It's quite a list, too!
General Sites:
www.gov.uk/jobsearch (As mentioned in Pt 4)
www.jobs24.co.uk
www.indeed.co.uk
www.reed.co.uk
www.gumtree.com
www.totaljobs.com
www.monster.co.uk
www.fish4.co.uk/jobs
www.jobsite.co.uk
www.jobnut.co.uk
www.redgoldfish.co.uk
www.agencycentral.co.uk
www.jobserve.com
www.nhs.co.uk
www.topjobs.co.uk
www.jobsdirect.co.uk
www.jobsearch.co.uk
www.jobs.co.uk
www.jobs4u.co.uk
www.keystone-jobs.co.uk
www.localrecruit.co.uk
www.jumptojobs.co.uk
www.jobstoday.co.uk
uk.jobrapido.com
Civil Service/Gov't/Local Gov't:
www.jobsgopublic.com
www.lgjobs.com
www.publicsectorcareers.org
www.civilservice.gov.uk
People With Disabilities:
www.jobability.com
www.remploy.com
IT Sector:
www.computerweekly.com
www.harveynash.com
www.vector-uk.com
www.eurobase-international.com
www.computingcareers.co.uk
www.cwjobs.co.uk
www.theitjobboard.com
Engineering:
www.justengineers.net
www.thecareerengineer.com
www.engineeringjobs.co.uk
www.justrail.net
www.techxtra.ac.uk
Leisure Industry:
www.leisurejobs.co.uk
www.leisurevacancies.co.uk
Professional/Executive/Human Resources:
www.just4executives.net
www.f1executivejobs.com
www.linkedin.com
www.changeboard.com
www.michaelpage.co.uk
www.gradjobs.co.uk
www.edenbrown.com
www.jobs.telegraph.co.uk
www.adderleyfeatherstone.com
www.careers.lon.ac.uk
www.stepstone.co.uk
Retail:
www.retailmoves.com
www.retailcareers.co.uk
www.detail2retail.com
www.inretail.co.uk
www.retailchoice.com
www.inretail.co.uk
Office/Administration:
www.officerecruit.com
www.office-angels.com
www.bestadminjobs.co.uk
Construction:
www.constructionjobsearch.co.uk
www.constructionjobsuk.com
www.careersinconstruction.com
www.justconstruction.net
www.contractjournal.com
www.morganashurst.com
www.constructor.co.uk
Social Work/Caring/Nursing:
www.communitycare.co.uk
www.staffnurse.com
www.greatsocialcare.co.uk
www.careforcegroup.co.uk
www.rigsocialcare.co.uk
www.christiescare.com
www.frantec.co.uk
www.evepersonalhomecare.co.uk
www.ultimatecareukltd.co.uk
www.primaryhomecare.co.uk
www.careuk.com
www.prestige-nursing.co.uk
www.optua.org.uk
www.betterhealthcare.co.uk
www.cepahs-community-care.co.uk
Hotel/Catering:
www.caterer.com
Sales/Marketing:
www.bms.com
www.salestarget.co.uk
Media/Film/TV/Broadcasting:
www.film-tv.co.uk
www.careermovesgroup.co.uk
www.revolutionjobs.co.uk
Printing:
www.printweekjobs.co.uk
Driving:
www.1stclassdrivers.co.uk
Cruise Ship Recruiting:
www.cruiseworking.com
Other Useful Sites:
www.do-it.org.uk (Volunteering)
www.directgove.uk/transportdirect
CV Writing/Applications/Advice Sites:
www.nextstep.direct.gov.uk
www.myskillspass.com
www.alec.co.uk
www.e4s.co.uk - Students & Graduates
www.businessballs.com
www.cv-library.co.uk - Upload CV for potential viewing by employers.
www.thecvstore..net - Ditto, above...
www.totaljobs.com/careersadvice
For 18 - 24yr-olds:
www.apprenticeships.org.uk
www.princes-trust.org.uk
For 18yr-olds:
www.thesource.me.uk
(Should any of the above links fail to work, or take you to a suspicious website, please notify me by either commenting below this post, or e-mailing me [address in Profile]).
Happy 'Clicking'- and Good Luck!!
Friday 18 January 2013
Work Seeker, Part 4!
...And so, to the final entry: Getting that job!
In my experience, it can often happen that the exact job to match your skills, knowledge and abilities quite often won't be available at your precise time of need, whether that's when you want to move on, or during those agonising weeks after being told "Sorry - I have to let you go...." - and this yawning crevasse often strikes cold fear into the job-hunter's heart. It's a natural reaction if you've only ever worked in one or two specific fields - especially long-term - but it really pays to take a deep breath, sit back and start thinking at tangents; you might be amazed at the lines of enquiry that you might generate from a spot of trawling in the Local Services adverts in your regional weekly newspapers, as well as the Situations Vacant pages!
For a very simple example, if you have been working - say - as a clerk in an accountants office (or even training for that profession), some of the more profession-specific numerical knowledge can rub-off on you, as well as general office practices - so if you see a job advertised for a stock control clerk in a shop or factory, your enumeration and filing skills are easily adaptable to that role (or any similar post), thus opening the doors into other offices that you might not have previously considered; let's face it - every company needs "bean-counting" skills at one level or another, so there's a wide scope for alternative employment with very similar skill-set requirements.
The same can be said for anyone with - for second example - sound skills in engineering; if you can handle one bag of spanners, then generally-speaking, you should be able to use other toolkits - it's all a matter of parallel thinking (or oblique, if you really want to change fields altogether). My own engineering abilities have seen me working on a wide range of machinery, in assembly, manufacture, maintenance, re-manufacture, modification and repair - and even demolition - and over the past 15 years or so, my skills have "migrated" from working on Loading Bay machines and industrial doors, right through into the Elevator Industry, accumulating a lot of specialist knowledge along the way.
The trouble was, when I was suddenly made redundant just two weeks ago, there were no Elevator Engineer jobs available in reasonable reach of my home area! Moving home wasn't an option at all, so it was time to take full stock of the situation and to review my skill-sets, and to match potential target trades or posts...something that ALL job-hunters will need to do if the right openings aren't available at the right moment; in the words of BBC's Dad's Army character, Corporal Jones: "DON'T PANIC!"
There are literally THOUSANDS of work opportunities out there at any one time; many are often NOT advertised in the general media - quite often, specific fields advertise with particular agencies, in trade journals or on websites, etc; it's just a case of trawling for them in the right places. In the previous "Work Seeker" parts, I've skimmed-over newspaper adverts and word-of-mouth enquiries - even down to walking industrial and office parks with a handful of crisp, new CVs to distribute at possible target businesses (actually quite a good exercise in "Public Relations" and social skills, as well as potentially lucrative!) - but as worthwhile and productive as those efforts can be, the most powerful work-search 'tool' available today has to be the internet - and as just about everyone now has access to the World-Wide Web (either at home, or via phones, or even the local town libraries [it's free!]), then that's the last part that I'll include in this basic guide that should (hopefully) count toward securing YOUR next job or career-change!
