In the high-paced world of business, people want to do business with people that they know and trust. Although you have probably already heard how social media can influence career prospects in a negative way, you might not know how to leverage social media to secure a new job. In fact, as much as misusing social media will hurt your chances of securing a new job, using it wisely helps your chances more than you might think. If a potential employer already follows you on your social media profiles, he or she might feel as if you are already an old friend or trusted colleague, giving you a leg up on your competition and giving you the chance to hear about not yet advertised opportunities. If you are ready to plunge head first into your job search using social media to your advantage, here are five tips to get you started on the right foot.

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Harness invaluable advice from Steve Nicholls; member of The Association for Coaching and the The Institute of Career Guidance (Registered Advanced Practitioner).

Do any of these sound like you?

• At a ‘career crossroads’ but have no idea what new career you could do?
• Want a career change but stuck as to where to begin?
• Unhappy in your current job, but are procrastinating about changing careers?
• Recently been made redundant, or facing redundancy / restructuring?

 If you answered “yes” to any of the above, help is at hand!

Steve Nicholls is a top UK-based career coach, whose passion is helping professionals find a career that truly suits their skills, passions, and values.

By using proven techniques and programmes, he will guide you along the path to your new future. One-off, or shorter bespoke coaching services are available by mutual agreement.

So, if you’re looking for some pragmatic and creative career coaching, advice and guidance, click here for a FREE consultation to discuss your circumstances.

The force is strong with you, young Jedi. You have the power to land a job even without assistance from masters like Obi Wan or Yoda. All you must do is follow the principals of the Jedi in your job search. Do you think you can handle it? Just remember, stay away from the dark side and use these eight simple tips to manifest greatness from resume to interview.

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Prepared for that upcoming job interview? Suit pressed, shoes shined, answers rehearsed? While I am a massive advocate of properly rehearsing the answers to potential interview questions (I make no apology for “soap-boxing” here. There really is no excuse these days not to have prepared in this way), I would urge you to take into account another point, one which can make a major difference. It’s a classic example of small things can make big difference.

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In the past, job hunting might have entailed you, a red pen and the local or national newspaper but as times and technology have moved on, as has the way which businesses and the public sector advertise their vacancies and as someone looking for graduate jobs, it’s wise to give yourself as many chances as possible to find the perfect job for you.

There are a number of avenues to try, when it comes to finding the perfect graduate jobs and the smartest of graduates are employing many or all of these techniques.

Traditional Techniques
Just because it’s a traditional technique, don’t immediately dismiss the newspaper as being dull or old hat. Businesses and public sector jobs are still advertised in local and national newspapers because the majority of their applicants still look in those mediums for available jobs so it’s worth checking them out.

Local and national jobs fairs are a great way to meet employers and finding out a little about them and their vacancies. You can also get a great feel for the employees of a company by their open days and the lengths they go to in order to attract new staff.

Agencies often get dismissed, especially as there are a lot of “fly-by-night” or unprofessional agencies and staff around but there are also many highly experienced and professional consultancies that have contacts with employers you’d give your right foot to work with. It’s also worth remembering that some of the most successful businesses and employers have a lot of opportunities for people like you but simply don’t have the time or resources to advertise or fill their own vacancies so they employ agencies to find candidates for them.

Modern and Pro-active Techniques
Employers love it when their candidates get a bit more pro-active. Not only does it show that they’re willing to go the extra mile but also that they’re “hungry”. There’s fine line to walk though so show that you’re eager but not stalking them!

If you’ve seen a particular company who you like the look of then it’s worth approaching them to find out about any current or upcoming vacancies suitable for you. Their website is a good place but if there’s nothing available then a speculative letter asking them to keep you in mind or on a waiting or email list is a great way to introduce yourself.

Social Media is the way forward for businesses who advertise vacancies on behalf of others and those advertising their own vacancies. Whether it’s Twitter, Facebook, YouTube or Google-Plus, it’s worth following as many job sites, employers and agencies as possible. The best part of using social media to look for graduate jobs is that you have to do virtually nothing to find the right job for you. Follow ten employers and agencies on Twitter and their feeds will automatically appear on your feed, ready for you to see your ideal job and make your application.

As has already been stated, the key point is to try and give yourself as many chances as possible.

Good Luck!

This is a guest post from Barry Magennis who blogs on graduate finance jobs, careers and recruitment.

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Balancing your work and social life is harder than it sounds. Too often, you may find yourself trudging home from work and heading straight to bed due to sheer exhaustion. Attaining a good work/life balance is essential, however, in order to combat stress and increase productivity.

It’s important that we find time every day to relax. Starting a new day feeling refreshed and raring to go will supercharge your productivity – and you’ll go home feeling happy and fulfilled. Failing to make enough time for yourself is an easy trap to fall into – one that can adversely affect every aspect of your life.

Tough as it may seem, balancing your priorities is not an impossible task and you hear about the importance of this in the media regularly. Here are a few tips towards attaining that all-important balance:

1. Try to enjoy your work. This might not always be possible, but if you can find something to look forward to in the mornings, your day will get off to the best possible start. Returning home after a productive day’s work is one way of achieving this, as it will make you feel like you’ve really earned your rest.

2. Don’t work too much. If you’re redefining the definition of ‘full-time’ and feel exhausted every evening, you need to ease off a bit. Unreasonably long hours aren’t sustainable and the harder you push yourself, the longer it will take you to recover.

