The most recent statistics concerning the UK job market are unquestionably positive. According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of people in work has been increasing so far this year, and the employment rate is at its joint highest since comparable records began in 1971. So why are so many job seekers concerned that they won’t be able to find a rewarding new position this year?
Today, we'd like to look at 4 job search problems that people commonly worry about, and explain why you really shouldn’t be too anxious when you are hunting for your next role.
1. Gaps on your CV
It's fair to assume that most potential employers will ask you about especially large / recent gaps in your CV, but if you have a perfectly understandable reason for yours – taking time out to care for an ill relative, for instance – no decent employer will judge you harshly for it.
Furthermore, if the gap was a long time ago or only a few months long, it’s unlikely that you will even be asked about it.
2. Missing a job from your CV
Many job seekers worry that they’re supposed to include every single job they’ve ever had on their CV, even if it has little relevance to the role for which they are applying.
Remember that your CV is ultimately a marketing document, and that it’s therefore fine to leave off that call centre job you only had for a few weeks post-university, especially when you are seeking a role in a highly specialised science field like biotechnology or immunology.
(However, if removing a certain job from your CV would leave a several-year gap, it’s probably best to be truthful, even if that job had little or no connection to the career that you are seeking now.)
3. Giving a complicated justification for a certain salary
It's easy, especially if you are still relatively new to the job market, to assume that you will need to justify any particular desired salary in very complicated terms. Most of the time, though, it really doesn’t need to be like that.
In most cases, all you'll need to do is say: 'I was hoping that you could go up to £XX,XXX – is this possible?' From there, the negotiation process is often a very simple one.
4. Contacting former managers
Many of those who approach our science recruitment agency are understandably concerned because they believe they must give their most recent manager or university tutor as a reference (so as to avoid giving the impression that they were on poor terms with them). But what if getting in touch with that person would be difficult anyway – for example, if they have retired or are travelling on the other side of the world?
Ultimately, you should include that past manager or tutor as a reference for the aforementioned reason, but not worry about how they will be contacted. Making them one of your references is only about giving permission for your prospective employer to get in touch with them, and has nothing to do with whether they are actually available.
Remember that one of the best ways to minimise job search worry is to be as well-prepared as possible! That’s why, here at Hyper Recruitment Solutions, we provide such comprehensive help to those seeking jobs in the science sector.
Contact us now to find out how we can help with your science job search.
