can differ depending on whether you work in manufacturing, charity sector, high tech or education, etc.
Is the job available?
You have to be realistic, are there jobs available and how likely are you to get one? In times of recession, jobs that are still available include working in the energy industry, teaching, health care and care for the elderly. Children will still need to go to school, people get ill, and with an aging population there are likely to be more jobs available in the care sector.
It’s worth keeping abreast of the news to see where the government is likely to invest money. For example, with investment in construction or green energy, these are areas you may like to consider. Companies may be cutting back on training and possibly advertising, but certain back-room functions stay in demand, such as IT and Finance. It could be worth looking into what you need to do to become a credible candidate in these areas.
Looking online
You can now find out more about these different jobs via my two favourite web sites. I've shortened the links to help you get to the right page, and you can also access these from the website.
Both sites have links to job categories such as ‘administration and clerical’ or ‘medical technology.’ You can also use the search box to type in the name of a job that interests you.
Read up on job profiles when you want to find out if a job interests you, if you match the criteria needed, and if the pay scale and prospects meet your needs.
From this you can decide that a type of job is worth applying for or that you need to gain experience/qualifications before you are likely to be successful. Each site provides links so you can find out more. For example, if you are interested in being an events manager, you can follow up with seven organisations including:
•Association of British Professional Conference Organizers (ABPCO)
•Association for Conferences and Events (ACE) and
•Association of Exhibition Organisers, with details provided.
The sites also suggest similar jobs, for example:
•Wedding Planner
•Charity Fundraiser
•Marketing Manager
•Conference and Exhibition Organiser
These web sites are very informative and provide plenty of detail on what the job involves including common salaries and tips on how to find out even more details. Review your options and produce a shortlist.
Making a decision
List the jobs and compare them against your values, ideal work environment etc. You should then be able to prioritise them. It’s now time for a reality check. You may find that the jobs which suit your interests and personality need different skills and experience from those you have gained in previous work, thus a radical change of career may be unlikely. In the current economic climate you may need to focus on what you are likely to get in the short term.
What are you going to look for?
It may be a specific job, or it may be a broader area, but the clearer you are on the sort of job you want, the easier it will be when other people ask you what you are looking for. So write it down.
Does this answer the question of the type of job you are seeking, the sort of company etc? Read it out loud and fine-tune it till it sounds natural. You will find more detail on how to be clear on what you want in Chapter Seven, Creating your message.
WHEN YOU STILL DON’T KNOW
Many people need more extensive help in making a career choice, such as that provided by a registered guidance practitioner, chartered psychologist or career coach.
For many, the use of assessments can be highly valuable. As a chartered psychologist I am an expert in many of the most useful career assessments including the Highlands Ability Battery, Myers Briggs Type Indicator, Strong Interest Inventory, Birkman method and more. Access more details from the website.
Visit the website to download the additional resources:
•Skills Exercise
•Read more about different assessments – Highlands Ability Battery, Myers, Briggs Type Indicator, Strong Interest Inventory and more.
•Web links.
CHAPTER FOUR: DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET A JOB
There are a number of ways to get a job. Most people put the greatest effort into searching for jobs they see advertised, either in newspapers or on job sites. But this can be the least effective method of finding employment. The problem with concentrating on jobs that are advertised is it’s what everyone else is doing. Companies get swamped with applications and it’s very difficult to stand out from the other applicants.
How do companies fill job vacancies?
First of all, they look within their company, and then they ask their professional contacts. If they don’t find someone, they will eventually advertise the job in the press, contact a recruitment agency, or post the job on a professional association website. People talk about the hidden job market, but jobs aren’t hidden, they just haven’t been advertised yet. Contact a company at the right time and you could be on a shortlist of one.
You must, of course, still look at the advertised jobs, but this is just one option.
Traditional Job Search – the advertised route (via print and online)
It’s easy to see the jobs but
•The competition is high – companies get hundreds of CVs.
•You need to watch out for fake job postings. Some advertised jobs don't exist, because they have already been filled, the company may just be testing the water to see if there are any applicants, or an agency may be collecting CVs.
•Take care about how much personal information you include; you need to be mindful of identity fraud.
•You can find yourself approached by companies who want to sell you expensive programmes or get you to sign up for commission-only roles.
•You can get sucked into spending hours online. Limit yourself to a maximum amount of time each day.
To increase your chance of success
•Identify the most relevant websites and papers to research and read. Professional journals will often have jobs available on their website in advance of the print publication.
•It’s easy to waste a lot of time on these sites, so research which sites are most
