Having a job we love and being truly satisfied in our work is something we all aim for as it can make a huge difference in other aspects of our lives. Despite the current overall UK economic conditions, the demand for HSEQ skills in the UK workplace continues to be strong and there are good opportunities in most sectors. If getting a job that you love is top of your agenda this year, here are a few simple things you can do to make 2023 the year that you take control of your HSEQ career.
1. Understand your career aspirations
Do you know how you work? What way do you work best? Are you a pleaser? A person with patience? Are you cooperative or competitive? Do you have motivation and self confidence?
Often, understanding how we work best will help to lead us to the best fitting job. By knowing your own behaviours and characteristics, you can make better talent decisions and give yourself a head start on achieving your ambitions.
Shirley Parsons has developed the bespoke MAPP tool to vastly increase the chances of a good talent match. The personality profiling tool builds up a holistic view of an individual and gives a much richer self-awareness and deeper thinking.
Before you do anything else or even look for jobs to apply for, you need to understand yourself at a much deeper level you will then be able to move forward wisely. Everyone registering with Shirley Parsons for career consultancy in 2023 will get the opportunity to complete a MAPP free of charge.
And once you understand yourself more - you need to understand your colleagues. It may be that you enjoy your job but don’t feel satisfied or efficient at the moment. By doing a MAPP assessment on the whole team it can lead to a better working environment, greater efficiency and greater job satisfaction - you may not even need to get a new job!
The other thing results of a MAPP may do is to lead you to industries, sectors you have never thought of working in before but it may be the perfect fit for your working style. Not everyone in HSEQ needs to have a HSEQ background - the MAPP searches for the cognitive diversity of people to form the best team, whatever industry that is in.
2. Get advice from mentors and consultants
Discussing your options with people who have expertise in the sector is a great way for you to form a clear plan. Career consultants and mentors can give you an independent, objective and holistic view of your skills. They can point you in directions you hadn’t thought of at all and open your mind to opportunities you may not have considered at all.
At Shirley Parsons we pride ourselves on finding the best opportunities for our candidates. Our contacts, customers and expertise - combined with an effective MAPP - can lead to excellent results which neither the employer or the candidate had ever considered before.
We get clients coming to us saying they can’t find people with HSEQ experience and are struggling to fill a position. The first question we ask is about the type of person they want in that position. The perfect match may not necessarily be someone with HSEQ experience - it may be a team player who is confident and self motivated.
Consultants can offer a different perspective on what is needed and this can have a huge impact on the direction of a job search for both the candidate and the searching company.
3. Maximise your LinkedIn presence
Your LinkedIn profile is now almost more important than your CV. Potential employers will look at it – so make sure you show your best side.
Is your profile up to date? Who are you linked with? Do you post about your work? Do you interact with peers, colleagues and thought leaders?
This window into your professional world and personality is a huge benefit to your job search. But if it isn’t up to date or active, it can be a hindrance too.
Ensure your picture is appropriate, your professional background transparent, your language and use of grammar is correct and professional.
Simple things, but they make a big difference. We have a more detailed guide to maximising your LinkedIn presence on our website here
4. Network, network, network
If you’re looking for a new job, who are you speaking to? If you know the field you want to work in, the more people you know in the field, the better chance you have of knowing about job prospects.
Shirley Parsons recently developed the Beyond HSEQ event which saw professionals from across the industry come together to reflect, rethink and re-imagine a better future.
This was a hugely successful event and many attendees discussed how helpful it was to have so many people from the industry together in one room - not only to rethink the future, but to catch up and network too.
The power of networking shouldn’t be underestimated. You will make connections and - if you make the right impression - you will be remembered. When that role becomes vacant that you said you were eager to be in, you may then be contacted.
Summary & Actions
Those are our four top tips to make sure you make 2023 the year that you really kickstart your career in HSEQ. By following these steps you put yourself in with a much better chance of getting the best job that you can.
If you'd like to speak to one of our career consultants and arrange undertaking your own MAPP profile, register your details here.