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Featured Jobs
Group Finance Controller
London
Permanent
Negotiable / competitive with annual bonus and benefits package
DESCRIPTION Eckersley O’Callaghan is one of the most innovative engineering design firms in the world and we have won multiple awards for our work. Our collaborations with forward-thinking architects such as Foster + Partners, Zaha Hadid Architects and Heatherwick Studio, for clients that include Apple, Google, Vitsoe and Bulgari, have placed us at the forefront of design in structures and facades. Our principle office is in London, with other offices in New York, San Francisco, Paris and Hong Kong. The Group Financial Controller has a key role in supporting the operation and strategic objectives of our dynamic and growing business. They will work primarily with the Leadership Team (Founding Directors, Group Directors, Practice Manager) and Finance Assistant. The successful applicant should have a very hands on approach, brilliant analytical skills, solid accountancy background and experience within the service industry. Knowledge of the construction industry is desirable. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES EOC Group Limited EOC Limited EOC Asia Limited (Compliance and payroll prepared by local accountants) EOC Shanghai (Compliance and payroll prepared by local accountants) EOC SARL (Accounting functions and compliance prepared by local accountants) EOC LLC & Partners (NY Accounting functions and compliance prepared by local accountants, SF compliance and payroll prepared by local accountants) Key Tasks Accountable to EOCs founding Directors, the Board members of each EOC office Oversee and manage the finance for all EOCs offices that cover UK, Europe and international Manage day to day financial accounting and reporting activities including project accounting Coordination with external auditor and handle annual audit Monitor and manage working capital requirement Handle company secretarial and taxation matters Responsible for keeping our financial information updated using our integrated financial and project management software (Xero and CMAP) Provide financial analysis to support strategic planning, budgeting and decision making. Manage and develop the finance team. Accounting, Tax and Management Information Lead, coach and develop the internal finance team to ensure competent completion and compliance of the accounting operations. These include; Accounts receivable (Credit control) Accounts payable Nominal ledger Intercompany balances Project accounting and revenue recognition Invoicing Payroll and year end returns (P60’s and P11d) Cash management Manage the compliance and completion of all statutory reporting including; yearend accounts, audits, annual tax filing and quarterly indirect tax Provide information to external accountants for corporation tax compliance, and resolve queries in the event of the internal and external investigations Lead the preparation and presentation of forecasting, budgets, project performance, cost and charge out rates and monthly management information Present clear and concise information to Director and Leadership meetings Conduct monthly P&L, balance sheet and cashflow meeting with founding directors to review costs and forecast Ensure quality control over financial transactions and financial reporting Refine and improve internal processes to meet the business requirements Experience of handling company R+D annual claims Strategic Develop and support with the other directors the strategic growth plans for the business Manage growth whilst reducing operational costs and increase margins Support, advise and challenge board level decisions Act as trusted advisor to Founding Directors and support with management decisions Assist business strategy development with strong financial modelling and analysis to help with decision making Conduct risk analysis on business development proposals JOB KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE University degree and a UK chartered accountant Minimum 5 years post qualification experience in multinational companies, preferably within the service industry Knowledge of property and construction industry Familiar with UK FRS 102 and IFRS and had a solid understanding of financial and management accounting Sound commercial knowledge and hands-on experience in management control Highly independent with initiative and proactive approach Strong analytical skills in financial analysis, cash flow analysis and ability to furnish timely and accurate financial information Able to cope well under pressure and always remain professional Manage people including their recruitment, personal development/training and performance management Able to manage a number of tasks at the same time Able to prioritise own workload, meet tight deadlines and work effectively under pressure at times Able to build effective working relationships with professionals of all levels and disciplines within the organization Competence using Xero financial package PERSONAL QUALITIES An energetic and open team player An effective communicator – both oral and written in articulating the situations and obtain relevant buy in Flexible and thoughtful approach to problem solving, unafraid to ask challenging questions Task orientated, with a real desire to deliver discernable results Sufficient presence and intellect to obtain trust and respect of senior management International perspective Fluent written and spoken English Highly organised A flexible, positive approach and the ability to work as part of a team in a busy, creative atmosphere. Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate with people of all levels.
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Company Accountant
St Albans
Permanent
£45,000 for 20 hours a week
Part time Qualified accountant required to run a small family owned property business with offices in central St Albans. Part time Qualified accountant required to run a small family owned property business with offices in central St Albans. About Us We are a small friendly, long-established family-owned property limited company with its offices in St Albans. The company has a portfolio of office and industrial properties in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire with a rent roll of £1million+ per annum. We also own a subsidiary company in Croatia which owns three apartments in Dubrovnik. The company accountant who is also the company secretary is retiring. She is also responsible for the management of three charitable trusts of which family members are trustees. About You You will be a qualified accountant with experience of property investment and management who will take on the roles of company accountant, company secretary and secretary of the charities. The key attributes for this role are: Qualified ACA/ACCA with at least 5 years’ post qualification experience; Experience of working in or with the UK property industry; Excellent analytical and organisational skills; Excellent written reporting and verbal communication skills; Advanced Excel skills and Sage pay roll; Flexible in working approach and able to work in a small team environment; Sympathetic approach to the charitable sector. About the role The office based role is part time for 20 hours a week and we can offer flexible working hours. You will run the business on a day to day basis working closely with the directors and shareholders. You will be assisted by a part time administrator. You will be based in pleasant air-conditioned offices in the centre of St Albans. The role would suit somebody with a proven track record in accountancy, and preferably within the property sector. As we are a small business the work can be very varied, it is a great opportunity for someone who wants flexibility and can adapt well to a variety of situations. Your core responsibilities will be: Accountancy Day to day invoice processing, book-keeping and banking, payments and receipts. Liaison with investment managers Preparation and submission to HMRC of VAT and monthly salaries Prepare and monitor cash flow forecasts Annual accounts preparation, submission to Companies House and liaison with auditors Company administration and preparation of board papers, attend meetings and prepare minutes Tenants Liaison as and when required on matters connected with their properties and rents. Rent reviews and new leases – liaison with tenants, surveyors and solicitors. Preparation of service charge accounts and invoices and dealing with queries Property Developments Dealing with additional work connected with developments including liaison with construction companies, project managers and quantity surveyors. Monitoring and reporting on project costs. Understand development appraisal methods Charities Day to day book-keeping, bank reconciliations, annual accounts preparation and liaison with auditors Preparation of trustee meeting papers, attend meetings and prepare minutes Submission of accounts to Charities Commission Day to day office management. Rewards An annual salary circa £45,000 for 20 hours per week. 25 days annual leave plus 8 Bank Holidays pro-rated Pension contributions Applications The closing date for applications is February 14th 2020
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Accounts & Audit Senior – Small West End Firm
London
Permanent
40000 - 45000
Are you a small firm ACA qualified Accounts & Audit Senior (or an Accounts Senior looking for audit training) looking to continue your career in a good quality and friendly independent accountancy firm (with around 12 staff) based in a prime location in the West End of London? Are you looking to continue to carry out a mixed general practice role that is mainly accounts and tax based (80%) but will include a small amount of audit work (20%)? Based in a growing team, your role will be mixed between statutory accounts preparations, corporation tax returns and leading audit assignments from planning to completion for SME clients. You will also help with personal tax returns in January. This unique firm has a very laid back and easy going culture and would suit someone looking for a good work life balance. You will also carry out a number of interesting ad hoc advisory based projects. Your clients will be varied and include industries such as hotels, media, property, entertainment, creative, technology and overseas companies that have a UK subsidiary. To be considered for this new role you must be either a qualified ACA Audit & Accounts Senior or an Accounts Senior looking to receive audit training so you can start to carry out audit work. You will likely have a minimum of 5 years of practice experience, although ideally have a few years PQE. You will be working in a small or medium sized practice firm and looking to upgrade to a West End firm that will offer you better opportunities, progression and future development, as well as the opportunity to receive audit training. This firm has also had great success with candidates who have lived outside of London and relocated to London and wanted to work in a good quality, friendly independent firm in a mixed role. This friendly practice with a client base to rival a much larger firm, will offer you a challenging and varied role, interesting and high profile clients to work on (up to £30m turnovers) and genuine work life balance. You will also have the opportunity to progress to a higher level in the future. This represents an excellent opportunity for a qualified ACA Accounts & Audit Senior to work in a rapidly growing West End practice, develop your audit and advisory skills and receive top rate training and support in a friendly and profitable firm.
