Top 10 tips for making your LinkedIn profile attractive

LinkedIn is a business orientated networking service that launched pre-Facebook in 2003. By 2006 the service boasted 20 million members and by June 2013, 259 million users were members of the site. Individual users span over 200 territories and thus the site has a wide global reach.  LinkedIn includes a profile page for individuals to show their work and educational stories. A standardised platform online CVs, links to projects, follow companies, join groups, add colleagues and other key networks. 

LinkedIn has is a market leader in online professional networking sites and still has very few contenders. With news of Facebook intending to launch a business facing aspect to the social networking site – Facebook at Work – will it be a real contender to LinkedIn’s reign?

Having an online presence when looking for work or just in general is becoming a key aspect of job searching and career development arena. Having a LinkedIn profile is becoming nearly as important as having an email address, especially for those looking from first jobs to middle management roles. If you are struggling to get started using this tool please read on as LinkedIn’s top tips to a perfect profile will be explained here. 

1. Profile picture is key. Having a profile picture is very important. It shows that you are a real person who has a real face. Some people I have spoken to about LinkedIn are reluctant to have a LinkedIn profile picture, saying things like, ‘people will see how old I am’ and are worried about age discrimination. People just want to know what you look like, to put a face to the name and experiences,  its simple curiosity.  The picture should be a simple headshot in black and white or colour. I would steer away from pictures of you on a night out, in a team shot, with your kids or with bad lighting. The picture should represent you and how you want to be seen in a professional.
   
   
2. Make an impact with your summary. The summary section of your profile is very similar to a personal statement.  This is the time for you to show what you are made of, what you can do and what you aspire to be. Keep it short but sweet and detailed and be sure to include key words. Include information about previous roles key achievements and responsibilities.  This is not a space to write your life story warts and all, save that for your friends.
   
3. Experience isn’t just listing your roles.  I have seen LinkedIn profiles with individuals just listing roles, no words to describe key achievements, deliverables and responsibilities. Write up to 100 words for the more recent roles (over five years). Say what you did and why you were such a valuable employee, what projects did you do? what were you involved with? Remember you need to stand out.  You can also link key projects and websites to each role.                                                                                                                          
   
4. Listing courses, projects and publications gives you credibility. LinkedIn allows you to list courses, projects and publications whilst giving you the ability to link specific websites where you work is displayed.  LinkedIn also allows you to attach the person who you worked on the project with. This is a great way to show what you have achieved and what you have worked on.                                                                                                            
5. Education, languages and key skills make you stand out.  These sections allow you to list your educational credentials and additional information such as additional languages and key skills. The key skills section is important as this is what recruiters search for. It is therefore key to really research what skills your dream role requires and demonstrate how you have them.
6. Recommendations you can get the job done.  Recommendations are what sets LinkedIn apart from other job sites. Having someone who can vouch for you and can show that you have done a good job at x or y company is a great way to create online capital. Receiving recommendations is a little bit trickier. Asking current or ex colleagues to explain how invaluable you were on a project or a task is the way to get them, but not everyone will respond. Maybe start with recommending someone else and then hopefully they will then repay the favour.
   
7. Connections show that you can network digitally. LinkedIn allows individuals to connect and ‘be friends’ with other professionals. Be they current or former colleagues or individuals that work in an organisation that you aspire to be part of. This is not Facebook however, so try and resist going on a massive ‘friending’ spree. LinkedIn tries to limit the amount of random requests people receive but of course this can be bypassed. If you are trying to connect with someone who has nearly no connection to your circles, explain in the invitation why you want to connect with them and this may open doors.                                                                            
8. Group memberships show employers what your interests are. The site also allows you to be a member of groups. There are groups that discuss a wide variety of industry specialisms and expertise. Most groups are open, but even closed ones you have the option to let your application be verified. When you become a member, engage in conversation and start discussions. These are all ways to become noticed.      
9. Following companies keeps you a breast of key trends. Following companies that you are interested in is a way that you can track the activities and goings on. Company pages are so
   
   organisations can update followers with CSR activities, job vacancies and other things that are happening in the industry and the organisation.        
   
                                                                  
10. USE the jobs function. One of the best things about LinkedIn in my opinion is the jobs function. I think it is one of the best ways to find roles. You can search for the usual; location, job title etc. but it also recommends roles based on your current job title and sends you roles every week straight to your e-mail inbox. Some organisations advertise on their websites, LinkedIn and Twitter only so you will find roles on it that would be difficult to find anywhere else. Also LinkedIn allows you to connect with the recruiters more directly.

