Graduate Talent Pool – Savvy Approaches to Challenging Conditions

2009 is turning out to be a tough year for new graduates, not only is the job market highly competitive but also fewer companies are running graduate programmes. As a result, this year has become one of the hardest for graduates to get employment.

In an attempt to combat the problem, the Government has launched The Graduate Talent Pool, an initiative to push the benefits of taking a graduate on to UK employers.

The Graduate Talent Pool isn’t the only good news. Chantél du Plooy takes a look at the current opportunities available to graduates and talks to a successful recent graduate for advice on how university leavers can broaden their horizons.

The Real Statistics

Due to the down turn in the economy, job losses across the market are not uncommon. The recession has affected young and old; skilled and inexperienced; blue and white collar workers alike.

Not only are new graduates fighting for the best graduate jobs in the market, but they are also battling for places on fewer graduate schemes than in previous years.
According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), graduate unemployment has risen by a third in the past two years.
Although it seems like most companies are cutting back on their graduate schemes, there are still organisations recruiting grads.

A recent survey done by the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) revealed that 32.9 of employers plan to increase their target intake of graduates.

Companies offering graduate jobs

Some of the companies who will take on graduates include BT and Lloyd’s.

BT, the telecoms and broadband giant, currently employ more than 100,000 staff members and have set aside 130 jobs for university leavers.

Insurance firm Lloyd’s is currently in the process of recruiting additional graduates for 2010.

The public and voluntary sectors have also increased recruitment opportunities, with the government offering 5,000 internships.

An interesting trend of late is an array of graduate job prospects within retail.

Supermarkets such as Tesco and Aldi have opened up extremely lucrative management positions for graduates. These positions are made even more attractive by great starting salaries, rapid career advancement and company benefits.

Opting for a job outside your field of study should not be ruled out. It needs to be regarded as an opportunity to grow, learn and excel.

Knowing your options

A post graduate desperate to work and pay off his student loan found himself a job as a result of proactive and innovative idea. David Rowe, a 24 year old history graduate dressed in a suit and walked in the Fleet Street area advertising his CV on a sandwich board.

His initiative secured him a job at a recruitment agency that was impressed by his innovation.

Measures like this, as innovative as it might be, aren’t for everyone and might not work every time. However, David is commended, and on this occasion rewarded, for his effort.

There are other options available that include a postgraduate degree, working for free to gain experience or starting your own business.

David Bird, senior lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, told the Guardian: “People are starting to look at what things are going to be like on the other side of this crisis and where the opportunities will be.”

“An undergraduate qualification gets you on to the first step, while a postgraduate one can get you to the next stage.”

Offering your services for free at a company is an excellent foot in the door for you at no cost to the company. However, there are legal issues around this so make sure you do your research before hand.

The most pioneering of all of the above mentioned options would be to create your own company.

According to Dan Hawes, co founder of the Graduate Recruitment Bureau (GRB), the government is keen to support graduates with entrepreneurial talent but warned: “The business environment at this time is very challenging so graduates will need to consider the financial risk and their minimal business know how, but with a good idea and plenty of hard work they will succeed,” he said.

Knowing where to look

With multiple options made available to graduates, the real trick lies in knowing where to find them and then selecting the one most appropriate to your situation.

Previously graduate recruiters came looking for talented graduates, seeking to pluck them right out of University. Unfortunately, the annual milkround is less popular than it has been in the past.

An example of this is BT, who has been regular milkround participants in recent years. However, Caroline Waters BT Group director told People Management that the company won’t be taking part this year, opting to focus on other areas such as online recruitment.

The internet is the place to look, starting with the Graduate Talent Pool.

The Graduate Talent Pool is an effective tool for graduates and employers alike. The site acts as an internship matchmaker between graduate employers posting vacancies and graduates who fulfil their specific criteria.

The site also supplies graduates with practical advice on how to improve their employability through internships, postgraduate study programmes or volunteering.

As an intern, it is important that you contribute towards the company. It is also important that your graduate job provides you with the work experience you need.

Making the best from your graduate position

Emma Cuffaro (25) from Essex completed a BA Honours degree in Business Administration and joined Broadbean Technology in 2005 in a graduate position.

“Early on my role incorporated most of the jobs that no one else had time to do. These included arranging meetings, making tea, ordering stationery and whole lot of filing. I made it my aim to quickly gain an in depth understanding of our products and the industry,” she said.

Her positive attitude towards the business got her noticed and promoted to Sales Support Administrator fairly quickly. She then advanced to an Account Manager position and was made Head of Client Services at the age of 23.

Last year Emma won the award for Outstanding Young Person at the Thames Gateway Business Awards.

“The award was for my progression within the company, the achievements I made along the way and changes that I have since implemented within the company.

“All of my achievements would not have been possible without the strong team working behind me.”
Emma’s advice:

If you have already found an internship or graduate job it is advisable that you do everything in your power to make it count. Keep the following in mind to make the best out of your new found path:

1. Make a good impression: Never be late, always dress and act the part

2. Always try to do better: There is always something you could have done better (could be something really small), acknowledge this and remember for next time

3. Keep learning: You will never know everything so keep learning all the time, be ahead of everyone else

4. Be heard: Don’t keep quiet, if you have an opinion express your thoughts and don’t worry about getting it wrong. As long as you do this in the right way managers will see this as a positive quality.

5. Believe in what you do: This makes it easy to come to work every day and do your job brilliantly. If you believe in what you do passion, ambition and motivation will come naturally.

Chantel is a regular contributor of career advice and jobs news for leading UK Job Board http://www.careersandjobsuk.com

Career Change Over 40

As populations in the developed world are growing older and many countries are experiencing a crisis in the pension system, we are facing the prospect of having to work past the usual retirement age. Yet, at the same time, older people are not always welcomed back into the work force. Many also have difficulty finding a new job if they have an unbroken track record and are simply looking for a change in career after the age of 40.

There are a number of steps you can take to maximize your chances of getting a job, despite negative views regarding age on the part of some employers.

When writing your CV or résumé, be sure to target it for the job in question. You can do this by highlighting all the skills and experience which are needed for the job and then proving that you have got them.

It is not necessary to put personal information on your CV – in many countries it is illegal to ask about age and this will also become law in the UK in October of this year. You should either leave out your date of birth completely or put it at the end. Do not mention your marital status or the number of children you have or their ages. This is not relevant to the job!

The fact that you are older means that you have valuable experience in many areas and you need to make good use of this in your application. Don’t worry if you are returning to work after bringing up children – soft skills, such as communication, time management and the ability to meet deadlines are crucial in the workplace today and all of those will be skills you have developed as a parent. So take a good look at all the skills you have acquired both at work and in other areas of life and make a list. You’ll be surprised to see how many you have and how many of them are transferable.

If you find your particular career favours youth, consider the possibility of self-employment. Could you use your existing skills as a freelance? If you aren’t up to date with computer packages, get your kids to teach you or find out about local classes, which are sometimes free. If there have been changes in your particular industry, look into refresher courses.

Many people make the mistake of assuming that they will get job satisfaction in one place, but this is the exception rather than the rule. So make a list of all the skills you’d like to use (or learn) at work and a list of the tasks which give you job satisfaction. Then consider the possibility of becoming a portfolio worker, that is, someone who has more than one occupation. You might, for example, work as a freelance in your existing career for two or three days a week and set up a small business doing something completely different during the rest of the week. Or you might write about, teach or run workshops in one of the skills you have developed. This doesn’t have to be work-related – it could be a hobby you’ve been interested in for years, it could be an aspect of parenting or coping with a health issue. Look at everything you’ve done in your life so far and you’ll find that there are several areas in which you are an expert.

