Posts

Time For a New Career? Here’s How to Scope Out Your Options

StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |New Career|Time For a New Career? Here's How to Scope Out Your OptionsRight now, there are a lot of people looking for new roles. The reasons for this are various and as individual as each person searching the jobs boards. A major cause of people looking for employment is the coronavirus and Covid-19 pandemic. Throughout the course of the pandemic, many people lost their work – whether that was due to the company they worked for collapsing or being made redundant. Many people also took time on furlough or between jobs and have had time to reconsider what they’re doing, realising that the work they’re currently carrying out isn’t for them and that they’d like to try something new. Whatever your reason for looking for a new job, you can rest assured that there are plenty of options out there. Here’s how you can whittle them down and find the right position for you and your needs.

Industry or Sector

First, consider what industry or sector you want to go into. Many people have a vague idea of what kind of work they’d like to do and would find fulfilling. Knowing a general industry or sector can help you to determine what roles are available and conduct more research into them. Some popular industries and sectors include retail, hospitality, healthcare, IT and more.

Training

If you’re entering a completely new field, you may find that certain roles require training or qualifications that can take time, money and effort to receive. You need to determine whether this is something that you are willing to do to be able to land the position you have in mind. If you want to go into medicine, you could have a long, seven year degree ahead of you. If you want to become a security guard, you may need to undertake security guard training. If you want to become an accountant, there will be all sorts of specific courses to the area that you live in that you will need to complete. Determine whether you’re willing to undertake the necessary training before setting your heart on any given role.

Location

The location of a job can determine whether it’s right for you. You need to determine where you want to live and then you can start job hunting within the area. The good news is that most roles are available in most areas. For example, if you want to become a social media manager, chances are, most locations will have a company in need of this. However, for more specific roles, you may need to relocate. For example, if you want to become a marine biologist, chances are, you’re going to have to be willing to live near the sea.

Salary

Of course, salary should be a consideration when applying for roles. What amount of money do you need to be able to provide yourself with a good quality of life. This figure will differ from person to person. If you have dependents, chances are, you’ll need to earn more than someone who lives alone and independently.

These are just a few areas to mull over during your job hunt. Hopefully, each will help you to find a position that works for you!

Talent Acquisition: 7 Ways to Make a Job Offer More Appealing

StrategyDriven Talent Management Article |Talent Acquisition|Talent Acquisition: 7 Ways to Make a Job Offer More AppealingThe average job seeker spends six months or more searching for a new job. The total number of job postings they read and applications they send in can be somewhat mind-boggling. It’s up to employers to make their job posting stand out to job seekers to ensure the best candidate is found.

The question is, how can that be done? Making sure a job positing is appealing to candidates isn’t impossible, but some tips may be needed. Keep reading for some tips on how to make any job posting more appealing.

1. Keep Things Simple

Mentor programs can help anyone find a quality job. However, not everyone uses these. As a result, it’s necessary to make sure job postings are simple and easy-to-understand.

To make job postings easy to read and understand, use bullet points, paragraph breaks, numbering, italics, and boldface when appropriate. Add the company logo to make the job description appear professional. Too much information is the fastest way to lose candidates.

2. A Concise Job Title

Create a job title that is easy to understand by job seekers. Adding a specific department or product in the title only confuses candidates and makes the description less searchable. Also, spell out any search acronyms to improve the searchability of the listing.

3. Get to the Point

It’s tempting to list all the details of a job to make sure the most qualified candidates are found. However, as stated above, keeping things simple is best. Choose five to seven duties and list those using bullet points for clarity. It may be a good idea to add one or two sentence descriptions of each point.

4. Benefits of Working for the Company

When trying to sell a position, include something appealing about the company. Is there something specific that’s awesome or unique about the company? If so, be sure to include it.

If a company is willing, add the salary range or specific salary for the position. Job seekers are also going to want to know about benefits. Make sure it’s clear why this job is important and needed. An individual wants to feel needed, and like they make a difference.

5. Clear Information and Location

Make sure to specify if the position is employee or freelance and if it is full-time or part-time. By adding this information to the listing, it’s going to help the posting stand out. Make sure the location of the job is clear, too.

If it is at the headquarters of the company, add the precise city and state. If there is a remote work opportunity, list where a candidate can work from.

6. Contact Information

If the position is posted on a job board, rather than a company website, this is especially important. Be sure to list the contact information or a link for candidates who are interested to apply with ease. Add a link for the company website or social media pages.

7. Post the Job in the Right Places

Posting a job in the right place’s matters. Use social media, job boards, and the company website to achieve the desired results.

Finding the Right Candidate

Finding the right candidate for an open position takes time and effort. Keep this in mind when creating a job posting. By using the tips here, a company can find a quality candidate that meets all the requirements of the job.

Working In The Oil Industry: Finding Jobs

Finding a job in the current day and age is a lot more difficult than it ever has been before. Ever since the recession occurred, employment has been on shaky ground. The jobs on offer are scarce, yet there is a huge supply of individuals seeking work. The issue that has arisen is evident. Nonetheless, if you are looking for a job then don’t be disheartened. This blog post deals specifically with finding oil jobs. Nevertheless, some of the tips given can be used for other industries.

StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article | Oil Jobs
 
The truth is that whilst there may be fewer oil postings in comparison to say ten years ago, there are still jobs available. First and foremost, you need to know how to locate them properly and then you need to know how to make yourself stand out from all of the other candidates who have applied.