Therefore utilise LinkedIn, its tools and make sure you keep your profile up to date and you will find great connections and great roles.

What's the point in university?

So I just watched a documentary which investigated whether or not University is really worth it. It means different things to all people. Some people see it as a way to advance in their careers, some people do it because everyone else is going and others go for the love of a subject and a respect for learning.

In the past in the British education system university was free and only the chosen few were able to enjoy the highs and lows of higher education. Contrastingly, university has in the last 15-20 years something lots of people aspire to and can experience.

With the proposed massive hikes in tuition fees to nearly three times what they are currently will this discourage people from poorer backgrounds? The new coalition government in the UK has also scrapped maintenance grants for those who come from poorer backgrounds. With the series of student protests the government members of parliament still chose to potentially charge people thousands of pounds a year for higher education, which 25 years ago was free.

Therefore it is increasingly important that people chose their degrees carefully, how will it help you? University is not just about what you study, its about life skills, relationship building, networking and learning about yourself. Could you do an apprenticeship instead? Could you seek a scholarship to pay you're university fees. So look at alternative funding sources, make sure that the choice is right for you and make sure that your course is a return in your investment both literally and metaphorically.

Job review sites, useful or useless

The eggs are no longer just in the employers basket

Despite the recession of 2008 and a very high ratio of applicants to job roles,  employees still have a lot of power. Employer review sites such as glassdoor.com and jobcrowd.co.uk have become extremely popular among savvy graduates and curious job searchers who need advice in choosing an organisation to work for.

Employer review sites give people the ability to look at employee reviews of popular organisations,  giving them the ability to gain a unique insight into the organisation they may be working for. The ability to check this in the past was extremely limited. Often the only chance someone had to check the credibility of a potential employer was by finding a friend or a friend of a friend who had worked at said organisation before. Assuming that that person hasn't scared you half to death with tales of axe wielding line managers individuals were given a very limited view of the organisations'. Employer review sites give information on salaries, benefits, interviews and company backgrounds.

Individuals can vote with their feet and view a summary of company reviews. These sites give people  the chance to have more of an objective view companies. It gives people the opportunity to go into organisations a with their eyes a little more open.

Companies need to be aware of the importance of the candidate experience in attraction, selection, assessment and development of staff. These opinions and experiences with the advent of employee review sites can travel very far and have the potential to be damaging for organisations.

Psychometric testing over kill?

Psychometric assessments are a common trend in the selection of new candidates and are said to be used by up to 70% of employers. Psychometrics are said to help select the best candidates for the job, individuals who fit into those organisations with ease. However. is there ever a time to reduce the use of psychometric assessments altogether?

The word psychometric is derived from the Greek word for mind (psycho) and the Latin for measure (metric). Combined the term conjures up images of a world of numerical tests and pages full of symbols. Personality assessments and ability tests make up the most common forms of assessment in organisations. Over the last twenty years there has been a large increase in the use of these work tests, but are they being over used?

Organisations use psychometrics as they are reported to have good levels of predictive validity (choosing the individual who will perform the best in the job). If an individual scores highly on a test, it is argued that they will perform the best out of all candidates if given the role.  With high levels of scientific validity and reliability psychometrics tend to add a more objective element to the selection and development process.  With an increased amount of individuals applying to roles, assessments can whittle down large numbers of applicants to a more manageable number to shortlist from. 

The use of psychometrics in organisations is not wrong; however their overuse can be damaging.  I once went to an assessment day and yes it was an assessment day in every sense of the word. After emerging a few minutes late (interview no no) and getting lost in Watford relying on my google maps, I burst into a room of very unimpressed group of HR professionals. Six or seven candidates were then read the riot act, a role play and no less than three separate psychometric tests! THREE- for what was an essentially an entry level consultant role. I sat through a general personality assessment, a numerical test and some sort of test which measures your attention to detail.

This was an example of psychometric test overkill! Not only did I as a candidate feel exhausted, fed up and BORED, I left feeling confused at the sheer volume of testing that I had to endure. This feeling was not made any better by the fact that I have a qualification and training in psychometric  testing.

