Sunday, 18 November 2012

Job Search - Basic Computer Skills

It's the silly little things that can get us stumped and frustrated. Basic computer skills are something that many children are learning today in school while some of us are intimidated by getting online and even then, are only checking email and social media sites.

For some, it's a compilation of years of technology piling up and overwhelming the smartest of us like my neighbor. I can understand where she is coming from. Having worked for years in one profession, she is now laid off and looking at other employment where she can use her great customer service and other transferable skills. She hasn't had much exposure to computers with the exception of the programs her company utilized to perform transactions. As excellent as she was at her job, now she faces the uncertainty of unemployment.

Unfortunately, all of this new computer technology, from a basic Word program to Google Docs/ Drive is getting her in a serious funk. She's actually scared off from job searching! This is a fear that has no place in a world like ours today where most all jobs are posted online.

We all know someone who worked in their profession successfully for years, yet has not had consistent exposure to the computer basics of today such as uploading a document to email, using Google Docs or now: Drive, where things go when they are auto saved, and my favorite: "I've lost it all! Oh No!!"
There is hope.

During my time assisting hundreds of individuals preparing for layoff, I spent a lot of time helping folks who had really basic computer skills. These professionals learned how to create a resume, save it to a file, create an email account, create a Careerbuilder account, create a LinkedIN account, search for jobs on Careerbuilder, Monster and other job search sites and so much more.

I believe that we all have the potential inside of us. With perseverance and the right direction, we can overcome. So many times we can feel overwhelmed with technology. I know I still do with every upgrade on my cell phone to changes on LinkedIN.

Basic computer skills are essential in today's job search and easy enough to learn with a little practice. Many of the job search sites have help links that can get you started if you are a beginner.

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