Tag: CAREER

Guest Post: 7 Reasons To Kick-Start Your Career By Being A Volunteer

If you are finding it hard to break into a new field, maybe you should be looking a little further out. Most employers demand relevant experience and proven skills, which those looking to start a career just do not have. A quick stint of volunteering overseas could give you the experience you need and help your CV stand out from the pack.

1. Thrills. So you need to build up skills for a new career? Well, you could just grab a lowly position locally and push papers waiting to be noticed or you could get some real-life experience and some real thrills by volunteering in exotic locations around the globe.

The only papers you will need to get in order are your travel visas as you get the chance to see beyond the tourist trail in Thailand, Fiji, China or the majestic landscapes of Africa. Escape the daily drill and get a real thrill in stunning locations all over the world.

2. Skills. Of course volunteering is not all about the thrill. Employers demand evidence of real skills, and volunteer organisations such as Projects Abroad (http://www.projects-abroad.ca) can give you the chance to gain these in fields as varied as journalism, care, medicine, archaeology, teaching, development, human rights, conservation, marketing and many more.

These are skills learnt in real situations and practiced in difficult circumstances: they prove you can cut it when the going gets tough.

3. Put yourself on the map (1). Volunteering overseas will reveal your commitment to a profession so much more than a 10-week training course can. It makes your intentions and dedication crystal clear and helps your CV to stand out from the pile. After all, a couple of months in Tanzania are a talking point – a training course is just another bullet point.

4. Put yourself on the map (2). You will be placing yourself on the map in more ways than one, however. Volunteering overseas is an intense experience shared with a team of international volunteers. You will bond quickly with other volunteers and be coming home with cheap holiday opportunities with new-found friends all over the world.

5. Take a hip trip. With the advent of voluntourism – that is, volunteering on projects to travel the world – volunteering is sexy. Many say it is the best way to travel – letting you really get to know the places you visit while you gain new skills and meaningful experiences.

Recent celebrity volunteers helping make it the ultimate hip trip include George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Bono, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron.

6. Try before you buy. Volunteering overseas is a great way to try before you buy, or look before you leap. If you are thinking of applying for overseas work, it is the ideal way to test the waters before taking the plunge.

Similarly, if you are thinking of entering a new field, it offers a great way to see if the grass really is greener. There are organisations that offer short projects to make this possible – care and community and sports programs for 16-19-year-olds, for instance. Here you can find additional information on this project. Volunteering is a great way to not believe the hype and see for yourself.

7. Budge the drudge and catch the buzz. Sitting behind the computer conducting online job searches and firing off endless CVs is a bore. It can sap your energy, motivation and enthusiasm. Volunteering overseas lets you gain the skills you need to get those interviews and will gives you a buzz that will help you impress at those interviews.

Stop waiting for an opportunity and start doing something that will create it. See you on the next rung of the career ladder!

September 8, 2012
Guest Post: 7 Reasons To Pick Teaching As A Career

Teaching is never easy and it can seem like a thankless task when you spend the whole weekend marking, only to be mocked by friends who joke that you get too many holidays. However, there are many reasons why you should pick teaching as a career and undertake a teaching qualification such as Middlesex University PGCE courses.

1. Holidays. Let’s get that one out the way first. We know you didn’t choose to be a teacher just because of the holidays. We also know that, despite what your friends and family think, you will spend a large chunk of your holiday marking papers and writing lesson plans. But all those holidays are nice and even when you are working, it is a luxury to be able to work from home.

2. Rewarding. There’s nothing like seeing your class finish a long and complicated project or put on a play. You will watch your pupils learn and grow as people as they get older. You will feel almost as proud as the parents when the day comes for them to leave your school and take their next step in the world.

3. Changing Lives. Not many careers will give you the opportunity to have a positive influence on children and shape their future for the better. You may spot a creative talent in a pupil and give them the confidence to pursue their dream when they would have otherwise decided to opt for a safer career instead.

4. Getting To Teach A Subject You Love. Whether it’s art, English, science or maths that is your passion, nothing will give you more joy than being able to work in this field everyday. You will also be able to share your love for a subject with others and have the reward of watching them enjoy learning about it too.

