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All the latest career development and training news
PAs in
demand
Employment prospects for PAs and business support
staff in the City are looking bright for 2010. According
to Crone Corkill demand for talented PAs is growing
as exceptional support staff are in short supply. In
particular the company points out that the shortage
of solid career PAs and secretaries within the banking
sector is an on-going problem. Hays is also seeing
growing demand for support staff, in particular within
temporary and interim assignments. Hays also notes
that PAs are being expected to do more now than ever
before – highlighting just how much a good PA is well
worth their weight in gold.
Manage your IN BRIEF
career
THE FUTURE OF
LEARNING
Although spending has been
reigned in in recent years,
The compelling combination of improving market the opportunities for
conditions and the annual New Year life evaluation will
employees to learn new
skills are still there. Thanks
see many employees looking to pastures new. A CIPD poll
to the sheer volume of
revealed that a third of workers would consider changing information available on line,
jobs in the New Year – so if you’re one of them how can
many workers are plugging
gaps in their knowledge by
you position yourself for the best results in 2010? Corinne
researching online. Of
Mills, MD of Personal Career Management, recommends: course this is no substitute
for getting expert tuition, but
CAREER DOCTOR
1
Learn the art of self promotion. Feel comfortable
the focus this year is likely to
talking about your achievements and portray your-
be moving away from the
self as someone who is an asset to their organisa- classroom and instead
Q: I’ve had no luck landing a job as yet,
tion. If you are lacking confidence in your own abilities
looking at more cost-effective
methods, such as e-learning
despite attending lots of interviews.
then why should anyone else have confidence in you.
or social learning – learning
2
Be proactive. If you wait for the perfect opportunity from your peers.
Could I be doing something wrong?
to land in your lap you could be waiting forever.
HIRING FIGURES
A: There can be a number of reasons why you may not Speak to your manager and HR department
ON THE UP
be chosen for a role. It could be that there were people
about career possibilities, invest in training yourself if Both permanent and
better qualified or more experienced than you. Some of
necessary, organise your own relevant work experience,
temporary recruitment
the most common reasons employers cite for rejection
levels increased in
are: overly long CVs – nobody wants to read a 10-page
ring up potential employers.
December 2009 – the fifth
resume full of unnecessary detail. Ideally, your CV
3
Cultivate your networks. Talk to business and consecutive month for
should be no more than two pages; lack of research –
social contacts, family and friends. Research shows
increased appointment levels.
employers expect candidates to know something about
the company they’re applying to work for. Arriving at
that networking significantly enhances the
PARENT POWER
an interview without any knowledge of the company is
likelihood of career success. Nobody will give you a job The UK’s parents are busy
not an option; punctuality – there are no excuses for just because they know you,
developing their skills but
arriving late for an interview. The impression given is
British bosses are missing
but your contacts
so damaging, it’s likely to cost you the job; not giving
out, as many parents go on
an employer what they ask for – most employers have
can offer valuable to retrain or to run their own
their favoured way of handling recruitment. Some have
advice, feedback
businesses. A survey from
Family Friendly Working
their own application forms, others may ask for work and even potential
revealed that parents’ top
samples. Whatever they ask for in the job ad, make sure
opportunities. talents are: multitasking
you provide it as failure to do so shows that you haven’t
(68%), time management
read the ad properly.
(65%), promotion and
Caoimhe OMahony, Senior Manager, Page Personnel,
marketing skills (55%) and
www.pagepersonnel.co.uk communication skills (45%).
www.executivepa.com » Feb/Mar 2010 » 41
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