Category: Job Search

If you have been out of work due to the pandemic or were in the process of job hunting when Covid hit, you may have decided that you needed to wait until jobs were more readily available and secure before starting the application process. Many businesses have had to completely shut down or at least make some huge cut backs during the last 12 months. This is especially true for those that have not been able to trade or have had to switch all their trading online, which may have meant that certain roles within the business became redundant.

As the UK finally seems to be able to start easing restrictions and more and more people are returning to work, now may be the idea time to start looking for that new job. It may be that you are already currently employed but have not wanted to look for another job with all the uncertainty going on at present. If this is the case, then you can finally start to apply for positions that you feel you may be suited for.

The whole recruitment process may be very different to what you are used to as lot of companies are doing as much of the recruitment online as possible. This means that not only will you submit your application online or via email but you may also have your interview done through video call rathe than face to face. For come candidates, this may suit them better, but for others, video calling can be nerve wrecking and they may struggle to get used to this new interview process.

Think carefully about what sort of role you want to go for and make sure that you have the necessary qualifications and experience. You may need to try and gain additional experience before applying which could mean doing voluntary work. It is always worth applying for a job, even if you do not have all the experience they require as sometimes they are willing to put your though training to gain the experience you need. This may mean starting off on a slightly lower salary, but you can always negotiate a pay increase once your training is complete.

If you are worried about starting job hunting then why not get in tough with a recruitment agency who will be able to work with you to give you the best opportunity to land that dream job you have always wanted.

Finding a holiday job after finishing school but before starting university is a problem facing a growing number of young people who want to spend their time wisely saving money for the future but how to go about this can be quite a challenge.

Many young people of this age are unable to drive or even if they have learnt to drive are unable to afford to run a car and so will be forced to rely on work that is local to them or on a bus or train route however lifts can be shared to places of work or family members may be able to help out.

A useful start is to print out a current CV and take it to local businesses personally so that they meet you rather than you just being a name on a form. It is important to be as flexible as possible when it comes to working hours as this will greatly improve your chances of success.

If you are fortunate enough to be given an interview, make sure you are suitably dressed for the role and think about possible questions you may be asked and your responses. It is a good idea to research the company online beforehand to give you an understanding of the company ethos.

Finding jobs that you can apply for can be a very mundane and slow process. It may be that you are panicking as you need to find a job quickly to start earning some money, if this is the case, then you need to ensure that you are applying for a lot of jobs every week to give yourself the best chance of finding work.  

People that have been made redundant, had to leave a job due to relocation or have been off work for a while and need to return often need help in finding a vacancy that they are suited to, especially if they have not gone through the recruitment process for some time. .

To enable you to compete against other applicants that have submitted their CV or job application, you need to ensure you are ahead of the game.  Experience and qualifications are often the two main things an employer looks for when they are choosing a candidate but even if you are not as qualified as others, you can still land that much needed job.

You CV and cover letter are often the first interaction you will have with the potential employer, so it is vital that this is correct and contains all the relevant information. Not only should you ensure that all the information is accurate but also that it is written and displayed in the correct way.

If you are a business owner then your ultimate goal will probably be to grow your business over time. It may be that you started off working on your own and as you take on more clients, you need more people to get the work done.

It may be a gradually build up or suddenly if you have a big job come in or to cover busy periods. Some businesses need to have more than one member of staff to even start trading and this can often be quite risky for start-up businesses that do not know how well they will succeed. If you employ someone you will need to ensure that you adhere to all the strict employment laws and pay them at least the minimum wage. You will also need to take tax off them and make a contribution to HMRC through their pay.

As a good business owner it is vital that you always have a good idea of what turnover and importantly, profit you are making. From this you can work out how much you can afford to pay an employee ensuring you still have enough profit within the company and also allowing for cash flow.

If you need extra help but do not want to employ someone you may decide to use sub-contractors or sub the work out to another company.

If you are in a position in your business when you need to take on more staff then unfortunately you will have to go through the recruitment process which can take up a lot of time and cost a lot of money.  

Usually, the process for acquiring new staff follows a general pattern. The initial stage is to advertise the job, this may be done through an agency, on a jobs board, in local papers or on your own website or a combination of all of them. Once you have advertised the job you will need to start looking through applications or CV’s to create a shortlist of people that you think maybe well suited. You may flow this up with a quick phone interview just to get a brief overview of the person or to clear up any queries on their CV.

You may then wish to invite a number of people in for a formal interview. This is where you can really start to understand what skills and experience the person has and get to know a little bit more about their personality.  Carrying out an interview can be as nervous as attending one, but planning it out in advance is key. Make sure you have a set of generic questions you will ask all candidates and then highlight parts of their application or CV that you want to discuss in more detail.