It doesn't matter whether you're leaving a company by choice or force, there is a vast array of websites out there to help the job hunter, many of which are essentially just job-lists, and some others work like "social network" sites, allowing you to 'connect' with other people in business by using 'key-words' in the "Search" facilities 'boxes' to find the right fields of interest. Other websites offer a job-matching system, whereby the user registers on the website, creates a basic personal profile, uploads a CV, and (ostensibly) sits back to await the machinery to clunk, groan and spit out match-after-match of potential employers...or so it's sometimes promoted, anyway! Occasionally there can be a result, but sadly, rarely...
The good sites, though, are those that can be accessed by user-registered accounts, and allow the user to trawl (literally) hundreds of vacancies by (again) using key words in search facilities, then "Click" buttons to apply for the posts - and usually, the user can add or upload a CV to apply by this method. Some of these websites will allow the user to upload and store a CV for potential employers to access, although the choice of who can view the CV rests with the user, for security within the Data Protection Act (IE: you can usually tick boxes marked "Public" or "Private"). If you select "Private", then the only time that a target employer can see your CV is when you "Click" the "Apply For Post" button; otherwise, no-one can view the CV until you authorise it. Obviously, if you 'tick' the box marked "Public", then everyone visiting or using the website can take a peek at your details - so now, there follows a few words of caution...
If you decide to upload a CV to a website (usually by a "Copy and Paste" system from your word processor), TAKE CARE to minimise your personal details! Given the unsettling but steady rise in identity theft (as previously mentioned), it makes sense to remove your full address from the CV, but leave in your home town/village/county to give an employer an indication of where you're located. Likewise, replace your date of birth with just your age, and only one telephone number - ideally, a 'pay-as-you-go' mobile/sim number that can be disposed of, in the most unlikely event of 'spam' calls, etc - although if you are successful with an application, then you can keep the number if desired. You should also remove dates of employment and substitute months and years, etc - likewise the same for your education details - to further protect against potential fraud by others, but ensure that you type in the phrase "Full detailed CV available upon Employer's request" as your very last comment on your CV. Other than those basic changes to protect your personal details from potential thieves, leave your CV largely intact.
...And so, to the websites, and their benefits (if you'll pardon the pun!). During my recent searches, I discovered a few useful websites within the specialist field of the Elevator Industry, and a few others by way of adverts embedded in those websites - but it wasn't until I attended my own Jobseekers' Benefit registration interview that I discovered just how many 'jobsearch' websites exist! Many of them are officially registered with HM Government's Jobcentres, and the best part is that the Jobseeker's Careers Advisor will provide a full list at the interview (see attached separate list on sidebar, "Work-Seeking Websites").
The Advisor will also take the time to talk you through other possibilities of employment. By doing so, he/she will help you to build up a 'plan-of-action' designed to help you find another job, either on your own, or by using the system that the Government has created - and as I discovered, it's a powerful "Search tool" that really does work; the best part though, is that you don't have to be registering to make a Jobseekers' Benefit Claim to qualify to use these websites, either!
The very first website on which I registered the next morning was the primary "Job-Match" website that the Benefits folks recommend enrolling to, partly because of its quality of content, and also because they can track your applications (but ONLY if you select that "tracking" option during site registration); enabling the "tracker" would be seen as an acceptance on the users' part toward the (required) job-search whilst on benefits, although it's site feature that many claimants seem to resent as a bit "Big Brother" in concept - but if you are claiming Benefit, then allowing them to track such efforts actually saves you the trouble of having to keep a 'log' of your efforts to find work, so it can have its beneficial uses.
This particular website (Universal Jobmatch) - www.gov.uk/jobsearch - will allow you to register under your own full name, giving you a "Gateway ID" that is unique to you; note it down, along with any password that you create to access your account, and keep that information very secure as it will be your PERMANENT identity, registered with the Government. From the resulting Profile Page, you can generate as many searches as you wish once you've filled-in your basic search parameters and your background information (essentially just for accurate work-searches, not for people to track you!), and again, you'll have the option to upload or "copy & paste" your (suitably-shortened) CV, also "screenable" for view to Public or Private status - and you can delete the CV at any time, usually as soon as you've found work. Some people will leave their CVs posted, though, in case of better offers coming along.
...And the best part of this particular website? It worked for me! Within just FIVE hours of registration, a quick trawl and one job application, I received a telephone call inviting me for an interview for that job; two days later, I attended an interview - and I landed the job, just fourteen days and one hour after being made redundant!! I really can't make a better endorsement than that - although it has to be stated that I was probably lucky in that the right (alternative-industry) job was listed at just the right time, and that other users may not have such a rapid and positive result - but this does prove that sometimes, 'miracles' can actually happen...
To be perfectly fair and honest, I had also tracked to the advertising company's own website and used the "Contact Us" e-mail address to back-up my "JobSearch" site application, by sending an e-mail with my FULL CV attached. This "doubling-up" job application trick can often give the "keen applicant" impression to the potential employer, and during my interview I asked which method had proved the most useful; the interviewer said that he believed that the Jobsearch website came through first, so in my own case the website connection worked best in my favour; it doesn't hurt to double-up, though, just in case the website applications disappear into the recipient's "Spam" Inbox!
So, all this has worked for me (I start the new job on Monday, just six days after registration!) so it could also easily work for anyone else; all it takes is a calm approach and sometimes a little bit of abstract thinking, with a healthy dose of patience and acceptance that the jobsearch might just take a little while longer than first anticipated. I hope that at least some of this Blog may prove useful to you in some way; for me, from redundancy to re-employment was a short (but long-overdue) "holiday", so it proves that it can be done...and if I can do it, then so can YOU!
Losing (or just changing) a job need not be a colossal disaster - regaining work is so much easier today, so take heart, and above all KEEP TRYING, AND GOOD LUCK!!!
In my experience, it can often happen that the exact job to match your skills, knowledge and abilities quite often won't be available at your precise time of need, whether that's when you want to move on, or during those agonising weeks after being told "Sorry - I have to let you go...." - and this yawning crevasse often strikes cold fear into the job-hunter's heart. It's a natural reaction if you've only ever worked in one or two specific fields - especially long-term - but it really pays to take a deep breath, sit back and start thinking at tangents; you might be amazed at the lines of enquiry that you might generate from a spot of trawling in the Local Services adverts in your regional weekly newspapers, as well as the Situations Vacant pages!
For a very simple example, if you have been working - say - as a clerk in an accountants office (or even training for that profession), some of the more profession-specific numerical knowledge can rub-off on you, as well as general office practices - so if you see a job advertised for a stock control clerk in a shop or factory, your enumeration and filing skills are easily adaptable to that role (or any similar post), thus opening the doors into other offices that you might not have previously considered; let's face it - every company needs "bean-counting" skills at one level or another, so there's a wide scope for alternative employment with very similar skill-set requirements.