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Accounts & Audit Senior / Accounts Senior – Medium Size Firm
London
Permanent
45000 - 50000
Are you a fully qualified ACA Accounts & Audit Senior (Or an Accounts Senior looking for another a role with no audit) looking to work for a very good quality, medium sized City based accountancy firm and carry out a varied role depending on your experience – an Accounts & Audit Senior role if you have audit experience or an Accounts Senior role if you don’t have audit (or don’t want to carry out a role with audit). Depending on your experience, your role will be mainly accounts based (70%) with an element of corporation tax and a small amount of audit work (no more than 30%). Based in a general practice role in a firm with around 50 staff, you will be responsible for preparing statutory accounts for a wide range of clients, as well as corporation tax computations. You will also have the opportunity to prepare management accounts for some clients. You will deal with client queries, technical research, HMRC queries and also be responsible for supervising juniors and reviewing their work. You will also be responsible for carrying out a number of ad hoc projects and assignments on behalf of clients (including business valuations, cashflows, budgets, forecasts, due diligence etc). Your role will be varied, challenging and hugely enjoyable with great progression prospects to manager grade on offer. In this new role, you will gain exposure to a wide range of UK and international clients, including groups, from sectors including media and entertainment, property, legal, technology, retail and other interesting sectors. The firm would look at a recently qualified ACA, or someone with some post qualification experience. This firm has had great success with people who have trained around the UK and want to relocate to London. Experience of Caseware would be an advantage but training will be provided if necessary. To be considered for this new role you must have at least three years experience, probably in a small or medium size accountancy firm with between 3 and 15 partners, and be fully ACA qualified (either newly qualified or with a few years post qualification experience). First time passes are highly desirable. You must have experience of preparing statutory accounts, corporation tax returns, supervising juniors and ideally managing clients. Experience of audit is not essential and training can be provided. Experience of a wide range of software packages, including Caseware would be an advantage. A strong interest in a role mixed between accounts preparations and tax returns is essential. You must be well presented, be a team player, and be looking to progress at a rapid pace. The firm welcomes applications from candidates looking to relocate to London from another UK based practice firm. This growing accountancy firm has a great reputation for being a friendly and supportive place to work and providing their staff with challenging and varied roles. You will work in a friendly and growing team, and you can expect to work on an interesting array of high profile and growing London based clients as well as international clients. The firm is growing at a rapid rate due to many new business wins from larger accountancy firms. This is a unique opportunity for an ACA qualified Accounts Senior (or Accounts & Audit Senior) to join an entrepreneurial and forward thinking practice and play a role of great importance to the continued growth of the firm. It is also a great opportunity to progress to Manager level in a short space of time.
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Outsourcing Senior / Assistant Manager – Medium size practice
London
Permanent
35000 - 40000
Are you an Outsourcing Senior / Assistant Manager (or an Accounts Senior with Management Accounts experience) looking to join a medium sized practice based in an easily accessible location in Central London? Are you looking for a role which will also offer study support if you have any remaining ACA exams? Are you looking for an outsourcing based role where you manage your own portfolio of clients, supervise and review the work of juniors and prepare management accounts, VAT returns and review bookkeeping assignments? Do you have at least 3 – 4 years experience from an accountancy practice background and looking to upgrade to a medium sized accountancy firm with over 50 staff, which has a client base to rival a much larger firm? Client sectors include property, international businesses, large retailers, technology start ups, and entertainment and media clients. You will work with many private clients as well as large corporate businesses. Based in the outsourcing department, your role will be varied and will be split between preparing management accounts, general bookkeeping duties using Xero, Sage and Quickbooks, VAT returns, offering clients advice, and various reports, analysis and business management assignments for a wide range of very interesting clients. Your role will be varied and challenging, and training will be provided where necessary. You will work in a medium size and well established team that will provide you with many growth and development opportunities in the future, including future progression to manager grade. To be considered for this new role it is likely you will be either a qualified ACA or a finalist with a few exams left to sit (in which case study support will be offered for your remaining exams). You will be operating at Senior or Assistant Manager level in a good quality practice firm. You must have at least 3 to 4 years experience working for a UK based practice firm, and have experience of the above duties, particularly management accounts, VAT returns, reviewing bookkeeping assignments and ideally managing your own portfolio of clients. Experience of a wide range of software packages, including Quickbooks, Sage and Xero, would be an advantage but training will be provided. You must be looking to work on a wide variety of good quality clients, take on responsibility at a rapid pace and be looking for promotion in the future. This growing West End based accountancy firm has a great reputation for being a friendly and supportive place to work and providing their staff with challenging and varied roles. You will work in a friendly and growing outsourcing team, and you can expect to work on an interesting array of London and international clients. The outsourcing department is growing at a rapid rate due to many new business wins from larger accountancy firms. Overall this is a unique opportunity for an Outsourcing Senior or Assistant Manager with at least 3 years experience from a practice background to join a leading accountancy firm that will offer you top quality training and support to improve your overall business and accounting skills in a nurturing and friendly office environment.
