Recently the Government announced the extension of the JobBridge Scheme, also introducing single parents into the pool of candidates eligible for the position.

My own experience of the JobBridge Scheme was very positive, although there are just as many candidates who have had mixed or negative experiences. With this in mind I thought it might be useful for potential interns to have a guide to help them look for the right positions that will be beneficial for their career and future development.  

Many companies are now offering positions through the JobBridge Scheme, however whilst some are companies genuinely seeking to develop a candidate with a view to a permanent hire, others are simply seeking to fill a service at a drastically reduced price. This simple guide should help you find the former and avoid the latter.

• Research the Role

The JobBridge scheme has seen some candidates leave before finishing their internship. This can be brought on by a number of factors, either from the company having expectations that do not fall within accepted criteria or candidates themselves may have had different expectations entering the process. In either case it’s a good idea to research the role and company thoroughly, and where possible research similar jobs to get a better view of your expected role.

• Have a Plan

JobBridge is possibly most useful as a personal development tool. Developing yourself professionally is something that both you and your employer will need to plan. Objectives should ideally be set with a well defined path of how your development will progress over the course of the internship.

• Be Selective

Every candidate has unique circumstances that will result in them entering a JobBridge Internship. However it is important to remember that it is typically a 6 month commitment, so it is worthwhile making sure that it’s the right position. Even if the current situation is difficult, it may be worth your while to hold out and make sure you get the right position for you.

Overall, the key to assessing a JobBridge Internship is to ensure your own expectations are realistic. It can be an exceptionally good learning experience and opportunity to develop professionally and establish a network of contacts. However in order to achieve this it’s necessary to both have a plan and a positive attitude to the workload ahead. Once you’ve found a company and placement that works for you, the next steps are proceeding with a good work ethic and ensuring that you’re
always learning something new. There have been a number of placements that have turned out to be less than useful for interns, however there are a large number of placements that can provide a vital stepping stone to either starting your career, or getting you back to work. 

The use of profiles versus cover letters has been a topic that has seen much debate recently. Job seekers eager to see their application at the top of the pile have questioned whether to include a cover letter or profile, with some applicants unsure of what a profile should include and others unaware of profiles in general.

The Profiles vs. Cover Letters topic has not been definitively answered, and as with most job search topics different circumstances and personalities may call for different approaches. As such every application must be approached individually.

This can provide both a problem and an opportunity for candidates. One the one hand, you can potentially put yourself at a severe disadvantage by being unaware of these issues, and on the other, by making a strong first impression you can put yourself in a position where your prospective employer is immediately thinking “This is the person for us”.

Fortunately, turning yourself into the latter is a simple enough matter. These steps will give you a helping hand towards making those first 5 seconds count:

• Dress sense:

You should be neat, well dressed and appropriately styled for the interview. It’s not uncommon to ask what the dress code is for the meeting, however in most cases you can safely assume business-wear. People will form their  opinion of you from the way you dress, so make sure your clothes are clean, sharp and appropriate for the occasion.

• Hygiene:

Personal hygiene is a must for any interview situation. Ensure that you scrub up for the occasion! Remember, the person that interviews you will either work with you, or report to people that do. If there is a hygiene issue it is unlikely they will recommend you for further progression.

• Eye Contact:

Solid eye contact is a must for any occasion, whether personal or professional. Most importantly in the initial few seconds is to make strong (though not overly intense) eye contact with your interviewer. If your interviewer notices difficulty with making eye contact it will potentially put you at a major disadvantage.

• Handshake:

As you meet your interviewer the initial step is to stand (if you are seated) and shake hands. A good handshake will tell a lot about a person, and coupled with good eye contact and a warm smile this can immediately put them in a position where they feel they are going to like you.

These may seem simple enough, however your interviewer is looking for any signals they can as to whether or not you’re a fit for the position, both personally and professionally. Using these simple tips will allow you to demonstrate right off the mark that you’re the right person for the job.

Career Consultants offer Interview Preparation and Mock Interviews as part of their service. For more information on how we can help you throughout the interview process, contact us at info@careerconsultants.ie or contact one of our team directly at 01 6146113

I have recently completed an internship as part of the JobBridge Scheme set in place by FAS, I began work in Career Consultants, a career transition firm (ironically enough) and part of the Cpl recruitment group. I started my internship through JobBridge and was made permanent a little under 6 months later.

