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Employers look for passion and strengths on your CV and are
increasingly conducting strength-based interviews in order
to establish what motivates you and what you are good at.
You should keep a log of major accomplishments and
ensure your CV is updated regularly, at least once a year.
Weaknesses are evident in the things you struggle with, or
only do because you have to. Unfortunately, many people are
blind to their weaknesses, but they are things that need to be
addressed in order to turn them into strengths.
A good appraisal review should highlight weaknesses and a
trusted friend can also point these out to you. However, you
need to be receptive to receiving constructive feedback.
STEP 3 - Identify gaps and barriers and address them:
Many of us have dreams, unfortunately for many people
aspirations don’t become actualised because they fail to plan
and address the obstacles preventing them from realising
their goals. Anything preventing your success is a barrier
and needs to be removed.
Many job seekers see a lack of work experience as a barrier.
Where you lack direct experience use transferable skills that
can be drawn from a range of sources such as hobbies, work
experience, your education and home life. You don’t have
to have worked as a manager to demonstrate leadership
skills. Leadership skills can come from activities at College,
managing your siblings, or being a carer for a relative. The
same applies to budgeting skills. A great source of experience
for those in work is taking on responsibilities beyond the
remit of the job description; managing projects can help
plug the gaps in your experience.
(“learnability”). We live in a world of rapid change, it is
predicted that 65% of jobs that Generation Z will perform
don’t yet exist. Be aware of the impact of technology on your
chosen profession and learn how to exploit it.
Consider jobs that artificial intelligence will produce not
displace, review the PEST analysis for your sector. The PEST
tool analyses the political, economic, socio-cultural and
technological changes in your sector. Core and professional
competencies are as important as technical skills, so ensure
you can demonstrate that you possess them examples
include leadership, communication, resilience and problemsolving
skills, which are transferable across sectors. Think
globally and consider learning a new language. Given that in
the year 2020 four generations will be working side by side
(baby boomers, generation X, Y, and Z) it will be imperative,
irrespective of age, for those in work to ensure their skills are
current, relevant and economically valuable.
STEP 5 - Build your professional network and develop your
brand. Ensure your network is wide-ranging and includes
strategic networks, that is people with significant influence
and positioning in their fieldsfields. Operational networks
comprising of people you work with and social networks
of peers and friends. Include mentors or coaches in your
network.
Ensure your networks are diverse in all aspects of their skills,
backgrounds, and influence. Rebrand yourself. Restaurants
and many other local businesses are very keen to draw our
attention to the fact that they are under new management by
doing so they raise our expectations and make us feel that we
will experience something new and better.
Volunteering is a great example of acquiring employability
skills as it demonstrates determination and motivation.
Consider an apprenticeship where you are employed by an
organisation who pay you a salary and cover all training fees
(including degrees). These are open to young people and
adults.
STEP 4 - Constantly update your skills. Take every
opportunity to continue your professional development.
Increase your net worth by exploiting training and
development opportunities at work or invest in your
own training and development. Don’t wait until you are
asked to leave work to retrain. Employers are increasingly
looking for staff that have the capacity to learn new skills
It is never too late for us to refresh our approach. Make sure
you are the go-to person for things to be done at work. Be
consistent, reliable and loyal, not the first out of the door
when the clock strikes 5. Have an impeccable work ethic, at
all times. Give your CV a makeover and have someone look
over it. Many people are much better at selling themselves
verbally than they are in writing, not realising that a CV
creates the first impression.
Teresa Esan, Head of the Career Counselling Department. For
further advice on how to transform your career, improve your
CV or identify your strengths and possible career options
contact KICC’s Career counselling department: career_
counselling@kicc.org.uk
WINNING WAYS MAGAZINE 28