Finding the right job
Short term contracts are the perfect way to get your foot in the door. Temporary jobs may be a stepping stone to permanent employment, but there are other benefits too.
It is easier to get a job from a job. You are more likely to hear about new vacancies from inside an organisation. Success as a temp may get you noticed and considered for promotions that may not be advertised. Also, if permanent contracts are rare for newcomers in your chosen field, you increase your chances by gaining relevant experience, even in a more basic role.
Taking a temporary job rather than remaining unemployed shows your willingness to learn and work, get on with other people and see a job through, even if it is routine or unskilled. All employers value this ‘can-do’ attitude.
Private sector employers routinely use agencies to meet short-term needs, such as holiday and sickness cover, or to cope with particularly busy times. For example, banks and financial institutions may employ extra staff near the end of the financial year.
Contracts vary from just one day to open-ended, and some temporary roles are converted to permanent jobs. Temping offers flexibility, so you may gain experience in several types of work and employment sectors quickly.
Public sector organisations may also use casual workers. They often hire staff through agencies. Larger organisations, like local authorities, hospitals and universities, may use a central candidate pool. If your ambitions lie within this sector, contact the human resources department of your target employers to find available vacancies, required skills and how to apply.
There is a big difference between taking on short-term and temporary contracts and starting in a permanent role, then changing your mind. Moving frequently between jobs may be interpreted as job-hopping, which employers may question, so it is helpful to explain your working situation in applications. Temping successfully provides evidence that you learn new systems and procedures quickly and showcases your interpersonal skills and teamwork strengths.
Recruitment websites (UK)
Often known as job boards, these are an online equivalent to recruitment agencies. Recruitment websites have grown rapidly. They include well-known websites such as Monster. Candidates post CVs into an online template that employers search.
Agencies frequently post opportunities on these sites. The same job may be advertised in several places, but you should only apply once.
Quickly adding your details to many job boards is likely to be counterproductive. Limit the number of boards you post onto so that you can manage your details effectively.
You need to check and update your submissions regularly, which may be difficult if you sign up with more than four sites. Also, consider your personal security when deciding what to post on the internet. Giving your email address is safe, though it may attract spam. Guard your home address and telephone number carefully.
Maintain a formal approach when submitting job applications via the internet. Your first contact with employers deserves proper consideration and attention to detail. Write in proper English, checking your spelling and grammar. Think carefully about your strengths as well as the requirements of jobs that interest you, and ensure you incorporate these points into your online CV.
Many graduates are disappointed by the lack of response from agencies, both in person and through the internet. It is unrealistic to expect that just sending out or posting a couple of CVs gets you a fantastic job - that would be extremely lucky. However, carefully selected recruitment agencies and job boards may be valuable elements of your job seeking strategy.
Interview Tips
1. Be prepared
Preparation is the key to confidence. Read the article ‘Preparing for an interview' on this website about preparation that can be done before the event. Find out about the organisation and the responsibilities of the job.
Then you need to minimise stress on the day. Make sure that you:
know where to go and how you will get there
know how long it will take to get there - and leave more than enough time
decide what to wear and make sure it's washed, cleaned, polished and ready to put on.
2. Dress smartly
Always dress smartly. Even if you know or suspect that the dress code in the company is ‘smart casual', you can't go wrong with a business suit. It's perfectly appropriate, even if your interviewers are lounging about in shorts and sandals. It reflects the formality of the situation and shows respect. Failing that, be sure to wear a smart jacket (and tie, if you're a man).
3. Shake hands and be polite
Shake hands when you're introduced. It's a formal situation (even if you've been asked to ‘come in for an informal chat'!) requiring formal behaviour. You're not only being interviewed on your qualifications and work experience. Interviewers also want to find out what kind of person you are and whether you'll fit in. Take your cue from them. If they start with general chat about the weather or your journey, chat along. If they don't, sit down, smile, and wait for them to start. Don't babble!
4. Listen carefully to the questions
Obvious, yes, but in the heat of the moment it's all too easy to miss what is being asked of you. Focus on the question without getting your answer ready at the same time. Take your time and try not to anticipate what is coming. If you don't understand or don't take the question in, it's fine to ask ‘can you repeat that, please' or ‘would you clarify that, please?'. Interviewers will make allowances for nerves - they're used to it!
5. Think before you speak
This is where a ‘prop' can be useful. If you're offered coffee or water, accept it whether you're thirsty or not. Take a sip before you answer a question, to give yourself time to collect your thoughts. Invaluable!
6. Be honest, open and positive
Answer every question honestly and openly. Be confident and positive about your strengths, but don't ‘big yourself up' and lose sight of reality! If you can't answer the question (after having listened carefully, asked for clarification, and taken a sip of water), say so. Remember, interviewers are not trying to catch you out; they want to find out about you. They will be more impressed with honesty and willingness to learn than with bluff and bravado.
7. Anticipate problems and prepare for them
If you've ever felt like a rabbit in headlights and ‘blanked out' under pressure, you'll probably worry that it will happen again. It's very common! It helps to have a prepared sentence to hand: something like ‘can we come back to that later?' Not only will it give you time to stop panicking, but having a response to hand will make it less likely to happen.
8. Don't be negative about a previous employer
If you make negative remarks about a previous boss or organisation, you will come across as a troublemaker, or at best, disloyal. Here again, it will help if you can come up with a diplomatic way of making your point, in advance, without blaming or finding fault. For example, ‘My line manager and I did not always agree about...'. Alternatively, turn it around and make your statement positive about the prospective employer. Just make sure you've done your research on the company! For example, ‘I wanted to be part of a larger organisation with career prospects', or ‘I feel I'd be more creative/comfortable in a less conventional environment'. This way, you're making your reasons for leaving clear without making accusations.
9. Ask relevant questions, but not about salary!
If you've prepared properly and done your research, you will have questions to ask the interviewers if you're invited to do so. Ask about management style, reporting lines, your responsibilities, products or projects. It's not appropriate to ask about terms and conditions of employment (holidays, for example) nor about salary. It looks as if you're only interested in the money and yourself, not the work. Ask about those when you're offered the job.
10. Steady your nerves just before you go in
By the time you've got to the waiting room, or when you are sitting in your car outside the building before the interview, you can do no more preparation. Give yourself a few moments just to be still and collect yourself. Stop rehearsing in your head and concentrate on your breathing. Sit or stand comfortably and steadily, with both feet flat on the ground. Put your hand on your stomach, below your ribs. Breathe in slowly, then breathe out, emptying your lungs. Feel your diaphragm moving under your hand. That way, you fill and empty your lungs properly rather than only the top part, which accentuates feelings of nervousness and may result in hyperventilation.
Now you're ready! Please send your feedback to support@karimganjassam.com |