5. Job Security. Not many careers provide jobs for life these days, but a good teacher will always be able to find work in their chosen area. There are also a number career progression opportunities available and you can choose to move up to be the head of department, head of year or even head teacher.

6. Job Opportunities Away From The Main Cities. This can enable you to find work away from busy cities and avoid the high house prices and traffic hell that city dwellers have to endure.

7. Work Around Your Family. Even if you don’t have a family now, you may consider starting one in the future. As a teacher, you will be off school at the same time that your children are so you could save a fortune in child care costs and spend more time with your children too. You also won’t have to worry about asking a nagging boss for time off because your holidays are set out for you each year. You can’t grumble about that!

June 10, 2012
Guest Post: 7 Reasons You Need To Volunteer Abroad

If you are coming to the end of your studies, most of you will soon be busy checking job websites, scanning the local papers and trying to find that perfect first position. However, given the tough economic climate, more and more young people are finding it tough to get a job at all – let alone find the perfect one.

With that in mind, here’s seven reasons why we think now’s the right time to volunteer abroad.

1. You Develop As A Person. By far and away the biggest benefit to you by volunteering abroad is that you yourself will develop as a person. You will meet people from across the world you’re unlikely to have met if you’d stayed at home. You’ll develop skills and nurture friendships that will last a lifetime, and once you return you will have stories to tell. Whatever it is you do, you will develop into a more well-rounded person.

2. You See The World. By volunteering abroad you can choose the country which you’ve always dreamed of visiting. You could go to Africa and work in an orphanage, visit India and deliver life-saving medication to slum dwellers or work on a conservation project saving turtles in South America. Whatever you do or wherever you go, seeing majestic mountains or crystal clear seas is by far and away more appealing than a rainy Redditch.

3. You Change Lives. One of the major benefits of volunteering abroad is to change lives. By volunteering abroad the time and effort you give on your project will make a difference to peoples’ lives. For example, if you help dig a well for a water pipe, it could keep a village stocked with clean drinking water for years. Even if your volunteering work is just looking after children, the time you spend volunteering will help – it all adds up.

4. You View A Culture From The Inside. By spending time in a country different from the one you grew up in, you will be given a unique learning experience by interacting with a new culture. You may learn a new language, try new foods, have to dress differently. Wherever it is you go you will view a culture from the inside – helping to challenge proposed “norms” and making you a more well-rounded person.

5. You Meet New People. You will not be alone when you volunteer abroad. For years you have probably surrounded yourself with the same friends and same family members, without branching out and meeting new people. What could be better than jetting off abroad and interacting with people from all four corners of the world? People who work abroad make friends for life – and, with the advent of Facebook, keeping in touch with them and reminiscing about the time you spent together is easier than ever.

6. You Can Influence Your Future Career. You might have spent years studying accountancy. You may know everything there is to know about English Literature. But two weeks spent abroad helping orphans afflicted by AIDS can put it all into perspective. You may come back and decide you don’t want to photocopy spreadsheets or write email marketing newsletters for a company which sells lawnmowers. Volunteering abroad really can influence your future career.

7. You Boost Your CV. But finally, the biggest benefit for volunteering abroad is that it will boost your CV. Jobs nowadays are few and far between. Spend a few weeks abroad making a difference to people’s lives, meeting new people, trying new things and having new experiences and you will have something to put on your CV which stands out. You will not only stand out from the competition when you go for an interview, you’ll be showing prospective employers you’re motivated, you’ve got guts and interpersonal skills far and above your peers.

Author Bio: Original Volunteers is a provider of voluntary work opportunities across the world. For information on how you can work abroad please visit the website.

May 3, 2012
Guest Post: 7 Reasons Why It’s Still A Great Idea To Pass Your Driving Test

The recession seems to be driving many of the UK’s learner drivers off the road. A recent news item carried by the BBC reported that the number of 17 to 22-year-olds undergoing a driving test has dropped by 19 per cent over the last seven years. In the spirit of encouraging the much-beleaguered motoring industry, here is a list of seven good reasons why taking and passing your driving test is still a highly advantageous thing to do.

via http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenjonbro/6406750887/

1. Confidence. Former Prime minister Margaret Thatcher was once quoted as saying, “Any man who rides a bus to work after the age of 30 can count himself as a failure in life.” While the quote is very harsh, it is certainly true that driving can give you confidence. Pass your test and you can feel proud that you have a great skill under your belt. And when the L-Plates come off you have the option of taking the car or catching a bus into work without Mrs Thatcher’s cruel words ringing in your ears.