If you are prepared to look beyond the conventional 9-5 job, you will find that there are many opportunities open to you, regardless of your age.

Are you running a training course or event, conference or seminar that fits well with what the How To Become project is trying to achieve? If yes then you can advertise your training course on this website:Looking for training courses?
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Career Change - Develop The Mental Strength To Bring the Change

Advising others to change career sounds very simple and a workable proposition. When it comes to us, it becomes one of the toughest decisions to implement. A career change needs lot of mental preparation. If you have a family, that may get disrupted by your career change. The income may stop for some time. The decision itself may turn out to be a wrong one. It needs mental strength to change career. Let us see what it requires.


A change of career shifts us from a comfort zone to a zone full of discomfort in the beginning. For a full time production engineer, a change to a career as human resources consultant may need a total about turn, back to school and learning new skills for the new job. Some people change careers so totally that it looks incredible. Let us talk about changes that can be done more smoothly. I am talking about learning about a new career along with the old one and then shifting to the new career slowly. This process also requires mental strength, because it needs lot of extra work.

The first barrier that one encounters while thinking of career change is- how did I get into a wrong career? What if my new decision also turns out to be wrong? What if I continue with my present career? Why should I change my career? Some of these questions need head to answer and some questions are for the heart such as asking why did I chose the wrong career to begin with, may involve damage to self esteem, and acceptance of failure.

Before thinking of changing career, one needs to do analysis of life goals, and deciding about how the present career does not satisfy those goals. Only after deciding that something drastic needs to be done can one think about changing career. One has to develop mental and emotional strength to undergo these changes and emerge a winner again.

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Festive Cheer Sparks 100,000 New Retail Jobs

Every year we complain as Christmas preparation gets earlier and earlier. But as the retail sector gears up for the festive period, large recruitment campaigns will give many something to be positive about.

UK unemployment is still high. However, the current wave of Christmas jobs is a brief, but positive, light on the issue. Chantél du Plooy investigates seasonal opportunities, the benefits of taking it on and delivers advice on how to make your temporary job work for you.

How early is too early?
It seems too early to unpack the tinsel and bring out the minced pies, but in reality the level of retail recruitment activity is a very encouraging sign.

In September last year, seasonal jobs weren’t that easy to come by as most retailers expected an iron fist clenched around most customer’s wallets.

Over Christmas 2008 the retail sector delivered like for like sales down by 3.3 on the previous year, according to the BRC’s retail sales monitor.

However this season, recent recruitment campaigns look like perfect timing delivering something to be jolly about.

The road to recovery
In August figures from the National Institute for Economic and Social Research, unveiled that manufacturing output increased by 0.9 .

Slowly but surely the UK economy is recovering from recession. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that gross domestic product (GDP) has contracted less than expected by 0.7 , in the three months from April to June 2009.

A recent and topical report from the ONS regarding “The impact of the recession on retail sales volumes” concluded: “So far, retail sales volumes have recorded positive growth in most months of the current recession, despite other economic indicators showing weakness in the UK economy.

“The observed growth in the volume of retail sales has been supported by falling retail prices and a flexible labour market which has subdued the effect of unemployment on the household consumption of retail items.”

UK economist at HSBC, Karen Ward, told BBC News: “The things that were leading us into the downturn will lead us back out – we ll see positive consumer spending again, and business investment will improve.”

Who’s hiring?
Sainsbury’s will create 20,000 seasonal jobs to cater for the increase in demand during Christmas and New Year.

The supermarket giant will also allow new seasonal recruits to enrol for their “Try before you buy scheme, where successful applicants will become part of a training programme to improve management and leadership skills.

Apart from the scheme, Sainsbury’s might also hold on to 1,000 of the seasonal workers for more permanent roles afterwards.

Another supermarket who will acquire a huge number of seasonal staff is ASDA with an opening of 10,000 opportunities.

According to The Independent, ASDA’s Andy Clarke said: “In a survey we found that nearly half of our shoppers were already thinking about Christmas shopping and we re looking for more seasonal colleagues than ever before.”

Matalan, the discount clothing store, will hire 1,800 members for their ‘seasonal squad’. After the Christmas rush 300 jobs will remain permanent and spread over three new Matalan stores.

The clothing retailer has delivered a 14 increase of operating profits. Retail director, Amin Kassim said: “Customers are continuing to respond well to our strategy of offering fantastic value, and we are delighted to be able to create jobs at a time when this is really needed in the UK.”
The Mirror recently did a count up of all the promoted seasonal jobs and the amount is a whopping 100,000.

Apart from Sainsbury’s, ASDA and Matalan, Morrisons will create 20,000 jobs and Tesco will create 6,000.

Iceland will create 3,000, Boots 7,000, Debenhams 7,500, Argos 12,000 and Toys R Us and HMV will both create 4,000 seasonal jobs.
The new workforce will focus on a number of roles from working at checkout counters and stacking shelves.

Fingers crossed restaurants, pubs and clubs will follow suit and join the early festive recruitment trend soon.
Filling the gap

As UK unemployment continues to rise, jobs that use to be ideal for students, have become necessities to anyone generating zero to little income.

A typical candidate for a seasonal job would be someone who is reliable, helpful and will be able to work flexible hours.

The benefits of a seasonal job in a retail store, restaurant or pub are can offer attractive benefits. These kinds of jobs aren’t limited to extra income, they often include perks, such as; discount on items and added experience for your CV.

Some retailers plan to take on a percentage of the new short term staff afterwards, and if you are still a student it could mean that your earnings are tax free.

Getting a seasonal job at a time when everyone needs an extra few pennies is an opportunity that comes, but once a year.
Make the most of it!

Making your seasonal job work for you:
1.Start early. Visit the websites of the company’s who offer temporary jobs for Christmas or visit your nearest Job Centre to find out about the soonest and nearest Jobfair.
2.Get the hours you want. If you are clever about it and manage to be part of the first to be recruited, you could manage to negotiate the hours you prefer to work.
3.Make use of company benefits. Find out what your perks are during that period and make sure you benefit from them. However, keep in mind that there is a massive difference between benefiting and misusing.
4.Think ahead. If you do not have any job opportunities after this one it would be wise to save as much money as you can and continue to send out your CV to apply for available jobs.
5.Be your best. Work hard, be on time and show initiative at your new temporary job. The company might just value your presence too much to be able to see you go.

Chantel is a regular contributor of career advice and jobs news for leading UK Job Board http://www.careersandjobsuk.com

Network Your Way to a New Career!

Did you know that an increasingly large number of job vacancies are filled without the chosen candidate responding to a vacancy advert? The reason for this? Through the world of networking, a candidate often learns about a soon to be vacancy before it is even advertised and an employer learns about the best possible replacement without having started a search for one.

If you re out of work and looking to maximize your chances of finding the job you want especially in this difficult economical climate learn how to network and watch how many job opportunities begin to fly your way!

The goal

Your aim when networking is to make contact with as many relevant people as possible directly or indirectly related to your field of work. Your goal is to create some sort of relationship with them so that they are aware of your need for a job, are aware of your assets and skills and they remember you if an opportunity rises that could interest you. They may also be contacts you can use to acquire information about which posts are being vacated, which are being created or just to give you valuable advice about certain career routes or employers that you could not find elsewhere.

Use your existing networks

Many of us are already in touch with valuable networks through our family and friends. Make your need for a job known to those you know and you might be surprised who they in turn might know and could put you in touch with.

Make new networks

Attend conferences, industry events and trade shows related to your field and make more contacts. Also, the Internet is a great place to find new networks to belong to. Do a search and see if there are any existing networks related to your field that it would be valuable to join. Don t just rely on communication via forums and email to sustain your relationships. The best business networking is done in person where people have a better opportunity to talk in length and remember each other too. Search for business networking events or other meetings related to your field to meet people online and later get together offline. You can also take the initiative to organize your own networking occasions through the site by posting a request.

