Many times I hear, “But I have been out of the career field.” So, I have done some thinking and research on articles of what other advise on this subject and here are five things you should allocate time each week to becoming more hire-able. 

1) Volunteer: Volunteering can increase your chances of being hired if you’re strategic about it. By volunteering somewhere relevant, you’ll keep your skills fresh while enhancing your resume.

2) Keep Your Skills Current: Spend time each day building new skills. Take advantage of numerous free resources online, including tutorials, e-books, and how-to videos. If you’d rather have more of a class setup, then look for free or affordable adult education classes in your area. 

3) Network: There are two parts to networking; a) reconnecting with your old contacts and forming new ones. Find them, e-mail them, call them. Ask how they are and let them know the specifics of your job search. See if they know of anything or anyone. b) At a temporary dead-end with your current contacts? Make new ones. Go to networking events. Go to lectures, neighborhood council meetings, even community social events. 

4) Freelance: Freelancing is a great way to boost your skills, resume, portfolio, professional network, income, and confidence. Check out odesk.com or elance.com for some project base work. 

5) Build An Online Presence: Get found online. Start a blog, spruce up your social network profiles, create an online portfolio to showcase your work. Find companies you’re interested in working for, subscribe to their blogs, and follow them on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Find decision-makers at those companies and follow them as well.

Abridged: Careerealism Source: The Career News