Rise in UK job vacancies over past six months – are we all ok now?

Is the rise in jobs advertised  in the UK something to feel good about?

Rise in UK job vacancies over past six months, says search engine Adzuna in this recent article:

http://uk-job-vacancies-search-adzuna

Yes it is good news. But as the article points out we’re still not out of the woods as competition for jobs remains fierce in many areas. Across the UK, according to the article, Adzuna said there were 3.4 jobseekers for each advertised vacancy, but this masked huge regional difference. The article also says “Adzuna said the place it was most difficult to find a job was Salford, where there were more than 55 jobseekers for every job, closely followed by Wirral (55) and Hull (53). In contrast in Aberdeen, there were 0.38 job hunters for each advertised role, while the data for Cambridge, Guildford, Reading and Winchester also suggested a dearth of potential applicants for each position”

Jobs around academia still remain highly competitive so we will still need to think how we can effectively go about job hunting. Here are some ideas.

EFFECTIVE JOB HUNTING

1. Start by asking yourself what you want and what you can  offer

There’s that old saying you’ll never get anywhere unless you know where you’re going. If you are focused in knowing what you want – you will be much more successful in getting it. Ask yourself:

• What kind of job would be your ideal?

• What would be your minimum and maximum salary, travel distance, any training needs?

2. Map out your skills

You need to know what you offer an employer. During the job hunting process, you will need to ensure that these trip off your tongue quickly. Know your abilities, strengths and skills . These are the questions to ask yourself at the start of a job search:

• What are your core skills?

• What skills are needed in the target jobs you are looking for?

• How transferable are your core skills – what evidence can you give to show that?

3. Write a list of your achievements

It’s important to develop a mind-set of knowing what you can bring to an organisation. You need to think about what you have achieved so far in your career, and what that says about you. The next few questions you can start to think about?

• What have been your major accomplishments – what does that say about you?

• How did you achieve these accomplishments, what abilities does this show?

• What challenges did you overcome along the way, what were the key strengths you used?

4. Maintain a Positive Mental Attitude

This is a harder one to keep going during job hunting. It is a grueling process both mentally and physically. However, it is essential you try to stay positive, as a negative tired attitude will translate into the interview. These are some things you can do to keep your attitude high:

• Prepare – work hard on applying for jobs – an average time per application can be around 4-5 hours, but the more effort you put in, the better your chances.

• Take action – Put yourself out there; be proactive and make contacts.

• Expect positive results – optimism improves your chances of success.  People like an authentic positive attitude at interview.