 Image credit: Rodnae Productions from Pexels It is now been just over one year since the UK government announced a total lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s been a funny year. The world has felt like it has both sped up and slowed down at the same time. Everything looks different now.
You can’t go shopping unless it’s for essentials, lots of people haven’t been able to spend time with their friends and family, and when you do go to places you have to sanitise everything and wear a mask as protection. The saddest thing of all is that people have lost loved ones and their jobs as a result. Lots of people are feeling incredibly hopeless right now, and when there may not seem as though there’s a light at the end of this long, dark, tunnel--it is still worth thinking of planning towards your future- especially if you have lost work. Look at Your CV There’s going to be a lot of competition for people applying for work right now. Recruiters will be busier than ever making their way through all of the CVs that come to their inbox supporting an application for a job that they have advertised. You don’t want yours to be at the bottom of that big pile. Find someone to look at your CV and ask them to tell you honestly what it says about you as a potential employee. Would they employ you based on your CV? Chances are that this interview ticket is selling you short. If necessary, hire a professional CV writer to write yours for you to help you to put your best foot forward and get you that interview. Consider Changing Career Path If you’ve lost a job then the first thing you’re going to do is to start looking for jobs with the same title. However, why should that always be the case? If you’ve had several years of experience in one industry, the chances are that you’ve developed some pretty impressive transferable skills that can be used all over the place. Changing career path is not an easy thing to consider, especially in the current market--but now is as good a time as any to do just that. Discuss your previous experience with recruiters and let them do some of the hard work employment matching for you. Use This as an Opportunity to Upskill During the first lockdown, lots of course providers started to provide their content online. This is great news as it means that there’s plenty of opportunities for you to learn more skills to make you more employable. One of the benefits of this is that you can complete the work in your own time and at your own pace. So whether you’re interested in doing either coding, business administration or health and social care courses, there are plenty of options for you. The best news is that being out of work is the perfect opportunity for you to reassess and take the time to figure out exactly where you want to be in life.
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 Image credit: Photo by David Rangel from Unsplash Finding a job is not an easy task in today’s saturated markets. Unemployment has been on the rise for years and it seems to be slowly sinking into the red zone because of Covid-19. However, there is still a way to achieve your career goals. When finding a job, you have probably already looked at all the websites that promise to offer the best jobs in your city. Perhaps you have joined groups and social media sites that help you find suitable positions. What else can you do to assist yourself?
Don’t limit yourself When applying to a job searching company, do not necessarily give a limited job definition that you can perform. If you have a wealth of skills, apply even for jobs that may be quite different from each other. Also, do not hesitate to challenge yourself and ask for job offers as well that seem to be less likely to be accepted. Be sure to emphasize your benefits and abilities and what you are willing to give and invest. Tell employers how you can benefit, and what your contribution will be to their business. And always, do preliminary (not necessarily long) research on the intended employer. Find out what the corporate culture is, what characterizes the company. When you come to an interview with prior knowledge and with clear answers to questions, the chances of finding a job even faster rises miraculously. In addition, learn to use the smart tools that can be found within job search sites. With these tools, you can better focus on the jobs that interest you. By job definitions, by geographical areas, by the type of flexibility you want. Using these tools will allow you to spend less time searching because you will find a job much easier - even in these turbulent times. Look at your current skills and see what may need to be improved on. If you want to work in technology then perhaps you should consider a course in computer technology or a niche area. If you want to move into garden landscaping, you should consider looking at ways to learn how to become a tree surgeon. Once you have these skills in black and white, you will have the confidence to talk openly to the employer about what you can offer them in return. Stay on top of opportunities by receiving email notifications about suitable jobs. This will cut down the time you spend trolling through every page. It is very important to be updated on a daily basis on the site as the supply of jobs varies from day to day and you will not want to miss the opportunity when interesting and new jobs emerge in your region. The use of social media sites helps prospective employers look at your track record which is why you should use LinkedIn and other sites to cultivate a great image. Keep information professional, including your email address. Show you’re serious and willing to find a great position and you will surely stumble upon the ideal job.  Image credit: Marc Mueller on Pexels During the coronavirus pandemic, unemployment rates have skyrocketed everywhere you look. In the United Kingdom, the unemployment rate has gone up to 4.8 percent. Nearly 250,000 people have lost their jobs since June of this year. That is the largest unemployment increase in a three-month period since 2009.