3. Trust your instincts – when you feel you need a day off, take one. That feeling won’t just go away, and if you think working through it will help, you’re sorely mistaken. The need for a break will always catch up with you, and the sooner you deal with it, the better you’ll feel.

4. Don’t blur the lines between work and play. If you’re in a demanding job, it’s often difficult to leave your work behind. You may find yourself mulling over work issues while you scan the refrigerator before dinner. It’s important to learn to switch off – even if you’re relaxing on the outside, your brain needs to power down too.

5. Make the most of your free time. This doesn’t mean you should have skydiving or bungee-jumping scheduled in every weekend; you’ll always need times for just relaxing in front of the TV. Sometimes though, you really ought to say ‘Yes’ to those party and dinner invites – you’ll feel all the better for it.

Of course, we all work differently, and there is no universal trick to achieving the perfect work/life balance. What’s important is that you listen to yourself – don’t let exhaustion and bad moods go unchecked. Long-term stress will ruin your leisure time and have a negative effect on your personal life. This in turn will take its toll on your work.

Attaining a reasonable work/life balance shouldn’t require a complete transformation on your part. Work hard by all means, but don’t hesitate to step away from that desk when you start to tire, physically or mentally. You’ll feel all the better for it, and what’s more, you’ll work better when you return.

About the author
Barry Magennis blogs on marketing jobs, media careers and personal development advice.

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Getting along with your difficult boss is not very different from getting along with other people. There is one caveat, however. He or she pays your wages! This relationship may also determine your future, in ways you can’t imagine. They will be providing references for you one day.

Therefore, treat this relationship with care. This article will discuss three proactive strategies to help you do just that.

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In June, Barclaycard announced that it would be closing down its Egg credit card service centre in Derby: a decision that will lead to the loss of over 650 jobs. Though employees have been told they’ll receive a decent redundancy package and that the closure won’t be instantaneous, there will nevertheless soon be an additional 650 people in Derby on the job hunt.

News like this hardly comes as a surprise, with continuing recession conditions resulting in a lot of companies closing branches or going out of business altogether. However, for Derby it is yet more bad news, after the city’s Bombardier company failed to get the contract with Thameslink trains they had been expecting, crushing many peoples’ hopes of permanent contracts. Fears for Bombardier are mounting, with many leading figures suggesting that the company may have to close down and pull out of the UK.

Whether you’ve been in your job for many years, like a lot of employees at Bombardier, or were hoping to build up a career in a relatively new company like Egg, news of closure and probable redundancy is crushing. And that’s not to mention the unappealing prospect of getting back in the race for jobs when the economy is still struggling and unemployment remains pretty high.

A whole host of recruitment agencies and their busy pages would suggest that there are alternatives to the conditions thrust upon the UK by the recession. Most agencies now have both physical branches and online resources: sites like reed.co.uk advertise thousands of jobs – with postings updated on a very regular basis. There has also been a boom in sites offering advice on writing CVs and covering letters, as well as tips on interview techniques and general advice on job hunting. Tellingly, you can always assess the state of the UK jobs market by taking a look at how well these kinds of businesses are doing.

Though it’s hard to say there’s an upside to all of the news about Egg and Bombardier in Derby, the fact that the bad news has come in a few months advance of the closure (and potential closure) means that employees can begin preparing for their job search whilst they are still in a position where they’re earning money. With a change of direction on the cards for many career-makers, the support and ideas provided by online jobs databases will be invaluable.

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It doesn’t take a scandal or major business mistake to have your career ripped out from under you. People can get passed over for promotions or even lose their jobs thanks to their own poor behaviour in the office. Avoid these seven bad habits to keep your career shining.

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This is a guest post from inengineering.co.uk. Although primarily focussed on advising recruiters, it’s still useful to candidates to be able to gain an insight into, ‘the other side’!

6 things to remember when posting a new job

When it comes to posting a new job you need to think carefully about who you are aiming the job at (your ideal candidate) where you are posting it and how you word the advert.

Know the discipline. If you are an agency working on behalf of an employer, you need to fully understand the job description before posting the job. You should be ready for the questions that might come your way. Similarly, if you are working in an HR department of a business you should be aware of the technical skills, if any, the candidate should possess. For example, if you want to hire aerospace engineers or recruit aerospace engineers you should know what exact practical skills the candidate should have. If you don’t understand the skills, get an overall idea by speaking to the manager and learning the discipline further.

Know where to post. Post the advert on websites and in industry magazines.

Have a closing date. This makes people eager to send in their applications quicker and ensures that you don’t keep waiting for months on end on the off chance someone else will apply.

Be fair. You need to give everyone a chance at applying so be sure to consider anyone with a disability or any gender. For example, if you work in a very male driven company do not be afraid to consider females- in fact the law states it is your legal responsibility as an employer to consider females. You shouldn’t discriminate on the grounds of race or age either. This could get you in serious trouble.

Prepare interviews. You should have a couple of days set aside for interviews. This enables you to get in the right mindset straight away and you can more easily compare people for the job rather than having days or weeks in between each interview.

Be flexible. The candidate might want to negotiate on aspects of the job. This might include salary or location. They might want to work form home one day a week, but don’t completely rule this out. If you think they would be good for your business then consider what they are saying and go back and talk to your team about it. Other examples of requests include flexi-time hours, having own office and getting a company car with the job contract.

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