What can African Americans do to become more marketable in this economy? The average African Americans have by far been significantly unmarketable in comparison to their Average Caucasian counterparts. However, it should be mentioned that there are some African Americans who are also very marketable in our society. These few successful and marketable African Americans know and apply key principles in marketing themselves. This is the difference that separates the unmarketable and marketable African American.
However, there are ways for the unmarketable African Americans to become more marketable in the global economy. In this essay, I will only be discussing seven of those major ways. African Americans can become more marketable if they: develop a highly impressive resume; prepare to participate in the global economy; become technologically savvy; are flexible in job expectations; improve on interview skills; network wisely; and improve on his or her interview skills.
The first thing that African Americans who want to become more marketable should do is attend college or university and study a challenging major. This is because it is important to have at least a Bachelors degree in order to get a meaningful job that will bring any kind of success to ones life. After attending University; one should develop a highly impressive resume. An impressive resume that documents evidence of academic excellence, demonstrated leadership, well developed social skills, and personal initiative will definitely get the attention of corporate recruiters and hiring managers.
It is also important to participate in the global economy. One can do this by becoming familiar with another language. Becoming familiar with at least one of the major languages that are involved in international commerce such as: Japanese, Spanish, or Chinese; is enough to put one head and shoulders above his or her peers. One should also try to become more technologically savvy because the advancements in Information Technology affect almost every academic and occupational profession.
In order to become more technologically savvy, one should try to take a few computer or internet-related courses and also read professional journals in his or her field that has a technological slant. African Americans should also try not to limit him or herself by having predetermined notions about the size of the company that they want to work for or their exact job title or starting salary.
This is because in doing so employers may not be very welcoming. To be as marketable as possible an African American should indicate to prospective employers that they are flexible to employment and career advancement. In order to be marketable African Americans should also improve on interviewing skills. This can be done by reading books and articles on interviewing and also by attending career placement office tutorials and work shops on interviewing.
Another way to work on interviewing skills is to role play with someone and have them videotape the session. It is also of utmost importance for African Americans who want to become more marketable network wisely and mentor with someone successful in his or her career field. Professional networking can afford an individual to meet successful professionals in his or her field that can alert him or her to what’s available in the hidden job market of which he or she may not have otherwise known about.
Networking is also important because the more people who know about ones career interest and can speak favorably of him or her, the more desirable he or she will be to other prospective employers. African Americans should mentor with someone successful in his or her field, this is because it is career enhancing to mentor with someone who has achieved distinction in the African American’s academic/occupational field and is willing to offer career guidance and support. A well connected mentor can sponsor his or her membership in one or more prestigious organizations.
Listing these associations on ones resume can enhance his or her written credentials and give him or her a bit of a competitive edge in job hunting. In conclusion, the average African American can become more marketable if he or she is willing to learn and practice the ways that the marketable use to become more marketable. These ways/principles are quite easy to follow and anyone can implement them. However, one needs to be dedicated, ambitious, and hard-working in his or her endeavors.