Job Tips

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Most of us may have come up against this question at some point in our careers. The nagging thought of am I heading in the right direction? For the most part, if you’ve set out on a clear journey, after some grappling with the thoughts in your head you may conclude that you are, but what if you decide that you are not? There may be a variety of reasons why we may come to feel like this. Whether that's feeling unchallenged, not feeling valued or from a pure desire of just wanting to do som...

Whilst there is no surefire way to guarantee success in the workplace, what can you do to increase your chances of success? With many elements involved in your job going about them in the right way is key, but aside from this, there are a number of other areas of work that you can utilise to help your cause. In this article, we’ll take a look at three of these. 1). Be a team player This is a must. Being a team player in the workplace environment is essential. Naturally, our job roles cro...

For anyone that’s career driven, the desire to get on in the workplace is a given, but how to do you maximise your opportunities and make the most of your workplace situation. From the moment you start in a new role there are a number of ways you can position yourself to build your career and in this article, we’ll take a look at three ways of doing so. 1). Make a good first impression From the moment you walk through the door on the first day of your new job, your peers will insta...

They say that you never stop learning and in the workplace, this couldn’t be truer. People often underestimate how much learning you actually do in your job. Learning something new doesn’t necessarily mean signing yourself up for a course or placement, just by carrying out your day to day tasks and observing allows us to pick up valuable lessons along the way. All around you, people are undertaking different task’s and roles. Roles that ordinarily you may not be exposed to. Ev...

No one likes to be criticised. The last thing you want in the workplace after working hard on a project or task is to have your efforts criticised. However, taking on board this criticism and analysing it can help you perform better at a later stage. After all, you sometimes have to fail to move forward. Taking away the negative spin on criticism can be the first step in turning this feedback into something more positive. Often criticism delivered in a constructive way can be invaluable and belo...

Strong negotiating skills can mark the difference between you getting what you set out to achieve or walking away from the meeting table with a compromise. Good negotiating skills are not only restricted to the business world and can be used in day to day life. In this article, we’ll delve into what you can do to negotiate more effectively. Whether it’s walking into a meeting to secure that major contract you’ve been chasing down for several weeks, agreeing on terms over a new...