I was invited to speak briefly on BBC Radio Berkshire a little while ago to discuss how to resign. This was prompted by Iain Duncan Smith's resignation a few days earlier. For those who slept through the hullabaloo, Iain Duncan Smith (aka "IDS") was, until early 2016, the Minister for the Department of Work and Pensions. He resigned from the Cabinet in spectacular fashion following George Osborne's 16th March Budget.

IDS's resignation letter was exceptionally long, carefully crafted, caused deep divisions in the Conservative Party and clearly incensed David Cameron. You can read it here: IDS's Resignation Letter
 
OK, so IDS is not your average employee and he most certainly wanted to make a political statement. Back in the real world, when resigning your position, there are 3 key considerations:

1. Your boss should be first to know - they mustn't find out from someone else or, worse, via the media! 
2. You must consider your Terms & Conditions of Employment, specifically your contractual obligations in terms of notice period and any restrictive covenants that may apply. 
3. You should try to keep your resignation professional and amicable - it's a small world - things have a tendency to come back and bite you in the behind. 

Remember, this is business - it's never personal. Try to avoid burning your boats or souring relationships.  You'll want your employer to give you a good reference both immediately and down the line, which makes it especially important to keep your resignation professional.

You should confirm your resignation in writing.  These days, this can be done via email (usually in your staff policies).  Otherwise, it should be a formal letter, so set it out with your name, address, date, employer's name and employer's address.
 
Refer to your contracted notice period - one week, one month, 3 months - and indicate your final leaving date. Ask your employer to acknowledge receipt in writing and to agree the final leaving date - you don't want any confusion on this. It's best to agree your leaving date before agreeing a start date with your new employer.
 
In a perfect world, your resignation letter shouldn't come completely out of the blue. Ideally you should have the conversation first, give your notice verbally and then confirm in writing with the letter you have already prepared. If your boss isn't available - perhaps because they're away from the office - try to reach them by telephone. Worst case drop them an email to forewarn them of your resignation. It's important that they are the first to know otherwise you could embarrass them and undermine the relationship.
 
Unless you have really strong reasons for leaving, reasons don't need to be included in the letter. Give your reasons in the meeting, again professionally. HR may want to conduct an exit interview; if they don't, you could always ask for one. This provides an ideal opportunity to give reasons although it may be that you've already followed your employer's grievance procedure and outlined your problems.
 
If there's been a lot of staff turnover in your department or company, this could be down to poor management. HR and senior management need to be aware of this. But keep it professional - don't make it personal.

Your address
 
30 March 2016

Bos's Name
Bos's Job Title
Employer's Name
Employer's Address
 
Dear [Boss's Name]
 
I hereby give one month's notice to terminate my employment. My leaving date will be 30 April 2016. Please confirm that this is acceptable to you.
 
As discussed during our meeting, I will do my best to ensure that my current projects are completed and/or handed over to (Jo Bloggs) and to facilitate a smooth transition prior to my departure.
 
I have enjoyed my time at [company name] and it's been a pleasure working with you and the team. Let's stay in touch.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Ann Smith
 
If you want to give a specific reason you could insert an appropriate additional paragraph:
 
As we've discussed on several occasions, I need to broaden my experience in order to gain a managerial role and progress my career. Due to lack of opportunities within [company name], I have had to look outside of the organisation.
 
If you just want to quit without stating the reason:
 
I hereby give [one month's] notice to terminate my employment. My final day will be 30 April 2016.
 
Please acknowledge receipt of this letter.
 
If you want to give less notice than contracted:
 
As discussed, although my notice period is one month, I would like to leave in two weeks' time in order to take up my new role. Please confirm that this is acceptable.
 
Note: Your employer is not obliged to release you early so be nice and make sure you play ball - hand over smoothly and efficiently so you don't leave them in the lurch. If they don't agree to your request, you must accept it graciously and work your notice period professionally and diligently. You need that reference!
 
Whatever you do, don't leave without giving contracted notice, as this constitutes a breach of contract.
 
Giving More Notice than Required:
 
You may want to give longer notice than contracted in order to handover to your replacement, finish current projects or help them through pending deadlines. This can be very useful to employers and help them to plan succession - especially if yours is a difficult role to fill. You might even be asked to help recruit your replacement.

Helping your employer in this way creates good feeling and helps maintain longer term relationships which will be reflected in company references and potentially result in new employment opportunities further along your career path. Here's what you could add to your resignation letter.
 
