Showing posts with label career-advice. Show all posts

Grab Your Dream Job By Knowing What Options are Out There

Grab Your Dream Job By Knowing What Options are Out There - JobTestPrep's Blog
So you have done your chores, behaved yourself and finally gotten yourself through the schooling that your parents have asked you to go through. You are now ready to stand up and take control of your life, independent of anyone making decisions for you. That is all well and good, but before you can stand on your own two feet, you have to have a job that would, in turn, help you keep a well stocked fridge. Let us go over the little things that you will need to do in order to get yourself started on your independence.

Finding a Job You Like

This step, the very first step, takes a lot of time mainly because you either do not know what you want, or what you want is not available at the moment. This usually involves going through job advertisements on newspapers and websites, such as http://www.studentbees.com.au/Jobs/Search-for-Jobs, just so that you get a sense of what is available. Do not be too picky, because that usually ends up with you having no job at all. Best thing to do is find an area of expertise that you like, mark all that you like, then send out your resume.

Building Your Resume

Part of this step should have started during your school days, because that is where you gain your experiences. It never is too late to start though, so all you have to do is get whatever awards that you were given during your schooling. It would be good to gather those that are related to the job that you are applying for. Once you have all that done, then you can arrange them chronologically, then type them down and print them. You can also download one of the generic resume formats from the Internet and use them just so that you do not get confused with how the resume should look like. Once typed out, you can save it, add your picture to the form, and then send it out electronically or via snail mail.

Passing the Psychometric Tests

A lot of companies nowadays are adapting the use of psychometric tests in order to find the candidate that is most fit for the job that they have. These tests are often divided into two brackets: the test to check the ability of an applicant, and a test to see if the personality of the applicant is fit for the role that he or she is applying for. There are a lot of practice tests available on line. They might not be exactly what you would get when you show up for the test, but it would give you an idea as to what you might face. There are also some forums that may be used to share experiences with psychometric tests and their preparations, such as http://www.studentbees.com.au/Forum.

Job hunting is a process that one must go through at least once. If you are lucky enough, you would land a job that would keep you satisfied and not have you applying for any other jobs with other companies. Hardly anyone is lucky though, and one usually goes through a few job applications before landing one that could be considered a keeper.

There are times that we just want to do freelance work though. When that happens, there are a lot of other jobs out there that can be done either from the comfort of your home or at a client's place. Websites such as http://www.studentbees.com.au/Tutoring/Search-for-Tutors offer to post your availability so that potential clients may see it. Options such as these allow you to earn while waiting for your dream job to show up.

Having a job is important, but knowing what jobs you can apply for would make things a lot better. Search online, apply. Get your dream job and live your independent life wisely.


~ JobTestPrep Team ~
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Careers: Try Before You Buy

At university I studied to be a journalist. I’m not quite sure how or why I wound up studying journalism, but I enjoyed every single minute of it. During my second year I really started pushing the work experience aspect of things – my tutors told me there’d never be a better opportunity to get under the skin of employers without actually having to work for them as a permanent employee.


I spent two years on and off completing work experience at some of the UK’s biggest newspaper titles – the best two years of my life. I’d set myself the target of getting a front page story at some point in time – that was the goal (I couldn’t really think of anything better/grander). Halfway through my second year of work experience I smashed the goal – I got a front page story. I got another one soon after (although I opted for my by-line to be removed).

After getting two front page stories I couldn’t really see anywhere else for me to go as a journalist – even though I was still on work experience. As much as I loved it, I didn’t like the near poverty in which a lot of graduate journalists lived in. It wasn’t for me. I packed my bags and left the world of journalism.

Application Process for Work Experience in Journalism

Before you start thinking about spending hours on end every day applying for hundreds of different jobs, I’m of the belief that everyone should complete work experience. The vast majority of companies will only take you on a work experience placement if you’re still in college or university. Instead of spending every night getting wasted, you should think seriously about how you’re going to find work experience opportunities during your studies. There will never be a better time.

Applying for work experience in the world of journalism doesn’t tend to follow a set procedure – it tends to be a case of plucking up the courage to email (or hound) editors and journalists to ask if there are any work experience vacancies available. Don’t go sending work experience requests to the news desk of your local paper – send them to a real person. Take a few minutes to find the email address for the editor or sub editor of the publication – Journalisted.com is a good place to start. Lots of journalists will suffix their articles with their email address too. Be warned that some publications offer work experience but there’s a long waiting list – it took me three years to get a placement at The Times (but it was well worth it!).