The same can be said for anyone with - for second example - sound skills in engineering; if you can handle one bag of spanners, then generally-speaking, you should be able to use other toolkits - it's all a matter of parallel thinking (or oblique, if you really want to change fields altogether). My own engineering abilities have seen me working on a wide range of machinery, in assembly, manufacture, maintenance, re-manufacture, modification and repair - and even demolition - and over the past 15 years or so, my skills have "migrated" from working on Loading Bay machines and industrial doors, right through into the Elevator Industry, accumulating a lot of specialist knowledge along the way.
The trouble was, when I was suddenly made redundant just two weeks ago, there were no Elevator Engineer jobs available in reasonable reach of my home area! Moving home wasn't an option at all, so it was time to take full stock of the situation and to review my skill-sets, and to match potential target trades or posts...something that ALL job-hunters will need to do if the right openings aren't available at the right moment; in the words of BBC's Dad's Army character, Corporal Jones: "DON'T PANIC!"
There are literally THOUSANDS of work opportunities out there at any one time; many are often NOT advertised in the general media - quite often, specific fields advertise with particular agencies, in trade journals or on websites, etc; it's just a case of trawling for them in the right places. In the previous "Work Seeker" parts, I've skimmed-over newspaper adverts and word-of-mouth enquiries - even down to walking industrial and office parks with a handful of crisp, new CVs to distribute at possible target businesses (actually quite a good exercise in "Public Relations" and social skills, as well as potentially lucrative!) - but as worthwhile and productive as those efforts can be, the most powerful work-search 'tool' available today has to be the internet - and as just about everyone now has access to the World-Wide Web (either at home, or via phones, or even the local town libraries [it's free!]), then that's the last part that I'll include in this basic guide that should (hopefully) count toward securing YOUR next job or career-change!
It doesn't matter whether you're leaving a company by choice or force, there is a vast array of websites out there to help the job hunter, many of which are essentially just job-lists, and some others work like "social network" sites, allowing you to 'connect' with other people in business by using 'key-words' in the "Search" facilities 'boxes' to find the right fields of interest. Other websites offer a job-matching system, whereby the user registers on the website, creates a basic personal profile, uploads a CV, and (ostensibly) sits back to await the machinery to clunk, groan and spit out match-after-match of potential employers...or so it's sometimes promoted, anyway! Occasionally there can be a result, but sadly, rarely...
The good sites, though, are those that can be accessed by user-registered accounts, and allow the user to trawl (literally) hundreds of vacancies by (again) using key words in search facilities, then "Click" buttons to apply for the posts - and usually, the user can add or upload a CV to apply by this method. Some of these websites will allow the user to upload and store a CV for potential employers to access, although the choice of who can view the CV rests with the user, for security within the Data Protection Act (IE: you can usually tick boxes marked "Public" or "Private"). If you select "Private", then the only time that a target employer can see your CV is when you "Click" the "Apply For Post" button; otherwise, no-one can view the CV until you authorise it. Obviously, if you 'tick' the box marked "Public", then everyone visiting or using the website can take a peek at your details - so now, there follows a few words of caution...
If you decide to upload a CV to a website (usually by a "Copy and Paste" system from your word processor), TAKE CARE to minimise your personal details! Given the unsettling but steady rise in identity theft (as previously mentioned), it makes sense to remove your full address from the CV, but leave in your home town/village/county to give an employer an indication of where you're located. Likewise, replace your date of birth with just your age, and only one telephone number - ideally, a 'pay-as-you-go' mobile/sim number that can be disposed of, in the most unlikely event of 'spam' calls, etc - although if you are successful with an application, then you can keep the number if desired. You should also remove dates of employment and substitute months and years, etc - likewise the same for your education details - to further protect against potential fraud by others, but ensure that you type in the phrase "Full detailed CV available upon Employer's request" as your very last comment on your CV. Other than those basic changes to protect your personal details from potential thieves, leave your CV largely intact.
...And so, to the websites, and their benefits (if you'll pardon the pun!). During my recent searches, I discovered a few useful websites within the specialist field of the Elevator Industry, and a few others by way of adverts embedded in those websites - but it wasn't until I attended my own Jobseekers' Benefit registration interview that I discovered just how many 'jobsearch' websites exist! Many of them are officially registered with HM Government's Jobcentres, and the best part is that the Jobseeker's Careers Advisor will provide a full list at the interview (see attached separate list on sidebar, "Work-Seeking Websites").
The Advisor will also take the time to talk you through other possibilities of employment. By doing so, he/she will help you to build up a 'plan-of-action' designed to help you find another job, either on your own, or by using the system that the Government has created - and as I discovered, it's a powerful "Search tool" that really does work; the best part though, is that you don't have to be registering to make a Jobseekers' Benefit Claim to qualify to use these websites, either!
The very first website on which I registered the next morning was the primary "Job-Match" website that the Benefits folks recommend enrolling to, partly because of its quality of content, and also because they can track your applications (but ONLY if you select that "tracking" option during site registration); enabling the "tracker" would be seen as an acceptance on the users' part toward the (required) job-search whilst on benefits, although it's site feature that many claimants seem to resent as a bit "Big Brother" in concept - but if you are claiming Benefit, then allowing them to track such efforts actually saves you the trouble of having to keep a 'log' of your efforts to find work, so it can have its beneficial uses.
This particular website (Universal Jobmatch) - www.gov.uk/jobsearch - will allow you to register under your own full name, giving you a "Gateway ID" that is unique to you; note it down, along with any password that you create to access your account, and keep that information very secure as it will be your PERMANENT identity, registered with the Government. From the resulting Profile Page, you can generate as many searches as you wish once you've filled-in your basic search parameters and your background information (essentially just for accurate work-searches, not for people to track you!), and again, you'll have the option to upload or "copy & paste" your (suitably-shortened) CV, also "screenable" for view to Public or Private status - and you can delete the CV at any time, usually as soon as you've found work. Some people will leave their CVs posted, though, in case of better offers coming along.
...And the best part of this particular website? It worked for me! Within just FIVE hours of registration, a quick trawl and one job application, I received a telephone call inviting me for an interview for that job; two days later, I attended an interview - and I landed the job, just fourteen days and one hour after being made redundant!! I really can't make a better endorsement than that - although it has to be stated that I was probably lucky in that the right (alternative-industry) job was listed at just the right time, and that other users may not have such a rapid and positive result - but this does prove that sometimes, 'miracles' can actually happen...
To be perfectly fair and honest, I had also tracked to the advertising company's own website and used the "Contact Us" e-mail address to back-up my "JobSearch" site application, by sending an e-mail with my FULL CV attached. This "doubling-up" job application trick can often give the "keen applicant" impression to the potential employer, and during my interview I asked which method had proved the most useful; the interviewer said that he believed that the Jobsearch website came through first, so in my own case the website connection worked best in my favour; it doesn't hurt to double-up, though, just in case the website applications disappear into the recipient's "Spam" Inbox!