Although my contracted notice period is one month, as discussed, I am prepared to work two months' notice to allow time to recruit my replacement and to facilitate a smooth handover. I can also be available to consult by phone or email to help tie up any loose ends.
​

​Sometimes the employer will want you to leave immediately, especially if you have access to company sensitive information, customer database, etc. This is very common in sales roles where there is a risk you could poach customers if you are moving to a competitor. They may put you on "garden leave" where you are still contracted but not required to work.  In this situation, you can't start your new job early. You might be asked to surrender your laptop, phone, keys, etc. Or they may release you early and pay you in lieu of notice, in which case your contract is terminated immediately and you are free to start your new employment.
 
Note: there must be provision in your terms and conditions of employment for your employer to put you on garden leave or pay you in lieu of notice. Read your contract and employee handbook and adhere to the conditions therein.

There may be also be restrictive clauses/covenants in your T&Cs of employment which preclude you from working with competitors or customers for a specific period of time. It's important to consider these covenants when seeking new employment.

You may have some accrued holiday leave due to you. Some employers will ask you to take outstanding holiday during the notice period or they may agree to pay you in lieu of holiday entitlement. They may even ask you to cancel current holiday commitments to enable you to finalise your workload before you leave. It will depend on what's in your T&Cs regarding "holiday entitlement at termination". It's important to follow the policy. If you've taken more holiday than accrued by your leaving date, your employer may wish to claw back overpayments as a deduction from final salary.

Don't get demob happy. Tempting though it is to lose interest during your notice period, don't! Stay on task. If anything, be more committed than ever. Don't leave yourself open to criticism after departure.

Sometimes restrictive covenants in your contract may prohibit you from making contact with customers or business associates for a specific period of time subsequent to your departure - so ideally you should do this before you resign. Connect with all your colleagues, customers and business associates as soon as possible. You should do this anyway, whether you plan to leave your employment or not, as this will pay dividends down the line.

My advice relates to UK-based employment. Things may be different elsewhere in the world.
 
Whatever the reason for your resignation, always do your utmost to leave on a professional and friendly footing. At all costs try to avoid criticising your current boss, colleagues or employer - not to your colleagues, not to other companies and definitely not to the media. This will only reflect badly on you.

As I said earlier in this article, It's a small world. What goes around, comes around...
So it's crucial that former employers and colleagues remember you in a positive light.

A new person joins the team doing a similar job to you and you learn that they're earning more than you.  They may have told you this or you may have seen the salary indicated in the job ad. Employers can no longer restrict employees from discussing salaries. And it's also a fact that men generally negotiate higher salaries than women.
 
So now you know that your new colleague earns more than you and, to add insult to injury, your boss has asked you to train them!  You feel aggrieved and rightly so.​
​

​Although in the UK we have the Equality Act - which incorporates the provisions of the Equal Pay Act 1970 - equal pay for equal work - it's very hard to determine whether or not a job is "equal".  So you must do your research. 

​Gather the facts based on salaries both in your workplace and in the marketplace across broadly similar roles - not just in terms of duties performed on a day-to-day basis, but also additional responsibilities such as leading teams.  Jobs are not always equal, regardless of job titles.​

More often than not, your boss will come back at you with a list of reasons why it's not possible to give you a pay rise:

• The Company's isn't performing well
• The Company just lost a major customer
• The Company's expansion plans need lots of investment
• The Company only reviews salaries in January
• Your colleague is better qualified than you (to do the same job)
• Your colleague has more experience than you (but is doing the same job)

This is where assertiveness comes in and it's the single most important thing I learned at a training seminar as part of a course that I studied with the Open University.  On my return to work I immediately asked for a salary increase based on this technique and I got one - a substantial one at that! 
​
Here's what you don't do...  You do not debate the points your boss just made. Instead you must 

Say you appreciate the points made but this doesn't alter the fact that you are doing the same job but being underpaid and undervalued, and you are seeking parity with your colleague and/or market rates for similar roles. 

There's always the possibility that the lack of parity is simply an oversight and your boss might agree immediately. They might even agree to backdate it - indeed, there's no harm in asking for any pay rise to be backdated.
 
Alternatively, they may say they need time to consider your request - perhaps they need to discuss it with someone senior or with the HR department. You must allow time for them to do so.