Application Process for Getting a Job

Getting a permanent job in the world of journalism is extremely difficult. If you built up a good portfolio of published work during your degree, you might be able to apply for any vacant reporter roles, providing you have the NCTJ qualification under your belt. If you have a sparse portfolio and you don’t have the NCTJ qualification, you’ll have to apply for graduate schemes. Most newspapers run these schemes, but places are extremely limited (ie, most top titles recruit one or two people on these schemes each year). Competition is fierce to say the least – so ideally you should have an impressive portfolio behind you. The other way into the world of journalism is to become a freelancer upon graduation – you then have the opportunity to really impress the titles you freelance for in the hope they decide to offer you a permanent staff job.

What I learnt

Before I went to university I completed work experience in a garage. I knew immediately that working in a garage was not for me. The long days and constantly being covered in oil and grime really put me off. Contrast that with journalism where I had a whale of a time. Work experience is the best possible way to “try before you buy”. Before you go all out to secure a job in your desired industry, why not complete work experience there first to ensure it’s something you actually enjoy? I know people that have spent six months or more applying for jobs in a certain industry, only to find they absolutely hate it when they do find employment.

Job application forms and interviews all take time to complete. You need to be 100% sure you’re applying for the right job in the right industry. Whilst you’re in university it’s essential that you “try before you buy” with as many careers as possible, ensuring you end up doing something you genuinely enjoy.

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About the author: Written by Adam Grunwerg, founder and editor of the graduate careers advice and jobs website Graduates.co.uk.
~ JobTestPrep Team ~
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The "HOW" of Career Change

The "HOW" of Career Change - JobTestPrep's Blog
If the future of your local government career looks fragile then you may be considering a change of career. And the same thought might occur to those who fall prey to the axe of redundancy before they had planned to, and don’t want or can’t afford to hang up their briefcase and blackberry. 


So if you are feeling stuck in a rut, facing compulsory redundancy or just feeling out of love with local authorities what are your options and how do you go about realising your new career?

You need to understand:

Yourself and what you can do: drill deep and understand your skills, your knowledge and your attributes. What have you got that you can use in another career?

Your motivations and values: 
  • What is that you want to do with your life? 
  • What is important to you in our work? 
  • Where would you not countenance working?
Your interests and enthusiasms: it’s not easy to keep changing jobs, so what would create an enduring field of interest?

Explore your options – in depth. Ensure that before you ‘give up the day job’ you really understand what it means to do that job day in day out. It might look glamorous but actually be repetitive and dull. 
  • Would you enjoy it on a long term basis? 
  • What additional skills will you need? 
  • How do you get entry into that sort of work?
Once you have done all your research you are ready to take the plunge. Or are you? Only 5% of those who think of changing careers actually do so because it is very hard!

In order to be successful you will need to overcome significant barriers:

→ You will need a financial cushion; you will probably need to take a lower paid job on a new ladder, buy a business or take time to build one from scratch. You may need money to train and money to see you through the search process.

→ You will need to come to terms with the loss of status, authority and support. If you have had any seniority the lack of people to delegate to may come as a shock and you may have to expend a lot of time and energy overcoming the reservations of your stakeholders (wife/partner/kids/parents/ friends) all of whom may make you justify your actions... or just be jealous of your courage.

→ You will need to overcome your self doubt and nagging feelings of insecurity. You won’t know if you can be a success unless you try. You can minimise the risks but you won’t know. So you’ll need lots of courage and confidence, self belief and perseverance are critical.

Key advice for any career changer is that they need to leverage off their networks to find opportunities. Large firms have formalised recruitment processes and lots of gatekeepers, small organisations may well be prepared to take a chance on someone because they see the potential and the owner makes the decision.

So gird your loins, garner your confidence and get exploring your talents and your options to create a realistic exit strategy.


About the author: Mary Hopes is a careers coach, for more information about Mary you can visit her website.

