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Health and safety jobs perhaps don’t have the most glamorous reputation. However, in reality the health and safety industry is a hugely dynamic sector, and is a great industry for individuals that relish professional challenge, and have the passion, skill and qualifications to improve people’s working lives.

As a health and safety professional has direct bearing over the quality of employees working lives, they have an intrinsic value. The importance of health and safety professionals doesn’t decrease due to recession, and health and safety in the workplace transcends tough economic circumstances. Health and safety jobs and health and safety officer jobs will always be available; however, jobs in the industry should only be taken by those who are equipped and passionate enough to fulfil the often challenging role of the health and safety professional.

As you are dealing with something so important, i.e. the health and wellbeing of employees certain qualifications are critical. Health and safety degrees etc are all great ways into the industry, and without one your prospects of getting health & safety jobs are small to negligible.

Besides the necessary qualifications, certain personal characteristics are also valuable. A health and safety professional needs to be a good communicator, particular in health and safety officer jobs, where you will be required not only to think up and quantify rigorous health and safety strategies, but also implement them, with the help of managers and employees.

A career in health and safety can be highly fulfilling and there is scope for much career development. At OS Recruitment our business is helping professionals seek employment in the health and safety industry, enhancing their career prospects and filling important health and safety roles.

Besides salary and job fulfilment, career development, for many professionals, is the most important aspect of any position. This is just one of the reasons why health & safety jobs are so sought after, as, besides great pay and job fulfilment, they also offer professionals lots of career development.

Although the job market may be tough, for health and safety professionals this is a great time to health and safety jobs, either starting off in the industry or going for more advanced positions. This is because more and more employers are realising the importance of occupational health and safety jobs coupled with a general cultural shift in favour of environmental issues.

The environmental point is an important one. Businesses are now realising that not only should their activities be “green,” but that working environments should also be optimised. It is now clear that environmentally aware, ergonomically designed workplaces are best for employee health and safety, and conducive to more efficiency, as well as better employee esteem.

For the health and safety professional this culture shift adds to their responsibility. They are now required to think outside of the box, and deliver not only more rigorous safety strategies but also better working environments. Whilst modern preoccupations make health and safety jobs more challenging, it also presents a clear oppourtunity for career development.

Occupational health and safety jobs can also lead to bigger things in a more linear sense. Becoming a health and safety officer is great career advancement, and is a challenging role that is suited to dynamic, highly qualified individuals.

The recent winner of The Apprentice won the contest with a business model based on occupational health and safety. His idea, a chair that helps back pain, promises to save businesses real money every year. The fact is, health and safety in the workplace is very important, and so jobs within health and safety are very valuable. Health and safety is a great sector to be a part of, and is a career best suited to driven highly qualified individuals.

Health and safety jobs cover a large sector. The specific roles involved in occupational health and safety will vary from industry to industry, environment to environment. Health and safety in a traditional office environment is just one part of a strata of health and safety vacancies, and so between each specific branch of health and safety responsibilities will vary.

However, there is common ground in terms of the skills and qualification requirements for health and safety jobs.  A health and safety professional must be extremely analytical, have an aptitude with data, and also an ability to communicate. These skills are often found in very different kinds of people, and so a health and safety professional needs to be highly versatile.

Health and safety officers also need to be highly dynamic individuals. Health and safety is often about plans, and implementation of health and safety strategies. The ability to enact ones strategy is a crucial aspect of health & safety jobs, and so roles in the industry are best filled by dynamic individuals who are able to communicate and implement their strategies.

Word of mouth can be a powerful tool when looking for health and safety jobs. Whether you are a newly graduated and qualified nurse, a doctor who has been made redundant, or you are merely looking for a change of scene, using word of mouth to your advantage in finding the right job can make all the difference.

The advantage of word of mouth is that it takes no special knowledge. All it takes is a little courage to ask a few questions, or strike up a conversation with a stranger. There are many ways to go about using word of mouth to your advantage while searching for occupational health and safety jobs.

Start with people you know. Ask your former co-workers and supervisors if they know of any openings anywhere. You can also ask them if they know of other places of work to ask, or even employment agencies.

Talk to all your friends, relatives, and acquaintances about your situation. Chances are, at least one person you know will know at least one thing that can give you a lead on health and safety jobs.

Once you have asked the people you know, don’t stop there. Every time you visit a health related place of business, ask everyone you see. If you have a dentist appointment, chat with the receptionist about your job search. Talk to the dentist and the hygienist too. You can even ask other patients if they’ve seen any occupational health and safety job openings. Don’t limit yourself because you never know who might know something.

Even at the best of times, you may not be able to find the health and safety jobs you are looking for. But in these difficult times, health positions are scarce and many people are competing for the same occupational health and safety jobs. Here are some things you can do to build your health career in the mean time while you are out of work.

1.    Take a course

Even if you are a registered nurse or fully qualified doctor, there are still many things that you can learn. Perhaps you’d be interested in taking a course on mental health? You could even take a course in counselling alcoholics or  those with eating disorders. There many different ways to build your knowledge of the health field while you are out of work.

2.    Volunteer your services

While many clinics, offices, hospitals, and schools may not be able to offer you full time health and safety jobs, or even part time work, you may be able to get a volunteer position. This will both occupy you while you are out of work, and build your CV. Volunteering also shows that you are hard working, willing to go the extra mile to help others even when you aren’t paid for your services. And sometimes volunteer work can pave the way for occupational health and safety jobs.

3.    Mentor a student

Use your knowledge and experience to help a medical student. You can encourage the future generations of nurses and doctors by offering advice, helping them study, or just offering general support.