To alleviate candidate stress, confusion and disaffection selection phases need to be transparent. HR professionals and hiring managers should communicate the reasons behind the use of tests and not just throw them in as a “nice to have”.  To evaluate their use organisations should:

• Read the job description carefully, or if you are writing the description, make sure you have what you want in a candidate there on the paper. Highlight the aspects of the job where the candidates need to be tested and consult with psychometrically trained individuals and a layman to see if it passes the common sense test.
• Will the use of psychometric assessments enhance the selection process? Will it allow you to hire the best candidate?
•  Make sure the tests compliment other selection techniques, e.g. if you are using a competency based interview in a technical role, complimenting this with a non verbal reasoning test or any other technical test would be a good pairing.
• Relying too much on these methods can reduce candidate experience turn it into a long winded rigmarole. To reduce the anxiety faced by candidates communicate the purpose of the use of the assessments; give them feedback regardless of whether it is requested in a non judgemental environment. Encourage them to apply to other roles; you never know when they can be useful.

In summary psychometric tests should assist the selection process, not overshadow or complicate it. Using these powerful tools in combination with other selection methods is best practice as they should never be used alone. As the HR professional or hiring manager, try and manage the candidate experience and work out if you are getting the best out of the individual in order to find the best individual for the job. 

How to handle job rejections

You have found a job you like,  you have read the description, perfect! You spend a few hours writing your covering letter and your CV. With a high level of anticipation you press send. A few days later you open the email, it begins:

“Thank you for applying to the [insert role]. Due to a large number of applications which closely fit the job description and experience required, we regret to inform you that you haven’t been successful for the current role. Due to the number of applications we cannot offer you individual feedback. We wish you every success in your future job search”.

WE WISH YOU VERY SUCCESS IN YOUR JOB SEARCH?! – when you refuse to give me feedback, how can I improve my job search?

Being a veteran job searcher, I am tired, tired of automated rejection emails, tired of the circus of job applications, tired of what seems like a 'waste of time' applications with rejections within mere hours.

How did things turn into this? Churning applications out like a machine, not an individual but just a jumble of key words and a list of qualifications. Forget the nuances and an individuals personality, it seems that all the employer is concerned about is the potential candidates ability to tick a myriad of dull boxes, or jump through awkwardly positioned hoops. I say, enough!- I'm through with the whole darn thing.

Employers, HR professionals and recruiters it doesn't have to be like this. I understand that you do get a vast amount of applications for each role (sometimes hundreds or thousands). However try and make the application process as easy and informative as possible. It doesn't have to be cheap, free and easy, it can be a meaningful encounter for all if managed correctly.

So HR departments:

•  Try and reach as many candidates as possible, go through agencies (if you have the budget), Tweet and Facebook your search, the wider your search, the bigger the potential pool of excellent candidates
• Be realistic in job descriptions make sure you include the actual day to day aspects of the job. Don't try and make the job sound more appealing to others by fabricating or exaggerating elements of the role
• Try and give feedback- even if its one line- I'm sure that there's software that exists that can do that for you? If not someone invent one!
• Ditch the automated email which sounds highly patronising and insulting, it usually translates to the candidate as, "we found better people than you so don't bother us by asking for feedback because we don't have time to hear your whining".

Candidates

• Tailor your CV as much as you can, so for each role. Edit your personal statement to mirror what's on the job description. If this means having several versions of your CV on your computer than so be it.
• Be as realistic as possible, get as many people as you can to view your CV/ just someone that you trust. In most cases each person will say completely different things, if you cannot deal with criticism or rejection than possible stay away from this step but it is very important
• Do not mispell company or individauls names, your CV will go straight in the bin
• Try and remain as positive as possible- this can be done with a support system of people who are familiar with the job climat when looking for a job. They will offer you the best support and guidance
• Most importantly- keep going- something will happen eventually!

Emailphobia

I'm going to confess something to you, something strange and something I thought was unusual. I have major work related EMAIL ANXIETY, yes e-mail anxiety. It starts before I get to work, where I envisage the number and type of emails I may have waiting for me in my inbox. The questions, requests and advice, the reports, unfinished work and other things, sometimes haunt me hours before I even get there. The fear or attaching the wrong document, or forgetting to attach the correct document to the e-mail, the repercussions can be utterly devastating.   The worst email anxiety episode may occur when returning from a few days off or holiday, there can be hundreds, even thousands of them lurking in your inbox.

