The International Grooms Association (IGA) is the professional membership association for international show and competition grooms - we understand how important it is to find the right job.
Here are our tips for your job search and how to be successful at getting your new position:
Before you begin your search for a new job it is helpful to make a list of the things that are important to you.
Location is key, and it is important to consider how far away from home you would be happy to be, especially if you want to go home on your days off. Consider what area of equestrianism does your passion lie in?
Once you have an idea in your head of what you are looking for you can begin your job search.
Although it's good to have a clear start point about what is important to you, be open to ideas and think outside the box as you might be happily surprised.
Just because you have always worked in dressage, does not mean that you wouldn't enjoy working in show jumping. Sometimes a change can make a real difference to your happiness in a job.
Having a professional and well written CV can be the first point of contact that you have with a potential employer, so it is important that yours stands out, is concise, outlines your skills and experience level and is mistake free.
Don’t forget your email address will also make the first impression so it is important to have a professional email address (not fluffyponies@gmail.com) and ensure that your signature on your email includes your contact details. Keep your emails professional and well written.
Always answer your phone professionally! A good example would be 'Hello, Jane speaking...'
If you have a missed call always phone back - if a recruitment agency or potential employer doesn't get hold of you by calling, then you might miss out on an opportunity.
Challenge yourself and improve your skills - for example, if you want to be a competition groom then spend time on perfecting how to plait. Online training is an excellent way to develop your skills and should be documented on your CV. The FEI offers lots of opportunity for online training.
Don’t be shy to ask lots of questions to a potential employer, including:
If the potential employer is not keen to answer these questions, ask yourself ... Is this going to be a good position that you will be happy in?
There are various groups on Facebook where jobs are advertised, look at the advert carefully, does it state the terms of the employment?
Be aware of jobs that appear frequently as there is possibly a reason why no one is staying in the role…
The IGA Job Board has lots of vacancies, or consider using an equine recruitment agency, eg, Show Grooms International that will match you to specific jobs. This service is usually free for job seekers, and the jobs have been 'vetted' by the agency.
