At any moment, every single one of us is one business decision away from having our professional life turned upside down. That’s why we need to be proactive in staying organized and prepared with our key career documents and tools ready to use at a moment’s notice.
But sometimes, no matter how active our network, or how current our resume and professional portfolio, we find ourselves unemployed for a period of time. What do you do to keep your skills relevant and your resume gap-free if this happens to you?
Hunting for a new job should be considered your new full-time focus until you find that new position. Start researching the companies in your area. Explore job postings on company websites, social media sites, such as LinkedIn, temporary employment companies, and even print ads in the newspaper. (These still exist. I promise.) Activate your network, both online and in person, to let people know you are looking for a new job.
Next, consider what you can do with some of your downtime to hone or learn a new skill from free webinars, YouTube videos, and job retraining options via your past company or a temporary placement agency. You may also want to explore volunteer opportunities with local non-profit organizations or charities. These opportunities can be a great way to network further, keep your skills current, and create a “real” job (even if it is unpaid) to keep big gaps from appearing on your resume! Virtual assistance may also be something you might test the waters with for a period of time. At the very least, it shows you are a go-getter who is willing to take the initiative to do something other than sitting at home and waiting for the phone to ring.
If you ever find yourself out of a job, the most obvious thing to do is to look for a new one. However, finding a new admin position can take time. This week, we’re giving you advice on our Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages that will help you keep your admin skills relevant while unemployed. And I’m sharing some specific tips in the feature article that to help you make sure the key components of your job search toolkit are current and ready to showcase if and when the need should ever arise.
The more prepared and proactive you can be, the more options you’ll have for navigating the career detours life throws at you!
Supporting your administrative success,
Julie
P.S. My third book, Become a Procedures Pro, is nearing completion – but we need your help! We’d like your opinion on the cover art. Visit our website to cast your vote. We’ll reveal the results and officially unveil the new cover in a couple of weeks!
