Many successful clients who become unemployed don’t realise how long it can take to secure a new role. Despite indicators the job market is improving, redundancies and unemployment continue to dominate news.
Regardless of your background, or previous success, if you’re unemployed, you can feel a little lost, anxious or lacking in confidence. Even if you chose the period of unemployment by leaving a previous role voluntarily, it can still be difficult. Despite this, there are ways to feel better. Whether you’ve been searching for a new role for a while or just taking a planned break, there are many things you could be doing to boost your chances to secure that next role.
Stick to a schedule: While it might be tempting to sleep in every day and while away the days reading a new book or catching up on your favourite TV series, it’s best to treat Monday to Friday like a working week. Get up at a reasonable hour, dress like you’re leaving the house (even if you don’t), and aim to complete some job search tasks every day. By all means take some time out, but sticking to a schedule is a great way to introduce some positive new habits like regular exercise or a healthier eating regime; or tend to those activities that you never had time for while working full time.
Consider your future. Take this opportunity to really think about whether you are in the right career. Research your market and decide if it’s in good shape. Think about whether you could undertake study or work towards diversifying your skills to move into another area.
Prepare yourself: Think about what your perfect job looks like. Research job sites and the careers sections on individual company’s websites. Meet with recruitment companies and revamp your resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile or enlist a professional to prepare a resume and cover letter for you. Develop a job search strategy and start submitting applications.
Think positively: When faced with challenges, we can be prone to negativity. Accept it may be a challenging period and this is a natural emotion, then try to encourage positivity by engaging in activities that help you think clearly and optimistically.
Volunteer: This is an excellent way to use your extra time while helping to feel valued and more confident. It can also provide opportunities to gain valuable experience and contacts if you volunteer in an area related to your job qualifications. At the very least it will look great on your Resume since it shows initiative.
Consider Contract Work: Another way to fill time between full time employment, is to find temporary work through an agency or previous work contact. Not only that, it can help you find a full time role by exposing you to new areas, helping you develop new skills, increasing your contact network, or even as a result of the temp role turning into a full time opportunity.
Network. The more people you talk to, the better. If you’re not on LinkedIn, now is a great time to create a profile. Invite colleagues to connect and let them know you are seeking new opportunities.
Complete a course: Decide on any certifications or courses that would contribute to your employability. Don’t forget to check out free online courses if you’re not in a position to commit to paid courses. Again, at the very least, it will help you stay busy and focused on something worthwhile, while hopefully helping to develop some new relevant job skills.
Get your finances in order. Depending on your financial situation, you may need to seek financial advice or talk to your bank about loans. Do this quickly, so you have one less thing to worry about.
Seek professional help. Career Consultants provide independent advice and up-to-date information on current job markets. They can help with career transition by advising how to position yourself in the market, identify job opportunities and present yourself effectively to employers. They’ll also help boost confidence and ease some of the anxiety.
There are many things you can do to keep yourself busy, improve your skills and aid your job search. Don’t forget to take some time out to treat yourself now and then and use the time off to attend to personal tasks or home projects that you often put off because you’re too busy.
Are you feeling overwhelmed or indifferent? From one end of the scale to the other, the reality of our working life is that we change as time goes by. While we might be perfect for a job today, that may not always be the case. Most experts agree that we need some major change every seven years or so in order to stay fulfilled and valuable throughout our careers.
The concept of an employee lifecycle is not new – HR departments have used variations of a cycle for many years to define the stages employees move through in an organisation. In its most simplistic form, the lifecycle might look something like this: Recruitment -> On boarding -> Training, Motivation & Engagement -> Performance Management -> Resignation & Termination.
But looking at the same concept from an employee’s point of view gives us a different picture. According to this concept, individuals need major change every seven years or so in order to achieve satisfaction in their careers.
Most people know the feeling of starting a new job – it can be overwhelming, but it’s usually exciting. In your first year or so you’ll hopefully go from feeling overwhelmed to feeling challenged and stretched but thoroughly enjoying the experience. You move through that stage to a place where you’re confident that you can do the job and much of it may become second nature. You’re still enjoying the work but perhaps it isn’t as challenging or difficult as it was previously. As employees, we need to make sure we continue to achieve a good balance of challenge in our day to day work – and the only way to achieve this consistently is with change.