Manage your networks well

Once you have established some good networks, make sure you use them well. Keep a database of new contacts with key information about them. Stay in regular communication with them, ensuring you and your job need are remembered, and don t be afraid to ask for help, advice or information when needed most people like to feel useful to someone else. Finally, don t forget to let your new contacts know they are valuable to you remember to thank people and show them they are appreciated.


Don’t forget to check out other similar articles on our blog.


Jonathan Boyd has written countless articles for Meeting Wave, a free website to meet people offline, for social or business networking. Check out the MW blog at http://www.meetingwave.com/blog

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Recruitment Trends: Who’s in Demand Right Now?

The UK workforce is facing one of the toughest job markets in history.

According to the latest figures published by the Office for National Statistics, the number of people out of work rose by 210,000 to 2.47 million in the three months to July – the highest it has been since 1995.

Recruitment experts have pointed out, however, that the unemployment rate has grown at a slower pace than expected. Nigel Meager, director of the Institute for Employment Studies, attributed this to UK companies finding ways to manage costs without cutting headcount.

“Employment has not fallen as much as in previous recessions partly because many employers have made efforts to retain staff through measures such as pay freezes, and short time working,” he told This Is Money.

Positive signs for permanent and temporary jobs

Commenting on the latest unemployment figures, Kevin Green, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation s Chief Executive, said there is still job growth in certain sectors of the market, despite the spike in unemployment.

“Though these statistics may paint a sombre picture, many professional recruiters are reporting positive signs within UK jobs market with recent industry data in our Report on Jobs showing modest increases in both permanent and temporary appointments,” he said.

The permanent job market is faring slightly better than the temporary market. According to the REC and KPMG Report on Jobs, the permanent job index rose from 46.1 in July to 50.6 in August, while the temporary job index rose from 45.1 in July to 50.3 (the 50 mark indicates growth).

Commenting on the report, Bernard Brown, head of business services at KPMG, said:

“This is the first time we have seen really positive news for the UK jobs market in 17 months.”

Where the jobs are

The latest figures from Careers and Jobs UK, the career resource and jobs board show that despite the broad spectrum rise in unemployment, certain skill sets are still in demand.

Accountants are in hot demand, with 64 more recruiters posting accountancy positions on the website in June compared with the previous month.

On the other end of the scale, fewer hospitality and property jobs are being posted on the site, with vacancies in hospitality falling by 45 and opportunities in property decreasing by almost 6 in the three months leading up to June.

Social workers and support staff needed

One sector that provides plenty of employment opportunities is social work.

In the wake of the heavily publicised ‘Baby P’ case, the number of child protection referrals to social work teams has increased. This is placing additional pressure on short staffed child support teams who are already working evenings, weekends and holidays to keep on top of all the work in the system.

A UNISON study on social workers found that job vacancies in the sector had risen to 39 and the organisation has called for measures to attract more social workers into the industry.

There is also a need for more support staff to take care of the paperwork so social workers can spend more time in the field.

While social work and caring don’t pay as well as other industries, they are ideal for those who are seeking other kinds of rewards such as job satisfaction and an opportunity to give something back to society.

Gap in the market for young engineers

Another industry in danger of becoming short staffed is engineering.

Energy company National Grid needs to hire close to 1,000 engineers to replenish its workforce, which will contract by a third before 2020 due to retirements.

Despite running extensive graduate recruitment schemes, however, the firm has not been able to appoint enough young engineers. The company conducted a study and found that young people were reluctant to pursue a career in engineering because they had negative perceptions of the profession, dismissing it as ‘menial’.

The chief executive of National Grid, Steve Holliday, has expressed his concern.

“This report makes extremely worrying reading for me,” he said.

“Engineers are at the heart of our business. Our current level of ‘growing our own’ through graduate and apprentices schemes will just not fill this gap. We need a bigger pool of talented young engineers – not a shrinking one.”

Graduate opportunities in the armed services

The armed forces are providing plenty of employment opportunities at present, especially for graduates.

The Guardian reports that this sector is the only major employer to have increased its graduate vacancies this year. According to market research by High Flyers, the number of graduate jobs available is up from 1,890 in 2008, to 2,100 in 2009.

However, the sector has high standards when it comes to recruiting graduates.

Graduates should bear in mind that it is very competitive to get in. We don t just look for academic qualifications; we want to see people who have done more with their spare time than just sitting in front of a PlayStation,” said John Turner, the RAF s deputy recruiting officer.

“We like people who have been members of youth organisations or have spent their gap year doing something worthwhile,” he added.

While there are risks involved and new recruits have little or no choice about where they are posted; the armed services offer jobseekers an opportunity to learn new skills and gain valuable work experience.

One of the things we want to put across to potential officers in particular is that the army can be a stepping stone in their career. We re not asking for a lifetime commitment, we re saying let s see how it goes. If they decide to leave after a couple of years they will have management and other skills that they can take with them,” said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence.

Once commissioned, recruits stand to earn a competitive salary, ranging from around £24,000 for a second lieutenant in the army to upwards of £33,950 for a qualified RAF pilot. In addition, they’ll get six weeks holiday a year, free medical and dental treatment and subsidised food.

For those who would prefer a non combat role, the armed forces offers a wide variety of positions for newly qualified doctors, pharmacists, physiotherapists, veterinary surgeons, dentists, nurses and lawyers.

It seems as if some skills will always be in demand, no matter how much the market fluctuates.

This just goes to show that despite the gloomy unemployment figures, certain industries are still hiring. There are job opportunities out there for the UK workforce; they just need to know where to look for them.

Natalie is a regular contributor of career advice and jobs news for leading UK Job Board http://www.careersandjobsuk.com

5 Reasons to Consider Retraining For New Career

If you already work fulltime, chances are you don t have a lot of time to devote to learning new skills, or updating your old skills. While learning something new can take some additional time and effort, it is usually worthwhile to add some new skills to your resume, and to increase your value to your current employer. Following are 5 reasons you should consider adding additional skills to your repertoire, or retraining to learn something new:

1. Add to your existing skill set. If you are already employed, adding to your existing skills can make you more valuable to your employer. Not only will the additional skills you learn make it likely that you can take on more responsibilities at work, retraining shows that you are constantly evolving and improving as an employee. You can also point out any retraining that you have done when it is time to review your performance. You may be able to justify a raise if you have added significant skills or certifications to your resume.

2. Train for a new job altogether. Whether you simply dislike the career or position you are in, or you are working in an industry that is in decline, you may wish or need to seek additional opportunities. Retraining for a separate career will allow you to learn something new, and allow you to apply for and be qualified to perform a different set of jobs. If you are in an industry that is declining or changing, chances are you will be competing against others from your same field for the same jobs, and retraining can give you an additional advantage.

3. Keep up to date on the latest technology. If you have been out of school for three, five, or even ten years, technology has changed substantially since you graduated. You may need to attend a program or take a course to catch up a bit. By being on top of the latest technology and techniques, you can be sure that you are not missing out on anything. If you work for an employer, they will appreciate you upgrading your skills and may even pay for the training itself.

4. If you have been laid off, or let go from your last position. Look at a layoff or termination as an opportunity. If you are eligible to receive unemployment benefits, you can use some of your down time to retrain for a new position. It is easy to get stuck in a job, simply because you are accustomed to it. Getting laid off or terminated can give you the push you need to try something new.

