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Keep Yourself Marketable

Many of us have gone through an unemployment slump. Whether we were laid off or in hopes of a new opportunity, many people have found themselves without a job. During this time, it is important to maintain and continue to grow yours skills. Often times, employers will look past your period of unemployment and appreciate your continued efforts to grow as a worker. Here are some things you can do to boost your resume and hireability while looking for a new job.

1. Temporary/Contract Jobs
Temp jobs or contract jobs are great way to keep your skills sharp and continue to build your portfolio. Even though the job will only last for a short time, you can still let your abilities shine through your work. Showing that you can do great work for a job that has an expiration date is an indicator to employers that you have strong work ethic and integrity.

2. Volunteer
In our socially and environmentally aware society, volunteer work can go a long way when applying for jobs. It allows employers to catch a glimpse of your character and shows that money isn’t number one.

3. Seminars/Webinars
There are many great resources out there for people of all industries and skills. Attending a seminar on your industry or participating in a webinar shows employers that you want to grow as an employee. Having employees who are willing to learn and know that there is always room for improvement are invaluable.

4. Take Classes
It’s time to go back and hit the books! A great way to further your career and impress employers is to take classes while you’re unemployed. Many community colleges offer individual classes as well as online classes. It never hurts to learn more about your field or learn a new industry. You may find you will qualify for a variety of positions by taking classes that focus on different aspects of your industry.

5. Join Professional Organizations
Professional organizations not only provide a plethora of resources in speakers and industry materials, but also in networking. By attending events put on by these organizations, you can widen your network with people within your industry as well as add connections from other industries. By making these connections, your chances of getting a job increase through recommendations and a potential inside track to companies for which you are applying.

Unemployment doesn’t mean you spend your days on job sites in your PJs. It is essential to continue developing your skills and stay connected with those in your industry. If you need help in your job search, visit our homepage to set up an appointment with one of our recruiters. We are here to help!

New Year, New Career Goals

Tablet PC computer with 2013 New Year counter isolated on white background. Vector illustration.

This is the time of year when everyone resolves to shed bad habits and adopts healthy new ones. It’s also a good time to adopt some healthy new habits for your career. Whether you want to find a new job or just move up the ladder, here are some career tips for the new year.

Spruce up your LinkedIn profile
Whether or not you’re seeking a new job, your LinkedIn profile should be complete and current. Even if you aren’t currently in the market, it will help you make connections and network with people in your industry
One word of caution: if you are making several changes to your profile at once, you might want to go into your settings and turn off your activity feed so your current boss doesn’t see your edits. Even if you’re just updating and not job searching, it might be misinterpreted!

Freshen up your resume
It’s always good idea to have your resume ready to go, even if you’re not in the job market. You never know when opportunity might knock and you’ll need a current resume to send out.

Take some time to add your current or last job to your resume. It will be easier to remember key achievements and accomplishments now while they’re fresh in your mind.

Think about your career goals
It’s easy to get complacent in your job, especially if you’ve been there a number of years. The new year is a good time to make some goals for your professional development. Whether it’s taking a class, attending a seminar or simply committing to reading an article a day about your industry, it all helps.

If you’d like some advice on updating your resume, your LinkedIn profile, or general career planning assistance, please contact us. Also, please be sure to check out our latest list of job opportunities and send us your resume if you see something that looks like a good match.

Breaking In to the Oil and Gas Industry

The oil and gas industry is seeing a major boom in the United States, and if you’re looking for a new career, you shouldn’t overlook the possibility of breaking into it! With the boom come some very large paychecks, as well as great experience in a career that you can grow in.

There are a lot of jobs out there, and many of them are entry level or can be entered from another field! Here are a few to consider:

Field Workers
If you like getting out and working with your hands, this is the way to go for you. No college degree is required, though it helps to be certified in CPR and industry-related skills such as driving an ATV, confined space entry, drilling, team management, and other abilities. An understanding of heavy equipment is also helpful, so if you’ve worked in construction or other labor-intensive jobs, this might be a great fit for you.

Operators
These jobs involve managing the various equipment involved in oil and gas acquisition. They form the backbone of oil drilling and there are more of these jobs than any other in the industry! As such there are a wide variety of opportunities which you can acquire with or without a college degree (if you’re still picking your major, go with chemical or mechanical engineering). This position may fit someone who’s worked with high-tech machinery before, such as operators from manufacturing fields.

Admin/Clerical
Every business needs administrative staff to help keep things running, and oil is no exception! If you have administrative or clerical experience from another field, consider making a move into this industry for a pay bump. If you’d like to hop above some of your competitor candidates, consider getting certified in skills related to administrator or the petroleum industry specifically.

While many of these jobs don’t require a post-secondary education, it never hurts! If you’re not sure about these careers or want career coaching to evaluate your ability to get into the industry, please come visit us in Corpus Christi, Texas!

Image © Ed Schipul