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Unlike Facebook or Twitter, LinkedIn is a network of professionals. While a picture of you in a state of inebriation is acceptable by Facebook’s standards, it won’t have a particularly positive reception as far as your LinkedIn connections go. There are quite a few taboos that could bring your profile down completely and make people turn away if they were browsing with a view to recruit. Here are the no-no’s that you should avoid at all costs.

Self-Portrait

By all means take your own picture, but don’t do the whole ‘camera phone in the mirror’ trick that was popular on Myspace. It’s outdated and unprofessional. Keep hands and arms, and any clue that indicates a self-photo shoot, out of the frame. Just ask someone else to take it for you!

Grainy, Pixelated or Blurred

Photos with these qualities aren’t just offensive and annoying to look at, they actually look bad. The grainy appearance usually occurs in photos taken in dark rooms where the flash didn’t give enough light. Turn the light on or engage the flash. Sometimes, a photo can become pixelated when you crop others out of an image and resize yourself. The picture distorts and the pixels enlarge, which makes you look like a badly-taken poor quality CCTV print-off. Blurring can be avoided by keeping the camera still. Rest it on a surface or tripod for best results.

Bad Lighting

Going back to my last point, it can ruin a photo. If you are an artist or something that warrants such creativity, it is marginally acceptable. For everyone else, it is just awful.

Boring

A photograph that could be likened to your passport image can portray you as incredibly boring and won’t sell you to a potential employer. Choose an interesting location, keep it light-hearted with a bright friendly smile, and try and get some of your personality into the picture, even if it is through your clothing.

…But Not Too Wacky Either

Psychedelic, wacky images are funny for social networking with friends but if you go overboard and dress as a giant Crayola clutching one of the Bananas in Pyjamas, this will give off the impression that you can’t be sensible or serious. Find the balance.

Inappropriate To Your Job Or Industry

How do you want your connections to view you? If a potential employer looked at your profile, what would you want them to see? Think about that when you try and work out whether your profile image is appropriate to the industry in which you work. If you are in a creative line of work, such as graphic design, it’s a little more acceptable to have a creative image. If you are a model, using one of your most exotic images from an excellent shoot could show just how versatile you are and earn you more work. But if you have a career which requires a much more serious or solid image, such as a lawyer, funeral director, accountant or you hold an upper level managerial role, your picture should reflect this, making you appear trustworthy, sensible and professional.

Unusual Effects

Images enhanced with Instagram-type effects are becoming much more popular with the rise of social media, but there is a time and a place, and unless it actually enhances the image to a professional standard, you should use the original file. Turning a picture black and white for no apparent reason will not make it appear timeless, classic or distinguished. It will just make it look pointless.

Clubbing Pictures

While showing that you can relax and socialise via your profile picture can be a positive image to portray, an image of you clubbing in tiny outfits covered with face pain and a beer hat will give off a completely wrong impression all together. Keep the location subtle, relaxed and light, and put down your drink if you plan to put the image on LinkedIn.

No Image At All

Without a picture, your profile looks incomplete and people will simply skim past without reading further. You need to have photographic representation on yourself, so that people looking for you will know they have the right person. As long as it doesn’t breach any of the taboos in this post, it should be acceptable.

Something Completely Inappropriate Altogether

Using an image that does not contain your face is a bad idea. Along with this, there are also some things you should never EVER put as your profile picture. These concepts include:
Your business logo (Make a page for your company instead)A picture of another part of your body (this is not appropriate at all and will give a terrible impression)A picture of someone else A picture containing nudity or pornography A picture of a landscape or scene A picture in which you or someone else is engaging in illicit activities such as drug use or crime.

Lowest Paid Jobs in the UK

1. Waiter £12,117

Waiter staff are vital to keep the restaurant business going, but as there are no qualifications required the pay is not very high.  Being a waiter can have some real benefits as the hours are often flexible.

2. Hairdresser £12,219

Although there are hairdressers which are unqualified, the majority of paid hairdressers in salons have had several years training on the job and NVQ qualifications.

3. Bar staff £12,399

Similar to waiting staff, bar staff usually receive flexible working hours and do not require qualifications to do the job, but as they often work later the pay tends to be slightly more.

4. Kitchen/catering assistant £12,422

Trainee chefs often start out as kitchen or catering assistants and it can be an excellent way to find out about working in a kitchen before you are fully trained as a chef.

5. Leisure attendant £12,585

These employees provide assistance in leisure facilities perhaps assisting personal trainers or life guards in the gym.