So, all this has worked for me (I start the new job on Monday, just six days after registration!) so it could also easily work for anyone else; all it takes is a calm approach and sometimes a little bit of abstract thinking, with a healthy dose of patience and acceptance that the jobsearch might just take a little while longer than first anticipated. I hope that at least some of this Blog may prove useful to you in some way; for me, from redundancy to re-employment was a short (but long-overdue) "holiday", so it proves that it can be done...and if I can do it, then so can YOU!
Losing (or just changing) a job need not be a colossal disaster - regaining work is so much easier today, so take heart, and above all KEEP TRYING, AND GOOD LUCK!!!
Wednesday 16 January 2013
"Uplifting" CV! (Sample)
Basic Form Of CV Composition:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Curriculum Vitae
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Curriculum Vitae
Bazzle B. Rush
Address: 99 Foxdells,
Woodland,
Suffolk,
IP29
1BG.
Telephone: 01XXX
7XXXXX (Home), 07XXX XXXXXX.
Date of Birth: 34th Octember 1968
Most Recent Employer
Company: Upson-Downes Lift Co Ltd, Chelmsford, Essex.
Dates: 8th May
2012 – 4th Janury 2013 (Redundancy)
Position: Service/Repair/Call-Out Engineer.
Job
Description: Service/Repair/Upgrade
& Call-Out Role on Elevators, etc.
Previous
Employment
Company: Big Step Escalators, Elmwood,
Cheshire,
Dates: (As In Job
Description, below)
Position: Repair/Service Engineer.
Job
Description: 28th
June 2007 – 4th May 2012: Service/Repair/Call-Out on a variety of
Escalators (primarily) and Loading Bay Eqp’t.
Company: The Clunky Lift Company, Crankle
Business Park, Walford, London.
Dates: January 2000 to
25th June 2007
Position: Lift Engineer.
Job
Description: Service,
fault-finding & repair of lifts & loading bay equipment, including
passenger and goods units (traction, hydraulic, chain-driven, etc), Less-Abled
platform lifts, scissor lifts, dock leveller ramps & various shutters.
Includes post-commissioning inspection & snagging, upgrades & major
repairs. Competent with a variety of controllers (Lester, ILE, Digital Lift
Controls & many others) and with Oakland, Orona & Kone lifts.
Company: Cannells Panels & Co Ltd,
Rayning Rd, Bucket Down, Herts.
Dates: May 1999 – October
1999.
Position: Control Panel
Builder/Wireman.
Job
Description: Layout, design,
assembly and wiring of a variety of motor, machinery & power control
panels; fabrication, mechanical and motor assembly. Site repairs &
installation works.
Company: Flatford International
Ltd., Flatford Road, Clackford, Norfolk.
Dates: October 1998 – May
1999.
Position: Field
Maintenance/Installation Engineer.
Job
Description: Service, repair,
installation & steam-cleaning waste compaction machinery & related
extraction/conveyor systems.
Other
Experience
13
Years in: Electronics
industry, trained & experienced in most
aspects of production assembly, wiring, inspection, installation, test,
fault-finding and repair of a wide variety of products, chassis & equipment
(PCB’s, cableforms, control panels, radio & oscilloscopes, etc) to track
& component level, including Surface Mount.
24
Years in: Engineering
& lift industry, involving design, fabrication, assembly, conversion,
service, reconditioning, development & modification of a wide variety of
structures and assemblies, from sheet metal & tubular frame projects
through to vessel & heavy structural works. Site repairs & installation
and workshop disciplined in MMA (arc), Mig, Tig & gas welding; good
knowledge of essential metallurgy (structural mechanics, stress, corrosion,
etc); capable machine shop turner/miller, etc; pipe-fitting experience;
conversant with majority of engineering drawings.
Trained
in: IBM &
compatible computer & peripherals engineering, including hardware assembly,
upgrading, configuration & diagnostics.
Education
Last
School: Nuttsville
Comprehensive, Hareltree, Essex (now a college).
Certs
Gained: (CSEs’, grades in
brackets): English (1), Maths (1), Physics (1), Technical Drawing (1),
Metalwork (1), Woodwork (3).
Training
Centre: Adult ITEC, Nelson's Arm
Ind. Est., Crabbington, Northants
Dates: February – June 1996.
Course: Computer
Engineering/Configuration & Software Applications.
College: Harrow Technical
College, West Site, The High, Harrow.
Dates: July & August
1996.
Certs
Gained: City & Guilds
in: Pascal Programming* (Level 1); Programming in ‘C’* (Level 2); Computers
& Computing* (Level 1); Spreadsheets* (Level 1).
College: Herts
College, Broxe Centre, Tarnford, Herts.
Dates: September – December
1996.
Cert
Gained: City & Guilds in
Desktop Publishing* (Level 1).
(*Cumulative
Qualification of City & Guilds Diploma in Computer Studies)
Leisure
Interests
Cars & Motorcycles * Travel *
Writing, Photography & Digital Imaging
Internet * Animals/Rescue (Domestic
& Wildlife) * Reading * Research
References
Available On Request
Work Seeker, Part 3!
Beginning the processes....
This section will try to cover the two-fold essentials of both registering unemployed (for those losing jobs), and compiling that wonderful self-selling CV, so please bear with me as we wade through the parallel needs...
For those unfortunate people who have been served that awful notice to leave or have been made redundant, etc, once that die has been cast there is no time to lose with starting that registration with the Jobseekers' Benefit Agency, because if you don't manage to land a job immediately (to begin right after you finish working for your current employer - holidays excepted) you'll need to at least register as unemployed, even if you aren't going to claim Jobseekers Allowance. If you FAIL to register from the date of last employment, you will NOT be able to backdate that claim except in special circumstances - and believe me, you'll need a VERY good reason before they'll relent and grant that back-dated claim! This is a Government Department, after all...
The claim is best begun with a visit to the local Jobcentre Plus office in your town, to ask the best way to tackle a new claim. Tell the receptionist when you finish working, and that person will advise you when to start the claim/registration process and give you a form with a website address and telephone numbers (in case of no web access on the claimant's part) - but having just gone through that on-line process for a Jobseeker's claim I heartily recommend doing it via the web, as the telephone system is a nightmare chain of touch-pad option poking - it really is ultra-frustrating!
The web address on the form gives direct access to what is quite an easy process, provided that you have all your bank balances and details to hand (both your own, and your spouse, if claiming for a partner); work through it methodically and slowly, but beware that the process can timeout and drop ALL entered data if you wander off to make a cup of tea...and you're back to the beginning!
Once registered, take a headache pill (you'll probably need one or two, after that meandering marathon!), then relax and wait for either a telephone call or a text message in two or three days' time, which will book you with an appointment at the Jobseekers Plus office, which you MUST attend, even if you are only going to register unemployed - although it makes sense to make a proper Jobseeker's Benefit claim anyway; you're entitled to receive the benefit if you have paid your obligatory NI Contributions each pay-day and have total savings BELOW a current 2013-level of £16,000, because at the very least (even if you don't actually need the benefit) the Jobseekers payment will cover at least some of your travel and telephone costs while you search for a job...and that's principally what the money is for, anyway!