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~ JobTestPrep Team ~
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MI6 (SIS) Verbal Reasoning Test

MI6 Verbal Reasoning Test - JobTestPrep's Blog

What is MI6 (SIS)?

MI6 is the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service.

What is the difference between MI5 and MI6?

While MI5 is responsible for protecting the UK against threats to national security, MI6 is responsible for security threats internationally.

Is MI6 the same as Her Majesty’s Secret Service?

You may have heard of MI6 from the Bond films, that’s right - Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

What are the requirements for a role in MI6?

MI6 is keen to recruit graduates from all backgrounds to reflect the diversity that this job entails. This especially includes employing more women, as MI6 is running a little low. In short, you must be British, have a clear drugs history and not be on any Most Wanted lists. A 2.1 is also a minimum requirement – specific positions require other specific qualifications. Main graduate positions are in the following areas: Technology Positions, Language Specialists and Operational Officers. It can also take about 10-months for all clearance checks to run before you can take up a position so bear that in mind.

What skills will I need to demonstrate?

In general, MI6 requires the following skills and aptitudes: Integrity, Commitment and a strong team ethic; Technical Improvisation and Lateral Thinking; Emotional Detachment and Instinct; Strong Analytical and Communication Skills.

What is the recruitment procedure like?

If you fit the nationality and security criteria, you will be sent an online verbal reasoning test (some roles also require a numerical reasoning and situational judgement test). If you pass this stage you will be asked to complete and online competency based application form. If successful, you will be invited to an interview where you will also be asked to complete some more psychometric tests and a written exercise. The final stage is an Assessment Centre where you will be put in scenarios similar to what you are likely to face on the role to assess your suitability for the role you have applied for.

Can I practice for the MI6 Verbal Reasoning Test?

MI6 recommend that you practice for your verbal reasoning test online. Preparation will familiarise you with the types of tests you will experience, sharpening your skills and arming you with tricks for passing the test. The Civil Service use Cubiks tests in their recruitment. In this test you have 25 minutes to answer 36 questions based on 9 passages of text. Each passage is followed by four multiple choice questions asking you: about information contained or inferred in the text; to determine which statement is true from a list of options; or which statement summarises the paragraph. Learn more about verbal reasoning tests and prepare for your tests with JobTestPrep.  

What happens next?

This is where you will have to receive satisfactory clearance. You will then be given a formal offer and can begin induction and training.


Note: If you wish to receive new articles and product updates directly to your inbox, you can subscribe to our newsletter.
Updated: 22/06/2014
~ JobTestPrep Team ~
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Move up the Career ladder - What recruiters look for at different stages

Move up the Career ladder with JobtestPrep.co.uk
So you have bagged yourself a graduate position, with an average starting salary of £25,000 (Association of Graduate Recruiters) you should be smiling. But how long will you be content for in the same position? You may be wishing to move up the career ladder for one of many reasons – it may be the salary, challenge or the knowledge that you are progressing. A common test that both graduates and more senior positions are faced with in the recruitment process is the OPQ Personality Test. This post will explore what recruiters and talent assessment agencies are looking for in terms of personality traits, specifically for graduate and management roles and how you are expected to progress between these points.

What makes people employable?

According to researchers at the Higher Education Careers Service Unit (HECSU), when asked what makes a graduate ‘employable’? The majority of recruiters said that when hiring graduates, employability skills were more important than any occupational specific knowledge, technical skills or education. The two most common employability skills that recruiters look for is a positive attitude - an openness to new ideas and a ‘can-do’ approach and entrepreneurship/enterprise - which broadly speaking is someone who is not afraid to take risks and who is innovative and creative. These skills only become more sought after as one works their way up the career path as CEOs need to be enterprising in order to make money.

That said, talent agencies are specific about what traits they like to see in both these positions. Of course this varies according to the position being applied for, but detailed below are the general traits talent assessment agencies look for at graduate and management level sectioned into relationships with people, thinking style, feelings/emotions and working with others.

Graduates

Interactions with people
In general, graduates are as happy as most to be influential. They are slightly more likely to stand by their own opinion, rather than follow the group consensus. They are reasonably sociable and have a general need to spend time with people. They are well-balanced in terms of being neither too outgoing nor quiet and feel a little more comfortable than most when meeting new people or in formal settings. They are moderately empathetic in terms of comfort with consultation and decision making. They are proud of their achievements and are willing to talk about them. However, they prefer to keep a professional distance from colleagues and are less prepared than others to interfere in others’ personal problems.

