A friend sent me an interesting article from CNBC recently noting that employers, even in these tough job market times, say they are having difficulty finding people with the skills they need for particular jobs.

Never stop honing an developing new skills.

“At a time when policy-makers are groping for ways to reduce the nation’s persistently high unemployment rate, companies with specialized needs are struggling just as much to find the right employees for a challenging new wave of job needs.

“What economists call the “skills gap” is one of the leading causes of unemployment today,” the article notes.

It goes on to say that skills learned in college generally are out of date five years after graduation.

None of that really surprised me. One of the key principles of Always Be Job Hunting is to always be expanding your skill sets and preparing yourself for the next job and the one after that. Finding a cozy spot to stay for 30 years doing the same duties day after day doesn’t happen anymore, don’t even think about it.

Always be learning, always be volunteering to take on new tasks that require you to learn new skills, always be seeking out opportunities for new educational outlets, in short, Always Be Job Hunting.

John N. Frank