Breaking Bad and The Painful Hunt

Recently, job hunting is starting to feel like I'm playing a game of basketball. The hoop being employers mail bins and the ball being my cv. Turns out I'm an NBA All star at this email basketball, never missing a shot. No rim shots (call backs),  and definitely no interceptions (interviews). That's why I've been scratching like a heroin addict as I blaze through application forms to indulge my daily habit of Breaking Bad. 2 weeks, 5 seasons, 12 pounds on the ass and I can finally join in the after details during my occasional jog down the pub. So with my 60 hours of complete bliss, I thought I'd try and put some of this into a kind of lesson. Here's what I learnt...                                                    
1. Never try an expand too fast (for the entrepreneur in all of us).                           

Taking that old EBay account and building an Etsy page can be dangerous stuff. Especially when we take a lesson off Walt and the gang. The only reason combo got shot was because Walt expanded his turf too fast. Take this lesson before you move into someone else's patch. Take it slow, maintain your size and expand when you have the right firepower to fight back from larger competitors.                 

2. Know who your working with (interview tip)                                                            

As crazy as it sounds an interview is for both the employer and YOU! Yes the employer holds the golden key, but if there is one lesson Jesse can teach us, it's that people can be deceptive. Look at what Walt did to Brock and imagine if Walt had recognised that Gus Fring was, well, a murderous revenge ridden psychopath.                                           

3. Make yourself indispensable (you got the job tip)                                                

Whether your the guy who knows all the companies passwords or the guy creating the best meth know to man. Make yourself indispensable. Look at how Walt and eventually Jesse ensure they both live a little longer. Gus Fring would have loved nothing more than to put Jesse and eventually Walt under 6 feet of sand, but he simply couldn't. Hold the keys to your success.

Stack it till you reach the top!

There's no deneying that supermarkets can be one of the most frustrating places to work. I've worked at a few myself, notably Asda, Morrisons, and Marks. The                   hours which make standing on the 7:38 to London Euston sound alright and the managers who's most prised skill is he 'won't leave', will leave a hole in any man's sole where hope and happiness used to reside. They can be however, a blissful training centre for all the skills which have lacked nursing during your years of university. You've probably met these skills everyday of your university life, the checkout ladies who give a new meaning to the term chatterbox or the store managers who give you a glimpse into army standard organisation. It's no coincidence these are two of the most sort after skills on a Job Specification either. Proven examples of communication and organisation are like honey with a bear when trying to place yourself on the elevator of graduate employment and I don't think there's a better example of a business that needs good communicators and good organisers than a supermarket. With a job industry like old leather and a overflow of graduates specialised in almost every career, supermarkets can honestly be one of the best places to find a good wage while crafting the skills which will make a real difference. I guarantee you'll know the real answer to questions like 'what is your greatest weakness' in less than a month. These vast corporations also have some of the best graduate placements in the world and if you work hard putting the cream out, you'll surely rise to the top. Make sure you sign up to all the major supermarket job notifications in your area. 

4 tips on how to sell yourself for a position you're not qualified for

Quite often in my experience I have come across individuals who are not satisfied with their career choice. Some people pick the wrong degree, others take on a role which they feel isn't for them. Sometimes the work experience or your qualifications are not strong enough for the role, but more often than not employers will overlook these downfalls for the right candidate. Here are 4 simple tips to make sure you’re the right candidate.

Don’t lie on your application
Don’t lie about your experience, don’t lie about your qualifications and certainly don’t lie about your skills. As well as jeopardising your job in the future, when you walk into an interview you will only be more nervous. With this is mind, employers will expect your to answer questions specifically relating to your CV and your nervous disposition when answering questions will show through.

5 things that can cost you a job when using Linkedin

Linkedin is one of the most impressive tools when searching for a job. Its unique nature of putting a face to an applicant is finding people more job opportunities than ever. In fact over 100 million people are using Linkedin everyday, however as with all social media profiles, improper or misuse can often cost you a job. Most people will know to set their Facebook profiles to the highest privacy settings and ensuring you're tweeting the right content (and with the right spelling) can really help when employers search for you. Yet people do still making glaring errors on Linkedin which can cost them a job. So below I've listed the top 5 things that can cost you a job when using Linkedin.

Not having a profile picture
Not having a profile picture is simply unprofessional. It not only gives you a chance to add a bright smiling face to your wonderful profile but it also makes your profile stand out among hundreds of other clients. Even a simple head shot would do, but a picture of you with a smiling face in a (respectable) social setting will work wonders in securing you a job interview. Plus, it makes it easier for people who know you to find you.

How much does an interview cost? [Infographic]

After my last post which questioned whether employers should pay to interview you, I decided to do a little research to find out how much an interview can cost. The research was conducted with 25 unemployed individuals and a interview can be surprisingly expensive. Obviously certain things like a pack of printer paper would be cost effective for more than one interview but expenses such as petrol and dry cleaning a suit  are direct costs in the interview process.

Please share the infographic or share you own feelings about whether employers should pay to interview you.

Should employers pay to interview you?

If employers fail to get back to you within a certain agreed upon time, should you be able to bill them for your time? This is an interesting theory which has been running the mill on job forums recently. The theory is even starting to catch on with well regarded headhunters as people become disgruntled with recruitment firms and employers for taking them for granted and wasting their time.

Top 5 questions to ask in a interview [Infographic]

When the interview is coming to its end almost all employers will be looking for you to ask some questions. It's great for them as it shows whether you have really thought about the role and whether you are willing to fight for the position. It's also your chance to interview them and find out if they're right for you so don't take it lightly.

Since asking questions at the end of your interview is of such crucial importance, I often get asked which questions are key in helping to strengthen your position for getting the job. Below I have put down the five most important and the order in which you should ask them. Remember though, that a few of the questions may be covered in the interview in general, so learn to adapt. Please share the infographic!