Six steps to picking the right career path ahead of National Careers Week
FINDING your first job can be the toughest move you make on your career path.
Deciding what you want to do, then working out how to get started is so daunting that 15 per cent of young people put off seeking a new job at all, according to new research from recruitment firm Michael Page.
But help is at hand. Next week is National Careers Week, with schools and colleges across the UK highlighting career choices for young people.
We invited Rachel Campbell, senior regional director at Page Personnel, to help you pick the right career path.
She says: “Having too much choice can become confusing when looking for a new career.
“Also, pressures from family members and friends often make it harder to make that first step. It’s important to remember, the decision’s in your hands.”
- Focus on your skills: Being in a job that doesn’t use your skill set can be a waste of your time and is unlikely to lead to long-term job satisfaction. By identifying early what you are good at and what you enjoy, you can target roles where you will be able to put these skills into practice.
- Identify your work ethos: What type of work environment do you want? How do you feel about wellbeing or flexible working? Take the Selfie Report by FindMyWhy at to determine the type of workplace which will match your personality.
- Think about the company culture: Check companies’ websites and social media for a feel of the culture and the type of people who work there. Do they align to your values and will you be comfortable there?
- Consider career progression: Ask if there will be professional training and development and what the long-term career prospects look like. Ask for examples of how others have progressed their careers within that organisation.
- Build your network: It’s hugely helpful to meet and talk to a range of people at various levels who are established in the career you are interested in. They can advise you on whether a similar vocation would be a good fit for you and provide real-world examples of the job’s highs and lows.
- Focus on what is most important to you: Take enough time to focus on yourself and what makes you happy, before rushing into making a choice.
Find out more at and.
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NON-PROFIT group Housing 21 is hiring 25 care workers for its retirement housing and extra-care apartments. Find out more at .
Workers virus rights
CORONAVIRUS fears have seen offices and schools go into lockdown this week. So what are your rights in your workplace?
Here’s the latest advice from employment specialist Acas CEO, Susan Clews. She says: “There are concerns around how to deal with its impact on UK work places.”
- If you are diagnosed with coronavirus, your firm’s normal sick pay policies apply.
- If you are not sick but your employer tells you not to come into work – if, for example you have returned from China – you should get your usual pay.
- There is no legal obligation for an employer to pay someone who is not sick but cannot work as they have been told to self-isolate or are in quarantine. But it is good practice for an employer to treat it as sick leave.
- If an employee does not want to go into work due to worries about the virus, then firms can offer flexible working or they can take holiday or unpaid leave.
- If coronavirus spreads more widely in the UK, companies should make sure staff contact numbers and emergency contact details are up to date and implement NHS advice on hygiene.
Find out more at.
jobspot
PLYMOUTH’S Princess Yachts needs apprentice carpenters, engineers and welders plus newcomers in composites, computer-aided design, IT and business admin. Apply at .
Tackling epilepsy stigma
EPILEPSY affects one in 100 people – yet just a third of those with the condition are in work.
By contrast, more than half of all disabled people (53 per cent) work and 81 per cent of the wider public. A new campaign by Epilepsy Action aims to get more sufferers into work.
Neil Grant, 57, calls his two-year hunt for work a “demoralising experience”. After mentioning his condition when interviewing for a kitchen porter job, he was told by the interviewer: “No, I want someone 100 per cent and normal.”
Neil, from Oxfordshire, says: “The comment hurt far more than being rejected for the job. It’s so horrible just sitting at home.
“I want to work but it’s so hard getting past the interviews when they find out I have epilepsy. I wish someone would give me a chance.” Philip Lee, of Epilepsy Action, says: “Epilepsy is still stigmatised in the workplace. We call on employers to take simple steps to help support people with epilepsy . . . improve workplace culture and create a level playing field to help people with epilepsy pursue the career they want.”
Can you offer Neil an interview? If so, email [email protected].
Apprentices wanted
UNITED Utilities is on the lookout for 40 new recruits to join its 2020 apprenticeship programme.
Roles are based across the North West, with opportunities for scientists, tanker drivers, data analysts, trainee buyers and water network experts.
A spokeswoman for the provider says: “As the North West’s water and wastewater company, United keeps the taps flowing and the toilets flushing for three million homes.”
Find out more at unitedutilities. com/apprenticeships. Candidates must apply by March 8.
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Changing lives
CAREERS adviser Julie Maling passionately believes she can transform opportunities for her clients.
She says: “I meet so many people from all walks of life. Helping them make life-changing decisions is special.
“You can meet a client who has no idea what they want to do and feels that there are no opportunities for them.
“But after working with them to find out their strengths and interests, they then realise it is possible.”
Julie, 61, works at Barking and Dagenham College, East London, which is part of the national network available via .
She adds: “Seeing a client progress into an apprenticeship, employment or a further learning opportunity makes the job very rewarding.”
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