Express London Job Seekers Blog

There’s no doubt we’re in a job seekers market, but could there be roadblocks standing in the way of their next job opportunity? In August, we asked our readers to list the top barriers job seekers are facing today. With 25.9%, the top answer to the monthly poll was “Compensation too low,” followed by “Lack of necessary skills for available jobs,” with 17.2%. With another 12.9% of the votes, readers said the “Rising cost of living,” while 8.4% of respondents cited “Lack of flexible work hours” as a top barrier to employment for job seekers. The rest of the results are as follows: “Arranging dependent care (childcare, eldercare, etc.)” (5.2%) “Lack of transportation” (4.5%) “Lack of soft skills” (2.6%) “Lack of job opportunities” (1.9%) “Lack of benefits” (1.9%)   Another 19.4% of respondents chose the “other” option. Here are a few of their responses: “Job postings requiring years of experience for little pay. As well as lack of entry-level positions for college graduates requiring zero experience.” “Poor advertising of open …

Football is a team sport that calls for perseverance, goal setting, discipline, and teamwork. It’s a competitive sport, and during the season, teams seek to impress their fans on the field with all the hard work they put in during practice. You can use the same principles at work. Here are three career lessons you can learn from football: Do Your Job Well and Thrive If you’re a long-time football fan or root for the New England Patriots, you’ve undoubtedly heard head coach Bill Belichick repeat this phrase: Do your job. Belichick has long stated that this mindset is something he has kept with him throughout his coaching career and has contributed to his team’s success in reaching and winning multiple Super Bowl championships. You can also apply Coach Belichick’s philosophy to your work. Just like on the football field, each position on the job is critical to successfully executing a project, meeting a deadline, or completing quarterly and yearly objectives for your team and company. Recognizing the role you …

September 16 was National Tradesmen Day, and we’d like to honor and celebrate those who work in the Skilled Trades industry.  The holiday is observed on the third Friday of September to recognize the hard-working and dedicated people who keep the world running. So, what is a skilled trade? At the most basic level, a skilled trade is any job that requires a specialized skill, usually obtained through a technical school, college, or on-the-job training through an apprenticeship or internship. There is high demand for Skilled Trades positions, and longevity in this field should be considered. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we’re going to need more than four million skilled laborers to replace the nearly eight million lost from the labor force during the pandemic. To put things into perspective, Express put more than 262,000 people to work in the Manufacturing industry in 2021. Here are some of the characteristics of a tradesmen professional: Safety-conscious Reliable Problem-solving Customer service If you’re a tradesman professional or looking to start …

The willingness to learn new skills and be a good match with the company’s culture are some of the most desired characteristics employers want out of job seekers, according to a recent survey from Express Employment Professionals. Cover letters are a way to showcase your soft skills and personality, but they can also be a great way to give insight into your integrity. With the average read time of cover letters at less than one minute, you’ll want to keep your cover letter brief but still take advantage of the opportunity to stand out. We’ve previously discussed three ways to establish your integrity in a cover letter, and we’ve now added two additional tips to the list. I’m Trustworthy After you read the job description or job posting, include a brief story in your cover letter of when you have been trusted in the past to take care of related tasks. State how you handled the request and the pride you felt in completing the project. If you have specific …

If you haven’t updated your resume in a while, now may be the time that inspires you to do it. September was International Update Your Resume Month, designated by Career Directors International. We at Job Journey want to help you revamp and polish your resume with these four tips. Remove Past Work Experience That’s No Longer Relevant Resumes are supposed to be brief and to the point. On your resume, you do not need to list every job you’ve held. Remove jobs or internships you had in college if you’ve been working in your field for five or 10 years. The acceptable length for a resume is normally two pages, so you can trim the fat by removing early employment. There may be times though when your previous work experience will benefit your resume. If it is beneficial, you’ll want to keep it listed. Update Your Resume With Job Milestones Don’t just update your resume when actively looking for a new job. Include milestones on your resume while they are …

There may come a time in your job hunt when you must cancel or postpone an interview. Although most people don’t enjoy canceling something they had scheduled, it does happen occasionally. The key to canceling an interview is communication. Here are some tips to help you effectively communicate when your interview plans change. Canceling an Interview An interview may need to be canceled for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you found a better opportunity and accepted a job elsewhere. Was there anything about the position or the company that made you reconsider? Did you decide to stay at your current job? Whatever the cause, you should notify the company as soon as possible. Nobody enjoys wasting time. Good practice would be to let your recruiter or hiring manager know you would like to cancel a few days prior to the interview. It is not necessary for your explanation to be lengthy and drawn out. Simply notify them by email or phone that you will be unavailable for interviews. Canceling Interview …

You recently accepted a job offer, and your start date is just around the corner. So why are you experiencing anxiety or uneasiness in a moment that should be exciting? Whether this is your first job or the beginning of a new career path, you can take on your new position confidently. Here are some pointers for overcoming anxiety when starting a new job. Prepare in Advance Dress code policy: If your company’s dress code wasn’t addressed after you received your offer, get clarity on it. Make sure your closet matches the job. Nothing is worse than wearing something that is out of policy and being told to go home and change, especially if your job requires special PPE like steel-toed boots. Test your work commute: Another way to alleviate some of the stress of starting a new job is to test the route to work. If you’ve never seen the building or job site before or the job is in a different city, drive the route at the same …

In September, companies often start ramping up their hiring efforts, just in time for the upcoming holiday season. These jobs are a great way to pick up some holiday cash. We want to know if you plan on looking for seasonal work over the holidays. Let us know by voting in our poll! View Survey

Are you passionate about helping animals and have a positive, friendly, and self-motivated attitude? As a Veterinary Technician, you’ll use your talents and skills to support veterinarians by caring for animals during medical exams and procedures. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Veterinary Technicians held approximately 114,000 jobs in 2020, with a 15% increase expected by 2030. This month’s Job Spotlight blog series delves into what it takes to be a Veterinary Technician. Required Education: Veterinary Technicians may be required to have an Associate’s degree. Most states require technologists and technicians to pass the Veterinary Technician National Examination, offered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards. The Canada Veterinary Medical Association also offers programs for Veterinary Technicians. Pay: Pay varies depending on multiple factors (e.g. experience, geographic area, etc.). Typically, Veterinary Technicians can earn $36,850 annually. What Do Veterinary Technicians Do? Veterinary Technicians deal with a variety of responsibilities, including but not limited to: Observe the behavior and condition of animals Provide nursing care or emergency first aid to …

Some days are tough on the job, and you may want to release those emotions by expressing your feelings to someone rather than keeping them bottled up inside. Have you ever held a vent session with a co-worker? Here are a few ways to productively vent at work. Be Mindful of Who You Vent To Do you have a dependable co-worker you can confide in at work? If so, you’ll want to be considerate of their time. It might be helpful to plan the venting session for a time when neither of you is overloaded with projects and meetings. It’s also crucial to avoid developing a pattern of constantly venting to the same co-worker. This does not mean it’s wise to find multiple people to hold vent sessions with at work. Venting should be temporary. Also, be sure to allow your trustworthy co-worker to occasionally vent to you if they feel comfortable doing so. You can also set boundaries with your co-workers about venting to you. Be Mindful of Where …