The Cost of Being “Out of Touch”

One problem with being out of touch is the lack of awareness that you are out of touch.  It’s what you don’t know that you don’t know that is hurting you. If you are a job-seeker, there is a cost associated with being out of touch – your target job.  These are just three easy signs that reveal to hiring managers that you may be out of touch.  Rest easy, we won’t leave you hanging like it is still Y2K!  Here are three easy tips to bring you up to date.

Lagging in Essential Technologies?  

Grab the Latest Gadgets.

Put down the flip phone and get smart.  In today’s world, you need a smart phone to survive.  A smart phone will give you access to the essentials:  texting, social media apps, navigation, and Internet almost anywhere.  Depriving yourself of these basic tools alienates you from the rest of us and can be a liability relative to your job search.

Missing Too Many Opportunities? 

Be a Part of the In Crowd.

At any stage in your job search, from recent graduate to successful CEO, you must be connected to hear about the latest opportunities, trends, and news.   Get LinkedIn for starters. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are additional ways to keep abreast of emerging trends and information.

Still Using One Resume for Every Situation? 

Customize Your Resume.

Back in the day (and when I say, “day,” I mean pre-Y2K), people created one resume.  They tried to pack it with everything and hope that something appealed to someone. Then they posted it on Monster.com or emailed it madly and hoped for the best.  Today, it’s about one-on-one marketing. That means tailoring your resume for each opportunity, carefully showing the most relevant skills and accomplishments. No more, “one and done,” instead it’s the age of the bespoke resume.

Our own reality is all that we experience.  Don’t get insulated in your reality. Take time to stay on top of trends in your industry, get up to speed on new technologies, engage in relevant media, and gain job search skills that can sustain you in a 2014 job market.  Start with these three steps to get back in touch!