Careers advice

Have you ever been through an interview process without trying a mock interview? You’re not alone. During our webinar ‘How to ace your next job interview’, 64% of attendees said that they don’t bother with mock interviews.

The biggest mistake you can make in any interview is to turn up unprepared. It’s like going to a race without training: you might get lucky and win, but you're more likely to place runner-up. According to The UK Careers Fair, most companies in the UK now invite six people to interview, so it’s important to stand out from the rest. We’ve put together a cheat sheet using the STAR technique where necessary to outline why recruiters ask common interview questions and how to answer them. 1) Tell me about yourself ‘Tell me about yourself’ is often used to begin an interview and can be daunting for job seekers. Recruiters often start with this question to get an impression of your personality and whether you fit the company’s culture. The question also acts as a test to determine your communication skills by how well you articulate your skills and experience. Alongside your list of skills and experience, talk about your hobbies and interests outside of work to build a relationship with the hiring manager: Example answer: “My name is Tom, and I grew up in London. My mother is a nurse, and my father is a teacher, which inspired me to join the public sector and pursue a career in education. I’ve worked in the sector for three years now in primary education and I love what I do. Outside of work, I enjoy playing five aside football, cooking and landscape photography. I'm a hard worker and always eager to learn new things. I'm also a team player and enjoy helping my colleagues.” 2) What made you want to apply for the role? This interview question seeks to find out if you've done your research on the company. Prepare for this answer by learning about your potential future employer's mission, history and culture. If you can show that your personal ambitions complement the goals of the company, you can stand out as a good potential fit. Example answer: “I'm really excited about this opportunity because I've been following [company name] for a while now and I'm really impressed with the work you have done in the social housing sector, in particular the recent work you have carried out as part of the government’s social housing decarbonisation fund. As someone who cares about improving the energy performance of housing stock in the UK, I would love to be a part of the team that is involved in the rollout of this imitative and others in the future.” 3) What are your strengths? STAR Recruiters ask this question to assess what you are good at, what you are passionate about, and what you can contribute to the company. They’re looking for someone who is self-aware of their strengths and how they have used them to their advantage in the workplace. Be specific and provide examples of how you have used your strengths in the past. You should also focus on strengths that are relevant to the role you are applying for. Example answer: “I believe that I am a skilled communicator and organiser. I can convey my own ideas clearly and concisely, and I am also a good listener who values the contributions of others. In my previous role, I was responsible for creating our monthly newsletter. "I displayed initiative by creating each feature and communicated informal conversations with staff in a clear way to customers as part of a wider content strategy. As a result, traffic from the newsletter to our product pages increased by 42% in the first quarter of 2022.” 4) What are your weaknesses? In addition, recruiters ask about your weaknesses to find out if you’re self-aware of your skills gaps and whether you’re willing to improve those weaknesses. They also want to assess how you handle challenging situations at work and whether you have the interpersonal skills to work as part of a cohesive team. Whereas it’s important to link a strength to the role you’re applying for, try to list a weakness that won’t directly affect a role. Example answer: “One of my weaknesses at work is that I sometimes have trouble speaking up in meetings, even when I have something valuable to contribute. I've been working on this by being more assertive in smaller groups and role-playing with friends and family. I've also become more mindful of my body language in meetings and I recognise that my contributions can add value to discussions.” 5) How do you stay motivated? STAR Employers want to find candidates who will be enthusiastic and engaged at work each day, so they need to know if you'll stay motivated over the longer term. To show your enthusiasm, give specific, real-life examples of times that you've felt motivated at work. Example answer: “I stay motivated at work by setting goals for myself and tracking my progress. I set a goal to increase my quarterly sales by 10% and created a plan to achieve my goal, which included setting specific targets for each month. I analysed my progress towards my goal on a weekly basis by using a spreadsheet to track my sales and compare my results to my targets. I was able to achieve my goal and increase my sales that quarter by 12%.” Related: Preparing for an informal interview: what to expect 6) What are you most proud of? Based on your answer, recruiters can assess how ambitious and goal-driven you are and what skills have helped you to reach your achievements. This question provides an opportunity to explain how your skills led to your success and whether your definition of success aligns with their company culture and values. Example answer: “I'm most proud of the time I led a team of engineers to develop a new product that was successfully launched on time and under budget. The product was a new type of software that helped businesses to manage their