CV Time!
So, with that duty done (and if you haven't done so already), it is time to “tool-up” and prepare for the search, and whilst a good percentage of people who find themselves looking for another job will know current practices and terminology, many others will not. For the total beginner, the first encounter with today's job-hunting scene can be daunting - and perhaps even distressing for the unwary, as one of the first questions that people (IE: Companies, Agencies, etc) may ask of you is whether you have a "CV" to submit for their perusal…
If this is your first time out of work and you are unfamiliar with the term, you can actually feel a sense of real inadequacy, believing yourself “unqualified” without such knowledge…but, fear not! Help is at hand…
The Covering
Letter
This section will try to cover the two-fold essentials of both registering unemployed (for those losing jobs), and compiling that wonderful self-selling CV, so please bear with me as we wade through the parallel needs...
For those unfortunate people who have been served that awful notice to leave or have been made redundant, etc, once that die has been cast there is no time to lose with starting that registration with the Jobseekers' Benefit Agency, because if you don't manage to land a job immediately (to begin right after you finish working for your current employer - holidays excepted) you'll need to at least register as unemployed, even if you aren't going to claim Jobseekers Allowance. If you FAIL to register from the date of last employment, you will NOT be able to backdate that claim except in special circumstances - and believe me, you'll need a VERY good reason before they'll relent and grant that back-dated claim! This is a Government Department, after all...
The claim is best begun with a visit to the local Jobcentre Plus office in your town, to ask the best way to tackle a new claim. Tell the receptionist when you finish working, and that person will advise you when to start the claim/registration process and give you a form with a website address and telephone numbers (in case of no web access on the claimant's part) - but having just gone through that on-line process for a Jobseeker's claim I heartily recommend doing it via the web, as the telephone system is a nightmare chain of touch-pad option poking - it really is ultra-frustrating!
The web address on the form gives direct access to what is quite an easy process, provided that you have all your bank balances and details to hand (both your own, and your spouse, if claiming for a partner); work through it methodically and slowly, but beware that the process can timeout and drop ALL entered data if you wander off to make a cup of tea...and you're back to the beginning!
Once registered, take a headache pill (you'll probably need one or two, after that meandering marathon!), then relax and wait for either a telephone call or a text message in two or three days' time, which will book you with an appointment at the Jobseekers Plus office, which you MUST attend, even if you are only going to register unemployed - although it makes sense to make a proper Jobseeker's Benefit claim anyway; you're entitled to receive the benefit if you have paid your obligatory NI Contributions each pay-day and have total savings BELOW a current 2013-level of £16,000, because at the very least (even if you don't actually need the benefit) the Jobseekers payment will cover at least some of your travel and telephone costs while you search for a job...and that's principally what the money is for, anyway!
CV Time!
So, with that duty done (and if you haven't done so already), it is time to “tool-up” and prepare for the search, and whilst a good percentage of people who find themselves looking for another job will know current practices and terminology, many others will not. For the total beginner, the first encounter with today's job-hunting scene can be daunting - and perhaps even distressing for the unwary, as one of the first questions that people (IE: Companies, Agencies, etc) may ask of you is whether you have a "CV" to submit for their perusal…
If this is your first time out of work and you are unfamiliar with the term, you can actually feel a sense of real inadequacy, believing yourself “unqualified” without such knowledge…but, fear not! Help is at hand…
In all
honesty, the vast majority of people have either heard of - or have already
compiled - a CV, and know what it’s about and how to update and present it. Those of you who are in that group can skip this section if you wish (although as
mentioned before in a previous paragraph, there's always the slim possibility that you might just learn something
useful by reading on), but for the
‘innocent’ amongst you who have never come across the term, a CV (or Curriculum
Vitae, as it is fully worded) is plainly and simply a personal profile of
yourself, designed to list your basic details, work experiences, education
& qualifications, and usually your hobbies and interests; a document by
which you ‘sell your soul’!
A well-constructed CV is a very useful ‘tool’ indeed, and can be the instrumental document that gets you that job without the need to fill in any other application forms at all - or it can be very
beneficial in complementing job application forms when applying to companies,
especially when filling in lengthy sections (you can attach a CV to such forms,
and write comments such as “Please refer to enclosed CV” when faced with work
history lists, etc); in other words, the CV is not a vital necessity for
every job application, but can prove advantageous in most such circumstances…
For those
without the knowledge of what constitutes a good CV, don’t panic; you can
either ask advice from your friends and/or family, or you could even ask an
Employment Agency to help you compile one, although there is a likelihood that
there will be a charge for such a service; this can rankle with some
jobseekers, because the Agencies will then present that CV to their
clients, and therefore can gain doubly [financially] from their CV compilation
service; you pay your money, you take your choice (literally!), or you can
follow some of the basic guidelines that worked for me (and a close friend) below…
Personally, I
prefer the home-brewed CV compilation; start by jotting down (in rough form) your main
details (address, date-of-birth, etc), your work experiences,
educational/vocational qualifications, your hobbies, interests, etc – it’s all useful, as you’ll need to manipulate and
mould most of these into something presentable (and hopefully,
professional-looking!), either the "old-fashioned" way with a type-writer, or (most likely) a little more up-to-date on a computer with - say - Microsoft Word, or similar. Don't go overboard with too much detail - preferably, use just TWO pages to cover as much base information as you can, to entice the interest of the prospective employer; any more than that, and you run the risk of overstating your case – and most employers don’t like overkill.
Once you’ve got the basics, it’s time to type/print it onto A4-sized good quality paper sheets (always useful to have several paper copies handy), and if you've used a computer, make sure you save a copy of it onto a USB memory "stick" to keep it safe and to carry around with you - more on both formats, later...
Obviously, those CVs created on computers will then be an e-mailable file attachment, so when you start trawling the websites and click on the "Contact Us" or "Apply For This Job" button, if the system pops-up your e-mail program for communicating with them, you use the body of the e-mail as your covering letter, and attach that CV file to the e-mail before you hit the "Send" button (I've forgotten to do that in haste a few times, necessitating a re-application - easy to explain-away as a "mis-link" at interviews!).
Jumping forward momentarily, some companies still ask the applicants to write letters and post them - a trend that once almost died-out, but is making a limited return as a small percentage of employers have been known to try to use hand-writing "experts" to give them psychological profiles of the sender. This quirky practice seems to have just been a 'fad' for many, but some hyper-sensitive career sectors like to play such 'games', although they have met with very limited success; for the majority of postal applications that I have submitted, though, I've always used a word-processor...and still gained work that way! That's obviously where paper copies of the CV work well - just add them to covering letters tailored to suit specific target jobs, bung a stamp on the envelope and post it!
Once you’ve got the basics, it’s time to type/print it onto A4-sized good quality paper sheets (always useful to have several paper copies handy), and if you've used a computer, make sure you save a copy of it onto a USB memory "stick" to keep it safe and to carry around with you - more on both formats, later...