The same thing can be said with the United States in terms of unemployment. Rates are the highest they have been in a long time. According to the United States’ Bureau of Labor and Statistics, U.S unemployment currently sits at 6.9 percent. Before 2020, the last time the states’ rate of unemployment was this high was November of 2013. With all that being said, it may be harder to find a job at this current point in time than it has been in recent memory. But in the same breath, it is worth mentioning that you should not just take any old job that you come across. Yes, if you need the money right then and now, that is not a bad route to go. But if that is not the case, you should take some time in deciding the route you want to go in. Here a few things you should consider when concluding on whether or not a job is a good fit. What is the commute like Commuting to work every morning can be a pain. So when considering whether or not a job is right for you, make sure you have a good idea of how long the commute is. The commute to a company offering you a position should not be the biggest of worries, but it would be pretty inconvenient to take two hours to drive into work and two hours to drive home. Is the company you are working for well managed This is essential when finding the right job. If you work for a company that is professionally handled, organized life can be a lot easier. No one wants to work for a disheveled boss with a nasty personality. It could make waking up every day that much harder. So when picking an occupation, look at the company as a whole. Ask questions about employee benefits, what the chain of command at the company/organization is, and how communicating is effectively done at that given job. Do you like the work you are doing This might be the most important of them all. Making sure you like what you do day in and day out is so important. You do not want to show up to work dreading the next eight hours of your life. Try and find an occupation that is engaging and keeps you entertained: even if that means there is a little more stress on your plate. That is a little easier said than done, but do your best! You know yourself enough to say whether or not you would be a good fit working in a restaurant, office building, gym, et cetera. Being bored can be a lot worse than being busy, so try and find work that will make you excited to head in and earn that paycheck.  Image credit: Unsplash under Creative Commons People who hate their jobs tend to move on and look for something else. Some even change their careers when they’re feeling unfulfilled by work.
But what do you do if you love your career, but need a new challenge? The good news is that there are a lot of ways you can turn things around and inject some excitement into your job. Here is some useful advice for taking on a new challenge, without changing your career. Move to a new location f you’re starting to outgrow your current workplace, moving to a new location could help keep things fresh for you. A change in location not only helps you realise new career opportunities but opportunities for your personal life too. Perhaps you want to move closer to home to be with family, or even move to an exciting new city or country? Wherever you decide to relocate, you’re going to need to get on the job hunt. Check out cmr.com.au for some exciting opportunities that could invigorate your career. A change of scenery brings all kinds of changes, and could be just what you need to shake things up. Start chasing that promotion Perhaps a part of your frustration comes from outgrowing your role? When your job starts becoming routine and easy, it could be a sign that you’re ready for more. Start preparing for a promotion so that you’re ready to go for it when the opportunities come your way. Volunteer your time and skills to help others If you’ve always felt like you could do more with your skills and expertise, why not use what you have to do some good for others? If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, tit’s that community values are more important than ever. There are several ways you can use your skills to help others, including mentoring, pro bono work and volunteering to help charities and good causes. This can bring a lot of fulfilment to your role, and could even help you discover new opportunities that could help you choose a different path for your career. Take on a side hustle Side hustles are a great way to develop other interests that you have, without sacrificing your career. There are inspiring stories of people who’ve embarked on incredible new ventures, from starting fitness businesses to their own pizza brand! It’s possible to be passionate about more than one thing at a time, so why not give it a try so that you can get more out of your career. If you’re dissatisfied with your current situation, then it’s time to make a change. Even if you love your career, it doesn’t mean you have to stay exactly where you are - there are ways you can develop and grow tbring exciting change to both your career and your life outside work. There are all kinds of challenges out there waiting for you, so which one will you take on first?  Image credit: Burst on Pexels Right now, increasing numbers of people are deciding to set up their own small businesses. This is understandable. The coronavirus pandemic has seen hundreds of thousands lose their day to day jobs and the job market isn’t exactly bustling with new options for us to apply to. Many of us are looking for ways to make money in order to pay our bills and keep our lives on track. Nowadays, setting up a small business is easier than ever. All you have to have is something to sell and a website to sell it from. So, people are getting innovative. From selling face masks, hand sanitiser and other products that are in high demand right now to make some money until things get back to normal, to starting a small business with intentions for things to be longer term, setting up a company of your own could be the best thing you can do right now. Of course, if you’re going to set up a company, you’re going to have to really focus on security now. People are more desperate than ever, or simply recognise that new companies are cropping up and they’re more vulnerable, and this has led to an increase in crime, theft and more recently. So, here are a few ways to protect your new startup!
Physical Security First things first, let’s focus on physical security. Chances are you’re operating your business from home right now. But this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re completely free from risk of theft or attack. If you have stock in your home, you’re going to have to protect it. There are a couple of ways you can protect yourself from theft of stock. First, you may want to invest in security solutions from Securafit. There are multiple options you might want to consider. First, you should consider having some sort of CCTV system installed. Not only will this deter criminals from attempting to steal any of your stock with the threat of evidence of what they’re doing, but it will capture evidence of any crime that anyone does attempt to commit. Nowadays, you can get high quality systems at a really reasonable price. It’s definitely more than worth the investment. Plus, it protects your home from other domestic issues, such as burglary too! Next, you mighty want to invest in intruder alarms. This way, if someone does enter your property, an alarm will be triggered, alerting you to the issue and encouraging criminals to scarper before they’re caught. Digital Security Digital security is at the forefront of most business’ minds right now. Cyber criminals are aware that more and more businesses are operating from home and that new start ups are emerging on a remote basis. They are also aware that this means many businesses are vulnerable, as people are often working on insecure networks and may be prone to falling for phishing and other scams. Make sure to work with a competent IT solutions team to keep all of your data, documents and files secure! Keeping your remote business secure really is important, whether you’re planning on operating for the short term or the long term. Hopefully, some of this information will help you to achieve this and protect your profits!  Image credit: Jonathan Borba on Unsplash Wouldn’t it be great if you knew exactly what questions a hiring manager would be asking you in your next job interview? We can’t read minds, unfortunately, but The Muse has the next best thing: a list of more than 40 of the most commonly asked interview questions, along with advice for answering them all.
