How to fix those CV blunders

Glenda Nelson of Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH) in Northern Ireland offers advice on how to fix those simple mistakes in your CV

Rejection letters on job applications are obviously disappointing – but if the reasons provided in any feedback are valid then it makes that rejection a little easier to accept.

One thing you most certainly don’t want to do is provide a potential employer with a good reason not to give you the job.

With the current job market being so competitive, having a CV that sells you perfectly is crucial. Online site, CV and Interview Advisors, recently highlighted that a staggering 92% of shortlisting decisions are made solely on the contents of your CV,. With such a high percentage you can’t just hope to get through to interview stage and ‘wow’ potential employers with your skills.

Fitting your entire career and achievements on to one piece of paper seems a lot easier than it actually is. Many still make serious mistakes that are costing them jobs before they’ve even reached the interview stage.

Something as simple as re-reading your CV before you send it could highlight an array of typos and grammar mistakes. You would be surprised what your computer won’t pick up that your eye might. Print a copy and ask someone to proof read before you even consider sending it to potential employers.

A ‘one size fits all’ CV just won’t cut it for every job you go for - you will need to tailor it for specific roles and perhaps alter it completely if you are looking to change careers. An employer will notice when you have applied your skills to suit the role advertised. Create a goal in your mind, depending on the role you are applying for, and tailor how you write your CV to highlight the qualities necessary to take on the role.

Most people are familiar with the rule of adhering to one page and definitely not running over two - try and abide by this when you can. Your CV should have a beginning, middle and end, an overview of yourself and proof of your relevant qualifications. If you don’t focus it towards proving that you deserve an interview, the reader will just be reading through a list of things you have done in your life and this won’t read well.

Ensure your writing is professional and make sure anything you include will be relevant to the company you are applying to. This includes the formatting. Keep it formal and don’t use distracting fonts or colours to ‘stand out’ as this  will highlight you for the wrong reasons.

Take care with your CV and make sure it does all it can to help you get to the next stage of the application process.

For more information on how you can avail of our outplacement services personally or on behalf of your employees, please contact us on: 0845 456 2269

Knowing if an Outplacement Provider is right for you

Glenda Nelson of Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH) in Northern Ireland offers advice on ‘being in the know’ when considering Outplacement providers.

Redundancy can be a difficult time for all involved, whether you are an employee faced with the overwhelming prospect or perhaps a director at the company is faced with the difficult decision of letting go of staff.

Unfortunately, recent figures released by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment Northern Ireland have shown that redundancy is still a prevalent factor within the Northern Ireland, with research indicating that in the space of 12 months from September 2014, proposed redundancies have increased by 13% to 3,590.

Whether you are an employee facing immediate redundancy or perhaps a company looking for options should redundancy arise, it is important to know what your options are.

In these circumstances, an outplacement provider can support employees and employers alike during the transition they face. Unsure of where to start? Here are some tips:

1. Search extensively

When dealing with such an important process, getting the right outplacement provider is crucial. With early research, you will be able to deem who is right for the needs of your employees and your company and ensure that if redundancy becomes an issue, you  have a plan in place.

2. Do they have a variety in their services?

When choosing a provider, you want to make sure you have a range of opportunities. Ideally, they will be able to offer a variety of programmes, from job search workshops, networking events and online training and resources that enhance professional understanding and development.

3. Are they flexible?

It is important that your outplacement provider reflects your personal style or that of the company as it makes the process a lot easier. Don’t forget, there is no set way of going through the outplacement process, every employee and company is different!

For more information on how you can avail of our outplacement services personally or on behalf of your employees, please contact us on: 0845 456 2269

Networking your way into a new career

Roger Gilpin of Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH) in Northern Ireland offers advice on how networking can help build your brand post-redundancy.

If you have recently been made redundant or perhaps are working in a company for which redundancy could be on the horizon, you may want to consider a change in your career, which may involve getting back on the job market or else setting up you own business.

Regardless of what choice you make, you will now have to introduce your personality and your own brand, rather than that of your previous company, to potential employers

Networking is a fantastic way to get your points across and market yourself which in turn can lead to new job opportunities. However many people find the idea intimidating. If that is the case, consider the following as a starter point:

1. Self-Assessment

Before throwing yourself into networking, make sure you are fully aware of what your strengths are and how these make you an asset to a company.