With this in mind I thought it would be useful for those prospectively and currently on internship/work experience to share my experience of the process, both the positives and the negatives.

My initial impression of the Job Bridge scheme was less than enthusiastic. The scheme itself seemed reasonable, though I had recently returned to education and completed a Masters degree. As you can imagine an internship was somewhat less than the Gold and Silver I had expected to be heaped upon me as I marched into the offices of Multinationals and began to shape the global economy.

However I was in a similar position to many within the jobs market, my qualifications were there, but my experience wasn’t. I had completed a business degree in 2008, just in time for the global economy to collapse (timing is not my thing) and had subsequently followed a career in Theatre Project Management, so had no office experience whatsoever. This had proved my tripping point throughout a number of interviews.

On the recommendation of a close friend who vouched for the company I submitted a CV and was called in for an interview. A few days later I returned for a second Interview with the Director and we agreed a start date. Too good to be true, I thought.

I was right.

This was my first negative experience of the JobBridge. Due to the terms of the scheme, I had to be unemployed for 3 months in order to be eligible. I was unfortunately only unemployed for just over 2. This put me in the awkward position of being unemployed, but not quite unemployed enough. I had asked at the social welfare was there any way they could simply move the forms forward as it was essentially a few extra weeks drawing the dole pointlessly, but to no avail. I had considered turning up with rags and my form in a bowl in a similar vein to a Charles Dickens novel but decided against it.

Luckily my employers were very understanding and we came to an arrangement that suited us both, and a few weeks later I started my first day as an intern. I had a solid education and a sharp suit, and walked in with all the confidence of someone who knows it’s only a matter of time before he is found out as a fraud and appropriately ridiculed.

Happily my fears of ridicule and pointed sticks (don’t know where that particular fear came from, the mind is a funny thing) were unfounded. From day one it was understood that while I was competent, I was still an intern, and that any questions I had or issues I was not clear on would be addressed.  With this in mind I set myself to learning everything I could about the business and what was expected of me. It was by no means easy, however with a good support network and training I was on my feet and productive reasonably quickly.

One thing I should mention at this point is the money. And yes, it’s not great. The typical dole allowance plus 50 euro is about enough to live on but that’s it. I wouldn’t expect to be buying expensive clothes or taking any holidays, however it’s enough to cover your expenses during the week and some social life at the weekend. All things considered, I found I had enough to cover my living expenses with a few quid for going out. This may change with different people and circumstances, however I found it was quite liveable.

The important thing to remember, however, is that the pay isn’t really what you’re there for. Working as an intern is a chance to learn or improve skills, gain some new and useful contacts, and hopefully make an impression that will earn you a full time job. Even if the company isn’t in a position to employ you full time, ideally you will leave with a number of new and marketable skills, and an employer reference that will sell you. Ireland is a small place, and you would be amazed how far a solid recommendation or social circle can go.

It wasn’t all easy however. I had never worked in front line staff before and had no intention of doing so, feeling myself and the general public had an unspoken agreement. You leave me alone and I’ll leave you alone. A few short weeks after I arrived I was participating in a Careers fair and would be asked to put together some material, which was easy, and talk to prospective customers, which was not.

Arriving at the venue, and not staying on the bus driving around in a circle until someone asked me to leave (plan B), was difficult. Crowds of people were shuffling about looking at various prospects, with yours truly hovering around our stall like some sort of sharp-suited imposter.

Eventually the moment of truth arrived and I had to deal with a customer. A pleasant Indonesian woman asked me about our services and I responded, explaining what we did, supplying a brochure and a complimentary pen. No slip ups, accidents or uncontrollable weeping.

During the following weeks I could see the change in my own behaviour. I went from being someone who was afraid to answer the phone, to diving across the desk like a deranged lunatic in order to ensure I had caught it before 3 rings (ok, well that didn’t technically happen…but I’m really good on the phone now).

There are, of course exceptions to these experiences. I had a very positive and productive internship, however there have been many accusations that positions have included “Managing consumer goods in an FMCG environment” (stacking shelves) and various other glorified terms for petrol pump attendants and other positions that provide no real value to the intern. These should of course be avoided, the authorities notified and where applicable they should be named and shamed.

