How to stand out from the crowd

The recent budget, ëBuilding Britainís Futureí, recognises the importance of getting the unemployed back into work and subsequently, the Government is investing heavily in the labour market. The Government measures are all positive steps towards helping those who are unemployed, it is undeniable that whether you are looking for work or are trying to safeguard current employment, training and upskilling will help you to maintain a competitive edge and ensure that you stand out from the crowd.

With many employers looking to consolidate headcounts, it is likely that businesses will be demanding more from their remaining employees. By continually training existing workforces, knowledge and skills can be utilised internally and companies can therefore safeguard existing talent.

Jason Greaves, Head of Commercial Staffing at employment specialists Manpower UK, comments: ìPeople and their skills will always be a companyís greatest asset, therefore employers should where possible, take the opportunity now to upskill and even re-train their existing staff so they will be in a strong position when the economy recovers. Employees can take the initiative by staying flexible and undertaking extra training in areas that are important to their companyís industry in a bid to safeguard their position.î

Although, the economic downturn has meant that in many cases internal training budgets have been cut, employees should explore alternative training options. Many local universities and colleges offer evening courses in core business skills and recruitment agencies such as Manpower offer jobseekers free training courses.

Jason continues: ìThe importance of training cannot be underestimated. Keeping on top of advancements in key areas relevant to your industry will help give you a competitive edge, which is especially important during an economic downturn. At Manpower we offer seven free courses to registered candidates to enhance the quality of their applications. Manpower also offers access to over 1,100 courses and 5,000 hours of free e-learning covering everything from improving your customer service skills to mastering the very latest desktop software to Manpower temps and employees.î

However, although unemployment has reached its highest level for more than a decade, employers are still struggling to recruit people with the skills they require. The results of Manpowerís Annual Talent Shortage Survey highlight that more than one in ten employers are struggling to fill vacancies despite the recession. In this climate employers can afford to be very specific when hiring new staff and can now demand more from applicants – hence, consistently adding to and advancing skills sets will prove invaluable when looking to change jobs.

Jason adds: ìFor example, a PA may now need to have accounting or language skills to be considered for a role when traditionally these skills would not have been essential to secure employment, which just reinforces the importance of training.î

Undeniably, there is an increased pressure on jobseekers as employers can choose from the best applicants. Hence, jobseekers should consider temporary work as it can be a useful tool to enhance existing skill sets. Temporary work can be instrumental in keeping CVís up to date, it can provide networking opportunities and it can sometimes act as a foot-in-the-door to a new company or sector. Jobseekers should remain flexible when considering their next position, especially in the current downturn, and consider roles that may not fit naturally with existing skill sets. Competition for jobs is high, therefore jobseekers are well advised to stay open to all options, to upskill where possible, and to consider temporary work opportunities to ensure that they are favourably positioned for when stable market conditions return.

Manpower UK offers these top tips to:

Employees
Research training opportunities within your business and consider external options to increase your skill set
Consider mentoring opportunities within your business and try to pick up tips and advice from the more experienced members of your team

Stay flexible in your role and take on extra responsibilities to maximise your transferable skills and increase your employability

Jobseekers
Research training opportunities in your local area, as new skills will boost your CV and maximise your chances of employment

Consider temporary roles to gain valuable work experience which will give you the opportunity to learn new skills whilst earning money

Stay flexible when looking for work and consider voluntary work or locations and sectors that may not be your first choice to ensure that there are no gaps on your CV
For more information, please visit www.manpower.co.uk