Marketing Yourself In The Job Market.

If the Brexit teaches us anything it should be that the world can change over night and we have to adjust to a new reality. The world of work is no different it operates on the same dynamics of life. Changes in world events and our careers may well happen several times over our lifetimes. 

You have probably been told that if you study hard, get a degree and tweak your CV, you will make it the job market.
However sadly it does not always work like that. The ratio of graduates to jobs is at an all time high. To use business speak in many areas there is more supply then demand.

So having said that how do you load the odds in your favour?

You first of all need to know what makes you tick, what is your passion and your strengths. Do you enjoy selling, working with information or things are you a people person?

Get a handle on who you are. Analyse and reflect on this.
What skills do you have and how can you demonstrate you have them. Are there any gaps in your knowledge or skills?

Look at work experience or an internship to gain more skills and to be able to demonstrate those skills and your willingness to work on the job and continue to learn.

Target your career areas precisely. Write to people who have the power to hire, explain you are investigating the occupational area and wish to speak to an expert in it.
This gives you a foot in the door.

Sell yourself on the benefits of what you have done. Think about your achievements in your school or degree course, voluntary work, paid work, positions of responsibility you held, community groups and interests you are involved in. What did you achieve, how did you do it and what results did you get? Be specific and relevant.

Employers look at the bottom line and profit. The present and future health of the company. They need a competent, skilled, hardworking and motivated workforce. 

Think about and reflect to the companies you are interested in how fast and how well you can you add to this or how much training do you need ( preferably as little as possible)  to achieve this. This will give you an edge in the job market.

How To Choose A Level Subjects.

How to choose A Level subjects.

Remember when you had to choose your options at GCSE ?  Well narrowing down 8 subjects to 4 is even more important and often more of a pain. The following points might help you.

Subject strengths.

You will need to look at  your strengths. The advice we would give you is to choose subjects you have at least a B grade in at GCSE. 

However most sixth forms now offer  subjects such as Law, Psychology , Sociology etc. In this case talk to the tutors and past students to find out more about the subject. Also read around it to try to establish if you would enjoy studying it for several years. 

What you enjoy.

A levels are very intense. You will have more lessons in a week of a particular subject then you did at GCSE. You have to be passionate and enjoy the subject. Persistence and application are important here.

Keep your options open.

You may be  very passionate  on studying economics at 16, but after two years of charts, diagrams and complex mathematical figures, you may wish to confine economics to the dustbin and opt for anything but. 

You need to feel excited, interested and passionate about your subject over the long term.

Will your subject combination count?

Do not do a subject only because you consider it easy or your mates are doing it.

Take subjects that mean something in the real world

Inspire Guidance  recommends you consult the list of facilitating subjects produced by the Russell Group ( elite universities ). You can do an internet search for this. 

As a guideline, the top  universities strongly recommend that students should take at least two of the facilitating subjects or other 'hard subjects'. Facilitating subjects such as maths, English literature, physics and history keep your options open. Not all hard subjects are facilitating (economics and music, for example).

However if you are completely passionate about Music for example, and may want to pursue this for a career,  do research where this will take you. 

Check your sixth form university prospectus for entry requirements.

Visit university websites to get a flavour of what they require

Investigate and dig deeper.

 If you are set on a particular career or university course, check the detail. Find out any course requirements before you choose your advanced level course/ subjects. 

A course may not only request the specific grades eg AAB but specify the subjects too. Often the grades will be attached to subjects, for example minimum of : maths A, physics A, chemistry B, so getting the right grades in the wrong subjects may matter. 

Check out the UCAS website for specific course requirements

Don’t take subjects that are too similar.

For example Economics and Business studies.

Check for additional requirements. 

Not studying biology will severely limit the choice of medical schools available to those wishing to pursue a career in Medicine.

The vast majority of economics degree courses require either A level maths or top grades at GCSE. 

Only studying applied A levels or BTecs will limit your chances of getting a place on a course at  an elite universities (those in the Russell Group). Also check policy on resits some universities require subjects grades  both at GCSE and A level be obtained at one sitting.

How To Choose A Career Area Overview

How to choose a career area. ( I will expand on points in future postings )

1. Begin by determining what you like to do. So what are your interests now, what makes you sit up and take notice, which classes do you look forward to. Do you like science, people, animals, plants, technology, softwear, hardwear, travel, languages etc. Do you enjoy being indoors, outdoors, working alone, working in a team, leading etc

2. Identify the skills you use when you're doing the thing(s) you enjoy. Are you practical, theoretical, caring, good communicator, musical etc.

3. Think of career areas broadly. A career area of work is far more than a single job. ie caring for people, caring for animals, using numbers, manufacturing, crafts, arts, environment, medical, teaching etc

4. Learn as much as possible about the qualifications/ job role required. What are the entry routes, tasks and activities in job and progression points?

5. Find people who work in the field and meet and talk to them. Use Open days, friends, family, neighbours, job fairs etc.

6. Re-evaluate your choice of career  according to your own perceptions and the information you have investigated.

7. Find and Do the training route  or education route in the career of your choice.

When You Do Not Want To Go To University?

So you have your grades to go to university, Congratulations!!

Only problem is you don't want to go to University. For some people University is a great experience and necessary for their chosen career. It can be great or it can be difficult. No single option is perfect for every person. 

For some careers you need a degree and it has to be done through a University. It is vital to check. For many more you can do a degree while working or go through other routes like apprenticeships.  

These days it is important to consider all the angles and an important one is financial. You have sliced and diced the numbers and the average student comes out with around 60,000 pounds in debt at the end of the course. 

Granted you do not have to pay this back until you start earning above a certain amount of money but it is still a considerable sum to think about. It should not put you off if you really want to go and make the most of your University time and certainly not if you have chosen a career where a degree is essential. However if you are not sure, feel lukewarm about going or you do not want to go what now ?

The first thing to do is to take an inventory of your skills and abilities.

The Morrisby profile is a good starting point.

Look at your likes / dislikes.

How would you like to work?

Would you like to work with people,things,information or be creative?

Think about this carefully. Once you have identified a few career areas read around them dig deeper. 

Use the national careers website to identify routes into your chosen field.

What is involved in the job, what qualifications do you need?

Can you do an apprenticeship or internship in this career area? 

Can you do a degree while working? An option many young people are considering now.

If you are still at a loss take time out, such as a gap year. Do something useful though, something that will look great on your CV and develop you as a person. 

Teach English as s foreign language ,you don't need to speak another language.

You will be surprised how travelling can concentrate the mind. Do not just travel around aimlessly though make sure there is a purpose,where you can learn new skills and an outcome. Get involved in a known verified organisation that is doing something good for the world, people, conservation - you choose. 

Also consider volunteering to gain new skills. It does not have to be abroad, every town, village and city needs volunteers to help in all manner of ways. Develop your skills.

Start to job seek if you are ready.

All in all if you do not want to go to University, you do have many options and may well have just a great a career -if not better in some career areas- as a standard graduate.

To your success!