Georgie’s Guide To working life!
Are you a graduate who has just finished University or a young professional finishing their Secretarial Course and wondering what the next step is to your career?
That was me once and it’s that daunting reality of becoming an adult, accepting responsibility and furthermore not being guided. It can actually be an intimidating and unapproachable change that nobody really wants to face. It’s the endless dinner parties/drink parties, social events where you stand there beside your parents, smiling sweetly whilst the same daggering question is asked ‘SO TELL ME, WHAT’S NEXT. HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO…’ and you reply politely like you always do whilst you think to yourself ‘YES OF COURSE I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT, AND IF ONE MORE PERSON ASKS ME I’M GOING TO LOSE IT AND HAVE A SERIOUS TANTRUM ’.
So I thought I would put together some easy steps to a hopefully pain free job hunt to endeavour to help you find your dream job.
1) CV: Your CV is the key to get you in the door so it needs to be presentable, readable and applicable to what job you want to apply for.
– Define what you want to do in life: At the top of your CV you should provide a Profile (a blurb) of what skills you have and can apply in your potential new role and how your work experience has made you the person you are today. It needs to be short and concise – generally no more than about 5 lines.
– Keep your CV to two pages: A lot of CV’s waffle and have too much content that you end up losing the key bit of what you have done. The more refined and to the point your CV is the better.
– Make it look presentable so it flows and it’s easy to read. Choose a normal font (Calibri or Ariel) and keep the writing around size 11. Make sure job titles are aligned and have capital letters, make sure dates are on the left hand side and in bold. Bullet point your CV and get straight to the point. Make sure all previous roles are in chronological order – sounds obvious but you’d be surprised how many people don’t do it.
2) Moving to London or near London: Commuting is a nightmare, it can be extremely exhausting and very expensive.
– Often interviews can be organised last minute so when you are looking for a job and you’re not living in London, make sure you have somewhere to stay and let your consultant know exactly when you are free to interview.
– If you are looking for somewhere to live in London then there are plenty of websites such as Spareroom.co.uk where you can apply for rooms online with Londoners looking for a new house mate.
– Get yourself Apps such as Citymapper or tube map. I found myself seriously panicking the night before (leaving it to the last minute) my interview, on the computer trying to track down which tube or bus I needed to take for my interview. These Apps changed my life, just put the post code of one destination to another and they calculate your time, the tube you need to take, plus the changes and walking time. It’s the perfect way in making you organised and on time!
3) Apply to at least 4 agencies: Finding work can often be a slow process and can often make you feel uninspired and deflated but you shouldn’t worry as agencies can do the hard work for you. Just sign up to the following and you will be signed to a consultant who will assist with your job search and supply you with various interviews and then hopefully as a result, provide you with a dream job. It’s a no brainer! A stress free way of finding your ideal job without endless searches and wasting of time searching on the web.
4) Job Offers: Getting a job offer can be one of the most exciting experiences in life but you need to be wise in your decision making and try not to make irrational decisions.
– Keep your options open: Do not put ‘all your eggs into one basket’ as you never know what may happen. Until you receive a contract, a job offer can be Retracted. Luckily this doesn’t happen often!
Do not rush into it: Think about what you really want to do. Look at the salary, the location, the benefits and the demands they are wanting from you. If any of this you are unsure on – CHECK! Do not leave it till the last minute before it is too late. If you’re unsure about anything you must talk to your consultant about it.
5) Buy yourself a fab new work wardrobe: When starting your new job you need to make a good first impression. Buy yourself some fabulous new outfits to not only look great but make you feel great.
– Do not turn up for an interview looking dishevelled: First impressions are everything. Turning up in a scruffy t-shirt and some unwashed trousers will not be thought of highly and will immediately give the interviewer the wrong impression. We’d rather you go overdressed than underdressed!
– Zara, H&M, Reiss: Are all great good value places to buy the ideal wardrobe for work- without breaking the bank!
So there you are. Five easy steps to an easy journey to your ideal job. I always wished there was a guide like this for me to read.
Good Luck!! The world’s your oyster!
Written by Georgie Banks
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