The pandemic has forced a lot of working professionals to reevaluate the status and trajectory of their employment. With companies having to furlough and retrench employees across all industries, people have realized that it’s time to differentiate themselves to reinforce their value in their companies. ASW Consulting, a staffing company and recruitment agency in Ho Chi Minh, offers insights into what things you should think about before upskilling for your ideal career.

What am I lacking in my current role? 

Reflect on how you’re doing in your current role and think about what you’ve achieved given the training, resources, and learning you’ve received so far. But more importantly, think about the possible growth areas in your role that need attention. For example, as a project manager, do you find yourself lacking experience overseeing tasks and projects using industry tools? Or are you finding it difficult managing your team from a leadership perspective? You can also think about things that make you feel frustrated about your work, whether it’s soft skills, leadership skills, or knowledge in using tools. Identify what you think would need improvement to allow you to do your job more efficiently. From there you’d be able to map out the next steps to upskill.

What am I interested in that’s relevant to my field? 

Before you equip yourself with more skills, take into consideration what you want to be doing and what your interests are. If you’re the account manager of your company, and you’re also interested in app development, this would come in handy if your company decides to build your own app or build an app for a client. What are your interests that complement your current role? Reflecting on this and recontextualizing it based on your work will prove to be beneficial in the future.

How do I become competitive in my role? 

Make yourself invaluable by equipping yourself with specific skills that can put you ahead of the curve, not just in your company but in your own industry. Being a competitive professional could come in the form of certifications, further learning, expanding your network, being a more visible figure on social media, or being a thought leader through blogs, podcasts and interviews. Think about what will make you irreplaceable in your job, how you can help give an edge to your company, and what will make you a leader in your field.

Where do I want to be in the next five years? 

When you have a better understanding of where you are, your career goals, and the crucial steps in achieving them, work on a timeline and work out the milestones ahead. This could either be getting an MBA, getting a promotion in the next two years, or getting a consultant job to round out your resume. Getting to that goal may be longer or quicker, depending on the circumstances, but working towards that goal will motivate you to do your best at every step of the journey.

What resources should I be consuming? 

There are countless resources to refer to and study when you upskill – the internet is a treasure trove of career resources. You can browse YouTube and read blogs to refresh you with the basics, and enroll in online courses to re-tool. Just make sure you’re signing up for courses that are designed to help you acquire new knowledge and skills, and can also provide certifications to augment your resume. You can also join groups and attend seminars to complement your self-study. When you’re ready to look for new opportunities through staffing companies in Ho Chi Minh, you can refer to our Resources page to help you prepare for that interview.

Recruitment agency in Vietnam 

ASW Consulting is a trusted staffing company in Vietnam that can help you find the right job to take you on the right career trajectory. Our recruitment professionals are also prepared to help you ace interviews with hiring managers so you can ultimately land the jobs that you upskill for. To know more about how you can make a difference in your current career and get to the next step, please email matthew@consulting.aswhiteglobal.com for a confidential discussion.