"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle."  Steve Jobs

Whilst simply walking out of our jobs is not an option many of us can afford to take, few of us are exploring all of the options that are available.

Even fewer are actually investing in ourselves to gain a better chance of getting a job that is more suited to our skills.

Though many are happy to splash out on the latest smartphone or tablet to make both our personal and professional lives easier, there aren’t many of us that will actually invest in the most important thing of all: ourselves and our careers.

Whether you lack confidence, are unsure if you’re in the right position or want to take the next step-up in your career, it makes sense for you to seek the support you need to ensure that you’re fulfilling your potential.

And it makes sense to seek it now.

Many people who have had a change of career forced on them by redundancy often say that being made redundant was turned into a positive, because it meant they were able to switch to something that they enjoyed whilst using their skills more appropriately.

But why not seek training while you have the security – and finance – to do so?

Here at Recrion, we facilitate the Peak Performance Mentoring Programme (PPMP), which addresses all of the concerns you may have with your current working life.

Want to build your confidence, develop a positive mindset and, perhaps most importantly, find  the career that is best suited to your skills?

It’s all covered.

By taking the PPMP, you are not only taking the first step to progressing your career to the next level, you are also giving yourself the best possible chance of being happy at the prospect of going to work.

Wouldn't that be nice?

Find out more about the Peak Performance Mentoring Programme and see what it can do for your career.

Recrion is a specialist in career and people management helping you to move away from uncertainty towards clarity in your career - www.recrion.co.uk; +44 (0)1780 484910

“I just wanted to let you know that I got the job that I applied for at Cambridge Uni.  I had the interview yesterday and I have to say that I felt very prepared for it thanks to the notes and guidance I was given on the Interview course.  The one main thought I had all through the interview was to maintain eye contact which I managed to do and I tried to look relaxed even though I didn't paticularly feel it!

Thanks again to you and Katherine for all your help over the last couple of months.”  Dawn Cox

Are you looking to fine-tune your interview skills, conquer your nerves and actually enjoy the interview?   Why not come along to our next Interview Masterclass on Friday 21 October in Cambridge.

Call Katherine on 01780 484910 or email her to book your place.

Does the prospect of a Job Interview give you sleepless nights?

It doesn't matter how successful we get, or if we are used to being on the interviewers side of the table – many of us find it hard to conquer our nerves and truly excel in a job interview because so much is riding on it.

Even with extensive preparation and research, nerves can often reduce our confidence and with it, the dream job.

Don’t let fear ruin your job prospects.

Recrion is hosting an all-day workshop that will take away all the accompanied stress and panic that goes with interviews and leave you feeling wholly prepared and full of confidence, no matter how ‘big’ or desirable that job may be.

Our ‘Interview with Confidence’ Masterclass is being held in Cambridge on Friday 23 September and will give you:

• Genuine practice of interview situations
• Tips and advice on the body language that will impress interviewers
• Advice on what’s been holding you back in interview situations – and what you can do about it
• The skills to ensure you’re in the right frame of mind for your next interview situation
• The key to building a rapport with an interviewer
• Tips on making an impact and building rapport with the interviewer
• And so much more!

"Today has been a really useful session which went beyond your basic interview skills training!  I now feel that I have the skills to showcase my abilities in an interview much better than before."  Laura Halstead

This session is being co-presented by TWO career experts, Recrion Founder and former Mercury Business Personality of the Year Katherine Wiid and Master NLP Practitioner and Confidence Coach, Lindsey Reed, who has over 20 years’ experience in the field.

And the best thing is, under the Redundancy Support scheme, you could be entitled to attend this career-changing session for FREE!

The session kicks-off at 9.30 on Friday 23 September 2011 and is being held at Wolfson Court, one of Cambridge’s university colleges. The cost of the workshop – unless you qualify for the R2R scheme – is £149. The seminar will finish at approximately 16:30 – refreshments and lunch will be provided.

By the end of this workshop, you will be left feeling revitalised, confident and, most importantly, be able to put redundancies and interview nerves behind you.