inventory more effectively. "I was responsible for setting the project goals, managing the team, and ensuring that the product met the needs of our customers. It was a challenging project, but I was proud of the way that the team worked together to overcome the challenges and deliver a successful product. The product was well-received by our customers, and it helped to improve their inventory management processes.” Related: Webinar: How To Prepare For A Job Interview 7) Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Hiring managers want to know if you're likely to stay long-term or if this job is a stepping stone in your career journey. Even if you're not planning to make this job your career, talk about how your goals align with the company's mission. Share specific goals that you have for yourself and be positive about your ambitions for the future. Example answer: “In five years, I see myself as a certified nurse anaesthetist working in a busy hospital. I'm particularly interested in working in the operating room, and I'm excited about the opportunity to provide anaesthesia care to patients who are undergoing surgery, and opportunities to teach and mentor other nurses. "I've been working towards this goal for the past few years. I have a degree in medicine recognised by the General Medical Council and have completed a two-year foundation programme of general training.” 8) Tell me about a time you overcame a difficult work situation. STAR Behavioural questions like this are commonly asked to assess skills like critical thinking, communication, problem-solving and time management. Answer them in the STAR format, addressing the situation you had to deal with, the task at hand, the actions you took and the results of your efforts. Example answer: “I was teaching a KS2 class of 30 and one of the students was struggling to keep up with the material and was becoming disruptive. I had to find a way to help the student without disrupting the rest of the class. "I set up a one-to-one chat with the student to find out what they were struggling with specifically and we set up a personalised plan which involved some extra help during the week. As a result, the student started to become more confident in class and they were able to understand the material and participate more actively.” Go places. Go public!

An informal interview is a question-and-answer-based conversation without the structure of a formal interview. Informal interviews are designed to place less pressure on a candidate to provide polished answers, often with the aim of getting to know behaviour and personality fit without the nerves. Why do hiring managers use informal interviews? Hiring managers will conduct informal interviews for a few reasons: To assess personality and cultural fit The relaxed nature of an informal interview enables a hiring manager to assess your personality to determine whether you will be a good fit with the company culture. Conversations are intended to flow more naturally to allow an interviewer to get a better sense of your communication style and demeanour. Gather additional information Often a written CV and cover letter don’t paint a full picture of a candidate. Hiring managers will ask questions, or seek clarifications based on information in a CV and cover letter, such as experience, skills and qualifications. Build relationships with candidates Informal interviews help to establish a better connection during the hiring process. Not only is this important for keeping you keen for their opportunity, conversations can also indicate whether you have the interpersonal skills that are required for a particular role. To assess motivation By having an informal conversation, managers can get a better sense of why you are interested in the role, what you hope to achieve in the position and your motivations. Again, this can establish whether you’re a good fit. When to expect an informal interview Informal interviews can take many forms, from chats over the phone, video links and meeting up in person. They can take place at various stages of the hiring process, depending on a company’s hiring practices and the specifics of a job vacancy: Before a formal interview In some cases, an informal phone or video call will be set up before inviting a candidate in for a formal interview. This initial conversation serves as a screening to determine if someone has the required qualifications and cultural fit. During a formal interview process Informal interviews can also be incorporated into a formal interview process. For example, a hiring manager or other team members may take a candidate out for lunch or coffee after the formal interview in order to get to know them better and answer any additional questions they may have. Note that lunch meetings occur far less frequently in a public sector recruitment process. As a follow-up to a formal interview An informal interview may take place as a follow-up chat after a formal interview, either before making a final decision or before a final interview with a senior team as a final way to gather information. As part of the offer process In some cases, hiring managers request a chat rather than an interview during an offer process. For example, they may invite the candidate to come in for a casual meeting to discuss the details of the offer, remind a candidate of staff benefits, share onboarding details and projects that they’ll be working on. Our Head of Resourcing Solutions shares her advice on how to prepare for the interview stage. Commonly asked questions during an informal interview Informal interview questions are more casual and conversational in nature, designed to get an overall sense of a candidate's personality, interests, and work style. Informal interviews often open by talking about your week, how you’re feeling about the hiring process