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Finance Manager
Malaysia
Permanent
US$9,200 - 10,000 per month
Organizational Context UNDP, as an integral part of its mission to fight poverty and improve the lives of people around the world, is committed to being open, transparent and accountable. As part of this commitment, UNDP adopted International Public-Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), and established a Global Shared Service Centre (GSSC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This global centre of excellence provides IPSAS transactional recording (Payables, Revenue and Contribution Management, General Accounting and Project Accounting), procurement, and related advisory, training and support services to UNDP Offices worldwide. Duties and Responsibilities The key functions of the Finance Manager of the GSSC include (but are not limited to) the following:- Oversee, provide guidance and direction to the Finance Team in the provision of transactional, and related advisory and support services to clients, including Payable Services, Revenue and Contribution Management, General Accounting and Project Accounting, and other related processes; Providing support to the GSSC Director in the formulation and implementation of the strategic direction, business planning and development of the GSSC to ensure optimum service provision; Participating in other strategic initiatives, building relationship with internal and external clients/partners; Efficiency and Cost Recovery initiatives. Our benefits include 30 days annual leave 16 weeks Maternity leave 4 weeks Paternity leave Rental subsidy Post adjustment Dependency allowances International Medical Insurance Career development opportunities Work-life balance International work exposure Contribution to Humanitarian cause Tax-exempted salary
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Director of Finance and Company Secretary
Dorset
Permanent
£63,887 - £73,402
About the Role As a member of the Directors’ Group your natural leadership style and proactive hands on approach will enable you to work collaboratively with your Executive Team colleagues, ensuring the development of Weldmar Hospicecare’s strategic objectives, business plans and the overall management and decision making on direction, policy and procedure. You will proactively identify areas for growth or change, support income diversification and modelling for charity activities, advising the Chief Executive and Board of Trustees through the Income Generation Committee. Providing strategic and operational financial accounting management, you will be responsible for preparing income and expenditure ledgers (£9 million annually) and for the management of investment and treasury functions (currently £13 million). As Company Secretary you will be legally accountable for all areas of the charity and company compliance and reporting. As a fully qualified senior finance professional, you will have experience of managing the finance function within a similar business of comparable turnover. As such, you will have developed skills in financial forecasting and treasury management, with the confidence to communicate and negotiate financial point in the best interest of Weldmar Hospicecare. About Weldmar Hospicecare Rated Outstanding by the CQC, Weldmar Hospicecare provides end of life care throughout north, west and south Dorset. This care is given in the comfort of patients own homes, via our Day Services across the county or as in patients at Joseph Weld Hospice in Dorchester. All care is provided completely free of charge and mainly funded by the continued support of our local community via our fundraising events and activities, chain of retail sites and legacies, raising over £6M each year. Living and working in Dorset Dorset is a beautiful place to live and work. Breathtaking coastlines, golden sandy beaches, stunning scenery, and a haven for nature. The world famous Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site, featuring the natural beauty of Durdle Door and Chesil Beach. Each town has its own character. The county town of Dorchester enjoys a rich history made famous by Thomas Hardy’s novels, as well as modern eating, shopping, and entertainment in Brewery Square. Weymouth is vibrant throughout the summer and boasts a picturesque harbour. Bridport is a hub for the arts, there’s the picturesque Gold Hill in Shaftesbuy, and so much more. There’s lots to do – take your pick of first class places to eat, and there are festivals dedicated to everything from hats to Dorset Knobs, books to seafood, and of course plenty of live music including Camp Bestival and Music By The Lake. Despite being ‘far from the madding crowd’, there are direct rail links to London Waterloo, with Dorchester, Poole, Bournemouth and Southampton all en route. A drive to the capital will take just two and a half hours. It’s also probably worth noting that Dorset has the highest life expectancy in Great Britain, as well as 364 hours more sunshine a year than the national average! For a full job description and to apply, please visit www.weld-hospice.org.uk/jobs For more information, call 01305 755213 or email recruitment@weld-hospice.org.uk Closing date: 30 January 2020 First interview: 25 February 2020 Second interview: 27 February 2020
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Finance Associate / Management Accountant at Citymapper
London
Permanent
45000 - 55000
Finance Associate / Management Accountant at Citymapper We think big, but no details are too small for our finance team. We are looking for someone who can be on top of cash management, payroll, financial reporting/accounts reconciliation, invoicing, and support all aspects of finance operations. Successful candidates can execute complex modelling, but also have the ability to get their hands dirty in the day-to-day operational aspects of a start-up. We have a lot of things going on - including a new transport subscription. You will report to our Head of Finance and work cross-functionally with other parts of the company to make it all happen. Requirements 2-5 years experience in audit or financial reporting - ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualification is a plus Strong problem solving and quantitative modelling skills Readiness for startup hustle and to get hands dirty Exceptional attention to details Excellent communication skills Comfort interfacing with and presenting to senior team members Experience in a startup is viewed favourably Strong interest in cities and shared mobility Benefits Competitive pay, equity / stock options and various startup perks
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Part-time volunteering role
City of London
Permanent
£1500 - £2500 depending on experience and number of events
Overview We are looking for a specialist who would be interested in programming the events and newsletter content for our Exporting Community. The role is project based and is likely to take between 3 to 10 days a year (depending on the number of articles that the candidate wishes to write themselves or to commission from third parties). The role can be performed at home on a flexible basis. The resources of ICAEW’s Library and Information Services would be made available to the specialist to enable them to access periodicals and journals as required, to help the specialist to stay abreast of technical, market and case developments. The Exporting Community offers its members a full programme of event and newsletter content. Events include one event and two one-hour webinars. Newsletters are provided on a quarterly basis, each containing a minimum of four articles of between 500 to 1000 words in length. The role of the specialist would be to: Programme the events, ensuring that each event has a theme and a full agenda of sessions and speakers. The specialist would be expected to use their network and to finalise content and to identify speakers, or to provide a profile of the type of presenter required and to work with ICAEW to source such a candidate. The specialist would also be required to help to source replacement speakers at short notice where this is required; Brief presenters by participating in a number of calls ahead of all events and webinars taking place; Provide content overviews for each of the newsletters, either providing fully written articles and/or topic suggestions for articles which would then be commissioned by ICAEW from a third party. (Please note that additional fees will be paid to the specialist for each fully written article that they provide). Profile The specialist would be expected to have a minimum of 6 years’ experience working in this sector. Although the candidate may have specialised in a certain sector, they must be able to programme content which would appeal to both generalist and specialist members of the Community. The specialist needs to have professional indemnity insurance cover up to the value of two million pounds sterling (£2,000,000). Time commitment The candidate would be expected to attend (either in person or by telephone) a 1hr planning meeting with ICAEW staff at the start of the engagement. They would also be asked to attend meetings and conference calls (three times a year) to present their content proposals. Attendance would also be required at the events which the specialist has programmed. The candidate would be expected to respond to emails and ad hoc phone calls on a timely basis. Deliverables A broad overview of the events being planned (themes, key sessions, etc.) would be required for presentation and discussion with the Communities team. Detailed programmes for each event (including timings and a full agenda of speakers) would be required at least 5 months before the conference takes place and 3 months for the webinars. Contribute to the marketing plan for each event (what are the reasons to attend, what are the key selling points, who is the target audience, etc.) and review of the final marketing email. Newsletter content would need to be provided before the content deadline. Content overviews for any articles which require commissioning from third parties would be required six weeks before the content deadline. Up to 2 webinars, 2 seminars and 4 newsletters per year. Fees and expenses Fees are benchmarked to market day rates. For programming one year of event and newsletter content, total fees are expected to range from £1,500 to £2,500 depending on experience and number of events in the annual calendar. This excludes the provision of fully written newsletter articles, for which additional fees of up to £250 per article will be paid. 50% of the annual fees will be paid upon delivery of the final events programme and 50% will be paid after the events have taken place. Travel expenses to meetings and events would be paid by ICAEW.
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Career News and Advice
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Are you ready to retire?
