<![CDATA[Marylin Schlamkow - The Graduate Career Coach - Blog]]>Wed, 22 May 2013 00:32:43 +0000Weebly<![CDATA[The Baby Boom - Now is the time to become a midwife...]]>Tue, 16 Apr 2013 06:20:29 GMThttp://www.graduatecareercoach.co.uk/1/post/2013/04/the-baby-boom-now-is-the-time-to-become-a-midwife.htmlSince the start of the year, newspapers have been reporting on a Baby Boom and its impact to our NHS.  In some areas, the birth rate has increased by 50%, yes 50%.  So naturally more births mean more staff.  There are plenty of recruitment options in this field apart from the traditional midwifery strand.  The following roles are just as rewarding and will put you in contact with parents, going through the biggest change of their lives:
  • Maternity Support Workers
  • Newborn Hearing Screeners
  • Healthcare Assistants
  • Assistant Practitioners
  • Doulas
If healthcare and children are your passion, why not look into the above options.  Be aware though, that although demand has increased, places are still extremely competitive.  Take time to really focus your application on demonstrating your passion for this industry and if applications are really not your forte, remember The Graduate Career Coach is here to help.

]]><![CDATA[Increase in the minimum wage for apprentices]]>Tue, 16 Apr 2013 06:11:17 GMThttp://www.graduatecareercoach.co.uk/1/post/2013/04/increase-in-the-minimum-wage-for-apprentices.htmlVince Cable upped the wage for apprentices yesterday, as reported by The Evening Standard.  The 3p an hour increase was to acknowledge that apprentices are often unfairly paid, yet the increase is far from the £8.55 living wage for a Londoner.  Are you on an apprenticeship?  How much do you get paid?  Does it cover for your needs or does the apprenticeship salary turn you off from accessing opportunities.
In addition, does a 3p an hour wage really make any difference to your income or do you think it has been installed as a move to gain good press and promotion of government/apprenticeship schemes?]]><![CDATA[The benefits cap]]>Tue, 16 Apr 2013 06:04:28 GMThttp://www.graduatecareercoach.co.uk/1/post/2013/04/the-benefits-cap.htmlEarlier in the year, the government introduced a benefits cap with much controversy.  Yesterday, The Evening Standard reported that 'thousands who face being hit by the £26,000-a-year cap on benefits are moving into work'.  Do you think this is the right way of approaching unemployment figures?  Has this motivated a portion of claimants to revise their options?  Does this promote a fair system or do you think this is targeting a small proportion and more must be done?
Your thoughts and comments are welcome.]]><![CDATA[Chrissy  on Sky 203]]>Sat, 13 Apr 2013 18:44:19 GMThttp://www.graduatecareercoach.co.uk/1/post/2013/04/chrissy-on-sky-203.htmlI was honoured to be invited to the Chirssy B show on Sky last Friday.  I was talking about what young people can do to achieve career success, something I am completely passionate about.  It was great fun.  Here are some pictures from my appearance, clip to come...
Picture
Left: Me, Middle: Dan Taylor (Singer) and Right: Chrissy.
Picture
Chrissy and I...
]]><![CDATA[Top Tips for working Mum's]]>Sun, 31 Mar 2013 13:42:26 GMThttp://www.graduatecareercoach.co.uk/1/post/2013/03/top-tips-for-working-mums.htmlMy Mum has always been an inspiration to me and even more so now I have my own child.  I can't believe my Mum managed to complete a University degree and look after my sister at the same time! Well done Mum. 

Thinking of this led me to some thoughts.  How do we emotionally cope with leaving a child at home or nursery when we are at work? So here are my three top tips to help you deal with this situation:

1. Visualise your child in a happy state. 
There is no benefit from visualising your child in tears whilst you are at work, helpless to do anything about it.  This will cause you emotional stress and concern.  It is a lot more productive to visualise your child happy in their environment, building on their independence and confidence.  The fact is you cannot know at every moment what your child is feeling.  Anything you think of is simply a mind read. So mind read to the positive and let it have a positive impact on your state of mind. 

2. Reframe your language.
When speaking about returning to work, listen to the language you are using.  Are you using phrases like 'leaving my child alone' 'abandoning him/her' or 'neglecting her through the day'? Tap into the energy of these words and what you find is lots of negativity.  Saying these phrases don't feel great.  So change your language.  Think about the situation in a positive light and use language to reflect that situation.  You are 'choosing to work' in order to 'develop your career' whilst your child 'is working on his/her independence' and 'exploring the world' without you. 

