Thinking About #Job Hunting in 2014?

Seeking a new career challenge in 2014? Look no further - we can help with all your career management strategies:

• Invest in a new professionally written CV.
• Get specialist help with your job applications.
• Receive an impartial view of your skill set.
• Prepare for interview.
• Stuck in a rut? Not sure which career path to follow? A career mentoring session might be of help.

                          Sit Back, Grab A Coffee, Let The Experts Take The Strain

                                        www.onestopcareershop.co.uk

Is your new year's resolution for 2014 to get a new job or maybe to invest in your career?

Navigate the #Job Application Pathway - with the aid of the #Resume Rhyme

The job application and recruitment process is a highly competitive one. Make use of the “Resume Rhyme” to navigate through each stage of the job hunting process, with a view to securing that new job.  

 

Navigate the recruitment pathway - shine light on what is required

 

Upfront Research	R	Research the company, its markets and the job.
	E	Evaluate what’s required to ensure you stand out from the mob.
Application & Interview Preparation	S	Summarise and sell your skills to best effect.
	U	Understand the job requirements and then reflect.
Interview	M	Memorise likely interview examples, without faking.
	E	Employment is then yours for the taking!

How to Start Formulating Your #Career Strategy

Part 2 of our series on career management. 

  
We have been exploring what is career management, with a view to helping individuals devise their own career management strategies.

Previously we identified the elements of career management as:

The First Step Is To Define The Elements Of Your Career Strategy

 The Next Steps:

In the spirit of owning and shaping your personal career strategy it is necessary to do some preparation work up front. This helps to ensure that you get the most effective career management strategy possible. Give some thought to the first things you will need in order to begin to define your career strategy. I would suggest the following:

• Interests
• Values
• Goals
• Drivers
• Vision/Career Direction 

Break Down The Components of Your Career Strategy

Below are some ideas to get you started, it is not an exhaustive list. Do ask yourself the questions and answer them honestly - you may surprise yourself by getting different answers than you expected!


Interests:

• Does the content of any job need to be aligned to your own interests?
• Are you already interested in a particular sector/industry?
• Will the job/career you are considering allow you to follow/continue to follow your own interests?

Values:

• What is important to you in general - what makes you tick?
• What values are you seeking in an employer?
• When considering an employer is a particular brand or market position important?
• Is being able to make a difference important to you?
• Do you need to feel valued through pay and benefits?
• Do you value family and work-life balance? Is flexible working essential?

Goals:

• What is important to you right now?
• What is your most important priority?
• Where do you want to be in x time?
• What outcome are you seeking in this situation?

Drivers:

• Do you need autonomy?
• Are you a decision maker?
• Are you motivated by recognition for having specialist expertise?
• Do you want to be a people manager?
• Are you highly creative?
• Are you highly competitive and thrive on a challenge?

Vision/Career Direction:

• Are you ambitious? What career progression do you want or need?
• Do you want to work towards a management or more senior management position?
• What size company do you want to work for?
• Are you risk taker or do you seek job security?
• What about geographic location?
• What personal/career development do you want or need?
• Do you see yourself swapping careers at any point?
• Do you want to run your own business?

Still unsure about a career strategy? How about discussing some of the above with friends and family? They know us so well, so are often great at helping shape some ideas. 

Hopefully that's given you a few ideas for a starting point. In Part 3 we will be discussing skills, experience and growth and the role they have to play in a personal career strategy.

Good luck with developing your personal career strategy. If you require any help and advice we can be contacted at Help With Formulating a Career Strategy

CV & Interview Hints & Tips Video

A #CV and #interview hints and tips video which supplements our posts on #CV writing and CV/Interview hints and tips. We hope you find this useful.

One Stop Career Shop also offers a free, no obligation, CV review service.

Is It Time To Dust Off Your CV?

Have you had the same #CV for ages?  
Are you thinking about a #job move?
Not sure where to start with #CV writing?
Need someone to review your CV for you?
 
Now could be the time to dust off your CV ready for a spot of job hunting. At the One Stop Career Shop we offer a free, no obligation, CV check with feedback report.

Click here to contact us if you would like to arrange a free CV review.

Twitter Another Job Hunting Tool

On the social media and job hunting theme Twitter can also be a great job hunting tool. Thanks to @BrazenCareerist via @Slough_JCP for this Twitter article. We are new to Twitter (yes I know that's way behind everyone else!) but we love it!

One Stop Career Shop offers career mentoring services to clients, whom we often help with job searches. We have found Twitter to be a valuable job hunting and placement tool.   

Photo Credit: Coletivo Mambembe

What Is The Right Job For You?

We are exploring career strategy and career management at the moment but before you can do that that you really need to think about your career goals and direction. This is a topic we will be exploring shortly, as it is the first step in defining your personal career strategy.  

Once you have done that you will be able to define what is the right job for you I liked this article on Finding the Right Jobs from @AfterRedundancy, which includes some good advice.