Breakthrough Career Solutions

Career Update: Age does not weary them
Mature age workers are not a burden to a business, they are an asset, writes Helen Bennett.

Employment - Unfair Dismissal - Procedure<
> Which Direction For My Career

There comes a time for most people when they ask themselves about which direction they should take for their career. For some, this question is asked before their career even begins, perhaps even before entering college.

In most cases, the sooner you can decide on the direction that you would like to take your career, the better. Forethought and planning can help make the decision making process easier earlier on in your career. The first thing you need to remember is that you will likely not start off at the top of the ladder, but rather that you will need to work your way up to your goal career position.

One of the primary considerations when deciding on the directionality of your career is education requirements. Are there special degrees or certificates that you will need to advance your career and where are they available? Time may be a factor, especially if you are already working in the career field of your choice. There may be options of night schools or correspondence courses to get the degrees and certificates necessary to advance your career.

By defining your goals as clearly as possible, armed with information, you can set a course for career fulfillment and find a time frame that will suit your needs and career advancement.

Deciding on the direction you would like to take your career in is not an easy decision to make, nor one you should make hastily. Take your time and clearly define where you want to be in one year, three years, five years and ten years. Research for information to help you understand what you will need to accomplish to meet these goals.
Careers, The Correct Qualifications

Knowing what those at the top of your chosen industry have accomplished in order to reach their positions will be one of the most helpful things you can do for your career. Getting these correct qualifications for yourself should be your first priority as far as achieving your goals.

Go online and look at resumes that are posted. Check out the bios of top CEOs. Read articles on the business and as many books as you can find on the industry in which you are interested. Because few people will follow the same path to the top, make a list of entry level, mid level, and upper level positions that different people in the business have acquired. You may find that it is easier to make your way into a related industry and then transfer over to your career of choice. By looking at what those who have come before have done, you can shape your path accordingly.

Education is the logical first step when training for a career. Online classes and night school have made it possible to train for a new career while maintaining your day job. In the event that you need a higher degree that you can’t get through the Internet, there are a variety of grants and loans available to fund your education. If you are confident that the career you are training for is really what you want and that this career will give you the funds to repay the steep fees for a higher degree, this may be the best choice. Networking in grad school may do more for your career than the classes you take.

On the other hand, hands on experience is a great teacher as well. Look for assistantships, internships, and volunteer work in the industry of your choice. You may find that another career is more to your liking. The process of acquiring the correct qualifications for a given career may show you a totally different career that you didn’t even know existed.
Look Well Into the Future When Career Planning

Although the initial stages of career planning are crucial to success, looking well into the future when career planning is essential if that success is going to be maintained. Careers change, the market changes, the economy changes. If you want to make sure that you remain a hot commodity in your career, you need to make sure that you can roll with the punches.

The best way to look into the future, you must start by looking into the past. What have been the trends of your industry? Where has its competition come from in the past? What companies have survived and which haven’t? Why?

Next, look at the current state of the new industry in which you hope to work and ask the same questions. Choose case studies in the form of major companies. Find out who the key players are in these companies and check out their career path. What did they do after school and entry level positions? Read business journals and check out industry forums online. Where is the current threat coming from? What are people saying about the future of the industry? How will that affect your ability to get a job in your chosen career and keep it five, ten, twenty years down the road?

Now, look at both of these groups of facts and consider your future. What areas will you need to acquire frequent updates on information and skills in order to maintain your position and move up? A certain amount of critical thinking is necessary to prepare yourself for the possible twists and turns of the market as it concerns your chosen career. By assessing the past, taking note of the present, and planning for the future, you will have a much higher chance of not only holding onto your new career but excelling at it as well.

In the recent case of Draper v Mears Ltd 2006 the issue of whether the employer had followed the Employment Acts correctly in dismissing an employee was brought to light. The employee was employed as a plumber and was given use of a company van. The employer had a sensible rule that any company vehicle should not be operated after the consumption of alcohol. The employer operated a zero-tolerance policy in this respect, of which the employee was fully aware.

After work on one occasion, the employee parked the van near to a public house, which happened to be close to his work premises. He went to meet a colleague who had invited him out for a drink. Two of the employer?s managers happened to go to the same public house and discovered the employee sitting in the passenger seat of another company vehicle, with his colleague in the driver?s seat.

One of the managers was of the opinion that the employee was a little drunk and challenged his proposed use for personal reasons of the colleague?s company vehicle. The employee was sent a letter dated 29th October 2004 informing him he was required to attend a disciplinary hearing. The issues to be considered being cited as:

‘Using a vehicle for social purposes. Conduct which fails to reasonably ensure health and safety of oneself and others. Insubordination. A breach of the company vehicle regulations and procedures’

The employee was dismissed after the disciplinary hearing. The primary reason for his dismissal, which was set out in writing the next day, was that he was intending to drive his company vehicle after the consumption of alcohol. The employee claimed that he had been unfairly dismissed and brought a claim before the Employment Tribunal. The Employment Tribunal dismissed the claim and the employee appealed to the Employment Appeals Tribunal.

The issue arose as to whether the Employment Tribunal had erred in law in deciding whether the employer had complied with the standard dismissal and disciplinary procedures as outlined in the Employment Acts. The appeal was dismissed for the following reasons:

* Firstly, the employer had to set out why he was thinking of dismissing the employee and provide the employee with an invitation to discuss the matters at hand.

* Secondly, the tribunal were entitled to find that the statutory procedures had been complied with. The letter of 29th October had successfully outlined the general nature of the alleged misconduct.

? RT COOPERS, 2006. This Briefing Note does not provide a comprehensive or complete statement of the law relating to the issues discussed nor does it constitute legal advice. It is intended only to highlight general issues. Specialist legal advice should always be sought in relation to particular circumstances.

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