The Bank of England has predicted the UK will enter into recession in the last quarter of 2022. Limited spending leads to little economic growth and unfortunately, recruitment is an area which will feel this hit sooner and harder than other industries. In spite of this, the world keeps turning and recruitment is still necessary during a recession. Even though candidates are likely to be more reluctant to leave their current jobs, plenty of candidates will still be graduating from university and looking for work. Some workers will be faced with the reality of redundancy or reduced hours. Recession recruitment then will play an important role in many lives.
So, what can you do to navigate the recession as a jobseeker? When there is an economic recession, finding a job can be a challenge. Successfully securing a new job requires patience, determination and the willingness to adapt to new working conditions and processes. Learning how to find a job during an economic downturn can help you navigate any potential challenges with patience and expertise. In this article, we discuss what a recession is, explore how to find a job during a recession and review some tips to help you during your job search.
Update Your CV To Stay Ahead In A Recession
The most important thing you need to do, you can do right now. Updating your CV should be part of your job search anyway, even in a booming economy there is fierce competition in the digital marketing industry. To elevate your chances of getting noticed, you need to update your CV and establish your personal brand. You should clearly and effectively communicate your knowledge, skills, abilities and experiences to your potential employers. Focus on your skills. When job opportunities are limited, the competition becomes even more fierce so it is important that you put together a strong cover letter to accompany your CV. This will help differentiate your application from other candidates. Your CV should demonstrate your work history, skills and any relevant achievements. For graduates with limited work experience, check out our previous blog post on how to demonstrate your value to potential employers. You can include any technical skills such as computer programs or any additional languages you speak. Just make sure you would be comfortable speaking those languages in the workplace!
What Areas Of Media Remain Lucrative in A Recession?
If your chosen career or industry does not thrive during a recession, you might need to consider looking for work elsewhere. Temporary jobs or those with transferrable skills to your dream career can help you gain valuable experience and build your CV for future job seeking. Some industries which tend to be recession-proof include education and law. Luckily, there are areas of the media industry which are proven to be recession-proof. Performance media offers the lowest risk return on media investment and so it is the safest form of advertising there is. Anyone with a website offering can justify highly quantifiable expenditure through performance media channels. We have already talked about the following areas being among the most in-demand marketing roles this year:- PPC Search
- Paid Social Media
- Programmatic
Level Up To Keep Up
In the highly competitive digital marketing and ad agency industries, you may find you have access to a wider range of jobs when you learn new skills. You can find many free resources online including podcasts which discuss the skills you are interested in learning. Spend some time determining if you need to brush up on certain skills to make yourself more marketable - it might be a brand-new skill or something you haven't utilized in some time. Review job descriptions for jobs in your field and industry, keep up to date with new technologies and trends and you can make yourself a more employable candidate both in the short term and when the economy picks up. Coursera, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning and Google Analytics are all great resources.
Networking (Always Networking!)
We've said it before, and we'll say it again! Networking is such a powerful tool. Seek out like-minded professionals and research events, both in-person and virtually. LinkedIn and Facebook both host professional groups and the opportunity to comment and engage with people in your industry and beyond. You can make use of both personal and professional social media to signal that you're open to new work opportunities. make sure you perform a social media audit to make sure you are putting out the best image you can. Connecting with and contacting people within your professional or personal networks is helpful when there is a recession as they may know about job opportunities that are not advertised online. Step outside your comfort zone and make yourself visible. If there is a thread, share relevant information as well as your own personal experiences and expertise. You never know where what doors that engagement may open up in your professional career.Act Now To Get Ahead
There is no time like the present. For more helpful articles like this one, head to the Dotgap blog: Upskilling And Why Is It Important For Me Why Is LinkedIn The Ultimate Career Tool Dotgap breaks the traditional digital recruitment agency mould and have a more thoughtful, considerate approach. We know the industry because we have all worked there ourselves. Get in touch today to see how we can help you.
Recently, we've been talking a lot about how to get jobs, perform well in interviews and utilise moving companies to your advantage. However, given the current economic climate and cost of living crisis, many people are looking for stability and assurance they will be in work and able to pay their bills. Upskilling enables you to strengthen your position, improve your skills and develop new ones.
