Self Employment

Continuing with the theme of trends, let’s have a look at self-employment and the type of opportunities out there for those who want to go it alone.

With lack of job security, the high cost of housing, council tax and public transport, London is a very expensive place to live and these problems are not just limited to London or the UK. In addition, people are living longer and are often in good health until well past the usual retirement age. With a decrease in the number of younger people, governments are finding it difficult to cope with the demand for pensions, which is leaving many of the less well-off with no choice but to continue working till age 70 and beyond.

This in turn has led to increased interest in self-employment. If you have realised that your pension isn’t going to keep you in the style to which you aspire, you may be amongst those thinking of setting up your own business. More tomorrow . . .

Waller

www.coolercareers.com

www.ukjobapplicationforms.com

Employment Trends

In the past, our parents and grandparents trained for a career, got a job - perhaps progressing up the ladder - and then retired.

Nowadays there are very few professions in which we can expect to find a job for life. In fact, it has been estimated that today’s young people will retrain and change careers 7 times during their working lives! And that’s not just updating skills and changing jobs, it’s actually moving to a different field.

The trend away from the job for life has resulted in an increase in fixed-term contracts, more temporary work, and of course, outsourcing, together with downsizing, which is often just a euphemism for getting rid of staff and contracting the work to outside companies.

However, it’s not all bad news. Many people who lose their jobs can set up as self-employed and in some cases sell their services back to their previous employers. Work can be outsourced to people who were once on the payroll.

Less stability for individuals also means more flexibility – the chance to do more than one thing to earn money. So, you could have 2 part-time jobs in completely different areas, or you could have a part-time job and a part-time business (or 2). People in this situation are known as portfolio workers and it’s becoming a respectable option.

For those who choose not to follow the portfolio route, it’s more acceptable to move around and have experience in different areas than it was 50 years ago. Staying in a job for a year or two is no longer frowned upon and shows you have adaptability and a wide range of experience and skills, all of which are important on the CV.

This is also good news for those who have more than one answer to yesterday's question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" If your ideal career does not fit into the conventional pattern, you are no longer limited to just one field.

What are your experiences of short-term contracts or portfolio working? Do you think it’s a positive development or should employment be for life?


Waller

www.coolercareers.com
www.ukjobapplicationforms.com

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Some people are born knowing what they want to be when they grow up, but most of us are not so lucky. How can you know what you want to do, if you've never done it?

The short answer is that you can't. However, there are a few things you can do to get a clearer picture of the career which interests you.

First of all, do some research - find out all you can about the career. Careers advisors , book shops and specialist careers libraries will be able to give you plenty of information and, of course, the internet is an excellent resource and for most people, very easily accessible.

Talk to people already working in the industry or profession. If possible, talk to more than one - a teacher who is enthusiastic and excited about the job will paint a very different picture from one who is disillusioned, stressed-out and feels underpaid and undervalued.

One way of meeting people in the job, is to look for opportunities for work experience or work shadowing. The former gives you a couple of weeks working in the environment and although you will be restricted in what you are allowed to do, you should get a good idea of what is involved, while the latter gives you the opportunity to follow someone for a day or two and observe a professional at work.

Work experience is usually offered to school or college students, but there is no reason why adults can't ask to be considered. If it isn't possible, consider voluntary work, which has the added advantage of providing you with a reference and in some cases leads to paid work.

Experts have calculated that young people today will have to retrain seven times during their working lives - and that means retraining for new careers, not just updating the skills needed for their present jobs. So, don't be too worried if you find yourself in the "wrong" career. It's much more acceptable to move around these days. In fact, having had several jobs in different areas can be very positive, proving that you are adaptable and flexible.

If you need help deciding which career to go for, check out
www.coolercareers.com for ideas.

Waller

Welcome to my BlogSite

Hello and Welcome

The clocks have just gone forward in the UK and so not only is today Easter Sunday, but also the beginning of spring - at least we hope so!

Spring is traditionally a time for new beginnings. I tend to feel that more about autumn, which is the the beginning of the academic year, but then I'm really an eternal student at heart!

This spring, I am making something of a new start, although it's a project I've been working on for some time. I've finally "published" my first ebook on CVs and Job Applications.

I didn't intend to write this book - I had other plans. But I was working with so many people who had absolutely no idea how to fill in a job application form, that I decided this was the best way to give them the information. There is a formula for dealing with that terrifying white space in which you have to prove you're right for the job, but for some reason, very few people know it.

My website is also about Career Change and I'd be really interested to hear about the sorts of experiences you are having and the questions you have about careers, education or setting up your own business. So please post a message on this blog.

Check out my ebook at www.ukjobapplicationforms.com
And my careers site at www.coolercareers.com

talk to you soon

Waller