Post #74 Enrich your Professional Development
How do you help yourself become a well-rounded job candidate? I wrote a post about well-roundedness and why that’s important (see Post #45). But, how can you widen the offers you put on the table prior to applying for jobs? I will provide a few recommendations on how to think outside the box.
Read
Other than your technical coursework, do you regularly read other literature? I highly recommend you make a habit of reading work by others. It can anything at all – from history to dramatic novels to magazine articles to this blog. Reading will open your world to things you could not have ever imagined. It will make you think about things in ways that you wouldn’t have otherwise. Reading increases your knowledge, and knowledge is power. It is one of the best brain exercises you can do. When I used to have more time, I would enjoy reading the dictionary – THAT is one way to think outside the box.
Learn a New Skill
You have a skillset. Some skills you were born with, others you have acquired. Others, you have not developed or even tried. I encourage you to try a new skill. Even if you think you will fail. I would argue, try a new skill especially if you think you will fail. Challenge yourself in a reasonable manner, what’s the worst that can happen? Who cares if you don’t know how to write a novel or if you can’t sing, paint, do yoga or run a mile. At the very least, you can say, “I tried!” There can be much satisfaction in knowing you tried something new – and you never know what you might discover. Think outside the box and try something you normally wouldn’t.
Write
Writing can be an outlet of freedom for you. If you have never tried writing a story, song, play or keeping a daily journal then I highly recommend you try. Try it for a week. If you completely hate it, try writing something in another form, and I’m not necessarily referring to coding. I’m talking about writing something completely new that you create from your own mind based on your experiences. Who cares if you write something new that feels a bit silly or out of place? It’s all about the experience of challenging your brain in new, creative ways.
I invite you to follow me on LinkedIn! And subscribe to my Youtube channel!