Obviously, those CVs created on computers will then be an e-mailable file attachment, so when you start trawling the websites and click on the "Contact Us" or "Apply For This Job" button, if the system pops-up your e-mail program for communicating with them, you use the body of the e-mail as your covering letter, and attach that CV file to the e-mail before you hit the "Send" button (I've forgotten to do that in haste a few times, necessitating a re-application - easy to explain-away as a "mis-link" at interviews!).
Jumping forward momentarily, some companies still ask the applicants to write letters and post them - a trend that once almost died-out, but is making a limited return as a small percentage of employers have been known to try to use hand-writing "experts" to give them psychological profiles of the sender. This quirky practice seems to have just been a 'fad' for many, but some hyper-sensitive career sectors like to play such 'games', although they have met with very limited success; for the majority of postal applications that I have submitted, though, I've always used a word-processor...and still gained work that way! That's obviously where paper copies of the CV work well - just add them to covering letters tailored to suit specific target jobs, bung a stamp on the envelope and post it!
And so, to the "nuts-and-bolts"...
On a basic CV,
starting at the topmost line, you could just use the clear headline statement,
‘Curriculum Vitae ‘– or to make it stand out a little more,
perhaps, you could instead use the word ‘Introducing… ‘ or perhaps flash-out your status, like "Executive Engineer"- it may
seem obvious and perhaps superfluous to many, but once your CV is on an
Employers’ desk, in a pile of other paperwork and CVs, that headline may peek
out just enough to catch the eye again at the right moment of pile-shifting…and
if a slightly-artistic (but not over-sized) font or typeset is used just for
that headline, it will hold attention.
Next, you might also like to consider adding a passport-sized
photo of yourself (suitably attired), either by publishing one into the
document (if using a computer), or simply (and neatly) glueing or stapling to
the top corner, if typing the sheets (though if the photo is a posed shot at a slight
angle, ensure that it ‘faces’ the centre of the page; it’s more
aesthetically-pleasing, and shows attention to detail – a small point that many
employers will take note of!). The photo is not an essential accessory - just an option - an individual and voluntary choice .
Next, below that headline and in bold text, add your full name, address, date of birth,
marital status, number of children (sometimes seen as a sign of stability), and
a contact phone number; ensure that the first is a landline number, where
applicable - mobile phones are best added as secondary contact numbers.
NEVER, EVER add personal details like National Insurance numbers, etc - the only time that an employer will need such information from you is once you start working for them! Remember that your CV may be digitally copied and uploaded onto a national website database, and identity theft then becomes a possibility to hackers...
NEVER, EVER add personal details like National Insurance numbers, etc - the only time that an employer will need such information from you is once you start working for them! Remember that your CV may be digitally copied and uploaded onto a national website database, and identity theft then becomes a possibility to hackers...
Underneath your basic details, begin your Employment History, followed by Work
Experience (in blocks of text, bearing overall experience from every job you’ve ever had, cumulatively rounded-up into
‘X’-years of ‘this, ‘Y’-years of ‘that’), followed by Education (Schools,
Colleges & certificates gained in each), finally finished off with any professional
or vocational qualifications that you may possess. NEVER LIE about your qualifications - most employers will trust their candidates at appointment, but many companies will now check those certificates and passes from a myriad of databases - and if you're caught fibbing, you'll most likely be thrown out of that dream job without the chance to apologise or grovel, and it's a thin possibility that such cheating might just be reported onwards, if certain industry/business networks exist...
With the ‘boring’ essentials out of the way, feel free to
add your hobbies and interests, specifically if such interests may slant
to the post(s) that you are seeking (though you might not go far if you are
applying to join, say, the RSPCA, and you declare “Hunting, Shooting &
Taxidermy” as favourite pastimes…); in other words, choose your declared
hobbies carefully!
You can see,
then, that if you are multi-skilled and looking to diversify your field, you
can therefore ‘angle’ each section by enhancing certain aspects and down-grading
others to create flexible CVs to suit particular job markets, essentially to ‘market’ a
specific skill-set relevant to that job – obviously, an easier task to set out
if you can use a computer (even a typewriter can produce a professional-looking
document, with patience!), but if you haven’t such skills or knowledge, or if
your confidence is at a low ebb, ask a friend to help out with the layout and composition.
There are a great many variations on CV layout and content
criteria and it can be as personal as the creator prefers, so rather than go into multiple
examples in this main text, please refer to the Sidebar Menu where you will
find a basic (humorously fictitious!) example, "Uplifting CV". If nothing else, it might raise a smile - that happy facial expression that often gets forgotten, between jobs...
Here, though, I’ll insert a small portion of a
highly-creative “angled” CV generously donated by an old friend (thanks, T!),
as an example of lateral thinking in terms of Job Title and
promotion of skills that might not be ordinarily considered by a prospective
employer; this was her own description of her most “Recent Occupation” – she was returning to work, having raised her family…:
Position Held: DOMESTIC MANAGER
Duties:-
Co-ordinating, prioritising and coping with heavy daily workload, multi-tasking, tutoring in life and communication skills, identifying and arranging entertaining and educational pursuits, nurturing personal development, self-worth and social awareness, providing positive appraisal and support of elementary tasks and mediating between in-house disputes. Also ensuring the efficient administration of domestic responsibilities and accurate budgetary management…
Co-ordinating, prioritising and coping with heavy daily workload, multi-tasking, tutoring in life and communication skills, identifying and arranging entertaining and educational pursuits, nurturing personal development, self-worth and social awareness, providing positive appraisal and support of elementary tasks and mediating between in-house disputes. Also ensuring the efficient administration of domestic responsibilities and accurate budgetary management…
That CV (in complete form) certainly worked for her – the
lady gained a strong career as a direct result, as it appealed strongly to the good humour, foresight
and appreciation of her future boss! So you can see, your tailored CV does not need to
be overly formal – a hint of humour can be a nice touch in certain
circumstances…and some jobs will require a good sense of humour! However, make
sure that your basic CV is a flat, factual & formal affair, designed for
general distribution, and leave the enhanced versions for specific target jobs,
careers & companies.
The example posted as a "Side-bar Entry" on the right of this Blog page is a slightly quirky item purely for general content and layout guidance (or perhaps inspiration, depending on your target sector!), and a few
people may feel that it's understated or unimaginative, but the bottom
line is that a CV is only what you make it - or more simply, all that you
feel you require - so you can imitate, innovate, or ignore to your heart’s
content; it’s YOUR CV that’s important now, not mine!