In times of economic trouble, employers may focus on retention and fill job vacancies internally, making it a crucial time to upskill for your career growth. So, whether you are still looking for a new job, or staying where you are, you can secure your position and increase your chances of success by upskilling – in digital, there is no such thing as knowing too much!
Upskilling - How To Do it
Effective upskilling involves the combination of internal skills and external resources. Depending on where you work and what your current working situation is, you should be able to use a mix of your company’s training modules as well as your own creativity to your advantage. With so many of us working from home now it can be difficult to leverage company resources in the same way. So, whether you’re aiming to make a move, increase your pay or just make yourself more versatile, here are some of the top ways to upskill remotely, or fit it into your new hybrid working.#1 Make it a part of your routine
If you are trying to fit in upskilling around working from home, it can be really challenging. By the time you've done your work it can be really hard to stay at your desk and commit to learning. But, here's the thing. If you don't commit to it, you won't do it. Try starting small, half an hour before you start your working day for example, or a quiet hour after your evening meal.#2 Listen to podcasts
This seems to feature a lot in tips and blogs online and for good reason! There is a wealth of great information out there now, easily accessible and easy to fit in your life. You can listen to a podcast at the gym, on the bus, doing the washing up, or while working. Check out some of these upskilling podcasts as see what you think.#3 Read industry news and books
While many books are available online to listen to know, podcasts aren't for everyone. Try subscribing to industry newsletters or magazines and looking for industry-related books you can enjoy with your coffee.
#4 Try out new technologies
Take the opportunity whenever possible to have a go at new technologies. This might be something you get the chance to do at work or something you need to take on yourself. The truth is, even non-tech roles require a certain amount of technical proficiency in the digital marketing world. There are usually free tutorials for many platforms which aren't too time consuming or labour intensive.#5 Use online course providers
There are so many courses available online now. Udemy and LinkedIn Learning provide thousands of course options for a reasonable price - LinkedIn offers a one-month free trial. Google Analytics Academy and Codeacademy have free courses available and both provide fantastic insights for those working in digital industries.#6 Attend virtual events
Even though we are back out in the world there are still plenty of online events and conferences which allow you to attend from your own home and connect with people around the world. A great way to learn and upskill without leaving the house - saving you time.
Upskilling Is Futureproofing
With virtual options and free courses available, if you are thinking about upskilling for any reason, there really is nothing to stop you. Just don't overload your schedule. Start with small and manageable learning and see what works with your lifestyle. Don't forget to ask your employer if there is something specific related to your role or company you want to learn - they may be able to share excellent resources with you and might even give you time to learn in your working day. For more content like this, head to the dotgap blog!
Whether large or small, companies want to grow and maintain their position in the market. This means that marketing and promotional activity is absolutely essential for any business' success. Marketing jobs are growing at a faster rate than other industries and are expected to grow 10% in the next 10 years. This is great news for anyone looking for a marketing job in 2022.
Marketing Jobs 2022: Trends
One of the biggest trends for a number of years has been moving towards digital. The pandemic vastly accelerated the UKs digital transformation efforts. 2021 saw the majority of customer interactions taking place online. Companies needed to respond to increased online shopping and offer better web-based customer communications.
This lead to traditional marketing departments needing to rapidly adapt in order to keep sales afloat.
Throughout 2022, this digital demand has continued, digital marketing remains at the forefront of the most in-demand skills for recruiters and for learning.
Marketing jobs in 2022 can be found at all kinds of organisations, from large firms to startups, and companies will be looking for staff to keep up with demand.
So, what do you need to do to make sure you are equipped with the skills recruiters are looking for? First, we need to consider the most in demand jobs.
In-Demand Marketing Jobs in 2022
Some of the most sought-after positions at the moment are as follows:- Digital marketing managers
- Digital marketing specialists
- Social media managers
- Marketing managers and strategists
- Content writers
- Copywriters and content strategists
- SEO specialists
- Data analysts
Ramping up your skills in SEO, display ad, paid ads and marketing analytics, email marketing, mobile marketing and social media marketing can help you position yourself as an expert.