Retirement planning isn’t just about financial planning. A happy retirement rests on you being ready, from both an emotional and a financial point of view. The following questions will help you to assess your readiness for retirement. Take a few moments to answer the following questions. When you are finished, you should have a good idea about whether or not this is the right time to put your working years behind you. Financial considerations Do you still hold a mortgage on your current home, or is it paid off? If you still have a mortgage and plan to stay in your home, will you be able to manage the mortgage and maintenance expenses without the benefit of your current position? If you plan to sell your home to help finance your retirement, are you aware of its value in today’s market? Do you have a clear idea of your financial needs in retirement? Have you worked up a post-retirement budget? Have you taken into account the possibility of a few unexpected expenses? Have you enquired as to any benefits for which you may be eligible? Are you willing and able to work on a part-time basis, if needed, to maintain your financial health after leaving full-time employment? Useful websites Retirement Calculator State Pension The Pensions Advisory Service Emotional considerations Have you considered how you will spend your free time? Many retirees find themselves at a loss within a few months of retirement, wondering how to occupy themselves now that they are no longer working every day Are you able to define yourself in terms that are not career related? After years of working, it's not uncommon to think of oneself as merely their job title, but such a mindset can make it difficult to comfortably move on to the next stage in life. Some retirees find that by volunteering their time to a favoured cause, they can meet their need for making a difference without the sometimes harsh restraints of managing a career Do you have a strong support system of friends and/or family members? Socialising is important for happiness and mental well-being, so it’s vital that retirees make an effort to maintain bonds with those closest to them. For those who have few close relationships outside of the workplace, joining clubs or participating in hobbies with like-minded folks can help fill the void left by missing ex-coworkers Have you taken some time to think about your life after retirement? Failing to have a plan of action can result in dissatisfaction with the very state that you worked so hard to achieve. If you have a spouse or are in a committed relationship, have you considered how the change in your working status may impact your partner and your relationship? It's common for people to fall into comfortable routines and when one or both partners experience a significant life change, it can cause a bit of temporary discord Once you have got a realistic picture of where you currently stand, you're in a position to make smart choices that will help to ensure a happy and secure retirement. If you've considered the points above and you conclude that you are indeed ready to join the ranks of the permanently and happily retired, congratulations! You’ve earned the right to relax and enjoy your retirement. However, if reading through the points above makes you uneasy about your readiness to retire, take time to reconsider your options. Being aware of the areas that you feel may be problematic offers you the opportunity to take steps to be better prepared. Take away points: Decide if you're able to retire from a financial point of view Plan activities to keep you busy Think about how retirement will affect you emotionally
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Pitch perfect - make your elevator pitch work for you
An elevator pitch is an executive summary, just 60 seconds or fewer, that you can use to sell yourself. It’s one of the most effective ways to promote your personal brand and one of the simplest yet most powerful tools for any professional. Follow these simple steps to build your own interesting, memorable and succinct pitch that clearly explains what makes you unique and how you can add value. When to use an elevator pitch If you’re attending a networking event, an interview or you’re just speaking to somebody you know who could support you in securing your next career goal, you may be asked, ‘Tell me about yourself’, ‘What do you do?’ or ‘What is your company about?’ If you’ve not pre-empted these questions you can end up giving an unclear description of what you do and where you can add value and miss an employment or business opportunity. A good elevator pitch will include: Who you are You need to start by capturing the listener’s attention so that they are eager to learn more. Remember, the people listening to your pitch will be thinking ‘What’s in it for me?’ It’s crucial that you make your pitch relevant to them before talking about yourself and tailor your message to their needs. Example ‘I’m an experienced career coach with a comprehensive understanding of the modern job market’ What you do Make sure you can describe what you do without relying on your job title. The person you’re delivering your pitch to may not be an expert in your field. For example, saying ‘I’m a lawyer’ becomes much stronger and clearer when you include the type of law you specialise in, and perhaps an example of the cases you have worked on. If you’re using your pitch to promote a new business venture, start by describing the problems you solve and how you help people. Example ‘I have a proven ability to facilitate a successful career transition for individuals at all levels through supporting them in all aspects of their job search. For example, this can include a full CV review giving specific advice around tailoring the CV in line with the opportunity and also advising the most suitable style of CV to use.’ Your pitch should convey enthusiasm; if you don’t portray interest in what you’re saying, it can be hard to engage and influence your audience. Why you are unique What are your USPs (unique selling points)? Focus on the qualities that only you have, that can benefit the listener. The intention is to stand out from the competition, whether it’s other candidates or business competitors. Example ‘I have extensive experience of actively hiring good quality candidates within both a corporate environment and also for a leading high street recruitment agency. I apply this knowledge and experience to provide specialist, focused, practical outplacement and career transition advice and guidance to enable participants to achieve their desired goals.’ Your goals and ambitions Be clear about what you want and align it to what the listener is looking for. When you have communicated your USPs, you need to engage your audience by asking open-ended questions to involve them in the conversation. Example ‘What areas of your CV do you currently tailor when applying for a role?’ ‘Where are you finding the most success from your job search? What approaches have you tried so far? Talk me through your job search strategy’ Practice Like anything else, practice makes perfect. How you present your pitch is just as important as what you say. If you don’t practice, your pitch may sound unnatural or you could miss some key information out. Remember that to be pitch perfect, it’ll need to be tailored in line with the opportunity, so always consider your audience and which elements are most relevant. Access free career coaching Work one-to-one with a professional career coach online, over the phone, or face-to-face. Contact us today.
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Top tips for a successful Skype interview
The option to conduct interviews remotely is becoming increasingly popular and is now common practice for many employers and recruiters. Usually conducted over Skype, they’re convenient, reduce travel costs, and can save time. They’re often used as an initial pre-screen ahead of a face-to-face interview to filter candidates at an early stage. For international organisations, they’re also an effective way to include key stakeholders outside of the UK. Here are some top tips for a successful remote interview. Prepare The first thing you’ll need is an appropriate Skype name. Just your name ‘MichaelJones’ for example will be fine. If the name you want has already been chosen, you could add a number to the end or the initial of your middle name. If it’s your first time using Skype, set up a practice call with a friend to make sure that you don’t run into any technical issues on the day Practice makes perfect - get a feel for being on camera - at first, this may feel a bit strange, but the more you practice the more comfortable you’ll feel Record the practice run and analyse how you appear on camera Before the interview, sign in early so that you’re ready for the interviewer to call you. If you do have technical issues, don’t panic. The interviewer will understand that this isn’t your fault so just apologise and try to resolve the problem, calmly and quickly. If the connection is poor you do have the option of continuing the Skype call without the video. Make sure that you have your interviewer’s telephone number and email address in case you do run into any technical difficulties. This way you’ll be able to contact them to let them know. Set the scene You’re in control of the setting so make sure that you consider where you want to conduct the interview. Try to avoid having anything too distracting in the background. A neutral and tidy room would be the most appropriate setting Sit at a desk or put your computer on a table rather than sitting with it on your lap Make sure that you won’t be interrupted by pets or anyone else in the house Dress the part Treat your Skype interview as you would a face-to-face interview. Not only will you appear professional, but you will also feel professional. Dressing the part can help you feel more focused and confident. During the call The advantage of having a Skype interview is that you don’t have to remember everything that you want to mention. Keeping your notes in bullet point format to use as a prompt in front of you or just to the side, can remind you of the key points you want to make Treat the call the same way you would a face-to-face interview - consider your body language; smiling, nodding and leaning forward will show you are engaged Bear in mind how you’ll appear from the interviewer’s point of view. By looking directly at the camera you’ll be looking at the interviewer, so practice delivering your responses to the camera, not the screen At the end of the interview, think about the questions you have for the interviewer. You may want to ask about the next steps so that you are clear about the process. Finally, thank them for their time and log out of Skype so the session is completed.