Boredom can strike anybody at any time, from the most junior to the most senior person – it doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with workload but is usually more about how challenging or meaningful the individual finds their work. Depending on your role and the company you work for, boredom may strike in more or less than seven years. Research indicates that the more we are challenged on a daily basis, the more productive and happier we will be. But when you’ve mastered the job, and reached that inevitable point of ‘smooth sailing’ how can you make sure you’re consistently challenging yourself to avoid becoming bored and indifferent? Try the following strategies to help:
Volunteer for additional work – offer to help another team or department during a busy period; or get involved in projects that others may be working on.
Learn something new – enrol in some training or offer to work in another team where you have the opportunity to become proficient in new areas.
Develop and implement new ways of doing things – implement strategies or processes to automate routine or mundane tasks to achieve time, efficiency and accuracy gains.
Do more of what you like – developing processes to automate routine tasks will help in this area since you’ll free up time so you can take on more of the work you enjoy.
Set challenging goals and deadlines for yourself – try to complete projects or tasks faster but with the same quality and/or accuracy, or spend more time researching a project or writing a report than you would have in the past – do whatever you can to improve your performance or work outcomes.
Ask for more challenging work – tell your superior that you’d like to work on some more challenging areas – show them how you’re achieving your current role with success, quality and accuracy so they have confidence in your ability to extend.
Staying challenged at work is essential to your professional development and job satisfaction. Use the strategies above to help you perform better, learn new skills, and ultimately advance your career. Staying challenged helps relieve boredom and keeps you engaged and motivated for longer.
Many of us are lucky enough to fall into fulfilling careers. Whether it’s by luck, meticulous planning, or sheer hard work, these people seem to be made for what they do! But what about the others who’ve never been 100% sure? Whether you’re a school leaver or mid-life career changer, a little bit of research goes a long way, but where should you start?
A friend of mine recently asked me if I thought her son should choose Human Resources for his major. He’s in his first year at University and loving his Commerce degree, but he needs to choose his major for next year. He’s only been at University for about eight weeks but he has to choose from multiple options soon and he’s just not sure. She asked me if I thought HR was a good career path since I have experience in that area – but without knowing her son very well, I couldn’t say. I asked her what he was basing his decision on and she wasn’t really sure. It got me thinking about how many people just choose something to go after because they like the sound of it.
Another friend of mine has a daughter who recently decided she wants to become an event manager. She researched an expensive course and wants my friend to spend thousands of dollars on it – but her decision didn’t seem to be based on anything concrete either – simply that she liked the sound of being an event manager. She isn’t an overly organised or detail oriented person, so I asked my friend if his daughter had given any thought to the meticulous planning involved, the long hours, and the weekend and after hours work that invariably comes with being an event manger and he didn’t really think so.
Often, people go into careers without doing much research. They like the sound of a career but they’re not overly familiar about what’s involved in doing the job on a day to day basis. There are many ways you can research careers – and by doing so, you’ll gain a better understanding of what might be required and whether or not you’d be suited. Here’s a few ideas:
Use Online Job Sites: SEEK, CareerOne or any one of the many other online recruitment sites can provide a wealth of information about different careers. You can access current information on salaries in specific industries/positions, find out what qualifications and/or previous experience you might require, and you can get a feel for what you might be doing on a day to day basis. A great tip I heard from another career consultant was to combine unrelated keywords or phrases to identify unique or unusual roles – for example a skill plus an interest – such as ‘marketing’ and ‘photography’.
Talk to People: Talking to people who are already working in the field you are interested in can provide a better understanding of what might be required as well as giving you a feel for what your day might regularly look like. Don’t be swayed by one person’s opinion though – try to get as many people’s thoughts as possible and probe them about the pros and cons of the role. Look to your LinkedIn network for contacts who might be able to help.
Volunteer: This could take the form of ad hoc volunteering or a more formal internship. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to learn more about a role or organisation, as well as providing valuable work experience and new skills that will help to build your confidence to go after those sought after roles. It could also provide much needed networks and mentors in your area of interest.
