The UK has been through a lot this last 12 months and for many of us, the prospect of emerging from another lockdown is daunting, especially if we’re thinking about a career change, current work, a new job or starting a new venture. So how can we make it easier on ourselves to navigate this daunting prospect?
Firstly, data shows that in the 3 months up to February, the number of staff on payroll increased slightly with unemployment sitting at 5%, sadly younger people are more likely to be affected by job losses, primarily because of the industries that have been hit by covid restrictions (hospitality and retail) – hopefully we will see a change in this trend over the next 3 months.
At the moment there are a quarter less vacancies than we would expect this time of year but that’s not as bad as it seems, firstly, we’ve been in lockdown and when compared to summer 2020 (when there were 60% less vacancies) it’s a fairly healthy number.
There’s more data available and I’ve included the link below if you wish to check it out.
So whilst the UK job market isn’t at it’s best, which we don’t expect given the circumstance, it could be worse, that’s not to say that it won’t be tricky to find work; there will be competition but the thing about competition is that it provides opportunity to think outside the box, to highlight your skills, to acquire new ones or to look for work in places that you may not have thought about before.
Having a think about the following points is a good place to start if you’re thinking of stepping out, in or back to the world of work this year.
- Where you can work, can you work at home, how far are you able to travel, or willing to travel?
- When can you work, full or part time, weekends, evenings?
- What sectors have you considered? If you have experience in retail, have you considered customer service for example?
- What skills do you have that can be used in different sectors?
- While you’re looking for work, can you upskill in any way (courses, college etc)?
- Have you worked on your CV? Do you have one or do you need to start one?
These points might seem simple, but when looking for work or thinking about your future they’re important to consider before you start looking at your options. It can help you open your horizons and think beyond sectors and experience you already have. Thinking about things like this can help you identify areas that help you stand out from the crowd.
Our next workshop will focus on this and will look in more depth at how this exercise can help you build your CV and your confidence, help you stand out from other applicants and find work in a difficult time.
The employability project at Berkshire Vision can help you figure out all of these points if you’re unsure. It can also help you figure out what work will work for you and help you deal with the competition.
On the 7th April at 7pm I will be hosting a workshop: “Post Lockdown: what will work look like……”. Even if you’re not looking to find work this will be an interesting session reviewing what the next 6 months or so may look like and how you can support yourself and feel confident taking next steps. Get in touch with employability@berkshirevision.org.uk for details.
https://prismrecruitment.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GB_Jobs_ENG_March-2021.pdf
