Could you get help with your course fees?

Many people would love to return to studies as an adult as often when you get older you have more of an idea of what careers you may want to do. Often the man reason people are not able to return to studies is commitments and often these are linked to financial issues. It may be that you have a family that you need to support or that you have bought a property and have bills and mortgages to pay. Having a few years off with little or no income is often not an option for everyone and having to find course fees on top of that is sometimes impossible.

There are a number of employers now that are offering work based training schemes allow you to earn whilst you learn. These are good for people that are able to work for a relatively low income for a few years. If you want to get your studies completed sooner or cannot train for your chosen career on the job then you may need to look at colleges and uni’s that offer the courses. There is sometimes help offered to people to fund their courses and loans to give you money to live off. If you have been a member of the armed forces, then you may be able to get ELC which are credits that can be used towards the cost of some courses meaning you will only have to pay a percentage towards it (which is often 20%).

 

How to move from IT support to IT manager roles

If you are currently working in an IT support role then you may want to look at progressing to IT manager in the near future. You will probably already have the technical background so you will mostly likely need to learn about the management side. This may include how to manage a team, meeting with prospective and existing clients and liaising with suppliers. If you have been used to sitting in a job at a desk all day with little interaction with others then you will need to work on building up relationships with your colleges. If possible, spend a bit of time getting to know the other people in your team and the role they have to do within the business.

Always make sure that your boss is aware that you would like to progress in to a management role. It may seem obvious to you, but many bosses won’t necessarily assume that you want to move out of your current position unless you tell them. Even if there isn’t a role currently available that would suit you, should one come up in the near future, your name may be top of the list.

 

Keeping an eye on your employees

As an am employer you may find it hard to get the balance between being a boss and being friendly. Just because you are an employer does not mean you always have to be firm, but it does mean you need to consider the way in which you communicate with your employees and maintain a level of profession.

If you are generally a friendly person then you may find it hard to distance yourself slightly from your employees but if you start to act like a member of staff rather than the boss, you may find you do not get the respect and attitude you need to when it’s required.

As an employer it is often better to go in hard to start with and then over time soften a little so people can see that you are not to be messed with but are also fair and approachable. It is important to be able to give your employees a level of trust but also to not take your eye off the ball and be aware of what is going on within the company at all times.

 

 

How to ask for a pay rise

Many people feel that they are in jobs and not getting paid the correct wage for the work they do. All too often, people leave a job vacancy over money without finding out if they could have got a pay rise in their current position. Some people find asking for a pay rise hard, they may be nervous or embarrassed, but the truth is, if you are doing a good job then there is no need to.

Firstly you need to consider what it is you actually want. It may be that you are looking for an increase on your salary or on an hourly rate. If you are after an increase on your hourly rate, be sure to work out exactly what you are on now and what you want to increase it to.

Before you go in and ask for a pay rise, you need to establish a good time to do so. Catching your manager when they are in the middle of something often does not end well so it is important to obtain a convenient time when you can speak to them. You should also let them know in advance that you want to discuss your wages and possibly even email them with what you are looking to get in terms of the increase. This will give them time to consider your offer before the meeting.

 

Looking for an office to work from

If you are self employed then you will probably understand how hard it can be to work from home. Many people will probably say to you how they are envious that you can work from your home and do not have to content with traffic, cost of travelling and having to leave the house on a rainy day but often the reality is that it is harder than working in an office. When you work from home you have the constant distractions, whether it be from other family members (including animals), the chores that need doing which are constantly in your face or phone calls / visitors at the door. Even the postman can be a welcome distraction when you are working but one that may set you back a short time.

Finding a small office where you can rent a desk or a workstation may allow you to really focus on your working tasks in hand and therefore become more productive. Many people have said that they actually can complete their work quicker by working elsewhere allowing them set time for other daily chores that need doing around the home.

