Steps you can take to close a skills gap on your CV

Innovation in the workplace, as we all know, is racing along at an incredible pace, bringing with it constant technological advancements for employers and employees to get to grips with. While that change can often positively impact a business’s productivity and profitability, accelerated digital transformation can cause a widening in the skills gap.

For companies, that means finding a way to effectively reskill existing teams. But, for anyone looking to move into a new role or a new career entirely, the challenge comes in identifying and filling a personal gap. Meeting an employer’s must-have criteria can increasingly feel like shooting towards a moving target – that’s why it’s important to keep on top of your personal development for career progression.

If you apply for a role and you are under-prepared or under-equipped for the new demands, you’ll end up missing out. Here are some helpful steps to take to close your skills gap and make sure you’re job-ready from day one…

Find out what skills have a supply and demand shortfall
Where very specific knowledge, qualifications or skills are needed for a particular role, there’s more likely to be a shortage of suitably skilled people to fill it. Remember, don’t just look at hard skills like technical know-how, consider soft skills like creative problem solving, adaptability and emotional intelligence too. They’re just as sought-after by employers, and in just as short supply.

Self-analyse to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses
Take a good look at your existing skills and work out what your strengths and weaknesses are, and how they might impact your career. Start by comparing the skills you know you have to those which are outlined in the job vacancies you’re interested in. That’s a really simple way to spot any gaps in your knowledge.

Once you know where your own skill gaps are, do something about filling them!
There’s no point knowing where a gap is and not acting on it. Boost your CV with training – you don’t have to commit to full-time learning, especially if you’re already working, a short online course could be enough to give you the necessary skills and show a potential employer you’re committed to personal development. Every new skill you acquire boosts your odds of success. There are many online platforms that offer free introductory courses to get you started, even platforms like LinkedIn.

Add some extra practical experience
Another way to show how proactive you are in expanding your skillset is to gain relevant experience, either with a short-term internship if that’s an option or through volunteering which could be fitted in with an existing job. You may have to step out of your comfort zone and do something different, but it could pay dividends.

Once you’ve filled the gaps, let employers know about it
Having identified and plugged your skills gaps, Vidu can help you create a pre-interview video profile which highlights all those extra skills and in addition to securing your dream role you could also be plugging a very important gap for your new employer.

Feel like you’re ready for the next step? Head to Vidu to begin your job search!