You don't need to be an expert in every area of digital marketing but you do need to understand the connectivity between each channel.
So, What Next?
Let's face it, digital isn't going anywhere, and as the industry grows, so will remote opportunities. This is likely to mean there are more jobs for you to choose from, but also that competition may be stiffer as companies will have a larger talent pool to choose from. If you are looking to upskill, try Futurelearn or LinkedIn Learning to get inspired and keep ahead of the competition. If you are looking for your next career move, get in touch with dotgap for the latest in digital opportunities.
As we are coming out of summer, the Christmas countdowns will be starting before you know it. The rest of the year has a tendency to slip away very quickly and if you are job hunting, you may feel as though everything grinds to a halt and you may as well wait until the new year to find a new job.
You may have even heard that companies don’t hire in the fourth quarter of the year because of the holidays. The truth is though, the worst time of year to find a job is actually over the summer, during the school holiday period.
Hiring remains relatively high across all sectors with a notable increase in hiring across hospitality and leisure, retail and media, marketing, advertising, PR and sales. These industries are the most active recruiters at the moment.
October through December are certainly very busy for businesses but companies all across the country will still be actively recruiting and keen to have open positions filled for the new year. On top of this, if you don’t find your dream job to apply for there are still plenty of things you can do to help get a job before the year ends.
Networking Can Help You Find A Job
Part of the reason the holiday season seems like a daunting time for jobseekers and hiring managers is the busy social side of the end of the year. It is likely your calendar will fill up with social events with friends, family and work events all vying for space. Instead of writing off the last quarter of the year to parties, why not make them work for you? 85% of job openings are filled through networking in the UK. Now, we aren't suggesting you try and network with your granddad at your Aunt Linda's Christmas lunch but you never know who you might meet at a holiday party. Someone might know of an opening at their work or put you in touch with a friend who's hiring. Consider taking business cards with you or connecting on social media. Keep it professional though - Linked In is best. For tips of how to network successfully, check out this article on networking at tech events.
Be Ready For Short Notice Interviews
As we have already mentioned, hiring doesn’t slow down in Q4. However, you need to remember that many employees take time off for the holidays and this can slow down the recruitment process while staff cover for one another. You might notice you wait longer than usual for a reply to emails. Don't let this put you off your efforts to find a new job. You may receive interview confirmation and a date with little notice. With staff off, it will be harder for companies to organise interviews. o, you should be ready to go at short notice. Read up on interview skills, think of answers to common interview questions and think about why you want to work for this company. When you get called in for an interview, you'll just have to focus on researching the company. You'll be able to go in armed with knowledge and feel confident you are prepared.
Get A Headstart On The New Year
Obviously, there are many reasons you may not find a new job by the end of the year but there are still reasons why you should be active in your industry during Q4. The fact that many believe there is no hiring in Q4 will work in your favour, you might find there are less applicants and you are more likely to land an interview. Even if your dream company isn't actually hiring until the new year, you will benefit from networking. It is a great time of year to network and if you are memorable, you might be the first person they bring in for an interview. You can avoid being lost in a pile of new year's applications.
Now Is A Great Time To Find A Job
The average time to hire in 2022 is 42 days. If you take into account the time on either side of that for you to find a new job, and to get ready to start, the whole process can take longer. By October, many companies will be making plans for the new year which includes seeing whether they need new staff. Instead of hiring someone in January, it’s much more beneficial to hire someone in the months before so their new hire can be fully onboarded and ready to contribute once the calendar rolls over. For your next opportunity, contact doptgap today and find your next job!A career plan is a list of steps you can take to help you reach your professional goals. It starts with knowing where your skills, talents and interests lie and figuring out what roles and industries these translate to. You can work with this information to work out what qualifications you need and work out what careers will meet your financial needs.
The process of making a career plan will help give you clarity. In today's fast-paced and highly competitive jobs market it can help you make choices and identify opportunities when they arise. Having a goal helps to keep you motivated and interested in your job.
But what does a career plan look like? How do you implement it? We've put together a short article for you to get you started with some tips on how to work with it throughout your career.