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Transform your interview performance
Explore how adapting your behaviour before and during an interview can transform your performance. Preparing for your interview 1. Research the company and interviewer Being able to discuss the company, their vision and ethics, even their competition will demonstrate an enthusiasm for the organisation and industry. As well as reading their website and social media channels, you should also keep an eye on recent press articles and business news. This research may also help you generate ideas for questions you want to ask at the end of the interview. Areas to research include: • What does the company do? • What are the company’s successes? • What are their current challenges? (market conditions, competitors, newer technology) • Who are their main customers? • Who are their top 3 competitors? • What’s their USP? • If you’re applying for a role in finance or accountancy, you’ll also be expected to have researched the company accounts or financial data. You can contact Companies House and access the relevant documents for a small fee. 2. Prepare answers to potential questions You can expect to be asked questions about your CV and career history such as: • Tell me about yourself • Talk me through your career to date • What has been your greatest career highlight to date? • What are your strengths/areas of expertise? Another way to pre-empt questions is to research the person interviewing you on LinkedIn or the company website. For example, if they’re a Finance Director they may ask technical finance-related questions around saving costs / improving efficiency, whereas an HR Advisor may ask more generic, competency-based questions. Looking at the job specification can also help. Turn each requirement into a question and try to come up with 3 examples of when you’ve demonstrated the relevant competency. For each of these examples you should identify the: Concept – how did you come up with an idea/plan/suggestion? Construct – what did you do and how? Outcome – what was the result of your action for you and your previous employer? It’s a good idea to rehearse your answers, in front of a mirror or with someone you trust to give you honest feedback. It might feel a little silly, but it will increase your confidence on the day. 3. Consider the practicalities Before your interview plan your journey and get to know the route. Find out about the available parking and take a little time to see who comes in and out of the building to get a feel for the dress code. 4. Fuel up Make sure you eat something before your interview. A high carbohydrate or sugary snack is perfect for giving your brain a lift. Stay away from caffeine and keep yourself hydrated. Dehydration causes your body to produce stress hormones, which can contribute to panic. 5. Breathe If you’re sitting down while you’re waiting to be called in, try not to slouch. Slouching compresses your diaphragm and chest causing you to take shallow, rapid breaths and stimulating a panic response in your body. If there isn’t anywhere to sit, stand still. Pacing up and down sends a signal to your brain that there’s something to worry about. This makes your ‘fight or flight’ reflex kick in and your short term memory can suffer as a result. Try a simple breathing exerciser to help you stay calm and focused. Doing all of these things before the interview will contribute to you showing up in a calm and controlled state of mind - looking confident and competent. Making a good first impression Consider your appearance It might be obvious, but it’s surprising how many people can get this wrong. Research indicates that we all make quick judgements based on a person’s appearance and that we’ll try to gather evidence about the person based on these judgements. So you must look as though you would represent the company well. When you aren’t sure of the dress code, it’s always better to be cautious and over-dress. The first 3-7 seconds of your interview is crucial. When the interviewers first come in make sure you smile and say ‘good morning/afternoon’. If they haven’t mentioned your name, say it as you shake their hand. This personalises the interaction and immediately helps to build rapport. During your interview Even if you’ve prepared answers to potential questions beforehand, the interviewer may ask a question that you aren’t sure about. If that happens, don’t be afraid to explain that it’s an interesting question and you need a couple of seconds to think of the answer. Similarly, if you don’t understand the question ask them to re-phrase it. And if you genuinely don’t know the answer to a question, be honest and say so. This makes a much better impression than getting flustered or answering incorrectly. If you have gaps in your experience, you may be asked about this. You can turn the potential negative into a positive by focusing on your transferable skills. Turn the question on its head by explaining you’re a fast learner who can easily apply yourself to gain the skills necessary for a role. At the end of your interview, avoid questions relating to holiday and salary. If you haven’t got any questions, explain that your research and the interview have been very informative and you have all the information you need. If you’re not successful Try to get feedback on your application and interview performance. Typically, candidates are contacted 48-72 hours after an interview. If you haven’t heard anything after this time then reach out to them. If, after 14 days you still haven’t heard anything try contacting them again. Sometimes the first person they offer the job to turns it down. By remaining visible you stand a better chance of being offered the position. For further advice and support work one-to-one with a career coach online, over the phone or face-to-face. Contact us today.
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How to optimise your CV
Get personal There’s no such thing as a good generic CV. You need to tailor your CV to reflect the specific job specification you’re applying for and/or the relevant company values. The easiest way to do this is to create a broad CV that encompasses all of your skills and achievements, which you can then modify to fit a particular opportunity. Tailoring your CV is particularly important given that the majority of companies now use Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) to sort and pre-filter CVs and applications. To maximise your chances of getting through to interview stage your CV should be ATS friendly. ATS uses keywords to search for and identify suitable candidates for specific roles. To ensure that you appear at the top of these search results your CV should reflect the keywords used in the job description, including qualifications, functional skills and relevant software. For example, when searching for a suitable candidate for the role of an accountant, recruiters using ATS might search for phrases like ‘Management Accountant’, ‘budgeting’, ‘variance analysis’, ‘SAP’ or ‘pivot tables’. Generic soft skills such as ‘confident’ or ‘team player’ are less likely to form part of their search criteria, so it’s important to emphasise technical skills that are relevant to the role and industry. Researching the job and organisation will help you find the right keywords to include. Getting to know the organisation will enable you to use relevant language and examples that match their culture and ethos. You could also research individuals who are already part of the company on LinkedIn and see if you can mirror any of the relevant courses, qualifications or skills they have listed. Rank your skills in the same order as they appear on the job description and remove any unnecessary areas of expertise. Your cover letter This is the first chance you get to attract an employer’s attention. So, as with your CV, tailor the language you use to reflect keywords in the job description or the company’s values. Briefly write about your skills and abilities, and refer the reader to your CV. Your cover letter should also explain why you’re writing; whether it’s a response to an advertisement or you’re expressing a direct interest in the company. If you’re applying speculatively make sure you explain what prompted you to apply and why you’d like to work for the organisation. You can get the insight you need to do this from company websites, annual reports or even by contacting them directly and asking for information. Quick tips The first page of your CV should contain your contact details. Remember, a company cannot discriminate in any way so you don’t need to include your age, gender, sexuality or marital status Sell your achievements, not your responsibilities. Under each job title, explain briefly what you accomplished while in the role e.g. “I saved the company xxxx” Remember the appropriate formalities (sincerely and faithfully) when signing off your cover letter. If you can get the name of the person recruiting, even better. Making your letter personal will have more impact Have someone check everything before you send it off to help you catch any spelling or grammatical errors If you’re emailing your application make sure the formatting is correct by sending it to yourself or someone you trust. It’s worth making sure the format of your CV is compatible with the majority of software programmes if you’re sending an electronic copy Avoid using fancy fonts and layouts. Consider the reader. They may be working through hundreds of CVs and if yours is difficult to read, then it’s going to end up in the bin Coloured inks can be very difficult to read, and an off-white or cream background is usually the best choice For further advice and support, work one-to-one with a professional career coach online, over the phone or face-to-face. Contact us today.
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Managing your digital footprint
Almost every aspect of our lives, both personal and professional involves a digital or online interaction. From shopping and banking to connecting with friends, learning and researching, we rely heavily on online services. All of this digital activity leaves a trace - your digital footprint. What is a digital footprint? Your digital footprint is all the information about you that exists on the Internet as a result of your online activity. This digital profile is made up of ‘behind-the-scenes’ information about the sites you’ve visited, the searches you’ve conducted and the way you interact with online services as well as your social media posts, blogs and any personal or professional websites. It’s a well-known fact that many companies use this personal information to hone their advertising efforts. But marketers aren’t the only people interested. Your digital footprint is playing an increasingly significant role in the world of recruitment and employment. Your digital footprint and the world of work Today an increasing number of employers are looking at the information available online to identify and get to know candidates better. Many employers now browse LinkedIn profiles and other recruitment sites to try to find suitable candidates before advertising a role more widely. To make sure you’re in the running for your dream role, it’s essential that you’re leveraging your online presence effectively. Managing your digital footprint should form part of your strategy. Consider your digital footprint as another way to reach and present yourself to potential clients or employers. Whereas before people relied heavily on their CV and an interview, you can now add depth to your professional persona through your digital channels. For example, a blog is an opportunity to demonstrate your interests and skills that complement your professional role. It can show employers and clients who you are and what you stand for, allowing them to get to know the real person behind the CV or pitch. Similarly, an active presence on LinkedIn, where you can join and contribute to relevant groups and discussions demonstrates an enthusiasm for your chosen field or industry./p> Your digital footprint also allows potential employers and clients to see and hear what others are saying about you beyond the standard references provided. Including positive feedback and recommendations on your website or social media profiles will ensure your digital footprint is working harder for you. A well-curated digital footprint is perhaps even more important if you’re self-employed and run your own business. Potential clients are likely to research and identify vendors on a variety of online platforms including Facebook and LinkedIn as well as Google searches. For starters, you’ll want to ensure your profile or website is ranking high in Google search results, by optimising your web pages and blogs using relevant keywords. Your digital footprint: Dos and don’ts 1. Sync up. If you have a professional presence in multiple online locations - e.g. a Twitter feed, blog, company website or even videos of business presentations on YouTube - don't forget to include crosslinks on each profile. The more opportunities you give people to keep in contact with you via other websites and professional social media, the better. Just remember to only link to channels in which you have a professional presence. 2. Keep it professional. Always remember that your online profile is a professional tool. Be polite and positive at all times, and avoid leaving status updates that aren't relevant to your professional career. Imagine you're networking in person, and don't act any differently when you're interacting with someone on online. 3. Think before posting. The number one consideration is to think carefully about anything you post online because it will all contribute to your digital footprint. As a rule, whenever you post a comment, photo or blog post, ask yourself if you'd feel comfortable if a prospective employer could read it. You might want to review your privacy settings to ensure that friends and family can’t tag you in content you’d rather employers and clients not see. And remember, if you make a negative comment online today, it could be viewed by employers, managers, clients and colleagues, years from now. 4.Stay proactive. Keep your online presence up to date and relevant. On social media, post links to interesting comments, websites and articles as often as you can. Use your digital footprint to show potential clients and employers that you’re up to date with pertinent industry issues that affect them. Learn how to make your digital footprint work in your favour with one to one support from a professional career coach. Contact us today.