However your CV turns out, type/print off
as many as you feel sensible (don't forget to use good quality paper - it helps create a good impression!) – and if you have varied the contents toward
different jobs, print a few of each version and keep them in
separately-marked envelopes. Also, if your CV has (most likely) been produced on a computer,
make sure all versions have been securely saved on a CD-R disc (or other digital storage means), and carry
copies of the files in the afore-mentioned USB memory stick wherever you go – these little gadgets are always useful little tools in today's hi-tech world, as some contemporary companies can happily copy your CV from that memory stick! Some others still prefer the paper version for quick reading (and others still might ask for both paper and digital versions!), so it's also very handy to keep copies of your CV with you (if practicable - say, in the car, etc) - but in any case, make sure you take a copy with you to that Jobseeker's Benefit registration interview, as you will usually have to register first with one clerk/officer, and then wait a short while for another..and that second clerk you'll talk to will be a Careers Guidance Officer, so make use of him/her and that CV at the same time!
The Covering
Letter
It should be
remembered that whilst your CV will carry your pertinent personal details, you
need to be able to help things along (certainly for postal or hand-delivered
applications) with a covering letter – very simply, an introduction to that CV,
the post for which you wish to apply, and usually a few platitudes such as “I
have heard some excellent comments about ‘Bloggs & Co’ from friends, with
regard to its respectful treatment of its employees and its strength in the
market, and I wish to be part of that strong team” – or similar comments,
designed to “butter-up” the Human Resources Manager and
help to ease your foot into the interview room door.
Sometimes all that is required is a quick note to state
“Please find my CV enclosed, in application for the advertised post of… Hoping
for a positive reply, Yours Sincerely, etc, etc” – as plain and simple as it
comes, and quite likely to gain an interview for a basic role on – say – a
factory production line, a warehouse, or perhaps an office junior role...but
aim a little higher, be a little more elaborate and self-promotional, and you can open
up higher possibilities.
Whilst your target prospective employer may not have the
time to read a five-page eulogy and might just ‘bin’ such wordy missives in
impersonal fashion, he/she will most likely appreciate a concise background in
no more than THREE medium-sized paragraphs, detailing any RELEVANT experience, even if only
brief (or hobby) involvement, accentuated toward wishing to take such
experience (or hobby) forward into full employment in that role - for example,
I began in publishing by writing snippets for a Kart Racing magazine for fun,
and eventually turned it into a reasonable income by contacting a good Editor
on another magazine, using that ‘hobby’ as a springboard through trial into
regular print; one of the few fields where enthusiasm and ability counted
greater than qualifications and lots of experience.
Obviously, if you are skilled, experienced and/or qualified
in your field, you should feel more comfortable with your applications than an
unskilled or inexperienced person, in which case you have the definite
advantage and will be most likely to succeed in the right application for a
specific role, but if you feel that the field you’ve been in is perhaps
restrictive, or maybe that career-line is on ‘borrowed time’ (i.e., in an
apparently ‘doomed’ industry) and you have a hankering to change into a career
path that you’ve merely fancied before but only ‘tinkered’ with, there is no
real reason why you shouldn’t at least try to steer that way, by
highlighting your wishes and adapting your experience in other fields/hobbies
toward that goal.
In essence, once you know what you want to do and where you
want to go, think of how you can adapt your knowledge and any abilities, and
write a covering letter that will accentuate these qualities and impress upon
the addressee how flexible and willing you are to adapt your skills and other knowledge to
the advertised role, and state that you are willing to take any necessary
training to achieve that end.
Sometimes, prospective employers see that while experience
can be very helpful, enthusiasm can often be more important to them, and it can
go a long way toward securing an interview ahead of another applicant who
submits just the requisite job application form, without even a basic covering
letter – even if that applicant has worked in that field before! The job market
is a strange and fickle place, but odd advantages do happen; sometimes, it
really is like that old adage, “If the face fits…”; apparently unfair…unless
you are the one that fits!
Even if you don’t succeed with "this" particular application
with "that" letter and CV right "then", the prospective employer will quite probably keep
your details in the “Promising” file, so go ahead anyway, and submit that CV
and letter!
------------------------------------------------------------
NEXT SECTION: Searching Online....
Wednesday 9 January 2013
Work Seeker, Part 2!
Were You Pushed? Or Are You Jumping?
The Trapdoor Opens…
So, one day, you’ve walked
into your workplace and received an invitation from the boss to join him/her in
the office for a “chat”…or maybe you walked into a group huddle, with a couple
of managers holding court to your grim-faced colleagues…or even, the boss
suddenly appears (ashen-faced) with a stranger or two, calls a mass meeting
there and then, and introduces The Receivers…
However the blow is delivered,
the end result is the same – suddenly, you’re rendered ‘unwanted’, your job
will be gone in one/two/four weeks (or even immediately, if the Receivers have
taken over), your career seems to be in tatters; you have suffered an almighty
dent to your ego, your heart and soul seems to be in free-fall…
…Or Perhaps
The "Grass Is Greener"?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next: Part 3 - "Sorting Your "Toolkit"!
The Trapdoor Opens…
So, one day, you’ve walked
into your workplace and received an invitation from the boss to join him/her in
the office for a “chat”…or maybe you walked into a group huddle, with a couple
of managers holding court to your grim-faced colleagues…or even, the boss
suddenly appears (ashen-faced) with a stranger or two, calls a mass meeting
there and then, and introduces The Receivers…
However the blow is delivered,
the end result is the same – suddenly, you’re rendered ‘unwanted’, your job
will be gone in one/two/four weeks (or even immediately, if the Receivers have
taken over), your career seems to be in tatters; you have suffered an almighty
dent to your ego, your heart and soul seems to be in free-fall…
STOP RIGHT THERE! Remember my scenario from the foreword in
Part 1? Get a grip on the situation – don’t just storm out. From that point on,
you need to control your own future – and this is where basic psychology can be
your ally.
Receivership aside, you owe it to
yourself to show the boss what you’re made of, instead of collapsing into a
heap of tear-soaked tissue – and I’ve found the best way to deal with that hard
“Letting you go” cliché is to try smiling, and then say “Thank you” as
flat-voiced as possible – then pluck up the courage to ask if there are any
other positions within the company that you might fit into! If they say “No”,
follow the request with another - for a good reference, and if he/she/they
might know of any companies that may be able to offer you a post; “Nothing ventured, nothing
gained” – a maxim worth sticking to!
It may sound foolhardy, but it’s worked for me three times,
now – and aside from fettling your mettle for the impending search for a new
post, you may also have the satisfaction of regaining the upper hand as well as
seeing some embarrassed, downcast expressions…
If the answer
was negative, however, then you may feel the benefit of this next simple
exercise: walk steadily from the office/huddle/group meeting, take a ‘casual’
stroll outside the building…and utter whatever profanities that you like, as
loud as you want (best out of earshot, though!). Once you’ve vented your anger,
stroll back inside and visit the washroom; perhaps even sit in a cubicle and
have a good cry if you wish, but try not to block the loo with soggy tissue, as
your colleagues may wish to follow suit!
When you’re through that stage, follow another simple
exercise: step up to the mirror, close your eyes; take a deep breath as you
pull your shoulders back and tilt your face to the ceiling – then slowly
exhale, lower your chin and open your eyes, stare into that mirror – then say
(or just resolve, mentally), “This is the first day of the rest of my life –
I’m going to beat this!”… and mean it!