and other friendly topics. However, for the most part, informal interview questions often mirror typical questions that you might expect: Why do you think you'd be good at this job? Can you tell me a little bit about yourself? Have you ever faced a challenging situation at work and how did you handle it? What is your preferred method of communication? What motivates you to perform well at work? What is the one thing you'd like to achieve in this role? Do you work best in a team-oriented or autonomous environment? How do you handle constructive criticism or feedback? How to prepare for an informal interview By their nature, informal interviews are less structured and spontaneous. The focus is on personality and culture fit, so the best way to approach an informal interview is to be yourself and feel comfortable. However, that’s easier said than done, so here are a few informal interview preparation tips: Research the company Even if the interview is informal, you should know something about the company. Visit their website to familiarise yourself with their mission, values, and culture. You can also check their social media profiles to get a sense of what it is like working for them. This information will give you an idea of their expectations and how you can fit in with their team. Understand the role It's important to understand the role you're applying for. Read through the job description and make notes about your experience, skills, and qualifications that are a good match. Remember to have a copy of your CV and cover letter handy as you’re likely to be asked questions that refer directly to what you have written. Remember to smile and be yourself In an informal interview, the interviewer is trying to get a sense of your personality and character, so be yourself. Relax, smile, and let your personality shine through. Prepare a list of questions Be curious and ask thoughtful questions about the company, the role, and the team. Think about what would be useful to know on your first day, and what elements of a role and company culture that you’re most interested in. Dress appropriately Even if an interview is informal, you should dress professionally. Dress in a way that shows you take the opportunity seriously. Join our talent pool to find the best role for you Keep up to date with the latest vacancies in the public sector by joining our talent pool. Jobs Go Public works with some of the largest public sector organisations in the UK which post thousands of vacancies every year.

In today's fast-paced, competitive job market, updating your CV to make a great first impression is crucial. But with so much going on in our lives, it’s easy to leave a CV to gather dust until you’re in a rush to apply for a role. Whether you’re starting a new job search, or you want to be prepared for future opportunities, use our quick list below to give your CV a spring clean and stand out from the crowd. Why you should update your CV right now - Your CV is the best way to make a first impression. An employer or hiring manager will often receive your CV before getting to know you in person, so it’s the first impression that counts. - It’s essential for your personal brand. Someone looking at your CV won’t know you personally, so it’s important to convey what skills, experience and mentalities you can bring to an organisation straight away. - It can be the difference between an interview and not. You may be the perfect fit for a role, but if you don’t pay attention to smaller details such as missing keywords, you can fall short of hiring criteria. - You’ll make a good impression in a competitive jobs market. You may have come across a variety of application forms online, from quick upload CVs to manual application questions. Given the variety of today’s application forms, it’s important that your CV is optimised and ready for any vacancy that grabs your attention. 10 quick ways to update your CV 1) Trim the length Size does matter when it comes to your CV. According to 91% of recruiters, two pages should be the maximum length for a great CV. If your CV is too long, ask yourself the following questions to trim it down: - Is everything in the CV relevant to a role? - Are you repeating yourself? - Are you straight to the point? 2) Ensure the style is consistent Have consistency with your fonts and style, making sure that the font you use is easy to read at speed. If you decide to rewrite a section or freshen up your CV with a new template, check that the spacing and fonts are still correct throughout. 3) Revise your introduction There can be a tendency to add more information to a CV introduction or profile as you develop skills and experience. However, you can run the risk of extending this opening paragraph too much, which can detract from the rest of your CV. If you’re adding more information to the top every time you revise your CV, remember that any details can be expanded upon in your cover letter. 4) Reconsider your highlights As we progress in our careers, the focus in our CVs can shift from academic achievements and those early, part-time jobs to later experience in a chosen sector. If you’re revisiting a CV, consider how much weight your education has compared to your most recent achievements and address this balance accordingly. 5) Update work experience and skills If you've gained skills and work experience relevant to your industry, add them to your skills section. Similarly, if you work in a fast-paced, tech or policy-driven sector, the tools, skills and best practices that you once used may have become outdated. For example, check that any software and systems you list in your CV are the latest versions. 