I need a job, where do I start?

If you’re unsure on where to start and the steps you can take to gain a job, this article will help guide you into making the right decisions for your career.

You need a job but you don’t know what you want to do

If you need a job but don’t know what you want to do, don’t worry! Sometimes just getting a job, no matter what industry it’s in, is the first step you need to take. Once you’ve gained some experience it can help you navigate your career path better and build some skills whilst you figure out what you want to do.

Just because you’ve chosen or fell into a role, it doesn’t mean it has to be your career forever. Loads of people completely change career paths every day and that’s perfectly okay. For example, on average 32% of workers between 25 and 44 are considering changing careers and 29% have made a career change, highlighting that it’s quite common for people to change their job role.

There are also a variety of types of jobs you can take on, such as:

Part-time work

Full-time work

Temporary contracts

Permanent contracts

If you feel as though you need to have a career path in mind to help you find a role, it may be useful to work with a career coach or advisor, although it’s not necessary. Working with a mentor has many benefits, such as:

They help you understand yourself from a work perspective.

They help you identify the right role for you.

They can help you stay focused on a clear career path.

They provide an external viewpoint on your situation.

They can help you set a job search strategy.

They can help make the stress of not having a job seem a little less stressful.

You need a job and you can start right away

One of the great things about being unemployed is that there are jobs where you can start immediately, which is an added bonus for a recruiter as they can hire straight away.

Temporary roles are also a great way to start working quickly and gain some experience, even if it’s only for a short period of time.

While temporary work only offers experience for a period of time, it has many benefits, such as:

Giving networking opportunities - While you haven’t gained a permanent role, taking on temporary work can help you build a network that could help you find a permanent role in the future.

You can gain new skills and experience - When you take on new jobs, you’ll always learn new skills and obtain experience that you can carry forward into future roles.

It helps you get your foot in the door - Getting any type of job can help you get your foot in the door. As we all know, it’s hard to get a job without experience, therefore taking on temporary work can help you start your career path.

It helps you keep your CV up to date - Temporary roles can help you fill in any skills gap you may have from taking a career gap, as well as helping you highlight your skills and experience within your CV.

It can help you figure out what career you want to delve into - You can obtain temporary roles within a range of industries meaning you can make a career decision based on the role of industry you enjoyed working in most.

You need a job and you’re disabled or have a health condition

If you have a disability and are looking for a job, you may feel anxious about getting back into work.

Central London Works helps those with a health condition, a disability or those who have been out of work for a long time find a job, by working with a range of health professionals, employment specialists and local community organisations. Working with these professionals can help you overcome any challenges you’re facing and find the right job at the right time.

Finding the right job should also include working for a Disability Confident Employer that understands the importance of making reasonable adjustments.

Research from the Family Resources Survey shows that 22% of the UK population had a disability in the financial year of 2020/21, highlighting the importance of companies putting in more effort into making their workplace more accessible for employees with disabilities.

So, what makes an employer Disability Confident?

They provide an inclusive and accessible recruitment process.

They make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, so that those with disabilities have the best opportunity to showcase why they deserve the job.

They support employees and make reasonable adjustments during employment.

You need a job but you have no experience

Whilst it can be easier to get a role when you’ve got experience, it isn’t essential. There are many opportunities that can help you get your foot in the door without requiring any experience, such as:

Volunteering

Internships

Apprenticeships