Taylor A Practical Guide to Getting the Job you Want

Find Your Dream Job
1. Auflage 2013
ISBN: 978-1-84831-524-2
Verlag: Icon Books
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 224 Seiten

Reihe: Practical Guide Series

Introducing Getting the Job You Want supports you through all the stages of finding your perfect job - from organisation and preparation to the different ways to implement a job search campaign. In a challenging job market you need to create a resumé that will sell you, and to be well prepared for interview. Both new graduates and those returning to the job search will learn simple yet effective techniques from award-winning career psychologist, Denise Taylor.

Denise Taylor is a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow with the British Psychological Society and a double award winning career coach with AMAZING PEOPLE. Denise has written 7 books including How to Get a Job in a Recession 2012 (Brook House Press, 2011). Denise is a regular contributor to The Guardian Career Forums, featured in the national press (The Guardian, Telegraph, Sunday Express, The Sun), BBC and local Radio and a range of magazines including Glamour, Esquire and Top Santé. Follow Denise on Twitter @amazingpeople.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Taylor, Denise

Leseproben

2. Be clear on your goal

Before focusing on looking for a job, you need to be clear on what you want to do. Having a clear idea of the job you want means that every aspect of your job search is focused on achieving your objective.

Do you know what you want to do? You need to identify a career that will excite you but that is also one where you are likely to be successful, even if it may entail further training or experience, otherwise you are setting yourself up to fail.

The easiest job to get is one that is similar to the job you already have (or had), or the next level up, and in a similar company. It is more challenging – although not impossible – to make a change; it can involve a drop in salary and will definitely require you to be absolutely clear on why you want this change of career and how you match up.

You have focus when you know what you want to do. Your goal may be difficult to achieve right now, so break it down and think about what jobs could be a step on the way to where you want to be. This will help you choose a job wherein you will gain relevant experience that will enhance future applications.

Jenny knew she wanted a career in marketing, and also knew that competition was tough, so she works as a temp in a marketing agency, helping her to make contacts, find out more about the industry and enhance her CV for her next application.

Keith wanted to stay within the finance field after redundancy – and knows that his 15-year track record will appeal to other companies. Within just a few months he is successful in finding a new role.

Sue wanted to keep her options open and applied for everything she thought she could do, but her CV was vague, she couldn’t be specific when telling others what she wanted and four months on is despondent – she can’t understand why she has only been shortlisted once.

Many people seek to keep their options open but as Sue (in the above case study) found, this can make it harder to create a clear message, whether you are talking to somebody or revising your CV. It also means you are going to find it hard to do sufficient research – you can’t look in depth if you are focused on too many options.

The choice you make is not for ever – indeed a career for life is now a rarity. You are making the choice for your next job. Some people will work towards a defined career path. For others it will be a job for the next couple of years, where they gain experience and then reconsider the direction they will go in.

Most people make a career decision based on their career history. They look at their CV and choose a job to apply for based on what they have done before. This can often be the easiest way to get a new job, and if you need to get a job quickly, this may be your best option. Once settled in a new job, you can then take time to explore what you would really want to do and plan a move to achieve your new goal.

It’s always worth spending time reviewing who you are and making a decision on what it is that you want to do. The rest of this chapter takes you through practical exercises to aid your career decision-making.

Let’s start by looking back to when you were younger.

Looking back to childhood

What did you love to do when you were young? What subjects did you enjoy at school? How did you spend your spare time? What activities made you lose track of time? Make a note. Often these activities had real meaning for us and they may provide inspiration for a career change or ideas for how to tweak a job.

James, who loved to draw, became an accountant because his parents said it would be a secure job. Carrie, who loved to mend and make things, didn’t pursue a career path like engineering but instead moved into retail management, as she wanted to fit in with her friends. Both may be good at the jobs they have chosen but believe there is a more fulfilling career for them elsewhere.

Who are you?

Alongside looking back into childhood, we can also think about the type of person we are – quiet, thoughtful people are drawn to different jobs than outgoing people. Make a note of the many ways in which you can describe yourself; start by looking at the list below for ideas. You may like to add to this over the next few days.

Achievement-driven

Adaptable

Adventurous

Aggressive

Analytical

Assertive

Astute

Bashful

Careful

Caring

Competitive

Confident

Creative

Curious

Decisive

Dependable

Disciplined

Dominant

Efficient

Empathic

Expedient

Focused

Forgiving

Imaginative

Impulsive

Introspective

Logical

Methodical

Modest

Objective

Patient

Persistent

Practical

Precise

Punctual

Realistic

Reserved

Resilient

Resourceful

Self-critical

Sensitive

Sociable

Straightforward

Strategic thinker

Tactful

Talkative

Task-orientated

Tense

Tolerant

Traditional

Unassuming

Understanding

Versatile

Weak

Worrier

Skills – what can you do?

Skills are the things we have learned to do, gained through both work experience and hobbies. They fall into a number of categories such as communication skills, interpersonal skills, leadership skills, organizational skills, analytical skills, problem-solving skills, financial skills, numerical skills, practical skills and creative skills.

Make a note of your top skills – what are the tasks that you are praised for achieving, and what are you qualified to do? It’s not just about what you have done in your current or most recent job; skills can include things you do outside of your main, paid work such as a hobby or interest. As you write down your top skills, there will be some that you don’t enjoy using, so cross these out. With the ones that remain, make sure you are specific. For example, which are better: your written or verbal communication skills? Are your verbal skills better in one-to-one situations or in large groups? Providing an example of using each skill will be very useful for revising your CV and to discuss at interview.

Interests

Make a note of everything you enjoy doing. This does not need to be focused purely on work tasks; thinking more broadly can generate possibilities. Even if you can’t directly use your interest in a specific job, it can help with the work setting. For example, if you are an accountant with a love of art, you could seek opportunities within art galleries, museums etc.

Lucy completed this exercise and realized that she had always thought of herself as creative, witty and outgoing, so why was she working as a contracts manager in an organization where these characteristics were not highly valued? She was good at her job – she could pay attention to detail and was able to communicate effectively both in writing and in person. She loved music – she went to gigs and kept in touch with new music through internet radio shows. The exercise resulted in her considering a career reviewing contracts within the music business.

Nick was an unhappy lawyer who loved golf. He wondered if it would be possible to follow his dream of becoming a golf pro. It was, and he is!

Personality and environment

John Holland, a US psychologist, developed a theory that vocational interests are a result of personality, so people will express their personality through their career choices as well as through their hobbies. His theory divides people and jobs into six broad areas: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. Read the descriptions of these six different groups below and choose the two that most resonate with you.

Realistic: Jobs which fall into this category involve operating machinery, providing security, using computers or outdoor jobs including farming. Hobbies probably include being outdoors – hiking, camping, being active, building or repairing things. You are probably noted for mechanical ingenuity and dexterity, physical coordination and common sense.

Investigative: Jobs which fall into this category involve research, science, mathematics and working in a lab, doing research and solving abstract problems. Hobbies may include reading, playing strategy games and doing puzzles. You are probably noted for being intellectually curious and analytical.

Artistic: Jobs which fall into this category include creating art, writing, performing, and composing music. Hobbies may include listening to music, visiting art galleries and museums, going to the theatre, producing art and playing music. You are probably noted for being imaginative, independent and creative.

Social: Jobs which fall into this category are those which demonstrate listening skills, verbal ability and people skills, including teaching, counselling, healthcare and religion. Hobbies probably include volunteering, community service and reading self-development books. You are probably noted for your...