What Options are There for You if You are Unemployed?

With hundreds of people chasing every job advertised, what hope is there for those who find themselves unemployed in the present economic climate?

Unemployment at 2.57 million or 8.1%, in the UK – the highest it’s been in 17 years – and although the trend in the US was up in October, it’s still at around 9% , making this is a major problem for a lot of individuals and a lot of families.

If you can’t get a job, what are the alternatives? For some, going freelance is an option and with more and more companies outsourcing to keep down costs, there is work available. If your job can be done on a freelance basis and there is a demand, this is definitely worth considering.

However, not all jobs lend themselves to freelance work and if you don’t have the right skills, what else is out there?

Retraining in a field where there are jobs is something to consider, but can be expensive. So it’s worth looking out for companies which will train you on the job, or for government schemes designed to get people back into work. Some of these are compulsory and many are short and don’t necessarily lead to a job. But it’s a starting point and you should go to the nearest job centre or equivalent government advice centre in your area. Local colleges are worth a try too, as you may e able to brush up on skills in areas like computing.

Get Creative

But sometimes you simply have to take matters into your own hands. Developing a creative approach to work is crucial these days if you want to get into the job market. This can mean learning new skills at an evening class, updating some of your old skills, setting up a small business, looking for ways to earn money online or even getting several sources of income from a variety of totally different jobs, both in the world of employment and self employment.

Assessing Your Skills and Skills in Demand

You are probably aware of the fact that there are now lots of jobs out there which didn’t even exist 10 years ago. Yes, things are moving really fast in the market place and you could end up doing something you’d never heard of when you left school or college.

If you can learn some of the skills used in these newer jobs, you could get a foot in the door. You don’t necessarily have to retrain and get a full-blown qualification, you might just need to learn about social media or mobile marketing or blogging. Add some of these skills to your existing office experience and abilities and you could become a much more attractive prospect as a secretary or admin assistant or even an office junior.

According to Martha Lane Fox, founder of lastminute.com: and UK Digital Champion , “Digital skills are now vital for education and employment: we know that you’re 25% more likely to get work when you have web skills, and, once in that job, you’ll earn 10% more.” source

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jun/20/internet-first-education-digital-skills-gap

 Setting up Your Own Business

This is much easier than it used to be and not nearly as risky. It’s still hard work, you still have to have the same commitment and vision, but you don’t necessarily need a lot of start up cash. Your business can be run at home or on the internet, depending on your interests.

You can set up a business using your existing work-related skills, particularly if you reached a high level and would be in demand as a consultant.

Alternatively, you can pursue a hobby or interest and look at ways in which you can make that pay.

We’ll take a look at each of these different options for unemployed people in more detail over the next week or so.

In the meantime, you can read more about portfolio careers and get some small business ideas.

career change Success

career change is a big step, but one that is becoming increasingly necessary. Unemployment figures are skyrocketing and so many people have lost their pensions or seen them drastically reduced that retirement is no longer an option.

So when you have to make a career change, how can you make sure that your choice of  career is the right one?

Nothing is one hundred percent certain and jobs are no longer for life, but understanding what you enjoy, developing your transferable skills and being open to new ways of working will give you the best chance of making your career change a successful one.

If you start out with where you are now, you can identify your own strengths and weaknesses and also your preferred activities. Add to this new skills and knowledge that you would like to acquire and take a look at where all of this information and ability could be put to use in the current job market.

Assessing Your Skills for Career Change

Make a list of your skills,  starting with:

 Job Specific Skills

These skills are directly related to your career or job, for example, if you are a nurse, ,they are practical nursing skills. Depending on your  experience,  you may have several lists, covering general nurisng skills, and skills gained in one or more area in which you have specialized.

You will also have Transferable Skills

Transferable skills are used in a great many different career areas and jobs. These days computers are used in almost all lines of work and so computer skills are needed just about everywhere.

 Developing New Skills to Help You Find Career Change Success

The ability to learn new skills is important because change is happening so quickly. This is particularly true of technology, but just about every aspect of life and work seems to be speeding up.

If you want to keep up to date, you need to be learning constantly. So if you want to make a successful career change, make a list of all the skills you would like to learn.

The world is getting smaller and international business can be carried out over the internet in minutes. So learning a language or internet marketing skills will also boost your employability.

Look at Current Problems

Consider the problems which are facing people these days and ask if you have or could learn any skills to help them overcome these challenges. For example, people can.t find work – could you help them set up their own business, improve their work skills or help them find a job?

People are also living longer – could you work in an industry which helps them to stay fit and healthy and make good use of their retirement years?

Make Sure You Enjoy Your Career Change

Don’t approach your search for career change by simply looking at what is in demand, choosing something and retraining. While demand is undeniably important, make sure you find something you enjoy doing. For more information, go to :  Career Change Ideas

Finding Career Change Ideas

Choosing the right career change ideas can be difficult, because there are so many options out there. Yet it’s an important decision, because your future depends will be defined in many ways by your choice.