6) Tailor your CV Your CV needs to be tailored to the job that you’re applying for, as one single version won’t meet the hiring requirements of every job application. The best way to tailor your CV without starting from scratch each time is to study the job advert to assess which keywords are most important. A job ad will often list essential criteria followed by desirables, so let this influence how you write your CV. We advise companies to really focus on which keywords to include in their job ads to reach the right talent, so clear keywords are a win for clients and candidates. 7) Cut out too much personal information More employers now ask for anonymous CVs to reduce the risk of unconscious bias during the hiring process. Personal details like your date of birth, where you went to university and your cultural associations are all excluded from an anonymous CV. Even if a company doesn’t ask for one directly, you can still assess whether information about your interests or hobbies is relevant and appropriate. 8) Update your references It’s usual for people to move around in the jobs market, including your references. When you’re looking to freshen up an old CV, double-check that any future employer can contact a reference with the right contact information, as they may have moved on with a new position, company email and phone number. 9) Switch to active, action-orientated language Take this opportunity to revise the language that you use to highlight your key achievements. Switching to active, action-orientated language is powerful for demonstrating results at work. Work-related action verbs include achieve, collaborate, create, drive, lead, manage and solve. Here are three examples of action language in practice: i) I led a team of five developers to successfully launch a new product, resulting in a 20% increase in revenue within the first quarter. ii) I managed a marketing campaign from start to finish, executing multiple strategies and achieving a 15% increase in website traffic. iii) I collaborated with cross-functional teams to streamline internal operations, reducing costs by 10% and improving efficiency. 10) Proofread your CV Whether you give your CV a complete overhaul or you’re returning to an old CV with a fresh pair of eyes, it’s always good practice to proofread your CV before hitting apply. Hopefully, you won’t discover any small mistakes that have been hiding in your CV for a while. But if you do, it’s better to make any corrections sooner rather than later. Now that your CV is up to scratch… It’s time to join our talentpool! Jobsgopublic works with some of the biggest public sector employers across the UK to post the latest opportunities from a variety of sectors.

Do you know how to anonymise your CV? More employers are now asking for anonymised CVs to avoid bias during a hiring process, be it conscious or unconscious. However, if you're a jobseeker who has to tailor a CV to every application, knowing which personal details to include and exclude can add yet another layer of complexity to a job search. We've put together this guide to lend you a hand. Content Why do companies ask for anonymised CVs? How unconscious bias affects jobseekers What can be anonymised in a CV What information can indicate age in a CV? What information can indicate race or ethnicity? How to highlight your skills and experience How to write references in an anonymised CV Why do companies ask for anonymised CVs? Anonymised CVs, also known as blind CVs, eliminate demographic characteristics such as age, gender, race, or ethnicity to ensure that candidates are evaluated solely on their skills, qualifications, and experience, rather than factors that may be irrelevant to the job. Anonymising CVs can help companies to comply with anti-discrimination laws, create more diverse and inclusive workplaces and protect job seekers’ privacy. How unconscious bias affects jobseekers Research shows that unconscious biases can still influence hiring decisions. A study by Nuffield College in 2019 for example found that discrimination against ethnic minorities in the labour market has largely unchanged over the past 50 years. Jobseekers from minority communities send 60% more applications to receive a positive response compared with white people of British origin. The study found that on average, 24% of white British jobseekers received a positive response from employers compared with 15% from minority backgrounds, despite submitting identical CVs and cover letters. Find out how to attract and recruit a diverse candidate pool by reading our Diversity In The Workplace guide. What can be anonymised in a CV? As you can see from our list below, there are a lot of details in your CV that may lead to bias during a hiring process: What can you include? The general structure of an anonymised CV includes: Your candidate information Although personal information should be avoided, certain details cannot be excluded when it comes to candidate information. For instance, the job role that you’re interested in, along with the expiration dates of official documents, as required by the employer. This data becomes particularly important in situations where verification of eligibility to work is mandated by law. Your contact information A company will need to be able to contact you, either directly or indirectly through a recruiter. Basic information like your phone number is fine to include. Previous work experience A company will look at your experience to find out if you’re a good fit for a role. List your experience as normal, with past tasks and responsibilities, but leave out any dates that may indicate your age. Academic achievements Again, your academic achievements should focus on what you studied and the results rather than where you studied and when. References If an application asks for references, it is generally fine to share the contact details of trusted contacts or previous employers. Briefly describe your relationship with each referee, such as ‘Former supervisor’ or ‘Mentor during academic program’. It is important to ask for the referees' permission before deciding to include them in your CV. However, some candidates choose not to include references at all and instead offer them upon request. What information can indicate age in a CV? There are several items in a CV that may suggest your age, including: Date of birth and age Details of education history (including college or university graduation dates) Employment history (including start and end dates of previous roles) Certain skills or qualifications that were more prevalent or relevant in past decades Any mention of long-term experience or expertise in a specific field or industry. Employers are not allowed to use age as a factor in their hiring decisions, and job applicants have the right to not disclose their age. To avoid any potential age bias, age-revealing information can be excluded, or alternative descriptions can be used, for example omitting exact dates or using more general language to describe their work experience. What information can indicate race or ethnicity? There are several items in a CV that may suggest your race or ethnicity, such as: Mentioning membership in certain clubs or organisations Including personal information such as ethnic or cultural background Language proficiencies, although some roles require you to include this information Listing activities or hobbies that may be culturally or ethnically specific. As a general rule, employers should focus on professional credentials that make an applicant suitable for the job, rather than their personal background. Follow our CV template for a complete refresh How to highlight your skills and experience Demonstrating your experience in an anonymised CV can be tricky, but it is possible to highlight your skills, achievements and work experience without revealing personal details. Here are some tips: Focus on your skills Use bullet points to highlight hard and soft skills, such as project management, communication, leadership, and problem-solving to demonstrate how you achieved success in previous roles. Tailor your CV to the role Make sure your CV is tailored to the specific role you are applying for. Research the company to ensure your CV highlights your suitability for the position. Highlight results What achievements are you most proud of? How has your previous work positively impacted a company or team? How did you identify problems and create solutions or improvements? Hiring managers want to see the results you have been responsible for, so including success metrics will help you to stand out from the crowd. Find the perfect job for you in the perfect sector Join our talent pool to find your next role in the public sector.

Sending a counteroffer salary negotiation email may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. After receiving a job offer, it’s important to take time to reflect on whether a compensation package aligns with your expectations and current market standards. If, after reflection, you feel that the offer doesn’t reflect your value, a salary negotiation email can be an effective way to begin the process. We have put together an email template and example to help you get started. How to base your negotiation on market standards Our guide to comparing public sector salaries is a great place to start if you’re looking to compare an offer with salary data benchmarks. We have based our findings on more than 100,900 vacancies posted on jobsgopublic over the past four years. We outline how to benchmark a salary based on job title and how salaries in the public sector have shifted since the pandemic to give you the market trends you need to tackle a salary negotiation. What to include in your email SAY THANK YOU Thank the employer for offering the job, express your excitement about the opportunity and convey your eagerness to join the team. EXPRESS APPRECIATION Mention your appreciation for the compensation package that they have offered you. Acknowledge their effort to consider you for the role and discuss the value you can bring to the company. HIGHLIGHT YOUR SKILLS Highlight your skills, experience, and qualifications, and explain why you would like to negotiate a higher compensation than the initial offer. PROVIDE EVIDENCE Provide data and research that supports your request for a raise. This may include industry benchmarks or salary reports that show the average pay for someone in a similar role in the current market. Focus on the most relevant evidence for the role rather than present reams of findings. BE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE If you’re applying for a role in the public sector (which we hope you do), you will be negotiating within a salary band. There may also be market supplements and eligible additional allowances to consider, too. If you have worked in a similar role or there is an acute staff shortage, this can play in your favour. So it’s possible to start higher up a salary band and a hiring manager should allow you to state your case. FOLLOW UP Ask for a follow-up meeting or conversation to find a mutually beneficial solution for both parties. HOW TO END THE EMAIL Finish the email by thanking them again for their time and consideration and express your commitment and enthusiasm to work with them. Salary negotiation email subject line examples [YOUR NAME] - Salary band/offer review - Initial salary proposal - Salary discussion meeting request - Discussion of initial offer - Request to revise/discuss compensation package An example of a salary negotiation email Dear [Employer/ Hiring Manager], I am excited about the prospect of joining your team as [position]. Thank you for offering me this opportunity. However, I would like to discuss the compensation package that was offered to me. After careful research and consideration, I believe