Page 35 - James Caan - Get the Job you Really Want

Are you coming back to the
workplace after a period away?

The harsh truth is that you will always be a much more attrac-

tive candidate if you are in a job than if you are not in a job. Just
as we always want to go to the club that we’re not a member
of – it is the same principle. When you are already working,

psychologically you are in a position of strength because you do
not have to take the new job. And that means the interviewer
has to work a bit harder. If you are not in a job, the interviewer
knows that you need a job, which gives them the upper hand.
If you have the choice, always apply while you are still working.

However, if you have been made redundant or are returning
to work after a period raising a family, or following an illness,
you don’t have that choice. You need to stay positive.

A redundancy in particular is a huge shock to the system.
You need to recover, regroup, make sure you structure your job
search, and really think about the skills you have gained from
your previous experience. Write down your key skills and think
about how they could be applied in other sectors.

Transferable skills in isolation are not enough to secure a
career in a di≠erent industry. A few years ago the ‘golden’ set
of skills that you hear recruiters and employers talking about

might well have provided a stepping stone into a new industry.
But not any more. The recession means the job market is satu-
rated with skilled candidates. In a recession recruiters will push
the safe set of buttons.

23 positivity