Life is too short to be unhappy at work, so if you are looking for agency work in Basingstoke, or a new job anywhere in Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire, it’s worth taking some time to make sure you hit the bullseye with your next career move!

Many of us never really planned to have the jobs we have now. 

It may be that someone suggested a particular type of job when you were at school or studying.

Or you may have followed a friend or family member into a job when you were young and have been doing that type of work ever since.

After the challenges of the past few years, more and more people have decided that it’s time to review what they want from their next job and their career, and to take back control of their working life.

Finding the job that’s right for you

If you’ve decided that it’s time to improve your career outlook next year, make sure you have a clear, focused idea of what you want to achieve.

Right now, there are plenty of jobs to choose from so it’s an ideal time to look for a role that will move you forward in your career. 

The first step towards hitting your target is to have an honest look at where you are now. 

Think about your current or last job and write down the elements of it you enjoy the most, and the aspects that your manager or team-mates say you’re good at. 

Then list out the parts you don’t like, whether that’s tasks you need to do, the types of people you had to deal with as colleagues or clients, or practical factors such as the location or type of company. 

Once you’ve done this, get in touch with our lovely friendly team so they can help you take the next step in your career. We know that even the best CV only tells part of the story, so we’ll spend time getting to know you to understand the type of role you need.

In the unlikely event that we don’t have a vacancy that appeals to you on our books right now, we’ll call relevant companies that we work with locally to see if they could use someone with your skills and experience.

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation has some useful tips to make sure your recruitment agency can do the best job for you: 

• Give your recruiter as much information as possible about the type of role you're looking for from the outset. We’ll need to know what type of organisation you’d ideally like to work for, how far you're willing to travel and your salary expectations. More than this, we’re also keen to understand what you’re looking for from your next role so we can offer roles you may not initially have thought of that might be ideal for you! 

• Make sure your CV is accurate and up-to-date - it does take a bit of time, but it means we can start putting you forward to employers as early as possible. Our fantastic talent team can give you loads of advice on how to improve your CV, based on what our clients are looking for. We’ve written a useful list of CV-writing Do’s and Don’ts which will help you refresh your CV. 

• Be proactive! Do keep in regular contact with us so we know you’re still actively searching and let us know how you got on after an interview. If it wasn’t the right role for you for whatever reason, we’ll look again to find one that is.

So if you’ve had a hankering to try something a little different, or you want to boost your career, here are some steps you can take to make sure that - with the help of your recruiter - you can set yourself up for success!

Try a New Industry

People often register with us and say that they’re looking for a new role in the sector they’re already working in. But when we dig a little deeper, it turns out they don’t have any passion for that industry at all!

Whether you work in an office or on the shop floor, trying a different environment may well unlock new opportunities that you never imagined in your previous role. 

Boost Your Job Skills 

People sometimes become stuck in their careers as they believe (or may have been told) that they don't have the qualifications needed to move on to the next level. 

You may already have the necessary transferable skills to do something else. If not, you can boost your skills by completing short, free training modules such as those offered on LinkedIn or by some industry bodies.

This demonstrates to a prospective employer that you’re serious about progressing and means they are likely to consider offering you further training to enable you to move up the career ladder. 

Become Part of a New Team

Sadly, it’s sometimes the people you work with rather than the job itself that could be holding you back. If you feel as if some of your colleagues or your manager are making it difficult for you to move up to the next level in your career, it could be time to join a team of people who are more supportive.

We spend a huge amount of our lives at work, so it’s important to find a workplace where your contribution is appreciated and where you’re motivated by more than your payslip! 

Get Help from a Recruitment Consultancy that Cares

Sadly, there are recruitment agencies out there who only seem to worry about the numbers. As an independent Basingstoke recruitment consultancy with 25 years experience in placing great people in great jobs in Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire, we are passionate about finding the right job for everyone who registers with us. 

But don’t take our word for it. This recent five-star review on Google from Leanne C sums up how we work:

“Priority Appointments isn’t your typical staffing agency that treats you like a number. The staff are friendly and they genuinely care about you and your career goals. They made each step of the recruiting process positive and FAST! I was very impressed with the way I was made to feel like I was their number one priority.”

So for the best chance of hitting the bullseye in your career target next year, get in touch with us today so we can find that perfect next job!