3 ways to stay competitive in todays workforce

3 ways to stay competitive in todays workforce3 ways to stay competitive in todays workforceBy just about any measurement, todays workforce is mora educated and competitive than ever before.Many of us know the stats- the percentage ofcollege graduateshas been on the rise for decades. The number of people withgraduate degreeshas doubled since 2000. And the requirements on every job description seem to include a four-year degree.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreBut its important to recognize that the ultra-competitiveness of the job market isnt only due to an increase in diplomas. Its also the result of a boom in self-learning. Thats because its easier than ever to share knowledge, so people have access to entirely new forms of education. From YouTube videos and webinars to six-week boot camps, people have a variety of options for building knowledge and skills.As a result, educated is no longer determined by possessing a degree from a brand anthroponym college- and companies expectations for candidates in this increasingly educated workforce are evolving.In order to compete, candidates need to understand how much relevant education they actually have. And, crucially, they have to be constantly upskilling- educating themselves in order to stand out.The good news is, technology and online resources make it easier than ever to upskill. The bad news is that with so much information out there, it can be difficult to answer the most important questionHow do you knowwhatto educate yourself in?After working in therecruitment industryfor almost a decade, Ive learned the answer depends on the career you want. But Ive also found a few simple steps you can take to educate yourself and, ultimately, stand out from the crowd.1 Identify how much education you have- and how much more you needSome people get complacent about improving their skills because they believe their cu rrent company or theeducational ordnungsprinzipwill provide them with what they need to know.Unfortunately, thats not true.Upskilling isnt passive- its self-motivated. It doesnt mean going back for a masters degree. It means learning on your own, reaching out for feedback, and constantly looking for ways to improve your skills.To see where you need to upskill, start reading as much as you can about industry trends. Look for terms and language that you dont understand because that could point to a skill gap. If you have a mentor, ask them for honest feedback on where you can improve. Talk to people in similar careers and ask them where they think the market is today and where its headed. Ask them about which tools, technologies, and skills are becoming obsolete, as well as which ones will soon be in high demand. You can even use a product likeEdvothat collects data on what skills and behaviors are most relevant for roles to understand how your skills compare to other candidates.Once you understand how much education you really have, and how much more you need, its time to identify the role you want and learn as much about it as possible.2 Learn the lingo so you can effectively upskill and showcase your relevancePart of your self-education is often learning a new language- the language of the job you want.Every industry and company has its own internal language for talking about responsibilities, outcomes, and even titles. If you dont understand the language, it will be difficult to understandexactlywhat will help you land the job and thrive in the role.To start learning the lingo, contact people within the industry.Reaching out can be as simple as messaging them on LinkedIn to say youre exploring an opportunity in a similar role and would love to hear about their experience. Ask for a 15-minute phone call, or buy them coffee if youre in the same area. Give them a chance to talk about themselves and their role. Learn how theyre evaluated and what tools and techn ologies they use. While they talk, pay attention to the terms they use and jot down any you dont recognize so you can look them up later. Or simply be transparent with the person youre talking to and ask them to clarify the unfamiliar terms.Once you have a better grasp on the general industry lingo, then its time to begin researching the language of the specific companies where you want to work.For each company, search for the current employees on LinkedIn and pay close attention to how they describe their roles and articulate their results and experiences on their profiles. That way, when you talk to a hiring manager or internal recruiter, youll be able to speak the language of the role and understand the metrics theyre using to evaluate you as a candidate.3 Once you can talk the talk, learn to articulate your value to get the jobA lot of people have trouble expressing their past success and future potential, which is why they struggle to be competitive candidates.If you find it di fficult to explain the value you added to a company or project, try breaking it down to three main questionsDuty What did you do?Skill What skills did you use?Accomplishment How well did you perform?So if youre a sales development rep, dont justtell an intervieweryou made cold calls.Tell them about your dutyI made 50 cold-calls per day by leveraging X and Y tools to create a strong prospecting strategy.Highlight your skillsI honed in on my communication and time-management skills to understand my prospect better, and learned crucial insights like when theyre more likely to pick up the phone versus respond to an email.Prove your value by stating your accomplishmentsEvery month, I exceeded my quota by 110%.When explaining your skills and experiences, realize that youre answering the same questions as hundreds of other applicants. So you need to articulate why you can do the job- and do it better than anyone else. If youve already worked to improve your skills and learn the language of the role, then this is just a matter of speaking to your strengths.Remember, the amount of education you have isnt limited to the letters behind your name anymore or the university you graduated from. If youre self-motivated and determined to constantly learn and upskill, theres no reason why you cant compete- and win- in todays workforce.This article first appeared on Minutes.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people