VT Indigo

Thinking about employment

Finding your first job takes a lot of thought and organisation.

If you are thinking of entering work it is best to research the potential opportunities about nine months to a year prior to entry – and for some planned training schemes even earlier.

However, if you have left it to the last minute, don’t panic. You still have time to create a plan of action. If finding a job appeals to you, it would be useful to consider the following points:

Think carefully about which type of work you would like to apply for. You may need to discuss this with your Indigo adviser. Take some time to consider your priorities and the pros and cons of different ideas.

Prepare a CV (Curriculum Vitae) to send to companies with an accompanying letter. Your CV should reflect the type of work you are applying for and can concentrate as much on your skills as well as your qualifications.

Target your preferred type of work and locality. Research job adverts in local newspapers and visit job-related websites. Some specialised journals have situations vacant columns. You may find them in your school/college library, local public library or you can order them from your newsagent.

You might like to register at specialist employment agencies, and Jobcentre/Jobcentre Plus offices, who will keep you updated with any new vacancies.

Be pro-active. Ask friends and relatives to look out for appropriate vacancies. Approach employers you would like to work for even if they are not advertising, but keep a record of who you’ve written to and when. An A4 sheet of paper divided into columns provides a simple chart that can be used to follow up companies you’ve not heard from. Use the first column for the company name and phone number, and the other column to record contact dates.

Job-hunting requires perseverance, so keep at it! Try to stay positive. If you are having little or no response from employers re-visit your priorities and consider how realistic they are. There may be other ways you could make yourself more attractive to those you are approaching.

Visit some of the job-related websites listed under Websites addresses. See Getting that job for more information on preparing to make job applications.

Top tips!

Market yourself – don’t wait for vacancies to appear. Be aware that applications for some jobs starting in the summer have to be made as early as January or February.
Don’t take no for an answer – maintain regular contact with them if their initial response is ‘sorry, no vacancies’ (unless they make it clear you’d be wasting their time).
Look for the Investors In People (IIP) logo. This will tell you that the company has an ongoing training programme for all employees.