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How to find a good work-life balance
Most people will have periods at work when they struggle to get out of the office on time. Sometimes it’s also difficult to avoid taking work home with you. But when not being able to switch off from the office becomes the norm, rather than something that just comes around now and again, you may feel as if your life outside work is passing you by. In other words, your work-life balance is out of kilter. When this happens, your health – both emotional and physical – can suffer. Here’s how to find out whether or not your work-life balance is in good shape, and some tips on how to improve it. Recognise the signs Start by asking yourself these questions: 1. Do you find it difficult to relax when you’re not working? 2. Have you been neglecting your hobbies and interests because of work commitments? 3. Is your health suffering because you work long hours? 4. Do your friends and family complain they hardly ever see you? 5. Do you struggle to finish work at the correct time and hardly ever use up all your annual holiday entitlement? Answering ‘yes’ to one or more means your work-life balance needs some improvement. Create a designated work area If you work from home make it clear to your family when you’re at work and when you’re at home. Having a dedicated space only used for work allows you to “leave the office” at the end of the day, both physically and mentally. Manage your time Honing your time management skills can help you find more hours in the day to spend on the things that matter. Start by identifying your most productive time. Are you an early bird? Or do you function better after lunch? Tackle your most pressing tasks when you’re at your best to get through your to-do list more efficiently. Get active Instead of working through your lunch hour, get outdoors and stretch your legs. Exercise helps relieve stress by releasing feel-good hormones called endorphins. Taking regular breaks throughout the day to rehydrate and get some fresh air will help you maintain energy, focus and productivity. Learn how to say no It may not make you popular initially, but being assertive and learning to say no when you're already pushed to the max will help you balance work and your social life, improve your wellbeing and therefore your productivity. Set boundaries If your colleagues know you can’t be contacted outside work - even if it’s only at certain times - they will be less likely to email or phone you when you’re trying to relax. Make a point of letting them know that you’re out of bounds at specific times, and - most importantly - stick to your word. Some examples of boundaries could be… I’ll check my emails until 6 pm on Monday to Thursday, but not after 5 pm on a Friday I want to pick up my children from school 3 days per week Keep a log of how many days or weeks you stick to your boundaries to help you monitor if they’re working for you - reflect and consider if they're realistic - ask yourself what you can change? Delegate If you have an impossible workload that’s keeping you at work beyond normal office hours, pass some of your tasks on to a colleague. Similarly when you go on holiday put someone else fully in charge of your work. You’ll feel more inclined to switch off if a capable colleague is covering for you. Consider flexible working If you’ve worked for your employer for at least 26 continuous weeks, you’re entitled to ask for a flexible working arrangement e.g. flexible start or finish times, job sharing, working from home or compressed hours. You can only put in one request for flexible working (a statuary application) in any 12-month period, so it’s important to get it right. Here’s what you need to know: Your application must be made in writing and include the following: 1. The date 2. A statement explaining that this is a statutory request for flexible working 3. Details of the kind of flexible working you’d like to do and the date you’d like to start 4. An explanation of how the business might be affected and suggestions for how this could be managed effectively. For instance, could specific work colleagues cover your responsibilities when you’re not there, or could you offer to work extra hours in the case of emergencies 5. Details of any previous applications for flexible working you’ve made in the past You’re not obliged to say why you want to work flexible hours in the letter, but most experts agree that the more information you give, the stronger your case may be. Your employer has up to 3 months to consider your request. If they agree, they must write to you outlining the new arrangements and confirming a start date. The terms and conditions of your employment contract will also need to be updated within 28 days. If your employer refuses your request, they must write to you explaining why. Reasonable grounds for refusal include: It would harm the company’s ability to meet customer needs It would result in extra costs that would damage the business It would have a detrimental effect on other staff members If you disagree with your employer’s decision, the next step would be an employment tribunal. For more advice and information contact us. Explore what a healthy work-life balance looks like for you and discover how to achieve it. Book a place on our free course, Make a living, have a life.
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How to improve your communication skills
When it comes to your career, communication is key. Your productivity levels, workplace relationships, and job satisfaction rely on your ability to influence and motivate others, express your values and goals clearly and give or receive feedback. Boost your communication skills Here are some tips that will help you to become a more effective communicator. Empathic listening Good communication isn’t just about expressing yourself clearly. It also means being a good listener. Here are a few tips for improving your listening skills: Give the person talking your undivided attention. Try to get rid of anything that may distract you. If you find it difficult to concentrate on what someone is saying, try repeating their words in your mind as they say them to help yourself stay focused. Try not to comment on, judge or trivialise what they're saying in your mind. Just listen Allow the other person time to talk without interruption, listen with respect and empathy. Empathic listening means that you’re listening with the intent to understand, rather than simply waiting for your turn to talk Watch for non-verbal communication. A person's tone of voice and how loudly or quietly they're talking can indicate other things that you should be aware of. They can, for instance, reveal how strongly someone feels about what they're saying, or give you clues about their personality or social/political inclinations. Also watch out for gestures and other physical means of communication such as facial expressions, all of which can be just as important as the words being spoken Positive body language such as nodding, leaning in towards someone and maintaining eye contact signals that you’re paying close attention. Similarly, notice the body language of the person you’re talking to. Their nonverbal cues will allow you to observe the emotions behind their words - for instance, whether they're happy, satisfied, angry, resentful, frustrated or indifferent. Try not to judge or react to this non-verbal communication, simply recognise it When it’s your turn to talk, take your time and think about what you're going to say beforehand. If necessary, tell the person you’re talking to that you're thinking about what they said. You may also want to make sure you've understood them correctly by asking questions and repeating what you think they've said before offering your reply Be as positive and appreciative as possible when you respond. Remember, there's nothing to be gained in being negative, even if you don't agree with what they've been saying. Voice your own opinion openly and honestly, without criticising the other person's viewpoint, and there's a good chance they'll give you the same respect you gave to them when they were having their say Effective questioning Understanding the role of different types of questions means you can influence and get the most out of conversations. Closed questions e.g. Will you, Do you, Is that agreed? These are useful in a conversation where you need to be assertive. Open questions e.g. When, Why, Which, How? This style of questioning will help you encourage collaboration and participation. Difficult conversations - A 5 step strategy Nobody likes having a difficult conversation with someone, but sometimes it’s unavoidable. Here are some steps you can take to make the best of the situation. 1. Take a deep breath: Separate action from reaction 2. Be open-minded: Acknowledge what has happened non-judgementally 3. Prepare to have the conversation: Consider any assumptions you might have, think about the message you want to get across and what the other person might consider important 4. Cooperate: Whether you’re apologising, confronting, discussing or giving feedback, a good starting point is what you both have in common e.g. We both want to get this done on time 5. Set objectives: Re-commit to future actions, behaviours or changes For advice and support on improving your communication skills, book a session with one of our personal and professional coaches. Contact us today.
