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Look For A Job
Looking for a Job?
FAQ’s about looking for and getting a job
OK, I want to look for a job, where do I start?
- I am unemployed, do I have to look for work with the Jobcentre?
- I have a disability, will this stop me from getting work?
- I am young with limited experience, what do I do?
- What if I have no qualifications?
- Do I have to have a CV?
- How can I develop an effective job search strategy?
Applying for jobs is a time-consuming and mentally exhausting task. Even for the best prepared amongst us, attacking the job market involves facing many unknown factors and having to react to variables out of your control. You may like to think about treating your job hunt like a project. You can then divide it up into easy-to-tackle segments:
Focus - this includes gaining an awareness of yourself as well as what you want from your job.
Sector knowledge - once you have established the area of work you wish to go into, research it thoroughly. The Explore types of jobs pages may help with this. It is useful to take into consideration factors such as lifestyle, requirement for further study, scope for progression and typical career paths. Think about the implications of this with respect to the work that you would be happiest doing, as well building up an awareness of current issues in the field.
Prepare a CV – see our Prepare a CV section on the portal, by following the link at the left hand side of this information.
Routine - Set up a system to regularly check for jobs of interest. This way you will learn of opportunities at the earliest possible stage. Make it a habit to buy newspapers that advertise jobs, even national ones if you can afford it, some are prepared to relocate if they find the right job, and some areas are short of skilled workers.
This part of the job hunt can be frustrating and disheartening, especially as it is necessary to invest a considerable degree of emotional energy into making each application. By building up a job-hunting routine and keeping documentation you can keep an eye out for patterns that may highlight weaker areas you can address.
Be flexible if you can - unlike much of your educational career to date, searching for a job cannot be fitted to an exacting timetable. You will often need to respond quickly, as and when opportunities arise. Planning is about being able to be flexible. You might see your ideal job when you least expect it, so preparation will mean that you are confident about applying whenever opportunities arise.
Ultimately, everyone’s experiences of job hunting will differ. You will have to make personal strategic decisions, for example, whether to accept a job that does not quite match all your criteria. There is no single solution in these instances, but always remember to consider whether you can foresee yourself being happy in a job and the situation entailed.
Employment Support Agencies
Shaw Trust
Shaw Trust is a national charity that provides training and work opportunities for people who are disadvantaged in the labour market due to disability, ill health or other social circumstances. They are actually the largest UK provider of employment services for disabled people. Did you know only about half of disabled people of working age are in work. What does Shaw Trust do? Shaw Trust supports thousands of disabled and disadvantaged people across the UK to achieve their personal development and employment aims. You can find out more about how they do this by going to their website by clicking here
Web: www.shaw-trust.org.uk
West Cumbria Trades Hall Centre
West Cumbria Trades Hall Centre was established in 1981 when there was a large scale redundancy at the local Steel Works. The Centre offered redundancy counselling to those made redundant. During this period it was found that other unemployed people in the area needed help to access training, education and employment. The Centre has gone from strength to strength and has now been operating an outreach service in the local communities for over 9 years.
Web: www.tradeshallworkington.org.uk
Remploy
Remploy is the market leading expert in the provision of specialist employment services for disabled people and those who face complex barriers to employment. Providing a comprehensive range of services, they enable disabled people, people with a health condition and others to make the most of their skills and abilities, to gain or retain sustainable employment. A unique approach and unrivalled relationships with employers and Jobcentre Plus, has helped over 5000 disabled people to gain employment with mainstream employers last year.
Web: www.remploy.co.uk
Maatwerk
Maatwerk offers people who lack the ability to return to employment on their own accord a unique set of reintegration services, which helps them find a new working future. Find out more on their unique approach by going to their website below.
Web: www.maatwerk.com
Oaklea Trust
The Oaklea Trust is a charitable organisation whose sole purpose is to support and assist children and adults with disabilities to lead fulfilled lives within their communities. The Trust works with people of all disabilities including those with learning disabilities and difficulties, mental health conditions, physical disablilities, and other conditions like sensory imairment, employing over 250 people nationally and with many offices and outreach facilities in Cumbria, you find out how you can contact them directly by visiting the link below.
Web: www.oakleatrust.co.uk
The Employment Support Project?
The Employment Support Project has been providing Advice and Guidance on finding work to residents in South Whitehaven since September 2001. They are located in the heart of the Mirehouse community in the Community Enterprise Unit. The project was set up in response to a need identified by the South Whitehaven Partnership and they are managed by West Cumbria Council for Voluntary Service.
Web: www.whitehavenesp.org.uk
JHP Training
Web: www.jhp-group.com
Action for Blind People
Web: www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk
Jobs at the Councils
Cumbria County Council
Web: www.cumbria.gov.uk
Allerdale Borough Council
Web: www.allerdale.gov.uk
Handy jobsearch websites
Careerjet
An employment search engine for the UK, in one simple search. The site gives the job seeker access to a massive selection of jobs throughout many categories and locations. Easy to use by refining the geographic area you are looking for work within, taking only two or three clicks to get to your chosen area.
Web: www.careerjet.co.uk/
Redgoldfish
Jobrapido
Web: www.jobrapido.co.uk
Splut
Web: www.splut.com
Jobs.ac.uk
Web: www.jobs.ac.uk
Fish4jobs
Web: www.fish4.co.uk
Monster
Web: www.monster.co.uk
