About a third of people have admitted to fabricating details in their job applications when they’re trying to secure a new position. If you consider yourself an honest person, this may be quite alarming, especially if you’ve ever missed out on a position or a promotion to someone you think is under-qualified.

It’s important not to think that because lying is surprisingly common, that makes it somehow acceptable or a good idea. In fact, even though people may occasionally get ahead in the short term as a result of exaggerating their skills, this will tend to reveal itself later and there may be serious consequences.

For one thing, lying on paper is one thing, but you have to be able to back it up. There are several hurdles during a typical recruitment process designed to trip up anyone who is stretching the truth a little. When asked to provide evidence of your claims, you’re probably going to fail, especially if this is in an interview situation. People who aren’t nearly as confident in person as they sounded on their application are usually a red flag.

Even for people who so make it as far as getting a job after lying on their CV, the danger is that you’ll get caught out later as it slowly becomes clear that you aren’t really up to the task. To be in this position isn’t desirable, since you could end up getting fired (there’s never a good time for that to happen) and have a gap on your CV when you next apply for jobs. Depending on the extent of your lies, you could even be prosecuted in some cases.

Recruiters are finding it more easy than ever to find out the real trust about their prospective employees. When a candidate applies for a job and things they mention on their application seem suspicious, it’s very easy to snoop around and work out the truth in a lot of cases. Social media, references and other past employers might give employers the evidence they need to disprove your story, so it’s not worth the risk. Instead, we’d advise you to spend time developing your skills and earning a job that you’re better suited for.

Practical new ways to get into new careers are always welcomed by most young people, and fortunately there are opportunities coming up all the time. Apprenticeships continue to grow in popularity, especially in the UK, and can offer some fantastic benefits for people who have struggled to get into work through different methods, or simply want to change their career path or develop new skills and confidence.

Many people struggle with school and college throughout their education, and by the time they reach 16 it is common for young students to become disengaged with the process and take more of an interest in starting work as soon as possible. Apprenticeships are a great way to develop new skills and learn in a completely different way to traditional education. The fact is that academic study is not for everyone, and some people can learn much faster and develop their skills better through the kind of practical experience you gain as an apprentice.

Some professions lend themselves particularly well to apprenticeships, including trade industries focused on delivering a particular specialised service. This could include builders, decorators, plumbers, electricians and so on, since practical knowledge and experience is highly valued in these trades. The range of subjects available is no longer limited to these traditional vocations, however; apprenticeships may be available in fields like digital marketing, media production, finance, engineering, sport, IT, hospitality, healthcare and many more. (more…)

For many different people, getting into the beauty industry is an ideal career choice. The UK has experienced a huge rise in demand for beauty products and services over the past few decades, and supply has increased too, with professionals developing their skills in new areas that didn’t even exist until recently. Of course, our capital city has become home to some of the most respected businesses in the field, and hair and beauty jobs in London are much sought after. But how do you go about finding them?

First of all, it helps to have an idea of the direction you want your career to go in, and imagine where you would ideally see yourself in a few years’ time, or even decades in the future. Perhaps you’d like to manage a chain of hair salons, invest in the latest high-tech skin treatments, or even create your own cosmetics brand.

Whatever your ultimate goal may be, or even if you don’t have one yet, you might that the job you take when you first come into the industry may be completely different to what you end up succeeding at in the long term. Here are some examples of jobs that might get you into the right sector of the hair and beauty job market… (more…)