WORKING LIFE FLEXIBLE WORKING HOW TO LAND THAT JOB Dont miss out on a buoyant building services employment market. Hays Richard Gelder has five tips for making the most of the UKs construction boom A s we have seen in this years Hays Building Services Salary Guide, demand for professionals in the sector is increasing and there is a particular need for mechanical and electrical design engineers at all levels. This improving picture means that many of the professionals looking for work have not been active in the jobs market for some time. If like 63% of construction employees in the UK you are planning to find a new job in 2015, but havent been in the recruitment market for a while, now is the time to take stock of the opportunities around you, and to plan how your next move will support your career in the long term. Successful careers Opportunities in building services 1. Make a plan Even if you are not looking for a job immediately, career planning is an important step to getting where you want to be. For the majority of professionals, career planning will be a mix of setting formal objectives through appraisals and continuing professional development, and more informal discussion around your career plans. Think about your skills, what you enjoy doing, and where you want to be. Whether you measure success by promotion, contributing to society or addressing your work-life balance, the first step is to identify your goals and motivations. 2. Bridge any gaps Once you know where you want to be, its much easier to figure out how to get there. Breaking down your long-term aspirations into short- and mediumterm goals makes them more manageable, and enables you to take first steps towards reaching them. You might realise that you need to take a training course to learn new skills or refresh old ones, or develop your IT or language skills through online learning. By keeping up to date with the jobs market, you can ensure your skills skills to recruiters and employers and connect with relevant individuals to develop your network. Dont forget to make your personal social media presence a positive reflection of your professional brand, check your privacy settings, and remove anything you dont want a current or future boss to see. 4. Choose the right opportunity Across the UK, we are moving into a more competitive skills market, where the best candidates will have their pick of two or three jobs, and can be offered a role quickly. This is often the case now for M&E design roles, and some contracting roles, such as estimators or quantity surveyors. After several years of fewer job vacancies, employees could now be faced with multiple offers to consider, so it is essential to look at the options as part of your overall plan, rather than taking the first job available. Take time to consider what you are looking for in a new job. Businesses are putting more and more effort into promoting themselves as an employer, making available detailed information on the benefits and opportunities they offer so do your research, and make sure the company you are applying to has the benefits and opportunities you want. Ask questions about the things that matter to you. Good employers will use the interview as a chance to sell themselves, not just quiz you on your experience match those being sought by employers, such as knowledge of building information modelling (BIM). If you are planning a bigger career change or are ambitious for promotion start talking to people who do the job youre interested in, and find out how they got there. Youll make valuable connections and get a clearer idea of the skills and experience you need to have. Look for ways to take the first steps in the right direction. This could mean taking on new responsibilities in your current role, or attending seminars or networking events to meet people in the area. 3. Update your CV and online presence If you have been in the same role for some time, your CV is likely to be out of date and not reflective of your current skills and experience. When updating your CV, think about the key attributes During the interview process, you should be prepared to ask questions about the things that matter to you. Good employers will use the interview as a chance to sell themselves to you not just quiz you on your experience so, if flexible working or support for training is really important to you, make sure they know this. 5. Ask for advice Seeking the support of experts can help you in your current role, as well as in your job search. Managers and colleagues will give guidance, while a mentor can often provide a valuable external perspective on your career path. Talking to an expert recruiter, such that employers will be looking for, and emphasise these, avoiding any company jargon and removing out-ofdate information. Make sure that key skills, like design, project management or expertise in specific areas, such as BREEAM, stand out. Include details and figures to quantify your success, such as contract sums and sectors in which you have worked. This will demonstrate your skills clearly to a potential employer. Building your individual professional brand will increase the chances that employers will think of you when a vacancy arises, recruiters will contact you, or a personal recommendation will help you to secure a job offer. Personal connections are key here whether thats maintaining links with former colleagues or making new connections through networking. Internal networking can also lead to new opportunities or involvement in projects that will help build your skills in new areas. Dont underestimate the importance of professional social media networks to help improve your connections and employability. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date and that it sells your as Hays, can help highlight the skills and experience that you might be missing even if youre not planning to move right away. A recruiter can also give your career plans context and highlight what employers are looking for. Opportunities are growing for building services professionals, and taking the time to plan your career will help you to maximise these opportunities, now and for the future. CJ For more information and job opportunities visit www.hays.co.uk/ buildingservices RICHARD GELDER is director at Hays Building Services Swinging sixties: Data suggests an upwardly mobile sector. See here for more. 63% of construction employees in the UK are planning to find a new job in 2015 60% of contractors (outside of private housing) reported more activity in Q3 2014 65% of construction employees are unhappy with their level of pay "