Some professionals are always in-demand, even in a competitive job market. They aren’t considered when it comes time to reduce staff and they still get calls from recruiters in a recession. How do they do it? Indispensable workers have a unique combination of skills, knowledge, and experience. How can you be one of them? Three ways to be in-demand and indispensable:
Diversify your skills.
By having a broad range of skills, you’ll increase the number of positions for which you’re qualified. Also, a knowledge of other business functions is vital if you want to move up to a management role. Don’t turn down an opportunity to gain new skills or knowledge, even if it’s not directly related to your field. You never know when an experience will prove useful.
Specialize.
This might seem to contradict the last point, but you can have a diverse skill set and be a specialist. You may become a specialist in a certain area by accident, not because you chose it. It’s common to gain a specialized skill inadvertently, but be sure your skills are not becoming obsolete. If you’re known as an expert in a given area, you’ll have much better career opportunities.
Keep up with industry changes.
Constant changes occur in almost every industry. You may want to go back to school to complete your degree and update your knowledge base. If you already have a degree, you can take classes as a non degree-seeking student. Your employer may be willing to pay for higher education or continuing education courses. Online college is a great option for full-time workers because it offers more flexibility.
Successful people are life-long students. Technology and globalization have lead to industries that are constantly changing and increasingly competitive. You may have graduated many years ago, but you should still be willing to learn new skills and acquire knowledge throughout your career. Diversifying skills, specializing, and keeping up with industry changes are three steps that anyone can take to improve his or her career.