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Lots of people have found themselves having to look for alternative temporary and permanent work unexpectedly, due to the economic impact of the pandemic.

If this is you, you might feel like you simply don’t know where on earth to start…

Perhaps it’s been a while since you’ve had to look for a job. Or you might feel as if you’ve been at it for yonks with no success and your morale needs a boost.

Don’t panic

Help is at hand! Maxine Hart, Operations Director here at our job agency in Basingstoke, has been dispensing words of wisdom and offering practical advice and encouragement on the IWORK podcast, Empowering Temporary Workers (…her tips will be useful if you looking for a permanent job too).

IWORK, you work, we work

Founded by Julia Kermode, IWORK (Independent Work Ltd) brings together all the different ways that people work independently in the UK – from temporary agency workers, to freelancers, contractors, and self-employed or gig economy workers.

IWORK creates a community of independent workers and strives to ensure they’re treated fairly. Knowledge is power, so it empowers those in the IWORK network with resources on all kinds of topics and issues affecting independent workers, such as tax, employment rights, mortgages, pensions and insurance.

Via podcasts and newsletters, IWORK provides information and insights that help independent workers thrive. Here is a proactive organisation doing really positive things, which is very much how our team does business here at Wote Street People, so Maxine was delighted to be invited onto the podcast as a guest.

Job hunting advice from a true expert

As a recruitment consultant with decades of experience, a career advice practitioner, an employability mentor at a local business and education partnership, and a trustee of the M3 Job Club, Maxine was keen to share tips and hints that could help anyone out there who is looking for work.

If you’re looking for a job in Basingstoke (or anywhere else!), we heartily recommend that you check out the full podcast, as Maxine and Julia have a treasure trove of useful advice for you.

In the meantime, here’s a teaser of just some of the gems you will discover…

• Start by STOPPING! By that, we mean stop and think about what you enjoy as well as what you’re good at. Career coaching might help here.
• Make a shopping list to help you focus on your ideal job. Include all the things that matter to you, such as tasks, hours, location, company culture, the personalities of your colleagues, management styles, salary and benefits. Get clear in your mind about what your non-negotiables are.
• Don’t rush. Your job search might feel urgent but a scattergun approach might lead you down the wrong path. You wouldn’t walk into a nightclub and marry the first person you meet and a healthy job match is no different.
• Imagine every job is a recipe and your previous skills and experience are the ingredients and utensils you’ll need. Break your CV down into components and then tailor it according to each job application (and don’t fret about any gaps). You wouldn’t use chocolate chips in a lemon drizzle cake.
• Mirror the language used on your CV and any covering correspondence to the language your prospective employer is using on their website and in the job ad. Is it formal? Casual? Minimalist? Maybe they prefer things to be presented in a more visual way. This will mark you as out as one of their tribe. Try to include obvious key words and terms that their CV scanning software will recognise, as well.
• Be brazen! When it comes to applying for jobs, there’s no need to be modest. Your future boss doesn’t know how wonderful you are (yet!) so make sure your show them by flagging up your key achievements and strongest features.
• Mock it up. Remember exams (although we’d all rather not)? How incredibly useful was it to have a practice run? Both in terms of confidence levels and applying your knowledge. You can do this with job hunting too. Apply for jobs online where the deadline has passed, or do an interview role play with a family member or friend.

Let’s do this

Job hunting is the start of a new and exciting chapter in your life, but it can feel daunting in the beginning and tiring along the way.

Wote Street People is a recruitment agency in Basingstoke, here to help you identify, seek, apply for and win the right job temporary or permanent job for you. Call our friendly team on 01256 799 127 or email maxine@wotestreetpeople.co.uk