Beat “Blue Monday” and apply for a new automotive job!

Beat “Blue Monday” and apply for a new automotive job!

This article was originally published on 20 January 2020

Two technicians carrying out a car serviceIn 2005, a researcher at Cardiff University devised an equation to supposedly determine the most depressing day of the year, or ‘Blue Monday’ for short. Measuring factors such as the number of days since Christmas, the weather and even the arrival of unpaid credit card bills, he concluded that each year the worst day falls on the 3rd Monday of January.
 

While the evidence and calculations surrounding “Blue Monday” are a bit questionable, we think it can still be a time of year to make a positive change in your automotive career. The infamous day falls on the 20th of January in 2020, so instead of buying into the doom and gloom put forward by the study, why not consider jumping into the vast and varied world of contracting in the motor trade!

 

The best way to start the new year is to think how you can be at your happiest over the next 12 months, whether that’s through work, family or hobbies. A staggering 30% of UK workers consider a new job at the start of each year, making January one of the best times to search for that dream job!

 

So instead of thinking about how bad the weather is, and thinking wishfully back to the food coma at Christmas, now’s a better time than ever to look at new ways to improve your career in 2020! But before you start, we’ve got some top tips to help make the automotive job searching process that little bit easier:

 

1) Give your CV an upgrade

 

Your CV is by far one of the most valuable documents you have at your disposal when it comes to searching for jobs. It not only gives potential employers an insight into your key skills and experience, but it also gives you a platform to really showcase your best qualities and skills to give you the best possible chance of landing that dream role! For many employers, your CV will be the first piece of information that they read about you, so it needs to impress them to make you stand out from the crowd.

 

Ensure that you give the exact start and end dates of work, as well as details of your key responsibilities within past roles to really present yourself in the best possible light. Also make sure you thoroughly check your CV for spelling and grammar errors, as these are an immediate put-off for many employers. Running your CV through a spell checker or getting it proof-read by a friend or family member can be a useful way of making sure your CV is ready!

 

2) Collate your documents and qualifications certificates

 

Employers require certain documents for insurance purposes in order to ensure candidates are eligible to work in the UK and hold relevant qualifications to do the work, so make sure you have the below on hand and up-to-date:
• Driving license
• Passport, birth certificate or EU national ID
• Copies of your qualifications certificates (e.g. IMI, HND, SVQ, NVQ, City& Guilds, BTEC, ATA)

 

If you are seeking work as an MOT tester you will also need:
• MOT User ID
• Proof of current MOT annual training and assessment

 

3) Decide what you really want

 

Make sure you take time to understand what you’re looking for, what you’d like to achieve by changing jobs and assess your own situation before applying for jobs. Consider the following:
• What would be your ideal next role?
• What is particularly important to you: salary, atmosphere, location?
• What would be your ideal work pattern (full time or part time, permanent or temporary contracts)?
• What kind of company would you like to work for (small independent garage, national dealership or maybe a fast-fit outlet, etc.)?
• Would you be willing to relocate for your new job?

 

4) Register with a recruitment agency that specialises in the automotive industry

 

There is a good reason why you should register with a specialist recruitment agency like Autotech Recruit. Not only do we have strong knowledge of the motor trade, but we are also trained to effectively analyse and match your skillset to a perfect automotive vacancy, as well as providing advice to boost your application and prepare you for interviews. Autotech Recruit also has links to numerous motor trade companies, meaning that we have access to hundreds of jobs advertised by hundreds of employers. This saves valuable time, especially if you’re already in full-time employment.

 

If you stick to this advice, it will be much easier to find the motor trade job best suited to your expectations. We hope that 2020 really can be the jump start you need to move on in your career!

 

If you take on board points above, you will find the automotive job searching process a lot easier and more efficient! And if you feel ready to start the next phase of your career, visit our jobs board.

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