Blog

LinkedIn is a social media platform designed for business professionals. A site designed for employees and businesses to connect and network, LinkedIn continues to expand and has become an invaluable tool. How, however, do you use LinkedIn to get the most from it? You are more than likely reading this blog after clicking through from the Big Motoring World LinkedIn profile or from you seeing it on your timeline. LinkedIn has seen a major upswing in users recently and many people can benefit. W...

It’s a topic of great national debate. How do we break down that stigma around mental health and how can we help people open up when it comes to personal struggles. No one should have to suffer alone and during a week that sees a focus on mental health awareness, what steps can you take to support mental health in the workplace? It’s stated that one in four of us will suffer ill mental health at some point in our lives. With a variety of contributing factors playing a part, looking ...

2018 saw an exciting period of growth for Big Motoring World and as 2019 passes by we keep ticking off major milestones as we look forward to opening our first London location this Autumn. Naturally given this rate of growth we require additional team members to join our dedicated and hardworking teams. Big Motoring World is a leading used car supermarket. Fronted by our owner Peter Waddell, we aim to capitalise on our position of being one of the largest car supermarkets in the UK by adding to...

It’s a question many of us may have contemplated asking in our jobs over the years but how can you ask for a pay rise in a constructive way? Can you ask in a fashion that isn’t going to affect how you’re perceived in the workplace and can you avoid this conversation having a negative impact on your job prospects? Whether you are keeping your head down, playing the long game or come to your end of year review feeling that you have smashed your targets, asking for a pay rise ca...

A presentation can be a daunting experience. Standing up and presenting in front of a room full of people is out of many peoples comfort zones. However, delivered well and professionally it can be of huge benefit to your audience and your own personal confidence. It’s easy to understand the nerves that a person may fear when stepping up to deliver a presentation. Standing alone can feel an exposing experience, however, in this article, we’ll take a look at a number of ways that you ...

What does it take to be a good communicator? In a fast-paced business world, the difference between success and failure can hinge on good communication between teams and individuals. That said, what actually makes a good communicator? Whether it’s how you listen to the other involved party, what kind of questions you ask and how you present yourself, all of these points can make a difference. In this article, we’ll take a look at three factors that are important to great communicati...

Selling is a vital aspect of any business, but what makes a good salesperson and what are some key areas that you need to master to ensure that you can clinch the deal? In this article, we’ll take a look at three areas that are vital to being a good salesperson. Building strong rapport with the customer and knowing your products and services inside out are just two factors that we’ll cover in this article however there are a multitude of areas that you need to cover and deliver on i...

When it comes to really delivering in the workplace there is a number of factors that can affect how quickly we reach our desired goals. However, when it comes to starting a new job, what is it that employers are really looking for? In this article, we’ll cover a number of traits that you should be aware of when it comes to interviewing for a new role or applying yourself to your current role. Whether that is your flexibility to your role or how well you communicate, these factors can all...

Being the best that we can be in the workplace is an aim that most of us strive to achieve. With so much to learn and with work processes ever evolving, how can you stay ahead of the curve and really boost your work performance? In this article, we’ll take a look at three ways that you can do just that. Whether this is through goal setting or planning, boosting your work performance need not be an arduous task, after all, if the process of self-improvement is to be successful it has to be...

Time. We can never get enough of it and it always seemingly disappears all too quickly. When you feel like you’re being pulled from pillar to post, how do you make the most of the time available to you and how can you utilise your time effectively? In this article, we’ll look at a few ways that you can do just that. Deadlines, client appointments, meetings at work our just organising your personal life, time is precious and how we use it effectively is really important. It’s e...

When it comes to learning at work it can seem like an immense task. On the face it of it there’s learning your job and the roles processes but alongside this, there are other factors to learn and these range from the business itself to how it operates. There are a number of ways you can learn and harvest information and in this blog, we’ll delve into these. Everybody learns in different ways. Some people love to know the detail around a subject and strive to discover as much as poss...

Hitting the ground running and making a great impression upon arriving at a new job is something we all strive to achieve. We know that first impressions count but how can you start at a new role in the best possible way and set out on the right path from the off? We’ve all heard that first impressions count, but in the world of work, this couldn’t be truer. Human nature means we instantly make an assumption about a person. Rightly or wrongly this perception can take time to change ...