Join Professional Associations: Attend meetings or check the website for information, networking events or other opportunities that you might be able to leverage. If you don’t belong to a professional association already, consider joining one – often these associations have associate memberships for juniors or people with little experience, but you have access to similar kinds of opportunities and information as fully fledged members.
Take a Career Assessment: Many organisations offer personality assessments and/or career interest tests. These tests can assess your interest in a variety of activities, industries and occupations to provide insight into the careers and areas of study you are most likely to enjoy and be ideally suited to. For more information, see our Career Interests and Personality Profile tests.
Talk to an Expert: Career Counsellors can provide a much needed ‘outsiders’ perspective on what you might like. They are usually trained experts that also have a wealth of practical work experience across diverse areas and industries. They have deep knowledge of a wide range of occupations, industries and courses and will give you professional, independent advice on your career, course and employment options.
Our last piece of advice (but by no means least) is to take the first step – if you’ve done some research and you think you’re ready, just take that step. We now know that most people will not stay in the same career for a lifetime, so don’t procrastinate for too long.
According to recent SEEK figures, jobs advertised in January 2015 were up 10.9 per cent from January 2014. That trend has continued over the past few months, with certain sectors experiencing significantly higher growth than others. There are trends driving growth in specific areas with many commentators predicting shortages in particular niche areas.
Many people are looking for a change in roles right now, but what’s driving job growth and where should we be looking? While many industries are experiencing growth and offering great employment opportunities, there are a few stand outs affected by shortages. These are healthcare, construction, education, information technology (IT), and digital marketing. A recent Hays report highlighted a skills shortage focused around particular job functions with the belief that demand for these skills in Australia will drive an exceedingly tight labour market for anyone with these niche, highly specialised skills.
In short, some of the areas driving growth in 2015 include:
Healthcare: There appears to be a healthy outlook for candidates seeking roles in the medical and healthcare industry. Based on SEEK’s latest job ad figures, new jobs in this sector rose 14 percent nationally year on year to March 2015. This is no surprise as our population ages and more advanced medical treatment technologies place pressure on the healthcare system. Registered nurses will be especially in demand.
Marketing: The evolution of digital marketing is transforming organisations at a rapid pace and marketing and IT teams are converging. Candidates with experience in social media are in demand as employers look to drive further consumer brand engagement in innovative ways. The increasing importance of digital and mobile means that companies are moving beyond just websites that are optimised for mobile use, to needing candidates who can provide full mobile optimisation integrated with strong social media marketing strategy. Large organisations are also looking for candidates who can analyse online activity to better understand how consumers respond to digital marketing efforts.
Construction: 2015 is a great time to be in the building trade, with the construction industry expected to grow significantly over the next few years. Right now, an increase in development application approvals is already driving demand across the industry with additional need for architects (especially with retail expertise), engineers, contract administrators and statutory planners – especially those who will work on a contract basis. Reliable and hardworking labourers are always in demand and construction companies also report the need for multi-ticketed Excavator Operators with stable backgrounds.
Education: A very high demand for childcare in Australia is creating a shortage of early childhood teachers. Growth is also clear across the broader education system as our population grows and the need for additional teachers across multiple disciplines increases. In addition, the rising number of parents setting their children up for optimum academic success is creating additional need for tutors.
Information Technology: A shortage of senior business analysts with particular domain and subject matter knowledge; solid front end developers – especially candidates with responsive web or App development experience (IOS and Android); as well as Cloud specialists. The increasing importance of digital and mobile marketing previously mentioned is also driving demand and creating shortages. The skills required are broad and encompass the entire digital marketing spectrum including full mobile optimisation and responsive website and/or App development.
The shortage of relevant candidates in certain areas combined with the increasing use of digital recruitment and a focus on passive candidates to provide these highly specialised skills also means that candidates need to have a strong online profile and brand.
Would you like help understanding more about what’s driving job growth? Would you like help establishing your online presence or putting together a strong job search strategy? If so, click here for our LinkedIn Writing or Coaching Services, or check out our Job Search Coaching Service.
