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Before you start paying for items listed in your technical column, do a search for FREE alternatives. With programs like the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University offering FREE certifications and the Department of Labor offering FREE money for education, you might not need to pay for the technical knowledge that you need.
PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE demonstrates that you can implement the learned information in a real life setting. EXPERIENCE and SKILLS are indicators of how you can use your technical knowledge to deliver the results the employer needs. Experience and skills are a little trickier to demonstrate, so they are sometimes valued slightly higher than technical knowledge. If you are new to a field, you can demonstrate practical knowledge through transferrable skills from a different field, volunteer work, an internship, or a hobby.
FILL THE GAPS. once youve determined your gaps and how to fill them, implement your plan.
UPDATE YOUR RESUME AND LINKEDIN® ACCOUNT- FREQUENTLY!
Add the completed technical and practical knowledge to both your resume and LinkedIn® account. If you have turned off the “blast” feature on your account, you might consider turning it back on when you complete “key” skills. It will alert potential employers looking for those skills when you update your profile. Consider setting a calendar reminder to update your resume and networking resources once a week while in the process of searching for a new position.
Overcoming career gaps requires that you understand the two different types of qualification gaps—Technical and practical knowledge—resolve them, and demonstrate them on your resume. If you don’t do your research, you run the risk of overlooking the need for more practical knowledge or paying for school to gain technical knowledge that you really don’t need… or could get for free!
Do your research to understand what you need, what you have, and how to fill in the gaps. Then, once you've filled in your gaps, market yourself and show how you are the IDEAL CANDIDATE.