If you are currently looking for work and are unemployed then you may wonder if it is ok to turn down jobs? If you are desperate for an income then you may decide that you have to accept any job that comes your way, but even if this is the case it doesn’t mean that you cannot continue to ook for other work in the meantime.

If you are looking for a permanent position then there may come a time when you are offered a job following an interview but have since realised that it may not be exactly what you are looking for.

When looking to apply for a new job position, not only should you consider if you have the relevant experience and qualifications but also is it a job that you would be happy doing? If you don’t feel that you would get much satisfaction out of the role then you probably shouldn’t even apply. Yes, money is often the main reason many of us go to work but that doesn’t mean to say that we cannot pick a job that we enjoy or that gives us satisfaction.

Trying to work without any job satisfaction often means we do not do the job to the best of our ability and that we dread going to work which is not good for our mental health.

The jobs market has been very up and down over the last couple of years due to Covid but there are some jobs that may well not come back and that are being faded out. 

There has been so many technological advances over the last decade that certain jobs seem to be at risk of decline and possibly extinction in the near future. This may of become even more apparent over the last couple of years where many people had to try and make processes as autonomous as possible to avoid having too much face to face contact with people.

Company owners are quick to realise that if they can automate a process by machinery or computers then they can save on salaries and make more profit in the long run. They can also avoid down time due to staff illnesses or holidays. For this reason, many jobs in manufacturing for example have started to be harder to find as they simply are not required as much as previously.

Sometimes automated processes simply cannot replace a human being and in certain situations it may not be right to try and go this way. Also it may be that you train to manage the machinery or equipment that did your job before – i.e. serving it and fixing when it goes wrong.

Normally around this time of year, lots of retailers start to hire new staff to enable them to cope with the Christmas trade. This year many shops have started ot stock Christmas items even earlier than usual and have even started playing Christmas music to get people in the mood.

Many retailers are dubious about employing extra staff this year due to the Covid pandemic and the uncertainty as to what is going to happen. Will we go in to another lockdown? Would people be ordered to work from home once again? No one knows exactly what will happen, and therefore many retailers are cautious about taking on more people in case they have to let them go again straight away. It is likely that this is going to result in busier shops, longer queues and overcrowding which is not ideal when we should be trying to socially distance where possible.

If you are currently looking for a job it is still worth going round to the retailers and asking if you can put your name down or leave your CV. This will ensure that should a position come up, you will be considered for it if you are a suitable candidate.

If you are looking to go back in to work but have young children at home or at school then you may worry about how you are going to juggle everything. Young children cannot stay at home on their own so you will need to ensure that there is someone available on a regular basis to look after them or make sure that your work hours fit in around school pick up and drop offs.

Firstly consider what job it is you want to do. Could you easily work school hours or is it likely that you will be required to work longer? Next have a look at what options you have for child care. You may be able to ask a friend or relative to have them for you but if this is going to be a long term thing it can be quite a commitment so you need to be sure they are happy to do it and that they are reliable. You may opt to put your child in nursery or after school and breakfast clubs instead so that you don’t have to rely on other people to help out. This can make the school day very long for your child so you may decide to only work two or three days a week if doing this.  

There seems to be jobs in retail and hospitality advertised everywhere currently as Brexit has affected how many overseas workers are available for work here in the UK but how can jobseekers maximise their chances of getting past the application form stage to the interview stage?

Some people fall down on the application stage and never get the opportunity to impress their potential employers at interview. A possible reason for this may be because their application form lets them down in some way. It is essential that all the spelling on the form is correct especially the name of the company and the name of the person who is organising the application process as many application forms are discarded at this early stage because of these mistakes. Most companies now a days expect applications to be word processed although some are happy to receive neatly handwritten applications, but it is worth checking whether there is a preference when requesting an application form from the company.

If there is an achievement that you feel proud of whether it be in your work life or personal life it may be worth putting this down on the form as it shows your willingness to work hard to achieve a goal and demonstrates other elements of your character which may contribute to the job.

Lots of women and men who look at returning to work after having the responsibility of caring for young children at home feel anxious about the prospect for a variety of reasons. It could be that the career they had pre-children is no longer suitable for instance if it involved working unsociable hours or required overseas travel so they may need to change careers as a result.

A lot depends on the childcare requirements that are still needed. If childcare before and after school is regularly available this choice is wider but if not there are limitations regarding school drop off and pick up times. It is certainly worth finding out the availability locally beforehand when you are planning returning to employment.