3.  Think about your values. 
You have chosen to work to provide an income to your family.  This is important to you, therefore this becomes a value.  Values are what we hold to be important.  We will have values around family, careers, being a parent, etc.  When you start working after having a child it is sometimes easy to forget about your values and look to the negative. Thinking about your values can put things into perspective and change your attitude to the problem. So although you will no doubt miss your child whilst at work, you are doing what is also important to you, such as developing your career, providing an income, being a role model.  Focus on how you are positively aligning yourself to your values.

As a working Mum I work on these points every single day.  I hope these top tips help you to overcome any emotional difficulties you may have experienced.  Please feel free to post your comments and experiences also. 
]]><![CDATA[3 Facts about a C.V.]]>Wed, 06 Jun 2012 14:59:46 GMThttp://www.graduatecareercoach.co.uk/1/post/2012/06/3-facts-about-a-cv.html
  1. A recruiter will spend no more than 10 seconds scanning your C.V. to decide whether it is worth reading. 
  2. The Personal Statement is the most important part of your C.V.  It will either entice or put off your reader. 
  3. A recruiter will build a mental picture of you using your C.V.  Make sure you give them enough adjectives in order to do so.
]]><![CDATA[C.V. Workshop]]>Wed, 06 Jun 2012 14:58:03 GMThttp://www.graduatecareercoach.co.uk/1/post/2012/06/cv-workshop.htmlOn Tuesday 19th June 2012 I shall be holding a C.V. Workshop in St Albans City Centre.  My workshops are led in small groups of a maximum of 8 individuals, to really give you as much support as possible. 

In this 2 1/2 hour workshop, find out how to write an excellent C.V. & Cover Letter which:
  • Successfully sells your skills and abilities
  • Gets you interview after interview
  • Supports your salary aspirations & career goals
  • Leaves the employer hungry for more & eager to meet you
Your C.V is the first opportunity an employer has of reviewing your capabilities.    Make sure you ‘wow’ employers. Be confident in your applications.    Get a return on your time investment.

Where?  The Albany Centre, Victoria Street, St Albans.
When?  Tuesday 19th June 2012, 6.00 - 8.30pm.
How much?  £45.00 per person. 

Bring a friend with you and you both get the reduced rate of £39.00 per person! 
Saving you both £12.00.

How do I book?  Click here to download a training booking form.  Return the booking form and transfer a BACS payment ASAP to secure your place.
]]><![CDATA[It's all about the C.V.]]>Wed, 06 Jun 2012 14:57:19 GMThttp://www.graduatecareercoach.co.uk/1/post/2012/06/its-all-about-the-cv.htmlDear Reader,

I hope you have all had fun celebrating a fabulous Jubilee Weekend. Now all the cake has been eaten and the 4 day weekend has been enjoyed, it is time to think of moving forwards.  Soon we shall be hosting the Olympics and again we will be all in the mood for celebration.   

Coincidently, I often talk about the recruitment process as a hurdle race.  During the recruitment process there are significant milestones that need to be achieved.  I think of these as my hurdles:
  • identifying the job you want
  • effective job searching
  • performing well at interview
  • starting a new job
  • passing the probation process
Additional to the above, the first and most important hurdle is creating an effective C.V. which gets you results time and time again.  Without one you will truly fall at the first hurdle.  You are unable to move onto achieving your career dreams and accomplishing further milestones. Without a great C.V. you will never get in front of that interviewer, to share your knowledge, skills and passion. 

So this is where it is really worth investing some time and money.  Once, you have a great C.V. you can use it as a platform for all future job applications.  You can also use lots of the information in your interviews also to really ensure a coherent application.  So again, I must emphasise that this preparation will pay off and give you the return you desire. 

Tip: Do not send out your C.V. to an employer until you are sure it is the best it can be.  If your application is rejected, you often are unable to reapply for the same company/department for at least 3-6 months!]]><![CDATA[New Unemployment News]]>Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:33:16 GMThttp://www.graduatecareercoach.co.uk/1/post/2012/03/new-unemployment-news.html "UK unemployment rose by 28,000 to 2.67 million during the three months to January, with the unemployment rate at 8.4%, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS)."
Find out more here.
]]><![CDATA[Young Apprentice Winner Zara Brownless talks to the Council's Horizons Magazine... ]]>Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:53:44 GMThttp://www.graduatecareercoach.co.uk/1/post/2012/03/young-apprentice-winner-zara-brownless-talks-to-the-councils-horizons-magazine.htmlInteresting article about Apprenticeships and recent Young Apprentice winner in Horizons, Spring 2012 issue.You can view a copy of the full magazine here
young_apprentice.jpg
File Size: 936 kb
File Type: jpg
Download File
]]>