that my qualifications, experience and skills are worth a higher salary than the current offer. As per my market research, I have found that the average salary range for similar roles in the industry is [insert range]. Based on my experience, expertise and accomplishments, I would like to request a salary/market supplement of [insert desired amount] per year. I am confident that my contributions to the company will justify this request and I am open to discussing various options to arrive at a mutually beneficial agreement. Thank you again for the offer and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, [Your Name] Finally, what not to include in a salary negotiation email PERSONAL ISSUES This is a professional negotiation, so keep to the facts and what you want to achieve. DROP NAMES This can be counterproductive as it’s usually not appropriate to bring up details about someone else, even if you think your roles closely align. You can come across as unprofessional to a hiring manager so stick to your benchmarks rather than mention any names. NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT PREVIOUS EMPLOYERS Hiring managers want to hire people who don’t burn bridges and can remain professional, even if they have been through a bad experience in the past. Bringing up old grudges won’t help your case. THREATS ABOUT QUITTING OR GOING TO ANOTHER COMPANY Any threats may backfire and can come across as argumentative, particularly if there is another candidate that they can choose instead. UNREALISTIC DEMANDS Again, rely on your market research and goals. You’re more likely to achieve what you want if you focus on one or two key requests rather than overcomplicate the process. Find a perfect career fit in the public sector A great way to develop a negotiation strategy is to work with a recruiter with sector expertise and a good handle on how to approach a prospective employer. Our talent team guide candidates through each step of the process by providing advice pre and post-application and responding quickly to any questions that you may have. Join our talent pool to apply to jobs online and to access our weekly job alerts, news and jobseeker tips.

Over the last four years our country has experienced waves of unforeseen change. As a result, the average salary offering in the public sector has also gone through a transformation. You may be feeling the pinch as salaries aren’t matching the demands of the cost of living. Our goal at Jobs Go Public is to ensure you have all the tools you need to make the best career decisions. That’s why we’ve created this handy guide on how to check your salary against similar roles. This guide will show you how salaries have shifted across the public sector since the pandemic. This will allow you to understand whether the job you’re applying for is on par with the sector average. What changes have we seen? To ensure you’re earning the standard salary for your job, you should stay up to date with trends in the sector. Our recent job board survey highlighted some fascinating trends in salary offerings*. The data survey compares 2019 salaries for roles posted pre-pandemic with those live in 2022 after the pandemic. Job types with the largest salary increases The table below highlights the top 10 changes in average salary for local government jobs. The job types in this table have seen the largest overall changes in average offering. All 10 roles have increased by a minimum of at least 8% over the pandemic. This is especially striking compared to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data. Over the end of the pandemic, the ONS tracked a 4.2% increase in gross salary across the whole public sector. This suggests that these jobs saw at least double the rate of increase compared to most public sector roles. Our salary changes are also consistent with real-time national trends from Pay As You Earn data. It’s also interesting to note that these salary climbs largely tie in with supply and demand on Jobs Go Public. For example, demand for employees in Administration/Clerical at councils increased by almost double over the pandemic. The number of postings also nearly trebled for Support Staff, with 189% more roles posted in 2022 than 2019. Job types the largest salary decreases The following table shows the largest changes for roles whose average salary decreased during the pandemic. Changes in this category were not as drastic as those seen for increases in the same period. The largest change was seen in Catering, where average salary decreased by a fifth. It is worth noting that only half of these job types saw a decrease in demand on jobsgopublic. In fact, demand for Catering employees increased by 6 times over the pandemic as the lockdowns stopped. This may suggest that the average experience level councils require in these jobs has also dropped over the pandemic. If you’re seeking a role in the above job types, it’s not all doom and gloom. The average salary in the UK currently sits at £27,756. This shows that despite the above decreases, most public sector salaries still sit above the national average. What’s more, around 80% of local government employers offer a market supplement with their salaries. Make sure to look out for these in vacancy listings when you are job hunting! How do I check my salary? Now that we’ve explored top level trends in salary changes, you may be wondering how to apply this knowledge. The trends above are based on benchmarks of salary data on Jobs Go Public. If you know how to benchmark your salary, you’ll know what to expect to earn for your job title. Here are the steps you should follow to figure out what you should be earning: 1. Figure out what job title you want to be searching for. If it’s your current role, think of all the variations of that job title that an employer might use. Write these down and make a list. 2. Head to the job board. Use speech marks in your search query to find all the vacancies that are open with your desired job title. You may also wish to do an advanced search from the results page to narrow the results down. For example, you can select roles that are in your desired region or experience level. 