I think that this form of communication in work places although convenient, quick and easy but I am sure too much of it is unhealthy. Hiding behind emails instead of picking up the phone or actually talking to the person next to you is sometimes a systematic trend of modern work environments.I encourage work places to rely less on the dreaded email, talk to colleagues face to face, pick up the telephone. Of course it is necessary to have a paper trail some times to save your bacon for proof if something dodgy does occur, but it shouldn't be relied upon.

So those of you that think that I am exaggerating, e-mail anxiety  is a REAL thing and work places should do every thing they can to minimise this.These things can be:

• Talking face to face?
• In meetings discussing as much as can be verbally and using emails to confirm and support prior information. 
• Picking up the phone for a short conversation

Following these tips may minimise the hundreds of emails that you may get. 

Do workplaces focus too much on perfection?

During an episode of Celebrity Masterchef earlier on this year, I came across a curious phenomenon. The head chef said to the celebrity that each plate that he/she produce should be perfect, flawless and consistently the same. It then dawned on me, is this even possible in an environment that is hot, highly pressured and loud?   Having worked in probably too many organisations (I blame the recession), public, private and charities I have observed a trend, a trend that has really started to disturb me; this trend is the obsession of managers to expect their employees to be "perfect". To eliminate mistakes, to consistently produce the same winning formula, but to improve and to strive for better all of the time, but is this too much to ask? As unpredictable as humans are and a constantly changing working environment with goal posts moving, is it realistic to expect perfection everyday? Or is it more realistic to allow employees to make and learn from their mistakes so as to work in a comfortable environment?

I am no philosopher, but I don't think we can be perfect consistently and especially not in the work place. Insisting on this is unrealistic in often confined, restricted employment environments with rigid job descriptions and archaic management structures is probably not a good idea. Focusing on perfect work I believe is not only destructive, can be short sighted and highly counter productive. Insistence on perfection can increase mistakes, increase anxiety, reduce productivity, decrease motivation and overall job satisfaction.

Instead I feel that work places should endeavour to minimise and  embrace mistakes. Allow employees to  learn from and develop strategies to prevent mistakes harming the productivity of the organisation.  A theory of organisational learning by a couple of researchers Argyris and Schon (1978), double and single loop learning suggests that organisations should try and eliminate mistakes before they happen in order for them to grow and develop effectively. In eliminating mistakes before they happen, an organisation has to learn from previous mistakes that have been made, perhaps from individuals, groups and the organisation as a whole.

So I think organisations should:

• Create an environment that is open and allows employees to make mistakes but have a forum to learn from them 
• Empower staff and allow them to create new ideas and allow them to implement them
• Open communication channels to make it easier for employees to share concerns
• Make work environments less formal in order to make work less stressful
• Praise staff when needed and  have development points for staff in 1-1s and appraisals
• Give employees time to absorb tasks, new environments and new ways of doing things 

I think if these things are done I believe staff will naturally begin to reduce mistakes and become more productive and happy. 

Demystifying the PhD

Often cited as the pinnacle of academic endeavour, the highlight  and aspiration for many wannabe scholars, PhDs are perceived to be the peak of a career.The reality is spending at least three years trying to find a "theoretical contribution", or something new or novel within the research discipline of your choice. A doctor of philosophy (PhD) doesn't have to mean researching philosophy but it originates from the Latin meaning of philosophy which is the love of wisdom.

Essentially a PhD is research project on a topic no body else has focused on and the more obscure the better. To apply for a PhD  you will need to identify something that has not been investigated how you will research it and why any one should care about the outcome.  This can be in any subject you can think of. There are many reasons to pursue a PhD, to increase your knowledge of a particular subject or topic, to further your academic career and become a lecturer, to research areas you feel are overlooked or to avoid getting a job in "the real world". They should never be seen as an easy option or a three year doss, they are hard to complete mainly as you have to juggle them with many other lifestyle choices and commitments such as families and relationships.

What will you do in a PhD
The process of applying to doctoral research programme includes either applying for a studentship or writing your own proposal and seeking funding independently. A studentship is a funded place at a university on a particular project. Once you have done this, finding a supervisor is the next step, basically your PhD manager, responsible for guiding you offering advice. After this you will start a full time (3-4 years) or part time (4-6 years) of study and research. Writing a background to the research (what has been found out on the topic previously, what the controversies are, what you will do, how you will do it, what  you found out and what it means).