 

Offering training courses to others

When someone has been working in a particular industry for a number of years, they often pick up many skills and techniques that if shared, could help many other people. One way to share this experience and skills is to become a trainer and offer training courses for other people wishing to get in to the industry. Becoming a trainer can not only be a very rewarding job but can also be quite well paid.

If you think that you may be interested in going in to training, then you need to find out what (if any) qualifications you require. Some industries will require you to have a recognised teaching qualification to allow you to train others and you may have to attend manufacturers training courses as well. This may mean that you will have to go to college or university. For some people this can only be done if they are not working, so you may have a period of time where you are out of work or having to take job with less hours to allow you to complete your training. This can have a massive impact on your financial situation and should be thoroughly thought through before committing to a career change.

Apprenticeships – how do they actually work?

With the government recently introducing the law which requires students to either stay on in education, have a job lined up to go to or go in to an apprenticeship, apprenticeships have grown in popularity.

It is the perfect way to get in to working and start earning your own money, whilst still training to further your job prospects. The government have a website where you can visit and search for apprenticeship jobs in your area. It will talk you through how to apply for them and how long the course will last.

If you are already in a job then you can still apply to do an apprenticeship either in your current line of work or in something totally new, meaning your options are limitless.

Different types of apprenticeships take different amounts of time to complete, depending on the level, industry sector and employer. Typically, an apprenticeship takes between one and five years to complete.

From 1 October 2016 The National Minimum Wage is £3.40 per hour for apprentices aged 16 to 18 and those aged 19 or over who are in the first year of their apprenticeship. All other apprentices are entitled to the National Minimum Wage for their age.

 

Writing about qualifications and experience on your CV

When writing your CV it is vital that include past experiences and qualifications. People often list their qualifications from GCSE’s to NVQ’s or degrees and then go on to talk about previous jobs they have had and the experience it have given to them.

Obviously everyone wants to give themselves the best chance of landing the job, but it is very important not to exaggerate or make up any of the qualifications or experiences. If you do this then you may find that you are offered a position that is way beyond what you can actually do or that in the interview you are asked a question that you do not know the answer too. This can be very embarrassing and often ends in you not getting the job.

Do make sure that you have highlighted the experiences you have gained in other roles that are particularly relevant to the job you are applying for. And by highlighting, we mean, put emphasis on it.

Your CV should ideally be about a page or two long, no longer, as often potential employers have many to get through and haven’t got time to read through CV’s that go on for pages and pages.

Training whilst working

Whilst being employed, you may be given the opportunity to do some extra on the job training. This can help you learn how to improve in your current role, teach you new skills to take on additional responsibilities or help you manage other members of staff.

Often employees will be given the opportunity to go on a management course. These are very popular and many employers send their employees on these types of course if they have given them a role than requires them to take responsibility for other members of staff. A management course can help an employee understand how to speak to other members of the team in an authoritative but not confrontational way.

Very often you will not have to pay for on the job training as an employee, as it will either be in house or your employer will cover the cost of external training unless you have asked to go on the course in which case they may ask you for a contribution. Any training is always a good idea and will improve your productivity in a current job but can also look great on a CV should there come a time when you wish to leave.

Should you apply for a job you think you are under qualified for?

When looking for work, many people wonder if they should apply for a job that they are under qualified for. Sometimes a job advert may state that you need a certain qualification or that you required x amount of years’ experience, but if you don’t have those things, is there any point in trying to get an interview.

It often depends on what the job is. If for example it was a teaching job then you will need to have your degree, without this you will not be able to be offered the job so there is little point applying. If it is a job that you feel you could do and that you may not have the exact qualifications but have experience in doing that role or a very similar one then there is no harm in trying. If nothing else, it is all good experience, especially if you have been out of work for a little while and find the whole recruitment process fairly new.

When applying for the job, it is worth mentioning that you are aware that you have not got the exact qualification that they asked for but you believe that your previous experience in a role has given you the knowledge you need and also that you are happy to attend any additional training that may be required.