6. Florist £13,227

Preparing the flowers to be sold and assisting customers find the right flowers for the right occasion.  No qualifications are required although NVQs are available.

7. Sales assistant £13,449

Providing the face-to-face service in retail environments such as clothes shops, hardware stores and supermarkets.  Many retail managers start out as sales assistants and work their way up through the business.

8. Launderer/dry cleaner £13,479

There are certain skills and knowledge required to provide an excellent service, but these tend to be learned on the job.

9. Cashier £13,542

Cashiers have similar expectations as sales assistants but have slightly more responsibility in handling cash and therefore get paid slightly more.

10. Domestic cleaner £14,144

Customers have to trust a person who goes into their house and cleans for them, so the pay for this is slightly higher than commercial cleaners.

11. Hotel porter £14,515

Hotel porters are responsible for showing customers to their room and taking their luggage.  This job falls within the Hospitality category, no qualifications are required.

12. Shelf filler £14,364

This is a similar role to sales assistant but larger companies require shelf fillers who often work night shifts to restock the shelves so get paid more.  No qualifications are required.

13. Retail assistant £14,521

These provide the service to customers within the retail industry.

14. Nursery nurse £14,554

Employees in a nursery are responsible for looking after young preschool children from 0-5 years.  Qualifications and a criminal record check are required for this role.

15. Housekeeper £14,560

Housekeepers tend to be employed by a single employer, unlike domestic cleaners who can be hired by a number of households at the same time.  In addition to cleaning, housekeepers may also be in charge of some finances, shopping and other domestic chores.

16. Animal care assistant £14,830

The majority of animal care assistants are employed in kennels or other animal homes.  No qualifications are required for this role although they may be available.

17. Office assistant £14,993

There are a variety of tasks which are completed by office assistants including a small amount of typing, filing, answering telephones etc.

18. Beautician £14,984

Many qualifications are required in order to trade as a beautician as there are techniques required which could cause harm to people.

19. Sewing machinist £15,057

Although no qualifications are required to become a machinist, this is a highly skilled profession and needs much experience.

20. Fishmonger £15,453

Many years of practice are required to become a skilled fishmonger, although no formal qualifications are required.

Jobseeking is a difficult task at present because there are so many unemployed that almost every role listed (except highly technical roles) are being bombarded with hundreds of applications. Some of these applicants are suitable, where some are simply just sending their CV in, hoping that something will come up.

There comes a point where desperation kicks in and we know we just need a job, doing anything, with anyone, anywhere. Here are some tips for the desperate among us that might just help you get hired.

#1 Hide Your Desperation…

There is nothing worse than someone who applies for literally anything and everything going. You should never, ever, EVER just go through a list of jobs and submit your CV to every single one. This is especially relevant if you browse via recruitment companies. How desperate do you think you look to an employment agent when they go through applications for a variety of roles, only to find your CV begging for each and every one? Change your habits and change them now!

#2 Only apply for roles that appeal to you

Browse through roles and carefully select jobs that you find interesting that fit in with your experience, skillset and desires for the future. While you might just need a stopgap job, you need to really think about whether that job has what you need and is what you want to do. Find a job you love, and you will never ‘work’ a day in your life!

#3 Raise your standards

Do not let your Jobseekers Advisor or recruitment agent bully or push you into applying for a job that has no prospects, if a proper career is what you seek. Only settle for the best, most exciting, well paid roles in the area you hope to find employment.

#4 Use LinkedIn to Your Advantage

There are two ways you can use LinkedIn to maximise your success. The first way is by enhancing your profile and turning it into a digital CV. Get recommended, endorsed, and write a comprehensive description of who you are, what you do and what you have done. Recruiters and potential employers often use LinkedIn to verify what you say either face-to-face or at interview. It also can give a better picture of you and your history, since paper CVs should not be longer than two sides of A4. However, keep it muted, as you would with a normal CV. Don’t forget to set yourself as ‘open to opportunities’.

Another way you can use LinkedIn is by seeking out jobs. Many large firms, and small to medium businesses alike, have pages for their company and use them to talk about what it is like to work there, advertise vacancies, and share testimonials from staff past and present. LinkedIn is rarely used as a sole source of advertising positions, but you can get their alerts anyway by opting in for them via your profile. It just means you are less likely to miss a good opportunity. On these company pages though, don’t go commenting on every single little thing they post or share. It just makes you look desperate to be noticed.

