Career Advice Podcasts & Job Seeker Network
Mind-set of a "life-long-learner"
There are those that are perpetually enrolled in formal college classes and there are those that learn from life. And then there are those that are a little bit of both. Which are you?
One of the reasons I love doing what I do is that I get to learn about new industries and occupations all the time. I am not sure of any formal classes that teach this, yet. Learning from others is easy, just ask questions.
So many people get caught up in what they are doing, they lose sight of the bigger picture. We need to constantly keep our radars up for industry, occupation and especially world of work trends.
If you are unemployed, take this opportunity to enroll in some formal training to keep your skills fresh. No longer can you use the excuse, "my employer didn't teach me that or wouldn't let me work with that".
Attend professional association meetings or even city or town meetings to learn what is going on.
If you don't like people or aren't comfortable going to new and strange places, there are tons of virtual learning opportunities or teleconferences, many at low or no cost.
Technology is moving at blinding speeds. We have to know about it and be able to talk the talk. What technology can you learn about? LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Skype? Or what about Quickbooks or the new 2007 suite of products. Read from a "reader", comment on a blog, use digg, delicious or stumbleupon.
There is so much to learn, you probably will want to tackle the most relevant first. Ask people you know and respect what education/knowledge they think is most important to them.
Becoming a life long learner is a commitment. It also sets you apart from the crowd!
One of the reasons I love doing what I do is that I get to learn about new industries and occupations all the time. I am not sure of any formal classes that teach this, yet. Learning from others is easy, just ask questions.
So many people get caught up in what they are doing, they lose sight of the bigger picture. We need to constantly keep our radars up for industry, occupation and especially world of work trends.
If you are unemployed, take this opportunity to enroll in some formal training to keep your skills fresh. No longer can you use the excuse, "my employer didn't teach me that or wouldn't let me work with that".
Attend professional association meetings or even city or town meetings to learn what is going on.
If you don't like people or aren't comfortable going to new and strange places, there are tons of virtual learning opportunities or teleconferences, many at low or no cost.
Technology is moving at blinding speeds. We have to know about it and be able to talk the talk. What technology can you learn about? LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Skype? Or what about Quickbooks or the new 2007 suite of products. Read from a "reader", comment on a blog, use digg, delicious or stumbleupon.
There is so much to learn, you probably will want to tackle the most relevant first. Ask people you know and respect what education/knowledge they think is most important to them.
Becoming a life long learner is a commitment. It also sets you apart from the crowd!
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Comment by Julie Preis on March 12, 2009 at 2:20pm -
Good ideas here, and especially relevant for the older worker. It's tough job market for people of any age. But folks over 50 who are back in the job hunt after 20 or 30 years simply MUST understand how job hunting has changed since they last looked. It's important that they do all the things you suggest in your post, including keeping up with industry trends, new technology and social media. One thing I see through my work at AARP is that many older workers tend to stress their many years of experience (looking backward) rather than show how their skills will get the job done (looking forward). Thanks for your blog--I've posted a link to it on The Water Cooler, our online community for 50+ workers. Check us out at AARP.org.
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