Competition is fierce for top jobs, especially ones with high salaries and great benefits. Even with experience, job seekers are finding it hard to get hired or promoted in a tepid job market. By developing marketable skills, you can make yourself much more attractive to employers, increasing your chances of getting that dream job or promotion.
Before you rush out to try and acquire more business skills, it's important to take stock of what skills you already have and what you want out of your career. Once you decide your ultimate career goal, look at job postings relevant positions. They usually have a list of desired skills and experience needed to get the job. Make a list of these skills and compare them to the business skills you already possess. Whatever marketable skills the job postings require that you don't already have are the areas you need to focus on. You should keep in mind that you may already possess some of these marketable skills, but you just don't realize it. For example, if you're a supervisor in the manufacturing sector, your ability to lead is a skill that can be transferred to other job sectors as well. Any technology you might use in your day-to-day work may also be transferable, so think critically about which skills you really need and which you might already have.
After you have a list of marketable skills you want to work on, it's time to go about acquiring them. Some skills that are good for any job, such as listening skills, can be developed without any formal training. For the rest, you will have to seek out educational opportunities to get them. Look for continuing education programs that some colleges offer after hours for people who work during the day. Seminars are another good way to get good marketable skills, and they don't require a long-term commitment. Workshops are another way to go with the bonus of being much less expensive than college courses.
Because some jobs require skills more than formal education, you may not have to attend classes or seminars to get them. If you can take a job with little or no pay, consider an internship, which will provide you with valuable on-the-job training that can't be experienced in a classroom. You should also look into cross-training within your own company to learn things you don't currently know. This will make you more marketable and show your supervisor that you're adaptable—another valuable skill that can pay off later.
Whether you're a recent college graduate or a seasoned vet in your industry, getting a job or promotion can be tough. That's why you should look at your current set of abilities and figure out which marketable skills you are lacking. Through education or on-the-job training, you'll make yourself much more desirable as an employee, which can help you start or further your career.
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