The first step in realising your dream career is to find out and understand what truly drives you. Don’t focus solely on salary. While the correct remuneration is important, it isn’t the be all and end all. A high paying job may come at a much higher personal cost. Take time to consider and understand what you really want from your career to ensure you are appointed in a role that you find meaningful and rewarding or that will develop and enhance your experience in the direction you desire. Feeling fulfilled and positive at work is crucial for future career advancement.

Face to face, meetings, conferences, events, forums, virtual online social networking…and so on. There are a plethora of platforms to operate and now more than ever, it can be hard to know where to start. Believe us when we say employers will do their research. It is vital that you behave appropriately and present yourself well across all media and at all ‘in person’ events. Keep your private life private and promote your professional achievements. Make networking a key part of your career progression and learn to network well.

The purpose of a CV is to give the reader an insight into you as a person, and you as a potential employee. It gives a snapshot of your key skills, your experience, your previous and current career responsibilities and your key achievements, your interests and values. Do some research into CV writing technique to increase the likelihood that your CV will get to the top of the pile. Try to keep it brief and informative: two pages is generally considered acceptable. Make it attractive to read, bullet point key responsibilities and key achievements, and back them up with facts and figures. Turn heads for the right reasons, and most importantly, secure an interview.

Make sure you are ready for interview. The CV has done its job and secured the meeting; it is now time to secure a job offer. Having a thorough understanding of any job role and organisational culture will help you present yourself in the appropriate manner, prepare for key questions and deliver responses that have hiring organisations excited at the prospect of you joining their team. Also recognise your own needs and consider sensible and pertinent questions to ask the interviewer; show genuine enthusiasm. And remember an interview is a two way process; it displays a mature attitude if you ask constructive questions that will relate to you in the role.

GGS will negotiate an optimal offer for you and once you receive it, accept it (unless an unforeseen personal circumstance doesn’t allow you to!). Don’t be greedy and ask for too much or more than you are worth; it is easy to negotiate yourself out of an offer. Don’t decline a good offer; if the offer isn’t right then you may be interviewing for the wrong job and will have wasted many people’s time – the end employer, the recruitment firm and your own. Be prepared to receive a counter offer from your current employer but be very wary of the possible future difficulties it could cause you by accepting it. Part company with your current employer in the right way – professionally, courteously and respectfully; don’t burn bridges and remember the value in maintaining a strong network.