2. Place yourself on all platforms

Traditionally, we tend to network mainly at events in a face to face manner, however now you have the opportunity to promote yourself on a number of platforms including social media such as LinkedIn. Why not set yourself a personal goal of attending one networking event a month, keeping your LinkedIn up to date and connecting with all new faces.

3. Do your homework

If you want a new career with a certain company or want to start a business in a new industry, it is always important to know who and what is important. For instance, if you are attending an event you can do your research to see who will be attending, who you would like to talk to and what key points you would like to cover. By doing this you can set yourself a clear goal for the event and make the process a little easier.

Remember, your skills and experience will always be vital, however, combining this with great connections may open many doors for a new career!

For more information on how you can avail of our outplacement services, please contact us on: 0845 456 2269

Making the most of outplacement opportunities after redundancy

Roger Gilpin of Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH) in Northern Ireland explains why accepting outplacement support after redundancy is a smart career move.

Unfortunately as a result of the recession, we have seen more and more companies faced with the tough decision of trimming their workforce.

In these circumstances employers are increasingly offering outplacement services to employees facing redundancy in order to provide support as they make what can sometimes be a difficult transition into the next stage of their career.

Surprisingly, this help is being rejected by many employees, who are at this stage perhaps unaware of how grateful they will be for the support several months down the line.

If redundancy could be on your cards, outplacement support is not to be ruled out in a hurry and the following advice should be thoroughly thought through and considered.

1. Times are a changing

Many individuals who find themselves facing redundancy have been in the comfort of their current roles for a number of years making the ever changing job market seem even more daunting. Outplacement equips the individual with the training and knowledge required to sell themselves to employers in the current market.

2. Sometimes it’s just not that easy

The job market is more competitive than ever which can prove difficult even for those with an abundance of self-confidence who believe they will find a new role without a problem. An outplacement professional can assist you navigate the minefield.

3. Emotional impact can be overwhelming

Being made redundant can be a stressful time and there is no need to go through it alone. A dedicated outplacement coach could be the proverbial ‘knight in shining armour’ supporting not only your career, but also your emotional needs. Their aim is to maximise your employability and make the process as smooth as possible for you. You know what they say, “a problem shared is a problem halved”.

In what can be a period of uncertainty, outplacement coaches can guide you through the process seamlessly answering any queries and concerns you may have along the way.

For more information on how you can avail of our outplacement services personally or on behalf of your employees, please contact us on: 0845 456 2269

How to handle a career setback

Roger Gilpin of Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH) in Northern Ireland offers advice on how to handle a career setback.

It is almost inevitable that we will encounter a career stumbling block at some point during our working lives. Sometimes they can be minor such as a disappointing performance review, or more significant like being passed over for a promotion. Setbacks can leave us feeling frustrated, inadequate, and wondering where it all went wrong.

The following tips will help you to bolster your confidence when faced with disappointment and how to make the most of a bad situation.

1.    Take a step back. An unexpected setback can be difficult to accept or understand. Taking a break will help you come to terms with your feelings and enable you to put things into perspective. Why not indulge yourself and do things you had previously wanted to do but hadn’t had the time? Try not to wallow in bad feelings and instead write an action plan to help you get where you want to be.

2.    Analyse what went wrong. Asking for feedback can be a useful tool to help uncover any shortcomings you may have. Try to turn the situation into a learning exercise, and embrace the advice you are given. This can be a challenge when you are feeling defeated, so give yourself whatever time you need beforehand until you can objectively determine how to move forward.

3.    Don’t scapegoat others. It is tempting to level blame at other people when you are looking for a reason as to what went wrong. Instead, focus on why the event happened and how you can learn from it.

4.    Learn from others in the same boat. Steve Jobs once proclaimed that being fired from Apple was ‘the best thing that ever happened to him’. The former CEO had suffered the misfortune of being fired from his own company but saw the incident as an opportunity to unburden some of the responsibility he had felt and begin to regain his creativity again. He was of course re-hired in 1996 the rest is history. It can be therapeutic to look at the careers of friends or of individuals you admire and observe how they overcame their own personal setbacks.

5.    Redefine or adapt your goals. You may find that suffering a setback can help you to re-evaluate your own ambitions. Perhaps you were heading down a path which you hadn’t planned or even really wanted but circumstances had led you that way. Adversity can sometimes be the catalyst you need to rediscover what makes you happy and what doesn’t.

For more information on how you can avail of our outplacement services, please contact us on: 0845 456 2269

How to avoid career blocking habits

Roger Gilpin of Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH) in Northern Ireland explains the bad habits which can affect an employee’s career development.

