Job Tips

Following on from last month’s ‘Preparing for Success’ interview article, we discuss the questions you should be asking a potential employer.  It’s vital that you use your interview opportunity to gather as much information as you can about the company, its staff, the role you’re applying for, and the general office environment that you’ll be working in. Managing expectations from both sides is key to a harmonious working relationship.  It’s ...

Going for an interview for a new role can be a daunting process and whatever your motive for applying for that job, the pressures of the situation and the pressure you put on yourself all can have an effect on your performance.  Whilst it’s ok to be nervous, nerves sometimes are almost desirable as it can demonstrate a passion and a real care to succeed, however, it’s vital that you don’t let these nerves overcome you and end up negatively affecting your prospects. A lot...

You’ve probably heard the phrase, ‘a problem shared, is a problem halved’? It may sound logical that teamwork is important, but what exactly are the benefits and what can you achieve with stronger team working? Teamwork is absolutely essential in the work environment. It creates a sense of unity, can help galvanise employees and act as a motivating factor when pulling together large and potentially challenging projects.  Inspiration for great teamwork can be taken from e...

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 ...

When it comes to success in the workplace and life in general, it usually comes thanks to traits that you can apply to both scenarios. Whether it’s working towards a promotion at work or achieving one of your own personal goals, the path to success remains the same. Whilst there are countless ‘hacks’ that you can implement to drive you towards success, at the end of the day, there are a few core foundation elements which need to be in place to first provide the groundwork for ...

In business learning from someone that has lived and breathed your situation is invaluable. Gaining first-hand experience can be essential when it comes to helping you progress and mentoring is the perfect way to achieve this. Whether you need to lean on someone in a current situation or having some to use as a soundboard as you progress through your career, the power of mentoring cannot be underestimated, but what is it and what areas do you need to consider when choosing a mentor? In this ar...

The power of face to face conversation and seeing the whites of someone's eyes cannot be underestimated. It’s an old adage that people buy from people, so by striking up a conversation and immediately becoming more personable you are breaking down an obvious barrier. Whether you love it or hate it, networking is essential to help further your prospects. Some people find it more natural and actively enjoy it whereas some feel they struggle with it and therefore tend to shy away from it. Ma...

When it comes to delivering a great presentation there are many aspects to consider. Whether that’s from a confidence or body language perspective, in this article for our jobs website, we’ll take a look at some top presentation tips to help you succeed. Preparing your speech or your presentation deck is just one of many elements of a presentation. Confidence, body language and knowledge of your subject when put on the spot are all important aspects to consider. Arguably confidence ...

The interview is an integral part of any job recruitment process. It’s a golden opportunity for both 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, one thing remains the same, the interview set’s out to discover you as a person and your ability from a skills point of view. So, how can you p...

Writing a CV can be a daunting experience, where to start and what to include are all key points you need to consider before putting pen to paper. In our latest jobs blog, we delve into the CV and discover what yours should contain. What needs to be in your CV? It’s essentially a given but your personal details should be listed within your CV. How you can be contacted is essential so make sure you include your email address and telephone number. Your CV should include your employment his...

When it comes to starting a new job, walking into an interview or meeting someone new, first impressions count. How to handle yourself and how to behave are all key to making a great first impression and in this article, we’ll take a look at 3 key points when it comes to making that memorable first impression. Making a great first impression you may think is made up of some fundamental basics, however, there are many ways that you can make a great impression. Let's get straight into it wi...

Teamwork makes the dream work, a problem shared is a problem halved. These may be well-worn cliche’s however when it comes to working and pulling together as a team the benefits of team working can be substantial. For any business to truly succeed it needs to contain teams that are all working towards one common goal in a harmonious manner. Working as a team affords a share of responsibility and also allows individual team members to draw on their individual strengths. Team working also h...

When it comes to succeeding in the workplace and making waves in your career, one major factor to this success is a mentor. Having someone to lean on when encountering new experiences can help you deliver to the best of your ability, but what exactly makes a good mentor? It’s a common expression coined by serial entrepreneur Richard Branson, ‘If someone offers you a great opportunity but you don’t know how to do it, say yes and learn how to do it later’. It’s an ex...

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 ...

Sporting triumph has the power to galvanise the nation. Whether that's watching a team dominate their discipline or watching a team triumph against the odds, much can be learned by what goes on in the field of play and these learnings can be directly applied into the workplace. Whether it’s watching England’s cricketers deliver World Cup glory after a classic final goes to super over, or seeing Gareth Southgates calm and experienced leadership over the England men's Football team la...

When it comes to coming up against an objection it can seem like a challenge and has the potential to derail a pitch or open deal. However, recognising and handling an objection in the correct way need not mean the end of the road. If encountering an objection in a sales environment it doesn’t have to be negative. How you react though is essential and this objection could be turned around against the other party to help them solve a problem. An objection could also open up another potenti...

Having great people skills is essential in the workplace. Whether that is dealing with clients and customers or communicating with colleagues inside the business, great people skills can make a huge difference in how you progress in your career. People make a job it’s often said. To make work a harmonious and enjoyable place to be, having great people skills is an absolute must. People skills allow you to have a better read of a person and allow you to communicate in far more effective wa...

Working from home can be a real luxury for some of us. Greater flexibility at home, no morning commute and no need to be crammed onto a train or stuck in traffic. There are so many positives to working from home, however, how do you stay focused and work effectively? Whether you love working from home because it allows you to to really focus without the distractions of the office or whether you loathe it because you find yourself dipping into tasks around the house, there is a lot to be said ar...

Networking is powerful in the business world. Having the right connections and people in the right places can help you to achieve and get results quicker. Over time you’ll build a trusted network, but how can you go about building these connections and how can you make the most of your current network? Networking can be more than just who you know. Having a strong network allows you to get stuff done quickly. Whether you're faced with a task you need assistance with or you’re presen...

In both our professional and personal day to day lives it is inevitable that our words or actions will draw criticism on occasion. Whilst this criticism may feel personal or unjust it’s important to ensure criticism doesn’t get you down or affect your approach. After all, constructive criticism can be turned into a positive. We’ve all been there, you’ve slaved away over a project for a long period of time, complete the task at hand and pass your work back to a customer, ...

A job interview is an important part of the interview process. It allows for a recruiter to get to the know the candidate one on one and affords a valuable opportunity for both parties to get to know each other. However with the prospect of a job at stake, how do you deliver as a candidate? A good interview can be the deciding factor between whether your application progresses or not so it’s important to be on form in the interview room and command the recruiter's attention whilst knowing...

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...