How to ace your internship

If you’ve managed to find yourself an internship, chances are you’re pretty excited. It’s a chance to gain valuable experience, meet new people and hopefully land yourself a full time job. So what can you do to secure the place? Here’s the key things you should be aware of:

Punctuality.

Aim to turn up around  10-15 minutes before work starts. If you start at 9, be there for 8.45. You want to be leaving a good impression, and rolling in at 9.05 just won’t do this for you. 

Keep your wardrobe under control

Assess the dress of your co-workers before you start. Look at how they’ve chosen to dress, and copy. Leave any daring wardrobe creations until after your internship – this period is where you’re scrutinised! 

Keep yourself under control

Keep yourself together through mistakes, and show how confident you can be in a crisis. If you break down and cry, it doesn’t bode well for the future. There will inevitably be times when work is tough, and unless you show you can handle the situation and move on, you may be considered too weak willed for the permanent position. 

Show hard work and determination

During your internship you’re under constant review, so make sure you’re performing as though you’re being watched. This is a time to suck up to superiors, be super productive, and make solid relationships with colleagues. 

Show them why you fit.

Every company has a culture – do you fit? Employers want to see you’ll settle in well, and not have an issue with certain traditions in the workplace.  If you share their values and ideas, make it clear.

Church plans to compete with loans company Wonga - could this end the benefit gloom?

Pic Source: The Week.
It has emerged today that the Church is planning to compete with payday loans company Wonga.

The Most Reverend Justin Welby, former financier, stated he had met with Wonga's Chief Executive Errol Damelin and told him 'we're not in the business of trying to legislate you out of existence, we're trying to compete you out of existence' (Source: Total Politics magazine) which is honesty at it's finest!
Archbishop Welby wants to encourage the Church to become a more integral part of the community - lending would run alongside the use of the Church for 'libraries, shops and post offices'. He stresses the importance of keeping the Church relevant to peoples lives.

Payday loans companies have recently been under fire due to the insanely high interest rates, especially as these are aimed at those with low incomes, or in desperate situations. Welby aims to create a low interest system (As seen by Credit Unions) which can enable the church to offer their buildings and advice to loan seekers. 

We know that many of the candidates we see daily do struggle with income, some not daring to work over the 16 hour cap that the Job Center impose before benefits are cut, in case they are no longer needed (temp jobs especially!) perhaps the reassurance of low income loans could help, acting as a safety net between benefits and income. 

Have you ever been in a similar position? How do you feel about the Church taking over loan control? - let us know your opinions.

An addition to the Royal Family - it's a boy!

Pic Source: Daily Mail 

At 4.24pm, the son of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was born, weighing 8lbs 6oz. Both Mother and baby are doing well - due to announce the name in the coming days.

Charles, Prince of Wales commented that “Both my wife and I are overjoyed at the arrival of my first grandchild. It is an incredibly special moment for William and Catherine and we are so thrilled for them on the birth of their baby boy. Grandparenthood is a unique moment in anyone’s life, as countless kind people have told me in recent months, so I am enormously proud and happy to be a grandfather for the first time and we are eagerly looking forward to seeing the baby in the near future.”

The child is expected to bring change to the future generation of the Royal Family. Catherine has a working class ancestry,  and this means the baby will inherit the values of the hard working Middleton's. Could  the Royal family finally chance? With many complaining of how 'useless' the monarchy is in this age, and how much money is spent on them, individuals are beginning to speculate whether the future King will carry on in his mother's thrifty style (the Duchess has been spotted shopping in high street stores, and 'recycling' outfits - by wearing them more than once!) by making cuts on unnecessary spending. 

What do you think about the Royal Family? Do they still deserve a place atop Britain? 

Daily Mail 

Could you manage your own business?

Realistically, what is stopping you from achieving the life you've dreamed of? If you've wandered through jobs thinking that this is all your life could amount to, maybe it's time for a rethink.

The BBC have reported that there are '4.2 million people in the UK who are self-employed', and the number is growing. Even more interestingly, a percentage of this number is from those who have been claiming Job Seekers Allowance, and participated in schemes such as Leapfrog and the Princes Trust. The two case studies the BBC examined (and Amacus showcase) involve young people developing ideas based on things they're good at or that they enjoy - a great starting point for a solo venture!

If you don't shy away from hard work, you may want to consider this. What do you enjoy? What are you good at? If you're working, you could begin a side project for a little extra income, and feel your way with a potential transfer from your current job to your new venture. If it's not that successful, however, you still have a steady income.
If you're not working, maybe it's time to take the plunge?