It may be necessary to update the qualifications that you hold to widen the choice of jobs that can be applied for. This may involve undertaking a college course or even going to university which can be an exciting prospect. Many universities encourage mature students to apply for their courses and offer family friendly timetables for those with childcare responsibilities.

Although returning to the workplace can be demanding the advantages of mixing with colleagues and working as a team can be beneficial and along with the obvious plus of bringing in more money makes the experience worthwhile.

With the recent upheaval in employment and industry many people who may not have contemplated self-employment are giving it serious thought. Perhaps they have been made unemployed or want a new challenge but whatever the reason for their decision is could be a positive move. Becoming self-employed could be an option for many people if they have the necessary skills and experience that will be required however specific training may be all that is needed to pursue this ambition.

Deciding on your business is the first step along the self-employed path but once you have decided what your business is going to be you will need to decide on a business name that is memorable and that may reflect your business. Registering as a sole trader with HMRC is the next step so that they know that you will be completing a self-assessment tax form and paying class 2 and class 4 national insurance contributions.

You will be required to have a business bank account, but it is worth shopping around as some banks offer special rates for the newly self-employed. Setting up the account and any trade accounts for supplies will mean that you are ready financially.

An essential requirement for all self-employed people is to have public liability and professional indemnity insurance to ensure that you are covered against any injury or damage you may inadvertently cause in the course of your work.

Most of us work to earn money unless you volunteer. It may be that money is the only reason you go to work but there are also other important aspects of work life that should not be ignored. If you have children then you are setting them a good example if one or both of their parents’ work. It shows them that if you work hard in life you get to have nice things and go places that you wish to visit. This will help them get the best start in life and hopefully help make the right decisions as they get older

Job satisfaction is also very important and something that many of us negate to think about. You may think that as long as your earning a wage, that is all that matters. For many, money is often the most important thing as they need to earn a certain amount to be able to support themselves or their family but you don’t always have to sacrifice one for the other.

It may be that you have been in the same job for a good number of years and although you no longer enjoy it, it pays the bills, you need to consider why you no longer enjoy your job. It may be that you feel you have too much pressure put on you or that you have no support from your peers. This can make you feel stressed at work. Often talking to your manager and explaining your issues is enough to make changes happen.

If your issue is that you feel out of your depth, you may be worried to tell your manager in case then decide to get rid of you. Lots of employers actually favour people who are honest and are happy to help them if they ask for it. It may be that there are training courses that you can go on that will give you the skills and knowledge needed to do your job better. These courses can also help build up you CV so if you do decide to leave in the future, any additional training or qualifications all helps towards landing your next job.

It may be that you are happy to take a slight pay cut to do a job that you will enjoy more, or you may have to take a pay cut in order to start a new career but in the long run will be able to earn more money. Although the salary is important, if you are happy in your job you are likely to do better and therefore be offered promotions and opportunities to move up.

Working as a supply teacher has always been considered to be an option if a full-time teaching job cannot be found or if there are family commitments that prevent a teacher working contracted hours but there has been an increase in the number of teachers in primary and secondary schools that are choosing to be a supply teacher as they realise the benefits of having a better work life balance.

If you decide that working as a supply teacher is for you then you will need to decide whether you seek work through one of the teaching agencies or whether you are going to source supply teaching work independently. Most local authorities will only accept supply teachers who are signed up to a recognised agency, but sometimes smaller schools can be more flexible in their approach. Agency work may result in slightly less pay but you may be guaranteed regular work if you want it.

The main advantage of supply teaching is that you are in control of the days that you are available for work so for instance it enables you to take holidays to suit you and your family perhaps at cheaper times of the year, avoiding the price hikes during school holiday times.

For some people, the thought of changing employer is not desirable perhaps because they are happy there and have a good relationship with colleagues but what about if they want to go for a promotion? What is the best way to increase the chances of success without any risk to your current job? Many employers realise that some of their workforce may be looking to gain promotion and improve their career prospects and so will welcome any enquiries about possible promotion opportunities in the company.

If a position becomes available in the company it is important to alert your line manager to the fact that you would like to be considered for it. You will probably still have to go through a formal application process for example filling in an application form or submitting a CV.

In preparation for a possible interview, it is a sensible move to write down your previous achievements within the company such as improvements you have made, targets you have reached and any other factors that make you an asset to the company. Any additional qualifications that you have completed especially if it is related to the promotion that you are after should be stated as this will show a willingness on your part to continue with your own professional development.