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How to improve your productivity
Stay on top of your to-do list and improve your effectiveness, efficiency and wellbeing with these simple, productivity-boosting tips. 1. Find your flow Have you ever been so immersed in a task that you’ve lost track of time and everything going on around you? You might call it 'being in the zone' but it’s what Positive Psychologists call being in a state of flow. In this state, you feel energised, motivated and focused on your task, increasing your productivity levels. How to find your flow Turn off your email notifications and mobile phone. Schedule time to check your emails rather than dipping into your inbox adhoc. This will stop you losing focus mid-task Block time out in your diary so colleagues know you are not to be disturbed Choose tasks that will stretch you, based on your previous successes and failures. In a state of flow, you should feel confident that you have the skills to complete your task but it should still provide a level of challenge that you enjoy Try working in a quiet meeting room or coffee shop. You might find it harder to become immersed in something if you’re working in a space where you perform regular chores Be patient. It can take between 5-20 minutes for flow to kick in Shift your mindset away from unhelpful thoughts such as ‘I can’t do this’ or ‘It will be rubbish.’ Contact us to work with a professional coach who can help you find new ways of thinking Record your progress and stay on track by ticking off tasks as you complete them Take short breaks to stretch, rest your eyes and stay hydrated but avoid engaging with other tasks that may disrupt your sense of flow Flow exercises Start by working through these questions, designed to help you tap into your flow. Exercise 1 Think about what a difference having 20% more time would make to your career and your wellbeing. If you could carve out just 1 extra hour a day for yourself, what would you do with it? What are the consequences to your wellbeing of not having that extra hour? Exercise 2 When were you last working in a flow state? Identify the specific details - what was the type of work, where were you working, who were you working with, did you have a deadline and so on? Exercise 3 When you were last in a flow state, as identified above, what skills were you using? Do you need to delegate some of your work so that you have time to do more challenging tasks that better match your skillset? Exercise 4 What practical steps can you take to set up the conditions for more flow working? Exercise 5 What should you stop doing that prevents you from finding time to work in flow? 2. Manage your meetings The average office worker spends more than a day a week in meetings! To prevent meetings eating into your productive workday, try some of these tips: Keep your meetings short, always start on time and stick to a schedule to keep the conversation focused. You could even set a timer Only invite people who need to be there. Cutting down the number of attendees will reduce the chance of your meeting overrunning Use smart scheduling. Booking meetings in blocks in either the morning or afternoon leaves you with an uninterrupted block of time to get things done Be assertive when accepting or declining invites. If going to a meeting will mean you miss a deadline, don’t be afraid to say no, explaining your reasons. Or make it clear that you’re only available for a specific amount of time 3. Communicate Clear communication skills make for productive working relationships. Be an empathic listener. Take the time to understand what someone is saying, rather than simply waiting for your turn to speak. A better understanding of someone’s perspective will ultimately help you get your thoughts across clearly, in a way that’s relevant to them; and is therefore more likely to get noticed or acted upon Be assertive and don’t be afraid to say no. Before agreeing to take on another task or project, ask yourself if you have the time to do it and if you’re the right person for the job. If the answer to either question is no, explain clearly why you cannot take it on and try to suggest an alternative solution Find out more about building productive relationships with our free online course: Emotional intelligence for success. 4. Take a break Giving yourself time to rest and recharge is vital to maintaining productivity and focus. It’s tempting to work long hours and through lunch breaks in an attempt to impress, but that’s a sure-fire way to burn out fast. Instead, take regular breaks away from your screen or the task you’re working on. This will help you maintain concentration and motivation for longer, meaning that ultimately you will get more done. Try to take at least 30 minutes for lunch each day to improve your concentration in the afternoon. Try this one-minute breathing exercise to help you pause and refocus 5. Prioritise your time There are many different ways to prioritise and some will work better than others. Try a few out and see which one works best for you. Ivy Lee Method Finish your working day by making a list of the 6 most important things you have to achieve the next day Rank the tasks in order of importance The following day, start by concentrating on the most important task. Don’t do anything else until it’s finished. Then move on to the next important one Keep going, and if there are any unfinished tasks at the end of the day, include them on your to-do list for the next day It may sound over-simplistic, but limiting yourself to 6 tasks (or fewer, never more) is more effective than maintaining an overwhelming to-do list that goes on forever. Time Management Matrix This method is helpful if you struggle to prioritise tasks. Imagine you have a grid of 4 squares (quadrants). At the top of the grid are the headings urgent and non-urgent (each heading is above a single square). Along the left-hand side of the grid are the headings important and non-important (each of these headings is next to a single row). Quadrant I In this square, write down tasks that are both important and urgent; things you need to do straight away, such as tasks that have pressing deadlines, emergencies and last-minute preparations. Quadrant II Here you should list tasks that are important but not urgent; things that are necessary for you to achieve your goals but don’t need immediate action. Quadrant III This is for tasks that are urgent but not important. These tasks don’t help you achieve your goals, so try to keep them to a minimum or delegate them. Quadrant IV These tasks are neither urgent nor important. They have no real value and are time-wasters. By sorting the items on your to-do list into these 4 quadrants, you can see quickly which tasks need your immediate attention. Pomodoro Technique Schedule 25-minute work-focused slots throughout the day, each followed by a 5-minute break. After 4 rounds of 25-minute sessions, you should take a longer break. Start by making a list of tasks you need to complete. Then allocate each task to 1 or more 25-minute sessions, depending on how long you think it will take. Top tip: Schedule tasks that are more demanding for the time of day when you feel most productive and mentally alert. 6. Avoid procrastination Procrastination is the enemy of productivity and it happens to us all! Try setting deadlines for the tasks on your to-do list. If you're avoiding a particular task because it's too intimidating, divide it into smaller chunks (don't forget to set deadlines for those too). Finally, when you finish a task that you've been putting off, reward yourself. For more practical tips on how to improve your productivity, book a place on our free course: Do more in a day than you do in a week
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Develop your career plan
With a personal career plan, you can focus on what you want to do and how to get there. By working through the steps below you’ll end up with an effective plan for having the career you really want—one rooted in your key strengths and personal values, giving you a sense of purpose and fulfilment. Step 1: Set the scene Start by asking yourself the following questions: What motivates you? What are your priorities when it comes to your career? E.g. salary, working hours, location. When you have a list, rank them in order of importance. Are there any you would be willing to sacrifice? What kind of workplace culture or environment do you thrive in? What values are important to you? What are your key skills? Which skills do you enjoy using the most? Looking at past job descriptions and achievements, asking friends and colleagues and strengths profiling assessments can help you with this self-analysis. Step 2: Explore your options With a clear idea of your skills and priorities, you can explore the career options open to you. Here are a few ways to start generating ideas: Look at online job boards to see what kind of opportunities are on offer. Use your list of skills and priorities to focus your search Talk to colleagues, friends and family. They may suggest potential roles that you haven’t considered Read financial or business press to research companies and industries and identify organisations you might like to work for Use LinkedIn to learn more about the structure of companies, their role profiles and the career paths their employees have taken Once you’ve generated some ideas, you need to assess the viability of each option. For example, you might find that you need to undertake a training course, move location or take a pay cut to pursue some of the opportunities you’ve identified. You’ll need to be realistic as to whether you can commit to making those changes. Looking at each option, in turn, use the GROW model to map out what you would need to do to reach each potential goal. Goal: What is the goal/idea/opportunity? Reality: Where are you currently, in relation to that goal? Is it viable now? Options (or obstacles): What are your options? What challenges might you face? Way forward: How committed are you? What steps do you need to take to move closer to your goal? Once you’ve identified your preferred option and assessed how viable it is, you’ll have your ultimate career goal and an outline of the steps you need to take to achieve it Step 3: Set short term goals The key to a successful career plan is having both a long term vision and short term goals. The long term vision you identified in Step 2 will keep you focused and on track. Having your end goal in mind will make it easier to spot new opportunities as they come along. Your short term goals are the steps you need to take to achieve your long term vision. Working through these milestones, whether they’re skills-based, salary based or responsibility based will keep you motivated as you move closer to achieving your long term goal. Your short term goals should be SMART: Specific: Your goals must be clear and well defined Measurable: Quantify your goals so you can track your progress. How will you know when you’ve achieved them? Achievable: Goals that challenge or stretch you will help you stay motivated, but don’t set yourself up for failure Relevant: Ensure that your goal is aligned with your other short and long term plans Time-based: Setting yourself deadlines will help you take action and stay motivated Step 4: Grow your skillset To move forward with your career plan you’ll need to identify and acquire the relevant key skills and competencies. For example, does your desired role require analytical reasoning and commercial awareness, or does it rely more on strong communication skills and leadership qualities? Start by researching relevant job descriptions to identify educational and training requirements. Next, consider the different ways you can learn the skills you need. Are there courses, workshops or conferences you could attend? Could you work with a coach or mentor? Are there additional responsibilities you could take on to gain more experience and exposure? As you develop your skills, you’ll find your short term milestones and long term goal become more easily attainable. Step 5: Expand your network Remember it’s all about who you know. An effective network will open up new opportunities and give you more insight into your chosen field. Start by building connections with friends, family, past and present colleagues, and managers on LinkedIn. Join relevant groups, attend networking events, and set up informal meetings with your contacts to help build and maintain each relationship. Step 6: Track your progress No performance review, appraisal or career conversation should go by without direct reference to your career plan. Keeping your goals in mind will mean you’re always ready to take advantage of the development opportunities that come your way. And remember to reward yourself whenever you reach one of your milestones - celebrate your success! Develop a tailored career development plan with one to one support from a professional career coach. Find out more.