​Before the meeting ends, try to fix a date to review your request - one week, two weeks. Try to be definitive and not open-ended.  This needs to be resolved.
 
After the meeting send your boss a brief email thanking them for their time today and for considering your request. And say you look forward to hearing back from them by  [agreed day or date].

You might not get everything you ask for immediately - perhaps they'll suggest incremental increases over, say, one year.  Or you may be able to negotiate training sponsorship, increased car allowance or some other benefit in kind.  Consider beforehand what you're prepared to settle for.  That way you won't make rash compromises during the meeting.

​At all times remain calm, polite and reasonable.  Don't let the meeting escalate into a debate or heated argument. This is a business meeting, a negotiation, so don't be confrontational.


© Barbara Patrick at Compelling CVs
Career, Job Search and Employability Coach, CV Writer, LinkedIn Profile Writer, LinkedIn Trainer
 
Get in touch if you need help with any aspect of your job search. I'm always happy to talk.
Email: mail @ compellingcvs.co.uk
​

One of my pet hates when helping clients in their job search is the distinct lack of transparency regarding salaries.  Job advertisements invariably invite you to click the "Apply Now" button and you're expected to upload a targeted CV, cover letter and perhaps answer detailed competency questions - all before you even know whether the job is in your salary range.

Another of my pet hates is when employers ask you to specify your salary expectations.  Why?  Is it so that they can save money if your expectation is lower than theirs?

To compound it further, candidates then expend considerable effort preparing for interviews where they are still kept in the dark on salary level.  Certainly in the UK, it's not considered de rigueur to raise the important issue of salary during the first interview; it's something you discuss at second interview or, worse, you wait until they make an offer.  So you could go to a huge amount of time and effort only to learn, ultimately, that the salary is not even in your ball park.

In my opinion, this lack of transparency contributes to pay inequality - especially since there is a general consensus that women often underestimate their value and ask for less than men. 

So, instead of the government pushing for audits to establish disparities in remuneration, why don't they push for transparency in job advertisements with salary levels being disclosed at all levels?  If they could just do this simple thing, which would take no effort at all, it would save candidates, recruiters and employers from wasting time reviewing applications and conducting interviews when they're all on different pages anyway.

Salary transparency... let's have more of it please.

Barbara Patrick, Professional CV Writer and Career Coach
Compelling CVs, Berkshire, UK

To set up a call, please email: mail @ compellingcvs.co.uk

Always happy to talk.

I've recently had several discussions, on and offline, with clients, LinkedIn members and other CV writers about the importance of creative styling when writing CVs. There seems to be a tendency to want to use fancy fonts, boxes, tables, colours, shading, photos and even QR codes and short videos to create more visually appealing CVs.

In my experience, creativity is best reserved for creative professions such as graphic designers, web designers, video producers, photographers and the like. For almost all other professions, I believe that the best CV should be simple and clearly formatted using regular fonts, "normal" margins and clear headings.

It should be written in a logical format that flows well, is easy to navigate, is highly relevant to the target role and, most importantly, doesn't include fancy formatting that will be annihilated if it's incompatible with the recipient's software programmes.

For example, if the recruiter uses Word 2010 and you use Word 2007, some of the more creative formatting functions may be incompatible.  In that case you should save in "compatible" mode.

There are also many versions of ATS or Applicant Tracking Software. This is the robotic software that scours your uploaded CV trying to identify specific key words and skills.

Read our article about ATS here.

But sticking to regular formatting doesn't mean that your CV can't look good... far from it. By creating logical headings, indents, bullet points and plenty of white space, you can create a visually appealing and professional CV that you'll be proud to present.

But always remember that content is king and that the content of your CV should be relevant to your target role. Be sure to read each job ad carefully and incorporate appropriate key words into your CV and cover letter.  Don't just scatter them throughout... incorporate them in a sensible manner.

Click here to read other articles on our blog

If you'd like help with your CV or any other aspect of your career or job search contact us for a free consultation.  We're always happy to talk.

Email: mail @ compellingcvs.co.uk

Barbara Patrick
Professional CV Writer and Career Coach
Compelling CVs, Berkshire, UK



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Group Interviews or Assessments are increasingly being used by hiring managers as a quick and effective way to narrow down the candidate pool.  Candidates are invited to an assessment centre where, through the use of role play and problem solving tasks, hirers can identify the candidates who may best fit their requirements and select them for individual interview or more detailed assessment.

