The marketplace has never been as congested as it is today, which means two things for job hunters - opportunity and competition. It's not enough to have the degrees, it's not even enough to have the internships or preliminary experience, today more than ever employers are looking for the full package, and that includes extracurricular work, a digital footprint and possibly a portfolio of some kind. With the economy where it is at the moment, employers really do have their pick of the crop, which means that job hunters have to go above and beyond to prove that they deserve the position in question.
Just as someone who has never skied more than during the occasional family Christmas trip to the Alps wouldn't try out for the Olympics, a person who barely uses the web would have a hard time finding work at a digital agency. This is not to discourage job hunters, but there are people who have been building websites, designing sites and interacting with social channels for years. They know the ins and outs of functionality; have an eye for aesthetics and a strong understanding of the digital landscape.
But don't worry; it's never too late to learn. Some steps you might take to help get you started - and to learn whether or not you even enjoy what you're after - include:
Playing with social tools:
There is a plethora of social channels online. Some designed to communicate with friends, others to aggregate content, and some to be entertained by. Sign up for a few that interest you and have a play. Don't worry about how many connections you make or followers you have, just observe what other people are doing, who's using the channels well and where you fit into it all. Not only will this give you a greater sense of the technology but it will give you a platform where employers can find you, interact with you and see what you're all about.
Start a blog:
Blogs are online diaries through which you can communicate anything and everything that interests you. It's of course best to choose a theme and an angle and publish regular content that fits in with it. Blogs are a great way to start building a bit of a portfolio and a place to aggregate your thoughts. Moreover, you'll have a personal website which you'll be interested to market online. This might involve commenting on other people's blogs, or building out your profile via other social channels. Once you have a following you can start interacting with your readers and see what else is out there.
These are two small ways to start building something you can show to employers. It is simply no longer enough to just have an email address and telephone number on the top of your CV, especially not if you're looking for a job.
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