Here are a few questions to help you decide what is right for you.

What do you enjoy doing? Both from your work life and your private life.

Let’s start with jobs

 Career Change Ideas from Previous Jobs

One of my jobs including training mentors to work with homeless people and that really stands out as something that I loved to do. What did I enjoy about that aspect of the job? It included working with two particular groups of people, understanding the needs of homeless people, creating and delivering a training programme and developing it as it went along. It was also very satisfying to see the results.

Take a look at what you have enjoyed in the workplace and identify the verbs associated with it. I’ll give you a few more examples:

Problem solving, managing, organizing, writing, assisting, treating, teaching, repairing, building, programming.

Which aspect of your present and or previous jobs did you hate so much you never want to do it again? This is probably a lot easier and may be the reason you left particular jobs. It could be actual tasks or more general factors such as working with difficult colleagues or having to work in a cubicle all day.

Once you’ve made a list of the negatives, see if there are an opposites which could go on the positive list. If you hate working in an office, where would you rather work? Outside,on a farm, in a school or hospital?

Career Change Ideas from Hobbies

Some hobbies lend themselves to careers, for example, if you love going to the gym, or are very good at a particular sport, you could become a personal trainer or coach.

Many hobbies can make money for you, but this often means setting up your own business. However, you can try it out in your spare time before giving up your day job. Setting up your own business isn’t always easy, but being self employed can be very rewarding and you get to be your own boss, which is an advantage for most people.

 Inspired Career Change Ideas

There are many ways in which you can find inspiration for career change ideas – reading about someone’s experience, watching a TV show or finding a solution to a problem you are experiencing in your own life or the life of someone close to you.

Read more about self employment on the main website:http://www.coolercareers.com

September – it’s Back to School 2011

It’s hard to  to believe that the summer is over, not that we had much summer in the UK, and that it’s back to school soon for thousands of children and young people.

Back to School 2011 – Last Chance for Lower Fees

For those about to go to university, it’s the last chance to get started before the fees go up dramatically, meaning that many young people have had to give up on the idea of a gap year. Fees in the UK are currently around £3000 per year, but set to double and in some cases triple. In fact, many more universities have decided to opt for the highest fees of £9000 per year than were expected to do so.

So for those young people sitting A level exams this year and next, the prospect of a university career is not so bright. Many are having to really think about whether or not a degree is worth the expense, especially in the current economic climate.

Back to School 2011- if not university, what?

If you won’t be able to afford a college education or don’t want to be weighed down by debt for the rest of your life, what are the alternatives?

Many young people are now opting for apprenticeships, which offer training in a profession or trade without the accompanying debt. However, it really depends on your career goals and for some careers there is no choice but to get a degree.

However, many degrees can now be completed via distance learning and done in your own time, at your own pace, allowing students to work while they are studying. A growing number of young people are choosing this option to avoid accumulating large debts, but this path does have a number of drawbacks.

Meanwhile, many of the youngsters still at school are studying more traditional subjects in the hope of getting an English baccalaureate  or Ebacc

In order to receive an EBacc, school children  have to get at least a C grade in the following GCSE subjects:   maths, science, English,  foreign language and history or geography. It is thought that many schools will encourage  pupils to take  these subjects, while unions feel this move will alienate many young people.

What are your thoughts on back to school 2011 and the changes in education?

Career Change Resume

When you need or want to change careers. it’s important to create the right type of resume. It can be difficult to know how to set out your career history if you have no experience which is directly related to the new direction in which you plan to take your career.

So you need to be able to identify your transferable skills in a way that shows the skills you have gained in your working life so far will be relevant to your career change.

Career Change Resume Format

The best format for your career change resume will usually be skill based or will focus on keywords. A traditional chronological CV or resume is generally not appropriate because you will be drawing attention to your earlier career in a different field.

It is important to focus on what you can offer in your new career area and the best way to do this in most cases is by highlighting skills and experiences which are relevant. You might have developed skills during your time as a student or in your first job or holiday jobs and not used them afterwards. However, they may come in useful in your new career and so need to stand out.

 Include Transferable Skills in Your Career Change Resume

These skills may not have been gained in your job, but can be very useful in your new career and so should be prominent in your career change resume or CV.  So make sure you look at every part of your life when assessing your skills – include voluntary work, sports, committees, participation in your local community, hobbies and family life.

You can buy 9 Steps to Resume and CV Success for only $17 – make sure your career change resume is on target to get you the right interview for the right job.

Top Paying Jobs

Who doesn’t want to be able to get one of the top paying jobs?

Check out this video to learn more

For more information go to top paying jobs without qualifications