If your dream job opened up across the country — or in a totally different industry — would you go for it, or would you let the opportunity go by? If you’re like many of us, you might be inclined not to even apply. That’s partly because adaptability, while valued by employers, is a rare trait in job applicants.
(Photo Credit: Nan Palmero/Flickr)
LinkedIn provided data for a recent PwC study that looked at adaptability in employees all over the world. Using data from 277 million LinkedIn members and PwC’s 2,600 employers, the study showed that workers in the Netherlands were the most adaptable, thanks to its multilingual workforce.
“…[T]alking to employers, one thing stood out,” writes Ariel Erickson on LinkedIn’s blog. “They value adaptability and are increasingly relying on online professional networks to seek out people with the right skills both externally and internally while improving their ability to reskill their existing workforce.”
Does that mean that you have to be willing to drop your whole life and move across the planet, to prove your ability to change? Not at all. You can demonstrate your value even more successfully by continuously picking up new skills and being open to technologies as they evolve. In other words, don’t be the guy who’s waiting for “the kids” to tire of the latest social media craze, and don’t rest on your laurels. Be curious, flexible, and willing to change.
And don’t count yourself out of a job before you’ve had a chance to make your pitch to the hiring manager. If you can show that you’re able to adapt, you’ll have a lead over candidates who are more set in their ways.
(Infographic Credit: LinkedIn)
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