Whatever it is that is stopping you from applying for a role, you shouldn’t feel embarrassed. There is always help and guidance available when it comes to finding employment.
Most job seekers will experience at least one employment barrier in their career, but the good news is there are ways of overcoming them to find your dream job. It is important that the potential employer is aware of any problems you may be facing. This way they have a good understanding of how it may affect your ability to work. Employers are looking for the positive traits in a potential candidate, so it is important for any job seeker to focus on their strong points. This includes qualifications, achievements and a personality that fits in well with the company culture.
Addressing The Problem
A few common barriers to finding employment are;
- Disadvantaged background
- Domestic violence
- Drug and/or alcohol abuse
- Mental illness
- Required childcare assistance
- Lacking basic employability skills
- No transportation
- Gaps in employment
What can you do?
Potential employability barriers can be off-putting when applying for roles. However, there are many things you can do to become more employable which will help you overcome barriers.
Positive Attitude
Firstly, it is essential you have a positive attitude when finding employment. If you’ve been to an interview and received constructive feedback, you should use it to improve your weak areas and enrich your skill set. It is also important to stay open and positive about finding help and using any tools that are offered to you. There are many free counselling services in and around Greater Manchester, which could be a great first step to identifying barriers and configuring a plan to break them down.
Go through a Recruitment Agency
Going through a recruitment company to find a role is a great idea. You may feel more comfortable confiding in a third party rather than directly to the employer. This also gives the recruiter the information they need to seek out a role that is best suited for you. It is important to thoroughly research any support services that are available to you such as finding Childcare or Transportation. Take all the help you can get before you give up on your ideal role. It is paramount to have perspective on the barrier, it only becomes an issue if it affects your ability to get employed. After your own research and speaking to a recruiter about your barriers you should be able to minimise or overcome them.
Give a Reason Why – Gaps in Employment
Having gaps in employment is potentially something that may get picked up on by employers. They may ask for an explanation as to what you’ve been doing in this time period. It is important if asked to mention what experiences you’ve had in your time off from work whether that is travelling, looking after children or maybe a sick relative. Any transferable skills or life skills you have acquired in this time is worth mentioning in interview. It’s not necessary to mention all your work experience on your CV, just experiences where you may have transferable skills that are most relevant to the role you’re applying for.
Why an Apprenticeship is a great first step
Apprenticeships are great route to employment as you receive one on one training from your training provider to get you through your modules and give as much support as needed. You will have regular meetings with your tutor who will help to develop your skills to allow you to get the most out of your employment and your qualification. Generally Apprenticeship employers will have employed an Apprentice before, so they are aware that they need to provide as much support as possible as you are a new member of the team. As you could be going down a completely new career route, it is the employers responsibility to help you learn about the business, adapt to the company itself and the way they work.
If you are lacking confidence in your employability and want to improve your work experience, then an Apprenticeship is a great starting point to build your skill set. 87% of Apprentices stay on with the employer after the duration of the Apprenticeship so once you get your foot in the door, you’re on the right path.
Conclusion
Everyone in the working world at some point has overcome barriers to employment. Whether it’s finding the right experience to progress, or fighting the mental battles that many suffer from everyday. Getting to a point in your career where you feel confident and enjoy is of course the main goal, but it doesn’t always happen overnight. Finding the right help and guidance will get you to where you want to be and lead you on a path to your dream career.
How 360 Apprenticeships can help
Whether you are looking to an apprentice or start your apprenticeship journey, 360 Apprenticeships can help. We provide a free service from first point of contact to the successful placement of each apprentice. Every apprentice who is successful will only be placed with the best training providers (Graded 1 and/or 2 by Ofsted) so you know that everyone is in safe hands.
You can find out more regarding the apprenticeship scheme on our website. To speak to one of our recruiters directly, you can contact us on:
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