#5 Don’t Be Overenthusiastic

Over-zealous talk at interview will turn the employer against you. Avoid phrases like ‘I will do anything’ or ‘I am unbelievably excited’ or worse still ‘My whole life I have dreamed of working for your company’. Ouch! Think these thoughts, but leave them packed away, in the back of your mind.

#6 Keep Follow-Up To A Minimum

You may want to call to confirm an interview, or a few days post-interview to thank them and find out if they are progressing towards their decision. But don’t call more than twice, do not hound the employer, and for pity’s sake do NOT try and butter them up with ridiculous gifts. That is a step too far, and can be classed as bribery! If you reach an answer machine, do not leave a message. Speak to a human instead. Voicemail messages always go wrong when you don’t want them to.

#7 Know Your Value, But Don’t Go Over the Top

Knowing what you are worth is a very important skill. But go over the top and brag about how fabulous you are, how you know you can make a difference but failing to elaborate, or just generally make claims without substantiating them, and you just cause the hiring manager to switch off. Keep a little to yourself, but always be sure to have back-up anecdotes or examples to take your side when you make a claim.

Tread carefully, reign your over-excited enthusiasm in, and you will succeed in your search for a new career.

When consulting with a recruitment agency, and in particular one of their consultants or agents who has been allocated to you, it is essential you find out more about them. You don’t have to take the first consultant you find, and it is important you find one that can work well with you to ensure you find the job you are looking for. The industry is unregulated for the most part and having a poor consultant or one who is not competent enough can waste a lot of time for you in the search for work. Just as they interview you to find out more, you should interview them too. Some questions are broad ‘getting to know you’ questions, where other will be more specific to jobs or assignments. Here are ten questions you must as to make sure you have chosen the right person to handle you and your career.

1- How Long Have You Been In Recruitment?

Simple, but knowing how long someone has been doing their job is important. Some people who are new and inexperienced may lack some of the knowledge of their older colleagues, but they may also be hungrier and eager to help you succeed. At the other end of the scale, there are people who have worked in recruitment for years and have become arrogant and complacent, and may not be the most helpful when it comes to finding work for you. A recruitment agency should have a strong network of connections, as well as the contacts and expertise that only come from several years’ experience. Aim for someone with between five and fifteen years in recruitment if possible.

2- What Is The Consultant’s Background?

Ideally, a specialist recruiter should have a broad knowledge of the industry for which they recruit, whether it is IT, accountancy, or any other career. It may even be helpful if they have worked in that industry in a few roles. However, it is not essential. What is most important is the knowledge of the company, the managers, the needs of the business for which they are recruiting and the role involved. Knowledge of their sector can be attained through research and keeping up to date that way.

3- What Can You Expect From Your Consultant?

Recruiters should be completely honest with you and tell you what they plan to do to work alongside you and to achieve your career ambitions with you. They should be optimistic and confident without promising you astonishing results; jobs are tough to come by these days because the market itself is exceptionally tough and many vacancies have far too many applicants. You can also use this question to gain insight into the way your consultant works and thinks.

4- How Often Can I Expect You To Update Me?

Recruitment consultants are sometimes the victims of negative press, which is not necessarily deserved, but at the heart of the complaints is an issue with communication. They do manage a lot of companies and individual clients like you, but you should still expect them to contact you regularly, even if it is just to tell you that they haven’t found anything for you yet.

5- Who Are Your Main Clients?

How successful a recruitment consultant will be in placing you rests primarily on their client base and the companies they recruit for. By knowing who they work with, it can indicate how relevant they are to you and the skills you have, as well as how relevant they are to the career path you wish to pursue. It also gives a bit of an indication as to how strong their network is. If they have a long, successful professional relationship with several clients, this bodes well because a company that is dissatisfied with a service will quite simply change the recruitment company they use.

6- Have You Worked for Many Recruitment Agencies?

This is a bit of a naughty one to ask and may unsettle them a little, so try and get the answer from somewhere like LinkedIn first if you can. The exact number is not important, however, someone who jumps from company to company may not have been successful at previous posts, meaning they have to move on more often than they would like. Someone who has worked in a handful may have changed companies for career progression; this is more acceptable nowadays as people change work more to chase the money and opportunities that they may otherwise lose out on.

7- Have You Any Feedback On How I Can Improve My CV?