How To Start Your Marketing Career Plan
Start by identifying your field, or fields, of interest. Are you looking to get into design, social or strategy for example? Then, identify your goals. This is not a fixed goal, it is highly likely your interests will change over the course of your career, not to mention various life events potentially changing your perspective and needs. But, right now - what are your goals? Where do you want to be? Next, assess your current position and figure out what you need to do to start moving in the right direction. These steps should be more detailed (consider using the S.M.A.R.T. system) at first but will be more generic the further ahead into the future you are looking. Remember, marketing regularly adapts to changing market and customer needs so both you and your career plan need to be adaptable. There are so many different jobs in marketing and roles will vary between agencies and in-house teams depending on the size of the company and nature of the client. Identify any obstacles and how you might solve them. For example, if you lack a qualification, can you achieve this? Is it time to change companies to expand your horizons? How can you gain more experience? Finally, Write down your plan and you are good to go!
How To Implement Your Marketing Career Plan
You've written it all down, so what's next? Just move one step at a time, and be industry aware. Read books and articles, listen to podcasts and attend events related to your career plan and goals. Try to keep on to of new trends and technologies and take advantage of any opportunity you have to learn or improve your skills. All industries change and evolve, none more so than media, digital, tech and marketing. If your role or area of expertise becomes more reliant on technology you may find it harder to advance if you have limited technical skills. Remain flexible and evaluate your career plan from time to time. You may find your goals shift or a new route becomes available to you. Change is good.
It's Your Career Plan, Design It Your Way
Your career plan it just that, yours. You can refer back to it to help start your career and inform your moves if you feel you are stuck or ready for a change. Share your goals with your employer and ask them for advice. They might be able to identify opportunities or obstacles you have overlooked. Fore more on career progression and possible career paths, visit the Dotgap digital marketing blog for more!
This month, we have been talking about career progression and how you can change jobs to optimize your learning and build experience. But how do you demonstrate skills and talent when applying for a graduate role? In digital industries, marketing graduates are in a good position, as they know the latest developments and newest digital tech. Graduate employers are looking to recruit motivated applicants who have relevant skills and who will fit into their company culture. A good degree is a standard requirement and while some will look for certain technical expertise, most are focused on potential. The question remains, how can you find relevant ways to showcase skills like commitment, teamwork and motivation to learn without previous work experience in the industry? Read on for our tips:
# 1 Commitment
A key step in career advancement is to establish loyalty and commitment, not only to the industry but to your team and company. For obvious reasons, this can be difficult if you are applying for your first role.
Commitment gives you credibility and value as an employee. So how can you demonstrate these qualities using your life so far, before you become a marketing graduate?
- Make sure you demonstrate your passion and genuine interest for the industry. Is this just a job? Or the start of a career?
- If you spend your spare time, reading and even working on projects related to your field of work, make sure you include this in any application or interview -these sorts of activities demonstrate commitment.
- Talk about long term plans. Be clear about your plans and goals for personal development within the company!
- You can also join groups on social media such as Facebook or LinkedIn and engage with discussions
#2 Team Player
Working well on a team improves productivity as each member is working towards a common goal, and the company culture created is a positive one, encouraging members to celebrate each other’s accomplishments and motivate them. So, as a marketing graduate, how can you demonstrate you are a team player and available to help your colleagues?
- If you've ever played team sports, this is a great example of, quite literally, being a team player!
- Think about any group projects you might have taken part in over your educational career and how you communicated, organised and problem-solved with that group.
- Whatever your example, emphasise group successes and be clear about your actions and their contributions.
#3 Motivation
Hiring managers and prospective employers will be looking for motivation as one of their key attributes in any potential hire, especially in a graduate. This is your chance to show you have the drive to work hard and perform well. You need to show what motivates you at work and whether you are able to work on your own initiative. Without employment history in the industry, you can still demonstrate your motivation the following ways:
- Build an active presence in your industry on social media. Join groups and participate in discussions to show your interest and ideas
- Volunteering in a role which chares skills or in the industry is also very well received - you must be motivated to work for free!
- Think about the language you use on your CV when describing your accomplishments. Avoid generic verbs like "led," "managed," or "built" and replace them with word like "negotiated," "persuaded," or "appointed."
