Have you been thinking about your career and wondering if you could manage it better, now and in the near future?
There may, or may not, be posts to apply for today but do you want to wait for a change in the employment climate, or not?
There will be posts to apply for, but they may not be available at exactly the time when you are looking. Here are three issues to consider RIGHT NOW.
Stay On Track
That means completing qualifications you began (maybe some time ago). It means whatever you said you would do, you actually do it. Maybe you began your studies, say two years ago, and had lots of enthusiasm for what you were studying. Yet, somehow, you have allowed studying to become something in the background of your life. This must change. In your own interests, this must definitely change.
Very recently, you decided to give a final push to your studies and now say:
“I started work on this project some time ago. It was hard work. I gave up evenings, week-ends and holidays in order to study. I’ve just gained the final part of that qualification, and I know how I will offer to use my new skills at work in #FE.”
If you had just finished a qualification, would you know how using your new skills would be valuable to your employing organisation? You need to know. Don’t rely on others to do the thinking for you.
In essence, you need to work on something your industry or sector values.
Make a strong statement about how your new expertise could be of value in an employing organisation. Do this without fail.
You will discover the value of this approach, if you are suddenly asked to reapply for your current post, and make sure you get your post, second time around
Help Others
No one needs to say:
“But that’s not me. I can’t work like that.”
Be flexible.
Here’s a suggestion: be aware of what is happening around you at work, and in the larger world.
If you are aware of the problems that others face, you will be more likely to find ways to help them if you have investigated why those problems cause people concerns. People may be struggling with changing print cartridges. They may have made some big mistakes in preparing documents to be circulated. They may have no idea how to insert graphics into the documents they produce. However, you do know, in most cases, or if you don’t, you will make it your business to learn quickly.
Offer help. Show people in your organisation who are struggling with something: linking printers to mobile phones, erasing some aspects of work that don’t seem right, with ways of correcting errors without having to start a document again.
Such approaches will not make you a necessary person to have about, but they will go a long way to enhancing your status, especially if you are regularly available to help.
You will quite quickly become indispensable, if you are always ready to help. That means very few people would want to get rid of you – for any reason.
Make A Name For Yourself
Here’s something to help you to feel needed.
You want to build your standing, not just in your organisation, but elsewhere in your sector.
Run webinars for colleagues about preparing for appraisal, interviewing colleagues who might be short-listed for posts, internally and externally, improving time management and more. Also produce an online newsletter or blog. Don’t worry; you don’t need to send people information every week.
However, make sure you can get people to sign up to receive what you want to say. Make the online world keen to know you and how you help yoyr sector or industry. That also means making sure your organisation knows what you are doing. Make a success in this field and there is a good chance your organisation will be proud of you.
Finally
You want to stay in work. You want to stay in work because your organisation does no want to lose you. Follow the advice in this article and see how it helps you to stay in employment in your current sector – always assuming that’s what you want.
Margaret Adams is a former college manager and the author of “Are You Employable?”
Find this and her other works on Amazon,
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08LZF4P3W/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Are+You+Employable&qid=