In a world where technology advances at the speed of light, and two-year olds are proficient with iPhones, it’s important for all of us – especially job seekers – to make sure our computer skills are up-to-date.  This is not to suggest that we all need to run out and learn how to write code or build a website (unless those are the types of jobs we’re interviewing for!), but we definitely need to know our way around universally used programs like MS Office, Outlook, Power Point, etc.  And with video conferencing a normal and convenient part of conducting business around the world, familiarity with programs such as Skype is also imperative.

We’ve seen otherwise qualified, management-level candidates passed over for positions because they copped to not knowing how to run an Excel report, or couldn’t figure out how to download and set up a Skype account.  We understand that new programs can be intimidating, and there seem to be an infinite number of functions and ways to screw everything up.  Getting over it is a simple matter of practice.  Take a class, or dive right in and teach yourself.  Many years ago, I taught myself Power Point so that I wouldn’t sweat bullets every time I was asked to create a presentation!

Learning a new program may seem daunting at first, but it really will be professionally rewarding once you know it.  Companies will view you as sharper than the competition, and that’s just the impression you need to make to stay ahead of the pack!