It is only right to see these occurrences as one side of the coin. On the other side an internship while not being perfect is nonetheless a very useful way for jobseekers to get a foot in the door in a company. For people who have little experience in an industry (such as myself) or have been out of the jobs market for a while it can be a useful and rewarding experience.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this piece I’m currently finished my internship, and will be beginning full time employment immediately, with an increased confidence in my abilities and excited about new challenges and career progression. I was extremely lucky in that Career Consultants were a fantastic team to work with and have gone to significant lengths to employ me on a permanent basis. Now if I can just get through the next six months without being found out…

Ryan McGeough is a member of the Career Consultants team, providing technical and online support to organisations and individuals from search technique/optimisation to online presence and content development. For more information on how Career Consultants can assist your career transition contact us at info@careerconsultants.ie, or call us directly on 01 614 6113 and speak to a member of our team. 

I had frequently agonized over keywords such as “Project Management”, “Team building” and “Leadership qualities” believing that I had a mere 30 seconds to cram my life’s experience into two sheets of paper that would persuade, nay, force a hiring manager to believe I was a sensible investment.

The truth, unfortunately, is that in today’s market 30 seconds to view a CV is more than most candidates are likely to get. The reality is that you are probably dealing with someone who has a few dozen CV’s to get through and not a lot of time to do it. If yours is lucky enough to get 20 seconds you can consider yourself extremely competitive in an increasingly difficult marketplace.

This may seem daunting to many, however it also presents an opportunity and can give you the edge over other competing candidates for the role.

Knowing that you have only 20 seconds (which will very probably be a quick scan over your 2-3 most recent roles) can allow you to be brutal in cutting unnecessary terms from your CV. Most CV’s contain some form of clutter or overly focus on insignificant details that don’t sell what you can bring to the company to a prospective employer.

Remember that a CV is not a summary of your life, just your career. Any details which are not relevant to selling your experiences to an employer should be examined carefully and you should consider whether or not they should be there at all.

Using the right keywords can allow your CV to be picked up during searches, however a well organised CV can be the difference in you making a shortlist, or being passed over.

Career Consultants offer a CV construction service as part of our individual programs, catered to our client needs. For more information on our services contact us at info@careerconsultants.ie or call us directly  at 01 6146113.

1) showcase the array of ICT career opportunities available to people and

2) inform people of the range of conversion courses available  for a career in ICT.

This event is bringing representatives from 13 high profile Technology Companies and 6 Universities/ Colleges together. It offers a unique opportunity to present yourself, with your CV, to prospective employers or to gain information on the different conversion courses available, time lines, application process, etc. (These conversion courses are fully funded by the Higher Education Authority). The pre-requisite for these courses is that candidates have a relevant level 8 qualification (i.e. Honours Bachelor Degree/ Higher Diploma).

The Event will run from 11am-4pm in the Microsoft offices in Sandyford, Saturday March 3^{rd .}You need to register in advance via the following link http://careerreboot.ie/

For any career support queries, please contact Career Consultants on 01 6146113 or view our career support services on www.careerconsultants.ie

The following article was written by Jessica O’Sullivan, published by Stellar Magazine (www.stellar.ie) and with contributor Ryan McGeough of Career Consultants.  

Whilst watching videos of kittens and their capers can be a can be a fun way to pass five (okay, 15) minutes, it’s not going to help you land your dream job. So, next time you’re online, why not use your time to update your career profile? You’ll be surprised at the opportunities it might open up. Professional networking site LinkedIn is now officially the number two social networking site in the US, with over 135 million members worldwide, and we’re catching on to its potential here in Ireland with the numbers growing all the time. And it’s little wonder: millions of employers, from some of the biggest organisations in the world, know that they can access CV’s and contact details of potential employees at the touch of a button, at no cost to themselves or you.

picture perfect

Just as you’d Google the vital stats of any hot guy you meet, it’s pretty much standard practise that a potential employer will Google you. A lot of time it’s simply to put a face to the name and also to gain a better idea of what a candidate is like. If you’re searching for a job then you really need to be aware of this, and if you have an open profile on Facebook, then you’d better be happy with everything that’s visible on it. Shots of you on the tear with your mates and a profile picture of you upside down in a bin isn’t going to paint the picture of a model employee.

