91Èȱ¬

This week two of our Job Hunters have been taking the first steps towards finding new jobs.

45 year old Tim Rees has just lost his job after 12 years in employment, and is not sure what kind of work he'd like to do next. And 26-year-old Gemma's been a full-time mum for the last five years but would love to find a part time job in a bar or restaurant. So we've called in recruitment consultant AimeeÌýBateman and Sarah Bibby from Careers Wales to give them some tips on how to look for work.

Here are Aimee Bateman's tips on the best ways to find the job you want:

Ìý

Recruitment consultant Aimee Bateman

Ìý

1. Focus your job search

Decide which jobs and sectors you'd like to work in. If you're unsure, think about the following things:

• What skills do you have? These could be 'hard skills', such as qualifications or technical knowledge from a previous job.Or you may have lots of 'soft skills', for example you may be good at communicating with clients.
• Would you need to retrain in order to pursue your chosen career?
• Are you willing to travel outside your local area to work and can you be flexible with hours/ shift work?

2. Know where to look

You may already know about the job centre and the vacancies advertised in the local papers. However, these days many jobs are only advertised online, so make sure you have access to the internet, either at home or through your local library or internet café. Some companies use online job clubs to advertise posts and if you submit an application via one, it goes straight through to the employer.

You can also find support in your local area from careers agencies, charities and other voluntary groups. Check your local council’s website to make sure you are not missing out on any opportunities.

If you've been made redundant you may also be entitled to help from the Welsh Assembly government's Proact and React schemes. Another option is to register with commercial recruitment agencies.

3. Stay ahead of the game

If you know the area of work you're interested in, it’s a really good idea to find out which companies are moving to your local area or may be expanding, going into new markets or announcing big profits. These are all signs that at some point, they may be looking to recruit new staff.

If you can contact them before they advertise posts, you will seem enthusiastic and it could help you stay one step ahead of the other applicants.

Here are some useful links to get you started:

• Careers Wales:
• Remploy:
• Prime Cymru:
• Go Wales:
• Cyrenians Cymru: