Blue Monday? Make it Count. Make it Green!
It’s around this time each year that local radio and social media often highlight the dreaded ‘Blue Monday’ – the third Monday in January alleged to be the most depressing day of the year! Rather than seeing this as a self-fulfilling prophecy, it’s worth seeing it as a waypoint for considering personal objectives and setting these in motion. If one of your personal objectives for 2022 is to get a new or better job in ecological consultancy, one that fills you with excitement rather than trepidation, then here are a few suggestions to help you identify your perfect job, successfully make it to interview and secure that elusive offer.
Find a job and organisation that suits you
– when looking for roles within your area of training or expertise, consider the size and culture of the organisations you apply to. Larger organisations often offer more structured working environments with well-defined roles and career paths. They may also provide the ride-to-workscheme or breakfast bacon baps you’ve always been after. On the other hand, some smaller firms can offer broader roles, exposing individuals to project management and coordination experience earlier in their careers, alongside the more traditional field survey work, potentially opening doors to accelerated career progression. Pick the right small firm and you may also get the opportunity to routinely work alongside individuals who are national experts in their respective fields, something the large organisation can also offer of course, but not always with the same level of day-to-day interaction.
Make your application stand-out from the crowd
– use your covering letter (always provide a covering letter!) and accompanying CV to demonstrate exactly how you meet the requirements of the advertised role. If there are areas you don’t have direct experience in, tell them how you intend to address this. Use the covering letter to highlight key qualifications as well as skills and experience relevant to the role criteria but keep this succinct by directing the reader to your CV for further details. Don’t forget to also explain why you’re passionate about the role you’re applying for and why you think you would be a good match for their organisation. Do your research so your application is tailored to the company and role you’re applying for, it really is obvious if you are sending out generic responses.
Be dynamic
– when you get to interview as you surely will, try to think on your feet and quickly determine what type of person the interviewer is looking for. Broadly speaking, interviewers will fall into two categories: there are those that focus on existing skills and experience, whilst others may put greater emphasis on an individual’s attitude and development potential. After all, skills can be learned, whereas attitude and potential can’t be taught. Once you’ve worked out what your interviewer is looking for, you need to tailor your responses accordingly, sprinkling in your understanding of the company’s ethos, key projects and core areas of expertise – you’ll have done your research ahead of the interview of course.
Look the part
– don’t be fooled, every interviewer wants to know you’re taking the interview seriously. Turn up on time, look smart and be polite. If you’re being interviewed remotely, make sure you have a good background in place and that the dog isn’t walking in and out of shot. Sitting on your bed with the cat on your lap won’t get you the job.
Whether you’re looking for a new job or setting yourself exciting travel or fitness goals, let’s banish Blue Monday and embrace Green Monday – Green for Go!
