New Year, New Job, New You

A new year is a time for new beginnings and there’s never been a better time to look for work heading into 2024. If you’re thinking, New Year New Job then here’s what you need to know.

There’s a jobs boom with record vacancy numbers and high levels of employer confidence. That means more employers are looking to recruit – to expand their teams, launch new products and grow their workforce to reach more customers. January has always been a great time to look for a new job, but as we head into 2024 there’s lots of reasons why individuals and businesses are ready for a fresh beginning.

So, what are you waiting for? If you want to take advantage of a new start for the New Year, here’s how to get started…

Update your CV

Give your CV a spring clean and update your applications for jobs! It may only take half an hour of your time, but could have a big impact on hearing back from new vacancies. Why not try one of our free CV templates to give it a new look? Or ask a friend or colleague to take a look and give you some honest feedback. Often we can miss out key skills that seem obvious to us but employers would want to hear about.

If you’re been looking for work for a while and not getting invited to interviews, take a look at our top tips for getting past recruitment technology or contact one of Stockport’s employment support partners who can offer one-to-one support to help you back on track.

Register on Job Boards and Sign-Up to Job Alerts

It’s a good idea to upload your CV onto the major job boards (like CV Library, Total Jobs, Indeed) so that employers can search and find your details for matching jobs. You can also sign-up to receive ‘job alerts’ by email and be sent a list of matching jobs each day or week to apply for, saving you time on your job search.

Improve your Skills by taking a free Training Course

Not quite ready to make a move? Need new skills or qualifications to apply for the job you want? The great news is that there’s plenty of funding available right now to help you upskill or retrain. Whether you need your fork lift truck license, CSCS card, social care certificate or key skills, you can use EmployGM and National Careers Service to find free local courses to help you get started.

Pop along to a Jobs Fair

There’s a packed schedule of events happening in the New Year, both in-person and online. Employers are looking for new ways to meet and engage with prospective job applicants and jobs fairs are a great way to make in-roads with local businesses.

Consider the Hidden Jobs Market

Don’t forget that there’s other ways to find a job than just looking for adverts and sending off your CV. The vast majority of vacancies are filled via the ‘hidden jobs market’ and are not actually advertised in the usual ways. Check out our top tips on how to access these roles – which often mean less competition and a direct route to interviews.

Stay put and step up

If you’ve looked around and realised that actually the grass might not be greener elsewhere, consider your options for staying put in your current job. You could speak to your employer about taking on more responsibility, changing to a new department or team, starting an internal or external training course, or even the possibility of a pay rise or promotion.

Businesses will be reluctant to lose loyal, dedicated staff with knowledge of their customers, products and services. Remember your worth and don’t give up on your career aspirations. Often your existing company would be happy to support your goals if you give them the chance.

Check out our tips for asking for a pay rise or speaking to you boss here.

Consider a Career Change

Feel like your career has come off track over the past few years? Considering a move to another sector or not sure where to start? We have a range of career guides and employer videos to help you discover what’s available in the Stockport area and what different jobs involve.