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Finding out about job vacancies
Many
newspapers have job vacancy adverts, usually near the back under the
'classified' section. Smaller, local employers may advertise in
local papers. Adverts for professional, executive and senior
vacancies tend to appear in national papers - usually broadsheets.
These papers usually feature certain types of job on different days
of the week. For example, The Guardian features media jobs on
Mondays, education on Tuesdays, public and social sector on
Wednesdays and IT on Thursdays.
Job Centres
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Jobcentres will have personal advisors who can help
you find the vacancies that are right for you, whether you're
looking for your first job or are returning to work. They can also
tell you about government training schemes open to you. They'll
consider: |
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your work experience
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your skills
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your qualifications
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whether there are any suitable training
opportunities or courses for you
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any help you might need, such as child care or
health care
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any special help you might need, if you have a
disability for example
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They will then help you decide on the best way
forward.
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Finding a new job online
Most large organisations have details of vacancies on
their website. You can also find job vacancies on:
You may also be able to download an application form
and apply for the job online.
Most job vacancy websites allow you to search for the
types of vacancies you're interested in. You can usually specify the
type of job, the level, the salary, the location etc. Some sites
will even notify you when suitable vacancies are posted on their
site. We have listed some of the main job vacancy websites down the
side of this article, just click on the icon to visit the site.
Recruitment and employment agencies/consultants
Recruitment and employment agencies are like brokers
- they recruit and fill vacancies on behalf of employers. Employers
use agencies because recruiting is time-consuming and requires
expertise.
What happens when you use a recruitment agency?
Firstly, they usually invite you for an interview.
This is to find out what kind of work you're looking for and what
skills you've got. Depending on the type of work you're looking for
they may ask you to sit a test - to test your typing speed or your
IT skills for example. They will take your personal details and
contact you when a suitable vacancy comes up. They may interview you
themselves for the job or set up an interview with the employer.
Many vacancies handled by recruitment agencies are temporary, but
some agencies specialise in permanent or executive jobs; or
particular sectors of work - media, law or social work, for example.
Most agencies also display current vacancies on their websites.
How can I find recruitment agencies?
Recruitment agencies are listed in Yellow Pages or you can use a
search engine like
google.
Safety tips
It's important to keep yourself safe when applying
for jobs. The vast majority of interviews are perfectly normal and
safe; but as with any situation involving strangers, you should use
common sense.
Here are some safety tips for interviews:
Do
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check out the organisation if the advert was very brief
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tell someone where the interview is and what time you expect to
be back
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make sure it's on the organisation's premises or in a public
place - not a private residence
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arrange to be picked up by someone if the interview is at a
strange time or in a remote location
Don't
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agree to continue the interview on a social date
- such as drinks or a meal
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apply for jobs that seem too good to be true,
such as ones offering huge rewards for little work
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talk too much about personal matters
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never divulge any
private information such as bank details.
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accept a lift home from anyone at the
organisation
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