How the voluntary drug or alcohol service works

If your drug or alcohol dependency is a barrier to you seeking, gaining or staying in work, discuss this with your Jobcentre Plus adviser. Your Jobcentre Plus adviser will be able to tell you about the nearest treatment service.

Where a suitable treatment provider is available and if you wish to attend your Jobcentre Plus adviser will either:

• arrange an appointment for you
• provide you with information for you to make your own appointment

You will have a discussion with a treatment professional. They will talk to you about the different ways to overcome your drug or alcohol dependency. They will also talk to you about the range of treatment options available to you.

Deciding on the best support for you may take more than one visit to a drug or alcohol treatment service. You might continue to be seen at the same place. You may also go to a different service which is more suited to your personal circumstances.

You can decide if you want to take part in a drug or alcohol treatment programme. If you do, you agree with your treatment professional the different types of treatment you need and the things you need help with. You should expect your treatment programme to last for at least three months. This is the minimum amount of time needed for the treatment to help you.

Your discussions and any treatment arrangements are confidential. Your treatment provider will not disclose information about your discussion or treatment to anyone else, even to Jobcentre Plus. They will only do this if you give your permission for the information to be shared.

Getting started with your business idea

There are lots of good reasons for wanting to work for yourself, like:

• having a great idea or passion that could be turned into profits
• wanting to work from home to fit in better with family commitments
• wanting to take more control of your life and be your own boss

If you get it right, being self-employed can be exciting, rewarding and challenging.

How satisfied are you with your career?

Thinking about what you’ve achieved in your career so far can be a good place to start. Success means different things to different people, but you may want to consider when changing career whether you’ve:

• enjoyed the challenges you’ve met in your work
• been promoted in line with your talents
• achieved a salary that lets you live the way you want
• built up expertise in your line of work
• made an impact – within your organisation, or more widely
• earned the respect of clients, customers and colleagues

Is it time to be changing career?

Work out whether your current job has let you achieve the level of success you want. This should give you an idea of whether it’s time for a change.

If you think a career change could benefit you, you’ll need to decide whether you want:

• a new role in your current organisation
• a change of employer
• a completely different career

Asking yourself some of the following questions may help you to work this out.

Are you enjoying the day-to-day tasks in your job?

If you’ve recently stopped enjoying the day-to-day activities in your job, consider what may be behind this. You may just be bored and need a new challenge. You may want to think about moving to a different department within your organisation – or to a different employer when changing career.

If you actively dislike parts of your day-to-day job ask yourself whether what you do is typical for someone in your line of work. Do you dislike the job because you don’t get the chance to use all of your talents? If you’re dissatisfied with the job itself, changing department or employer may not improve things. You may want to consider a more radical change.

Do you feel motivated by the people you work with?

How do you get on with colleagues, managers, clients and others in your workplace?

Consider whether any problems are due to personality clashes with particular individuals, the culture of the workplace – or the nature of the job itself.

Do you like the people you work with but are frustrated by the actual work? You may want to look at changing your role within the organisation or looking for a different role with a similar employer.

Are you satisfied with your work-life balance?

If you’re looking for a better fit with your family life, a change of job isn’t always necessary.

Technology is making it possible for more people to spend time working from home. You may have the right to ask your employer to make arrangements for flexible working. Your employer can refuse if there’s a good business reason to do so.

Is changing career really the best option.

 

Voluntary work

There are many benefits of volunteering. It is a great way of getting into a working environment which could help you:

Getting an email address

Employers will often tell you whether or not you have been successful applying for a job by email. In some cases, this is now the only way that some employers fill their vacancies. For example:

• most recruitment companies advertise job vacancies online
• there are currently around 1000 online job boards in the UK

To set up a personal email address, try the search engines (for example Google or Yahoo) as many offer a free email account. Or, put ‘free email address’ into a search engine and look through the results. Follow the instructions to set up a free email address.

What is your CV?

When writing a CV it should:

• be neat, typed if possible and to the best standard you can achieve in content and layout
• be short, two sides of a sheet of A4 paper is normally enough
• be positive, it should emphasise your achievements, strengths, successes and how you have contributed to your employers making a profit (add figures to support facts whenever you can and use positive action words, for example: ‘consulting’, ‘negotiating’, ‘managing’ and so on)
• make a good impression, this means presenting the facts about yourself in a clear and positive way

How to use your CV

Applying to companies to see if they have any vacancies

You can send your CV with a covering letter or email asking if they have any current or future vacancies in your trade. You can find names and addresses of companies in newspapers or in trade or telephone directories.

To remind you what you’ve done

You can use your CV to help you remember all the dates and information each time you have to fill in a different application form.

To help with applications by phone

Having your CV handy when applying for jobs by phone can help if you are asked to give more information about previous jobs. If you use textphone or Typetalk, having a copy of your CV can cut down the time you spend making a call.

At interviews

Having your CV with you while you’re waiting to be called in can help you refresh your memory. It is also handy to leave a copy with the interviewer if they do not already have one.