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Tackling ageism
Since the compulsory retirement age of 65 was abolished in 2011, it has become more common for people to continue working into retirement. In fact, for many people, retirement can be the perfect opportunity to try something different and have a change of career. However, older professionals often face the barrier of ageism. While legislation has been passed in an attempt to help combat discriminatory practices and open up doors for people to carry on working past the usual retirement age, there are some elements of ageism that are more difficult to overcome. Age has tended to blind potential employers to the range of skills and experience offered by this group. Here are some tips to help you challenge employers’ assumptions about older professionals: 1. Highlight your transferrable skills Some employers favour older workers for the experience they can bring to the workplace. Over your working life, you will have obtained many skills that could be utilised in a whole host of other jobs. Start by making a list of all the skills you’ve used in each role you’ve held. It can be helpful to ask a friend or former colleague to help with this. Think about the skills and attributes that naturally come with a long career. Employers often consider older workers to be more reliable but your work history can also demonstrate a strong work ethic, commitment, confidence and insight – to name just a few! Emphasise that as an experienced worker, you’d have the experience to take on responsibility straight away, without any hand-holding. If there are gaps in your work history try to include any non-work activities you took part in during those periods that would boost your soft skills – for instance, working as a volunteer might highlight your communication or team working skills. Once you have a list of skills, you can use it to build a tailored CV for each new role you apply for. You’ll also want to note down examples of work situations that demonstrate these skills and abilities. These pre-prepared scenarios will be useful in an interview situation. Be age-neutral Remember you don’t have to put your date of birth on job applications or on your CV (you don’t even have to put the dates you went to school, college or university, or when you qualified as a chartered accountant). Employers don’t have the right to ask you about your age at any point during the recruitment process, in fact, it’s illegal to do so. 2. Manage your expectations Employers know that skills and experience come at a price so they will often choose younger and less experienced people with a view to training them up, rather than spending more on a more experienced employee. Being prepared to work for less money than you may have been used to will open up new opportunities. Make it clear to potential employers that you’re looking for more of a work-life balance and that money isn’t your top priority. 3. Think outside the box Take time to weigh up your options. Don’t limit your job search to the kind of work you’ve done before. Branch out and consider passing on your experience and knowledge by teaching or consulting. To explore alternative roles, try searching for jobs by keywords and skills rather than job titles. Retirement could also be an ideal time to realise your dream of opening up a small business. Perhaps you could invest part of a redundancy payment or pension lump sum, which the business can pay off in the long run. Find out how CABA supports business start-ups. 4. Be proactive Don’t just sit and wait for an opportunity to turn up in your inbox, go out there and make it happen. Here are some ideas that could help: Sign up with local and national employment and recruitment agencies Contact previous employers to enquire about part-time work Search online job boards on sites such as Total Jobs, Monster, Jobsite etc. You can also upload your CV to these sites for prospective employers to see. Explore opportunities for retraining. Does your local college or community centre offer evening classes? Or is there a mature student option at a nearby university? Join business networking groups Volunteer at charitable organisations to build skills in a new area Optimise your LinkedIn profile to ensure the right opportunities come your way. A presence on LinkedIn is also a great way to stay plugged into your network of contacts. Set up a blog or a website. You can use these online platforms to write about relevant industry events, trends or challenges. As well as demonstrating that you’re more than familiar with technology, this can be an effective way of adding depth to your professional profile, helping you to stand out from the crowd. If you need help getting back to work after a career break or finding a new job in later life, our career coaching services can help. Or, if you’ve been affected by age discrimination at work, our 24-hour UK legal helpline is free and confidential for information and advice. Get in touch for more information.
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Returning to work after a career break
Whether you’ve been away for 6 months or 16 years, it’s normal to experience a range of feelings as you prepare to return to work. You may feel nervous, eager, daunted and excited. How you tackle the negative emotions will determine how smooth your transition back into the workplace is. Confidence A lack of confidence is one of the biggest issues affecting people returning to work. It might be hard to consider simply ‘picking up where you left off’. Or you might be nervous about a career break counting against you on your CV or at interview. The trick is to be clear about your strengths and skills - including those that you’ll have inevitably picked up during your career break. When you write your CV, outline the dates of your career break, and the roles and responsibilities you may have had, in the same layout as your other jobs. For example: Job hunting following redundancy (2013-present) During this time, I … "Attended networking events" "Completed a training course in …" Homemaker (1997-present) During this time, I … “Raised 1K for my tennis club” Similarly, in an interview situation, always speak about your career break with pride. And having mentioned it once, don’t mention it again unless asked about it. You can use phrases such as: "As you will see, I have been out of the financial job market for 5 years and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have about it." "In the spirit of transparency, my 5-year career gap centred around raising a family." Build your self-confidence Volunteering Undertaking unpaid or volunteer work gives you the chance to step back into the workplace and rediscover your skills and capabilities. An unpaid work placement could also lead to a permanent position. Updating your skills Explore learning opportunities at your local community centre or college. IT refresher courses are great if you’ve been out of the workplace for some time, while management courses can help you return to work in a similar or higher position. Explore CABA’s range of free courses designed to boost skills such as better people management and emotional intelligence. You can learn online, or book a place on a course near you. Anxiety Feelings of anxiety can quickly put us off new experiences and mean we try to avoid certain situations - like returning to work. But avoiding the fear only feeds anxiety. Anxiety is something best dealt with head-on. There are lots of techniques you can use, from distracting yourself to breathing exercises and challenging unhelpful thoughts, for example by assessing the positives and negatives of a situation. If anxiety is affecting your transition back into the workplace, talk to a healthcare professional, to family and friends, or our experts at CABA. But don’t avoid the situation. Guilt This is particularly relevant to parents returning to work after raising children or if leaving someone you’ve previously cared for. It’s normal to experience guilt – especially if you have dependents at home. If you’re in this situation it’s important to remember the benefits of returning to work. For example, a child in nursery or school has the opportunity to socialise with children their age and learn and develop new skills. Similarly, having a professional take over your caring responsibilities may offer new opportunities to secure specialist equipment and enable you to take advantage of extra support. There are benefits for you, too. Returning to work can increase your income and boost your wellbeing – all of which will have a positive impact on other aspects of your life. CABA can help Whether you’re returning to work after a career break or unexpectedly finding yourself back in the job market following redundancy, it can be daunting. The practices that secured your last job might be slightly different from those you need to employ to secure your next position. We can help you find the right job opportunities and develop the right skills to get back into employment quickly. Ask us about one to one career coaching. Contact us today.
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