Since your CV is one of the main things they will send to potential employers to give a representation of you, who you are and your experience, it is in their best interest to have your CV up to scratch. The best consultants will understand that time spent improving on your CV will help to increase the chance of placing you in a role. Listen to the feedback they give: they know what succeeds, what gets you noticed, and what should be left out to give you the chance at the best first impression possible.

8- Do You Have Any Recommendations For How I Can Develop My Career?

If your consultant is worth their salt, they will be happy to give you some careers advice as to how you can progress further and improve your career. They may make suggestions on your career plan, give ideas of where you could progress to next, to help you take a step up the ladder, and may even be able to recommend qualifications or courses to help you gain further knowledge. Listen to them if you want to get ahead.

9- Job Specific Questions

When your consultant speaks to you about a potential role that could be of interest to you, there are a few questions you should fire at them to get a clearer picture of what might happen next.

10-Have You Placed Someone With This Company Before?

The best consultants will be able to assist you at every stage, and if they have worked with a company before, it means they have a deeper knowledge of the business, its people, its processes and what people who work there think of the company. Admittedly there does have to be a ‘first time’ working with every new company, but a company who is a returning client implies that they had good service the last time and were satisfied with the candidate put forward. It also means your recruiter will be less likely to ask you about something you might find completely irrelevant.

11- What Is The Recruitment Process?

Failure to prepare just means you are preparing to fail. The consultant should know how the company recruits, especially if the company is one they have worked with in the past. If you have an idea of the questions you will be asked, the criteria you will be required to fulfil, and information on any competency tests. They will also know roughly how many interview stages will take place before they make their decision. The process may vary but having an idea of how things will go is an immense help to you.

You should have a strategy for applying for your first job. Everything must be ready for your job hunt. Remember you don’t have experience in hand so all other factors should be perfect so you can stand out from the crowd.

Work out your goal

The first step towards employment is working out what job you are hoping to get now.  It may be that you undertook your studies with a particular career in mind, but more likely you have completed your degree and it is now that you need to sit down and really think about your options.

Make a list of all your skills, not just employment related, but things that you are really good at (e.g. cooking, time-keeping, organising, English language).  Then make a list of the things that you really don’t enjoy doing or that you can’t imagine ever being good at, even if you spent a long time practising (e.g. being artistic, working with technology).  Now think about all the experiences you have had, and what scenarios you enjoy working in (e.g. working outside, working with animals).  Now think of careers which match the criteria you are ideally suited to.  In these examples the candidate may look for a career in writing books about animals and countryside, journalism or marketing.

Write out your CV

Once you have set your sights on a job role, you need to create your CV to show all of the relevant experience that you have which may be useful in that position.  Start by writing out all of your education and professional experience.  Now spend some time researching that job role and see what experience candidates should have – do you have this experience?  If so make sure this is clear on your CV.

If you don’t have the relevant experience, but you are keen to learn then you should make sure this is clear on any cover letter that you submit as an application.  If you think that the experience is necessary for the job then volunteering to do some work, even just part time or for a short period, could help you stand out from the competition when it comes to getting your first job.

There are many CV templates which you can use as a basis to setting out your CV, but remember that the common templates (provided by Windows Word or other large programmes etc) will be commonly used by many applicants.  You want your CV to stand out and look different, whilst providing all of the necessary information in a clear and concise format.  So I recommend that you start with one of these templates and adjust it to suit you, using different fonts or relocating the subjects to be in a different order.

Your CV should not go over 2 pages, ever, but especially if you have only just qualified and don’t have a considerable amount of work experience.  The restriction of keeping it to just 2 pages will also mean you only put in the relevant information and don’t drone on about stuff which isn’t important for this role, and the employer doesn’t want to know.

Demonstrate your Skills

It’s not enough just to say that you have the skills and should automatically be given the job.  When it comes to writing your cover letter and then sitting in an interview situation you have got to be able to pull out examples of how you have demonstrated your knowledge and skills.  When you were doing research for your CV you wrote out a list of the skills you would need to include.  Now dig out that list and put an example of when you demonstrated these skills either during your career or outside of work.

Your demonstrated list should include details of the scenario, what happened, how you personally responded (ideally you as an individual, but it could be as part of a team) and what the outcome was.  Now you can either include one of these that you are particularly proud of in your covering letter, or just memorise these to discuss during your interview.