After this you will write about  your project, often in 50,000- 80,000 words. This sounds like a lot, however think of all the essays you have written in your undergraduate degree? It's probably about the same. When this has been completed and handed in you will then have to complete a spoken exam or a viva voce. A Viva Voce is where two examiners read your thesis and ask you many questions about what you have written and why, what are the implications and any clarifications that are needed. At the end of this you find out if you have failed,  passed with corrections (having to amend some of your thesis) or passed with no corrections, i.e its perfect. Most people pass with some corrections, after this in the UK you are allowed to be called Dr.

PhD's require:

• Stamina, ( it's more of a marathon, not a sprint); 
• An excellent team of supervisors- they are the key, they can make or break your motivation 
• Sanity or the ability to surround yourself with people who will keep you sane
• A very good support network- people who will understand you and be there for you unconditionally
• A good system of file back ups, - I have heard horror stories about people who have lost their whole 80,000 word thesis in a currupted file. Use google docs or dropbox or both
• No fame seeker behaviour: Don't do it for the fame or apparent respect you may receive- many people don't know what a doctorate is requires. Not many people will care if you have a doctorate in the bacteria of dung beetle wings...
• Understanding that you will be emotionally battered and bruised, academics like to remind each other that in fact they know nothing about any thing, that's what you will discover when you pursue a PhD. 

So if you feel like spending 3-7 years banging your head against a brick wall and despairing- go ahead and apply for a PhD.

University tips

For those of you that have finished A- levels or equivalents and are going off to university in October this post is for you. These are the top tips I wish someone would have told me before I started university.

• Don't buy all of the text books brand new!- Buy second hand from x students or assess and find out how crucial they are to have, you can get by just using journals. 
• It's not about how hard you work, it's about how smart you work! Find a technique that works for you and your learning style. Utilise past papers for exams and study the most frequently occurring topics. (Study some spare ones too just in case your topics do not come up in the exam).
• Use your holidays well! Yes it may seem that you have a gazillion years of holidays, term/semester lasts from 10-12 weeks leaving you free to live your life, chill and relax. This is wrong! Well i'm not saying you can't relax, but UTILISE your holidays, if you need to work, work, internships are everywhere, think about what you want to do. Use websites like www.skillspages.com and www.indeed.com to view opportunities. 
• Don't worry too much about the subject you do for your degree. Unless you  have only ever wanted to be a doctor, nurse or teacher then do those degrees, otherwise chose something you enjoy. Most degrees won't lead you to the perfect job a lot you will have to get more experience after your degree or further postgraduate study. 
• It does matter more to some extent where you do your degree, in this super competitive world reputation of the institution is quite important, so consider this when you have to choose where to invest your 3 or 4 years.
• Learn how to cook and clean! This is a MUST, I remember week 6 at university  I was in the laundry and a guy came in with his mum and didn't know how to operate the very basic launderette style washing machines which just required him to press a button. Me and my friend had to tell his mum how to use the washing machine, he was just standing there looking. I was outraged. Learn how to use a washing machine, wash dishes and cook on a basic level!
• Consider courses with work experience elements. Many universities have placement years attached to their degrees these are usually called sandwich degrees. These are extremely good degrees giving you an edge over other graduates and crucial practical experience.
• Consider doing a year/ semester abroad. I have always been jealous of courses that offer this element, its a great way to travel to other countries and gain an insight into different systems, plus meeting new people. 
• Lastly enjoy it whilst you can, University especially undergraduate years will be the making of  you.
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I'd like to say thank you to all of those people who replied to the Facebook message I sent, those responses contributed to this post.

How to become a Clinical Psychologist

As the popularity of psychology degrees is growing in the UK, one of the most popular destinations for psychology graduates is a career in clinical psychology. Although many psychology students aspire to become clinical psychologists, the majority do not pursue this career.

What do clinical psychologists do?
Clinical psychologists deal with the well being and stress reduction of clients and primarily work in the NHS. They deal with depression, schizophrenia, neurological disorders, addictive and challenging behaviours, eating disorders and learning disabilities. To assess clients psychologists may use a variety of skills including direct observations and psychological tests. These assessments may lead to therapy counselling or advice and psychologists work in health and social care settings such as hospitals and local council services such as the social services. Clinical psychologists are often confused with psychiatrists, the difference between clinical psychologists and psychiatrists is that psychiatrists are medical doctors who have completed 5 year medical degrees and specialise in psychiatry. Psychologists complete 3 year degrees and a 3 year doctorate degree and cannot prescribe drugs like psychiatrists do.

