How to Use Your Time at Home to Boost Your Resume

Photo by Emma Matthews Digital Content Production on Unsplash

The COVID-19 crisis has officially settled its way into much of the world. If you're like many of us, you're spending time at home in self-isolation, looking for ways to entertain yourself until the doors get lifted and life resumes back to normal. We understand how stressful this and that many people have been furloughed or laid off from work as a result of the virus. If you can relate to long days and sleepless nights, we've found a few ways you can use your stay-at-home time to bolster your resume. Here are some things to think about:

1. You Have Contacts at Your Fingertips

This is a time when you have the ability to build your online resume via LinkedIn (or other sources) in a way that highlights your experience and talks about the great things you've done in your career. Don't be afraid to reach out to contacts of contacts. The person who's twice removed from you might be your next boss!

Take this time to complete your online profiles, reach out to industry professionals, and acquire recommendations. If you're interested in a company, but you don't know anyone who works there directly, browse your connections to see if someone can put you in contact with a person who works there. You'll never know unless you try.

2. You Can Learn a New Skill

Take this opportunity to explore online courses. Maybe you're going for your bachelor's degree, or perhaps you're just looking for a way to fill the time; in either case, there are plenty of online resources ready to help you embrace your need for learning. Consider taking SEO courses if you're interested in digital marketing or consider going back to school for real estate, plumbing, or arts. This is a great time to learn more about who you are and who you want to become.

3. Think About the Skills You've Already Mastered

If you're a freelancer, you're probably great with clients and able to translate complex details into a more understandable language. If you're a server, you're great at speaking to large audiences and adapting the things you say in a way that'll make sense to your target audience. If you're a web developer, you know how to juggle a lot of requests on the backend without your clients ever knowing you're doing so.

Use this opportunity to let your talents shine. Determine what makes you stand out and why people should hire you, then add those bullet points to your resume. Think hard about your skills, and a large list will surely follow.