Presentation

From the moment your CV lands on someone’s desk, the recruiter will be making snap decisions as to whether you are a suitable for a vacancy based on limited information.  How well your CV and covering letter are presented will impact on how your CV is viewed so make it look professional, clean and smart.
That applies to you if you are selected for interview.  Make sure that you arrive at the interview looking professional, clean and smart.  Even if the dress code for the company is generally casual, an interview is an important meeting and recruiters will expect to see you making an effort.  It is always better to be dressed too smartly than to make too little effort and be rejected just because you didn’t replace your trainers with smart shoes.

Ready for the interview

If you’ve been asked to attend an interview then you’re probably down to the last 10 applicants and you have a high chance of being offered the role.  Try to maintain a calm and confident attitude – after all if they didn’t think you were capable of doing the job based on your skills and experience, they wouldn’t be wasting your and their time with interviewing you.

Be prepared by making sure you know where the place is, reviewing your list of times you have demonstrated your skills (above) and practising answering the questions your are most likely to get asked during your interview.  Make sure you have a positive attitude and smile, and you’re probably onto a winner.

Getting your foot in the door is one of the hardest things to do sometimes, but with most big companies, the saying goes: “Once you’re in, you’re in.” Entry level jobs are positions that are usually designated to graduates, whether a high school, college, or university graduate, to help them get started. Most entry level jobs will pay a fairly low wage to begin with, and it is only right that you can’t expect an excellent salary immediately.

But work hard and you can be climbing the ladder in no time.

Almost all large companies promote from within, encouraging their own staff to move up the ranks and progress their career. This may be into management, into roles that carry more technical duties, or roles that require you to undergo training and learn new skills. Where to start though?

Here are the top 10 entry level jobs to help you get started up in your next career.

Forensic Accountant

If you have done an accounting or financial degree, get certified and you could be a forensic accountant. This role involves a number of exciting tasks and duties, which may include examining tax or business records to ensure accuracy or to inspect for irregularities. If you are interested in the legal side, you could be involved in asset tracking and tracing hidden accounts in fraud cases. This position may require you to become chartered or certified as an accountant, and salary starts from approximately £30,000 per annum.

Network Security Analyst

If IT, mathematics or computer science is your speciality, then you may find that working as a Network Security Analyst pushes your buttons (no pun intended!). Starting at around £32,000pa, you could be working in large firm planning, installing and monitoring the security of their network, which will no doubt be vital to the everyday smooth running of the company. Progression from this could be into management, and eventually even a ‘head of’ position.

Software Developer

Are you a computer whizz but found yourself drawn to a design and development degree (such as software design, graphic design or computer applications development)? Software development could be right up your street. Again commencing at roughly £32,000pa, software developers are at the forefront of creating the new applications and programs that our world needs to advance technologically. Progression could include team leadership or creative direction.

Law – multiple roles

Any degree can be converted into a law qualification with a two year course, and a career in law has a starting salary of£35-40,000pa. Even if you do not have a degree, there are roles such as Court Messenger or Legal Receptionist that will help you get into a company with whom you can progress. For those with legal qualifications, positions could include legal secretary or junior solicitor. Once you have a foot on the ladder, there is a world of opportunity waiting for you.

Business Intelligence

Businesses are constantly looking at ways to improve their systems, processes and for ways to save money. If you had a degree in management, IT, or more specifically Business Intelligence or an analytical qualification, this could be a career opportunity for you. By working with Big Data, SQL and being part of the BI team, you will help the company to move forward into the future and save time and money in the process. Starting salaries are approximately £25,000.

Editor’s Assistant in a Publishing House

Do you have a language degree and a passion for reading and writing? By becoming an editor’s assistant, you can help with the process that goes into every book we see on the shelves. You may find yourself writing letters, completing a ‘first edit’ of a manuscript in preparation for the editor, or helping to pick out the excellent works from the hundreds that get sent in. Salary starts at around £20,000pa, but progression can be quick and you may find yourself working as an editor in no time at all.

Graduate Schemes

Most companies have graduate programmes for the newly graduated to help them develop their career. This may begin with internship, where you get to try out several different roles by rotating through the different departments in your first year. At the end of the year, you will have a meeting to discuss where you would fit best. Other programmes put you into a training scheme which helps you to get to know the company before putting your into a role that best suits you and your skillset. Some of the best graduate programmes are with supermarkets such as Aldi and Asda, but you can search online to find out exactly where is offering, as well as how to apply. Aldi’s basic salary for a graduate on the management track is over £30,000pa to start, with excellent bonuses and opportunity for progression.