3. Record all of the vacancies you see. You may wish to record details about each vacancy for future reference, such as: The county Employer name Benefits on offer The key information to capture is the lower and upper numbers in the job’s salary band. 4. Repeat this process for any variations of your job title as needed. You should aim to have as many roles in your list as possible to create an accurate data set. 5. Use a calculator or spreadsheet to find the average number for the upper and lower limits of salary (This is the total sum of the salaries for each role, divided by the number of jobs you have recorded information for). 6. You should now have an average figure for the upper and lower ends of your job title. This is your average salary benchmark! Ready to take the next step in your career? This information will help you to understand what the trends are in your desired job. Understanding the market will allow you to make the most informed decisions about which applications to invest your time in. However, don’t forget to weigh this salary information against the employer’s overall value proposition! Smaller councils may not have the strongest salary, but often offer unique benefits. For example, a local discount scheme could have a more significant impact on your wellbeing. If you're looking for an opportunity in the public sector, join our jobseeker network today! *Methodology The above study is based on a sample of 100,941 vacancies posted on Jobs Go Public over the pandemic. Within the league table we only analysed job types which had samples of at least 500 vacancies over 2019 and 2022. Each job type was segregated by year of the pandemic and the midpoints of salary bands were averaged. We then calculated the percentage change between 2019 and 2022. Sign up to our talent pool Be the first to hear about new opportunities that could be perfect for you.

You've got through the application stage of the recruitment process and now you've been invited to prepare for a job interview. Interviews can be a daunting prospect but you're already halfway there! Jobsgopublic's Resourcing Business Partner, Amy, has almost 20 years of experience in the public sector recruitment industry and is an expert at helping candidates achieve the next step in their careers. In this webinar recording, Amy shares fantastic advice on how to prepare for the interview stage and ace your way to that new job. If you're ready to take the next step in your career, check out our job board and join the jobsgopublic talent pool today!

If you had told me in January 2020 that I would working from home for the foreseeable I would never have believed you. Having been a recruiter for 16 years I would never have thought that I would be able to recruit and manage a team from the comfort of my own home. It was a huge shock to the system packing up my desk on the 17th March to be told that this would be for 6 to 12 weeks and here we are nearly 20 months later still embracing the work from home model. Job searching for many has changed, there have been uncertainties, redundancies, ups and downs however as we approach 2022, we know that things have changed forever. Gone are the days you need to work in the office 5 days a week and candidates need to be in easy reach of the office. Speaking to a client recently they have fine-tuned their model and are now fully remote and now have the opportunities of hiring talent who do not live locally which means that they are getting a more experience and knowledge. It is a daunting decision to make that you want to move on from your current role, trust me when I say that after many years in one business, I knew it was the right time for me to step away and find my new role. Here are some tips to consider 1. Register with a recruitment agency – Recruiters are not your enemy! They don’t just want to satisfy a client, but they do want to give you all of the options. They are also happy to have those difficult conversations with a client. The good agencies will tell you there and then if they can help you or not so that you know you are not wasting your time. Having a good recruiter on your side can often lead to you knowing about the jobs first. 2. It’s not all about the money – Think of all that money you’re saving on not having the commute, like many industries the public sector is under constraints with their salaries – What else are they offering you? What are the other benefits like? You don’t want to disregard a really good job because it’s a little bit lower than you had in mind. 3. Job Alerts – if you're registered with us at jobsgopublic them make sure your settings are right and that you’re getting the right alerts. Getting the right alerts will save you time and you will be the first to know of new and exciting jobs. 4. Go Digital – We are no longer a dial up generation, we need to move into a digital age. Make sure your CV and online presence is up to date and that you remove anything that could paint you in a bad light, you will be surprised how many clients google you before you get your offer. Be prepared for a virtual interview and if you are not sure ask for help, if you’re working with an agency then they will be able to give you a practise run to make sure your all set.

It's that time of year again! As we quickly approach the start of a new year, many see this milestone as an opportunity for change. If you're thinking about changing your job as part of of your new years resolutions, here are our top tips!