Even though the economy is not in great shape, plenty of employers need qualified, experienced workers. For women in the job market these days, it’s important to make the right moves to secure the best possible position at the highest rate of pay. Getting a college degree and joining professional organizations are two practical tools for enhancing a career trajectory. Consider those and a few more techniques below.
Get a College Diploma
It might seem old-fashioned but earning a college degree is still the most effective career maneuver for women. But, for so many females aiming for a diploma, the challenge is more financial than academic. The good news is that you can search for, uncover, and apply for college scholarship opportunities on a single platform. It’s the most efficient way to scan the landscape for scholarships that can cover some or all of your college-related expenses.
The main advantage of the process is that there’s no cost and absolutely nothing to lose. Most women are shocked to discover how much scholarship money waiting for qualified applicants. Researching the topic is perhaps the best move you can make if a college degree is in your future. A generation ago, it took hours to manually fill out separate applications for each scholarship. Now, people can apply for multiple opportunities at once and save a ton of time by doing so.
Combining a college degree with specialized certifications will help you advance your career and provide a competitive edge in the job market. One valuable certification that can significantly boost career opportunities is the Series 7 certification required for individuals seeking employment as general securities representatives. Career Employer study materials specifically tailored for the Series 7 test provide aspiring professionals with the necessary resources to prepare for and pass the exam, opening doors to exciting opportunities in investment banking, securities trading, and other related fields. By investing time and effort into acquiring certifications like the Series 7, women can further bolster their chances of success and secure a promising future in the finance industry.
Join Professional Organizations
You don’t need to be out of college and employed full-time to join most professional societies. Organizations for working accountants, engineers, scientists, and programmers have student-level membership status for prospective applicants. If your goal is to become an electrical engineer, you can sign up for provisional or academic membership in a number of clubs, societies, and social entities that accept junior members.
Becoming active in these kinds of clubs is an excellent way to learn about a particular field, make important networking connections, and pick up valuable tips about how to fashion a career in your chosen line of work. Don’t forget to list memberships on your resume. Many hiring agents pay closer attention to applicants who have taken the initiative to become involved in a chosen profession long before earning a degree or other credential.
Optimize Credit Scores
Contact each of the three major credit bureaus and obtain your once-per-year free report. If you don’t know how to read it, get help from someone who does know, or find a website that explains the jargon in reports. If you discover any errors, notify the bureaus in writing to get them removed. Then, pay all your bills on time and keep credit usage below 30% of allowable limits. If you have cards that you no longer use, closing a credit card can hurt your credit score so instead simply cut them up and pretend they don’t exist.
Manage Social Media Profiles
Keeping an eye on your social media is more of a defensive than an offensive move, but it’s still necessary. Hiring managers love digging into the cyber footprints of job applicants. In some cases, they eliminate people from consideration based solely on a negative online image. Spend time combing through your entire collection of blog posts, websites, e-resumes, identifiable political comments on various sites, and any other potential trouble spot.
