s4r/UWE Careers Guides on how to Beat the Recession

We all know the saying “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”. In truth it is probably what you know and who you know. However there is no denying that networking is a very powerful tool wherever you are in your career whether you are looking for a job, starting a business, or wishing to make a change.

But are you someone who cringes at the idea of networking? Are you filled with dread at the idea of picking up the phone to an ex-colleague or entering a room full of people you don’t know? Do you think – “it just isn’t for me”?

Ask yourself: Is it helping me currently to hold this view? What might be more useful?

Consider using these tips and change how you think about networking.

If you think: It is embarrassing to ask people for a job.

Think instead: Networking is not about directly asking people to give you a job. People generally are keen to help where they can and really appreciate help from you. Networking provides a means for you to have more people looking out for opportunities for you and for you to do the same for them.

It is about:

o   making the most of contacts you have made through:

   o   specific networking events

   o   business and previous jobs

   o   socially and through leisure activities

   o   on-line networks

o   letting people know what you can do and what you want to achieve

o   asking for and sharing information and advice

o   widening your options

o   finding out about other people

o   putting other people in contact with each other. You may find out about a great opportunity that would be an ideal match for someone else.

o   Use this Network map exercise to help you map your network of potential contacts. Businessballs.comhas more business networking tips and techniques.

If you think: I hate making small talk with people I don’t know.

Think instead: Networking is not small talk. It is focused and purposeful conversation.

o   Ensure you prepare:

o   Be clear on what you want to get out of the event

o   Research who will be there and target who you might want to meet.

o   Prepare a couple of sentences that describe what you do/want to do succinctly and memorably.

o   Draw up a list of questions including openers such as “What is keeping you busy?” “What one word would you use to describe your business?” You may also need some means of escape if you get stuck with someone for too long!: “I will let you get on” or “I think we are meant to circulate”.

o   Be confident – if you aren’t, act as though you are – there will be lots of others there who feel the same way. They would rather see someone with a friendly smile than a panicked expression!

o   Go along with someone else if this helps.

o   Take notes on the back of business cards of memorable points from your conversation.

o   Follow up later if you have said you will be in touch with contacts or information.

o   Keep in touch with any useful contacts you have made.

For more help look at this step by step guide to networking. Or check out these tips and advice on how networking can help you, how to build networks, and online networking. It is aimed at research staff but the advice applies to anyone.

If you think: I can’t do on-line Networking I’m not on Facebook.

Think instead: On-line networks are a great way to reconnect with old friends and colleagues and tap into their networks. They are not the only networking tools to use but they are a great way to expand your connections and enhance your visibility.

On-line networking for career purposes can be carried out on social networking sites such as Facebook, but with brakes applied. Remember you want potential employers to see the best of you not the rest of you! Check what your profile contains, who has access to it and what image of yourself you are portraying. Make sure that you have the right privacy settings on your Facebook profile. Or consider having two accounts, one for business and one for social. You can use tips from below to enhance your visibility on professional networking sites and raise your professional profile on search engines such as Google.

LinkedIn is one of the most popular networking sites for professionals. It is increasingly being used by recruiters: over 50% of the Fortune 100, and 25% of FTSE 100, companies have used LinkedIn to recruit employees. Join groups specific for your area of work or contact old business, university or college friends who may be able to introduce you to their potentially useful contacts.

There are many articles on how to use LinkedIn effectively for job search: LinkedIn and your jobsearch provides useful ideas on how to market yourself and build connections.

This offers Ten Ways to use LinkedIn including how to use it to research potential employers and how to enhance your own visibility.

Other online business networking sites include:

www.ecademy.com

www.viadeo.com

www.xing.com

www.naymz.com

www.plaxo.com

Do you often feel you are going round in circles looking for a job and getting nowhere? Are you using the same limited methods of searching for jobs or finding yourself online getting engulfed by irrelevant roles and not having any success?

There are many strategies for researching the job market and potential employers, and for successful job hunting. We will all have tried and tested methods and favourite job vacancy sites.

Did you know that many employers only advertise their vacancies on their own website and some employers do not advertise at all, relying on proactive job seekers contacting them direct or referrals from their own employees: this is known as the ‘hidden job market’.

There is conflicting information on how big the hidden job market is, ranging from 50 – 85% of all opportunities. Whatever the size of the market, all job seekers should consider strategies for identifying hidden opportunities to increase the range of options for finding work.

Check out some of the ideas below to refresh your repertoire and refocus your energy.

