Despite a slight decline of 17,000 in the UK’s unemployment figures this month, with the total unemployed currently at 2.48 million, unemployment levels are still at their highest since 1994. Predictions are (or are not, depending on whose line of thinking you follow) encouraging for the long term, with the OBR forecasting an employment increase of around 900,000 by 2015; bringing us back to pre-recession levels.
However, these forecasted levels are not going to be realised overnight, and there are people who still will find themselves unemployed due to one of many potential factors. So, if you do find yourself facing the predicament of unemployment, how do you maximise your chances of getting your career back on track?
One of the biggest concerns from a potential employer’s perspective is seeing long-term inactivity on a CV. Long periods of time spent unemployed, but more significantly doing nothing, leads to questions over the individual’s drive and determination to succeed. It does not present a particularly favourable image to prospective employers.
You need to make sure you are doing something during this time. Interim work is preferable to that show you are keeping your hand in, and it also offers the added benefit of bringing in an income. My advice would be to firstly register with a reputable agency. Meet your dedicated consultant and explain to them what you are looking for on a permanent basis, but that you are also open to the possibility of interim positions in the meantime.
One of the things to take into account when looking at interim work is the danger of ending up jumping from short-term position to short-term position, which can create a cycle that is very difficult to break. If you are considering taking on interim roles, here are my top tips on managing the transition successfully:
1. Try to take longer-term roles, rather than a couple of weeks here and there. Maternity covers are ideal, primarily around the six-to-nine month opportunities are the ones that you really want to take. They demonstrate commitment to prospective employers and provide you the opportunity to make an impact in the organisation that you can quantify on your CV.
2. Specialist projects are the opportunities that will really add the most value to your CV in the long term. They provide the opportunity to add to your current skill set and further develop your expertise, attracting the eye of potential employers and helping you to stand out from the crowd.
3. Don’t take any old role for the sake of it. You still need to spend a large proportion of your day there and if you can’t tolerate it for any length of time you will move on quickly, which can reflect poorly on your CV.
4. Demonstrate commitment. If you take on an interim role, treat it in the same way that you would a permanent one. Show the same level of focus and commitment and you stand a greater chance of seeing your contract renewed or extended, or even a permanent opportunity offered.
5. Many more organisations are offering the temp-to-perm option at the moment. It is a good way for both parties to obtain a thorough understanding of the other prior to entering into a commitment on a permanent basis, and ideal if you are seeking a permanent position in the long term.
Dan Jones is Manager of the Accountancy & Finance Division and Head of Interim Accountancy at Alexander Lloyd, part of the South East's leading recruitment consultancy for accountants.