Marketing Graduates: You've Got This!
Getting a job as a marketing graduate comes down to this: Transferable skills.
Transferable skills are competencies that can be carried over from one activity to another. So don't undervalue your experience. You should get involved in a wide range of activities and work experience while you are at university to develop these skills so you can promote yourself to employers.
Are you a marketing graduate? Dotgap has a wide range of opportunities for you! Check out our current vacancies here.
Obviously, there are a great many factors to consider when you are considering changing jobs. Things like location, pay, company culture and how much you enjoy or don't enjoy your current job are all highly relevant. If you are in a position to change jobs tactically or a new opportunity has presented itself, this article can give you helpful guidance on optimising your moves to help your marketing career!
As you progress through your current job, you may notice your interests shift. In the fast-paced world of media, marketing, advertising and digital you may notice your job role shifts too. You can find yourself looking elsewhere for a new challenge or discover a new role you want to follow. To make sure you are changing careers an appropriate number of times to best demonstrate your desire to progress while still assuring recruiters and hiring managers you can commit, read on!
Agency Marketing Careers – Should You Jump Ship?
It is a long- held belief in the industry that marketers start on the agency side to build their skills before looking for a more permanent in-house team. It is certainly true that there are enourmous benefits to agency work in regards to building knowledge. You'll work with a variety of clients and potentially be exposed to many different fields and roles. However, this doesn't mean after a time you will complete this journey and be ready to 'settle' elsewhere. It is down to you and the opportunities that arise so ther eis nothing to say this established route is the best. Historical models for career progression don't really fit in the digital marketing world, with new developments, new technology and therefore new roles advancing all the time agencies have a great deal to offer those looking to explore all the industry has to offer. With traditional advice, and that of managers, often being to stay in their departments, hone their craft, and learn to nurture other people’s development you have to wonder if this is really still the best way to learn.Tactical Moves Can Help You Keep Ahead
Changing jobs can give you the exposure you get at an agency by letting you work in different roles and industries. This will strengthen your professional experience and ultimately enrich your marketing career. As the digital industry continues to grow, more emphasis is placed on skills specialist possess rather than time in a specific role. Given the fast-evolving nature of digital, many of the most knowledgeable digital marketers have the least work experience as they have come straight from learning new technologies and the most up to date innovations. Many traditional marketers might find they don't have time to learn these new things 'on-the-job. Employees can gain perspective about best practices and a new skill set as they move from one employer to another. A well-thought-out job change can let you learn new skills as part of your day-to-day job and new employee training.
Changing jobs is a balancing act
It doesn't take a genius to see that job hopping too much can hurt your employability. But it is possible that staying too long in one job can hold you back too! For most jobs, employers will be looking for a balance between commitment and progression so it is not a simple decision to know when to stay and when to move on.
Staying too long can look like complacency or lack of motivation and employers might assume you would have difficulty adapting to new situations or different company culture. In short, the number of times you should move depends on your preferences. All employers' requirements are different but a good rule of thumb is at least one to three years.
Staying in a role for three years or so can let employers know you are wiling to commit yourself but also that you are up for the chance to learn new things. It suggests an employee who is constantly learning and progressing and ready for the chance to learn new things.
Should I Stay or Should I go: Progressing Your Marketing Career
If you're happy in your role, there is no reason to move until you feel ready for an opportunity elsewhere. Many people stay in with the same company in similar positions for a long time because they enjoy the role and the company. You should change if feel there is no way to progress further where you are and you are hungry to learn more. Maybe you have a career plan and need to move companies in order to get to the role you are aspiring to. There is no one answer or quick-fix and there is no telling what opportunities might or might not arise in your current place of work - especially if you are with a start-up or rapidly expanding company. Are you ready for your next challenge? Dot-gap has a range of exciting opportunities available now, from entry-level to account director. Get in touch today to make your smart move.
Our last blog post talked about diversity and why it is so important. This week we are diving into how you can improve your diversity through clever recruiting.
Having different perspectives and backgrounds in your team will contribute to new and more diverse ideas. This helps to drive innovation in your company. The development of a diversity recruitment strategy is one way to do this. On top of this, it is our belief that all companies should be striving for diversity regardless of business benefits. Building teams from qualified candidates regardless of their gender, orientation, race, religion, socioeconomic background, or disability is long overdue, and a step toward true equality in the workplace.