Top tips to help you tap into the hidden job market

o   Research individual companies to decide who you want to work for and take a look at our Step by Step guide to researching the job market and resources for finding potential employers.

o   Understand employer expectations if you want to make a successful approach. These will vary across sectors and companies and you need to be aware of what recruiters are looking for in candidates.

o   Target your approach by stepping into the employer’s shoes for a moment and thinking about what you would look for in a potential candidate.

o   Read Labour Market Information reports prepared by sector skills councils including employment trends and forecasts by job role and region, and emerging jobs.Industry Insightsprovides an overview of sectors including the range of job roles and future trends.

o   Keep abreast of which sectors, industries and organisations are expanding or setting up new projects or retracting, by following local, regional and national business news. For example a new science park and a National Composites Centre is planned for Bristol, and a new hospital is planned to open in 2014. Consider green industries, companies involved in the preparations for the 2012 Olympics and the impending 2010 election.

o Join professional business associations as they can provide a wealth of useful information including industry news.

o   Develop a plan of actionand keep good records of who you have contacted and the result to help you keep on track and in control of your job search campaign.

o   Networking is great way to find out who is recruiting in your field. Look at this Step by Step Guide to networking to get you started.

o   Try different approaches particularly during tough times. Business Balls suggest a simple speculative approach that could work for you.

o   Careerbuilder.co.ukcontains lots of advice including the top companies currently hiring, best locations and advice on the seven things job seekers must do.

o   Consider joining a job club with other job seekers. This not only gives you much needed moral support but also more people to make phonecalls to prospective employers. It is highly unlikely that you will be in competition for the same job as your skills and aspirations will be different. Richard Nelson Bolles in What Color Is Your Parachute claims that 84% of people who use this method of job hunting will have success.

Whatever new approach you adopt it will reinvigorate your job search and the renewed focus will be evident to potential employers, moving you closer to securing the job that is right for you.

Recently at the Winter Olympics, we have watched as athletes compete to be at the peak of their chosen field. What can we learn from them? How do we focus on our strengths and minimise our weaker areas? How do we broadcast our strengths to potential employers or clients of our business?

Some key watch-words for maximising your potential in your chosen field – perseverance, passion, goal, strive, publicise.

1.   Reflect on what you’re good at and what you’re not so good at: Are you very organised? Are you creative? Are you a good team player? Are you great at problem solving? Do you love numbers or do they swim in front of your eyes?

2.   Some of us find it hard to think about our strengths. Experiment with thinking of your strengths in a different way - when have things gone really well? What made them good? How do other people describe you? What would your best friend say about you? Outside work what activities do you gravitate towards?

3.   We spend a lot of time focusing on our area of weakness, Marcus Buckingham in his book, “Now, discover your strengths” argues that this is wasted effort, as at best all you will be is average. Why not instead look for areas where you are already strong and build on those? We tend to be good at the things we enjoy and enjoy the things we are good at.

4.   In adult life we often just expect to be good at something and we are hard on ourselves when we are not. Athletes don’t expect to be great without training and practice. Build a plan to develop your skills and strengths.

5.   Gain work experience by doing a temporary job or volunteering to boost confidence and provide evidence of your capability.

6.   How will you broadcast your strengths to potential employers?

o   Be clear and concise and confident on what you can bring

o   Think of examples when you have played to your strengths and made a real impact in a previous job or another part of your life.

o   See things from the employer’s perspective – which skills will be of most value to their organisation?

7.   Talking to those with relevant sector expertise may help you to determine the skills, which are critical for success in a competitive job market. Networking is a great way to practise telling people what you do well. Look at this step by step guide to networking.

8.   In summary, in order to maximise your potential:  

o   Focus on what you want to achieve. Check out the Goal setting issue of the newsletter below.

o   Understand what you can do well.

o   Think about how you can develop and enhance your strengths.

o   Identify any barriers that might be preventing you from realising your potential. For example are you limiting yourself by assuming that you wouldn’t be able to do something without researching it?

o   Think about what your prospective employer wants and needs and how you can provide it.    

9.   Remember, to really maximise your potential you must focus on the future because your potential is all about the future. Take the first step.

At the start of a new year we all talk about setting goals and fresh starts. It can seem daunting but if we keep doing what we have always done we will keep getting the results we have always got. There is real benefit in setting goals to help you focus on what is important to you and motivate yourself to achieve them. If you were going on a journey you wouldn’t arrive at the bus station and get on the first bus to leave; nor should you necessarily take the first job that comes along.  Why not use this time as an opportunity to reflect on where you want to be in the future and plan your journey?

Be proactive: the first step is to decide your goal – what is it that you really want to achieve?  Look at Mindtools: guide to goal setting for more information.