As you can see, there are some excellent jobs out there for you to get your career launched and well underway. Get your cover letter ready and start applying to the roles that suit you as soon as you hear about them, because some companies only recruit during part of the year (although many will accept applications all year round).

photo by: sandy

LinkedIn Endorsements

LinkedIn recently rolled out a new function – Endorsements – which simply allows users to endorse each other’s skills. When you put your various skills on your profile, for example ‘management’, or ‘graphic design’ or ‘copy writing’, another person from your connections can come along and endorse your abilities. It is very easy, just one click and their name will appear beside that skill, saying that they are one of your endorsers and they think you can perform that skill well.

Recommendations are a little different. Using free text, another person can write in their own words what their experience of working with you was like. This allows them to communicate their true opinions and feelings as well as sharing their positive experience, rather than just a ‘yes, he is good at that skill’.

But, what does a potential employer think when seeing these two items on your profile? What are they truly worth?

Endorsements carry less weight with an employer as they have been abused, and the feedback from serious users is negative overall. We have to accept the endorsements once someone has endorsed us, but many people just accept any old endorsement from anyone, which means that, yes OK, someone thinks you are good, but how do they know? Have they worked with you? Or are they just some random school friend who endorsed you for the sake of endorsing? These people might never have actually seen you demonstrate these skills and yet they are willing to put their name to it. There is no way a potential employer can tell the difference between a genuine endorsement and a meaningless one.

Another negative surrounding LinkedIn endorsements is that they do not indicate the level of your competence. You could be a superstar who knows everything there is to know about the topic, or you could just be familiar with the concept of the skill and may actually have never demonstrated competency in this skill, ever. A proficiency scale would iron this out, but at present there is no scale in place. All that people learn from an endorsement is that you know this skill, according to whoever endorsed you, but not how good you are at it.

LinkedIn Recommendations

Recommendations are the way forward when it comes to engaging a potential employer. Recommendations consist of free text, which allows your recommender to use their own words when describing how they found you as an employee, employer or client. When an employer seeks a reference, they are looking for a true picture of you, which a written recommendation on LinkedIn can count towards. They will take the time to read the words of a recommendation, because someone else has sat and taken the time to write it for you.

Forumites describe endorsements as ‘recommendations lite’. Yes, endorsing someone is recommending them, but it is quite vague, leaving employers reluctant to place any weight on them at all.

The best thing to do when managing endorsements is to only accept the genuine ones. Even if this means you only have a handful or none at all, it is better than having hundreds of endorsements that don’t mean a thing. If someone clicks through to your profile and sees that you have 200 endorsements on your ability, they will question just how you obtained these endorsements. Unfortunately, many people are just endorsing meaninglessly and until ‘Endorsements’ are changed or improved, they will continue to mean very little to anyone viewing our profile.

If you want to seriously engage your potential employer, ask your connections with whom you have had a positive experience to write you a recommendation which will show on your profile. Even a short paragraph they have taken a few moments out of their day to compose will speak volumes. Here are a few examples of a good recommendation:

“Bob is an excellent employee who not only works well within a team, but knows what steps to take to lead them to success. The pleasure in employing him is all mine, and he is an incredibly valued member of the team.”

“From the first interview, Sarah stood out at someone who wanted to work hard to achieve our company’s mission. In the five years since she joined us, we as a company have gone from strength to strength. Much of this was down to Sarah’s dedication and her drive for success. Thank you Sarah, for being such a fantastic ambassador for our brand.”

Strong recommendations and a sprinkling of true endorsements will massively enhance your LinkedIn profile, which will in turn help potential employers to head hunt you and they will be able to see just how fantastically competent you are. Why not send out a few emails to your contacts to see if they would be willing to give you a recommendation that will boost your profile?

We were talking about how social media can help us find a job and the digital footprint that you leave – in other words your online reputation – can damage our prospective employment if you are not careful. I think it’s time to talk about the benefits of using social media and blogging. It’s completely our responsibility to ensure that the only breadcrumbs we leave behind us are positive so that whenever a potential employer wants to research against our names they can see only positive things that that we are happy for them to see rather than just whatever they find there.

So how can blogging help me get a job and secure the one I already have?

# Basically your blog is your CV!

Just like with your LinkedIn Profile or Facebook or Twitter URL, the blog you own can be a demonstration of your CV too. When the recruiter types your name into Google, the first thing they will see could be either your blog or social media profiles so we can understand that it is vital for these sources of information about you must show you in an excellent light and give a good impression to the employer, right?