5. You sense a layoff is coming. If you are in a declining industry or many employees from your company have been laid off, be proactive and start retraining now. If you do not end up getting laud off, you will have increased your skills, and will benefit from the new training. If you do end up getting laid off, then you will have a significant head start on finding another job.

James Copper is a writer for http://www.ocdp.co.uk

Retraining For Your New Career

When new college graduates enter into their new careers, it is usually a time of excitement that is accompanied with a feeling of accomplishment. However, when you have already spent years at a career before you have to make a switch and start over, then it is a much more difficult experience. You may need to rethink your career objectives, or even consider training for a new career entirely.

There are many reasons that adults have to start over with new careers. They may have lost their job due to downsizing, closing of a company, leave of absence for an illness or a number of other reasons. The state that our economy has been in for the past several years has resulted in the loss of a number of jobs and closing of businesses that have been established and operating for many years. These conditions have led to a large number of adults who are looking for a new start.

For others, it may be a matter of setting things right. After several years of performing in a job that they are unhappy with, they may decide to quit their job and go after a new career that they have always dreamed of. Getting stuck in a field that you are unhappy with is a situation that should be remedied whenever possible. If you aren t happy at your workplace, those negative feelings will probably spill over into other areas of your life.

There are some ways that you can make the change in careers much easier. By preparing yourself and having a better idea of what to expect, you can increase your confidence and make yourself comfortable in your new surroundings. This is a good way to start a career that will be successful for a long time.

Keep reminding yourself that this is going to be a positive experience. This is your opportunity to have a career that makes you happy and you deserve it.

Be confident. If you have been hired to do a job, then you obviously had the qualifications that mattered to your employer. Don t go into it doubting yourself.

Go the extra mile. Don t be a stickler about sticking to your job description. If you help a company out when they are in a bind, it may benefit you when it is time for promotions.

Make yourself a valuable asset to the company. Starting out, you will likely be at the bottom of the totem pole. If the company relies on you for important functions, you will be less likely to be cut if they need to downsize later.

Learn everything you can about your new job. If there is company literature that everyone else ignores, read it and learn it. Study up on any systems you have to use and try to improve your job skills as much as possible.

A positive attitude can be the best tool in your arsenal when it comes to retraining or considering a new career path.

James Copper is a writer for http://www.trainingebase.co.uk

Measuring Unemployment

Recent recession has brought the focus on jobs and unemployment. People now recognize unemployment as a measure of a country’s economic woes. Economic theory says greater the unemployment, lesser will be the disposable income available in the hands of jobless people, and therefore, lesser will be the demand for most manufactured goods. This will lead to more businesses closing down, and creating more unemployment. Eventually, very few businesses will survive the vicious cycle, and the goods that they produce and sell will become very expensive because they need to recover the cost of manufacturing in the absence of adequate demand as people no longer have monies to buy their goods. Even the costs of procurement of raw materials to manufacture these products shoot up, as many of the regular suppliers would no longer be around. Effectively, jobs can affect cost of living! Jobs can be both blue collar as well as white collar.

Blue collar jobs are those that involve manual efforts, while white collar jobs are those that are done behind the desk. It is a general perception that those with white collar jobs earn better. That, however, is not always true. There are some exceptionally well paying blue collar jobs as well. There are trade unions that take care of the interests of the blue collar worker in so far as negotiations with employer are concerned. This means, the worker can concentrate on the job, while the trade unions are doing the needful on his or her behalf. Any job is taken up to earn monies. Every country, and every State in the country tries to create jobs for the people. But individuals tend to shun jobs that do not pay them well. They reckon that if they start at lower rung of the ladder, the next offer will only be slightly better than their existing job, and therefore, the higher cadre jobs will become inaccessible to them. To an extent, these fears are justified. If, however, the worker does put in efforts, and has enough to merit recognition, there will be nothing that stops him or her reaching the desired levels in his or her careers. Avoiding low paying jobs is also harmful in another way. Individuals from other countries, who find the job lucrative enough, when compared to the pay scales in their country, will join such jobs. Effectively, though the country or the State government as the case may be creates the jobs by offering tax concessions, or giving grants, etc., to the entrepreneurs, they fail to employ people for whom such jobs were intended.

These jobs are lost forever! A few individuals are averse to working under others, or working in a collective environment. They feel uncomfortable adjusting to others, like a team member. Such individuals tend to start their own businesses rather than take up jobs. Lack of experience, and inability to compromise might eventually tell on their businesses, and they may find it tougher to succeed. In such cases, extreme hard work is the only way they can come out of the situation. Outsourcing is another issue that is hotly debated. When a business is able to get some of the functions carried out more economically, and efficiently, outside its facilities, then logically, outsourcing such jobs would translate into higher profits. These additional profits can be used to expand the existing facilities, and eventually, sell the goods to the individuals who are at present doing the outsourced jobs! Effectively, the business expects outsourcing to create a market in future, and generate profits at present. The concept, however, misfires during recession times.

Read more about all types of jobs including project manager job description and a customer service job description at http://BestJobDescriptions.com.

Cleaning Jobs Are They Right For You?

It is always remarkable how much money people can make by doing stuff that other people won t do. For example, you can make a very good livelihood from taking house cleaning jobs. Yes, it might not be fascinating and it is a lot of hard work but when you have dollar signs flashed in front of you, it makes the exertion valuable.

Time is really significant when it comes to concluding our cleaning job. In order to be acclaimed as an excellent cleaning service, you should be able to offer a competent cleaning service to the people in the shortest achievable time. For practical rationalities, your customers do not actually want their cleaning services to last for a whole day. Keep in mind that they are paying for the length of time that your team is doing the cleaning , this is why they want your services to conclude as soon as feasible. Foreclosure Cleaning Jobs Foreclosure cleaning jobs can come from a number of places. And, how much you make from each job will depend sometimes greatly on the kind of customer behind the post. Three Things You Must Know When Working With a Foreclosure Realtor There are three things you must know when working with a Foreclosure Realtor:

1: Move Quickly: When realtors who treat foreclosures call, they anticipate speedy action. This is because someone at the bank/lender is generally bullying them to get holdings back in market shape fast.

2: Price w/Bulk in Mind: There are numerous ways to value a foreclosure clean up job by the square foot, by the job, by the hour, etc. However you price your jobs, always price with bulk in mind when handling with foreclosure realtors. Now, this doesn t mean short yourself or work with restrictions so thin that you can t afford to hire help. Remember though that foreclosure realtors are generally working within a definite budget a budget that s either set by the bank, or some government program guidelines.

3: Stick to Your Word: The manufacture industry (of which foreclosure cleaning falls in) has an awful standing. Contractors don t show up when they say they will; jobs don t get finished on time; oftentimes the work is careless and so on and so on.

If you just do what you say you ll do when you say you re going to do it you ll win countless foreclosure cleaning jobs. So keep your word for it can guide to thousands of dollars in foreclosure cleaning contracts. House cleaning company If you operate for a house cleaning company, it will be a lot easier to get house cleaning jobs as the company just sends you to anywhere you need to go. If you work for your own cleaning industry, then it may be harder finding customers.

A lot of customers fancy the security of going through a big company due to the panic of having an outsider in their house. It makes the customers feel safer that the company has already acquitted criminal background checks on the cleaners on their behalf. If you want to get your own home cleaning jobs, make it easier on yourself and get bonded. Also, have on hand lots of acknowledgments stating how dependable, hard working and sincere you are.

http://StartCleaningService.com has over 50,000 open cleaning jobs nationwide.