From a candidate standpoint, however, group interviews can be a little unnerving - you want to stand out from the crowd but without appearing arrogant and overbearing. You want to step up and exhibit leadership qualities, but not come across as dominant or bullying.  It can be extremely tricky to find the right balance and you need to give this careful thought before the interview.

During group interviews you will be observed to see how you communicate with others.  You should speak up and voice your opinions but also listen to others and respect their views too.  Don't be dismissive, opinionated or disrespectful of others.  If one candidate is dominating the discussions, going into overdrive and putting others down, whatever you do, don't rise to the bait - don't rise to their level.   Exercise a little assertiveness, calm things down a little, consider carefully what you want to say and then deliver your point calmly and succinctly.  Then perhaps ask another candidate to expand on their views.

It's important that candidates get along with each other, even though they are competing for the same roles.  This is especially important when you'll be working as part of a team and therefore need to establish good working relationships with your peers, clients and suppliers.

When undertaking group assignments, try to relate your solutions to the hiring organisation although, depending on the task, this is not always possible.  But if you've done plenty of research on the hiring organisation, it should be easier to make your solutions relevant at every opportunity.

As with any interview, as it concludes the group will very likely be asked whether they have any questions.  If you've prepared well, this is a great opportunity to stand out - but be careful not to show off!

The interview process starts when you arrive at the venue.  Your behaviour in reception is often observed and it is imperative that you show impeccable manners and make a good impression with everyone, including the receptionist who may be asked for feedback.  If other candidates are in the waiting area, strike up a conversation, build rapport and treat everyone with equal respect and courtesy.  Keep in mind body language, eye contact, tone of voice and the all-important smile and never try to be something you're not... try to be natural.

If you want help with interview techniques and preparation, please get in touch. 
We can help you prepare for Skype, Video, Telephone and Face-to-Face Interview Preparation.

To set up a call, please email: mail @ CompellingCVs.co.uk

Reed has published their latest job stastistics based on their job board, Reed.co.uk, one of the UK's biggest job boards.

This isn't the full picture as it only analyses the vacancies on THEIR job boards but it's still a good indication of how things are moving.

In many ways it's hard to believe any of the employment figures that are being touted around, whatever the source, when on a daily basis we read of massive job losses - 1300 Asda managers being among the most recent victims (July 2014).

There's no doubt, however, that things do seem a little brighter, especially for those with decent skills and experience.

I'm not sure how useful this tool will be as it strikes me as being more of a vanity tool.  But, if nothing else, it will encourage you to be more active on LinkedIn.  If you want more views and visibility, share interesting content, engage with posts, make more connections and generally join in.

Author: Barbara Patrick of Compelling CVs

On 14th April 2014 LinkedIn discontinued the Products and Services tab on Company pages.
Instead, you now need to create LinkedIn Showcase Pages to highlight your products and services.

Initially you're allowed up to 10 Showcase pages although you can request additional pages.

From a professional standpoint, Facebook can leave many job applicants vulnerable to unwelcome scrutiny from prospective and current employers, unless they lock down their privacy settings and tagging features.  Yes, I realise that it's none of their business and employers shouldn't be checking up on their staff and potential employees, but many of them do!  And the last thing you want them to stumble upon is indiscreet photos, bigoted posts, naughty jokes or bad language.  Have fun by all means, but keep it private.  When writing status updates ask yourself, "Would I want my employer to see this?"

Why not make today, Facebook's 10th birthday, the day that you lock down your Facebook privacy settings and disable tagging features.  And if you have time, perhaps you could disengage or "unfriend" the hundreds of "friends" you no longer know or even recognise.

Their manifesto calls for careers education at an earlier stage and a new qualification which assesses numeracy, literacy, ICT and foreign languages.  They are basically proposing a shift whereby education is as much about preparing for the workplace as it is about academic achievement.

You can download the BCC Skills and Employment Manifesto here:
http://www.britishchambers.org.uk/policy-maker/policy-reports-and-publications/the-bcc-skills-and-employment-manifesto.html

It's been an employers' market for the past few years.  So many graduates have had to settle for roles that pay pretty well minimum wage while effectively exploiting their skills.  Others are performing duties that underuse their skills, abilities and intelligence.

No more...  the prediction for 2014 is that graduate recruitment will reach a 7 year high.  I hope that's true.

