Taking the next step in your career

What does work look like right now?

Work has changed in many ways over the years. So we’re going to start by exploring what it looks like right now. You’ll have the chance to think about the different types of work and ways of working. There’s an activity at the end of this chapter for you to jot down your thoughts and ideas. This will help you plan your next steps.

Types of work that are growing

We’re using digital tools now more than ever. The job market reflects that. This means there’s plenty of work if you’re curious about technology. You don’t need to be a tech whizz to succeed in the workplace, though. 

Walk down your local high street – what do you see? How is this different to a few years ago? There are likely to be fewer shops and more ‘services’. That’s cafés and restaurants, gyms, nail bars and beauty salons.

Sectors where job numbers are growing include:

Where we work

Remote working is one of the biggest recent changes in the world of work. We can use technology to support us, whether we work from home, an office or elsewhere. 

Home or Hybrid?

Home workers (sometimes known as remote workers) tend to spend all their working hours at home. You might hear the term ‘hybrid’ too. This refers to people who work from home (or elsewhere) some of the time. The rest of the time, they’re in the workplace – often an office.

Working from home can make it easier to juggle home or family life. You can save time and money as you don’t need to travel every day. It has its downsides too, though. You need a quiet space to work, away from distractions. Some people get lonely when they’re at home all the time.

They prefer the office buzz, chatting with their workmates. Plus, not all work lends itself to home working.

When we work

More than 4.3 million people have flexitime working. They can decide (if their employer agrees) the days and times that they work. If you have family or other commitments, this can really help. For some, it makes the difference between being able to work or not. The days and hours you work may depend on the type of job it is. Job-sharing may be another option. This is where a full-time role is split between two people.

How we work

So far, we’ve talked about working for someone else. You might have other ideas – and you’re not alone. There are almost 5.5 million small businesses in the UK. Working for yourself means you have more control over what you do. There are risks too, though. Being self-employed can mean anything from working freelance to owning your own business and hiring others to work for you.

We’ll look at running your own business later in this lesson.

Plan your approach

It’s going to take some time and effort to find your next job. Some people treat this as a full-time job. That may not be for you, especially if you’re working already or have other commitments. You can still plan how you’re going to achieve this. In fact, you’ve already started, by thinking about what your ideal job would look like. Your next step is to find out where to look for it.

Steps to your next job

Step 1 – find opportunities

You may feel that you need to trawl job sites to find your perfect role. In fact, opportunities can come from anywhere.

You can:

• Ask friends and family – They may know of a job, or know someone who does
• Use your wider network – This is bigger than you think! Try our activity in this section
• Sign up with an agency – Some focus on one type of work while others have a wider range
• Check a company’s website – A good option if you’re keen to work for a certain business
• Visit local employers – Drop off your CV with them (see our next chapter on CVs)
• Check out job ads – Find these everywhere, from shop windows to the back of a bus
• Look online – Try sites like Monster, Indeed or TotalJobs. Sign up to get emails with suitable roles
• Browse your company’s job board – The new role you’re looking for might be an internal transfer

Networking

How many people do you know? Networking is all about getting in touch with others. You never know who might be able to help you to find your next role. The wider your network, the more likely you are to know someone who can help.

For your next activity, we’re going to ask you to think about everyone you know. Take your time to do this. You can always come back to your list and add people later. Once you have your network list, challenge yourself to reach out to each person on it.

Online groups and networks

Did you add any online contacts in your activity? We use social sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp and TikTok to connect with others. Any one of your online friends could work somewhere where they’re looking to recruit. They might know someone who could help. So it’s a good place to ask around.

LinkedIn is a bit like these sites, but with a work focus. Some people use this site to find work. Others post job roles on it. If you’re interested in a particular career, there’s likely to be a LinkedIn group for it. You can learn and share career ideas and experiences there. It’s a place to grow your network, too.

Make the most of online groups and sites:

• Join professional groups on LinkedIn
• Find pages and people to follow
• Make new connections through people you already know
• Comment on articles by people you admire
• Share posts on work topics that interest you
• Write about topics where you have skills or experience
• Connect with people and start a conversation

Step 2 – your CV

Say you’ve found a job you want. Now it’s time to write a CV that shows what a good fit you are for that role.

The aim of your CV is to get you an interview. So what’s in it should match as far as possible the skills and experience that you know the job needs. You’ll find this information from the job ad, job description (if available) and any other research that you’ve done. This is your chance to show that your own set of skills and experience make you right for the job.

Applying your skills to the role

Now you have your list of skills, you can start to see where they fit with the role. You might want to tick or highlight skills in the job ad that are also on your list.

Can you say where you’ve used each of these skills? It’s a good idea to jot down one or two examples for each one. For example, you might have some experience of using a till during work experience at a charity shop. Maybe your school or college report mentions your punctuality. Or you look after the family budget. You can use examples from other jobs, volunteer roles or other community groups.

This will give you a good framework to use in your CV. You can come back to this list and use it for different CVs for other jobs.

