With money possibly tight especially if you’re still paying off Christmas bills, you want to ensure you spend money in the right place. I can think of a few things that people spend money on that can help them during job interviews and even during their career often from the time you make the purchase. Here are a few that come to mind:
Investing in education: Whether it’s going back to college or university or taking training courses, investing in your education can pay dividends now (ie. improved skills, something to add to your resume) and throughout your career too. Some options include improving your computer skills or communication skills or learning a new language. Being multi-lingual can often differentiate you from competitors for jobs and can open up positions that might otherwise be unavailable to those who only speak one language.
Investing in your health: Joining a gym (and actually attending on an ongoing and regular basis of course) is one obvious choice but there are plenty of others too that might not cost as much if money is an issue. Jogging is a great way to keep in shape and it won’t cost more than a decent pair of running shoes. Cycling is another option. If you live in a region where the current winter season means snow and ice, what about learning to skate, going showshoeing or cross-country skiing? They’re all great options and might help to make the winter pass quicker and with a bit more fun to boot.
Investing in technology: In many cases, getting a new cellphone, Blackberry or laptop computer might be simply cosmetic or it could be an important improvement to your job. Getting a GPS for your car can’t be a bad thing if you’re geographically challenged like I am either…especially if it means no longer have to print out Mapquest instructions or wasting time and gas trying to find where you’re trying to go.
Investing in your wardrobe: Or your hair, or your glasses, or your overall look. First impressions do count and you have one chance to make it. An outdated look, unkempt appearance or old crumpled clothing can cost you in job interviews and in other work situations.
