Industry news can give your career a boost
Keeping up with the news in your profession can be complicated and overwhelming, especially in a specialized industry. In fact, monitoring the latest trends and big names may seem like more work than it’s worth—but it could be the key to spotting and securing your next position. By staying on top of your game, and everyone else’s, you’ll prove yourself as the most in-the-know candidate.
Be prepared for interviews
Interviews are an opportunity for recruiters and hiring managers to get to know potential new hires, and to pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses to determine whether they’ll be assets to the company. Questions about current industry trends can clue in an interviewer to how dedicated you are to your field—whether you’re truly involved, or just skating by. By answering with knowledge and insight, you’ll portray yourself as a noteworthy candidate and put yourself ahead of the competition.
Capitalize on opportunities
By keeping up with trends and company activities, you’ll be among the first to learn about new opportunities in your field. A regular follower of industry news knows the signs of emerging trends, and is often one of the first to discover job openings and niche areas for expansion. It pays off throughout your career, as well—you’ll be better connected to customer needs and industry changes. Not only will you reflect this in an interview, but you’ll also bring the knowledge into your everyday work.
Stay socially connected
Most savvy job seekers have professional social profiles. Just having the social media presence isn’t enough. To be truly plugged in—and really know your stuff and impress employers—take it a step further and use your profiles to comment on industry news, share your work-related accomplishments, and network with others in your profession. Hiring managers will notice your involvement and, more importantly, will notice if it’s lacking.
How to get there
Keeping up with industry news isn’t helpful unless you can parse through all the information to glean the important pieces. Gather the big-name blogs and useful websites together in an RSS feed for clean, convenient access. Social networks provide an easy way to follow thought leaders and industry bigwigs, keeping you aware of industry trends as well as business practices and attitudes in general. Offline, attend networking events and build contacts with fellow professionals. What you learn face-to-face can be just as valuable as online info, and connections are still very vital to success.
The more you know
From quickly picking up on career opportunities to winning over interviewers to advancing your career, industry news can be your ticket to a thriving work life. Read, post, and network your way to the top of your field.
Helpmates has been ranked among the top 1% of staffing companies nationwide by our candidates and employees. Contact Helpmates Certified Staffing Professionals today, to learn how they can help develop your job search strategy.
