Guest Author
A man much wiser than me once said that the only constant in this world is that there will always be change and that is evident in almost all walks of life. Technology is constantly progressing to make our lives easier, medicine has developed drastically over time to improve our standard of living and the way we search for a job is experienced similar changes.
With the number of people unemployed reaching record highs in recent times and the economy being well and truly on its knees it is important to get back into work as quickly as possible and that means taking advantage of some of the things the 21st century has to offer.
Social Media –
Social media sites have experienced almost exponential growth since the first ones emerged in the late nineties and they now provide much more than just a way of communicating with friends and acquaintances. This may not be an obvious first port of call but there are many different ways to take advantage of this and even people who have been somewhat adverse to social media until now can adopt simple ways of using it to aid there job search.
The best platform for this is LinkedIn as this is where you can gain influential business contacts that will help you with your job search. If there is a specific industry or even company that you want to work for then you can attempt to build a relationship with the relevant people via LinkedIn and they will be able to view your credentials on your profile.
Other platforms such as Twitter and Facebook can also be used to great effect if only to convey updates from your job search via regular posts and tweets; you never know, one of your contacts may know of an opportunity up for grabs. You can also use relevant hashtags such as #jobsearch or simply #jobs on twitter to keep you up to date with any companies
that may be hiring.
Recruitment Agencies –
With the current problems with unemployment there are now more and more recruitment companies on our high streets and an increasing number are surfacing that deal with specific industries. If you have an idea as to what sort of work you want to get into then this is a great avenue to pursue.
There are recruitment agencies that help people take the first step into the arts or creative industries, there are those that deal solely in the catering sector and there are even recruitment to recruitment agencies that help people looking to work in recruitment; an industry which is ironically thriving in this economic climate.
With companies wanting to hire the best of the best in these tough times it is great to have a recruitment agency fighting your corner. Their word may carry more weight as they advocate you to potential employers and they are sure to have a wealth of contacts that you can tap into.
Government Initiatives –
Although a lot of what politicians say can be put down as hot air it seems that getting people back into work is something that they are really striving hard to achieve. There are a number of initiatives that have been brought in to help people with their job search from providing opportunities to retrain or learn a new skill to offering tips for interviews. The citizen’s advice website outlines many of the schemes which could be most effective in getting you back into employment; including work experience programs that help you develop your CV and ‘work for your benefits’ initiatives that keep you working and give you a better chance of finding full-time work.
A lot of people are wary about applying for benefits and other help that the jobcenter can provide because of the negative stigma that is attached to people who exploit this system. However, if you are actively seeking work and only have good intentions then why shouldn’t you take advantage of the financial and employment help that’s on offer?
Chris Mayhew recently spent an extended period out of work and knows exactly how hard it is to get back into employment in the current climate. He hopes to help people find their way back into work by providing some valuable tips for finding that all important job.
