May 26, 2022, by Leah Sharpe

Worried About the Job Market?

By Chris Birchall, Employability Education Projects Officer

Are you worried about the job market? Not sure what’s out there or even where to begin? If you feel you fall into this camp, then hopefully this blog will be of some use. Below I’ve tried to focus on things you can do straight away, which will help put some of your concerns to rest and get you moving again.

So, first things first it’s worth thinking about why you’re worried in the first place and exactly what you’re worried about. With that in mind, I’ve outlined what I believe are four very common concerns and addressed each below.

1. Worried that you don’t know what’s out there (or even if there’s anything out there) and you’re not sure where to even start?

Not a problem, everyone has been at this point and often the beginning is the most difficult place. The good news is that there are lots of options and lots of ways to learn more. The bad news is that there are lots of options and lots of ways to learn more, which can sometimes lead to a sense of confusion about where to begin. If you feel you fall into this camp, then the best thing to do is to sit down and talk through exactly what it is your looking for from a job and a career. Talking though what your interests are, your values, skills and what’s important to you (money? work/life balance? career progression?) can help narrow down your focus. While sitting down with a friend or family member can be a useful starting point, booking an appointment with a member of the careers team gives you a chance to get a nudge in the right direction if you’re struggling.

2. Worried about not knowing enough about a particular sector you’re interested in?

If you’ve got an idea of a specific sector you’re interested in but want to know more about it then an ideal thing to do is to look at the range of sector events and spotlight events we deliver. These events give you a chance to hear from and talk to employers in those sectors and find out more about what opportunities are out there and how you apply. In addition to these internal university events, consider looking at other sector bodies or organisations and the events they might be running. Many will still have online events which are easy to access and another good opportunity to make yourself better informed about the sector. If you hear from an employer at an event and you want to talk to them more, or just want to ask some questions, think about using LinkedIn as a useful networking tool to contact them and follow up.

3. Worried you’ve found the perfect job but you’re not ready to apply?

Perhaps you’ve found one or more jobs you’re interested in but haven’t done an application or an interview in a long time and are worried about what that process looks like. If that’s the case, then we run a series of careers workshops looking at each stage in the recruitment process. Each of these sessions provides video descriptions of what you need to do to succeed and gives you an opportunity to attend Q+A sessions with members of the careers service. We are happy to answer specific questions or talk though any worries you have.

4. Worried everyone else knows more than you?

It’s often hard to not feel this way, especially when you’re surrounded by other people who are applying for jobs and talking about what they’re doing and interviews they’re having. Most people feel this way at least some of the time, even those people who seem like they’ve got it sorted. The important thing is to not spend all your time thinking about what everyone else is doing, as each person’s job hunt will be different. Instead think about what your next steps are and how you can move forward. The careers service has a range of content, events and people on hand to help you unpick any worries you might have. If you’re uncertain of how best to start, just book an appointment and let us know which stage you’re at and we can point you in the right direction and get you moving again.

Get in touch with us to explore your ideas and address your concerns.

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