By The Editorial Board
There are few feelings worse than scrolling across your dream job and realizing you don’t meet any of the qualifications. It’s a feeling so strong that forcefully bashing your head into the computer would be better than continuing to doom-scroll for more letdowns.
With the integration of AI in job boards and a never-ending list of “preferred” and required experience, finding a job or internship has never been harder. But in the same vein, getting the experience required to check all the boxes is extremely accessible, cheap and not time-consuming.
In 2021, almost 90% of recruiters used LinkedIn, and meeting minimum requirements usually wasn’t enough to earn an interview. The idea that recruiters take six seconds to read your resume is almost a distant memory as the new systems in place will instantly archive resumes and applications if certain keywords and positions are not included.
Changing professions or even finding a job that fits your interests and skill sets has become a hassle as some businesses care more about what you studied than a track record of professional success, which feels like the opposite of what it should be. But if your resume doesn’t include one special phrase, it’ll be automatically vetoed.
But even throughout the stress and struggles, it has never been easier to quickly acquire the desired skills to succeed immediately in any given industry. Whether it be programming languages, AP style or history, there are several courses provided by LinkedIn through LinkedIn Learning to serve up the skills needed to clear AI bots and come in prepared.
Nearly 50% of jobs already require a college degree to get your foot in the door, and a solid portion of the classes taken in college will have no relevance to your job field of choice. This has led to a boost in internships, where companies are able to test out skill sets before offering a full-time position.
Free online services are now offering the ability to boost knowledge in addition to an internship or semester of schooling. LinkedIn doesn’t corner the market either; Harvard Business, Coursera, Udemy and ExecOnline also offer free certifications and courses that develop skills to advance careers. It’s truly never been easier to pivot to a different career, and all it takes is the jump.
Staring down a major change is difficult enough, but these resources also bridge the gap between advancing professional development.
When doom and gloom job scrolling reaches a breaking point, all it takes is initiative and a couple hours to turn vetos into interviews.
