Author Archives: Simon

If you are looking to return to work after a long period of unemployment, you may want to easy yourself in gently and get a feel for the job world prior to entering a full time position. Charities are always on the lookout for volunteers to assist them in their work and although you will not usually get paid for this it can be great experience and also give you the confidence needed to move up the career ladder.

There are so many charities out there doing different things that the range of job vacancies available varies drastically. Some even include travelling abroad and staying in a country for a number of months working with local communities. Not only will this give you experience and confidence but it can also be extremely satisfying and rewarding knowing that you have helped.

A quick search on the internet for charity work vacancies will return a number of positions that you can apply for, then it’s just a case of seeing which ones suits your personal circumstances.

Too many people go to work and have little or no pride in what they do. This may be because they are on such a low wage or that they are in a job that they did not want (such as a family run business).

If you can take pride in your work, it means your day will be more enjoyable and also your prospects improve for moving up the ladder. Employers like to have conscientious people working for them and if they see an employee who takes pride in what they do and goes the extra mile if required, then they are likely to consider you for a promotion.

Going the extra mile does not have to be a lot. It could be something as small as staying behind 10 minutes at the end of the day to take a phone call or going in on a Saturday on the odd occasion to organise your desk.

If you are starting work for the first time, returning to work after a long break or simply moving jobs, it can be very daunting but there are some things you can do to calm those first day nerves and tips and advice on how to ensure you have a great first day.

When preparing yourself to start a job, ensure that you have got everything organised the day before. Decide what outfit you are going to wear and make yourself a packed lunch so you know that you have not got to worry about that in the morning.

First day is all about impressions. You need to make sure that you come across as professional and willing to learn. Firstly you need to make sure that you arrive on time. It is better to be early than late and arriving late on your first day is not a good idea. Try to take in any information you are given but do not be afraid to ask if you don’t understand something or have forgotten as most companies will expect this over the first few days.

A recent survey showed that many people struggle to get a job as they simply do not have the necessary transport to get to and from a place of work. If a person lives in a rural area and cannot afford to run a car then they may find themselves restricted to a very sparse bus timetable.

Some local council ran schemes have been set up in certain areas to help combat this and the uptake has been phenomenal. The idea is that they will lend you a push bike, electric bike or scooter and give you the necessary training to use it. They will lend you the transport for free for six months allowing you to get to and from work and build up enough money to get your own transport. After the six months you hand the transport back to the council and they will then lend it out to someone else. This is a great opportunity for young and older people to return to work without having to worry about the initial transportation restrictions.

If you have been out of work for a period of time you may find it hard to get back in to a role that you wanted. Often people have to take time out of work due to personal circumstances such as starting a family, sickness or caring for a relative. When you are ready to return to work you may find that you do not have the necessary level of education or skills to walk straight back in to a job.

Depending on your personal circumstances you may be able to return to eduction to gain a qualification that you require. This can be costly as you may not only have to find the money to pay for your course yourself but also may mean that you are out of work for a considerable amount of time whilst you train.

If you need to work immediately, then you may need to consider a different role to one that you used to do or to take something that is part time until you can find the job or gain the experience you need.