunity.
4. Join Toastmasters and work on your public speaking.
5. Engage in social-media marketing, especially on LinkedIn and Facebook.

5 skills that add value:
1. Sales and communication.
2. Versatility and being a team player.
3. Speaking up articulately.
4. Adaptability and flowing with change.
5. Positive attitude and good vibe.

What are you doing now and what will you do tomorrow?

Act as if.
Keep moving.
Try different things.
Go out and talk to people.
"Yes I can" is your daily mantra.

These are radical times that require radical actions to get radical results. We are all reinventing ourselves. Corporations and individuals must respond to rapid, relentless, constant change. It's the norm and the great story of this moment.

Don't give up. Forge forward. Job-seekers and career-changers need to think the same way the top 25 brands do; they uncovered new ways, created other possibilities and a new norm for themselves and most importantly filled consumers, customers and employee needs, pain and fears and wants. Yep, you are a business of one now -- a career entrepreneur.

Spend some time on these sites to recharge, rejuvenate, renew, inspire and educate yourself on the most relevant, current, important, useful and timely trends, data and information that will help you raise your career metabolism, develop that A+ game and make you more magnetic.

Final Thoughts on Updating and Improving Your Skills

The countdown to your launch begins now. Explore your possibilities and step into your breakthrough. I'm cheering you on from the middle of the field!

This article is part of Job Action Day 2011.

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

Deborah Shane of DeborahShaneToolBox.com is a career and small-business branding strategist and an integrated social-media marketing consultant, who can see the big picture and all the pieces that must be in place and working together for individuals and businesses. She can help define your personal and business brand, and determine and implement active and engaging branding activities that increase marketing, sales and building community.

Maximize your career and job-search knowledge and skills! Take advantage of The Quintessential Careers Content Index, which enables site visitors to locate articles, tutorials, quizzes, and worksheets in 35 career, college, job-search topic areas.

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