career planning Tag

[caption id="attachment_18626" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="What impact will Brexit have on the UK job market?"] [/caption] Many are wondering what the impact of Brexit will be on the UK job market. Here's what we understand: EU citizens in UK The Office of National Statistics has revealed that the number of EU citizens migrating to the UK for work has fallen to its lowest level in four years. Equally, record numbers of EU citizens are leaving or plan to leave the UK ahead the Brexit date of 29 March 2019. This has led to disruption in the labour market with employers struggling to retain and replace ‘Brexiting’ staff. The industries which appear to have been most affected are engineering, IT, hospitality and the health & social care sectors. Skills shortages While the Brexit camp may argue this presents a great opportunity for UK citizens to step into these roles, the reality is a little different. The...

20 November, 2018 /

[caption id="attachment_18457" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="CPD ensures you remain competent"] [/caption] What is CPD? Continuing Professional Development or CPD refers to any career development activities which develop your professional skills, knowledge or experience. CPD is important because it ensures you remain competent in your profession throughout your career. CPD activities can be formal or informal and gained either on the job or outside your work environment. It’s a good idea to keep track of your CPD by recording and reflecting upon the resulting learning and development. Advantages of CPD Ensures that your skills remain up to date and relevant Helps you maintain and develop the knowledge and skills needed to do your job effectively Keeps your up to date the current standards and best practice in your field of expertise Helps you be more effective in your role leading to higher levels of job satisfaction, productivity and professionalism Facilitates career progression by ensuring you constantly learning and developing Enables you identify further areas...

05 June, 2018 /

[caption id="attachment_18493" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Be happy at work"] [/caption] Do more of what you love Re-crafting your work to do more of what you love can be simpler than you might think. Start by identifying what it is you enjoy most about your job. Even if you think there’s nothing you enjoy about your work think carefully and list those work tasks you enjoy the most. Now list the things you dislike about your job. Looking at this list, is there anything you can do differently? Can you do these tasks less frequently, more effectively or is it possible you can avoid these altogether by delegating or making changes to your role? Reconnect What attracted you to the job in the beginning? See if you can reconnect with what made the job attractive in the first place. If the reason was purely financial then honour that, think about all the benefits having this job...

25 April, 2018 /

[caption id="attachment_18503" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="A satisfying life with more than one job"] [/caption] Our fast-paced lifestyles, quest for work-life balance and economic uncertainty has led many of us seeking alternatives to traditional ways of working. For a growing number of people, the answer has been to adopt a portfolio career. What is a portfolio career? A portfolio career is the term used to describe how rather than having a single job, you can develop a portfolio of different jobs to meet your personal, career and financial goals. A portfolio career can be made up of part or full-time employment, casual work, contract work, freelancing or running your own business. The number of jobs you have is up to you. Your portfolio career could be made up of two or more roles carrying out similar types of work, or pursuing activities in different sectors and roles. Portfolio working allows you to tap into your skills, attributes and experience in...

25 March, 2018 /

[caption id="attachment_18518" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="These tips will help you at your next interview"] [/caption] Job interviews can be nerve-wracking at the best of times but especially so for parents returning to work. You might feel self conscious about your appearance, unsure of your skills and uncertain about how your interviewers will see you. The best way to overcome any fear and anxiety is to prepare well. Here’s a step by step guide to getting you ready for your next job interview: Get the details Once the date has been set for your job interview, make sure you have all the necessary details to hand including the physical address, interviewers name(s) and contact number in case you are running late or need directions. Ask about the interview format and the length of time that has been allocated for the interview. The last thing you want is to be worrying about getting back in time to collect...

15 February, 2018 /

[caption id="attachment_18523" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Do you have an elevator pitch ready for when the opportunity arises?"] [/caption] What is an elevator pitch? The term elevator pitch evolved as a way to describe a 30 second spiel about who you are, what you have to offer and why someone should hire you. The premise is that if you were ever lucky enough to share a 30 second elevator ride with someone with the potential to hire you, you could confidently describe why they should. How do I create a good elevator pitch? By far the easiest and most effective way to create your own elevator pitch is to first identify your unique selling points. Try brainstorming on a sheet of paper or digitally if you prefer. Identify all those things that describe your skills, abilities, experience, interests, passions etc. Think about your accomplishments and include these in your pitch to really make you stand out. Have...

05 February, 2018 /

[caption id="attachment_18136" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="If your job is affecting your health it might be time to move on"] [/caption] When your job begins to impact on your physical or mental health it could be a sign that it’s time to reassess your career. Some people report feeling physically sick at the thought of going into work, feeling unwell the whole time they were at work or suffering from a range of other symptoms of stress, depression or anxiety. They reasons they attribute it to their jobs is that once away from their work environment, the symptoms either diminish or disappear altogether. Whatever the cause for your decline in physical or mental health, it’s something you shouldn’t ignore. The first step should always be to contact your GP. Once you have the all clear from your GP, it’s worth taking a look at the reasons why you feel your physical or mental health...

15 January, 2018 /

[caption id="attachment_18489" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Questions to answer"] [/caption] As each year draws to a close many of us start to reflect on the year that was. Perhaps you feel you’ve accomplished all you set out to achieve, or maybe you’re beating yourself up for not getting to where you wanted to be. Whichever is true for you, now is the ideal time to start thinking about what you want to change in the coming year. Some key questions to ask yourself: What went well this year? What didn’t go so well? What would I like to change? What do I need more of? What do I need less of? How do I want my life to look this time next year? What specific actions will I take to achieve my goals?   Armed with answers to these questions, you'll be clearer on what you need to do to achieve your goals in the coming year. It can be helpful to answer these...

02 December, 2017 /

[caption id="attachment_18546" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Tapping into the hidden job market is easy"] [/caption] You’ve probably heard that around 80% of the jobs that are filled at any given time have been filled via the hidden job market. So what exactly is the hidden job market? As you will notice from the following graphic, the hidden job market is simply those jobs that are not advertised. There was a time when the majority of available jobs were advertised through newspaper employment classifieds, employment centre job boards and via recruitment agencies. In recent years however, there’s been a move away from these methods for a number of reasons including: a desire to reduce recruitment costs a tighter job market technological advances   Many employers find they no longer need to advertise for new staff as they are continually inundated with prospective employees using the direct approach. Most direct approaches are received by email making it easier than ever to quickly vet...

27 November, 2017 /

[caption id="attachment_18555" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Going it alone"] [/caption] People consider self-employment for a variety of reasons. For some it may be the lure of freedom, the potential to earn more money or a way to do more of what they love. Others might consider self-employment in the face of redundancy or due a lack of employment opportunities. If you are considering self-employment as an alternative to traditional employment, there are a number of questions to ask yourself: Am I suited to self-employment? Do I have a viable business idea? Do I have the necessary skills? Do I have the finances to get the business going? Do I understand what’s involved? Do I have a business plan?   Although you don’t need to have all of the following skills and attributes to be successful in self-employment, your chances of success are likely to be greater if you: Have a vision Are passionate about your business idea Enjoy challenges Are comfortable taking risks Are self-motivated Are confident and...

05 November, 2017 /
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