Training and experience are often seen as major contributing factors for success in the workplace. Whilst this may well be the case, there is another aspect that can’t be overlooked and that is your own well being. A healthy body and mind go hand in hand and can have direct results on work productivity and achievements. We spend so much of our times at our desks, in our cars travelling to meetings or our place of work and staring at screens all day. Taking time to indulge in your own well...

Good and clear communication is essential in the workplace. Relaying messages, passing on feedback or understanding verbal instruction are all items that need to be communicated clearly. How those messages are delivered or understood can be the ultimate difference between success or failure. In this article, we’ll take a look at three ways that you can improve your communication skills. Being a strong and confident communicator will pay you dividends when it comes to career progression an...

Mentoring is the process of helping a colleague one on one to help them learn and develop. Mentoring can be an invaluable skill and quality and is one that can benefit both parties. Gaining experience from someone in the same organisation that has lived and breathed what you're going through is something that cannot be bought. Whilst most people can be a mentor, how do you be a good mentor, a mentor that adds real value to someone? Knowing how to get the best from someone is quite often the sur...

Working with other people is given at work. How you cooperate, communicate and ultimately work together provides a valuable measure for success in the workplace. Harmonious teams are the key to success, but how do you build an effective and capable team, and how do you maintain harmony when the going becomes tough? The companies that operate at optimum efficiency have measures in place that promote close team working. Good company culture can instil this mantra but it can be more than this. Ide...

In a crowded and competitive job market, how can you make yourself stand out and increase your chances of catching the eye of a recruiter? A CV may seem like a list of your professional achievements, however, it is so much more than that and if written correctly can see yourself stand out above the competition. What makes a good CV and what needs to be in one? How long should it be, what should you say, what shouldn’t you say? With so many different rights and wrongs, knowing what needs t...

Knowing where to start or what to look for is the starting block of all job searches. However, knowing what you want and therefore subsequently finding it can be a much harder task. Furthermore, when you find a job you wish to apply for, how do you set yourself up to standout and ultimately go the distance in the interview room? In this article, we’ll take a look at three top tips that can help you get ahead in your job search. By identifying what you are looking for you are giving yourse...

With any sales pitch or negotiation, objections are always going to be inevitable. Whilst an objection could lead a salesperson to ramble and feel the need to justify their offering or shut down the conversation altogether, an objection need not close down an opportunity altogether. How you handle a prospect's objections can make the difference between success and failure. It’s going to happen, you’re going to be talking to a prospect and they come up with a reason why they can&rsqu...

Everybody wants to get on and do well in the workplace, however, how can you do this effectively whilst building rapport with your colleagues and learning as a person at the same time? With many different ways and means, in this article we’ll look at a number of ways that you can do just that. Whether it’s knowing your boss or understanding a company culture or working closely with your teammates, there are so many different ways that you increase your chances of success in the work...

Great people skills are a surefire way to help you seamlessly integrate with a team at work or help broker new relationships. Whilst someone maybe academically suitable for a role, combining these attributes with strong people skills are essential to ensure that you are a fully rounded candidate. With a range of skills falling under the people skills umbrella, what are some of the key areas where you can improve your understanding and ability when it comes to this must-have attribute? In this a...

Starting a new job can be both an exciting and daunting time. Meeting new people, getting to know how the business works and ultimately learning your new job. There are so many factors to consider, but how can you walk into your new job on day one and immediately make a great impression? In this article, we’ll take a look at just that. Whether that is researching the company beforehand or just simply speaking up or not complaining, these are all areas that you can consider when starting a...

To deliver a more productive and efficient working day, it’s important to overcome a number of obstacles that present themselves in the workplace. We all procrastinate sometimes but being able to overcome periods like this is a valuable way to deliver a higher level of efficiency. In this article, we’ll take a look at a number of different ways that you can be more efficient with your time. From taking a break to making a to-do list, there are a number of ways that can help you get ...

With so many potential distractions in the workplace, how can you maintain your focus? We’ve all been there, you set your tasks for the day or have a deadline looming. Before you know it you’ve got unexpected emails in your inbox demanding immediate attention alongside colleagues coming over and asking questions. With work pulling you different ways, how can you maintain your focus? In this article, we’ll look at numerous ways that you can be more focused in the workplace and ...