Your LinkedIn profile picture needs to be as smart as it can be. “This is the first thing that people see as our eyes are naturally drawn towards imagery,” says Ryan McGeough, Marketing Executive with www.careerconsultants.ie “It should be professional, and it should convey warmth and confidence. Even if you’re in a creative industry, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a smart headshot.”

the best you

Think of your LinkedIn profile like a shop window. Make it as impressive and enticing as you can – you want people to buy you, so to speak. The language you use should be professional, so never use text speak no matter how lol you think something is. The layout should be clear to highlight your skills, but if you need help, LinkedIn gives samples of other profiles which you can use to inspire you.

“Start off with a short summary containing key words that descrive you as a professional,” advises Ryan. “If you have a background in PR or Qualitative Research then include those words because it will optimise your hits on the search engine. Otherwise potential employers simply aren’t going to find you. The summary should give a good overvbiew of you in 10 seconds. Keep your professional experience short and snappy. Include where you’ve workd and your fields of expertise, but avoid things like interests unless they’re relevant to your position or what you’re aiming to do.”

sing your praises

There’s nothing worse than lying through your teeth on a your CV so don’t do it on your profile either. There are plenty of past colleagues and employers who can instantly set the record straight and, as a result, brand you untrustworthy. There fore resist the urge to embellish your profile, but do sell yourself correctly. “Never include anything that isn’t true because eventually you will get caught out,” warns Ryan. “If you land an interview and you’re asked about it, recruiters will spot the lie a mile away.”

However, it’s also worth keeping in mind that the biggest problem with misinformation on CV’s actually comes from people’s tendency to undersell themselves in their skills.

“People tend to leave out very relevant things because they don’t want to seem like they’re boasting,” says Ryan. “A lot of the time people don’t realise that they have all the skills they need, they’re just not selling themselves correctly.”

Remember to update your profile anytime something relevant happens in your career like a promotion or passing an exam. Also if you have any previous employers who’d be happy to give you a recommendation then connect with them and get them to post recommendations on your profile.

get networking

What people don’t realise about LinkedIn is that it’s not just “Facebook for Professionals” it’s also a forum for discussion for different industries. There are topical discussions that come up every day, and it’s a really powerful tool which allows you to talk to people, get opinions and potentially learn a few things. “The people who post aren’t just searching for jobs, they’re industry heads who are sharing their own experiences,” says Ryan. “You should also join groups that relevant to your interests or industry, or link with companies that will alert you to new openings. This will not only increase your presence on LinkedIn, it’s also a really useful tool in learning new things about the industry.”

On Facebook if you were to add someone you didn’t know, they might be inclined to ignore the request. On LinkedIn it’s perfectly acceptable to add a stranger because they know it’s simply a business contact, and you’re not looking to make a new friend (at least you shouldn’t be). Also use your LinkedIn page to promote any blogs, websites or Twitter feeds that you have. To get the most out of this site, you need to sell, sell, sell yourself.  

For many graduates today, this is a topic that is particularly useful to be familiar with and have practised extensively. More and more firms are incorporating Psychometric tests into their recruitment process, and for many this can mean the difference between being successful or unsuccessful. A strong academic record, coupled with a successful interview, can still result in an unsuccessful application if the Psychometric score is below the accepted level.

Sharon Vize, a senior consultant within Career Consultants, notes the importance of practising psychometric testing and says that candidates will need to be familiar with them before entering the application process. Firms will increasingly view these tests as an indicator of future performance, which is highly relevant when it comes to investing in further training of the candidates.

For graduates who are successful in their first stage application and are invited to undertake psychometric testing, there are a number of options available. If invited to a take a psychometric test you should ask which type. This will allow to you find a practise test that will be operating off similar material, and from there you can improve your efficiency and thus have a better chance of a higher score.

There are also a number of actions you can do to improve your probability of success in some of the reasoning tests, such as verbal and numerical comprehension. Sharon further recommended that for verbal comprehension, reading newspapers and other written information can improve your efficiency in viewing and understanding information quickly. In addition you will be training yourself to quickly scan through the language that will probably be used throughout the test.