Can you afford to not to do something that could dramatically boost your career prospects?  Sound interesting?  Why not find out more and take action – today!

Recrion is a specialist in talent and career management, which means we are able to work with you in order to ensure you are on the right career path. For more information contact us on 01780 484910 or www.recrion.co.uk.

And the most basic sifting criteria is salary.

If you're out of the range they won't even move to the next step or interview. Because if you exceed their salary range, they fear they will not be able to keep you. The consequence to the employer in hiring an "overqualified" person who doesn’t end up staying is the cost to hire, to train, the time they lose inducting a new employee, etc.  That is why companies instruct managers and recruiters to stay away from "overqualified" candidates.

The reality of the economic situation however, is that salary growth will remain static for the near future. In fact, most people can expect to take a drop.  But many company selection processes are lagging behind.

To avoid getting into a no win situation over salary negotiations consider these approaches:

• If you hear the salary range is not enough for you to survive on, then thank them and move on quickly to the next opportunity.
• If you are still interested at the salary level on offer and you're willing to take it to get your foot in the door, then the approach of “ I'm aware that my previous salaries were higher than what you are offering, but at this point in my career, it's more about the opportunity than the compensation”.  To make that statement credible, you have to reiterate your passion for the role, your unique value proposition and how you match up with the competencies of the role and the culture of the organisation.

Investing time in getting your job search strategy right, pays dividends down the line. For more information on salary negotiations and Career Management Strategies, contact Katherine Wiid of Recrion at 01780 484910 or visit www.recrion.co.uk.

I was sent a link to a video spoof on LinkedIn touting it as a job search tool by a savvy delegate looking for my reaction.

Apart from the fact that it is a simplistic (and not entirely accurate) view of LinkedIn, it does raise some interesting thoughts:

• If you play on Facebook and LinkedIn at work all day you'll get yourself in trouble. If you wait until you get laid off to create your accounts and try to network, you'll seem desperate. However, if you keep track of all your professional associations over time, you'll build up a large group of leads to tap into when you need to job hunt again.
• The links do nothing on their own…it's what you do with them!  It's up to the user to reach out, generate connections and develop relationships.  LinkedIn is making it very easy to gently nudge people in the direction of networking.
• This video is misleading as LinkedIn never claims to find you a job. That really isn't the point of it. LinkedIn benefits people who are genuinely interested in networking for business reasons and for establishing contacts with industry people who may be able to help you with your business endeavours and/or ideas.
• LinkedIn is not an end in itself, but – if your connections, recommendations and of course your CV are up to it – it'll help you find out about open positions and land the job you're looking for.

For more information on using online and offline networks to make connections to power your career, keep an eye on our regular blogs at www.recrion.co.uk or come along on 4 February 2010 to the Back to Business Club in Peterborough where Katherine Wiid,  Career Management Expert will be talking about "Networking – the railroad that runs beneath your career".

Job searchers are borrowing these techniques to spread the word that they are on the job market.  I read a great article that summarises how to capture your unique skills in a soundbite.  When to use it?

Most people ignore their immediate circle of family, friends, hairdresser, gym instructor and neighbour as "not relevant" to their job search.  Yet these are the very people who are most likely to want to help you.  Imagine sitting and having your hair cut.  Instead of saying "I'm so depressed I have just been made redundant" come out with a well thought out elevator pitch that your hairdresser will remember and pass on to other clients!

Recruiters are particularly susceptible to a good elevator pitch as they know that you will be able to perform well in an interview with their clients.  Have fun with it and try it on your immediate circle to see how well it goes down …

Recrion is a People and Career Management specialist who has supported many people through redundancy.  If you need to talk to someone call 01780 484910 or visit www.recrion.co.uk/free to see if you are eligible for funding through the R2R scheme.

Always State an Objective on Your Resume
Telling a prospective employer what you want is a waste of words and not important to them. Rather, use a concise, specific, well crafted profile or summary statement to communicate how you and your career experience can benefit them in their specific industry.  Research and tailoring your CV is everything!

