Post written by Marlon Ribunal.
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Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

Seneca

The best companies keep the employee turnover at low rate by offering perks and benefits that are hard to resist and hard to match by competing employers. Employees cannot just pass up great benefits specially if they have a family that depends on them. While such companies have the resources to do whatever it takes to keep their employees, other companies that are not as affluent may let loose when employees decide to move on.

While it is on the advantage of an employee to choose to stay with a company that have interest in keeping him or her, this generally makes it hard for any employee to make decisions when other opportunities show up on the horizon. Why is that so? When an employee is considering to jump to another ship, he or she  has to match apple to apple. The decision-making usually focuses on the tangible benefits. It all comes down to the overall compensation package – On top of the Salary, the employee must take into consideration the Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K, Profit-Sharing, Stock Options, and other benefits. He or she might have a better job description on the prospective employer but the overall compensation is not as good as what his or her current job offers. So this poor employee ends up stuck in a career impasse – torn between the “ideal job” and the “benevolent job”.

In an economy where uncertainty is the rule of the day, chances are the employee in the situation I just described above may opt to stay and let go of the “ideal job”. But what if you have a career goal that does not go along with your current job? The only thing that you can do is to wait for the “right opportunity at the right time“, but you don’t need to feel stuck in a rut while waiting. Take this period as an opportunity to prepare for that ideal job.

Hone Your Technical Skills

This might just be the perfect time to earn a technical certification in a field that you are interested in. This is also a good moment to explore other interests. Technical skills are in demand now and there is a great chance that it will remain in this trend. Pick a variety of options and zoom in on one area that you think will be most beneficial to your prospective job. Since the primary reason you’re doing this is to prepare for the future, this training may not necessarily be related to your current job. If you want to pursue a career that is quite not the same as your current one, then training is very much necessary. The key is you must be passionate about it at the same time.

Volunteer In Related Non-Profit Organizations

Various non-profit organizations offer technical opportunities for those who are willing to volunteer. Opportunities such as these are the perfect real-world training ground, and you can usually reference them in your resume. Although they may not be paying jobs, they are real jobs that can teach you real-world skills and give you the training that you need. The key is, of course, finding the right opportunity that is parallel to what you are aspiring for.

Cross-Train Within Your Company

If for any reasons it’s not possible for you to take up a training course or volunteer job, then you can probably ask your company to put you in a cross-training program within your company. Let them know of your career plans and tell them about your strategies. If given that opportunity, this is a great chance for you to position yourself where you can be noticed. But of course you have to show that your goals are aligned with that of the company’s. The key here is not only to impress but actually deliver tangible values to whatever training you’re on. This is also a good moment to establish relationship or connection with the right people.

The great opportunities are at times closer than we think. Maybe you’re not just exploring enough within your company. But whatever your next decision will be, the things that I mentioned above can only make you a better employee. The outcome from the effort you invest on any of those three can only be positive if you have the right attitude and patience. Are you looking for a new job? What is your ideal job anyway?