In terms of Numerical reasoning, the tests are typically problem solving, so any activity that will include some sort of mathematical problem solving (preferably time based and wherever possible in the format of the test) would be beneficial.

In general, the most effective way to prepare for Psychometric testing is to practise. Many psychometric providers offer free tests on their sites such as www.shl.com or www.kenexa.com. In addition to these University sites (from both Ireland and the UK) frequently also provide methods to practise.

It is difficult to underestimate the importance of preparing for Psychometrics. For many job seekers applying for graduate programs, government service and senior management positions, Psychometrics are becoming an integral part of the process. Knowing the process and having experience gives you the chance to put your best foot forward through every stage of the application and increase your odds of success.

When planning for redundancies outplacement is a support service organised by companies with a selected outplacement provider. It is designed to support the departing employees through the transition from employment to being unemployed and to help them prepare to get their next job.  

In a recent survey of senior managers in the UK, the following was reported:

Over 70% felt that providing outplacement support helped managers to implement   redundancies with a clearer conscience.

87% of those with experience of outplacement support reported that it eased pressure on them as managers.

Redundancy situations are stressful for all involved. Outplacement services provide the practical and emotional career coaching support that enables an employee to find his/her way through the competitive job market and move into new employment as soon as possible.

There are a number of stages in Outplacement from coaching and counselling an individual through the emotional impact to guiding them through the current market and job prospects. The process enables candidates to clarify their objectives and expectations before creating their CV, job applications and attending interviews.

Career Consultants provide a range of Outplacement support programmes which are tailored to meet individual requirements.  These can be structured in a variety of ways and can be for a set period of time or for an agreed amount of consultant time.

Programmes are designed for all employee levels and can move faster or slower according to the client’s preference. Below are examples of some of the various programmes you might encounter:

 Executive Programme

These can address particular challenges for directors, senior managers and senior professionals.

Management Programme

These are typically delivered on a one-to-one basis and are structured according to the needs of each individual to achieve a successful career transition. Programmes can be for a period of one to three months.

Individual Programmes

Our work with individuals provides a holistic approach to their career as they move on to new opportunities, helping to recover any lost confidence by dealing with emotions associated with outplacement, highlighting future possibilities and re-establishing the individual’s confidence and self-esteem.

Group Programmes

Outplacement may also take the form of group programmes that may be undertaken in a group setting. In these cases topics such as CV and Interview Preparation may be undertaken in a group context with individual support as the programme progresses.

When planning redundancies, an organisation may encounter a number of difficult decisions that may drastically affect their reputation both internally and externally. The information released to both the public and staff may affect how the company is perceived as a brand, and subsequently as a prospective employer.

It is vital for any company engaging in planned redundancies to have a structured communications plan for all levels of management and staff. This is an extremely sensitive period for all involved and a good communications plan can facilitate a smooth transition and a pre-arranged flow of information.

The typical view of redundancies tend to focus mainly around the employee/s that are departing, however the impact that it has on all the remaining employees cannot be underestimated.

For remaining employees there will be a period of instability while everything settles down. It will be natural for them to be concerned about what will happen to their job or what will happen to the jobs their colleagues did or the extra workload they could have as a result. Management need to be aware of these potential issues and the unsettling effects redundancies can have so they need to keep communications open from an early stage.

They should not allow the grapevine to go unchecked with rumours and should have regular briefings to ensure that the remaining staff will support the new look organisation. Directors should be regularly seen on the floor and in offices talking to everyone

Organisations that come through a Redundancy plan successfully are those where Directors understand the legal and selection processes, regularly explain the details of the redundancy process and can describe the need for the new organisation structure in layman’s terms.  This can generate an element of goodwill and re-engagement where people are more likely to buy in to what is going to happen, even if they are personally planning to leave the company.

A strong communications plan is an integral part of a supportive, effective outplacement programme to ensure the transitional period is completed with a minimum of negative repercussions both internally and externally.

Career Consultants offer Communication Strategies as part of a catalogue of Outplacement Programmes. For information on how a communication strategy could benefit your organisation contact us at info@careerconsultants.ie or 01 614 6113.