NES talks
NES talks about career management
Politely declining a counter offer
Jun 8th
Counter offers. They’re really very flattering, aren’t they? You’ve handed in your notice and are ready to move on to bigger and better things, only to find that your current employer makes a new offer in a bid to keep hold of you and the skills you have to offer. Wow!
They’re not always ideal though, are they? After all, you’ve gone to all that trouble of updating your CV, tweaking and tailoring it for the jobs you’ve found and attending as many interviews as necessary for someone to offer you the right opportunity, and then your current employer throws a big, fat spanner in the works! More >
IT and the perm to contract switch…
May 25th
While its specialist engineering division has been working to promote the benefits of permanent work to a hardened contract workforce during the recession, the IT specialists have had to adapt to a switch in the opposite direction.
With a former preference for permanent employees, IT continues to see a growing preference for temporary workers, who can be appointed or released with ease according to project demands. More >
Switching from contract to perm – why, exactly?
May 13th
The contract market within the engineering market has been notoriously lucrative in former years. Contractors, while forfeiting their right to benefits like company cars, pensions and healthcare, earned considerably higher rates than their permanent counterparts and the flexibility from the labour market that they facilitated was welcomed by hiring managers.
Contractors were appointed for a project until their skills were no longer required and released with a typical notice period of just a week – when the contractor could look towards their next role or take the family away over the school summer holidays! More >
Jobseeker self promotion – spreading the word!
Apr 27th
The world of the jobseeker has changed tremendously over the last ten years. It’s not that old job search methods have disappeared, just that the internet has brought about a whole new range of options when it comes to distributing your CV and promoting your achievements to potential employers; enabling you to expand your reach with ease.
As well as circling the ads in local or national newspapers and then making contact with desirable companies – of course, emailing your CV or resume these days, as opposed to printing and posting it – you’ll also create a social networking profile on sites like LinkedIn and Facebook – and tell your online connections about the projects you’re working on and the work you do. More >
Negotiating your graduate salary
Apr 9th
Recent research (by totaljobs.com) highlighting unrealistic expectations and lack of preparation for the job market suggests that graduates are leaving university somewhat deluded about their immediate prospects!
Salary negotiation can often be a tricky one and it’s even more difficult for recent graduates. Of course it is! The global economy is in crisis! Unemployment is a worry for jobseekers with years of experience, some of which have been out of work for months or sometimes years at a time, despite having good skills and qualifications. More >
Increase your earning potential: get chartered!
Apr 7th
Within the engineering community, it’s widely agreed that Chartership is one of the most successful ways to demonstrate your commitment to the industry as well as to continuing professional development (CPD).
Unless you’re prepared to familiarise yourself with new developments and constantly add to your skill set, you’ll come up against certain limitations throughout your career – and earning potential is one of them! More >
Networking events – conquering the fear
Apr 1st
Social networking has grown at a phenomenal rate over recent times as we’ve entered a new era of internet use, termed as Web 2.0, that enables users to generate online content and encourages two-way communication. This internet revolution has seen Facebook, MySpace and YouTube become household names and has given jobseekers and professional networkers a new way to manage their business network.
Career-minded business professionals are using social media to seek new business opportunities and make contact with potential clients and partners, using a similar principle (two-way communication) but with a very different set of objectives. More >
Long-term career planning
Mar 31st
For those who’ve suffered as a result of the recession – taking redundancy, accepting a reduction in hours or overtime, or agreeing to a pay cut or salary freeze – thinking long-term about career progression can seem almost laughable, as fewer work opportunities create an all-round sense of gratitude by those lucky enough to hang onto their jobs and a sense of urgency among those looking for work.
While it’s completely understandable that jobseekers responsible for various financial commitments (mortgages, bills and looking after a family, etc) are less concerned about whether a position meets overall career aspirations and more about whether it brings in enough money to put food on the table, it can mean that long-term career planning takes a backseat during an economic downturn. More >
The importance of interview feedback
Mar 25th
The job search process can be a stressful and prolonged one; full of twists and turns, hope and enthusiasm, disappointment and frustration. Crafting the perfect cover letter and CV, searching for suitable vacancies, filling in application forms and attending job interviews all take up a lot of time and effort.
It’s therefore not surprising that when an application has progressed through to interview stage (perhaps to even two or three interviews) before a jobseeker discovers that they have been unsuccessful; it can be incredibly difficult to accept that the job search process must start again. More >