This means you need to take stock of your current position, decide where you want to be, then create some goals and milestones to help you achieve your aim.

Carrying forward old and irrelevant job history usually won't bring success.  Instead, take a blank sheet of paper and start brainstorming about where you are today in terms of knowledge and skills, and where you where to be.

Working from scratch, list all your hard and soft skills.  Then list your achievements and the value you have delivered in previous roles.  This could include increased efficiencies, profits, sales, brand awareness, functionality, etc.  If you're short on ideas, browse LinkedIn for job vacancies and member profiles, which will help give you some inspiration about skills, terminology and how to present your achievements.  You're not just trying to create a list of duties; you want to create a list of value-added achievements.  Employers need to know what makes you better than the other candidates; why they should employ you.

Be honest with yourself.  It's no good saying you've got excellent interpersonal skills if no-one in your office enjoys working with you or if you don't enjoy working as part of a team.  If you're a square peg, you'll never fit into a round hole, however much you kid yourself.

This process will almost always identify skills gaps.  These could be technical or perhaps lack of knowledge about team leadership or business methods.  Whatever gaps you identify, try to plug them.  Research the internet for training courses - many of which are free or very cheap - then sign up.  Don't overdo it and take too much on at once.  Bite-sized training over a period of time will deliver better results.

A word of warning...

Don't quit until you've got all your ducks in a row.  You're always more employable when you're in work.  So stay focussed on your existing job while you get your career move in place, and make sure you leave on good terms and with a glowing references and testimonials.

We're always happy to chat and we're around over much of the Christmas break, so give us a call if you need help.

Whether you're a business owner or a manager, it's never easy to have to let your staff go.  It's even more difficult if they've been loyal and hardworking members of your team and you've grown to like and respect them.  They may even have become family friends.

But there is something you CAN do to ease the situation and to help them prepare for their job search in what is currently an extremely difficult job market... 

You can provide them with Outplacement Support.

Staff will undoubtedly be anxious about losing their jobs.  They may be angry or shocked at the prospect of being out of work, they may think it's a personal (as opposed to a business) decision and their self-esteem may hit an all-time low.

They may feel aggrieved because they perceive the "survivors" as being less experienced or less competent and therefore feel that they have been unfairly singled out for redundancy.

They'll very likely be extremely worried about how they can meet their financial commitments and support their families.

If they've been in work or in the same job for some time, they may be completely out of touch with today's job market and not know how to go about updating their CVs, write cover letters or cope with the online recruitment revolution.

Whilst employees may be highly adept within their existing role, they may have developed skills gaps which will further hinder their progress in the job market. 

The last thing you want is for your former employees to feel overwhelmed and worthless which could result in depression and poor health.

If you use Loft Resumes or any other form of creative formatting, please let us know what impact it had on your job applications.  We'd love to know whether it worked for you.

LinkedIn is all about professional networking.  Each time you log on to LinkedIn or when you make a connection, it will come up with a list of people you may know and want to connect with.

DON'T just click the "Connect" button.  This is a wasted opportunity.

Instead, take a little time to personalise your message.  Click on the little pen icon next to the +Connect button and create a short but compelling message about why you want to connect. 



Write a heading, eg "We met last night at XXX meeting" then compose a short message about what you have in common and why you'd like to connect.

If you can't connect because you don't know their email or you haven't done business with them before, check out the groups that you have in common and use one of those as a basis for connection.

If you want to get more mileage out of LinkedIn and you genuinely want to connect, then take a little time to make your message request personal and to make yourself more memorable.

Happy networking!

Are you in a position to ask for a pay rise?

For a long time I've believed that salaries are falling in real terms.

With the dire job market and the current UK recession, many employees are staying put and tolerating poor pay. They don't dare ask for a pay rise because they consider themselves "lucky" to have a job.

But what do you do when you know you are being paid less than what you are worth? 

How do you go about asking for a pay rise?

Well, firstly you need to be sure about what you're really worth.  What's the market rate for your role?  Check the online job boards to find similar jobs with equivalent responsibilities, same locations, etc.  Compare on a like for like basis.  Research it properly and you'll have more chance of success.

Then look at the value you bring to your employer.  Have you brought in new business?  Created new opportunities?  Made significant cost savings?  Supported, trained or mentored colleagues?  Taken on additional workload or responsibilities?  Learned new technologies?  Improved productivity levels? 