Finding and securing oil jobs

There are lots of different job recruitment websites on there for you to use. You are probably thinking “I’ve already been there and done that”. But, the key is to source out the best database websites for your field specifically.

Don’t go for a general recruitment website – containing everything from jobs in the field of cosmetic surgery to social care. Go for a website that specialises in the field of oil and gas. This is imperative. These websites completely focus in your field of expertise and so they are much more likely to be able to give you the help needed. After all, oil jobs extend a lot further than working on the rigs. You may want to work in sales for a company like owstech.com. This is where a specialist recruitment firm really shows its worth. Furthermore, those looking to recruit people in this field will be much more likely to use a specialist website. They will be sick and tired of posting jobs on websites whereby tons of people respond that do not have the training, experience, or qualifications necessary.

In addition to this, you should be mindful when picking what database website to go with. The site you choose should offer a lot more than merely a list of different jobs available. You should be able to gain all the advice necessary to help you secure the job in question. You can find some tips on this at medium.com. After all, as mentioned in the introduction; it is not just about finding the job it is about securing it as well. In fact, some of the top oil job posting websites have their own blogs whereby they frequently post information regarding how to make yourself stand out from the crowd, the top companies to work for, and so on and so forth. Remember any information you can get your hands on is beneficial. There is no such thing as knowing too much.

If you follow the advice given in this blog, then you are assured to find the best online databases for gas jobs. These websites not only help you to find the job you are looking for, but they help you to secure it as well.

Job Hunters: Here’s What Employers REALLY Want To See on Your CV!

The job market is fierce, for every vacancy out there there’s usually a massive amount of interest. What this means for employers is they have to trawl through CVs- and a lot of them at that, so if yours doesn’t stand out in any way it’s not going to get a second glance. While everyone’s work history and experience is different, you can find that most people’s are shockingly similar with the same bland information and phrases swirling around. Here are a couple of ways you can set yourself ahead of the competition and catch an employer’s eye.

StrategyDriven Career Management Article
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

Speaking Another Language

Being able to speak another language is incredibly impressive and is something that will wow an employer- even if it’s not linked to the job you’re applying for. On the other hand, some careers may require you to be multilingual, so it’s something well worth learning especially if there’s a particular kind of job you want. You could do evening classes and be fluent within a year which really isn’t much time at all if you consider what a complex skill it is. If English isn’t your mother tongue, getting a good grasp of it from a company like EffortlessEnglishClub could boost your chances of a job massively. Since this is one of the world’s most commonly spoken languages, it’s something employers will put a lot of value on.

A Unique Hobby

Employers have seen time and time again how people like ‘going to the gym’ ‘seeing movies’ and ‘socialising with friends’. Most people do these things, it gives very little away about your character. And your hobbies are a chance to show what you’re really like! If you partake in anything fun, quirky or unusual be sure to add this to your CV. It will help to set you apart from the crowd and give more of an insight to what makes you tick. If you’re in search of a fun new hobby, this could be the motivation you need to get out there and find something. You will enjoy yourself, and it will give your cv that bit of an edge.

Voluntary Work

Everyone should aim to do voluntary work if possible. Not only does it give something back to those less fortunate and make you feel good, but from a purely selfish perspective, it looks good on your CV too! This shows employers that you’re in touch with the world aren’t purely driven by money and have a compassionate nature. You could spend a summer abroad helping in a third world country, or you could do an hour a week somewhere local. Elderly care homes, children’s hospitals, animal rescue centres and homeless shelters are usually crying out for extra help. Other things you could do for charity too is fundraising. How about coming up with a unique idea to raise money and getting your friends and colleagues involved? It’s for a good cause and an excellent addition to your CV.

What do you have on your CV which sets it apart from the rest?

My First Date Was A Phone Interview

Looking for a new career? Your phone interviewing skills could be the deciding factor in getting a live interview. The phone interview is KEY to your job campaign success.

Think of the phone interview as a first date. Going out for an ice cream is a great first date: cheap, easy and noncommittal.

If the ‘ice cream’ date goes well, then you may want to spend more time and money on the person so you move on to a dinner or a movie date.

A phone interview is an easy, cost effective way for a company to say, I’m interested in talking with you – similar to an ice cream date. If a company really loves you, the organization would schedule a formal ‘face to face’ interview in the office, spend more time and money on you… similar to a movie or dinner date. Only if you make a great ‘phone interview’ impression will you get a second date.

Here are tips to improve your phone interviewing skills:


Hi there! This article is available for free. Login or register as a StrategyDriven Personal Business Advisor Self-Guided Client by:

Subscribing to the Self Guided Program - It's Free!


 


About the Authors

Paul Bailo, MBA, MSW, Ph.D. (candidate) is the founder and CEO of Phone Interview Pro – a service for job seekers who want to perfect their telephone job interviewing skills. Paul recognized that while resume, interview preparation, and target company research assistance are commonly offered by outplacement and career counseling organizations, the importance of the telephone interview is often overlooked. In response to this, Phone Interview Pro has created a 250+ point phone evaluation not seen in the career services industry… until now! This is not only a new company, but also a whole new industry; it’s exciting for us, of course, but the real excitement generated by Phone Interview Pro will come from those who hone their skills using the service. To read Paul’s complete biography, click here.