How do I get into clinical psychology?
Firstly you need to have completed an accredited undergraduate psychology degree accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and have Graduate Basis for Registration (GBR). If you have not completed a psychology degree you can complete a 1 year conversion course. After the undergraduate degree you need to complete a three year NHS funded doctorate in clinical psychology.

Competition to obtain a place on a clinical psychology doctorate is fierce, around 30% of applicants are successful each year. To increase you chances you need a 2.1 at undergraduate level, however if you did not get a 2.1 a masters or a lot of work experience will be a benefit. Work experience in care homes, social services or hospitals will help. Additionally research experience and skills would also be a benefit. Another stepping stone to getting a place on a clinical doctorate is a position as a assistant psychologist or a research assistant.

In conclusion the journey to becoming a clinical psychologist may seem long but with the right mindset, contacts and work experience you can make it, they key is just to be prepared.

Links
The British Psychological Society
Prospects

Careers you've never heard of? Optometry

In my careers series, I have decided to focus on careers which are less well known in the health care arena. Optometry is the next topic that I am going to de mystify.

I went to the optician today and I feel sorry for them sometimes, peering into someone's eye, the client could be smelly or have bad breath and there you are in a dark room with a complete stranger. If this career appeals to you, you can travel, set up your own clinic and makes peoples lives better, read on.

Optometrists examine patients  eyes, test their sight, prescribe contact lenses and glasses by assessing long and short sightedness, glaucoma  and cataracts. The General Optical Counsel accredit 9 specific undergraduate degrees which require a person to practice as an optometrist. To become an optometrist, you will have to pursue an undergraduate degree at one of theses 9 universities, usually lasting 3 years with a substantial placement component. You will usually need 3 good A- Levels at least one in a science subject such as chemistry, physics or biology.

• Anglia Ruskin University 
• Aston University 
• University of Bradford 
• Cardiff University 
• City University 
• Glasgow Caledonian University 
• Plymouth University
• University of Manchester 
• University of Ulster

If you would like to pursue this well paid and stable profession don't let any thing get in your way. 

Careers you've never heard of? Audiology

If you are interested in a medical career but aren't keen on medicine, dentistry or nursing, this series of posts will give you an awareness of alternatives.

Audiology?

I'd never heard of this profession until 2008 when I did a temporary job with a girl who was doing an audiology degree. So what is it? Audiologists assess hearing and balance, they recommend treatments and therapies to minimise or treat hearing problems and disorders. Audiologists can specialise in paediatrics,  adult auditory rehab, tinnitus,  balance assessment or cochlear implants. Audiologists work directly with patients, often giving advice and counselling to those coping with hearing loss or damage. They are also responsible for assessing and interpreting hearing assessments and reporting back to patients and other health care staff.

How do I enter the profession?

To become an audiologist, one may enter the NHS practitioner training program (PTP) which involves usually a three year BSc undergraduate degree from an accredited university. These courses include a placement for students to understand the practicalities of the discipline. Here is a list of all accredited degrees in audiology:

• Aston University, (Birmingham)- Full time, three year BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science (Audiology)
• University of Leeds- Full time, three year BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science (Audiology)
• University of Swansea (Wales)- Full time, three year BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science (Audiology)
• Leicester, De Montford University - Full time, three year BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science (Audiology)
• Middlesex University (London)- Full time, three year BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science (Audiology)
• University of Manchester- Full time, 3 year BSc (Hons) Healthcare science (Audiology)
• University of Sunderland - Full time, three year BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science (Audiology)
• University of Southampton - Full time, three year BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science (Audiology)

If you already have an undergraduate degree in another subject and want to specialise in audiology through the NHS scientist training programme (STP) specialising in neurosensory science. The minimum entry requirements are usually a relevant degree  at 2:1 undergraduate level. Also if you haven't got a degree you can also become a newborn hearing screener, those who help identify newborns who need to have hearing screening using screening equipment  You will need the equivalent of 3 GCSEs at grade C or above.

So if you are interested in helping and assessing hearing, don't hesitate to research the profession more. 