Most people have developed a diversity of skills and experience throughout their careers that have made them the person they are today. But many people we talk to find it difficult to consolidate all those skills and experiences into a clear picture of exactly why they’re right for a role – especially if it’s slightly different. If that sounds like you, you’re not alone.
I sat down to write this month’s newsletter article following a call with a client. This client was lovely to talk to and he had a raft of experience, skills, perfect qualifications, and previous success but he was struggling to get any interviews. Over the past three months, my client has submitted a lot of applications and mostly just heard nothing or received the standard ‘thanks but no thanks’ response. He knew he was perfect for many of these roles and understood that his approach was wrong which is why he’d come to us.
When I looked at my client’s current Resume, the person on the end of the phone just didn’t match what was in that document. I can’t tell you how often this happens. I will sometimes receive a copy of my latest client’s current resume with a link to the job they’d like to apply for and I honestly believe that I have the wrong two documents together – they just don’t look like they’d even make a slightly suitable candidate.
In most cases, they would in fact make a great candidate but the problem lies in relevance – and first impressions count. Most candidates have developed great skills and experience but they simply don’t present them in the most relevant and effective way. Recruiters often receive hundreds of applications for a role so being able to demonstrate your suitability quickly is key to your success. Here’s a few tips:
1. Create a quick summary of who you are – include your background and key successes – it’s a branding statement or quick elevator pitch if you like. Work out what you can offer, and the value you will bring to your new employer, then articulate that in a clear and concise paragraph or two.
2. Highlight your key capabilities – these are the things that make you an ideal candidate for a specific role. This is so important because key capabilities are going to be different for everyone – they may also differ for you depending on the role or company you’re applying for. Capabilities cover a diverse range of areas such as qualifications, experience, technical skills, personality traits, soft skills, computer skills, industry knowledge etc. but they will vary significantly from person to person and role to role.
3. Customise your content to make it highly relevant – when you’re applying for a specific position, it’s important to work out what’s important for that role and demonstrate how you provide that expertise. Remember this varies for different roles so taking the time to customise is important. This includes mentioning specific skills you may think are ‘standard’ in your industry – if they are mentioned in the job ad, there’s a good chance they are highly important so don’t just assume that the recruiter will think you have them.
4. Simplify your content – get to the point quickly and try not to provide too much detail. This includes making sure you articulate any acronyms that might confuse the recruiter. Following the requirements in the job ad also helps – to the point of changing your job responsibilities to match those of the recruiter – if that’s what you did in a previous job, articulate it clearly and concisely.
5. Consolidate or change your job history – especially if you have lots of different jobs at the same company – try consolidating them to provide clarity. If your relevant experience is a few jobs ago, try moving it up and calling it ‘relevant work experience’ – again thinking about fast and relevant impact for the recruiter.
If you’re not sure whether your Resume is up to scratch you may need assistance from an expert. At the very least, ask for feedback from someone you can trust – preferably someone in a similar line of work to you is ideal. If they can’t see how you’d make a good candidate for a particular role, then a recruiter may not either.
Some people have always known what they want to be when they grow up – how lucky are they? Especially if it all works out for them. For most of us though, it can take some time to work out what’s right in terms of a career. I’ve written before about being happy at work and Success vs Happiness. It’s many people’s lifelong pursuit. But what makes a career right for one person can be very different for another. Here is a list of initial dos and don’ts when thinking about what career might be right for you:
Do: work out what is important to you – because this will be different for everyone. You might just want to be happy but that is often about looking at what you value most. Some people need to help others as part of their day to day role, others need to use their creativity, some prefer working alone, and others need to be part of a large team environment, or lead and direct people. Maybe flexible hours is your primary need, or are you driven to achieve a high paying or powerful job which you are prepared to work hard for. What’s most important is going to be different for everyone and for many people it can change several times depending on what stage of life they’re at.
Don’t: do what other people think you should do or get too hung up on what your friends or family are doing. Certainly be guided by those who care about you, but sometimes, these people who know us best have misguided views about what career would suit. I know that from first-hand experience!