Registering with recruitment agencies

Agencies may sometimes ask to see your CV before you can register with them.

What to include

There is no set format. How you present your CV is up to you. However, you should include at least the following:

• your name
• your address
• your phone number
• your email address (if you have one)
• your career history

Put your most recent job first and include dates. Employers will be more interested in what you have done recently. Don’t leave gaps between dates, because employers will want to know what you did during those periods.

If you don’t have much work experience, you could include temporary, holiday, part-time or voluntary jobs too. If you’ve had many different jobs, emphasise the skills and experience you have across those jobs (for example, dealing with customers or communication skills).

You don’t need to include your date of birth

New laws on age discrimination mean that you do not need to put your date of birth, or your age, on your CV.

Here are some examples you may want to include:

A personal profile

This is a short statement at the beginning of your CV to sell yourself, to show your skills, experience and personal qualities. You could include positive words such as ‘competent’, ‘adaptable’, and ‘conscientious’.

Tailor the statement to the requirements of each job that you apply for. Make it clear to the employer that you’re the right person for the job.

Achievements

Mention things you did well in your past jobs which could be relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Qualifications and training

Include any qualifications and training from previous jobs (for example, training in health and safety or a certificate in food hygiene). Put the most recent first, and include qualifications you got from school or college.

Interests

These can support your application if your hobbies and leisure activities highlight responsibilities and skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. Perhaps you belong to a club or society which you organise activities for, or you use leadership skills or teamwork as part of the activity.

Other information

It is up to you whether to include this, but it can be helpful if there are gaps in your CV. If you had a career break because you were caring for children or elderly relatives, make this a positive thing. Think about the skills you used doing this. If the job you’re applying for is different from what you’ve done in the past, explain why you’re interested in the new type of work.

References

It’s good to have two or more people who can provide a work or personal reference. Ideally, one should be your most recent employer. If you haven’t worked for a while it could be someone who has known you for a long time. It should be someone who can comment on your qualities in relation to the job. You should ask the person to agree to this beforehand.

Ask a friend or relative to read through your CV to make sure it’s accurate and shows your skills in a positive way.

Job vacancy – an example

In this example, you have seen the following job advertised and you want to apply:

Westfords Ltd.
Require IT Support Officers
40 hours per week – 8.45 am to 5.15 pm.
Photo ID personalisation and smart card encoding company are seeking IT support officers.
Responsibilities include upkeep of computers and in-house software and quality assurance of products.
Must have experience with computers.
Knowledge of printers preferred but not essential as full training given.
Apply in writing with a covering letter and CV to:

Mr Knight
Westfords Ltd
500 Sample Street
Sample Town
LZX 1XX

Identifying important information in the advert

The following is the important information contained in the advert.

The company
Westfords Ltd. You could look at their website to learn more about the company. If they don’t have a website you might be able to find information at your local library. This research might help you to write your application.

Job title and duties

• IT Support Officer
• upkeep of computers and in-house software
• checking consumables and in-house software
• quality assurance of finished products

Qualifications and skills needed

• must have experience with computers
• printer experience preferred but not essential as full training will be given

Pay

• no rate given - ring to check

Hours

• 40 hours per week: Monday to Friday 8.45 am – 5.15 pm

How to apply

• in writing - with a covering letter and a CV

Writing a covering letter

What to include

Underline the skills in the advert. Write a rough copy of your letter and include the skills underlined. Be positive and emphasise why you are perfect for the job. You should include any relevant skills you have.

Suggested layout

First, give a summary of your skills and experience. Keep it brief and to the point. Then, say when you will be free for an interview. Remember to include your name, address, phone number (if you have one), the date and enclose a copy of your CV.

What to say

Be clear. Don’t use a long word if a short one will do. If you have been unemployed for a while, say how you spend your spare time (for example, by doing voluntary work, study and so on). Be honest, don’t say you enjoy bungee jumping if you get dizzy standing on a stool, you will get caught out at an interview. Keep to the facts and try not to oversell yourself.

How to say it

Include the job reference number if there is one in the job details. Enter it below the opening line. For example:

Dear Mrs……
Re: Job reference 345

Try to find out the name of the person you need to write to. If you start with ‘Dear Sir/Madam’, end with ‘Yours faithfully’. If you start with the person’s name (for example, ‘Dear Mrs Smith’, end with ‘Yours sincerely’. Finally, double-check your spelling and grammar before sending the letter.

How the letter looks

Be neat, whether your letter is handwritten or typed. Leave plenty of space around the edges and a clear space between each paragraph. Use good quality plain paper and envelopes. Check against your rough copy to make sure you have not missed anything. If your application is in audio format check that the content is clear, to the point and easy to understand.

Sign the letter and print your name underneath to make sure it can be read easily. Ask a friend or relative to check over your letter before you send it. Finally, make sure your application arrives on time. If you are posting it, allow for delays. If your application is late, the company might not even consider it and your time will have been wasted.