Managing your Career has never been so Important - Part 1

30 June 2006

According to a recent work and career survey, 70% of employees in the UK intend to move job in the next calendar year. Corporate performance improvement consultancy, Facilitators UK, over the next three weeks, will be looking at the consequences of this statistic from an employee, employer and graduate perspective.  Firstly, Colin Champion, a career management specialist, and an Associate of Facilitators UK, examines the consequences for employees.

It is astounding to think that 70% of UK employees intend to move jobs within a year.  Particularly when you consider that not so long ago it was accepted thinking that companies would offer employees a long-term career path and staff adopted a cradle to grave attitude to their job.  However, it is increasingly the case that career progression results from self-initiative and usually a job move.

There are a number of reasons that can help us understand why so much evidence indicates that career progression is so closely associated to moving jobs. For example, in the north east we remain heavily reliant on the oil and gas industry - an industry which traditionally retains a management core but recruits and downsizes according to contractual needs, offering limited room for advancement. As a result of these factors - the 'psychological contract' (the implied terms between and employer and employee) has changed. Therefore, it is no surprise that key personnel are 'managing' their own careers and are no longer content to hang around for limited advancement opportunities within their current environment.

As the statistic suggests, more and more individuals are looking for a new job. Indeed for every job that is advertised on a salary of over £20,000 per annum in the visible job market (recruitment supplements / career web-sites / radio adverts / professional journals) the Daily Telegraph calculated that such a job will typically attract over 500 applications - another astonishing statistic! Consequently, the majority of people actively searching for a new job will be unsuccessful, which begs the question, how can individuals make themselves more attractive to employers in a fiercely competitive job market?

When competing in the visible job market, the importance of self-marketing cannot be under-estimated. Application forms and CVs should almost be considered as an extension of a candidate's personality, while at the interview stage, there are a wide range of techniques that can be used to help ensure a successful interview.

However, it is perhaps the knowledge of how to maximise benefit from the hidden job market (networking / informal meetings / speculative enquiries) that can be most vital in a competitive job market.It can often be a person's skills to network and communicate well that will lead to employment opportunities. Furthermore, there can be no escaping that it is often a case of who you know as well as what you know that will secure new employment. Meeting and engaging with key businessmen/women can, therefore, be highly beneficial.

Of the 70% of the UK workforce searching for a new job, many will not have the necessary contacts, skills or kudos to successfully secure not just a career move, but a career move that brings with it more responsibility, better prospects and improved terms and conditions. There are organisations that can help individuals better understand the job market, prepare candidates for interviews, brush up CVs and provide guidance in completing application forms.

Facilitators UK has launched its career management service focusing on the needs of all those involved with careers – whether that be individuals looking to progress or seek new careers, graduates requiring advice on how to breach the corporate job market and also advising many organisations on how best to retain key staff.

To give candidates a real recruitment edge in the competitive job market, Facilitators UK will advise on identifying marketable skills, the necessary documentation and self-presentation skills, but more crucially can also help open up the hidden job market.  The team of experts can facilitate industry introductions, providing individuals with invaluable key business contacts that can prove so crucial in securing a new job.

People's perception of employment has changed over the last few years. Taking ownership of your career has never been so important because relying on others to map your future is no longer a reliable option in today's workplace. In today's fiercely competitive job market, managing your career has never been so important - going the extra mile and gaining that competitive edge can reap fantastic rewards.

Further Information

Please contact Colin Champion for further details.

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