Getting a Job

Looking for a job and getting a job can be difficult and you might have to apply to a number of employers before you are successful. Firstly you need to decide on what type of job you want, where you can get training and what hours you can work!

The hours you work depend on the job that you do, some are daytime, some evening and some involve working different shifts. Some employers offer flexible working hours, which means you can start and finish at different times of the day. You have the right to ask for flexible working hours, especially if you have children to look after.

It is important to show potential employers that you are the best person for the job, so if you have skills, qualifications and training they need to know this. Many employers will offer on the job training and qualifications, some may also pay for you to attend a course.

To apply for a job, most employers have application forms that they will ask you to complete or will ask you for a CV. Application forms ask for details of your education, work experience and what skills you possess. A CV is very similar, but is something that you produce instead of an application form. It’s a good idea to produce a CV anyway, making sure it is well organised, easy to understand, and free from any spelling or grammar mistakes.

YEPS can also support you to complete a CV or apply for a job, get in touch via Facebook – @YEPSRCT, email us at yeps@rctcbc.gov.uk, ring our office on 01443 281436 or pop into one of our youth clubs. To find your closest youth club check out the interactive map on our Activities page.

Don’t forget to check out this organisations who can also support you in finding a job and completing a CV: Careers Wales, Universal Jobmatch and Indeed.

Apprenticeships and Training

If you want to learn as you work, you could think about work-based training, working towards a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) or a modern Apprenticeship.

NVQ’s are nationally recognised qualifications that show you have achieved the practical skills and knowledge that enable you to do a job effectively. They are practical qualifications where you are assessed as you work.

You study one level at a time, with qualification levels from 1 to 5. Sometimes you will be required to produce a portfolio or folder of evidence to prove that you can carry out particular tasks.

There are a variety of NVQ’s to choose from, including business and management, engineering and construction, health care and beauty, catering and leisure services. NVQ’s can be studied as part of work-based training, at college, or as part of an apprenticeship.

There is an all Wales programme that provides funding to employers offering high quality apprenticeship programmes who recruit and train additional young apprentices (16-24 yrs old) called the Young Recruits Programme. If you are employed and there is no training on offer you could speak to your employers about this programme.

If you’re unemployed and looking for an apprenticeship, you can search and apply on-line for vacancies via the Careers Wales Apprenticeship Matching Service.

Entrepreneurs

An entrepreneur is someone that creates a new business or enterprise as opposed to working for someone else. This can be risky and unstable but also very rewarding.

Some entrepreneurs set up businesses so there is no limit on what they can potentially earn – if their business is successful then they make and keep the profits. This is also called self-employment, where the entrepreneur generates their own income, pays their own tax and national insurance.

Some entrepreneurs set up social enterprises which have charitable or community benefits so that the success of their enterprise is measured not in financial terms but by how much it benefits people or communities.

Whether you are a business or social entrepreneur you need to be very committed and determined to succeed. You might have a good idea or a skill that you would like to turn into a business or enterprise but preparation, research and planning will be key factors in ensuring you successful.

Most entrepreneurs share the same qualities:

• Passionate about what they want to do
• Have identified a gap in the market or have an awareness of opportunities
• Have a hobby or skill that can be turned into a business
• Are not scared to take risks
• Self-motivated
• Initiative

Being enterprising doesn’t necessarily have to mean working for yourself, having enterprising skills could also help you to get a job, gain promotion or contribute to the growth of your employer’s business.