The world is changing faster than ever before and the careers that are available today will change even more rapidly in just a few years. The key to adapting your career so that you can stay ahead of these changes is to continuously update your skills.

You need to make sure you’re as qualified as possible for the position and this means being able to show off your knowledge, experience, and skills in a concise manner. 

Here are 5 tips on how to boost those skills so that you can be more competitive in today’s job market:

1. Identify your skills and what you enjoy doing

Everyone has different skillsets that they are good at and enjoy doing. Identifying your strengths is an important step to take in order to find a job, or any other opportunity you may be seeking. You will need to identify what you enjoy doing, as well as the skillset required for the position. Once these have been identified it’s important not to underestimate yourself! Remember that you can always learn new things and improve upon those skillsets so don’t be afraid of taking on something new.

2. List out all the things you are good at or have done in the past

Trying to find the one thing you are good at or have done in your life is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. It’s difficult and takes time. But it can be fun! Here are examples to make it easy:

• List all the things that come up when you think about yourself – hobbies, skills, jobs held before this job, accomplishments from school/work/volunteering

You’re energetic, motivated and hardworking. You are someone who knows what you want and how to get it. This is a list of all the things that come up when you think about yourself:

1. You know your work ethic is top notch.
2. You’re punctual and reliable.
3. You take pride in the quality of your work; no task is too big or small for you to complete with excellence. Your attention to detail makes every project seem like a breeze while still ensuring everything has been completed according to company guidelines. You enjoy setting goals for yourself and meeting them head on, but also know when it’s time to push forward with new challenges as they arise. You are passionate about what you do, which means success.

• Pick one item on your list that sounds most interesting to you

It’s never too early to start thinking about your next job. It may seem daunting, but you don’t have to do it alone! Here are some tips for creating a list of your dream companies and what they’re looking for in applicants:

1. Write down all the companies that either interest or inspire you. 
2. Figure out which qualities they look for in employees- maybe this is where you can use those transferable skills from your current job!
3. Create a spreadsheet with these three columns: company, required qualifications, and any other notes on why this company would be a good fit.
4. For each company on the list, research their website thoroughly so that if an opening pops up later on you’ll be able to check if anything fits you.

• Research more about the topic

One of the best ways to land your dream job is by doing your research. What are the company’s values? How many employees does it have? Who do they work with? This information will give you an idea on what their hiring process might look like, and where you can start looking for openings that match the criteria you want in a career.  The more time you spend researching companies, the better chance you’ll have of finding one that’s right for you.

• Try out your new found skill

You’re looking for a job and have just completed your first coding bootcamp? Congratulations! Now it’s time to put that new skill set to use. You’ll need to be prepared with a portfolio of work, examples of past projects, and in-depth knowledge about the position you’re applying for. But before you start sending out resumes left and right, make sure your resume is built from the ground up with these tips in mind.

In order to stay competitive in today’s marketplace, it is important for job seekers to have an updated resume that accurately reflects their skillset.

• Think back through different points of your life

Think back through different points of your life to determine what you have learned, who you are now, and how these two things could be related.  A recent study by the Department of Labor found that people were most likely to change careers when they had been thinking about it for six months or more. This is a great time frame because it gives you enough time to explore your options but not enough time so get too overwhelmed with indecision. In order for this exploration process to be successful, one must take into consideration their own skillset and personality as well as the environment in which they thrive best (whether that’s an office environment or something else).

3. Think about what you want in a job

There are so many jobs out there, it can be hard to know where to start. Here are some of the things that makes a job good and why they’ll work for you and your needs.

• A company culture that promotes growth through mentorship or training
• Opportunities for professional development
• An environment that is supportive of diversity in all forms (gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity)
• An opportunity to give back by volunteering time or resources on behalf of the community

4. Take classes to learn new skills or improve old ones

No matter what you are applying for, the more skills and qualifications you have under your belt, the better. That’s why it is important to take classes on a variety of topics like video editing, web programming, data science – so that if something new comes up in an application process or interview, you can talk about how much experience you’ve gained with those skills. It can also be helpful to take courses on topics where there is no formal degree offered so that you know enough to teach yourself anything else necessary for whatever job field or industry interests you most.

5. Update your resume and cover letter

The reality is that in today’s job market, you’re not just competing against other people. You’re competing against companies who are using automated resume screening software to weed out applicants before they even get a chance to talk to them.  To make the cut, your resume needs to be customized for each position and cover letter should show why you will be an asset for that company. Most importantly: don’t forget the keywords! The most important thing is that your resume and cover letter reflects how much time and effort you have put into it. Put some love into it so that recruiters can see your passion for their company!

The world is changing fast, and the people who are successful today may not be so tomorrow. It’s up to you to make sure that your skills match the needs of a rapidly-evolving workforce. Think about what kind of work environment would suit you best, where your strengths will shine and offer value for both employer and yourself. Do some research into different industries or companies in order to find out which ones might have jobs that fit your interests as well as skill set. Make it easy on employers by updating your resume with all relevant information including recent achievements or any new certifications obtained since last time you updated it! You never know when an opportunity could arise.