Once you're absolutely sure of your worth, create your case and tell your boss that you'd like to meet with them to discuss your remuneration package.  It's best not to spring it on them.  Give them time to think about it.  Ensure that the appointment is in your boss's diary and that they're not just giving you 2 minutes out of their busy day... it needs to be a proper appointment.

YOU set the benchmark

Bring evidence to the meeting and set the anchor. If you allow them to suggest a new salary, it may be totally out of line with your expectations and research.  You'll find it difficult to negotiate, and you'll feel insulted and undervalued - possibly feeling worse than if you hadn't asked at all.  So make sure you say what you think you're worth at the outset. 

Because you've done your research, you know what you're worth so you can make a sound business case for why they should pay you  more. 

You also need to think about what you do if your request is turned down but hopefully that won't happen.

Should I wait until my annual review?

If you wait until your annual review, you run the risk of being subject to fait accompli... Your pay rise, if there is one, will already have been broadly determined.  Whereas if you ask for a pay rise soon after some major accomplishment, you are more likely to be deemed worthy.

If you're really doing a great job and it's not just your perception but also the company's, then your employer won't want to lose you.  Yes, there may be lots of people out there who would jump at the opportunity of doing your job for your existing salary.  But if they're not going to be as good as you and they need training, then your employer would be foolish not to keep you and pay you what you're worth.

What happens if they say no?

If your request is turned down, don't give ultimatums about leaving the company.  This could prove difficult if they call your bluff.  Instead, ask if you could perhaps have a further meeting in a month or 3 months' time.  Or suggest that you receive a rise or a bonus if you can exceed targets by a given percentage.  Give the company an elegant way so that the door isn't closed entirely.

What about equal pay?

Whilst you shouldn't be paid less than someone else in a similar role, you can't expect to be paid more either - not unless you have more responsibility, deliver more value, etc.  That's why it pays to do your homework thoroughly.

Good luck!  We'd love to hear how you get on.

If you keep sending off the same CV for every job advertisement, you're unlikely to meet with success.

Read and analyse the job advertisement, see what key skills and experience they are seeking, and make sure that your CV is a good match - not just through interpretation but in exact words and phrases.

Although your CV still needs to make sense and read well, it needs to be specifically targetted to match each job vacancy advertisement.

If the job ad specifies Advanced Excel, make sure you include those exact words in your CV - remember you need to actually be advanced in Excel - no BS please...

If the advertisement specifies that they want someone with excellent organisational skills, then include those skills on your CV.

Prioritise your skills on your CV to match the priorities of the job advertisement.

Start off with one good CV.  Save this as the Master.  Then copy, edit and save each adaptation under a new file name.  This takes a little time  but it really pays dividends.

The same applies to cover letters.  These should "match" the job advertisement.  Don't just rehash your CV, address the advertisement - identify with their requirements - be the perfect match.  Tell them what excites you about the role, why you're interested, what you could bring to the role but make sure you're letter isn't all "me, me, me".  Talk about the company and how you think you would fit in and contribute to their goals.  It helps to check out their website and to read the advertisement fully before responding.

Good luck with your job search!  Get in touch if you need help.

Last year, when my daughter was still at university, she took on 2 weeks unpaid work experience in digital marketing.  It wasn't the most exciting of jobs but she did it to the best of her ability.  Consequently, the company paid her to stay on longer.  (Incidentally, this work experience was obtained via a post on LinkedIn - a powerful platform for job seekers.)

This year, following completion of her degree, the same company offered her a permanent employment contract.  The work this year is more interesting, carries more responsibility and is giving her a good grounding in digital marketing, PPC and SEO.

Clear evidence that unpaid work experience can lead to paid employment!

All forms of work experience have value but it helps if you can gain "relevant" experience in the field that you ultimately wish to work in.  If you want to work in marketing, then try to get work experience in marketing.  Likewise, accounting and so forth.  Relevant experience will count for more. - not always but usually.

I'm not saying that car washing, leaflet dropping and other forms of casual work are worthless... they're not.  They demonstrate a sound work ethic which is highly sought after in the job market.  But if you can combine your work ethic with relevant experience, you will likely gain more relevant skills and knowledge and enjoy greater success.

Work experience can also include volunteering.  Whilst the latter is generally perceived as supporting worthwhile causes, most charities have accounting, marketing and administration functions so can still provide you with "relevant" skills.