 Image credit: pmbbun on Pixabay In order for your business to succeed, you need to have the right team of people in place propelling it forward day after day. Without that, your business will fail to launch and your dreams of success will be in ruin. Not many businesses can succeed off the back of one person’s aims and ambitions. It takes a team effort, and that makes building and motivating your team one of the most important tasks you’ll have. Here’s how to do it.
Create an Environment That Allows Your Team to Take Risks You should work to create the kind of environment that gets the best out of the team at your disposal. You should look for ways to encourage your staff to go their own way and take risks. Employees that feel empowered and liberated tend to be the ones who do the best work. Give them to the space to do their best work and it’s your business that will benefit in the long-term. Find Ways to Boost Morale and Team Spirit There are lots of ways to boost your team’s morale and team spirit. You need to make sure they enjoy the work they do and enjoy coming to work. And you should also take steps to make sure that the way in which they work is focused on togetherness and teamwork. When people rely on one another and work together, there’ll be a better team spirit among your group. Learn How to Maximize the Talent Available to You The team you have is there for you to mold and shape. It’s up to you as the leader of the team to make sure that you’re doing everything within your power to get the most out of them. With good leadership and the right kind of direction, even a mediocre team can achieve great things. So your role in this is going to be key. Get Help with the Hiring Process Building a team always involves hiring new people, and that’s always something that you should enter into carefully. Places like DSC Personnel can help with the process and offer their expertise when you’re looking for certain kinds of employees. Getting this help might help you to find the right people more easily and avoid the mistakes that small businesses so often make in the hiring process. Recognize Each Team Member’s Contribution Finally, you should make sure that you recognize the contribution that each person in the team makes. Everyone has something to offer and it’s important that you recognize that and make the most of each person’s individual talents because that’s how you’ll get the most out of them. If you want your business to achieve lasting success, you need to make sure that you have a team in place that’s capable of making that happen. Follow the advice above and make sure that your team has the qualities and abilities you need, and that you have the talents to get the most out of them.  Being more productive could be the real answer to a better work-life balance and give you more 'you' time! Fast Company has the details!
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 There is so much job search advice out there, literally everywhere! But sometimes you can miss the very basics! The Muse has some very basic tips to try out whilst on the hunt for that new gig!
You can also get 'The Ultimate List of Job Search Strategies To Land you Next Job' from Fancy Resumes' to give you that cutting edge plan to the next big gig of yours!  Fast Company have a list of 7 books that could help you become a leader in 2020. Click here to start building your library!
 Your CV on average can take just 34 seconds to be rejected! The Sun has some of the do's and don'ts for your CV check!
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 When you apply for a job, you actually have two CV's out there. You may well submit one CV but its also your social media that acts as the second one so knowing exactly what's on it really helps especially as recruiters will find it too! The Muse has 8 easy ways to have a clean up!
 Photo credit: Life A Journey Hiring managers are now saying that emotional intelligence is valued more than IQ. Fast Company have a quick read to why emotional intelligence is one of the fastest growing job skills.
 If you've retired and looking for something on the side, your own little side hustle then it might be worth checking out the book, '100 Side Hustles: Unexpected Ideas for Making Extra Money Without Quitting Your Day Job by Chris Guillebeau. Forbes has more on the great read!
 Photo credit: apost.com "When leaders forget about the human element, they're holding back their companies and limiting the success of others." Sheldon Yellen, CEO of property-restoration company Belfor Holdings, hand-writes 9,200 birthday cards a year! You can read more in Business Insider!
 Photo credit: Open Door America Leaders can inspire, they can motivate and some make it look really easy, but just how do they do this? You can read more at TonyRobbins.com!
 Life is learning, everyday is learning and sometime when you look back, you wish you had known some of those things you've learnt, but when you were younger. Inc.com tells of 5 lessons most people learn too late in life!
 In the world of more and more companies trying to adopt a four-day workweek, Microsoft Japan tried it and saw a 40% increase in productivity! CNN Business has more on what could become more common!
 Photo credit: Inc.com If you're unhappy at work, there will be a reason! Maybe there's no chance of promotion or you've outgrown your position, but the question is should you tell your boss? The Muse has more!
 For weeks you've wanted out, had enough of the daily crap you've had to deal with, but the question is, "Is it nuts to quit your job with no backup plan?" The Muse has some insight in how to approach this question!
 Whether you like your job or not and if you don't, what are you doing to escape it?? The Muse have five things that you should get at work, yes even if you don't like the place!
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