When applying for health & safety jobs, you may not think that grammar matters much. However, any kind of error on your CV can leave a lasting negative impression on a potential employer. Here are some tips for making your CV letter perfect.

First, make sure you check over your CV for any spelling errors or typos. This includes misuse of words, such as using “their” instead of “there,” or “you’re” instead of “your.” If you are unsure of some words, or you are shaky on spelling rules, you may want to ask a friend or a professional editor to read over your CV for spelling mistakes.

You should also look over your CV for other grammatical errors including misplaced modifiers, dangling participles, and so on. Keep in mind, however, that in a CV it is actually acceptable to use sentence fragments, such as in bulleted lists.

Another thing to keep in mind is conciseness. If you can say something in ten words instead of twenty, and still convey the intended meaning, do so. It’s better to have a strong, one-page CV than a weak four-page one.

Finally, only include relevant information. For instance, if you’re applying for health and safety officer jobs, it’s probably pointless to include your experience working as a babysitter twelve years ago.

As you prepare your CV, make sure you take your time. Many health & safety jobs are available, but only those who put their best foot forward will succeed.

With the economy suffering, and many people out of work, the healthcare sector is no stranger to job cuts and redundancies. Fortunately, there are still many options available for those needing work in this field. If you’re out of work, and looking for health and safety jobs, Occupational Safety Recruitment can help.

At OS Recruitment, we want to share our expertise with you so that you can find health and safety vacancies that suit you faster. Once you have registered with us, you will be able to use our powerful search tools to find many health and safety jobs in our extensive database.

We will work with you to ensure that you are offered the best opportunities that are suited to you. Once you have registered, someone will contact you for an informal telephone interview to get more information about your specific situation, and what kind of health and safety vacancies you are hoping to find.

We can also offer you career advice, assistance with writing your CV, and even interview preparation help. We can review an existing CV and offer suggestions, or we can help you to start from scratch if you don’t yet have a CV.

At  OS Recruitment we are here to help you. We go above and beyond what’s expected of an employment agency, and will always deal with your needs carefully and professionally.
For more information about  how to register with us, or about the kinds of jobs you can find through us, please get in touch by filling in the contact form, or ringing us on: 020 8203 0607.

Roles in occupational health are some of the most important health and safety jobs in the workplace. Occupational health practitioners ensure that employees are healthy and that they are working in a safe environment, free from unnecessary risks. Having occupational health professionals in the workplace can bring many benefits.

It is the responsibility of the occupational health practitioner to identify any illnesses or injuries that a company’s employees may be at risk of. This could be risks associated with the nature of the work, or illnesses that the workforce may be susceptible to. For example, if a workforce if predominantly female, an occupational health practitioner will ensure that they are educated about women’s cancers and arrange regular screening programmes.

One of the major aspects of occupational health and safety jobs is primary care. The occupational health practitioner will be responsible for treating minor injuries that may occur in the workplace, as well as any chronic conditions that employees may have. If there are any epidemics of illnesses, such as the flu, the occupational health professional will be able to educate staff about reducing the risks, organise vaccinations for at risk employees, arrange tests for the illness and treat any staff who are showing symptoms of it.

OS Recruitment has a wide range of frequently updated occupational health jobs, helping you take the next step on your career ladder. They can also help your company recruit for any occupational health and safety jobs you may have available.

The job market is currently extremely competitive. You may have been applying for health and safety jobs for a while and not having much luck. Therefore, when you are offered that all important interview, you should do all that you can to ensure that you make a great first impression. Health and safety jobs can be particularly sought after so, before you head into the interview room, you should make sure that you are fully prepared.

•    Choose Your Outfit

What you wear to an interview will give the interviewers a first impression of you. Even if you are applying for a job where you will be allowed to dress casually, you should always make sure that you arrive at your interview dressed smartly. Make sure that your clothes are ironed and tidy, and that your shoes are clean and polished.

•    Study Your CV

Because knowledge and experience are so important in health and safety officer jobs, it’s very likely that interviewers will ask you questions based upon what’s in your CV. Make sure that you are familiar with everything on it, and prepare answers to any questions they may ask you regarding it.

•    Research the Company

Although most health and safety practitioners are not involved in the day to day running of a company, you should still be familiar with what they do before your interview. Having some knowledge and enthusiasm about the company you wish to work for will demonstrate your commitment to it and the safety of its employees.

Working in construction can be extremely rewarding. It’s the only industry where you can be actively involved in the creation of towns and cities. However, the construction industry also has some of the most intrinsic risks. Health and safety jobs in the construction industry are extremely important, and can be incredibly gratifying for people with an interest in construction, and health and safety in general. If you are interested getting appointed for health and safety jobs in constructions, there are various steps you should take.

•    Finish Your Education

Construction health and safety jobs require lots of specific knowledge, far beyond regular construction jobs. Degree educated candidates are far more likely to be successful in their application, particularly if they have knowledge of engineering, construction management and occupational health.

•    Get Industry-Specific Qualifications

Although having specific qualifications are not a pre-requisite to getting health and safety officer jobs, having them can put you ahead of the crowd. Having an NVQ in occupational health and safety, as well as general first aid training, will make you very desirable. You should also make sure that you are up to date with the latest health and safety developments.

•    Have Experience of Health and Safety Protocol

If you can, try to gain some experience of other sectors’ health and safety practices and risk assessments. Generally, many health and safety in construction jobs will require you to implement new health and safety policies and accident prevention programmes, so having some knowledge and experience of how this is done could be extremely useful.