Guest Author - J. Lynn

If you are in a computer career, then you understand the importance of keeping your skills fresh. In today�s job market, 30 year veteran programmers are competing for jobs with their own children, fresh out of college. While the principals of working with computers haven�t changed, many of the skills required to get, create and maintain those positions have.

Today�s HR hiring manager is not only looking for a candidate that has the know how for the job, but they are also looking for a wide variety of soft skills, like speaking and thinking on your feet and managing conflict. They want to bring in someone that is a full package and fits the mold of their business.

If you are looking for a job or considering a change, here are some things to consider to ready yourself for the market:

1) Polish your resume. You are not only doing this for the information it contains, but also to demonstrate skills that were likely not mentioned in your application. If there is a typo on your resume and you sent it out to 10 hiring managers, they will definitely count it as a mark against you for your �Attention to Detail�. Review your resume with a fine-toothed comb and check for errors. You will also want to demonstrate your language and writing skills by using proper English, using correct tense throughout. If your first job experience listing reads as �Maintained�.�, then the next listing should also be in past tense rather than present such as �Manage�.


2) Take a few online classes. You can hone your computer skills and even take courses that will teach you how to work with or manage a team and still more than will give you the tools to speak to a room full of people for a presentation. Joining a group like Toastmasters is a great plus and also looks great on a resume.

Keep your skills fresh with your area of expertise. Check a local bookstore to find out if there is a recent manual or other source for updates on your software or hardware of choice and use it. You can also check with software companies to find out if they will have any local seminars or training programs in your area. There is nothing worst than interviewing about how great you are at Software 3.1, only to find out the company is looking for a professional with 4.0 experience.

3) Schedule Mock interviews with professionals in your field or colleagues to measure your skills at interviewing. These days, Interviewers are looking for very specific answers to even their most general question and you need to know how to answer them. When they ask you to tell them about yourself, they really want to know what you have done professionally that has brought you up to this point. They aren�t truly interested in finding out that you live with your parents and have a collection of Iguanas.

4) Look to the next position and find out what skills you need to move to that level. If you are already with a company and would like to continue on with them or if you are starting new, always look one position, at a minimum, beyond your current position. Research the next position and find out what you need to get there. Take a few more classes, talk with people in that position and network to prepare yourself. Meet with your supervisor at least quarterly to discuss your readiness and preparation for that next position.


Whatever your occupation, keep up to date with changes in your field and keep a wide network of friends and associates in related jobs. When your time comes to do a job search, these contacts can prove invaluable and you will be glad you did.