It is likely to come as no great surprise that the recent
news that the once robust UK employment market has slumped
to a five-year low due to the continued uncertainty surrounding the Brexit
negotiations. Despite the fact that the country’s employment market continues
to be in a healthier position compared to some of our European neighbours,
there are increasing concerns that the UK is heading
towards a recession.
This will most certainly be disheartening for young
job-seekers who were already entering an increasingly competitive job market,
especially since the global recession in 2008. This negative development will
now be combined with the fact that they will soon be denied the opportunity to
move to another European country to seek employment due to the UK’s commitment
to removing freedom of movement as part of its exit from the European Union.
There are, however, numerous methods that young job-seekers can
utilise to improve their employability in the UK, whether they are still in
full-time education or have recently completed school or university.
Spend Some Time Abroad
Generation
Z is now coming of age and entering higher education, and it is reported
that this demographic has increasingly different
values to those of the Millennial generation before them. This shift has
seen them nicknamed the Pivotal Generation due to the fact that we are
witnessing a significant pivot back aspirational goals of working hard,
overcoming failure and attaining success on an individual level opposed to that
of wider society.
It is therefore unsurprising that this generation is more
focused on gaining something of value from an experience as opposed to
indulging solely in pleasure. This has
led to an increase in individuals looking to spend an extended period of time
abroad volunteering, interning or even working at a summer
camp in America. These experiences abroad provide the young person with
real life transferable skills that can be used in the workplace, including:
confidence, adaptability, flexibility and enhanced people skills. It also
demonstrates to potential employers that the prospective employee is not afraid
to go out of their comfort zone in a bid to gain real life employment skills.
This period abroad can be incorporated into a CV under the
work history section, and can be combined with the personal skills that the
individual has developed.
Increase Your Employment Experience
If you do not currently possess the resources to spend an
extended period of time abroad, then utilising your spare time to gain as much employment
experience as possible will prove to be of considerable benefit in the long-term.
This is especially the case when you take into consideration that at least 59%
of students are now working part-time to supplement their finances while in
full-time education. In addition to this, 13% of students manage to combine
their studies while holding down full-time employment, whether it be during the
term time, over their holidays, or even both.
While it can appear to be mundane and a simply a method of
topping-up your income, it is essential to consider that you are learning a
wide range of transferable and soft-skills, which you will be able to utilise
to your advantage when entering the full-time employment market at a later
date. When crafting your CV at a later date, ensure that you are highlighting
these skill that have been gained and how they can be utilised in the position
that you are attempting to attain.
The Adventure of Life is To Learn
If you have spent a considerable amount of time searching
for employment but are yet to have any success, then undertaking an online
learning course to boost your CV can be of immense benefit. There are numerous
courses can be of immense benefit in today’s workplace, including:
- Basic HTML
- Social Media Marketing
- Advanced Excel Skills
- Customer Service Skills
Each of these will ensure that your CV stands above your
fellow applicants and demonstrates that you are willing to improve your own
skill-set in your time, which in itself, is a quality that will impress prospective employers.
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