If you are an Engineer then post things that demonstrate your passion towards that profession, or details about the projects that you have been involved in including links where possible. If you are in Marketing or Sales then post some kind of unique tips to increase sales etc. which employers will love.  It doesn’t look like you are advertising your skills and knowledge as you would on your CV or job application, yet that’s exactly what you’re doing!

# Blogging is a powerful way to connect!

Networking is everything in this age so somebody who has no contacts (friends on Facebook, Followers on Twitter, connections on Linkedin etc) means they can’t even build a network with their social friends so this is not a good impression for the employers.

It is widely accepted that the more contacts you have listed with your Social Media profiles, the more likely these are to assist you in your job hunt.  Whether you are actively searching for a new role, or passively sitting back and waiting for someone to approach you about a possible opportunity.

If you write good content and share it on social media then it will receive attention and help you grow your network online and increase your visibility.

# Blogging is a powerful way to leave a good image

As mentioned above keeping your online reputation strong means a better chance of finding a new job or securing the one you already have. If you have something useful and unique on your blog then there is no reason why readers shouldn’t like it including prospect employers.

# Blogging will keep you active

You can’t be a good blogger (blog-writer) until you have done plenty of research and reading into and around the subject of your blog.  Even if you’re writing on the topic of your current job role, lots of reading and researching will keep you active and at the forefront of your chosen subject, demonstrating you are still passionate about the subject and keen to continue learning and improving.

Its always good not to be out-dated and it’s very easy to be outdated, particularly in the technology, IT, science and medical professions in this internet age. Things can change in seconds!

# Blogging helps you become employable

An active blogger would always look better than somebody just wasting time on Facebook, posting silly images and videos or talking about what they had on their toast this morning. You should also make sure that your blog has a professional look so you can invest in a professional, easy to read and navigate and good looking design.

What you are writing on your site/blog is also important. Add something that would highlight your skills and interests. The CV is no longer a piece of paper and must be alive and imaginative and not dead. If something is alive then it would always require feeding, in this case with new information and content which will attract attention.

From the age of 5, it is drummed into us that we have to choose a career. By the time we are 13, we have an idea of what we are good at and what we would like to do (having learned that being a prince or princess is not an option!), but by 14, we have to make a vague decision when we choose our subjects for GCSEs. Then at 16, we have to narrow this down further upon choosing A levels. When we have finished, there is the biggest decision: Job or Further Education.

For those who choose a job, it is easier to make a career change in later life, but when we choose to undertake a degree, our options can in fact become limited. You may have found yourself in what you thought to be a dream career, but in fact it has actually turned out to be pretty dull. Fancying a career change?

Here are some questions you should ask yourself:

Do I really want a different career, or a different job? (Same industry, different role, company etc.)Do I want to use my current skills, or acquire new ones?Am I prepared to start from the bottom again?Will I regret changing/not changing?The answers to your questions above will be indicative of your next move. Still fancying a change? Read on…

Choose A Direction

Pick a career that you like the sound of. Research it, and see if you think it is viable as a career for you. Will it fulfil your needs and interests? What qualifications do you need? Can you be bothered to go through all the coursework and stress? Be realistic, but don’t lose your ambition. By even considering a career change, you are in the right frame of mind. After all, a career change will not come to you. You have to work hard for it. If you have any doubts about the strain on your time or whether you can fit retraining into your lifestyle, you have to make the time and space for it before you go any further. For those of us with an already busy lifestyle, you have to prepare yourself mentally for a bit of a struggle. Late nights studying, exams and classes can be hard to get back into but with the right mentality and a strong level of motivation, you will succeed.

Can you afford it?

Is there financial support available while you work towards these qualifications? Will you have to take a salary cut when you start your new job? How long will the salary cut last? When running a home and supporting a family, you have to be realistic about money. If need be, study over a longer period to allow you to spread the cost over that period.

Start Small

If you aren’t totally sure of your new career move, why not try a taster course or enquire about voluntary work? A taster course will give you an idea of what you will be studying as well as the intensity of the qualification. Voluntary work, on the other hand, will give you a true feel of what the job would involve. Shadowing someone who is what you want to be can be very insightful and may even give you some experience or contacts to help you along with your career change.

Conversion Courses

Some qualifications can be converted easily using a conversion course. One of the most popular conversions is the teacher-training qualification. Instead of just knowing your degree content, you can instead teach it, whether it’s to school-age children, adults, or as a private tutor. Other courses can help you to use your degree in different ways, for example, you can add a management course and choose the management track rather than performing the technical side of your role.

