Career advice: 2017 celebration
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Is 2017 the year to make a change in your career? We can help

6 Jan 2017

As we come to the end of the first working week of 2017, we offer some career advice for those looking to switch things up in the new year.

Happy New Year faithful Careers readers, and welcome back!

It might be grim outside, but here we’re still full of festive cheer. Nah, we kid. We’re back at our desks, too. We know it’s hard. We understand. That’s why, this week, we’re all about ‘new year, new you’. (Sorry.)

You’ve just enjoyed nearly two weeks in the bosom of home (being pampered and looked after) or on a fun vacation (being pampered and looked after), getting a chance to relax and unwind and, most of all, remember what joy feels like.

Now you’re back at the nine to five and, suddenly, everything feels horrendous. Your job is the worst, people are terrible and who invented commuting anyway? You’ve been back at work less than a week and, already, you’re eyeing the exit.

Don’t worry. We’re here to help.

Make yourself more hireable

First up, we posed an interesting thought experiment: does your job suck? Have you ever considered whether, actually, it’s you who suck? We took a look at how you can tell if your job is terrible, or if it’s just your attitude that’s the worst.

If it’s a little from column A and a little from column B, and you want to improve your situation, you could do worse than to create a few New Year’s career resolutions. Hays gave us an idea of where you should start.

Maybe you’ve realised, though, that what you really need is a change of scene. If you’re really resenting the thought of having to venture into the outside world this soon after the holidays, you might consider working from home. We have some stellar tips that will make you as productive as possible, even when you’re that close to pyjamas, bed and TV.

And if none of that is enough for you, and you’re still climbing the walls of your proverbial prison, we made it easier to plot your escape.

Not sure how to make your cover letter zing? We’ve got you. CV tips? Gather ’round children, and let us tell you a story.

Get what you want

And not only have we pulled together some great advice for making your application stand out from the rest, we’ve also offered you some tips on making your CV work for you. Fancy a better starting salary? The negotiation starts with your résumé.

If you’re lucky enough to make it through to the interview room after all of that, we also gathered some tips on how to turn around an interview that’s heading south.

And, if you make it to the job offer stage, we can help you there, too. Is your potential new employer offering you a suitable benefits package? When looking for new work, or even renegotiating your package in your current role, it’s important to focus on benefits that work for you. Remember: it can be about more than money.

Maybe, though, amidst all the changes, you’re planning on going big – not just changing companies, but moving in a completely new direction. If you’re interested in reskilling, or are just planning out your career path, take a look at our guide to becoming a technology consultant.

Recruitment tips

Of course, ‘new year, new you’ doesn’t just relate to employees – businesses and organisations are switching it up as well, which means HR teams have their work cut out for them over the coming weeks. We can help there, too.

First, we looked at the common mistakes made by those writing job adverts. We also looked at unconscious bias and how it can play a part in recruitment, as well as the tools that can help recruiters to negate it.

Finally, we started off 2017 with some good news for Irish industry and talent: according to the IDA, non-Irish international companies are employing just marginally less than 200,000 people on the island. Yay employment!

As always, for more on any of these stories, follow the links below.

1. Hate your job? Here’s how to change your mindset

Back at work? These can be a tough few weeks to get through. Is it just the January blues or are you really not happy? It might not be your job that’s the problem.

2. 7 New Year resolutions you can actually stick to

Have you made any New Year resolutions yet? Make 2017 the year of your career with these seven resolutions from Hays that you will actually be able to stick to.

3. How to work productively from home

Whether you’re clocking some work hours from the comfort of your own home, switching half your office time to your house or planning to work remotely full-time this year, you’ll need to stay productive.

4. 3 simple ways to make your cover letter shine

As many job applications move online and become more streamlined, you might be lucky to avoid the dreaded cover letter. If you need to send one, or just want to stand out, here’s what you have to do.

5. How to make your CV the best one in the pile

The new year is always a good time to start afresh. If you’re looking to move jobs or pursue your dream career in 2017, you’ll need a killer CV to get you those interviews.

6. Could your CV help you get a better salary?

You might think your salary doesn’t come into the equation until you’ve been offered a new job, but there are a number of subtle hints you can plant in your CV to ensure you’re starting out on the right foot.

7. How to turn around a bad job interview

Sometimes, you just know when a job interview is not going your way. But that doesn’t mean you’ve already lost the job.

8. Which benefits are most beneficial to you?

So, you’ve landed your dream job – time to talk perks and salary. But before you jump at the first offer you hear, do you know which benefits are best for you?

9. How to be a technology consultant in 5 easy(ish) steps

Technology consultancy can be an exciting and varied job field, but how do you get into it? We have some insights and tips from PwC technology consultant, Aisling Tumelty.

10. 3 mistakes you should avoid when writing a job advert

The new year is typically a time for growth and change. For businesses, that can mean hiring for a slew of new roles. Hays’ Susie Timlin offers some tips on crafting the perfect job advert.

11. Is unconscious bias keeping you from the best talent?

It’s no secret that the tech sector looks pretty homogeneous. With platforms like Triplebyte, finding the best, most diverse talent can be incredibly simple.

12. Overseas companies employ nearly 200,000 people in Ireland

IDA Ireland has released its end-of-year report for 2016 and, with it, the news that Ireland has just below 200,000 people employed by client overseas companies – the highest level on record.

Looking for jobs in tech or science? Check out our Employer Profiles for information on companies hiring right now and sign up for our Career Republic e-zine for a weekly digest of sci-tech careers news and advice.

Kirsty Tobin
By Kirsty Tobin

Kirsty Tobin served as careers editor of Silicon Republic from 2015 up to August 2017. When she was younger, she had a dream where she started and won a fight with a T-Rex, so she’s pretty sure she kicked butt at this, too. Passions include eating all the cake, watching more TV than is healthy and sassy comebacks.

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