Strategies to be More Tech Savvy in Career Transition

Have you ever felt like you were being dragged kicking and screaming into something, but once you got beyond your initial resistance, you were glad you did it?

For many mature workers, living in a world where internet is everything can be a challenge.  Sure, many of us have mastered the basics: email, Internet surfing, time and attendance systems, online banking – just enough to get by in the 21^st century.

Unfortunately, our ship might still be headed out to sea without us.  Do any of these make you cringe?

• Virtual help desks with chat-only interaction… no phone conversations?
• Pro-active networking starting with LinkedIn?
• Online only training programs?

No doubt you may have managed to avoid extensive close-ups with any of these and still be a productive employee.  But those tech-free days are numbered.  Nothing is becoming less computer-oriented; it has become absolutely necessary to embrace the technology of today.

One of the most common concerns we hear from employees experiencing a career transition is “I haven’t looked for a job in 20 years, I don’t know how or where to begin.”  And for Careerminds clients in particular, most of our approaches to career transition are in fact online.  We believe that overcoming online hesitations is the key step to fully reaching your career goals and succeeding in your next career phase.

Here are some strategies to become more tech savvy as you create a foundation for your career transition.

• First, take a deep breath and remain calm whenever you either think about online job search.  Clear your mind and remain positive about the experience.
• Approach online tools patiently. Master a little at a time rather than trying to take everything in at once. If you plan on learning how to create a LinkedIn, manage a Youtube account, and update your Facebook all in one day, it might be easier (and less anxiety inducing) to take it one site at a time.
• Write down and document your notes.  That way you’ll have a guide or highlights that you can use as you progress in your own words.
• Complete as many tutorials as you can.  At this point in your career, your tendency may be to think “Yeah, I know how…” but you’ll be surprised by the opportunity to both learn and become good at new approaches.
• Information and answers can frequently be obvious, just not at first.  So take in an entire screen, notice all that’s in front of you.  Allow yourself time to absorb.
• Become self-reliant. Stop yourself from calling or leaning on your computer-savvy teenager!
• Incorporate this philosophy into your thinking: “I need to learn this and get more computer-savvy now because on my next job, I’ll be expected to… in fact, I’ll get paid to do this.”
• Google Search and You Tube search any questions you have, particularly if you cannot figure something out. There is always a video or community to solve any online problem.

Try out these tips and take your place in the workforce to a new level. When something great is just a click away, you need to be technologically prepared enough to seize the opportunity.

Ed Weirauch

Resume Writer | Career Transition Coach | Public Relations | Career Assessments