Freelancing

If you aren’t quite ready to jump into a career change with both feet, whether limited by finance or other issues, why not do a bit of freelance work? You can keep up the day job, and do your freelancing at weekends, on days off, or during the evening. Getting established as a reputable freelancer can take a little time, but once you get started, you might just find a steady stream of work, depending on what you do. Writing is a great place to start, as most of us can write about something. If you enjoy web design, there could be work out there for you too! There are often jobs posted on sites such RentACoder or PeoplePerHour requiring people from all different skillsets, even including the weird and wonderful. Have a look online to see what you can find and start proposing.

Starting over?

If you truly want to change everything and start over, go for it! The world is your oyster, and you control your future by the decisions you make. There are hundreds and thousands of options and opportunities out there, so take some time to work out what you want to do, who you want to be, and how you will get there. Once you are sure, take the leap and change your career.

As you can see, there are many pros and cons to changing your career, but if you are unhappy doing what you do, you need to consider whether you will ever get past that. Someone once said: “If you do the job you love, you’ll never have to do a day’s work in your life”. By changing your career, you could be taking the steps towards living the dream.

Sometimes you can be oblivious to what is happening around you or sometimes it is blatantly obvious. It is very important to keep your eyes and ears open in your place of work and look for any signals that you should be picking up on.

There are various ways of spotting this that do not just include reflecting on your own workload but of what is happening to the company. Keep an eye out for some or all of the below warning signs.

# There’s an uneasy feeling around the company

Have you noticed the company doing badly? Heard any rumours? Is the company open with their staff when things are going well or badly or is it hushed up and just like Chinese whispers. From my experience I would definitely say the latter so it makes it even more important to keep a close eye on what goes on around you.

# Redundancies in your department

If a business is not doing well or you have witnessed a number of redundancies or been part of a consultation process for redundancy then although you are not bound to be made redundant, there is a high chance and through this process employers will normally offer you the opportunity to go to interviews should you get any. It is worth bearing this in mind in case you get caught out.

# Being taken down the disciplinary route

If you have been called to a disciplinary hearing for something that you have done wrong then unless you can complete hold your hands up and say that yes you have done wrong it is worth bearing in mind that this route can sometimes have the effect you do not want it to and its always worth keeping your options open.

# Unhappy with how your job is progressing

Occasionally when you have been in a role for a fair amount of time you can get bored and a bit stale, going to work for the sake of needing a job rather than going to a job that you love and are enthusiastic about. This can be very obvious to your employers and you could be picked up on this, you attitude, how you come across and maybe even called to a review of your role.  Sometimes it is better to start looking for a new challenge before it gets to this stage for both the company and your own self esteem.

# Unable to do what you are meant to in your job

Sometimes because of the set up of a team or department you feel you are simply unable to do what you want to in the role you thought you were doing. From your point of view this is a sign to think about moving on if you feel it cannot be resolved internally as otherwise you will become resentful and that kind of attitude is never productive to a business or your career.

# Company re locating and not to an area you want to move to

If a company is looking to relocate its premises it will be open to employees to move with the company or leave their employment through choice. If they are moving to an area away from where you are settled this is not always possible leaving you in a difficult quandary as to what to do. If you are unable to move with the company then you are faced with little options and its time to move on.

# On a final written warning

Beware; if you have got a final written warning on your file then this usually stays on your personnel record for 12 months meaning that you are very close to leaving that employer unless the warning was totally justified and that you are happy that you are going to turn the situation around.

# Company not following procedures

If you suspect that a company is not following standard procedures such as giving out a contract of employment, following holiday regulations etc then this is a clear sign that something is not quite right and that they do not value their employees. Working in this manner is not right and finding a new career choice is the best advice.

# End of Contract

If you were taken on board for a contractual period of time and this is coming to an end, don’t rely on that contract being extended as there may be numerous reasons why it would not be extended and instead discuss this with your Line Manager and weigh up the options but all the while making sure that you also look for a new role to move to in case you need to or indeed want a new contract.

# Not got enough work to do

Most businesses operate on just enough staff and sometimes too little staff making people’s roles very busy indeed. This means that if there comes a time when you don’t have much work to do then you need to be asking why in case this is the way forward and in your area or as a whole there is not enough work. Keeping your eyes and ears open at all times in a work environment is very important for a long and successful career.