A CV is a showcase. A showcase of your accomplishments throughout your professional career to date and should be tailored to suit each role that you apply for. Whilst you may have built up a portfolio of skills in your working life to date, knowing which ones add value to your application is a must. Alongside these, what other skills do you need to document in your CV? Each of your skills will fall into a different type of skills category and these could either be transferable skills, work-rela...

Whilst all interviews are different and come in many guises, there is almost always some interview staples which are likely to raise their heads. Whether that is the where do you see yourself in five years question to being asked to demonstrate an achievement you're proud of, what can you expect in an interview? In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most frequently occurring interview questions. Whilst these questions may not feature in your interview, being prepared and being...

When it comes to applying for a new job, it’s easy to get lost in the thinking that professional academic skills or experience are the only areas that matter. With businesses so interwoven across departments internally, the kind of person you are and the attitude that you possess are just as important. Aside from being able to do the job, what else are employers looking for? With such a competitive job market and economy alike, hiring the right person at the right time is a must. However,...

Do you rate yourself as an influencer? You may not always recognise it but we are always trying to influence other people in some shape or form. Whether that’s in our personal or professional lives, we are almost always trying to influence a situation. Being a good influencer can pay dividends, but how can you become more effective at it? There are various ways we can try to influence people. Trying to force influence almost fails every time. To influence effectively you need to...

Being able to negotiate effectively and hold your own is somewhat of an art. Get it right and you can work towards getting what you what, exactly how you want it. The flip side, getting it wrong can lead you to a compromising or bad deal. Let's take a look at how you can help enhance your chances of negotiation success. Negotiating is key to everyday life. Some negotiations are more critical than others and require different approaches. One prominent negotiation that remains ongoing and rather ...

Whether you are someone that loves their job or are someone who constantly clock watches, there are many ways that you can make you work day more satisfying. There’s nothing better than leaving work in the knowledge that you achieved everything you wanted to achieve that day. But how do you maintain this mindset and how can you lift yourself when a day may bog you down? We’ve all been there. You're not feeling at your best and you have a deadline looming or a piece of work that you ...

Applying for a job can be a time-consuming process. It’s also competitive so naturally, you want the time that you invest in your search to be well spent. Standing out above the rest is a sure fire way to get yourself noticed and can help catch the eye of the recruiter over more standard approaches. If you are looking to make an impact, how can you achieve this? Not all jobs are the same and the approach that you take must be tailored for the role in question to ensure a higher level of e...

It’s an aspect that most of us can’t escape. Having an office based job means that for the most part, we will be sat at our desks on most days of the week. Whilst this is a situation that can’t be helped, being sat down all day goes against what we need to be healthy as people, but what can be done to be more healthy in the office? Our bodies require us to be active to remain in good shape. Having an office job means that there is dangerous potential to be completely sedentary...

The interview is an integral part of any job recruitment process. It’s a golden opportunity for both a prospective employee and employer to meet each other one on one, a meeting that may ultimately end up with a job vacancy being filled. Whilst interviews themselves can come in a number of guises, be that a telephone interview or face to face, what is for certain is that every candidate is going to be assessed and scrutinised on their ability to deliver in the advertised job function. Ho...

It’s an old adage and one that makes sense, don’t work harder but work smarter. The logic of this statement is true but how do you achieve this? All too often we find ourselves working hard and turning out long hours but still feel that we have stood still. How can working smarter make a difference? In this article, we will take a look at three ways that you can employ a smarter way of working. Working smarter means working with a clear objective and a goal and knowing exactly what ...

Working from home often divides opinion. Some feel that they see a major benefit, others say that they are easily distracted and therefore become unproductive. If you find yourself falling into the latter category, how do you go about ensuring that the time you spend working from home is productive and ultimately, time well spent? In this article, we’ll delve into three main points that’ll help you achieve a sense of focus when working from home and help to ensure that you get yours...

We are always striving for making our working day just that little bit easier, aren’t we? Whether being more efficient with our time, getting that project in before deadline day or striving to create a working environment that is calmer, there are a number ways that you can make your working life easier. In this article, we’ll take a look at a number of ways you can achieve this. Whether that's through your own motivation, incentives with other colleagues or just by getting your hea...