The whole thrust of the computer industry is to make computers and their software more 'user friendly'. As a result there is hardly any work activity which doesn't make use of them. Computers check your purchases in supermarkets and public houses, they are used to book your holidays, pay your wages, record your library books and issue parking tickets. Children use them without fear or hesitation and you ought to feel comfortable with them too. Courses for beginners are widely available in colleges. You can master the basics with a ten-week course, attending one evening a week.
The ability to use a computer is a key skill which is attractive to many employers. Computers can also take much of the drudgery out of job hunting. Word processors can help you to prepare a letter of application and curriculum vitae. They can store your letters and CVs and print them for you whenever you want them. With a computer you can alter a sentence or a paragraph without needing to retype the whole document. It will also check your spelling by highlighting any unfamiliar words or words with spellings different from those contained in its dictionary. Some will offer advice about grammar and punctuation. Computers are getting easier to use all the time. Adult education centers and job clubs can offer help and support in using them, and many colleges and job clubs offer access to them if you are out of work and want to use a computer for your job applications. If you feel that computers are too difficult for you to use, take heart: you run a computer program every time you turn on your automatic washing machine or set the video recorder.
Cost of working
Working costs money. You may need to buy clothes which you wouldn't normally wear. Transport to and from the job will eat into your salary, and nursery arrangements or out of school care for your children could also be an additional expense. You may lose government benefits through being employed and, for a while at least, it may seem that working calls for a lot of effort for very little reward. On the other hand, when you are at work you probably save on heating and lighting costs, tea and coffee may be free, and some companies offer cheap subsidized canteen food or give luncheon vouchers.
Fortunately, while everyone likes to earn a fair wage, money isn't the only driving force. For many people, work is about having a sense of identity and worth. They like to get out of the house and mix with other people. It is important for them that they are of value and that they have something to contribute. Having a job is also about being independent. Even with a low-paid job, things can improve. Your skills and your contribution may be recognized and so it is often easier to get the job you really want if you are already in employment. In this sense, there-fore, a job with a low wage can be a better launch pad than no job at all. It may not seem like much at the start but it's the first rung on a ladder. Climbing a ladder is always more exciting than staying on the ground.
Counseling
If you have a difficult decision to make, or feel that you might benefit from talking your ideas through with someone, you could explore the possibilities of counseling. Counselors are trained to listen carefully. They help you to clarify your thoughts. The process of explaining your ideas or feelings to a counselor can often help you to understand why you feel as you do, or why you have come to adopt a particular attitude towards something or someone. By carefully asking the right questions, a trained counselor can help you to arrive at a decision, shed light on the issues surrounding a particular problem, or enable you to sort out what you must do to achieve your personal goals.
Counselors are not advisers. They don't offer 'quick fixes' and they will usually refrain from telling you what to do. A counselor is there to support you in making your own decisions. He won't make them for you. Schools, colleges and universities often have their own trained counselors. If you have left full-time education, there is a wide range of counseling services available. The careers service, the Job centre, your local job club or the public library should be your first ports of call in order to gain further information about counseling opportunities in your locality.
Curriculum vitae or CV
There is a Latin term which means 'the course of your life'. Often it is referred to as a 'CV'. Essentially, it is an outline of your life to date, presented in a concise, easy-to-read form. A good CV will be simple, short (two pages are usually sufficient, you can always compress or highlight details as necessary) and clear but it will be enough to enable an employer to see that you have the skills and qualities to match the job advertised.
Everyone is unique. Your background, qualifications, skills and life experiences are different from those of anyone else and so your CV will be yours alone. Although each CV is unique, many are composed to a fairly standard format. They are usually divided into five or six sections.