Easy Ways to Find a Job

Financial experts around the world are saying the recession is over. That may or may not be true, but in the United States, businesses are starting to hire new employees again. However, the landscape of job hunting has altered considerably. Many college educated people in their 20s and 30s may find themselves in a strange, unique position. They will be going through classified ads for the first time in their lives to find jobs. Most young people don t even read the newspaper, and a staggering 4.6 (source: New York Times) of people under the age of 34 subscribe to any daily newspaper. Circling and highlighting potential jobs and calling up and down the list is one time tested way to find jobs. There are also many job offerings online. The most common way to find work today is through online classified ads. These have the attributes listed in the paragraph above, but there are many, many more and they are more easily searchable, since they re online.

Craig s List is the most popular place for online job offerings. They advertise a high job placement rate, and that is subjective opinion, but the truth is that for people living in an urban area, Craig s List is a great way to find work. Perhaps not in the long term career sense, as most of the jobs offering salaries on Craig s List are either horribly specific or obvious scams, but Craig s List is a great way to find temporary or part time work. It also has a large variety of odd jobs, gigs and listings for employment agencies. Employment agencies, both private and sponsored by the government, are a good option for those who feel that they do not have the skills to compete in today s crowded job market. Agencies generally place people in temporary jobs, but contrary to belief, they also offer part time and even full time jobs with benefits. Some even provide tuition discounts so while working, a person can get the further education they need for what may be a better job in the future.

One interesting way to find a new career that was not available a generation ago is the websites like Career Builder and Monster. These are many local and regional variants on the themes of those two websites, but since those two are the biggest, I will recommend those as excellent resources for getting a great job that could potentially be a lifelong career. Career Builder and Monster are fully interactive (and very user friendly) web sites that allow users to cross reference their own unique skills and talents with the wants and needs of employers from coast to coast. Perhaps the best way of all to get a job is to simply walk through your neighborhood. With the economy beginning to come around, if you look hard enough, you re bound to find a local business that is hiring. The benefits of getting a job close to you are limitless; you are closer to your community, you know the people you see and you get to walk to work. Getting a job close to home can be very rewarding.

Free job descriptions are necessary when researching the roles a specific position plays in an organization. Use job descriptions to help you better understand the responsibilities and requirements of that role.

Review Great Job! The Secret to Finding a Job You Love

Millions of people all across the country are miserable in their jobs. They are stressed and even burned out. Some are biding their time till retirement, hoping they won t get laid off before then. And that s if they re lucky enough to have a job in the first place. So what would be the logical New Year s resolution for most of them? Get a new and improved job.

And thanks to Pam Jonsson s new Great Job! system, many of those unemployed and unhappily employed people can now not only find a job, but find a job they will actually enjoy.

What makes Great Job! The Secret to Finding a Job You Love different from all those other job finding books on the market?

Most normal books start with making you record what you ve been doing all along. Of course, what that will get you and that s if you re lucky is more of the same. Great Job! approaches looking for a job very differently.

Instead of starting with your official credentials, you re asked to explore what you enjoy. You re asked to look back over your past jobs and pin down exactly what you liked and what you disliked about each of them.

That will give you plenty of material to work with as you design your new, perfect job.

And Great Job! doesn t just stop there. Next, armed with your information about what kind of job would make you happy, it guides you through doing your research as you go about finding your perfect job online and offline.

Unlike those books that teach you how to submit your resume all over the place, Pam tells you to hold off on giving your resume to anyone. What you ll get instead is the most thorough guide for how to tap into the hidden job market I ve ever seen.

What s included in this system? A comprehensive downloadable book that doubles as a workbook. A series of audio files which are an extensively annotated version of the ebook. And if you get the deluxe version of the program, you ll also get an entire online course along with it. This course accompanies you as you do your research and follow the steps on the path to your perfect job, providing you with much additional helpful information and support.

In a nutshell, Great Job! is a unique system that helps people find jobs that are a perfect fit. And not just based on a few qualities that would fit in a resume, but in a much more comprehensive way. We re talking perfect fit in terms of corporate culture, management personalities, the kind of job someone is expected to do. It s a job that fits the person, not the other way round.

As I read it, parts of it reminded me of Barbara Sher s Wishcraft and Richard Bolles What Color Is Your Parachute, but Great Job! goes far beyond those books. It s a perfect combination of getting you to reach for the stars and of providing the actual step ladders that will help you get there.

Now you may wonder isn t that a lot to ask, especially at a time when people are worrying about lay offs? Not at all. In times of economic pressure, employers are under a great deal of pressure too. Now more than ever, they need good employees. And if you think about it, employees who feel their job is a great fit for them are going to be more productive and dependable than those who just suffer through their miserable jobs day in and day out. This means happy employees are just the kind of employees their bosses need. So it s a win win for both sides.

One thing worth noting is that Great Job focuses mainly on professionals. The kinds of questions it asks, and the approaches it suggests for making contact are especially suitable for those in the corporate world and for other professionals, including medical and legal professionals. But not exclusively. In fact, the system is comprehensive enough to accommodate a very broad range of professions and levels of experience. So if you get started and think that this will work mostly for corporate types, don t give up too soon. You too will find plenty of information that can help you find your own perfect job.

In case you re curious: Pam shares her own personal story in the book. You ll find out that once Pam discovered the system, she went on to find several great jobs throughout her career. That s one of the key benefits of this system. No longer will you feel forced to stay with a job that turned sour just because you re afraid to leave. Once you ve mastered Pam s system, you ll know you can always find a new perfect job. And with that message, Great Job! is probably the most uplifting book I ve come across in a long time!

Pam has helped numerous people find theirs in her work as a career counselor and expert. And if Great Job! is any indication, she ll soon be helping hundred of thousands of people around the country find their own great jobs too.

And if you too would like a "Great Job!" too, you're in luck. Get a FREE audio and ebook at http://www.ThePerfectJobForYou.com and discover exactly how to get a job you'll actually love.

The Importance of Learning From Training Courses

The Internet and social media are expanding more rapidly than ever, and certified IT professionals are in high demand. If you take a course or a series of courses in information technology (IT), you can give your career a boost, and increase your value to a potential employer.

Updating your training, and getting certified as an IT professional can:
Help you find a new job in your current industry
Help you train for an entirely new and different career
Help you advance in your current career, or in your current company.

Completing an IT course supplies you with certified skills and important credentials, and will expand your possibilities in today s computer oriented marketplace. The best IT courses will provide you with all the skills you need to pass a certification exam in your chosen field. Some IT programs even assist with job placement once you have received your certification.

There are several different ways you can complete an IT training program. You can attend classes at a traditional college or university, enroll in a technical school, take classes online, or even work at home at your own pace. Some programs are designed for the working professional, with intensive week long or weekend seminars designed to totally immerse you in the training program of your choice. Don t forget to check with your employer they may offer training incentives, or even be willing to send you to school to increase your abilities. Explore all of you options, and make sure you consider what you will be taught, the method of teaching (online, in person, in a classroom setting), and what the program will cost. No matter what program you choose, make sure it is designed to help you prepare for the IT certification exam you are interested in.

Depending on your time and on your specific needs, you may choose to enroll in a full or part time IT training program. You can also enroll in one class at a time, or even focus on a single aspect like security, networking, or database work, and focus all of your training in that area. Make sure you look into the courses offered in your local area, and compare local offerings with the programs you can enroll in online. You will need to evaluate programs for cost, focus, and on any special features and benefits they offer their graduates, like exam prep services or job placement assistance. Chances are, more than one program will suit your needs, allowing you the luxury of choosing what you want to learn, and the way you want to learn it.

Make sure your current employers know you are seeking to expand your skills when you increase your experience and understanding of information technology, you increase your value as an employee as well. Once you complete your training, make sure you add your new skills to your resume. When you complete your certification exam, you will want to be ready to look for a position in your new field.

