Are you looking for careers advice? With the news headline full of stories about unemployment,more and more of us will be looking for careers advice.
Anyone who has recently been made unemployed or has seen freelance work disappear, is rightfully concerned about their future. The incessant speculation about where new jobs will come from and the skills gap does nothing to quiet anxiety.
Should you retrain, if so into what? Will employment prospects in new sector justify the financial investment? If you get a new qualification but not the matching experience will you be able to get a job anyway? These were some of the questions we recieved from a Careers Clique reader recently. She admitted to finding it incredibly challenging speaking to friends and family, who for the most part are still employed and financially stable.
So, clearly for many people careers advice is now more crucial than ever. Yet, careers coaches can charge anything from £50 – £250 per hour. The dedicated service they provide will be attractive to many people but financially impossible. So, the question is what free careers advice is available? Obviously , here at the Careers Clique , we pride ourselves on giving you as much advice and guidance as possible. However there are some organisations you can go to for advice
The National Careers Advice Service
The National Careers Advice Service provide free and independent information and advice about careers, training and job roles. The service is supported by qualified careers advisers and they are available via telephone or web chat 7 days a week. If like my friend you are contemplating retraining but have no idea where to start , why not try their Skills assessments to help determine what skills you have and what motivates you. After completing the assessments, you will receive a report with your results and suggestions about job roles that could a match for you.
Or maybe you have watched a news report or read an article about a job role that sounded interesting, but you have no clue about how you can get into it? If so why not find out more about a specific job role by exploring the site’s 800 job descriptions. Find out what exactly the job entails, the average salary, and the courses you can do to get into the role. And if you already have a pretty good idea of what you want to do but need training then the course finder will help you quickly identify courses offered by training providers approved by the Education and Skills Funding Agency.
UCAS
We often only hear about the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) during the summer months when students are scrambling for university places, but the website also offers useful information about careers and training. The site does not just focus on traditional careers and degrees, you can find out about routes into any career including butchery, hairdressing or even a hypnotherapy. The content is relevant to people of all ages, not just students. The website is easy to navigate and the content is accessible and easy to read, do not miss out!
The Princes Trust
The Princes Trust, the charity founded by Charles Prince of Wales, has an impressive track record of supporting young people (11- 30 yr. olds) into employment or enterprise. They currently have a dedicated Coronavirus Support Hub to help job seekers and those those who wish to become self-employed. Additionally, The Princes Trust in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care is currently offering courses and mentoring support for young people who want to pursue careers in Health and Social Care. If you think you would benefit from a conversation about your current career challenges, why not consider contacting their dedicated support team. The team is available via live chat every day from 9am to 9pm to provide advice and guidance.
Jobcentre Plus
It may not the first name that springs to mind when you think about careers advice, but it is not one that you should overlook. Whether you are claiming Universal Credit or not you are welcome to visit Jobcentre Plus to receive personalised job support and advice.
The advisers will provide information about jobs in your area and any relevant training schemes. Additionally, the Find a job service will help you search for new positions, and make your CV visible to a wide range of employers.
Hopefully we have given you some ideas on where to go for careers advice. Drop a comment below and let us know how you get on!
