Unemployment is replete with downtime; in fact, they're essentially synonyms. Which means that it's a good time to focus on building your skill sets, that is, it's time to improve yourself. Take any skill you have at anything, and work with it, especially if it can be applied towards future employment. For example, if you love to write, focus on building a corporate-centered writing portfolio. If you like to draw, focus on creating pieces of work that could be used in advertising. Work with Photoshop or turn your camcorder into a way to study corporate videography. Yes, it's true that you risk turning a hobby into a job (something people simultaneously fear and strive for), but by doing nothing, you also risk getting evicted.

Skill sets are, simply, a set of skills you can apply towards a job, or work of any kind. These types of skills are a good thing to have on a resume, in addition to your work experience. They show potential employers not only that you can fill more roles than just your own, but they also show you've got an ability to learn, grow, and that you have the initiative to do it on your own. Companies like that kind of thing, because it shows that you've got the potential to be a great employee.

Not every hobby is going to be directly transferable to the corporate setting, however. Building airplane models, fishing, and golf are all great hobbies, but there's no real corporate corollary. This means you have to find an angle that interests you, and that you can exploit to build your career skills. For example, if you're used to touching up photos with Photoshop, start showing that you can create corporate logos, business cards, letter heads, and work on your desktop publishing skills. When an employer sees this on your resume, especially if you have something like a business degree, you're going to stand out just a little bit more.

Diverse employees are valuable employees.

But what if haven't really got any hobbies, or skills to speak of? Well, find something interesting and take a class. Many areas offer classes on things like graphic design, or generic computer classes, or public writing classes. Most fees for such classes are assessed on a sliding scale (and if you don't have any income, that works out well for you). The point is to get something going that you can be passionate about and that can make you more valuable to potential employers out there. And community colleges and community classes are a great place to learn those skills.

This is also something you can arrange through your Dislocated Workers office, and often times, they'll even pay for it under the retraining umbrella. All you need is a piece of paper saying you were layed off due to economic conditions (and not something like poor performance), and you'll get all the help you need. You'll even be assigned a career counselor, who can help point you in the right direction and tell you which classes will indulge your passions in a constructive way.

Having an extra skill set is becoming more vital than ever because of today's tough economic times. It helps you stand apart from your peers, and if it's something you're passionate about anyway, it's not that difficult to take the time and invest in that skill set. Because you're really investing in yourself. You might not have to turn your hobby into a career, but wouldn't it be nice if your hobby started to earn you some money?

Now that you have read about Skill Sets, may we suggest that you take the next step and check out Improving Your “Soft Skills” to Land the Job. It is important to us that we are able to help people as they recover and prosper after job loss, so please contact us with suggestions, corrections, and even your personal experiences. If you found this article or video to be helpful, we'd love for you to share it with a friend. Also, be sure to check out all of the amazing resources for your career transition in the  ILostMyJob.com Book Store!

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