2. Career Opportunities. Many jobs – taxi driving, breakdown recovery and chauffeuring included – can only be done by a person with a good, clean driving licence. Stating that you can drive looks great on your CV and, with less people taking their driving test, there could soon be a gap in the market for applicants who can drive. See taking your driving test as an investment – something which could one day land you a dream job.

3. Comfort. Have you ever been waiting for a bus on a rainy day when a car has driven past and splashed you with a puddle? Trust me; it’s a feeling which makes you feel like you’ve had sand kicked in your face. To travel by public transport is to throw yourself at the mercy of the elements. When you drive your own vehicle you can be the master of your own fate and have your own personal space. Anyone who has been on a bus with an empty lager can rolling down the aisle while passengers play loud music or engage in loud phone conversations knows they are not truly in control of their environment the way they are in their own car.

4. Safety. It’s a general rule of thumb that the longer you spend behind the wheel the better you will be as a driver. The sooner you pass your test the sooner you will become a more skilled, and safe, driver.

5. Options. Driving gives you more options. You don’t have to worry about catching that last bus home. You can go for a drive to a friend’s house on Christmas Day when there is no public transport in operation. And you can visit an out-of-town IKEA store without having to worry about lugging home flat-pack furniture. You can also have the option of being generous with your driving time – giving lifts to family and loved ones who bestowed the same favour on you before you learned to drive.

6. Rites Of Passage. Passing your driving test is a modern rite of passage. Ripping up your L-Plates is just a great feeling – like the moment when you discard your water-wings or take the stabilisers off your first bike. Even if you can’t afford to drive as soon as you pass your test, it’s a great skill to have up your sleeve.

7. Driving For Pleasure. Driving for pleasure might seem like a strange activity. Surely only High School students in American films cruise around the streets for fun with no destination in mind? It’s about time the forgotten art of driving for the sake of enjoyment is revived. So wind down the sunroof, head out on to a country road and get in touch with one of modern life’s most under-rated pleasures.

Author Bio: James Christie writes for breakdown cover company – GEM Motoring Assist.

March 22, 2012
7 Reasons Andre Agassi’s Career Should Not Be Overshadowed By Crystal Meth Admission

1. Mistakes. We make them. Human’s are pre-programmed to make errors in judgement. It’s why fifteen million people watch the X-Factor. It’s why we failed to launch this blog on time yesterday. No one means to do these things, but there is something beautiful about not being perfect..

2. Andre Agassi – the tennis playing version – was an entertainer, adored the world over for his bowing, his kissing and his silly pony tail. That is who you fell in love with. Don’t forget it.

3. His autobiography, ‘Open’ hits the shelves soon. Waterstone’s only have so much space in their stockroom. To boycott Agassi’s book, is to prevent booksellers bringing in other titles. Like ‘Methematics For Dummies’.

4. There is no evidence that Crystal Meth is a performance enhancing drug. At least in the sporting arena. All we know, is that when Agassi got high, he had an urge to whip out the feather duster and polish the bookcase. Nothing wrong with a spot of cleaning now and again is there?

5. He’s retired. The future generation of tennis stars aren’t watching Agassi. They are watching Murray and Nadal. They are the role-models of today and we should be thankful for that. The game needs bigger biceps and more monotone voices.

6. We don’t remember Jennifer Capriati or Martina Hingis for anything other than their performances on court. Or their legs. Agassi should be treated in a similar vein. His legs were superbly crafted specimens.

7. I haven’t looked at Agassi’s bank account recently, but I doubt he’s short of cash. So I don’t buy the usual, ‘let’s put this in the book to sell more copies’ accusation. I think he’s genuinely sorry and if his name is now tarnished, well, then he feels he deserves it. Or maybe his ghost writer holds a grudge?

Do you want to save Andre’s reputation? Join the campaign in the comments section.

October 28, 2009