It may seem like a trivial, childish thing to do, but it’s
worked for me when I’ve suffered the blow of losing the jobs I’ve wanted to keep; it helps to retain confidence, and gives a boost to the morale. Making that 'resolution' is a declaration of
psychological intention, and shows ‘grit’ when forced onto a slippery slope.
It’s a ‘fighting’ statement, and from that moment on you have to fulfil that
promise to yourself - there can be no question of failure, because your livelihood
depends on your ability to bounce back, and that is what you must do!
If there are no other opportunities within the company and
no recommendations to follow up, then you need to exit with dignity and begin
the search as soon as humanly possible, for your own sake and self-respect. Be
sure to enquire if your ex-employer will allow you time off to find replacement
employment – most companies will comply with this very reasonable request, even
if it means using a day or two each week of notice from whatever holiday
entitlement you may have (after all, they are the ones terminating the
contract!).
If you have no ‘leave’ available, then sadly, it will have
to go unpaid; it’s much more important that you find new employment as soon as
possible, than to wait until your time is up – especially if any or all of your
colleagues are dropped into the same situation, as you will obviously be in direct
competition when that time comes. The sooner you start your search, the greater
your chances of success!
…Or Perhaps
The "Grass Is Greener"?
Of course, job
or career change does not necessarily have to be under such duress; you may not
have been “cast out” and under pressure of ‘notice to leave’, but instead, you
might be looking to change your workplace because you may have “seen the
writing on the wall”, perhaps even fallen out with a colleague (or the boss,
for blocking your promotion or internal move, etc), or you may simply wish to
move on to something new; a change of scenery, higher salary, better
conditions, etc…
The reasons
for change are as variable as human nature, but anyone with experience of even
a single job change will know that it can seem like an overwhelming
task, very much a serious change that needs detailed attention – it could so
easily go very wrong if you don’t take the right action at the right time.
Whatever you do, though, when job-hunting from a position of employment, don’t
tell anyone in your workplace (or anyone connected) of your intentions,
as it will almost certainly get back to your Manager; life may become a little
delicate until you have declared your intention to go or stay, once new
employment has been offered elsewhere.
For one
instance, though, a few words of caution: Sometimes it is
tempting to think that making the threat to find another job might yield
a pay-rise or promotion, in the belief that the management value your skills
and knowledge and will throw out a lifeline to stop you from leaving…but don’t
do it!
Such blackmail
very rarely works – more often than not your employer will show dismay then
call your bluff and you’re immediately on a cleft stick, placing yourself in an
untenable position with a tattered esteem; it would be “Put up or shut up”-time
– so you’ll need a definite job to go to if the bluff fails. Without that
‘next-job’ safety net, you would be taking a very considerable gamble – and it
will almost certainly fail, if your employer has background commercial issues
that you may not be aware of; recessions can seriously weaken such standings,
so attempting such a dangerous bluff can be disastrous. Be very, very careful –
I write from personal experience …
However, there
can be interesting developments if you manage to secure another job, then hand
in your ‘Notice’ and suddenly receive an unexpected retainer offer; you would
then have the pleasant option to be able to negotiate a better deal with your
boss – sometimes greater than he/she will originally offer in order to hold on
to you. If that situation arises, you can then be in the advantageous position
of choosing the best option, and have the satisfaction of saying “Thanks, but
no thanks” to whichever party you wish!
Your
Search Begins...
For those of
you who have just lost (or are just seeking to change) a job for the first time,
beginning such a work search can be doubly daunting – but it need not be so, as long
as you always hold back from a headlong rush and consider every next step,
carefully and patiently. You need to start your search in a calm state of mind,
seek out what you feel you are best suited to – and the obvious places to start
are all the local newspapers, followed by regional papers, then national
dailies (if you seek to move to another area, perhaps, for a fresh start) – and
of course, don’t forget the Internet – there are literally thousands of jobs
listed on the ‘web, in hundreds of different fields, some job lists even
‘begging’ perusal on opening some Internet Explorer Homepages when you log-on
to the web…
It also helps to consider other paths back into employment - different avenues of occupation by way of skill-matching; in other words, if the right job isn't on the market at the right time for you when you need it, could you turn your skills and knowledge to work in other fields - at least until a better-suited post might come along? Several times in my own past, I have side-stepped into parallel employment (in engineering), somethimes taking a slightly 'backward' step into a role that I'd previously either worked at or bypassed from preference; each time this has happened, it was just a temporary step until better times, simply to keep an income flowing - pride must take a back seat when needs drive...
It also helps to consider other paths back into employment - different avenues of occupation by way of skill-matching; in other words, if the right job isn't on the market at the right time for you when you need it, could you turn your skills and knowledge to work in other fields - at least until a better-suited post might come along? Several times in my own past, I have side-stepped into parallel employment (in engineering), somethimes taking a slightly 'backward' step into a role that I'd previously either worked at or bypassed from preference; each time this has happened, it was just a temporary step until better times, simply to keep an income flowing - pride must take a back seat when needs drive...
If trolling
through the world’s job lists seems too tedious (you can obviously restrict an
On-Line job search to region, as well as field), and you can’t find anything
immediately interesting or feasible in your local/national newspapers, pull out
your copy of the Yellow Pages and start by checking and cross-checking the
Employment Agencies in your area – you would probably find it somewhat
advantageous to begin contacting them for job and career postings, as they
often deal with permanent postings that aren’t publicly advertised, because the
Client company is employing the agencies to filter-out suitable/unsuitable
candidates to save themselves a lot of referencing work.
Don’t forget
to ask for their advice on possibly working direct for these agencies as a Temporary
Contract Staff worker; this method of working can have several advantages, beside
variety of work - many people who begin Temping often end up permanently
employed for the company they are sent to, as some companies use Agencies in
this manner to “try out” staff without the initial full-employment commitment,
then offer permanent contracts to the best workers at the end of the defined
“Temporary” period. Agencies rarely lose out on this as they usually charge a
form of ‘Transfer’ fee to the Client company, so it is not usually a problem to
change to permanent in this manner if you find a particular post that you’d
like to stay on…although sometimes, the salary can either dip or climb,
depending on the value of the original Employer-Agency contract…
I worked for one Agency (off and on, following the above pattern) for almost five years; a wonderful variety of work, both short-term [as little as three days!] and longer-term [one contract lasted seven months], and the experience helped me to brace myself for job change on a frequent basis - hence this Blog!
I worked for one Agency (off and on, following the above pattern) for almost five years; a wonderful variety of work, both short-term [as little as three days!] and longer-term [one contract lasted seven months], and the experience helped me to brace myself for job change on a frequent basis - hence this Blog!
Again, there
will be “pros and cons” working for Agencies, especially where holiday
entitlements and sick pay benefits are concerned - these details need
discussing at whatever interviews arise from enquiries anyway, whether the
Agency itself, or their Client Employer; be sure to get such details in
writing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next: Part 3 - "Sorting Your "Toolkit"!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)