James Copper is a writer for http://www.trainingindex.co.uk

How to become a nurse

Nursing can be a career for life. There has never a more exciting time to join the nursing profession if you decide that a career change in this direction is definitely for you. There are many nursing jobs and positions available to suit a host of people with a variety of skills. The number and variety of roles is big. However, the common role of a nurse is to tend to and concentrate on the needs of the patient, rather than the illness, disease or condition.

As a nurse it is possible to work in, among others, clinics, hospitals, GP surgeries, nursing and residential homes, occupational health services, voluntary organisations that run hospices or residential care and the pharmaceutical industry. Once you have completed your pre-registration course, there are a multitude of module options available,
Nurses also work in the prison service, university education, on leisure cruise ships or for the armed forces.
They help individuals and their families to live more comfortable lives by providing care, advice and counselling.

Nurse and midwifery education

Before working on the national health service, you will need to complete a pre-registration course as mentioned above. There are many pre-registration courses available throughout the UK, and at present there is no set minimum entry qualification across the board.
The course is fifty per cent theory and fifty per cent practical. The first year is a Common Foundation Programme, which will introduce you to the basic principles of nursing. You will then specialise in either adult, children's, mental health or learning disability nursing. Full time diploma courses last three years. Degree courses last three or four years.
You will need to be resident in the UK for at least three years to be eligible to apply for a place on a diploma or degree course.

Choose your Specialty
It is possible to choose to only work with a certain type of patient, and in a certain type of environment. You actually have the choice about which specific place you would be most comfortable working in. If you prefer to work in a clerical environment, you may choose to work in a clinic or in a nursing home. If the fast-paced situation is what you are looking for, perhaps you would like to work in a hospital emergency room or assisting in surgery. Some of the other nurse jobs you may pursue are: resident nursing, nursing for the armed forces, nursing education, or in the pharmaceutical industry.

Lets look at some of the most preferred nursing jobs:

Learning disability nursing
About two to three percent of the population has some sort of learning disability. Nurses who qualify in this branch of nursing help those with learning disabilities to live independent and fulfilling lives. This may involve working with people in supported accommodation - typically three to four people with learning disabilities live together in flats or houses, with 24 hour support. Some nurses work with individuals who require more intensive support - for instance, in hospitals or in specialist secure units for offenders with severe learning disabilities. Others specialise in areas such as epilepsy management or working with people with sensory impairment so that you can choose the direction and area of healthcare that you'd like to work in.

Mental health nursing
Mental health nurses work with GPs, psychiatrists, social workers and others to co-ordinate the care of people suffering from mental illness. The vast majority of people with mental health problems live in the community. Nurses plan and deliver care for people living in their own home, in small residential units or specialist hospital services. Some are based in health centres. It is possible to develop expertise in areas such as rehabilitation, child and adolescent mental health, substance misuse and working with offenders.
There are opportunities to specialise in public health, women's health and to run specialist services, such as teenage pregnancy clinics.

Children's nursing
Those qualified in the children's branch of nursing work with 0 to 18 year olds in a variety of settings, from specialist baby care units to adolescent services. Children react to illness in a very different way to adults, which is why they need to be cared for and supported by specially trained nurses who understand their particular needs. Children's nurses also support, advise and educate parents and other close relatives. Once qualified, it is possible to specialise in hospital and community settings in areas such as burns and plastics, intensive care, child protection and cancer care.

Nursing for adults
The number of opportunities for those qualifying in the adult branch of nursing is very wide. It is possible to work in hospitals or the community - in peoples homes, attached to a health centre or in nursing homes. You will care for, support and educate people of all ages. Once you have qualified, many nurses take extra courses to specialise in areas such as cancer care or women's health or accident and emergency also preferred coises are critical care, practice nursing, health visiting or school nursing.

Are You Ready to Change Career Paths?

If you are already established in a current career, changing to a new career path involves taking a large amount of risk. But as the saying goes no guts, no glory , and taking the risk can lead to great benefits. When looking into a new career path you should evaluate the amount of risk and the possible benefits. There are also some things you can do to start moving toward a new career without immediately giving up the stable career that you currently have.

The first thing you can do is offer to volunteer for something that applies to your desired career. You can gain experience that will boost your resume toward to your new career path and make the transition easier. You can also find out if this career change is right for you without immediately giving up your current career path. You can also take a part time job in the field you are interested in. Like volunteering this gives you the chance to experience your desired career without losing your current one.

Going back to school is also a great way to boost your resume and gain experience with a new career. By taking classes at night at either a university or vocational school, you can move toward the new career without sacrificing your current stable career and paycheck. Schooling will often provide benefits even if you do not decide to change careers. It can help you move toward another area in your current career or just help you get the skills that will help you move forward in your current career. Going back to school is a decision that few people ever regret, so the risk with this plan is relatively small, though it does involve a monetary investment.

You can also decide to give up your current career and dive headfirst in a new one. You can help to supplement the decrease in income by working part time jobs on the side. This can be through working a part time job with an employer, or through freelancing. If you stay within your desired career path you can increase your experience and boost your resume by working within your field. The extra work might take up all your free time, but in the end you will be able to work in a job that you truly enjoy, which is a benefit that could be worth the risk. Giving up your current career by choice is a very risky maneuver, so if possible is always best to try and get experience and knowledge of your desired switch before quitting your current job. If you do not have that choice, then freelancing may be your best option.

If you have achieved a lot of success in your current career, and don t want to start over entirely, consider offering your services as a consultant or business coach. You can also choose to open your own business in a field that you love and have experience in. Whether your decision to start a new career is voluntary, or prompted by job loss, make the most of the opportunity, and take the time to find something that you love to do.

James Copper is a writer for http://www.baol.co.uk/career-change.html

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Hate Your Job and Wish You Could Change? Thinking Beyond Staying Or Leaving in Job and Relationship

You can hardly get out of bed in the morning. Maybe you hate your job, and every day you spend there sucks another ounce of life blood out of you. Or your relationship hasn t been fulfilling for a very long time. You are so ready for a change. But what exactly should you do about it?

If you believe you need a change, you re probably right. But just what does that mean? Whether it s your relationship or your job, you do have options, and they are not limited to Should I stay or should I leave?

Before you jump ship, check if it s the ship that s broken or if you simply haven t figured out how to work with it effectively.

Maybe you really do need to leave. And if so, there are steps you can take to minimize any risk and trauma from that experience and maximize your chances that you will really find the greener pastures you ve been hoping for.

But maybe there are simply a few aspects of your job that aren t working, and you may be able to fix them and find yourself already in the job of your dreams.

The same is true for a relationship. Some relationships have been damaged beyond repair and so the merciful thing to do would be to end them and give both partners the opportunity to connect with someone who is much more appropriate for them.

But then again, maybe a series of misunderstandings and hurt feelings have led to a rift that can be repaired if the partners learn how to communicate more effectively and commit to giving their relationship another chance.

How will you know? Take a close look. Consider working with a coach. A coach can help you gain valuable perspective so you have a better sense as to which option might be right. She can also provide support as you work towards making the job or the relationship you already have work much better for you. And, of course, she will hold you accountable so you will stick with the action plan you have committed to.

And, last but not least, she can support you in the process of making the change, if that s what turns out to be the right solution for you, and help you land on your feet or build your wings when you do decide to take that leap.

Would you like support for a change YOU want to make? For a limited time, Elisabeth Kuhn, Ph.D., is offering a FREE coaching session to 10 people each month. For information on how to claim one of her 10 monthly FREE exploratory sessions and to set up your appointment, visit her self help blog where you ll also find plenty of additional resources for body, mind, spirit, and prosperity. And here s a related article about job stress and how it can affect your career.