Whether you have been made redundant, or are simply looking for a change in career path, you may have picked up some bad habits that will prevent you from achieving the next steps.

Research conducted by VitalSmarts revealed that 97% of employees admit to adopting habits prohibitive to their careers. Furthermore, employers report that only an estimated 10-20% of their employees make any lasting change to these bad habits.

If any of the below sounds familiar, now is the time to make the change, kick the habit and move onwards and upwards.

1.    Unreliability. Unsurprisingly, this is the most common trait that can seal the fate of your career development. Unreliable staff members damage the success of the entire team. In order to progress, you must be trusted by those working around you. Think before you speak, and stop yourself before agreeing to unrealistic and unachievable commitments. Under promising, yet over delivering will earn you respect and praise. As soon as you realise a goal may be unattainable, be upfront and address the situation.

2.    Negative attitude. Negativity derives from emotion, frustration, anger and disappointment. Bringing these emotions to work can have severe consequences. Have you ever noticed that those with a ‘can do’ attitude achieve more than their pessimist peers? There’s a reason for that. No company wants to reward or promote negative behaviour which is why these characters are often shown the door or remain in junior positions.

3.    Lack of industry knowledge. A lack of knowledge of your industry gives the impression you have no interest in furthering your career within that field. The more you know about the climate you are operating in, the more prepared you will be to tackle and solve problems which are a threat to your organisation or clients. Familiarising yourself with trade publications and commentators may help you prepare for any potential opportunities or challenges on the horizon.

Long term career success requires long term preparation and planning. Every day that passes, if approached with the correct attitude, sees you move closer to your goal.

It is vital you remain positive and focused on the end goal and challenge yourself to make small steps of progress each working day.

Should you feel you require more guidance on climbing the career ladder, please contact us on: 0845 456 2269

The importance of soft skills

Roger Gilpin of Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH) in Northern Ireland, a talent mobility firm focused on delivering career Transition and Outplacement, Leadership Development, Employee Engagement and Change Management solutions for organisations, stresses the importance of soft skills in employment.

The job seeker market has had a change in focus over the years, where once emphasis was placed on hard skills, such as a candidate’s technical ability and qualifications. Today, a candidate’s soft skills such as communication and teamwork are just as important.

Many of my outplacement clients find this difficult to understand having been thrust back onto the job market following redundancy or as they seek a career change.

Soft skills are increasingly replacing the hard skills such as technical ability in today’s workplace in terms of value to the employer. A recent report by Development Economics highlighted these skills are worth more than £88 billion to the UK economy. However, too many job applicants are still honing their focus on technical ability, and forgetting the importance of soft skills listed above.

Finding yourself back on the recruitment scene can be daunting; however outplacement professionals can help with easing the process.

In order to secure and keep a job, you typically need a proven track record of technical skills. Whilst these hard skills must be communicated, they will be possessed by every other candidate going for the same position as you. However, a strong emphasis on your soft skills can set you apart from other applicants.

Part of the problem is that too many of us assume that soft skills are universal, they aren't, which is why it is so important to shout about your experience of the following:

1.    Communication. This is one of the most important soft skills to have. Whilst your technical skills will get you through the door and into an interview, if you cannot communicate these effectively then they don’t hold as much merit.

2.    Teamwork. Collaborating with team members is becoming an increasingly important part of every day jobs. Whilst you may be extremely technical, if you can’t work alongside colleagues and motivate each other, those technical skills will mean nothing in a group setting. Even in roles where team work isn't necessarily required, having the basic ability to sell and convince others of your ideas is essential. 

3.    Management skills. Not necessarily the management of others, but the ability to demonstrate effective management of your own time, workload and projects is crucial. Organising yourself is vital in any job, and highlights how you deal with pressure.

For more information on how you can avail of our outplacement services or how you can take stock of your current professional status, please contact us on: 0845 456 2269.

New limits for unfair dismissal

Roger Gilpin of Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH) in Northern Ireland offers advice on the new limits for unfair dismissal and redundancy payments.

An order made by the Department of Employment and Learning brought new limits into operation from 22^nd March 2015. 

Payments and awards made to workers in employment rights cases are to rise in line with inflation.

The increased limits relate to a range of employment rights including statutory redundancy payments, the basic and compensatory awards for unfair dismissal, the limit on guarantee payments made when employees are not provided with work, and the minimum basic award for unfair dismissal in health and safety and certain other cases.

