Get Your Next Job Or Promotion Even During Lock-Down
Posted By: Andy Barker
Clinics are shut, there is no sport and everything other than front line care in the NHS has been cancelled.
With the current situation you might think that this might reduce your chances of employment, maybe your first job, or your chances of getting your next promotion.
Whilst there is no question this is a challenging time, there is so much you can do, right NOW, to help your career prospects.
In this blog you will discover what actions you can take right now during lock-down, that will make you more attractive as a therapist and improve you chances of getting that next job role.
Surely There Will Be Less Opportunities?
Covid-19 has already had a massive financial impact on the economy and the therapy industry is not excluded.
Private clinics are closed…
…sport as we know it has been cancelled and therapists are unable to work or are having to manage their athletes remotely, and…
…all but the very urgent and front-line therapy in the NHS has been cancelled.
It may take many months, even years, for the industry to return to what it was like pre Covid-19.
Clinics and sporting organisations may restructure and not have the funds to offer new job opportunities.
The government will surely try to recoup some of the extra billions it has already spent and the billions it will spend in the coming months to tackle Covid-19 and the NHS may see funding cuts in years to come as a result.
There are a lot of questions…
…many that we do not really know the answers to.
What we do know however, is that the demand for New Grad jobs post lock-down will intensify.
More therapists going for the same jobs, means that you might have to do something different to stand out from your peers and get that first job from University or that next promotion.
But all is not lost.
Just this week I have helped a New Grad secure a role for when she qualifies.
She had an online interview just last week and she will start as soon as her exam results have been confirmed and she gets her registration through.
There are opportunities out there.
The key is knowing what to do to stand out from the crowd and set yourself apart from your peers.
How To Stand Out From Your Peers
Unfortunately, the best candidates do not always get the best jobs.
The best candidates do not even always get an interview.
You may be the best candidate for a job but if you cannot get yourself in that interview room then you have zero chance of being offered that job.
There are many ways you can stand out from the crowd, grab the attention of those that will be interviewing and ensure you get a seat at the interview table.
At least then you can tell employers what you can do and what value you would bring to their organisation.
The most obvious and one of the biggest barriers to getting in the interview room is the CV.
I have seen some great and some poor New Grad Physio CV’s over the years.
You do not need me to tell you which physios got offered the interviews.
The worst thing is…
Those poor attempts at a CV probably were not due to a lack of effort or time spent putting them together.
They were the result of therapists NOT knowing how to put together a proper therapy CV.
Do Not Wait…Get Ready NOW
Now is the time to get ready.
During lock-down you have the best opportunity you will ever have to spend the time on your CV.
Doing this now will ensure you are ready, so when a job opportunity does come up you have this document ready to send and are not having to stay up half the night putting one together last minute, to send in prior to the deadline the next day.
You have time to edit, proofread and ask for help and support from others, to get your CV to a level that looks professional and your potential employer will want to read.
Even if you are ‘happy’ in your current role and have no immediate desire to apply for a new role, I would urge you to use this time wisely and update your CV, so should that time come, you are not rushing around.
You might be finishing off your studies and at this time be very busy with your assignments and University work, however, you don’t want to miss the boat and you need to be ready to act when an application opens up for that first job you really want.
Do not waste this opportunity and then wonder why you do not get that interview.
Watching Netflix and scrolling through Instagram during lock-down is NOT going to help but updating your CV will.
Key Points
Less Opportunities Will Be Available: The current situation is having a big hit on the economy and this has the potential to make securing your first or next job more challenging in the months (and even years) that follow
Stand Out From Your Peers: If ever there was a time you need to be able to stand out from the crowd and get ahead of your peers it is now
Don’t Wait…Get Ready NOW: Use the extra time you have during lock-down to your advantage and spend some time updating your CV, so when your opportunity comes, you are ready and you have given yourself the best opportunity to secure your seat in the interview room.
The New Grad Physio Mentor
If you are interested in how to fast-track your career, even during lockdown, then you do not want to miss reading my ‘5 Steps To Fast-Track Your New Grad Physio Career.’
It includes both clinical and non-clinical tips to fast-track your progress and even tells you about the ‘missing’ career skill University didn’t teach you, that is stopping you getting better roles, more money and more opportunities as a New Grad Physio.
Get a copy here