Would you like support for a change YOU want to make? For a limited time, Elisabeth Kuhn, Ph.D., is offering a FREE strategy session to 10 people/month at http://www.myfavoriteselfhelpstuff.com/coaching

Struggling For Motivation in Recruitment?

Recruitment is and always has been a very interesting industry. I cannot think of another career path that evolves as quickly as the recruitment market. Despite this, because of the many difficult challenges faced by your standard consultant; many people struggle for motivation in the workplace.

Whilst some people jump out of bed in the morning looking forward to the new challenges the day brings, other just drag themselves into work to pay the bills.

Most consultant motivations can be broken into several areas:

* Feeling challenged
* Enjoying the rewards on offer
* Feeling appreciated
* Feeling important to their companies success
* Enjoying the social interaction of both candidates/ clients but also other consultants

I know through personal experience that even the best of us sometimes struggle for motivation and this can be for many reasons, mine was just simply having come back from holiday and feeling a little blue. A wise man once said to me in a management meeting, when I was clearly struggling for enthusiasm, it s only a job, break up your day . Once I thought about this it seemed so very simple.

When people are depressed they often blow things out of proportion, but when you think about it, it is only a job. I took this advice and thought about how I could start to implement it. Once my day had been segmented and I could devise some sort of plan, everything started to make sense again. For example, going through advert responses in the morning, and dedicating a set amount of time towards this, turning my e mail off and just concentrating on the job in hand. I found that because I was now just focussing on one thing at a time that I could concentrate which made far more sense than reading a few applications and then responding to a clients e mail, then speaking with a colleague all of which made me lose focus each time I switched task.

Time Management is probably the most key element in terms of not only being motivated but being a success. Most managers will have said to you to devise your day plan either early in the morning or the previous day. I appreciate to some or maybe most, this seems like a bit of a drag but in all honesty it is very important. If you can come into the office in the morning, sometimes not feeling your best, and have a check list or to do list to look at, it s much easier to start your day, I promise.

It s also important for every consultant to think about what it is that actually motivates them, the list above details the main reasons. Now in regards to recruitment, the main motivator is money, as with any commission based role. But you must think beyond the money or more to the point how you are going to get the money. As previously mentioned you must break things down to understand them and digest how you are going to move forwards. To earn X amount of pounds I must first do one deal, in order to do one deal my stats state that I need to have 4 final interviews, in order to get 4 final interviews I need to send 10 CV s to a role etc.....

The most important thing to take from all of this is to voice your concerns, speak to your manager, and tell them your issues. Too many consultants fall into the Ostrich approach of sticking their heads in the sand and hoping everything will work out. You will be surprised how much better things will seem once you have spoken with people, especially your managers. If your managers do not have time for this then you really are with the wrong company.

James Davey is a Principal Recruitment Consultant at Consegna UK which is a leading recruitment consultancy specialising in Technology and http://www.consegna-uk.com/ Management Consulting Jobs. He personally specialises within Strategy & TMT Consulting.

Maintaining Work life Balance in Turbulent Times

Balancing work and personal commitments has always been a challenge for the UK workforce. Now, the tough economic climate is asking for even greater sacrifices from our country’s employees.

Many of those who face redundancy are working overtime to prove they’re indispensable, while those who have survived jobs cuts are struggling to cope with increased workloads due to the resulting staff shortages.

When people find their futures in jeopardy, finding a balance between life and work seems to take a back seat.

Fewer people move jobs during an economic downturn

The findings of CIPD’s Recruitment, retention and turnover survey suggest that British employees are more likely to choose job security over job satisfaction during a recession.

According to the report, 15.7 percent of employees left their jobs this year, compared with 24 percent in 2008 and 20 percent in 2007.

The highest staff turnover levels (16.8 percent) are found in the private sector, with voluntary services coming second (16.4 percent) and the public sector third (12.6 percent).

The levels also varied from region to region, with stats suggesting that more people sit tight in locations where unemployment is the highest and where there are less alternative employment opportunities available.

This year’s relatively low staff turnover levels suggest that more people are putting their career plans on hold, which does make sense given the current economic climate.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that unemployment hit a 14 year high of 2.44 million earlier this year. This means that people leaving their jobs to seek new opportunities face tougher competition than ever.

Keeping motivation up when business is down

During a challenging economic climate, companies tend to focus on their bottom line instead of the wellbeing of their employees.

Salaries are frozen, promotions are often out of the question, and companies can’t afford training and development programmes. All these factors contribute to a lack of motivation among staff, which could translate into lacklustre levels of performance.

The Bank of England recently disclosed that the recession is affecting Britain’s productivity. The bank estimated that output per hour plunged by nearly four percent in the second quarter of 2009 as workers willingness to take pay cuts persuaded firms to keep them on despite not really needing them, reports the Daily Mail.

The current climate is affecting those in managerial roles too. A recent survey by Top Talent found that 73 percent of managers felt demoralised” because staff cuts caused their workloads to increase and they didn’t feel like they could ask for time off.

One way for companies to keep their employees motivated is to give them more control over their destinies.

Tough times call for more flexibility

Over the past decade, the UK has seen flexible working move to the forefront of the economic and social agenda.

A recent study by the Department for Trade and Industry found that close to 66 percent of companies now have employees who have switched from full time to part time hours, compared with only 46 percent in 1998, reports the Guardian.

The government has called this a sweeping change in the way employees balance work and family responsibilities”. It’s also a way for employers to reduce costs without losing skilled staff.

In January 2009, KPMG was the first of the “big four” accountancy firms to ask employees to cut back their hours, in the hope of avoiding redundancies.

KPMG’s ‘Flexible Futures’ programme presented 11,000 employees in the UK with the following options: a four day workweek and a 20 percent reduction in base pay; a four to twelve week sabbatical at 30 percent base pay; a combination of the two options; or a chance to stick with their current contracts.

Rachel Campbell, head of people for KPMG Europe, told People Management Magazine that the scheme was introduced to ensure “maximum flexibility to respond proactively and positively to any change in the market”.

She added that the firm was “trying to deal with reality but also give employees some control over their own destiny.”

Time out of the office isn’t always time out

Flexible working arrangements don’t suit everyone. Some employees may feel pressured to work harder when they’re at work to justify the extra time off, which increases their stress levels.

And with recent developments in mobile technology giving people more freedom to work from home, time away from the office isn’t necessarily time away from work.

A recent survey of more than 600 UK employees revealed that many were turning into workaholics because technology enabled them to check their office emails and carry on working at home, reports the Guardian.

All of this considered, 85 percent of KPMG s UK based employees have signed up for the flexible working options.

It seems as if the majority of people choose flexi time over full time, despite the decrease in pay, provided there are other benefits such as more leave or a secure future with the company.

In May, staff at Honda’s Swindon plant chose to accept a 3 percent pay cut for workers and a 5 percent pay cut for managers over 10 months. In return, employees got an additional six days’ leave, reports the Telegraph.

And British Airways pilots recently voted in favour of a 2.6 percent pay cut as part of a scheme to save the airline £26m. In return, the pilots received shares in the company worth £13m in total.

Companies are flexing this trend to their advantage

According to People Management Magazine, Flexible Futures could save KPMG up to 15 percent of its payroll costs. At the same time, the firm will retain skilled staff so that it can prosper when the economy recovers.

KPMG’s success story has inspired a number of employers to adopt a similar approach.

One example is BT, who recently asked staff to take a 75 percent pay cut in return for a long term holiday. Alternatively, they could take a one off payment of £1,000 for going part time, with the option of working their hours around school term times so they could spend more time with their children.

A recent CBI survey discovered that 74 percent of UK companies now offer their staff some form of flexible working. Almost two thirds (65 percent) of these firms have said that their employees feel more motivated as a result and 50 percent said productivity had improved.