Do: work out what you’re good at. It doesn’t have to be focused on ‘your passion or doing what you love’ – it’s more about working out what you enjoy doing or are good at and moulding a career around that. Think about using your strengths as a starting point. Maybe you want to work in events but you’re creative and not very detail oriented – an event management role may not be right for you, however, you could look at other areas such as event theming, design, production etc.
Don’t: cave to pressure from parents to follow in their footsteps or do something that they consider ‘safe’. Someone close to me wanted to study art after leaving school but was pressured by his parents to study law instead as a more stable career. He never enjoyed his work and it took him almost 20 years to go back to university and study art and design – he now has an extremely successful and thriving business that he is absolutely passionate about.
Do: research your career. Another friend of mine chose a degree later in life and found it really hard to actually get a job once she’d finished studying. The area was fairly new and experiencing some growth but was still quite niche – and it was a popular choice for school leavers. So while she was in her 40s wanting to get into this new area, there were rafts of younger graduates taking the few jobs that were available. In this instance youth was considered more favourable than life experience and that’s something she hadn’t ever considered.
Don’t: ignore your personality because these traits are ingrained in us to make us the unique person we are. It’s what makes one person better suited to a particular occupation or career than the next. Often taking a personality profile test can be a big help.
Do: consider location. Are you a city or rural person? These days, location is becoming less important, however some careers just aren’t viable in rural areas. Likewise, there aren’t many farmers in the Sydney CBD! If you really love where you live and aren’t open to relocating, make sure there are opportunities available in your chosen career.
Choosing a career no longer needs to be a lifetime commitment – you can always head down another path later. But always do your research up front – about yourself, your personality traits, your interests, and where the field you’re interested in is heading.
Most of us have experienced that colleague who makes our life difficult. This can be the cause of much angst and it may be difficult to not let that concern spill over into your personal life. It’s a situation that may be difficult to not get down about, however with a few key strategies you might finally be able to do just that.
TIP # 1: Don’t Lose your Temper – this does two things, it puts you in control and limits potential for the situation to escalate out of control. This may be easier said than done – but remember you are not the difficult person here – maintain composure and try not to react negatively.
TIP # 2: Walk Away – if you feel upset, angry or emotional, take some time before responding. Deep breathes can help. Or you may feel the need to walk away – just say “I will have to come back to you on that” – then leave the situation entirely to give yourself some time to strategise your next step.
TIP # 3: Don’t Waste Time – sometimes it is best just to let go. Convincing someone who is intrinsically negative or arguing the point to someone with a closed mind often just isn’t worth the hassle. Unless it is something really important at stake, be diplomatic then distance yourself from the comment or decision if it will have an impact on you personally – after you’ve done that, simply let it go.
TIP # 4: Act Proactively – try to pre-empt situations or activities that will create friction and then work to minimise them wherever you can.
TIP # 5: Pick Your Battles – for those of you with children, you’ll be familiar with this one! Some things just aren’t worth arguing about – because there will be something bigger and more important to debate just around the corner. Confrontation is draining – save yourself some time and energy by picking the important points to pursue and make sure the ultimate outcome is worth the effort.
TIP # 6: Don’t Be Bullied – bullying in the workplace is unacceptable so never be afraid to report truly bad behaviour. Stand up for yourself by telling the person that their behaviour is unacceptable. Be specific about what they’ve done. Situations that need to be quickly addressed include any instance where you feel physically, mentally or socially threatened.
Understand that there are times in the workplace where your colleague may be under undue pressure and act in a way that isn’t normal. Ask yourself if you are being overly sensitive or perhaps you’ve misinterpreted their actions. But don’t hesitate if that’s not the case, don’t take the blame and don’t respond in an aggressive way that is going to inflame or escalate the situation. Use some of the strategies mentioned above or have a confidential discussion with a senior person or member of HR that you trust.
Are you feeling unhappy in your current job but unsure what to do about it? Are you a recent graduate who doesn’t know which career path to take? Do you have experience across many different areas but don’t know how to best present yourself to potential recruiters? The career planning process can be complex, but it is one that should be undertaken on a fairly regular basis in order to ensure you are on the right track to achieve the success you desire and deserve!
