APPRENTICE star and vice-chairperson of West Ham FC Karren Brady answers all your careers questions.
Today she gives tips to a beautician who wishes to be self-employed and a woman who feels employers may look at her as a 'job-hopper'.
Q: I’m a beautician and I’m being made redundant in a few months’ time due to Covid. I’m currently building a cabin in the back garden so I can become self-employed. I just wondered if there are any grants available to help me to start and set up my own beauty business?
Kira, via email
A: Firstly, good for you. Resilience and determination are the backbone of any successful business person, so setting up on your own is a great solution to being made redundant.
The good news is that there is a lot of help available for small businesses owners.
The first thing to understand is the loans or grants that you may be eligible for. Loans have to be paid back, but grants are often given if you match the amount – so if you apply for a £10,000 grant, you’ll often have to put in £10,000 yourself, but the grant itself does not need to be paid back.
The Prince’s Trust gives loans to people aged 18 to 30 to start and run their own business, and it also provides mentoring and training,
which can be great when you’re starting out (Princes-trust.org.uk).
The government also has help available – check what might be suitable to you at Gov.uk/business-finance-support. I also strongly suggest you find yourself a mentor who can guide and advise.
This will strengthen your skillset and build your knowledge to help futureproof your business.
Bossing It
BOSSING It is Fabulous’ series about ordinary women who have launched incredible businesses.
It aims to inspire other women and show that if these ladies can do it, so can you!
Read more at Thesun.co.uk/topic/bossing-it.
Q: I’m 25 and feeling lost. I took a job in January and was so excited as it was a permanent role after several fixed-term contracts.
But I don’t feel like I fit in, and now I’ve been offered another fixed-term contract in a company I’ve admired for a while.
I’m worried about not having a position at the end of it and of being labelled a “job hopper” – there are so many short-term jobs on my CV!
I don’t know whether I should stick with the permanent role I have, even though I don’t fit in, take the short-term contract or look for another more permanent job. Help!
Kate, via email
A: Years ago, a career was defined as climbing the ladder to the top, one rung at a time.
Now it’s more of a web, with people moving around in different areas, which means changing jobs a number of times. So don’t be scared of the prospect of another short-term contract – the most important thing is for you is to have a job you enjoy.
When you update your CV, organise it to address any concerns a prospective employer might have that you are not loyal and don’t stick around very long, and use it to tell a great story about your career!
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Firstly, have a strong summary statement about yourself – talk about your years of experience and highlight the fact that you are looking for a long-term position where you can grow.
Write a compelling accomplishment section, as most employers are more interested in what you have done for the companies you have worked at, rather than the time you spent there.
Practise how you will answer the question if it comes up, focusing on what you have learned from your previous roles, and reiterate that you are ready for a role with longevity, where you can grow. Best of luck!
- Got a careers question you want Karren to answer? Email [email protected]
Compiled by: Claire Frost
- Karren cannot answer emails personally. Content is intended as general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice
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