01/07/2011
Are you employable?
Unemployment in the UK currently stands at 7.8%. This type of statistic does not bring much hope to the 2.48 million people still seeking a job. There are currently 83 university graduates fighting for every single vacancy. Knowing this, it will surprise you to learn that the number of advertised vacancies was 16,000 higher than the same period in 2009-10, standing at 428,000 at the end of February 2011.Either; the recruiting companies are not doing enough to make people aware of these vacancies, or they are not able to source people who possess the necessary skills to fill the vacancies.
A stronger argument can be made for the latter, as there are a plethora of jobs available at job-centres, online job search websites and in local and national press. Two things are glaringly apparent; either the UK public is low-skilled or we are not selling ourselves effectively in interviews, on CVs, etc.
Reed, the UK’s largest job site, has analysed that most jobs are in sales, accountancy, financial services and recruitment along with the temporary sector.
Therefore, if the UK workforce is truly under-skilled, more training is needed either through our educational institutions or through on the job training; targeting the training of new employees and the retraining of existing ones. However, it would seem to point to one obvious conclusion; that the UK educational system cannot be solely relied upon to supply employers with the recruits they need. The educational system now needs to evolve a model that is better equipped for today’s job-market and its demands.
Conversely, it may just be the case that the skills do exist, but people are not selling themselves effectively. In today’s modern climate of competition, more than ever, people need to wow employers with their CV, be adept at interview technique and be able to hit the ground running, in order to stand out from the crowd.
People can no longer rely on qualifications alone to secure a job.
Even those currently in employment are not sheltered from this requirement, increasing one’s skill-set and being able to stand out from the crowd, still applies to getting promotions and winning new business. Married with the now more frequent career moves and changes of today’s world all of us are affected.
People must now take control, embracing a life-long learning approach to their personal and professional development. . Ensuring that skills and talents are a fit for the position being applying for and that they shine out during an interview or in a CV or covering letter can often make a difference and be a person’s one chance to demonstrate their suitability above all other candidates. Employers need to be made to believe in, and buy into, ‘brand you’.