Job losses and re-employment - what are your job prospects in the New Year
Employee Management Articles
Add an article Back to Articles
As more depressing news is released this week on the state of
the
job market, what is in store for you and your job search in the New
Year?
Figures released this week are showing that unemployment has
risen
for the first time since April, an effect of the 33,000 public sector
redundancies made in Q3. With the government expecting to make a
further 330,000 redundancies over the next four years, competition for
private sector jobs will certainly intensify into the New Year.
The outlook appears to be bleak. With inflation growing faster
than
earnings and the tax rise in the New Year, businesses will be
tightening their belts and implementing hiring freezes. This will leave
job seekers facing a job market that continues to prove challenging.
The worst affected will obviously be those leaving the public
sector. Many of these people will have been working in government
organisations for most of their careers and the prospect of facing a
challenging job market will leave them despondent and demoralised. The
job market has changed considerably over recent years. A high
proportion of more senior roles are now found through the unadvertised
job market and other alternative routes that may not have been
prevalent when the candidate was last job searching.
The ONS report shows that the number of advertised vacancies
rose to
a total of 468,000 in the third quarter which is positive for the
outlook in the New Year. However, the rise in unemployment and the
prospect of further governmental redundancies will make the job market
more competitive, stressing the need for candidates to stand out
amongst their peers.
Now is the time to think hard about your strategy. What
savings have
you made your previous employers? What revenues have you increased?
What can you offer that others cannot? If businesses are tightening
their belts you need to prove you are worth your salary.
Just like any product you have to find your USP and push it as
part
of a wholesome package that the user can not be without. Take some time
to sit down and reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, then reflect
how a business might have been affected by the current economy; now
apply your own experiences to show the benefits you can bring a
prospective employer.
It’s not just a case of rewriting your CV and firing it to a
host of
recruiters. You need to build your networks. It’s no good sending a CV
to company that doesn’t appear to be hiring. You need to meet with a
decision maker from that company and prove to them that your input will
increase their profit margin.
So the prospects for the New Year may appear bleak but it is
not
impossible to make a career move. Stay positive and invest time in your
career and the effort will pay off. If you are going to be making some
career resolutions this year, make networking the top of your priority
list. Join institutes and societies that are related to your industry
and start meeting new people who will open new doors and lead you to
new opportunities.
About the Author
Personal Career Solutions have been operating in the career
management and
outplacement field for over a decade and can provide professional input
into your career to make sure you are on the right
road. To meet with a consultant for a free, no obligation appraisal
please visit
www.personalcareersolutions.co.uk
or call 0844 880 6690 to speak to a representative.