We recommend doing a diversity audit initially to see where you need to focus your efforts. You will probably find your HR department holds a lot of relevant information. However, an anonymous survey can be an invaluable tool for collecting information on diversity.
Let your employees know you are working to improve your diversity and need their help to build a diversity recruitment strategy. You can quickly and easily create anonymous online surveys using tools such as SurveyMonkey.
Spend time Auditing Job Ads
As an extension of the diversity audit of your company as a whole, you should spend time doing an audit of your previous job advertisements. Two main areas to consider are:- Language use: It is important to find ways to be more inclusive in your language to appeal to candidates from different backgrounds. Many advertisements have language geared toward a certain demographic which inadvertently excludes others.
- Qualification criteria: Consider less focus on specific degrees or schools and instead, concentrate on competencies. For example, critical thinking, or the ability to work as part of a diverse team.
Reduce Unconscious Bias with Blind Recruiting
Blind hiring allows you to gear all your vacancies toward unbiased processes from the very start of your recruitment process. By intentionally removing any details that can give the reader insight into the applicant's background, you can screen the applications on job-related issues only thereby reducing bias. CVs are edited to include only skills, and job-relevant experience and abilities. For example, age bias can be avoided by removing graduation dates and dates of previous employment and years of experience (as long as they are not relevant). All you need to include is what type of qualifications candidates have and how they rate themselves in the skills you set out in your advert. Try asking for them to rate experience as basic, intermediate, or expert for example. You could use screening tests to help remove unconscious bias like geographic, education, affinity or gender biases.
Agencies Can Help Improve Your Diversity
Another thing you need is a diverse talent pool to source candidates from. Focussing on only the sources that you know best can result in a talent pool of similar candidates and a lack of diversity. So, how can you make sure you are casting the net as wide as possible?- Consider using a recruitment agency. With their own pool of people each with their own candidates sing an agency can really help you with your outreach.
- Source your candidates from a variety of different places.
- Think about including internships to candidates from specific backgrounds.
Use Your Existing Employees' Networks
Try reaching out to some of the employees on your team who might be part of the demographic you are looking to hire. You can encourage them to share job advertisements with their networks and make sure you support them and provide them with the tools to promote your company properly. This approach is great for company culture and makes employees and candidates feel valued. Creating a diverse referral program is a great way to boost your diversity recruitment strategy.
There’s No Reason You Can't Improve Your Diversity
In short, there is no excuse. From both a business perspective and a moral one you need to be taking steps to make sure you have a diverse and inclusive working environment. As a creative agency it can propel your innovation and problem solving to new heights as well as making you and your product more relatable. Don't fall behind, get ahead of the pack and start today.
It can be a daunting prospect, to go back to work. From the perspective of the woman who has been home looking after children, it can be overwhelming and intimidating, depending on how long you have been out of the traditional workforce. Unfortunately, there is still a deeply ingrained bias within the world of work. It ignores the value-added skills a mother has, both innately, and learned from their experiences as a parent. At dotgap, we believe Motherhood is no reason to feel as though you can't go back to your career in media.
Read on for our tips on how to take back your job.
Why Is Media So Difficult To Return To?
Media careers are often hard-earned and low paid, with a lot of emphasis placed on work experience. Taking time away can make you feel as though you've lost the momentum you've likely spent years building. Both media and marketing are fast-paced industries, changing more rapidly than ever with new technologies and software being released all the time. A year or two out of work and you can feel really out of the loop! There are a lot of articles out there talking about using your time as a mother to take courses and learn new skills. However, motherhood is already demanding you learn, on the job, every day. So, how can you stay in the know?- Try to use social media to connect with other women in the industry or the company you are interested in. If you can find a good mentor this way, it would be invaluable.
- Industry podcasts are a great way to keep on top of the hottest topics.
- You could also set up industry news alerts on your phone so you get the latest information wherever you are.
