Making The Most of Internships

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Sheila English, a winner of the BBC’s Apprentice programme recently lost a claim against Alan Sugar for unfair dismissal. Lord Sugar said that she was driven by a need for ‘money and fame’. If she was, it’s no surprise. When candidates are selected to appear on the Apprentice, their media charisma is every bit as important as their business skills, and probably far more so. The real question that her claim raises is whether an Apprentice-type competition is a good way to recruit.

Many companies already recruit through a competition of sorts. It’s called an internship . Candidates are taken on for a short period for little or often no pay. If they do well, they may get a job. If not, they are no worse off than a loser on the Apprentice. Continue reading →

The Secret Job Search Ingredient

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The number of people applying for every job vacancy is on the rise. This suggests that even tougher times may be ahead for job seekers. As if it wasn’t tough enough already!

There is plenty of good advice around for job seekers. Nearly every committed job seeker knows how to write a good 2-page CV, and how to network, and they are all throwing everything they have got at their job search. Yet, for many people it clearly still isn’t working, applications per job vacancy are on the rise. So what can you do? What’s the missing ingredient that you can add to the standard mix of job search techniques, to get ahead of the game Continue reading →

Job Seekers Aren’t Commodities

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The government claims that the new cap on benefits has already encouraged 8,000 of those expected to be affected to find jobs. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research says there is no evidence for that claim. Meanwhile the companies delivering the Work Programme are saying that the initiative is failing because too many people need help. Others say they are just underperforming.

People have always played politics with unemployment, that won’t change. But what could, and should, change is the way that job search support is delivered. Continue reading →

Its OK Not To Enjoy Networking

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If you’re looking for a job you really shouldn’t be reading this! Nor should you be spending more than a few minutes a day browsing job boards or looking for job opportunities on Linked In, Facebook, or anywhere else online.

The reason is simple. It’s where everyone else is looking. And it’s so easy to spend all day on line, believing that you are actively looking for a job, and having little or nothing to show for it at the end. Continue reading →