Food for thought:

How much do you have to lose? Mortgages, children, loans etc. Can you afford to potentially lose it all?

Commitment is essential. Nurturing your business will take time and effort, much more than showing up for a 9-5.

There will most likely be tough times. Low custom, losses in profit, disasters and unforseeable events. Are you prepared for the bad?


 Leapfrog is a scheme run by Amacus UK, free to those over 19 who receive Job Seekers Allowance. The scheme provides access to workshops, coaching and job matching.

The Princes Trust is offered to unemployed 18-30 year olds who cannot fund a business by other means. It offers advice, coaching and low interest loans.

Princes Trust
Amacus (Leapfrog)

It's not you.... it's me.

Right guys! It's time to take a good hard look at yourself and assess the situation. After searching for jobs over and over again, it can be tempting to just apply for anything and everything, but does this help at all? If you're at the end of your tether, and are about to fall into the sinful claws of desperation, take a timeout and read our guide..


Is the job worth it?

1 - Is it legit?
Depending on where you've actually found the position, you could be looking at a scam or phishing tactic. You'll know about it when you're asking to pay upfront for something. You shouldn't have to pay to work, full stop.You'll also find a lot of trash on places like Gumtree - people advertise for strange things, including fetish satisfaction and stuff they can't really ask for anywhere else...

2. Are you even qualified?

People say to aim high, and sometimes apply for a job you're not fully qualified in.. however if you're not qualified at all, then  don't bother. If the job wants 7+ years experience, and you don't have any then the employer won't bother with you at all. Save your time and theirs and try looking for something else!

3. You're not 100%

In the job specification, are there things you're unsure of? Things you aren't comfortable with? Perhaps even terms you won't consider (such as relocating, salary, duties etc) then don't. The offer is unlikely to change, and the employer will most likely feel you have wasted their time.



Are you worth it?


 1. Sell

Does your first paragraph sell you? Use this as the grabbing point - make them want to read on. Summarise your most relevant experiences and skills into a compact paragraph that makes the employer know you're the one.

2. Acceptance

You won't get every job you apply for, you know that. However this does not mean, under ANY circumstance, that should complain online. Feel free to try and find out some information as to why you didn't get the job, and remember your thank you letter(!) but don't turn to Twitter and Facebook to complain about how they're still advertising the vacancy. After all, they might not have build up a shortlist yet!

3.Format

You might well be worth it, but if you've made your CV in a PDF file and uploaded it to a job board, the chances are that CV searching won't work for you, as your keywords won't be searchable due to the format.

Sealing the deal with a thankyou email.

 How often do you send a follow up note after an interview? (Employers, spill!) Providing that you do, how much thought goes into it? Hint: The answer should be a lot! Follow our guide to crafting the perfect thank you letter, and make sure you're memorable.

1. Focus on format.

Firstly decide whether you're going to send this via e-mail or post. Whilst email is fast, direct and very easy, something handwritten is much more personal. However, the lack of speed in postal mail is far too slow to show any serious interest in the position - it's called snail mail for a reason! There's no definite right or wrong with this, but you are best to suss out the company/recruiter, and go with your gut.
Are they a technophobe? Spend a lot of time away from their computer? Old fashioned? Go with handwritten.
Are they a new, innovative company? Advocate of the internet and other tech? email them. Feel your way.

P.S. Never upload a PDF to a job board - unsearchable text equals your profile not popping up for recruiters.

2. Carve out content

Your thank you letter should serve to do three things: Thank the interviewer for the time they spared you. Emphasise how much you want the job. Sell yourself one last time.
This article offers an interesting perspective on what you should be doing to best prove your willing to the company. http://mashable.com/2013/07/14/emails-that-land-jobs/

3. Check it.

Check grammar, check spelling, check the tone, and then check it all again. If you've followed the above link and taken the advice, then make sure you're happy with it. Show someone else if you need to - but make sure you don't take too long: Aim to get your letter sent within 24 hours of your interview

Are you really unemployed?

Pic Source: Political Humour

The reputation that comes with being unemployed is unbearable for some. Connotations of loutish behaviour, dodging the Job Centre and wasting tax payers money is enough to keep the more dignified from signing on.
One such individual says 'It's demoralising. They treat you like s**t'. Many prefer to say they are 'in between jobs' or on a 'career break', rather than admit to being unemployed.

But should unemployed be so negative?

