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“Human design reveals your inherent gifts and talents to boost your performance”
30 de November de 2023
10 Activities to Improve Your Employability
You can improve your employability in a practical and straightforward way by engaging in a series of activities that we’ll share with you today. The best part is, you can start implementing them right away, without spending any money or making things overly complicated.
According to renowned psychologist and coach, Laura Chica, and leadership expert and speaker, Francisco Alcaide, employability goes beyond simply finding a job. It’s about “cultivating a positive attitude, embracing empowering beliefs, fostering optimism, continuously upskilling and staying updated, expanding your professional network, and increasing your visibility”.
Improving your employability: 10 activities to make it happen
1. Self-awareness: personal and professional SWOT analysis. How can you give your best if you don’t know yourself? That’s why it’s important to discover who you are, your talents, values, life purpose, virtues and strengths. Find out what you’re naturally good at, in which areas you excel, and learn to highlight them. This way, you can determine what you can offer. There are many tools available, from human design to the 16 personalities test. We recommend working in a notebook as writing brings clarity and helps move from the abstract to reality. It will be like a roadmap about yourself.
2. Investigate the state of your industry. It’s important to dig deeper into the current status of your professional sector: what’s in demand and what are the current needs of companies. Also, find out what qualities are valued for the specific roles that interest you. Assess which of your personal and professional skills and talents align with the industry requirements.
3. Learn something useful and new. It’s important to constantly update yourself, not only in terms of professional skills but also in personal aptitudes and abilities that can be beneficial to you. We recommend seeking out content and learning methods that don’t require significant investments, such as books, online resources, or blogs like “The Switch”. EAE Barcelona has an entire section of insights (https://www.eaebarcelona.com/es/insights) where they share sessions with leaders from various sectors, professor and other professionals who share their knowledge.
4. Challenge yourself and learn something new that pushes you out of your comfort zone. Expand your horizons and dare to explore areas of yourself that may not be fully developed or acquire new skills that capture your attention. These skills don’t necessarily have to be directly related to your industry. For instance, nurturing your creativity through art, such as painting, music, theater or writing, can help you approach problem-solving in a more original and innovative way. Step outside your comfort zone and embrace the opportunity for personal growth.
5. Attend events featuring professionals who inspire you. This is not only a great way to expand your network and engage in networking, but also a source of inspiration. You’ll have the opportunity to learn about their paths, hear their stories, and exchange ideas and insights. Platforms like Eventbrite or Meetup allow you to discover events in your area and filter them based on your interests and location. Take advantage of these platforms to find relevant events that align with your interests and goals.
6. Boost your self-esteem and improve your attitude. Laura Chica and Francisco Alcaide discuss how optimism, empowering beliefs and a positive attitude can improve your employability. But in order for this to be possible, it’s necessary to work on yourself: your self-esteem, confidence and overall well-being. As an exercise to foster your self-esteem, we suggest writing down the achievements that make you feel most proud. These don’t have to be solely professional; consider personal stories or life milestones you have accomplished. We also recommend this book, which contains 52 practical exercises aimed at increasing your self-esteem and inner confidence.
7. Enhance your communication skills. This means developing your verbal and non-verbal communication abilities and your capacity to build strong social connections within your work team. It also involves aspects such as leadership skills, assertiveness —being able to express your needs, opinions and rights in a respectful and empathetic way— and empathy, putting yourself in the shoes of others, whether they are colleagues or clients. Improving your communication skills will contribute to better teamwork and effective interactions in various professional contexts.
8. Make time for hobbies or sports activities. Engaging in sports, for instance, teaches perseverance and discipline, two personal values that can greatly benefit you in today’s volatile and uncertain work environment. It helps cultivate resilience in the face of frustration and patience amidst changes. Having hobbies during your free time allows for a sense of play, enjoyment and exploration that should not be disregarded even as adults. In fact, psychology promotes hobbies as a means to enhance mental health and well-being, as they help alleviate stress and anxiety while improving emotional balance and stability.
9. Seek out complementary training. You can pursue a master’s degree or take courses to specialize in a specific area that interests you or where you have realized you excel. When we talk about complementary training, we also mean developing skills outside your industry, such as entrepreneurship and innovation, corporate social responsibility or sustainability.
10. Travel and connect with other cultures. We know that this option entails additional expenses, but if you have the resources, it’s highly recommended. When we embark on journeys to different cultures, we return as changed individuals. Traveling is akin to reading good books — it urges you to ask questions, to question your beliefs and to discover alternative ways of thinking, problem-solving and living. This internal transformation will inevitably reflect in your professional profile as well.
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