Professional Self-Improvement: How to Add Value to Your CV

The world of employment can be rough. There are pressures, time-dependent meetings and sometimes bosses that don’t understand your need for a life outside the workplace.

On the other hand, unemployment and the accompanying lost-sheep feeling can be just as hard. You might wake up some days and feel completely out of the loop. You might see friends and family members buying houses, cars and posting about how much they love their jobs. Don’t despair.

This guide is all about dealing with the feeling that you’re falling behind.

Firstly, something to clear up about the feeling of falling behind: You aren’t.

Everyone is on their own professional journey, and it isn’t a race. While that may sound a little cliché or even patronising, it’s also true. The following people had to wait for their success.

Samuel L. Jackson had his big, successful break at the age of 45, in the cult hit, Pulp Fiction .

Laura Ingalls Wilder is an acclaimed author, writing her first Little House book: Little House on the Prairie at the age of 65.

Stan Lee wrote his first hit comic book The Fantastic Four at 39, going on to creating some of the most iconic characters of all time.

henry Ford is responsible for creating the Model T car, one of the most important in history, at the age of 39.

At age 25, thoughts might be creeping in that you’d best settle down; otherwise, you’ll miss out on opportunities. You might be in your forties or fifties and thinking it’s too late for a career change. Either way, if it’s something that you genuinely want to do, age won’t hold your success back. Furthermore, while people older than yourself are being promoted and using their lucrative, seemingly perfect lifestyles to fund fancy cars and gorgeous houses, it isn’t a race. Try your best not to think it is one. We know how difficult that can be.

What’s the solution? How can you take your mind off other people’s achievements?

The answer, for us, comes in two forms: reflection and self-improvement.

If you want to try lots of jobs, that’s completely fine. The chances are, you’re the type of person who will enjoy the variety that each position brings. If, however, you want your next career move to be a long-term one, self-reflection is vital.

Think about:

That final step touched on our second method of dealing with lost-sheep syndrome. Self-improvement. There’s never a better time to improve on your skillset than right now.

We want to break this down into two sections, qualifications and experience.

Perhaps you’ve applied several times for a job that you want but each time has been met with a standard unsuccessful response. Sometimes that’s down to lazy recruitment; however, it might be that you lack a specific qualification that the rest of the competition has.

Don’t panic. What’s stopping you from getting that qualification? So what if you aren’t in education anymore. There are plenty of part-time, remote courses (where you don’t need to travel anywhere) that can fit around your life. No matter how hectic that might be.

Examples of these qualifications that can be gained part-time and taken anywhere in the world include:

Further to enhancing your professional ability, seeking out further qualifications show the recruiter that you mean business. Perhaps literally. It will demonstrate your long-term commitment and determination to get the career that you want.

An alternative to qualifications gained through Courses Online is learning a second language. In the UK 62% of citizens cannot speak a second language.

You’re sure to stand out from the crowd if one of the following languages featured on your CV:

Qualifications are great and learning another language can open a vast number of doors. Another option open to you is to gain experience in your chosen field, whether that’s paid or unpaid. Recruiters are going to want to see that you have experience doing that job, so gaining that experience can undoubtedly stave off that lost feeling and can make you a strong candidate when the time comes.

Improving your professional prospects is important but feeling relaxed and happy is vital. Spend time doing what you enjoy with those that you love, and the rest will often come naturally.