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5 Things You Can Do for Your Career in 2020


With unemployment rates at historic lows, many people are considering advancing in their careers. Before you jump back into the labour market, take a few moments to make yourself more presentable as a potential hire to stay ahead of the competition.

You’ll stand a much better chance of grabbing your dream career just by trying some of these simple suggestions.

Update Your Resumé or CV

Depending on the field you work in, you’ll want to make sure that everything in your resumé or curriculum vitae is up-to-date. You don’t want potential employers to pass you by just because you accidentally made yourself appear to be less qualified than you really are.

According to some labour market insiders, the specific resumé templates you use might also say a great deal about you. This is especially true if you’re applying for any position where the candidate approval process hasn’t been completely automated just yet. Make sure that you select something that actually fits the type of career you’ve been looking into.

Take a Project Management Course

Even those who don’t plan to become project managers may want to try their hand at a project management course. Due to their recent popularity among employers, project management courses are starting to appear everywhere. For instance, the PRINCE2 Perth series has become popular with those in Western Australia’s capital while other similar programs have opened up in Canberra and Sydney.

In interviews, employers have expressed the view that the skills imparted to people in project management courses are useful in a wide variety of settings. Some people aren’t entirely aware of what goes on in the mind of their own managers, so this kind of program can help them get a better idea of what the big picture looks like.

Grow Your Existing Network or Start a New One

Younger professionals used to talk a great deal about networking even in the days before social media even existed. If you haven’t built up a collection of people close to you that have similar interests, then you might want to start growing your network. Find people who are like-minded and meet them in both social and professional settings.

Some experts have suggested attending industry events that are related to your field, but this might not be an option if you live in a rural area or off the mainland. In this case, you might consider joining professional communities online. Over time, you might be able to learn about the opportunities available to you that you might have never otherwise seen.

Finish Your Degree

While Queensland and Tasmania have set their own standards, most places in the country use a basic ATAR-based scale to decide whether or not you’re ready to enter your chosen undergraduate-entry university programs. As a result, more people than ever before are sitting on unfinished degrees that are holding them back in their careers.

Even those who ended up studying something other than the field they’re working in can get a boost from finishing their programs. Regulations normally require employers to treat Open University diplomas and other distance education certifications as though they were traditional degrees.

That should prove quite helpful if you’ve been having problems with ATAR scores.

Think About What You Really Want Out of Your Career

While it might sound slightly new age-like, you need to refocus your efforts by thinking more about what you personally want out of what you do. Many people essentially spin their wheels for most of their careers and never achieve happiness as a result. Small business owners may be the happiest according to many studies, due to the fact that they’re getting what they want out of life.

Some people might guffaw at this and say that steady income is more important, but people who aren’t happy with their jobs often aren’t all that productive. As a result, they might not take advantage of opportunities they’d otherwise be able to.

As the new year approaches, take a few moments to think about your career and whether you’re getting what you expected out of it.

If you’re not, then even the most simple training program or professional event might be enough to open up new pathways that you might never have thought were possible.



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