Many industries are now taking on extra staff in readiness for the Christmas period. Over the last few years, due to Covid, Christmas has been quite different, but many are hoping that this year will be more back to normal and that there will be no restrictions on who we are allowed to meet up with and where we are allowed to go.

If you are currently looking for employment, then now would be a great place to start. There are many industries that will be looking to hire people such as the retail industry such as working in shops and also in hospitality, in restaurants, cafes or pubs.

You may find that there is a high level of competition for these sorts of jobs so you will have to get in quick. If you are applying for a job with a small business, then you may find that you have to send off your CV but if you are applying for a job within a larger organisation or a chain employer then they most likely will have their own recruitment forms they will want you to complete. You will also most likely need to give details of a someone they can contact as a reference.

Head hunting is a term used within the recruitment industry and it means to hunt down someone that is usually already employed and try and get them to work for you or the company you are representing (if you are an agency). It happens throughout a number of industries and seems to becoming more and more common – but is it ok to get members of staff this way? There is certainly no law against approaching people and asking them if they would like a job with your business but you do need to think about who they are and where you are potentially taking them from. For example if they work for a company that you have dealings with then you may find that it can make things very awkward and they may even be breaking a contract if they come and work for you straight after leaving their pervious role.

It is best to try and advertise the job and allow people to come to you but if you do have a friend or ex colleague in mind then you may well contact them and let them know what is available. Even if you are head hunting someone but sure to check their credentials to make sure that they are who you are looking for before offering them a job.

Many people had to resort to working from home quite a bit during the lock downs over the last few years. This may have been very new for some people and as workplaces start to open up again, it is likely that some will return to their office environment. Other businesses may of decided that actually they don’t need an office space and can allow their staff to continue to work from home. Others may of gone self employed and set up a business that they can run from their house. If this is the case you do need to think carefully about working from home and what that entails. Unlike at a work place, at home there are a lot of distractions. You may have phone calls, people ringing your door bell and the big pile of ironing that is calling you from across the room. In order to make working from home a success you need to be very disciplined and make sure that you set times when you need to be working. It is important to try and schedule in breaks and times for work. This will allow you to keep a good home work life balance.

Flexible working is a term that you may hear a fair bit within the jobs industry – but what exactly is it and it is something that you should be looking for? Flexible working is basically when a job is adapted to suit the employee’s needs. For example, it may be that you need to start a bit later after dropping the children off at school or that they need to work from home certain days a week. This is something that has become more common over the past few years especially since Covid restriction were put in place. Many employers had to get used to a new way of working and allowing their staff to work from home or work shifts to ensure there were less people in the office.

It used to be that if you were not able to work the hours need for the job or that were advertised on the job post then you need not even apply but with employers having to be show willingness and be flexible where possible this is not always the case. Some jobs may require people to be in the office and therefore working from home may simply not even be possible, but they may instead be able to offer staggered working times to fit in with the employee’s lifestyle and family life more.

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.  

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.