Thinking style
Graduates tend to enjoy analysis, working with facts and figures and critically evaluating arguments and information. But, they have less interest in understanding what drives people and in other people’s behaviour. They are slightly more creative than others and have a preference to think abstractly. They are slightly more likely to be consistent in their style with dealings across different situations. They are as happy to use their own ideas as the ideas others have generated and crave neither novelty nor a consistent routine. In terms of structure, they are very detail-orientated and tend to consider situations spontaneously rather than taking a long term strategic overview of issues. They are focused and see tasks through to completion and are balanced in terms of sticking to and breaking rules.

Feelings/ Emotions
Graduates are moderately anxious and are as easy to offend as the next person. They are very calm before important occasions and tend to keep their spirits up. They are likely to find it difficult to hide their emotions from their colleagues but are likely to view the motives of others with suspicion. They are driven, ambitious and highly value winning and performing better than others. They prefer to understand things before reaching conclusions and therefore tend to take their time when it comes to decision-making.

Working with others
In terms of working with others graduates prefer to focus on the task rather than the relationships with the people they are working with. Their strengths lie in planning, evaluating ideas and sustaining team productivity.

Managers

Interactions with People
Managers are prepared to be a leader when required and readily express their own opinions, criticising others in some circumstances. They are lively and enjoy talking about their own achievements. They are at ease in formal situations and when meeting new people and prefer to consult others when it comes to decision-making. They have an average interest in negotiating and have a slight tendency to go along with the group consensus. They are comfortable spending time alone and are very selective in giving support to or sympathising with colleagues.

Thinking Style
Managers are strongly inclined towards critically analysing information; they take strategic views and tend to think in the long-term. They are interested in new ways of working and prefer coming up with their own ideas. They are as interested as the next person in understanding the behaviours of people and in discussing abstract ideas. They are balanced in terms of seeking novelty and repetition in work and are as likely as anyone else to keep rules and regulations.

Feelings/ Emotions
Managers are optimistic and work well in a competitive environment. They are averagely sensitive to criticism and are balanced with their emotions in terms of being open or keeping things to themselves. They are generally slightly tense in their work-life, but are less anxious than most when preparing for important events. They are unlikely to rely on the ability of others and are more cautious than others when making decisions.

Working with others
In general managers are competitive and like to do out-do others even if it means hurting their feelings. They provide well thought-out solutions and come up with radical, creative ideas. They strive for recognition and are reluctant to delegate to others.

Start Making Your Move up the Career Ladder

When looking to move up the career ladder you will often be asked to take a recruiter personality test, or recruiters will look for certain traits at interview. It is important to research the position you are applying for and to be aware of the traits the recruiter is looking for. JobTestPrep offers a customised Situational Judgement and Personality Test pack - our Personality Test provides feedback for each trait and will tell you which traits you need to work on (or restrain) according to which position you are applying for. The Situational Judgement Test can bring a better understanding of the competencies expected at these stages. Try a free sample Personality Test with JobTestPrep.

~ JobTestPrep Team ~
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What career is right for me?

Experience the Tests Employers Use - Personality Test - JobTestPrep's BlogDo you ever think to yourself that you have the talent to make it to the top of your field – you just don’t know what that field may be? Do you think you could make it as almost anything- but you don’t know which thing to start with?


Do you ever think to yourself that you have the talent to make it to the top of your field – you just don’t know what that field may be? Do you think you could make it as almost anything- but you don’t know which thing to start with? In today’s ever more educated work-force, there are usually a range of appropriate jobs to suit the skills and interest of each job-seeker. Therefore, deciding ‘what career is right for me’ can be a difficult process. Even if you do land a suitable role, there is little chance you will stay in the same field for the rest of your working life. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics workers change their careers on average five to seven times in a lifetime (this varies according to industry). Moreover, The US (2008) Census Bureau found that the average job holder stayed with the same employer for just 4 years. Graduates, however, are likely to stay in a career for longer because their jobs are more likely to be related to their career goals (Miller, 1997). That said there is no harm in thoroughly exploring the subject and trying to find the most suitable career for both your skills and interests. From there, it is easier to decide if a given career or role is something that resonates with you and whether it is something you are willing to try. There are many ways you can go about deciding which career path to choose.  Of course, there is no exact formula that can tell you where you are most likely to achieve. Even if there were only you could know if it matched your ambitions and career-goals.