For example, the limit on the compensatory award for unfair dismissal is raised from £76,600 to £78,400 while the maximum amount of a ‘week’s pay’ for the purpose of calculating redundancy payment rises from £470 to £490.

For more information on how you can avail of our outplacement services, please contact us on: 0845 456 2269

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How much are you worth?

Roger Gilpin of Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH) in Northern Ireland offers advice on how to negotiate your salary as the economy improves.

Unemployment figures in Northern Ireland have plummeted by 1,700 since the start of this year, the biggest monthly fall since May 1999. The numbers of those claiming benefits has also fallen consistently over the last 25 months.

In fact, figures from the Northern Ireland Labour Market Statistics for February 2015 revealed that only 5.7% of the working population are currently claiming unemployment benefits. Optimistically, this is 10,300 less than this time last year.

The recent increase in employment in Northern Ireland is a result of both temporary and permanent jobs being secured across the province. If you have an IT qualification and experience you’re in luck as the sector is expected to grow at around 5.7% in 2015 according to Danske Bank’s December 2014 Report.

The same report noted that growth will not stop at the rising employment rate, but the average wage is also expected to rise throughout 2015. Candidates can therefore begin to expect more financial rewards from employers which is particularly beneficial to those seeking new employment. But only if they know their worth before interviewing!

Ensure your skills and experience are suitably rewarded by asking yourself the following questions before attending an interview.

1. What does the role actually pay? Understanding what the actual pay of someone in that position equips you with realistic expectations. The biggest mistake candidates make is misunderstanding the actual pay for the role they are applying for, and instead keep their focus based on their own existing pay and increase they want to make.

It is important to remember that most organisations will have pay ranges for each job, try and gauge an idea of what the range is the role you are applying for and negotiate carefully.

2. What will your impact be on the company’s bottom line? An organisation wants someone who will not only ‘pay for themselves’ but who also has the potential to bring in business. These individuals who are likely to have a direct impact on the company’s profits usually have favourable bargaining power. However, companies will be more willing to negotiate with a candidate who can articulate what they can bring to the business and prove their worth in the interview.

3. What is your worth outside the job market? Do your research. Whether you are an internal candidate or an external recruit, knowing your worth to the wider market is an extremely valuable tool when discussing salary.

For more information on how you can avail of our outplacement services, please contact us on: 0845 456 2269

The importance of self-appraisal

Roger Gilpin of Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH) in Northern Ireland offers advice on completing a good self-appraisal.

Completing a self-appraisal can help you put your previous year in perspective and plan for the year ahead.

Self-appraisals are important as your manager won’t see or remember every little thing you did in the past year. By presenting your manager with a list of accomplishments, developments and challenges you have overcome, you are reminding them of what an asset you are to the company. It is also the perfect opportunity to identify and resolve any discrepancies between the views of your overall performance had by yourself and your manager.

Too often self-appraisals are overlooked by employees due to a lack of time and motivation.

Nevertheless, reflecting on your performance over the past 12 months is a critical component to the annual review process and to achieving your overall professional development goals. Therefore, making time for this really a small step in the scheme of greater things!

Being unsure where to start is also a huge barrier in self-appraisal. The below points mark the steps that should be taken when evaluating your annual performance. Be fair but tough on yourself, giving yourself a by-ball won’t get you that promotion....

1.    Share your successes. If you don’t already, start keeping a performance journal. This makes it easier to keep track of all the projects you’ve overseen and initiatives you have implemented to benefit the company or enhance the efficiency of its workforce.  

2.    Share what you’ve learnt. What have you learnt in the past year? Identify ways in which you have developed your existing skills and how this has improved your performance. Describe the new skills you have acquired and the impact this has had on your current role.

3.    Share your challenges. It’s not all about self-promotion. Be candid about the challenges you have faced, how you overcame them and how you could prevent them in the future. This demonstrates an awareness of the wider environment.

4.    Be honest. Whilst credit is due where credit is due, don’t embellish your accomplishments. Your manager will expect to see written validation of each.

5.    Don’t complete it in one go. A self-appraisal is built up over time. It is not a task that can be done satisfactorily in one evening, moreover one that should be revisited with a ‘little and often’ approach. Keeping track of your highlights throughout the year will make the process much easier.

For more information on how you can avail of our outplacement services or how you can take stock of your current professional status, please contact us on: 0845 456 2269.