Talk About The Skills You Have Gained Through Motherhood
This is an important one. Don't shy away from the things you have learnt and tasks you have achieved while you have been working as a mother. Much like we talked about in our post about writing a CV in 2022, you need to be upfront and open about what you've done at home. Don't be embarrassed to use examples from your home life to demonstrate how you can juggle tasks and get things done. For example: Planning a wedding is not something we might think to cite as experience on a CV. It can, however, be a fantastic example of dealing with multiple suppliers and stakeholders, multitasking under pressure, and working to a deadline!Time Management
Every day, mums have to look after other lives as well as their own. This ultimately means using the time in a day effectively. It is easy enough to fill a day with one person's needs, for example, eating, exercising, work, rest and play. But if you double or triple this responsibility you've got to be seriously good at organisation and time management. Prioritising tasks is a natural part of day-to-day life as a mother. This can be transferred to managing workloads or a team of people in the workplace.Communication and Negotiation
As a mother, it is a natural and an instinctive skill to speak clearly and comprehensively, especially with young children. Instructions are given simply, and tasks are explained with patience and clarity. This is a skill which has enormous value in the workplace. The negotiation skills required to calmly talk a toddler out of a meltdown can make mums excellent colleagues, easy to talk to and patient with questions. This patience and approachability give mums a specific skillset which can make them great managers, better than other candidates in many circumstances.Working Under Pressure
Any new parent has to quickly learn how to handle a range of previously unknown situations. This adaptability is undervalued by employers in the workplace. Mums can react and adapt to new situations quickly and calmly, while meeting ever-changing and often immediate deadlines.
Be Clear About Your Needs
Use those excellent communication and negotiation skills learned through motherhood when discussing any role with a potential employer.- Make sure that any flexibility offered is actually flexible.
- Communicate clearly when you will be contactable to employers and colleagues (hours/working days).
- Don't be afraid to bring up remote working or flexible home working options.
- Be clear about plans for potential kids' sick days, you can ask the agency if they have days off available for dependents?
And One More Thing ...
Don't pay attention to the narrative and bias - motherhood does not make you a high-risk employee, but instead, you offer high potential. Highlight the qualities like patience, commitment and determination you can bring to the roles. Remember to communicate clearly about your needs and requirements, and you will foster a long-lasting and productive working relationship. Are you looking to get back to your media career? Head to our jobs page for the latest digital postings.
Do you have itchy feet? Maybe you are looking for new opportunities in a market with more room for growth? Or are you simply dreaming of sunnier climes? With global travel becoming increasingly accessible again, and countries once more welcoming visas and immigration, there's no time like now to start looking for your next job abroad. Before you embark on your next adventure, you need to make sure you CV is up to scratch. Read on for three simple tips to optimise your CV for international job search.
Photo by Fauxels on Pexels.com
Always Write A Personal Statement
Some things never change. From our experience, all countries look favourably on a personal statement. Whether it’s explicitly asked for or not, it is a great way to showcase you personality, achievements, and ambitions as well as a way to expand on your previous experience. Your full job history may not fit on two pages of your CV* so a well-written personal statement gives you a great opportunity to sum up what makes you the best fit for this role. *Bonus tip: some countries even prefer a one-page CV, and others permit three!Do I Need A Photo For My International Job Search?
Photo by Andrea Piacquad on Pexels.com
Do Your Research
This shouldn't be news to any seasoned job seeker but ALWAYS DO YOUR RESEARCH. Find out about the company, the company culture, the country's working culture, whether a photo is expected, or frowned upon, what personal information should be included. Treat this like your first CV and make sure you double-check everything. Carrying out research on new countries is easier now than ever before. You can join international jobs Facebook groups and connect with people who live there, or even connect with employees at the company via Linked In. Make sure to get a native speaker to read your CV, especially if you are writing in another language.
Photo by Monstera on Pexels.com
Checklist For Success In Your International Job Search
Just like any job search in your home country, it is vital to understand the CV norms and expectations. You can unwittingly exclude yourself from consideration for a role without even having your CV read to the end. In summary, here's our checklist for success:- There is no universal template
- Find out about any local or national cultural norms
- Check out Linked In
- And don’t forget the usual tips on How to Make Your Job Application Stand Out