One of the ways to help one decide which career path is right for them is to take a personality test. There are hundreds of personality tests available; each one will differ in length and style.  In general, a personality test consists of different questions about your habits, behaviours and emotions. Questions are usually yes/no or are ranked on a 4-5 point scale. A personality test will give you an indication of how your traits compare to the traits of other people who have taken the same test. JobTestPrep offers a personality test which indicates where you are lacking/over-performing on particular traits according to the position being applied for. 

Although, in general, employers look for well-balanced individuals who do not show extreme scores for any trait, certain employers look for certain skills depending on the position for which they are hiring. Furthermore, recruiters look for specific traits at specific points in peoples careers. There are unlimited roles that this article could discuss but this article will explore what talent assessment companies look for in term of traits for three roles – Manager, Salesman and Administrator. This of course depends on the industry, but in general:

Manager

Managers are able to take a birds-eye view and see things on a larger, more long-term scale. Therefore, managers must possess strong planning and organising skills. They should also be someone who is capable of delegating tasks and responsibilities and who is very able to motivate others. They should also be good decision-makers who act on their own authority and don’t necessarily follow the example of others. Managers are high on creativity and are honest communicators. They are as willing as the next person to make unpopular decisions and are moderately tolerant of politics. Managers are not so cautious when it comes to making commitments and have less self-discipline than the average worker when it comes to efficiently managing time.

Never taken a personality test? Try a free sample Personality Test with JobTestPrep.

Salesman

Salespeople are curious about people and are very insightful when it comes to perceiving the buyer’s needs. They are courageous and able when it comes to making new contacts. Salesmen are optimistic and are good- negotiators who handle objections tactfully. Salesmen enjoy maintaining relationships with clients and do not hesitate when it comes to closing deals. They handle rejection as well as the next person and are no more competitive than anyone else if it means winning at all costs. 

Administrator

Administrators must be very cooperative and diplomatic. They tend to conform to management objectives more than others. They are as able as the next person to deal with change. They are not so capable when it comes to following systems and have low patience when it comes to following detailed instructions.


When contemplating ‘what career is right for me?’ It is important to remember once you have decided on a career path or accepted a job offer that no career choice is final. However, choosing a career is a very important decision and taking a personality test such as the one on our site could make the decision easier and will make you more confident in your decision making process. Start exploring your career options with JobTestPrep’s Personality Test.


~ JobTestPrep Team ~
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A Warm Welcome to our Blog


Welcome - JobTestPrep's BlogWelcome to the new, official, JobTestPrep (JTP) blog. You may have already visited out website or Facebook page, bought one of our packages, or taken one of our free online tests.

On our blog we wanted to show you our lighter side and of course, offer plenty of extra advice and direction for job seekers and test takers. We also hope you experience psychometric tests differently after hearing from our experts.

The JTP team is made up of organisational and clinical psychologists, test-writers, researchers and test-trainers, who all share the same passion for preparing you for your psychometric tests, interviews or assessment centres and can all offer different perspectives.

In our blog, we’ll share our experiences, advice and updates about psychometric testing, drawing from our experiences spanning over 20 years in the field. We’ll also let you know what we are working on and what new material you can expect to see in the next few weeks so you can be up-to-date with what employers are using.

From time to time we plan on inviting experts from related industries to blog about what they deem most relevant to helping you in the recruitment process. On each guest blog, you will have the opportunity to communicate with the author in the comments section.

Of course, we want to hear your comments on psychometric testing, what assessment centres you have coming up, your experiences and what you think is interesting. We welcome you to add feedback, questions and comments. If there is a topic you would like to see on our blog or someone you want to hear from send us a line through our comments section or contact form.

We hope you’ll enjoy our new community designed to pique your curiosity about psychometric test training and recruitment. If you’re interested RSS feeds are available for all posts.

For additional information about JTP, visit our website or like us on Facebook.

Thanks for visiting our blog!


~ JobTestPrep Team ~
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