How to survive an Interview

Recently, I have been asked by a few friends how they should prepare for an interview and what they should expect. This post will hopefully enlighten you and make you aware of what employers look for in a candidate. As a disclaimer I am not an expert, however i've learnt a thing or two about interviews in my time. A lot of this information may seem common sense, but you'd be surprised at how some people behave under pressure.

Punctuality- Please please DO NOT be late. This for me is unforgiveable. I don't think i've ever been late for an interview. Leave an hour either end at least for any emergency situations that may arise, e.g. car breaking down, getting lost, missing the bus, stain on shirt etc. Sods law does apply often on interview day so make sure you make contingency plans. Some employees will be sympathetic for a genuine reason, but the majority will have no problems in forgetting all about you if you are late.

Appearance - Dress neatly, non offensive and generic. For most jobs you are interviewing for a nice suit for guys will do, and girls, please don't wear any thing uncomfortable, tight or too short. Someone once told me, dress for the job you want to get, not for the job you have. In other words, power dress, not 80s shoulder pads power dress, but dress with confidence.

Ask Questions- In many interviews I have had, they often leave time at the end and ask you if you have any questions for them. Please ask questions, one will be enough, try not to ask about too much money, ask about training for the job that you have applied for, organisational culture of the organisation or even something about how the recession has affected their productivity. It makes you appear to be interested in the company and also showed that you researched the company.

Research the company!!- Doing this makes you look like you care about where you may work, it appears as though you want to spend time and include yourself in the organisation. This may or may not be true, however, its all about saying the right things. So do a google search on the company, find out who the chief executive is, read up on their company mission statement,  values and aims. Believe me, this will make you look worth hiring.

Try not to worry about nerves- Lastly, everyone gets nervous, don't worry about them. Try practising common  interview questions with an understanding friend, or alone and try not to develop a nervous twitch.

A lost generation of unemployed

Soo in amongst the gloom and doom something really well even more depressing. Youth  unemployment is increasing in the UK, spurred on by the poor economic climate, in general unemployment and the long term unemployed are every governments head ache. The new "coalitions" shake up of the benefits system which aims to get more people in work and make it pay to work is David Cameron's brain child. What about the people who have spent two or more years out of work? What about the people who have only known unemployment, parents out of work, whole communities job less?

Work by Seligman whose work spans over 50 years would give an explanation as to why its so hard to break out of the jobless cycle. Seligman's learned helplessness model came from a slightly unethical research study done in 1971. It involved conditioning dogs. In the first phase, there were three groups of dogs, in group 2, dogs were administered an electric shock that they could end after pressing a level. In group 3, the dog was unable to stop the shocks. The next part of the experiment, both groups were put in a position where they could jump over a fence to avoid shocks. Dogs in group 2 did this, however dogs in group three exhibited symptoms of extreme depression.  After a few attempts, the dog gave up trying to stop the shocks. This state, known as learned helplessness is the state of when an individual feels the position they are in life is a stable state. They may feel that what ever they try and do, they cannot get out of their situation.

This can be extended to people in unemployment, who may be used to living from benefits, and cannot see a way out, or after applying for tens, or even hundreds of jobs, being discouraged to even find or apply. This isn't just for people who are in lower paid jobs this can extend to the chief executive that may have been made redundant 18 months ago, or the university graduate who finds it increasingly hard to jump through the vast amount of hoops it takes to land a  graduate level job.

The way to over come these feelings are to

1. keep positive, after job application 100, its very hard to keep positive, but keep trying. 
2. Do something, volunteering and attend free courses, just contact places like your local action for  employment centre (A4e) or Shaw trust centre. 
3. Think about retraining, certain professions such as nursing, teaching and social work offer burseries for post graduate entry retraining; but make sure you really want to that job first before you dive in.

The governments new agency's are getting paid on results, the amount of people they place successfully into jobs, which in theory as a tax payer makes sense, however in reality, may not work so perfectly. Every unemployed worker has complex needs, skills and experiences. It just remains to be seen that each agency needs to be able to appreciate and have the tools available to be able to get more people into sustainable employment.

Why do people work????

Why do people work? Welll let me tell you something, its not just for money. A lot of people work to feel useful, to feel needed, to increase skills. A research investigation conducted at a Luton car plant, found three orientations to work, Instrumental(working just for money?); Bureaucratic( working in exchange for skills and support such as career development) and solidaristic (working for money and for group loyalty such as trade unions)  So the summary is that poorer, lower level workers tend to work for just money( to put food on the table and so on) and people with careers rather than jobs work for intrinsic reasons, like to feel good and such. Its not as simple as this, but have a think about why you work and if you feel like something is missing try and get your intrinsic (warm fuzziness) somewhere else, like with your friends.