Be SMART when you build your goals. There are a number of variances but SMART usually stands for:

Specific:                 detailed, particular, focused

Measurable:           quantifiable

Action-oriented:      produce results

Realistic:                 practical, achievable

Timed:                   deadline

So for example you might decide you wish to work in a specific sector. A short-term goal might be: by the end of the month I will have indentified three people who work in that sector and have organisedinformational interviews with them to find out more about working there.

Commit to it and believe you will achieve it. Look out into the future and see yourself in your new job or running your own business or studying. Create the picture as vividly as you can – What is around you? What are you wearing? Who are you with? Make it a compelling image that you can call on to renew your focus and energy as you head towards it.

Write it down – this crystallises it and enhances your commitment to it.

Build a plan to support your goal.  Once you know your direction you can decide your route and the steps along it and most importantly take the first step.

• Determine what actions you need to take
• Prioritise
• Set realistic times for completing tasks
• Check who and what you need to help you achieve your goal.

For more information to help you to build your plan see the MyFuture: guide to action planning

Identify what might stop youfrom achieving your goal. Ask yourself “what is the best that can happen and what is the worst?” Most of us create wildly exaggerated worst-case scenarios. Challenge yourself – will that really happen?  Check here for more help on dealing with barriers and other distractions.

Enlist help from others –tell them your goal and your plan. They can encourage new ideas, remind you of past successes and offer help to keep you on track. You could speak to friends, family, colleagues to discuss your plans.

Review - Check back regularly to see whether you are meeting your goal and your deadlines. Revise your plan if it was unrealistic or amend it as you

progress towards your goal. As we move closer towards our goal we often find that it may have changed but that it is clearer.

For the last few months you could hardly pick up a newspaper or watch the TV news without hearing a story about a bank going under, a firm closing down or staff being made redundant. Such unrelenting bad news may have made you think that there’s no point in looking for a job during the recession!

While the recession certainly makes the job market much tougher for any job seekers, there is still plenty you can do to improve your chances of success in a recession.

Here are ten top tips drawn from academics, industry experts and careers professionals who have been through a recession and come out the other side:

1. Do something – don’t sit back and wait for the recession to end. Get some work experience, do a short course, voluntary work, or a job that can build on your skills or give you the opportunity to shine. Most employers would prefer someone who was evidently pro-active or a brand new graduate.  Doing something will also help keep your spirits and confidence up and ward off boredom!

2. Don’t jump at the first job that comes your way. If it seems wildly unsuitable, it probably is!  Don’t try to be someone you are not, just because you are desperate for a job. Build on what you’ve got and who you are. Reflecting on the type of person you are and what you have to offer an employer is the starting point for any job search or career decision-making.

3. Be flexible and think more broadly about what you could do. Being out of work can be an opportunity to take time out to review how passionate you are about the career you have been following and the life style you have.  You could think about alternative ways of working such as self employment, portfolio careers or part time study. Take advantage of the free resources available through UWE Careers for exploring your options.

4. Maximise your potential by building on your strengths and seeking ways to minimise your weaknesses. This means identifying what you’re good at and what you’re not so good at. Further study, work experience or talking to those with relevant expertise may all help you to maximise your potential – which is critical for success in a competitive job market.

5. Seek help. Don’t struggle to cope on your own. There are many people who can help you whether it’s friends and family, professional careers staff, academics or business contacts. Check out the UWE careers website for details of the help on offer.

6. Network with people who may be able to help you access another route into the job market. Networking is about making the most of contacts you have through business and previous jobs, socially and through leisure activities as well as on-line networks, it’s not about asking for a job, but building up relationships and letting people know what you can do so they can help you market yourself and identify relevant opportunities.

Research the job market, not just by looking at the vacancies that are advertised but at the business and news pages too. Check out relevant magazines and websites to find companies and organisations that are expanding or setting up new projects. Even in a recession there are some organisations that are expanding. Think broadly about where there is a need; for example, new NHS developments in Bristol and nationally, green industries, and companies involved in the preparations for the 2012 Olympics.  

7. Sell yourself. The labour market has always been about ‘selling yourself’, making yourself stand out to a recruiter over others and this is even more significant in a recession. Think carefully about how you present yourself on your CV, on an application form and in an interview. The UWE Careers website has a range of resources to help you develop high quality applications and our team of career consultants can provide valuable one to one feedback.

8. Celebrate your successes. Many people are reluctant to celebrate their successes and achievements through a lack of self-confidence or a fear of others thinking that they are boasting. Employers want individuals who are successful and can help them to be successful.

9. Set some goals. Think about where you want to be in six months time, what steps you can take now to help you get there and who can help you.