A silver lining in the clouds of retrenchment

The economic downturn has seen a rise in flexible working and both employers and employees could use this to their advantage.

Choosing flexible working as a way to manage costs while retaining skilled, experienced workers will put businesses in a good position when the economy turns the corner; and workers could view flexi time as a way to strike a beneficial work life balance.

Natalie is a regular contributor of career advice and jobs news for leading UK Job Board http://www.careersandjobsuk.com

Older or Wiser – Profiting From a Diverse Approach

Are organisations still paying lip service to Diversity and Age Positive legislation, or are we seeing tangible benefits from investment in an older and diverse workforce – Careers & Jobs UK investigate the growing issue.

On the 1st October 2006 the Department for Work and Pensions introduced the Age Positive legislation. Designed to prevent companies from overlooking older people because of their age, the campaign was greeted by employers with a lukewarm reception. Most companies’ primary concern was managing their recruitment advertising campaigns to avoid a hefty court case.

Shifting sands
Due to the current economic environment, companies need to adapt and change their working practices along with it. And as companies evolve, employers need their workers to remain flexible.

According to a study done by Bendick, Jackson and Romero, as seen on BBC News, some of the qualities associated with young employees include creativity, willingness to use new technology and lower income expectations.

These qualities are perfect attributes to have in your company during a recession because businesses need innovation and drive to survive it.

The study indicates older employees have qualities that include practical knowledge, loyalty and experience. These are vital assets that will undoubtedly add value to a company during tough times.

Organisations that implement the Age Positive campaign as part of their recruitment strategies are beginning to see the benefits of this in key areas such as customer service.

B& Q, the DIY and garden store recently won the ‘Age Positive Retailer of the Year’ award at the People in Retail Awards.
B& Q chief executive, Ian Cheshire commented: “We have found that older workers have a great rapport with customers, as well as a conscientious attitude and real enthusiasm for the job.”

Apart from customer service improvements, B& Q’s statistics show that since they started recruiting older workers into the company, they have experienced tangible benefits; such as, 18 growth in profits, staff turnover is six times lower and short term absenteeism is down 39 .

Research done by Lancaster University Management School has found that customer satisfaction increased by 20 at restaurants that employ staff over the age of 60.

Rachel Krys, campaign director of the Employers Forum on Age, commented favourably on this and said: “Many people make a good contribution at work and only short sighted organisations would risk removing talented people just because a milestone birthday is approaching.”

Last year the UK Working Nation report done by Vodafone, revealed that older people are the most content and enthusiastic employees in Britain, as reported by Management Today. More than 50 of respondents said that they went to work “to express a skill, talent or passion”.

Sydney (92) from New Malden works as a Garden centre customer advisor at B& Q and commented positively about his work.
“Working at B& Q gives me the chance to put my knowledge and experience to good use, advising customers on their gardening projects. On top of that, working with people of all ages gives youngsters the chance to learn a little from an old timer like myself, and they help to keep me young at heart!”

The benefits are threefold as customers, employers and older employees gain from the endeavour.

Jean (72) from Brentwood told Retail Week that working at Sainsbury’s helped her cope with her sanity after her husband passed away.

“Working means you get to meet people, get yourself tidied up and get out of the house. I really think that working longer prolongs your life,” she said.

“Maybe it’s a work ethic thing, but I find that a lot of people prefer to ask us older staff questions, particularly if it’s about cooking and things like that,” she added.

Worst off during the recession

According to news mooted in the press, graduates and the youth of today are hit worst by the recession.

As a result, the government have implemented new schemes to introduce jobs for young people or training positions.

The Backing Young Britain campaign will create 100,000 new jobs for under 25s as well as 50,000 additional jobs in “unemployment hotspots”.

This project will cost the UK tax payers £1bn and according to the Business Secretary, Lord Mandelson, is our ‘moral obligation’.

However, latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) counter this point and indicate that it is in fact older people who are worse off in the recession.

The Prime Initiative reported that although both groups are having a torrid time, the figures show that older people find it harder to get back into work after being made redundant.

Bryan (52) a divorcee from Kent, previously worked at a company that refurbished offices.
After being made redundant he found it extremely hard to get another job because he had limited skills and no education.
He enrolled for an English course that enabled him to teach English to youngsters up to the age of 12.

“And now I’m off to Taiwan in a couple of weeks to teach English to nine year olds,” he said excitedly adding: “I’m extremely thrilled that I got in and I plan to travel and save up most of my money because at this stage it’s no use for me to stay in England.”

Although Age Positive legislation forces businesses to look at older people differently when it comes to employment, it doesn’t proactively create positions for them.

Diverse employment

The best solution to the age debacle seems to lie within the combination of ages, backgrounds and ethnicity.

B& Q not only won the ‘Age Positive Retailer of the Year’ award because they have employed older workers but also because they have a mixture of diverse groups.

“There are clear business benefits to employing a work force which is diverse and reflects its customer profile,” chief executive, Ian Cheshire added.

Quick advice guide for unemployed, older citizens

1. Don’t panic! Update your CV as the wealth of experience in your field will be priceless.
2. Further your skills as soon as possible especially within technology. Learn to use different computer programs as well as using the internet.
3. Consider a different field of interest that can benefit from your current skills
4. Remember interviews are going to be tough. Formularise yourself with the rules, prepare, and dress the part.
5. Visit your nearest Job Centre Plus for advice and guidance.

Chantel is a regular contributor of career advice and jobs news for leading UK Job Board http://www.careersandjobsuk.com

Going for the Green Job at the Executive Level

Everyone knows that “going green” is all the rage nowadays – and it should be. Sparing our environment of all of the pollution and toxic chemicals we’ve thrown its way over the past years should be a definite goal. This is why green jobs are now becoming popular.

Typically, however, we hear about “green collar” jobs, not necessarily those at the executive level. They do exist, though. So let’s dive into the world of the executive level green job to see how you might make your way into this promising industry.

Jobs in the Green Industry

First, let’s take a look at some careers that you may be able to take advantage of in the green industry. There are tons to get involved in at the executive level, include ecology, bio fuels, building and construction, air and climate, forestry and plants, education and hydropower. However, the list doesn’t end there as you can also get into health, medicine and toxicology, environmental business, solar energy, solid waste, wind power, renewable energy, sustainability and perma culture, and regulations.

Basically, the industry is pretty wide open. Your job is to find your niche within the industry then see how you can tunnel your way in. How can you do this? Let’s look at a few ways to get connected to the green job of your dreams …

How to Connect With Green Jobs

Connecting with a green job at the executive level is probably a lot easier than you think it is. In fact, it’s actually not much different than connecting with any other potential opportunity at your level. Basically, you want to connect with people who are considered to be “in the know.” This means networking both online and, the traditional way, offline to meet those individuals who are making moves in this new and thriving industry. Also, you want to make sure that you get familiar with the lingo and culture. It’s a good idea to do tons of research on the cutting edge companies, technologies and individuals making a difference in the green industry. Learn all you can so that you’re just as well versed in this world as those who are already working in it.

What else? Once you get familiar with companies out there making a difference, it’s a good idea to begin making contact with the decision makers to see how you can fit into their mold. If you’re not sure who to make contact with, you can check company websites to find a wealth of information. You can look for the Board of Directors, C suite company leadership, and even news and press releases to conduct your research.

Green jobs are among the more promising recession proof occupations to take advantage, so why not get in on the action? If you’re looking for work and think a green job may be for you, it’s good to know that there are a number of steps you can take to make your way into this industry. Now it’s up to you to get started. What are you waiting for?


Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Compare the top writers for executive resumes at http://www.resumelines.com.