Follow these steps to start planning for your success today:
STEP # 1: TAKE STOCK. This first step requires you to sit down and look at your current situation. Think about the kind of work you enjoy and write down your goals for the future – what direction would you ideally like to pursue? If you have absolutely no idea, give some thought to the kinds of tasks you enjoy doing as well as what you’re good at. At this point, it is important to be aspirational – research online and look up job sites for roles you think you would enjoy over the long term.
STEP # 2: LIST YOUR SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE. In this second stage, you should list your current skills, knowledge and experience – then think about how useful they could be. Ask yourself where your strengths and weaknesses lie – both personally and professionally, then think about how they might help you achieve your aspirational role. At this point, you should involve other people – professionals, family, work colleagues you can trust – to help clarify your direction. You could also consider taking a professional career assessment to better understand your interests, values and personality and help narrow down options.
STEP # 3: WRITE DOWN YOUR GOALS. Based on your initial research and thoughts, you now need to clearly articulate your broad career goals and think longer term regarding where you’d like to be in five and ten years’ time. Identify areas for improvement – what experience, knowledge, skills and qualifications do you need in order to succeed?
STEP # 4: RESEARCH RESOURCES. It is important now to identify available resources. Look everywhere – courses, contacts, technology, online resources, etc. Consider the financial, family, study and other impacts you will experience if you were to pursue your goal. If you need to study, research providers and decide whether you can complete some study part-time while still working. Identify whether or not you can gain relevant skills in your current role and find out if there is an opportunity for volunteer work to help you gain experience.
STEP # 5: DEVELOP A CAREER PLAN. A well-structured career plan will clearly outline your goals and milestones. You should include action points to help you succeed, but remain flexible to change if need be. Include areas for development that cover skills, experience and education or training; as well as networking with individuals and finding out more about specific companies or industries. Identify your important transferrable skills and how you can best present those to potential employers. If you can, find a mentor who can help you through your transition.
STEP # 6: IMPLEMENTATION. The final and most important step of course is to start taking action to implement your plan!
Are you in charge of your future career direction? If not, consider seeing a Career Counsellor for an independent perspective. Career Counsellors are trained professionals who can help you achieve your full potential in your career. Wherever you are on your career path, start taking those initial steps today towards achieving your future career goals.
Did you know that by always avoiding conflict in the workplace, you could be sabotaging your career? That seems to be the consensus amongst many career experts.
Many managers consider ‘yes’ people to be their biggest killer of productivity, innovation and creativity. While we would never advocate constantly clashing personalities, discontent, resentment and gossip in the workplace – sometimes you are completely justified in challenging the status quo. In fact, often the fact that you do regularly challenge the norm is the driver that helps you get ahead in your career – healthy conflict can spark competition and drive innovation and change.
So when is conflict a good thing?
When it sparks healthy debate – let’s say you don’t agree with something that someone has recommended – if you’re in a position to disagree and you can back up your argument or position – you should go for it. So long as you listen to other people’s ideas first, and consider the pros and cons, you have every right to disagree and present your own ideas. This is what’s considered ‘healthy debate’ and it’s usually good for business.
When it prevents major fall outs –rather than allowing personal resentments to fester until both parties can’t stand it any longer, properly managed conflict can help individuals manage their personal differences. This means exploring your differences and coming to some kind of resolution before they explode into something more dangerous.
When it strengthens collaboration – by challenging people’s thoughts and ideas, we are able to gain valuable insight into why people think and act the way they do. Well-managed disagreement not only helps for the project or situation being discussed, but it can help strengthen working relationships for the future by giving that sense of overcoming adversity. A team that comes through the other side of disunity and disagreement will usually end up more productive, closer and stronger than ever before.
When it provides an opportunity to learn – rarely does one individual have all the answers to every question. Likewise in business, no one person can foresee every challenge and issue that the business will face, no one person can establish the right solution to every problem, so conflict can provide a much needed process of elimination in finding the right solution. This process helps us grow and change, while developing new opinions, thoughts and ideas about certain things.