The ONS (Office for National Statistics) regard those who adhere to the negative stereotypes as 'economically inactive' rather than unemployed:

Unemployed refers to a state in which you are out of work, but are available, actively looking for work( in the past 4 weeks) or awaiting the start date of an accepted position. 2.51 million UK residents are currently unemployed.

Economically Inactive is when you are unemployed, available but not actively seeking, and do not have anything lined up. The figure of this category in the UK at present is now up to 9.04 million. (ONS, 2013)

It's interesting to know that there's some distinguishable difference between the two, and so when someone asks you when you work you can claim 'at least I'm not economically inactive!'. It's also worth noting that not all those in the economically inactive category are the kinds of people who sponge from the government - it's only a few! This category does of course include those who can't/don't work for many reasons, including sickness and disability.


Sources: BBC, ONS.

Options for school leavers

 

It’s hard to keep up to date with movements in post-16 options these days – young people are either bombarded with too much choice, or stuck with too little. Last night Nick Clegg pushed for jobs to be created – just enough for the unemployed 16-24 year old gap. Clegg, speaking at the CBI annual dinner, was urgent in expressing the need for the extra work, saying options for school leavers are too complicated.

The solution is both simple and complicated – employers need to create more jobs for the unemployed. Certain solutions are potentially available  for staffing solutions, such as creating 2 part time positions in place of one at full time (whilst also increasing available  staff in busy period) offering apprenticeships and internships in place of fully waged positions (helping your business save money, whilst helping a young person expand their experiences and gain qualifications. These are externally funded, so you would only need to pay an apprentice wage (£2.65 per hour is the minimum). 

The law for school leavers is now that they must be in either:
a) full time education
b) a learning based job (such as an apprenticeship)
c) self-employment or voluntary work

Until the age of 17, the young person must ensure they are secured in one of these places (this will rise to 18 in 2015).

Try your local colleges and 6^th Forms for prospectuses, and see if something catches your eye. If it’s an apprenticeship you’re interested in, take a look at the details here http://www.essentialrecruitment.co.uk/training-essentials/ or for volunteering, http://www.do-it.org.uk/ is a great site for finding vacancies in your area. 

Source: BBC 

 

How to escape post-graduate unemployment

You’ve graduated from University with a respectable degree, and you’re celebrating by spending the last of you student loan on a few own-brand supermarket ciders. ‘Here’s to freedom!’ you slur, imagining how this will all change when you start your 9-5 grad job... But it doesn’t happen. You’re thrown into reality by the harsh competition of the job market, and you feel so low. One graduate says ‘I’ve graduated with a 2:1 and don’t feel any better off! Friends who didn’t go to university are earning way more than me with a ton of experience. I just have debt.’

Of course this isn’t true of every graduate, and in no way am I against university (I am a recent graduate myself!) but I know a lot of people who can not find work related to their degree, or can not find work at all. Here’s what you should do to ensure maximum potential in your search..

Polish up that CV

The first thing you should do is take a look at your CV, and update where necessary. University can gain you a whole host of transferable skills:

-          Working in a team. No doubt you will have had a few group projects during your course, and so you’ll have knowledge of having to distribute work between members, sharing responsibilities, and communicating effectively.

-          Keeping to deadlines is something you should be very familiar with. Universities usually have harsh penalties for late work!

-          You will have gained valuable research and analysis skills whilst writing essays (in particular your dissertation!)

-          Subject specific skills and specialist knowledge of the field.

Take advantage

Most universities offer careers guidance and other useful services, so be sure to make the most of these whilst you can! You could be introduced to people valuable in the future, attend careers fairs, and receive CV writing help and interview tips. You can also use this time to ask your tutors if they would be happy to provide a reference for you if you’re lacking work experience.

Up your experience

Hopefully you’ll have gained some work experience whilst at University, but if not there’s still time! Whilst searching for a job, try volunteering part-time. There are a variety of roles you can gain experience in, and by doing this you’re showing an employer that you’re not the type of person who can just sit around and wait for things to happen! There are hundreds of opportunities on http://www.do-it.org.uk/ .  There are always opportunities with Essential, too (meaning you can make a bit of cash whilst you get your experience!) Contact a branch.

Network like crazy

Sometimes finding work can be a case of who you know, rather than what you know. If you have a LinkedIn account, add everyone you know. Everyone you’ve worked with, everyone you’ve been to school with, family and friends. Join groups related to work you’re interested in as these often feature job vacancies  in the industry. However, if you don’t have a LinkedIn... get one!