It’s no secret how quickly technology has changed over the past decade. This has affected every industry imaginable: medical, business, art, education, etc. As an upcoming graduate or recent graduate, technology is key to understanding what’s happening in your industry and knowing it allows you to keep up with industry standards. Candidates with updated tech skills can put these on a resume and enhance their A2B (Applicant to Business) marketing.

Because technology is changing so fast, it may be intimidating to try to decode and understand all of the facets of what you should be familiarizing yourself with and learning. It is an unrealistic goal to know every system in your field, especially with no experience. Patience is crucial in keeping up with technology because there is always a learning curve.

            Research: A great place to start is to review some job postings to see what skill sets and technology are listed.  Go on indeed.com, monster.com, joinhandshake.com, or any other job search boards, and look through various entry-level and mid-level positions in your field. First, look at the required skills and then the preferred ones.  Take note of your findings, and be aware of the programs or technical skills that you see listed for multiple different positions.

Network: Professors, mentors, and other people you know in your field may be able to give you an idea of what technology you should know before entering the workforce. Reach out to recent graduates in your field and ask them what they needed to learn to be successful in their post-graduation positions. Not every position is the same, and will not require all the same skills. Focus on the ones that are being talked about most among your network and job descriptions, and build your skills around those programs or technologies.

More Research: Once you gather a list of technologies and skills you would like to learn, start a preliminary search among others who already possess this knowledge. Look for YouTube How-To’s, Reddit threads, and Google. You need to conduct a cost-benefit analysis.  Is this software worth the price to learn because it will lead to more employment opportunities, or can I use a free trial to gain some experience and evaluate my plan after the trial?  Any experience with technology can help build your resume and land you an internship where you can gain more skills or even a job.

Every industry is changing due to technological advances, and keeping up with them makes you more marketable as a potential employee. Your A2B Marketing Plan will benefit from your technical skills, and so will your resume.