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This story originally appeared on Under30CEO.com
The 2020s are well underway, and it’s obvious that the job market is changing in deep, permanent ways. More professionals are seeking to work as independent contractors and not for corporations. Many new college grads are choosing to work in the IT field. This way, they stay in the mainstream of employment trends.
The demand for digital workers has never been higher. But there are other reasons why career-enhancing boosts make sense in the digital era.
Related: The Burden of Going Back Into The Office Is Not as Bad as You Think — It’s Worse.
One of the most profound changes in society has been the shift toward remote jobs or careers. They allow workers to remain at home while doing whatever it is they do. Telecommuting has caused vast numbers of professionals to seek the assistance of career consultants to discover a worthwhile field. Others are finding that refinancing school loans is the answer to building up personal finances. Additional tips are related to creating better resumes, crafting stable retirement plans, and picking up continuing education courses to bolster chances for a promotion. Here are more details about the top tips.
Consult with an expert
There’s no better way to get a reality check on your career direction than by speaking with a vocational counselor. Whether you’re fresh out of school or have been working at a job for several years, it can be immensely helpful to get a second opinion from an objective and experienced person. Many in their twenties discover that a new perspective on their career trajectory is like a breath of fresh air. This is particularly true for young adults who are looking for another direction. Or those who feel stuck in an industry that isn’t challenging them enough.
Refinance college loans
One of the smartest career-enhancing moves a working person can make is to refinance student loans to lower monthly payments. Whether you’ve been out of school for a year or a decade, it can be to your distinct advantage to refinance college loans, no matter how many you have. What’s the big deal about the strategy, and why do so many people decide to do it?
For starters, refinancing is an efficient tactic that gives the borrower a brand-new loan. One with a completely fresh set of terms, rates, and conditions. There’s even more time to pay off the entire balance, which is another benefit of the move. Second, a refinanced loan has lower monthly payments than its original counterpart. It makes the new agreement easier on a person’s budget.
Pay for a resume update
It doesn’t cost a fortune to hire a professional resume writer. Whether you are adding more studies to your resume or simply more skills and experience you can use the expert’s skills to create a document from scratch or rework your existing one. The wisdom of hiring a pro writer is that you can choose someone who specializes in your field, has years of experience, and is willing to make several revisions before producing a perfect resume. Then, it’s up to you to decide how to leverage the power of a great resume.
Related: These Are the Fastest-Growing Side Hustles. No. 1 Is Something You Might Already Do.
Keep in mind that a piece of paper or digital file will not land you a job. The purpose of a career-enhancing resume is to get an interview. From that point, the candidate must know how to negotiate with a hiring agent for the right starting salary and conditions of the new position. But everything begins with an excellent resume. Don’t skimp on the expense.
Make a Detailed Retirement Plan
Don’t fall into a false sense of security because you have an employer-sponsored 401(k) retirement plan or have set up an IRA through a bank. Those are both wonderful things to have, but it’s better to be an active participant in building a retirement plan that suits your financial needs.
What’s the answer? Begin by sitting down with a CPA (certified public accountant), CFP (certified financial planner), or another finance pro so you can hammer out a detailed retirement plan. Spend time focusing on your acceptable level of risk, the amount of money you want to have after retirement, all possible tax implications, and considerations that relate to your family’s situation. Many young people choose to add a life insurance component to their plan to provide for surviving family members.
Explore online certificate programs
Large numbers of employers are willing to pay some or all the cost of online certificate courses that are directly related to a worker’s job. If you’re not sure what’s available, speak with a supervisor or HR agent to learn about the many certificates you can get online. Depending on the field, classes can last from a few hours to several months in duration. Whether you’re in sales, accounting, engineering, medicine, nursing, or work for a government agency, there are dozens of career-enhancing certificates to choose from. Play it smart by getting written approval from a supervisor before committing to a specific course of study, whether it’s online or in person.
This story originally appeared on Entrepreneur