Good luck!
 
Email me if you need help with your CV or any other aspect of your job search.

So you've graduated in the class of 2013... Well done!

What next?

If you don't have a job, an internship or work experience lined up, what should you do next?

Perhaps take a gap year?

If you didn't take a gap year before you started college or university, now might be a good time to do this.  However, it's crucial that you plan what you're going to do and that as well as being a great experience it will add value to your CV.   Here are just a few options:

Volunteering can be highly beneficial - not just as a worthwhile experience but also in terms of adding skills and experience to your CV.  Just Google "work experience" to find a host of possibilities both at home and abroad.  You could work in a remote support or teaching role, or perhaps work for a charity - volunteering your time to help the needy or less privileged, or just helping the wheels of their office run smoothly - possibly helping with bookkeeping, running charity events, raising awareness.

Whatever volunteering you opt for, it's best to ensure that it's relevant or that you'll gain valuable transferable skills.

If you find yourself twiddling your thumbs, what about learning some new skills - ideally vocational skills such as IT or copywriting?  Or you could apply for a full-blown vocational course such as a Marketing Diploma and perhaps combine this with part time or full time work too.

Notice I "independent travel".  Anyone can book package tours but it takes careful planning, research and self belief to travel independently.  You'll generally go off the beaten track and out of your comfort zone, all of which can add to your soft skills - initiative, research, adaptability, self-sufficiency, resilience, problem solving, team leadership, project management, risk analysis, etc.  You'll also meet with people of all cultures and enjoy diverse and memorable experiences.

Many years ago I travelled solo to Australia and New Zealand.  I obtained a "Working Holiday Visa" and was able to take temporary office and bar work to subsidise my travel costs.  I can still say today that it was the best year of my life and it made me much more confident than I'd previously been.

Who wants to work for free?  No-one I suspect - including me!  But work experience helps you acquire new skills and adds value to your CV and it often leads to paid work.  Do take care that you're not simply unpaid labour.  Choose your work experience carefully and try to agree a plan with the employer so you're sure of working with or shadowing different managers and growing your knowledge.

Or you could register with an employment agency and take on a succession of temporary roles that will give you some vocational experience and transferable skills for your CV.  Temporary jobs often transition into permanent roles.  If a company likes what they see, they'll likely make you an offer.  So, again, target the type of company or market that you'd like to work in.

Many students obtain a TEFL qualification to enable them to work overseas AND earn money at the same time.  Unlike independent travel, you'll probably spend most of your time in one location but you'll still have a fantastic experience while acquiring transferable skills such as team leadership, planning, motivating.

• Don't get off the roundabout - you might never get back on
• Don't waste your time taking "well-deserved R&R" - you'll miss the boat
• Don't chill out watching TV or catching up on 3 years' worth of missed sleep

Life's not a rehearsal  - you're future starts now.

And remember that learning is lifelong - it doesn't stop after your graduation ceremony.

I read an article this morning which has left me feeling a little incensed.  The article in The Telegraph (Education Section) discussed whether:

1) Employers should ignore internship experience because it may indicate that the candidate has been privileged, and

2) Employers should ignore graduates' degree classifications - again because it may suggest privilege or better educational opportunities. 

So, where does that leave the graduates who've worked really hard to gain a place at a good university and achieve a first-class degree?

Where does that leave work ethic? 

Where does it leave the fact that some people are - in reality - more intelligent and more employable than others?

The fact is, the world isn't, and never will be, a level playing field; it's a jungle.  But the same opportunities are out there for anyone who wants to get off their backsides and go after them.  I know people who've attended state schools and gone on to become lawyers.  And I know people who've had a private, aka 'privileged', education and gone on to achieve very little.

Success is a mindset.  It's about parents encouraging and supporting their kids.  It's about kids getting off backsides to seek out and make the most of every opportunity.  There's plenty of help out there for the under privileged.  Educational establishments should focus on referring kids to those resources and, if necessary, running classes for parents to educate them on the importance of supporting, stimulating and motivating their kids; leading by example. 

In terms of level playing fields, we need to be very careful about the message we send out and we should avoid at all costs undervaluing or resenting those who have worked hard to create a brighter future for themselves.

For those who'd like to read the article, here it is: Telegraph Article

by Barbara Patrick
Professional CV Writer and Career Coach
Compelling CVs
Reading Berkshire

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