About a week ago, I finally surrendered my Blackberry and switched to an Android Smartphone. It was about time, and I liked the look, the feel and the wide range of apps and options it offered. There were a lot of options available, and I was surprised at how ignorant I was about phone technology; but not the sales associate that helped with my purchase. She rattled off a lot of techno-speak and went through what seemed like endless steps to transfer all the data from the Blackberry to other phone.
Job seekers without technical knowledge or experience are at a disadvantage in the job search. Even the most common digital equipment like smart phones or laptops require some technical knowledge and experience. If you complain in an interview that you don’t know how to send a text message on your new phone or your resume is in a WordPerfect file, you are labeled as a tech dinosaur. Since all jobs will require some tech savvy, becoming familiar with technology at any level should be a priority.
Entry-level jobs are a way to get paid and learn the basics of workplace technology. Here are some jobs that can help pay the bills and provide some on-the-job technical training:
1. Digital phone sales. What better way to learn about the latest phone technology than to be immersed in it every day? They say that teaching someone else is the best way to learn yourself. Your past sales experience can be enough to get you in the door. AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon are huge companies with lots of area for growth. You may find yourself climbing the career ladder before you know it.
Job seekers without technical knowledge or experience are at a disadvantage in the job search. Even the most common digital equipment like smart phones or laptops require some technical knowledge and experience. If you complain in an interview that you don’t know how to send a text message on your new phone or your resume is in a WordPerfect file, you are labeled as a tech dinosaur. Since all jobs will require some tech savvy, becoming familiar with technology at any level should be a priority.
Entry-level jobs are a way to get paid and learn the basics of workplace technology. Here are some jobs that can help pay the bills and provide some on-the-job technical training:
1. Digital phone sales. What better way to learn about the latest phone technology than to be immersed in it every day? They say that teaching someone else is the best way to learn yourself. Your past sales experience can be enough to get you in the door. AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon are huge companies with lots of area for growth. You may find yourself climbing the career ladder before you know it.
2. Big Box Tech Stores. Staples, Best Buy and Office Max have the latest technology, and you don’t have to be a Geek to work there. A job in the copy center alone will put you in the middle of the latest copy and photo technology. You’ll learn a lot about putting together presentation materials as well as how to use a wide variety of digital equipment and photo technology.
3. Cable Service Sales and Installation. With the exit of free television service, everyone who wants to tune in has to be connected. Cable services now bundle high-speed internet service, phone and other services. You may be on the road and working in homes and businesses, but you’ll be learning a lot about communications, customer service and technology at the same time.
4. Fedex or UPS. With online shopping replacing the hassle of parking at the mall, these companies are expanding their services. Delivery personnel use handheld devices to scan packages and warehouses are the perfect place to learn all about logistics and large delivery systems.
Almost any job can be a doorway to a new career. Every job will require some technical knowledge, and you can build your confidence, experience and add to your resume by learning all you can on the bottom of the ladder while working your way up.
Did you get some awesome training on your last job? Share your experience with the others in the Comments Section below.
Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for BusinessWorkForce.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and helping clients reinvent their careers for today’s job market. You can read more of her blogs at businessworkforceblog.com and view additional job postings on Nexxt.
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