There are so many jobs out there that go unfilled, or take longer to fill, because many qualified applicants are not seen as having strong technological skills. Whether they themselves do not feel up-to-date on the latest programs in their field or companies are unable to gauge competency, it can be confusing when many job posts out there say that the only requirements are knowing Microsoft Office. Applicants can find this vague and intimidating. Hiring managers can be unsure of the specific job expectations.
“I’ve send an email, I’ve written a document…I can use Office, but they want an expert…” Is something we hear all too often as an excuse not to apply for a position. While you may not be a ninja coder creating new phone apps, the word expert is fairly relative, as is proficient. Don’t be afraid to flaunt what you know on a resume. Even if you only make spreadsheets to calculate your grocery costs, you know how to create a new file, put content in it, and save. This is considered proficient in many positions.
It is important during the interview process to ask what exactly they mean by these skills. A good question is “How would I be using Office (or any other program) on a day-to-day basis?”
If the answer is sending emails and writing documents, you are an expert. If the answer is something more advance, don’t be afraid to use that as motivation to expand on your skills.
Learning a new technology can seem intimidating, especially if you are used to an older paradigm. Many people believe that as time passes these programs become more complicated, and in fact the opposite is true. The surprising thing is, as developers learn more and more about user experience, and how people interact with the programs they make, the easier the newer editions are.
In fact the newest editions of Excel and PowerPoint have less barriers to entry than they did five years ago. Now is the best time to learn a new program. Here are some basic tips for learning new technology for your job search:
1.Don’t be afriad: This stuff is made for humans to use, not rocket scientists.
2. Learn the Basics, then specialize as needed: Understand how to create new projects and update information, then expand on those skills as needed by the role you will play at your job. Different companies use programs differently. Anyone can be an expert at a program, once they use it more often.
3. Look on the web: Most programs have online editions with simple tutorials and discussion boards. This is a great place to learn new software without having to download or pay for it, and share your experience.
Good luck, and if you have any questions or need help, feel free to reach out to us here on twitter @team_uss, or our linkedin group!