Instead of fearing conflict – embrace it; remember it is a normal part of our working day. Make sure you are respectful of other people’s feelings and thoughts by controlling your emotions or sarcasm and maintain professionalism at all times. Focus on the facts when presenting your argument, recognise and value other people’s contributions and opinions and watch your body language as well as what comes out of your mouth!
Whether you have just finished a short period of maternity leave, or you’re returning from an extended career break, there are many things to consider. Whatever your reasons for taking the break in the first place, you may not be feeling so confident about your return.
When you’ve been out of paid work for a period of time – it’s sometimes difficult to know what to expect. Your industry may have gone through changes or you may feel that your skills have fallen behind. Whatever your reason for the work break, it’s now time to look to the future and take those first steps in getting back into the workforce. Here’s five tips to help you on your way.
1. Decide What Type of Work – Think about how you’d like to return. Would you like to return to work full-time or part-time? Would you consider contract or temporary work to start with? Do you want to work in the same or similar field as before or would you prefer to re-train in a slightly different or completely new area? What work can you do with your current skills? Do you have long term goals of where you’d like to be and are you willing to work towards those – through re-training or starting with an entry-level job? Or are you simply looking for a job at this stage to fulfil some financial and/or working goals?
2. Research the Field – Use the internet to research and read everything you can about your career/field of choice. Find out about any current opportunities and/or constraints, attend seminars/lectures/webinars where relevant, and talk to people already working in the field to hear their thoughts on how you might succeed. Once you have done that, research current jobs on offer using online job search sites, LinkedIn, direct company job boards etc. to better understand the specific skills and expertise you might need to succeed.
3. Develop Your Offer – Once you have decided what you want to do, you need to work out what you have to offer. Assess your values, interests, strengths, weaknesses, achievements, abilities and goals and be clear about your qualifications, skills and experience in the context of the jobs you are applying for. Put your recruiters’ hat on for a minute and think about what you have to offer that might make you stand out from the next candidate. You should also think about areas for development. Time away from paid work can leave you feeling nervous and apprehensive, but try not to think about the negatives at this stage. Don’t worry about looking bad to potential employers for spending time away from the workforce because career breaks are common for many reasons these days. Think about how you’ll overcome your negative thoughts in an interview because it’s hard to be confident if you’re worried about how to explain your break. Whatever the reason for your break, be honest and focus on the positives. You should talk about the skills and knowledge you can offer and how quickly you will be productive. Consider getting some advice from a trained Career Counsellor at this stage because they can help you formulate a response you’re comfortable with.
4. Put Together Your Job Search Material – Prepare a killer Resume that makes you feel confident. Make sure it is up-to-date, clear, concise and tailored towards the roles you are seeking. Research current Resume trends, ask a friend who knows about recruitment to help, or enlist the services of an experienced Career Consultant. Re-package your current skills to suit the roles you are applying for. Think about participating in training if you need to up skill. Write a customised cover letter for each role you apply for. Update (or create) your LinkedIn profile and achieve as many connections as you can. For inspiration, visit our Career Advice Blog for a broad range of articles on job search strategies, LinkedIn, Resume Writing, Selection Criteria preparation and Career Counselling.
5. Get the Word Out – Start applying for positions, tell everyone you know that you’re looking for work (and what you’re looking for). Update your LinkedIn profile to announce the fact you are seeking new opportunities and don’t overlook contract positions which could turn into a longer term role. Think about volunteer work, or internships if you have very little experience in the area you’d like to work – this may help you achieve the experience (and contacts) you need to succeed.
It’s important to set yourself some short, medium and longer terms goals since you may not achieve your ideal or ‘dream’ job straight off the bat. Understanding that you might need to work in a lower paid or less than ideal position initially to gain some experience will help you survive. If this is the case, you should aim to quickly gain the experience, training and skills required to move on to the next level. For more information on job search strategies, visit our Blog.
Would you would like assistance from a Career Coach to help you prepare to return to the workforce? Have you been applying for roles but don’t feel you’re achieving the success you deserve. If so, please see our Job Search Coaching Services.
Many successful clients who become unemployed don’t realise how long it can take to secure a new role. Despite indicators the job market is improving, redundancies and unemployment continue to dominate news.