In-person learning is greatly limited nowadays. Before COVID-19, it was already on the decline, but with social distancing in full-swing, it is almost impossible to conduct/attend any form of in-person training. So how will job-seekers gain education for their career when they can't go train anywhere? Well with the tools of digital learning, continuing education doesn’t have to stop just because of limitation on where you can physically go. The online world hosts a zillion certification programs, trade skills, and even college degrees. With that being said, there is no time like the present to try to get more knowledge and skills under that belt of yours.

The Washington Post reported that more than 100,000 small businesses have shut down permanently since March. In July, ABC News announced that nearly 16,000 restaurants have closed permanently. Even though many businesses have been harshly impacted, there are still employers looking for workers, primarily in the skilled trades and technology. Many of these trade skills need some sort of experience or training to even be qualified for them, but in many cases, that can be acquired through online learning, as opposed to in-person training or classes. It really is an extraordinary world that we live in today. Technology has made our lives more complex, but at the same time, it has given people chances they would never have had before. We at Supplemental Staffing want to see everyone succeed, and utilizing the plethora of knowledge available at your fingertips can certainly help you get there.

Soft skills are defined as personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people. So how are these skills going to help you land a job or even a promotion? Let's find out!

Creativity.  Collaboration.  Adaptability.

These are just three of the soft skills employers are looking for and showing you have them could be the difference between whether get the job or not. LinkedIn Learning created a list of the top soft skills employers find most valuable. Rounding out the top five are persuasion and time management.

Creativity 

When you think of ‘creative’ people usually artists, musicians or authors come to mind. But you can be creative in business as well. Think about how most people can be taught how to do a job. A creative person, however, looks at how to do the job better, perhaps in a way that has not been tried yet. A good example is the number of apps that are available to do so many things. For example, it took a creative person to say, what if we made an app so it would be easier for people to track what they eat? Seeing a need and figuring out a better way to meet the need is creativity at its best. Stefan Mumaw, author of six books on creativity, says creativity can be learned, just like any other skill. So if you are looking for ways to increase your creativity, you can try Mumaw’s Creativity Bootcamp training session.  Or you can just begin to think about innovative and better ways to do the same things you have been doing, challenging your mind to find a more “creative” solution.

Did you know that the State of Ohio has a comprehensive job portal called OhioMeansJobs? It is a great place for resources that you should be taking advantage of! Each county in the state also has a local physical center where individuals can use various services. Whether online or in the local offices, you can search for jobs, find information about in-demand careers, partake in training and career planning and even search for schools and scholarships for your training. In Wood County, the OhioMeansJobs Center is part of Job and Family Services in Bowling Green.  In Lucas County, it’s called Work Ready Lucas County (formerly The Source) and it’s in downtown Toledo. If you need to find a specific center, you can use this map. Two of the best services that the centers provide are job training assistance, and resume and interview assistance. Let's discuss how these can help!

At some point in your orientation for a new job, you’ll probably be told where to find the MSDS forms or book. It’s usually assumed that you know what the MSDS is and why you need to know where to find it. However, not everyone understands what the letters stand for and why it’s important to know where to find them. Of course, if you don’t know and it seems like everyone else does, you usually don’t want to ask.

So here is an explanation of what it is and why you should care.

MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheet. Sometimes, it’s just SDS for Safety Data Sheet or PSDS for Product Safety Data Sheet.

The Material Safety Data Sheet is a form that gives you all the information for handling or safely working with a particular substance – usually a chemical, chemical compound or a chemical mixture. It generally gives you all the information you would need to know if you’re going to use a particular item, product or material in your job tasks.