Careers and Jobs

In tough times people quite often turn to self help books for inspiration and support. This multimillion dollar industry is preying on the vulnerable and quite often churning out the same stuff under a new revolutionary formula. Most of the readers are looking for quick fix and easy solution BUT in reality there are no easy solutions. Ask any successful person and they will tell you this – “the harder I work the luckier I get”. I recall a book I read some years back which did make sense but on further analysis it was nothing different than that which my mother had drilled into me throughout my youth. Below I have outlined some her classic advice …. and it is not write a CV or prepare for Interviews …..

Nobody likes a misery guts – Sulking and complaining never won any friends. Are you complaining? Are you blaming? Has it assisted your job hunting? I understand that job hunting in a tough market is difficult particularly for those out of work. However negativity will not bring anything to the table. People don’t like to hear it will actually switch off or worse avoid you all together. More importantly negativity will drain your own energy. If you are out of work and struggling to find employment or if you are seeking a career change without success – complaining or blaming won’t assist in any way.

Smarten yourself up – When this was said to me it was about physical appearance but for the purpose of this piece I mean how you market yourself. Ensure that your CV and cover letter are sharp. Ensure that they make the right impact. CV Writing Service in Ireland.

You need to work harder – We have all heard the saying – “work smarter and not harder” In reality you should be doing both. You need to work smart and hard. You need plenty of activity but channeled in the right direction. If you are unsuccessful in your job search – have you explored all the available channels? A friend said to me recently that he had tried everything to get a job but he never asked me for help!! Proactive job search channels will help you access the hidden job market. My friend’s girlfriend got an administration job last month that was never advertised.

I don’t want you hanging around with him – Parents can always spot a bad egg and are skilled at identifying unsuitable associates. You need to use this strategy when job hunting in a tough market. You don’t need negativity when job hunting in a tough market. Spend less time talking to your negative friends and more time talking with the positive and bubbly element of you close network. Surround yourself with support BUT not those who fester negativity and doom and gloom.

Turn off that TV and do your homework – I was never a big TV person as a kid but I guess anything came above homework. The reason I say turn off the TV is because the current content will not inspire you. Most of the news in the papers and on the radio is negative. Reading and listening to this everyday will not inspire you. Remember bad news sells at the minute and the media is ensuring we get our fill of it.

I attended a seminar in Ballsbridge Court Hotel on Wednesday 23rd organised by PA assist and Osborne Recruitment. The seminar was titled “staying up in down times” and focused on motivational advice and personal marketing expertise to help jobseekers in a tough economic climate. This was a great evening with 3 key speakers – Kirishna De, James Sweetman and Brendan of Osborne Recruitment. Due to the nature of my work I am aware of many of the strategies but I still left with great tips and nuggets of information. Speaking to some of the other attendees they left the seminar burdened with positive energy and ideas.

The event commenced with a motivation and success presentation by James Sweetman. I have been aware of James but never met or heard him speak before. James outlined some excellent motivational strategies for jobseekers in difficult job market conditions. He encouraged individuals to cast off the shackles and move out of their comfort zones into uncharted waters. James touched on a number of key strategies I feel strongly about – Jack Canfields E+R=O and the importance of shutting out the bad news and negative people. James delivered the presentation with humour and laced with excellent motivational stories.

James was followed by Brendan Murphy of Osborne Recruitment. First thing that struck me about Brendan was his honesty. Brendan delivered an open and frank assessment to the job market followed by some of the key elements for marketing yourself during job applications and interviews. Even with the limited exposure to Brendan & Osborne I get the impression that working with his recruitment company would be a positive experience from an employer or a jobseeker perspective. Osborne Recruitment is a successful recruitment consultancy recruiting across a number of industry sectors.

Last but certainly not least Krishna De spoke about the use of online technology and social networking to market yourself, enhance networking and make yourself recession bullet proof. This was the session of personal interest for me and it did not disappoint – very informative and again well executed. I had a great interest in this section from a business development point of view BUT to enhance my knowledge to support my private career coaching and corporate outplacement clients. Krishna De is a leading personal branding consultant and social media marketing expert.

Overall I though the night was very worthwhile and plenty of new ideas but also reinforcement of existing ideas and strategies. As pointed out it is very easy to slip back into old habits and comfort zones.

Well done guys and gals!!

Lack of interview preparation and interview nerves are a thing of the past due to the launch of new Interview Coaching website www.interviewsolutions.ie. The new site was established by Paul Mullan founder of Measurability. Measurability is a Career, Outplacement and HR consultancy so the new site is an extension of the existing business.

Interview Solutions will tailor interview preparation programmes to suit individual requirements. It will help jobseekers with “what to say” and “how to say it” at interviews.

Paul and his team have vast experience in HR, Recruitment & Selection and Interviewing. Measurability is established as one of the leading Career & Outplacement consultancies in Ireland working with a wide range of private and corporate clients delivering exceptional results.

To find out more information visit Interview Coaching.

Interviewsolutions will also be developed to offer free advice for jobseekers who want to prepare on a budget. There are many interview preparation tips, interview questions and interview answers. This information will help your interview skills and interview techniques.

Sun Microsystems announced on Friday that it will be cutting between 5,000 and 6,000 jobs globally which represents about 15% of its workforce. High loss has put the company under pressure to take these drastic changes. It is estimated that these job cuts would save the company about USD800m annually.

Careers & Jobs for all the latest jobs news in Ireland. Read recent stories about KOSTAL, BANTA GLOBAL & CITCO FUND SERVICES.

Careers & Jobs helping jobseekers achieve their career goals in Ireland. Read a recent post about Job Search Strategies. Help with CV’s, Cover Letters & Interviews – CV Writing Tips & Help, Cover Letters, Interview Tips Skills & Techniques and much more.

You have all heard of the saying “you get what you pay for”. This is true when dealing with the topic of CV and CV writing. Some of the most popular keywords searched on Google are CV & FREE. We all want the best jobs and best salaries yet we are obviously not prepared to invest in our CV. Would you go to a butcher for a hernia operation? With free CV advice you have to ask yourself two questions.

(1) How much value is the free information?

From experience you will get the basic information – standard script. Is it worthwhile or any value? Well, it will help you write a CV with basic information on format, layout and content BUT the CV won’t make an impact and sell you in a tight market. I can tell you from experience most CV’s I review are sub-standard. The problem is that many jobseekers have been getting away with poor quality CV’s because of skill shortages in most sectors. As things tighten in these markets these poor CV’s will be found out.

(2) Why am I getting these free CV tips and advice?

Free is a tool to attract you to the site to sell something else. I had the experience recently where I took the option of availing of a free book from a popular life coach. Basically I was hounded for about 3 months after trying to sell me other books and seminars.

If you want a professional CV there are many CV service providers in the market including Measurability. Like anything else in life shop around, get references, samples of work before you make a decision.

Happy CV writing!!