Job Search During a Quarantine, Edition 1: Time to Grow
By Marie Bankuti, ClearRock Career Consultant
You’ve probably got a lot of extra time on your hands right now. How about using that time to develop your professional skills? When you look at your resume, what are the skills, tools or expertise you’ve been thinking about obtaining but haven’t had the time for? What could you learn that would help bolster your resume and add value for your potential new role? What certification could you work towards that might increase the types of opportunities you could apply for?
Why not take this time to learn something new, to grow yourself professionally?
There are countless online courses if you have the financial resources to invest. If you don’t, here are a couple free or low-cost options to consider:
- LinkedIn Learning has a multitude of courses to choose from. They offer a free 30-day trial and, if you want to continue, they offer a reasonably priced, cancel anytime, monthly membership. For a taste of their offerings, try Embracing Unexpected Change, which discusses perspective, resilience, and how to make the most of change. This short course is accessible without signing up for the trial. Some additional sites with free courses include Coursera, which offers some several paid classes, but also many free ones, including Yale’s popular “The Science of Well-Being,” and Alison, which offers courses on everything from IT to languages to business – all free.
- Volunteering to gain experience. Non-profit organizations are impacted by the quarantine and have had to shift their focus as well. There’s always a need for volunteers and even more so now. There may be opportunities for you to acquire a new skill or experience by offering your services, either in person or virtually. Try reaching out to organizations to understand their needs and to see what you might be able to offer. Boston Cares is a great place to start if you need some ideas. Could be a real win-win!
