In a week of unprecedented violence in many of England's cities perhaps there are more important things in life to worry about. To some people however money is one of them. Does money bring happiness? In my opinion it doesn't bring happiness but it does allow you to do more, but a word of warning, most of us live to our means, regardless of how much we earn. I have survived on £8-9k a year and been fine and now I earn significantly more than that I am still 'just' fine.

I am in the (possible) minority of people who genuinely loves their job, so much so I often don't see it as work, it's just something I do for a salary, and to be honest, something I often do for free! My family and friends take advantage of my speedy eye and constructive criticism when reading their CV; they look to me for encouragement and guidance when I coach them through interviews. But do I live to work? No. I enjoy what I do but I also enjoy having time out, pottering in the garden, spending time with friends and my plethora of hobbies.

I personally am a big believer that you work to live, not live to work and for me I would rather earn less and enjoy my job. But I know plenty of people who are the other way inclined, who are driven by money because they have to be (and some because they want to be). That doesn't mean they don't like their job but for them, it is just a job, something to pay the bills, something to get through, something they have to do.

This week on the Guardian website they have debated this very subject.

Do you look for salary or satisfaction? Comments below please.

I spoke to a member yesterday who was having trouble finding a job, they told me all about their background what they had been doing, how many jobs they had applied for, how many interviews they'd had and what kind of roles they were pursuing. All sounded very good and I reassured them they were doing all the right things. Then I asked the killer question - 'so, how long have you actually been looking?' more...

"The Government is focused on boosting growth and the Hargreaves review highlighted the potential to grow the UK economy. By creating a more open intellectual property system it will allow innovative businesses to develop new products and services which will be able to compete fairly in the UK’s thriving markets for consumer equipment."

So I am told from the BIS website but what does this mean to us? more...

We often advise that it can take around 6 to 9 months to find a new job and to expect that sort of time scale.  However, we do appreciate that it can be hard to maintain the motivation to job search, particularly if it goes on for some time.  I'm certainly seeing this personally whilst I help a good friend job search.  He's only been looking for a couple of months, but patience is not his virtue ...................... more...

The title of this blog may be a little extreme but spelling is important, epecially within your career. This article caught my eye this morning and I thought it might be a good blog idea. I am wondering if we have just become lazy in our attitude to spelling and grammar or whether it really is a lack of education? (I am sure you will comment) In my opinion there are no excuses, with the introduction of spell check and of course good old-fashioned proof-reading before you press send we should all be spelling words correctly. more...

I have some good news for you! The latest figures released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show a slight improvement in graduate employment outcomes over last year. For 2009/10 graduates it shows that within six months of graduating, 86% of UK graduates were either working or in further study, and 9% (down from 10% in 2008/9) were unemployed. Average salaries were unchanged at £19,000 (median) and £20,000 (mean).

There are interesting variations across the UK, with graduates from HE institutions in Scotland doing better than the UK as a whole, both in terms of employment rates and salaries.

If you want to read the full report you can do so here

Good morning all. In this beautiful sunny weather (apologies if it is raining where you are) it is difficult not to appreciate the world around us.  
We are seeing a small but significant number of members looking to change their lives to become more environmentally friendly and this is impacting on their careers. more...

I'm sat working at home today and it reminded me that we often get asked about how to find a job that offers flexibility, be that part-time hours or perhaps even the opportunity to work from home.

Most people find when searching that there aren't that many 'work from home' jobs advertised, unless it is the type where you stuff envelopes all day.  But that isn't to say the opportunities don't exist.  So how can you find them? more...

I HAVE EXCITING NEWS!!! In addition to our (excellent) CV feedback service and general careers advice, from the 1st July this year we will be offering mock interviews. There are a number of ways that we can deliver them:



Face to Face: In London, Cambridge or during the careers hubs

Online: Anywhere and anytime via Skype (you will need a webcam)

Telephone: Getting used to telephone interviews can be tricky....we can call you anytime

To book one please email us at careers@rsc.org and we will talk you through the next steps.

I often get asked about whether it is beneficial to take any job or to hold out to get the right job.  My answer to this will really depend on circumstances. 

When asked how long it takes to find a job, I often advise people that currently it takes, on average, around 6-9 months.  For some it takes less and for some it is longer.  But I always say to people to think about how long they can afford to not work and have this in their mind when searching.  This can include financial considerations, such as when are the bills going to need paying, but also it is about your more general well being.  We spend a lot of time at work, and it can often form part of our social life, so to not be at work, or have the daily structure of going to a job can be quite an adjustment.

Generally I would advise that if you can afford (financially) to take your time, then do hold out for the right job.  You can always do some volunteering which will not only strengthen your CV but will also help you resist the temptation of job searching every day (again I recommend 1-2 hours a week at the most is plenty).  more...