YOU, Incorporated by Ines Temple

Author:Ines Temple
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Quercus
Published: 2018-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

Continue to Learn

Continuous improvement is a habit that we must adopt to improve our employability.

Some people say, “If the company doesn’t pay for my training, I’m not going.” Some time ago, I was working to relocate a client. When I asked him to describe his weaknesses, he said that he knew little about computers.

“Well, that’s a real problem!” I said.

Next, I asked him how this was possible, since I knew that his former employer had provided training for its staff.

“They offered us a lot of courses,” he said. “But I never went because they were always held at inconvenient times. Imagine, on top of all the work I put in, they thought I should use my free time to take these courses. And they didn’t pay overtime for this! I didn’t want to take computer courses just for THEIR benefit.”

“What a quandary,” I said. “But now that you’re looking for a job and you know nothing about computers, whose problem is it? Yours or the company’s?”

“Gosh,” he said, visibly concerned. “I hadn’t really thought about it that way. So the training would’ve been for my benefit. Just look at everything I let fall through the cracks! I never worried about improving myself that much, and I never expected that I would need to find another job. I thought that after working at the company for so many years, I was going to retire there.”

It is also a mistake to believe that older employees are not capable of learning new things or don’t have the desire to do so. At Lee Hecht Harrison, we have worked with clients over the age of 60 who have learned about programming, marketing, finance, and a number of other subjects. This has helped them jump-start their careers, and it has improved their personal lives. In fact, by acquiring new knowledge, they’ve opened doors that may have otherwise stayed shut. Training and learning open up a world of possibilities, allowing us to connect with people with different perspectives. This can give us a new perspective—a different dimension of humanity—and it ensures that we remain relevant and competitive.

Age doesn’t limit your ability to learn. Many believe the adage that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” but it simply isn’t true. Learning has nothing to do with your age or college degrees. In fact, it’s a matter of willpower, desire, discipline, and attitude.

Constantly look for relevant courses and seminars to take. Not all of these courses need to be expensive. There are thousands of options, and many can be taken online or through apps for free. At Lee Hecht Harrison, when we see a résumé that indicates a client graduated in 2008 but hasn’t studied anything since, we ask her, “What did you learn afterward? What else have you studied? Nothing?” If that is the case, then we become concerned about her employability and chances for a successful relocation.

If we lack training and haven’t acquired new skills, then we’re not as relevant as we should be in today’s job market.

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