Job Boards are the Best Leads
It’s fine to check online and search postings, but relying solely on Monster, Career Builder and Jobserve is like playing a slot machine and hoping for a big payoff. Use the information you glean from the Internet to understand your value in the market and what skills the market is demanding in your field.

There is no Hidden Job Market
Many jobs are never advertised. That's a FACT. Your network is one of the best source of leads. Make sure people know about your search. They can’t help you if they don’t know you’re looking. Be bold and contact companies directly and let them know (through your research of their products and services) you can help them solve specific issues.  LinkedIn and Facebook will help you identify the potential decision makers to approach.

Recruiters will find you a job
YOU are ultimately responsible for finding YOUR next job. A recruiter is only interested in filling an open position with the best candidate – as specified by their client, the hiring company. If you’re the right match, then the recruiter will try to close the deal and get you placed. Remember, the client company is paying the recruiter’s fee, you’re not.

Social Networking is a Fad
Social Networking is here to stay and must be a key part of a job search strategy. By connecting with people and sharing something of value (an article, blog post, or other contacts), you will see doors begin to open. The more quality connections you make, the more opportunities will surface. The most important factor in social networking is trying to help others first. What can you bring to a networking relationship? Find people that you can help and start by giving. The principle of it’s better to give than to receive is especially pertinent in social networking. What you can give to others will come back to you.

If you are hitting your head against a brickwall and feel you need a different approach to your career strategy, contact Katherine Wiid who is a highly skilled Career Coach.  Visit www.recrion.co.uk or call her on 01780 484910.  You might be eligible for free coaching through the Response to Redundancy scheme Recrion is facilitating – visit www.recrion.co.uk.free for more information.

That's right, stop spending your whole week job searching and instead spend part of your week doing something completely different. And I don't mean watch TV or 'doing lunch' with friends.

If you've been made redundant in recent months, you may be low on cashflow, confidence and job opportunities. But one thing you do have is that commodity we all crave: *TIME*.

Instead, go and do something of value, something that would make a difference to someone else.  By spending more time helping others, and less time on your own search, you'll actually find that you improve your chances of finding work.

If you're out of work, here are 10 suggested projects you could do:

1.  Volunteer your time and skills to a charity or non-profit organisation
2.  Start a blog and share your opinions on a topic or subject you care about
3.  Teach your kids, neices or nephews something of value (e.g how to manage money, how to cook)
4.  Learn how to play that musical instrument you've always wanted to learn – and then entertain a small audience for free
5.  Enter a charity walk or run
6.  Give a talk at a local college or university about a subject you are an expert in
7.  Share everything you're learning about job searching with other job seeekers who are out of work
8.  Teach your parents/grandparents how to use the internet, email and text messaging (it will give them a new lease of life)
9.  Help an immigrant family to improve their English. You'll help improve their lives and enable them to make a bigger contribution to the community and wider economy.
10. Create and share something that would bring joy to others – e.g. a poem, a script, a dance, a sketch, a sculpture or a painting maybe

The costs to you?  Nothing.

All that's required is your time, some focus and the right intention.

The benefits to you?

• You'll have a sense of purpose and achievement each week (something that's difficult to achieve if your whole week revolves around chasing leads, applying for jobs and handling rejections).
• You'll consequently see your self esteem increase (which often gets crushed when you get laid off). Increased levels of self esteem improve your chances of securing a job.
• You'll meet new people and widen your network. The wider network improves your chances of finding a job (particularly in a recession when a large percentage of roles are being filled via contacts and referrals)
• You'll have a unique answer to that interview question: "So what have you been doing with your time since you finished your last job?"
• You'll become a much more interesting person to be around – after all, there's only so many times friends and family can ask "So how's your job search going?"
• You'll develop some new skills (e.g. speaking, writing, mentoring, teaching) which can give you another edge in the job market
• You'll develop some new hobbies and interests for the future
• You'll look back at this period with few regrets. You'll know that you didn't waste the time you had between jobs and that instead did something of value.
• You'll enjoy some good karma. What goes around, comes around.

