Stephen Burgess' Story

“My name is Stephen Burgess. I live in London, UK and I have been unemployed for 5 weeks. That's 5 weeks too long. It is the week before Christmas and I have a 7 year old son and all he talks about is what he wants from Santa.”  

This is an excerpt from an amazing video that was sent to us at Bluewolf from an unemployed job seeker in the UK.  

Stephen proclaims “this is 2011, this is not a recession, this is a revolution. Everything is changing. The way we do business. The way we live our lives. You see it on your mobile devices. You see it on your Facebook...your Twitter. Your company needs to be mobile, your company needs to be social. And you need to be agile”.

Employers are reporting that they are having a difficult time obtaining qualified job applicants for their available roles. As a result, off-shoring, process redesign, and automation have become a go-to for employers looking for a particular skill-set, thereby decreasing the dependence on full-time employees. Because technology develops so rapidly, job applicants need to ensure that they remain competitive by understanding how to utilize the new technologies that are so prevalent in today’s corporate environment. As such, perhaps the talent gap can also equate to a training gap. What are the skills needed to succeed in today’s evolving workplace and how can job applicants obtain these skills?

Unfortunately, going back to school full-time may not be a viable option for many out-of-work job applicants and workers who are employed on a full-time basis. Masters programs have become increasingly expensive, which makes it a difficult value proposition for those who are tightening their belts due to unemployment. Additionally, the time commitment is also a hindrance for many. So, if a masters level education is unattainable for many Americans, what are the alternatives?

Today’s talent must be flexible and collaborative. The rapid innovation within the world of corporate software applications has forced businesses to become more agile and prepared for change. The prevalence of mobile technology and the consumerization of IT makes having strong and adaptable technology skills an extremely desirable trait in a job candidate. Being quick to ramp up is particularly desirable since workers will need to constantly learn new technologies as their business continues to change.

Workers must learn not only the skills they need to be competitive and successful in the new mobile and connected workforce. They must be collaborative, self-sufficient, innovative, and a fast learner. Possessing these skills will not only make a resume stand out from the pack, but it can also increase an employee’s value within the workplace.

Bluewolf believes that training is an important key to bridging the talent gap, that is why we are offering our Salesforce administrator training for free to job seekers! Cash in your pink slip. Transform your career. Apply now.

Want to send us a video too? Check out our call for video submissions blog post.