Psychometric tests- what are they?

In the last 20 years there has been a massive explosion in the use psychometric tests in organisations, but what are they and why do people have to do them? The words broken down mean psycho is the Greek word for mind and metric- is the Latin word for measure, therefore the word psychometric is a way to measure the ability of an individuals mind. Psychometric tests have been used increasingly in the  They have  twentieth century, from career counselling  to military selection and it is said that over 100,000 of such tests are used in the west everyday.

So what's the is the purpose of them? These tests give organisations an additional way to distinguish between normal candidates and exceptional candidates, also they are supposed to be (when used in combination with other methods) the best prediction of job performance. They are divided into 3 groups, tests of ability ( general mental ability/ intelligence) Interest (career development/ career choice) and Personality assessments (trying to distinguish personality traits and behaviour).

They are a big business and immensely popular, soon trainee teachers will be doing them as part of PGCE assessments soon, most graduate jobs use them to differentiate between candidates. However, they aren't without problems, they have been criticised for being culturally and racially biased in terms of "intelligence tests" (Read about Hernstein and Murry's book the bell curve). Also Some personality assessments have been criticised for being "fake-able". However I cannot deny these are extremely common place in many organisations and my advice to you is to get savvy, and practice, practice,  practice.

Here are some links to some information and practice sites:
http://www.psychometricadvantage.co.uk/
http://www.psychometric-success.com/
Prospects

New Years, Smew Years

So New year was like sooo last week. How many of you have broken your new years resolutions already? Some people's resolutions will centre around may be getting a new job for the new year. If you want a new job because you are unemployed, over qualified or just thinking about a change, here are some simple pointers to help you on your way.

1. What industry do you want to move into, which are you qualified for? If you aren't qualified, what could you do to get qualified?It is important for you to be specific in your job search as you may coast through life aimlessly, moving from job to job. 
2. How will you know that you have succeeded? In short write down what you want to do and measures of success that you can follow, e.g. when I earn this amount, when I receive x years of experience, when I gain this professional qualification. 
3. Are you career aims to be a millionnaire as Delboy always said? Do you want to be a pilot but are scared of heights, do you want to be a doctor but hate science? Well make sure you career aims are actually achievable and realistic, other wise you will fail, simples. 
4. Make sure you have a time limit on all of your plans other wise like point 2, they will probably never get done. So for example, next year I want to put my self forward for promotion, or in the next 6 months I will do a time management course. 
5. Networking works, tap into it, find out what openings are at your friends companies, enquire, email and attend events. You never know who you may meet. 
6. Research properly on the industry and the job that you want, there's nothing worse then being ill prepared or ill informed. 
7. You may not be in the financial position to totally move to a new industry, but possibly volunteer within the area you want to move into. Yes I mean work potentially for free, this really opens doors. 
8. Never give up- as cheesy as that sounds it's true, you can get there if you want it.  

Finally these pointers are not step by step guides but just something to open you up to other possibilities. Life's too short to be stuck in a rubbish job.

The curse of the temp...

Some people really like temping, not really worrying too much about finding the career, good way for students to earn money or to try out different parts of a profession and getting your foot in the door. I have personally temped so much and at times it has made me feel dirty, sad and used (in a non hooker way.../ simple clean admin work).  A lot of  people's experiences of temporary work are unhappy, brain numbingly boring prison sentences. Here are some tips for employers of how to get
the most out of your temporary workers.

• Never refer to them as the "temp", they have names, it's rude.
• Try not to humiliate them with work that simpletons can do, especially if they have a degree, like from personal experience " can you turn my computer on?" response in brain- I AM NOT YOUR PA and even if I was, not on your nelly.
•  Give them fun stuff to do- to stimulate innovation and increase well being this will increase output
• Integrate them into the team as much as possible
• Give them time - they aren't going to learn over night, give them space and time

For temporary workers:

• Always look bothered to be there, even if you aren't.
• get involved, if you have run out of work, find some thing else to do
• Be polite, it always leaves a lasting impression
• Be on time!!

You never know where these tips will get you...