The benefits to the world? Huge.

Just think what would happen if every single person that was laid off invested part of their week (or month) to at least one of the 10 projects listed above? And then inspired other people to do something similar.

I speak from experience!  In the downturn we at Recrion are actively promoting the Response to Redundancy scheme in the East of England to help those at risk of losing their jobs.  Our career advisors give up 2 days a week to provide free career coaching to anyone who is eligible and we love doing it!

Visit www.recrion.co.uk/free for more information or call 01780 484910 for a confidential discussion.

I was really pleased to stumble onto www.becomed.com.  The author came up with the idea for Becomed.com while on honeymoon in Hawaii with his wife. He was unemployed, had already created a few web applications by that point, and wanted to keep himself busy during his job search.

What he realised about being unemployed, was that he spent a significant portion of his day applying for jobs, and that the system he was using to keep track wasn't good enough.  It was too passive, and involved too much manual manipulation of information. He figured that if he created a site that could automate a lot of what he was doing, it would give him something positive to do as well as assist him with his application tracking.

He started working on the site the day after he got back from his honymoon – Monday, March 23, 2009.  A couple of days later he had opened up Becomed.com to the public as a beta web application.  What a great story to tell when he went for job interviews!  And great for job seekers worldwide.

If you are at risk of redundancy and needing careers advice and support, visit www.recrion.co.uk/free to see if you qualify for free training.  Or call a Careers Advisor on 01780 484910.

Even before the current financial crisis and recession caused unemployment rates to soar, a large number of supposedly employed managers and professionals have fallen into a new category that I call the "uneasily employed," who feel that the axe can fall any time.

Several thousand more may already have lost their jobs.  The immediate coping response of a lot of these people will be to try to get the same job in the same sector. Bad news!

They should use redundancy as a period for reflection as to where they should go next in their careers.  Great for me to say because it really takes confidence to think about a career change when you've just lost your job. I think most people's gut reaction would be "I'll stick to what I know because I'm just not qualified to do anything else."

Well look at this way.  If people in the finance, automotive and construction sectors go and try to job seek in those areas and continually get rejected (as they're likely to be) it will be far more damaging. It will sap their self confidence, they will be less easily able to get a job as time goes on and it will be very counter productive.

Find out what fascinates you and use that passion at work

Several years ago, there was a story on television about the "Living Treasures of Japan." One of the people honoured was a weaver in one of the far Northern provinces. "Sometimes I lie awake in the early morning hours waiting for the sun to come up, so I can start my weaving again."

This woman was engaged in a simple, repetitive task, but was utterly fascinated by every part of it – the yarn, the colours, the dying, and the act of weaving itself. The end product, the woven cloth, was almost an afterthought for her. And yet her cloth is considered so unusually beautiful, rich, and finely made that much of it is displayed in museums as examples of the art.

Bringing more of yourself into your work makes sense

We are often asked if people can really love what they do in this day and age. Executives, managers, professionals, people who would seem to have it all together are asking if they can be passionate about what they do.

You can get up in the morning looking forward to work. You can find out what fascinates you about what you do. In fact, finding out that key part of you can absolutely mean the difference between just going to work and being enthusiastic about it.

The more involved, interested and fascinated you are by what you are doing, the more you will enjoy it and the more productive and creative you will be. How do you do that?

Come along to our Career Evolution Workshop

Recrion works with an accredited Highlands Facilitator to run workshops designed to bring your individual career goals into focus and develop your leadership skills. In the workshop, you will gain real knowledge of your innate abilities, how you make decisions and how to motivate yourself.

Prior to the workshop, you will need to set aside about 3 hours to work through a series of work samples online.  These tests are fun to do and will ascertain your natural abilities and those that don't come as naturally to you.  The test will result in a 27 page detailed report that will give you an indication of the type of work that has a Strong, Good, Moderate and Weak match with Your Abilities.

Visit our website to register for the next workshop or call Katherine on 01780 484910 to discuss a workshop near you.  Make it the very next thing you do.