Start to build your CV

There are many different templates you can use to help you write your CV. It’s worth searching online or using the ones available from Word or Google Docs. Going for a creative role? You may want to check out sites like Canva for different formats.

CV top tips:

• Keep it short – Two pages is enough to keep a recruiter’s attention
• Pick a clear font and layout – This makes it easy to read and looks professional
• Put jobs in date order – starting with your most recent role and work backwards
• If you don’t have much work experience, try a functional format
• Start with your profile – A few sentences to highlight your unique skills and qualities
• Avoid long paragraphs - Try bullet points · Include keywords – Recruiters often use software to spot them
• Highlight your achievements
• Adapt your CV for each job – Use your base skills list to make each CV right for that role
• Proofread before you send it – Ask someone else to check it, too

Share your CV

Once you’ve created your CV, it’s time to share it. If you’re applying for a particular role, send it to the agency or employer directly. They may also ask for a cover letter. This should say why you’re interested in the job and why you think you’re a good fit for it.

You may also decide to share your CV with other agencies or job sites. Some of these have forms to complete. Others let you just upload your CV. Research the sites to check that you’re using the best ones for you. If you’re on LinkedIn, you can share your CV in different ways.

It’s worth printing a few copies, too. That way, if you see a local job ad, you can pop in and hand it over in person.

Other ways to show your skills

Your CV is a great way to share your skills and experience with recruiters. It’s not the only way, though. In step 1, we listed options to find jobs. You can use these same routes now.

Why not:

Your online profile

Many recruiters use online sites like LinkedIn to find suitable candidates. So we’ve put together some ideas on how to make your profile stand out.

Top tips for using LinkedIn:

• Use a professional photo
• Write a good headline – Keep it short, snappy, and relevant to what you do
• Take time on your personal summary – This should highlight your key strengths and skills
• Write in the first person – Use words such as ‘I’ and ‘me’ when you list your experience
• Include the right keywords – Look at your CV for these
• Highlight your achievements
• Update your profile and your status regularly
• Use Jobscan’s LinkedIn optimisation tool – This helps you reach the right recruiters

Your intro speech

Meeting new people is a great way to grow your network and share your skills. If you don’t often do this, it can seem hard at first. So it’s a good idea to practise your ‘intro speech’. Some people call this their ‘elevator pitch’. It’s a short, catchy introduction so people know who you are and what you can do. You can use it at social events and to answer the interview question ‘so tell me a little about yourself’.

You may find it helpful to think about what you’d say here and write it down. That way, you can practise a few times before you use it for real. Our next activity encourages you to do just that.

Step 3 – meet the employer

Getting through to the interview stage is always really exciting. Now you need to prepare for that conversation. Interview formats can vary. Some employers will just want a ‘coffee and a chat’. Others will have a process they follow. This may include tasks and sets of questions to go through. It’s good to ask about the format, to help you prepare.

The interview might be face to face or ‘virtual’. We’ll look at how to handle video calls in a while. Let’s talk first about what to do before the interview.

How to prepare for the interview

Interview questions

The interviewer will want to get to know more about you. They’ll be looking to see how you’ll fit with the role and the team. So expect some questions! Some of these will be about the role itself. Others are more general.

Common interview questions:

• Why do you want to work for us?
• Why should I hire you?
• What are your main strengths?
• What is your main weakness?
• What can you tell me about yourself?
• Give me an example of a time when…

Face-to-face or virtual?

Much of your preparation will be the same, whether the interview is in person or through a video call. Let’s look now at some specifics for each of these.

Select each interview type to find out more

What to expect

During the interview, you’ll be answering questions and learning more about the role. They’ll also ask if you have any questions. So it’s a good idea to think of a few, beforehand. Try to avoid asking directly about pay. Instead, take this chance to learn more about the team you’ll work in and the work you’ll do. Find out what a typical workday might look like. Ask about training and other support. This is your time to find out if the job is the right fit for you. It’s also a good idea to ask what the next step is.

When the interview comes to an end, smile and thank the interviewer for their time. Don’t forget to repeat your interest in the role and let them know that you’re looking forward to hearing from them.

Starting out

Not sure you want to work for someone else? Think about building a business from a skill or interest. Many people make money from their passions and hobbies. There are plenty of digital tools to help get you started. Usually free to join, they can help you find out if you want to turn a hobby into a business.

Platforms that can help you make money from your hobbies and skills include:

• Etsy
• eBay
• Fiverr
• Taskrabbit
• Rover

Do your research

If you want to take this further, it’s worth finding out more. Think about the skills and passions you want to use in this way.

Plan your research:

Seek out support

There are many resources to help you set up and run your own business. The government’s step-by-step guide on self-employment is a good starting point.

Other sources of help include:

• The Prince’s Trust – They work with 18-30 year-olds to turn ideas into businesses
• The Startups guide – This takes you through the process of getting started in business
• Guidance for those on benefits – Read this if you want to start to work for yourself
• Our range of online lessons for businesses – For everything from managing cash flow to online marketing

Related learning links