CV140.com

Wall Street Journal Mindmap

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:02:00 +0000

Considering ‘Customer Migration – Transition (offline / online users), Advertiser Yield and Cross Subsidies (Digital / Print)’ as the centre piece of the Wall Street Journal & Dow Jones research, please click here to download the Wall Street Journal - Research Mindmap - prepared in late 2012.

Though it may not make a great deal of sense, here are a few of the major points underpinning the notes made on the Mindmap:

Product Management Position, Consumer Digital
Review of the US / European WSJ website(s)
Freemium Model – What’s free? What’s Paid?
Issues & Challenges of Paywalls
Lessons from the Gaming Industry – Pay to Play
Products & Packages
Ideas & Suggestions for new features based on research & observation
Internationalisation – missed opportunities
Desktop / Tablet / Mobile experiences
Content & Editorial Calendars
SEO and other such traffic driving considerations
Current Strategy / Future Options
Media Kit – current sales approach and / or pricing
Competitive Landscape

AND – OBVIOUSLY - how my background in content, publishing and digital marketing can be applied to the Product Management role being discussed:

Product planning and execution throughout the product lifecycle; manage the product roadmap, from strategic planning to tactical activities. Developing and implementing a company-wide go-to-market plan, working with all departments to execute the roadmap.
Gathering and prioritising product, business and customer requirements. Deliver Product Requirement Documents (PRDs) with prioritised features and corresponding justification.
Defining the product deliverables; working closely with in-house and external dev teams, sales, marketing and support to ensure the product meets business and localisation needs.
Enhancing the functionality existing products to launching new products. Run beta and pilot programs with early-stage products and samples. Undertake competitor analysis.
Build products from existing ideas, and help to develop new ideas based on your industry experience and your contact with the business, our customers and other stakeholders. Work with external third parties to assess partnerships and licensing opportunities. Analysing potential partner relationships for the product development.
Possess a unique blend of business and technical savvy; a big-picture vision, and the drive to make that vision a reality
Enjoy spending time in the market to understand the gaps and problems, and find innovative solutions for the broader market
Champion localisation and product innovation within the company. Driving a solution set across development teams (primarily Development/Engineering, and Marketing Communications) through market requirements, product contract, and positioning.
Acting as a co-ordinator and listening to needs and requests from our business and channelling these requests (mini-projects and small tasks) to other teams based internationally.

More tips on Preparing for an Interview

Mindmapping your Research

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 15:42:00 +0000

When preparing for an interview or, researching a company in the days before a direct approach - do you use a mind map to gather your thoughts, ideas and possible questions?

Although the old school approach of pen & paper is still acceptable, the use of iThoughtsHD on the iPad now makes life considerably easier. If you're not familiar with their use OR, need a reminder why they can be so useful (courtesy of Mindmeister):

Mind maps are interactive.
Mind maps are flexible.
Mind maps are easy to create.
Mind maps are clear.
Mind maps are visually driven.
Mind maps are practical.

I'll post a few examples at some stage this week.

More tips on Preparing for an Interview

How to Delete Microsoft Office Recent Documents

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 08:30:00 +0000

In each of the Microsoft Office programs WORD, VISIO, POWERPOINT and EXCEL, you are get to see recently used documents - providing quick access to your files. Each of the programs lets you customise this list of recent documents to suit your preferences; for instance, you can pin certain documents to the list, so they will always show up.

By clearing the list, the feature is turned off and you will no longer see any recent documents. To turn the feature back on, you just have to tell Word the number of documents you want to include in the list and reopen your documents.

Open Microsoft Word.
Click the "File" - Select "Options" (this may vary across versions though I'm using 2010)
Click the "Advanced" tab - Scroll down to the "Display" section.
Click "0" in the "Show This Number of Recent Documents" list" to clear the list.
Click "OK." To turn the feature back on, go back to this menu and select a different number.
The list will update when you open your files.

Note.

If you are planning to give the PC away, give it back to your employer if / when you're planning to leave or, are simply disposing of it - setting the 'Show This Number ...' to ZERO won't necessarily clear the list 'forever'. In Word 2010, there is a feature you can use to quickly clear all the unpinned items in the Recent Documents list. Click the "File" tab, then click "Recent" Right-click one of the files in the list. Click "Clear Unpinned Items." Click "Yes."

More such posts in Starting a Fresh Life

Tips for a Great CV

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 10:00:00 +0000

The letters CV are an acronym for a Latin phrase, ‘Curriculum Vitae’, meaning ‘the course of your life’. When contacting US firms, it's advisable to use the word "resume" rather than CV. In the US, CV refers to a resume for the scientific or educational fields.

Your CV is essentially a list of your achievements. In preparing a CV, it requires you to review all that you've done so far. By creating and reviewing your ‘key achievements’, it will reveal your strengths to a would-be employer. It also prepares you for interviews. Thus, think about your past jobs, extracurricular activities and any volunteer work by asking:

What can I do better than anyone else?
When did I take the initiative?
Was I promoted? How often?
Did I win awards, e.g., Employee of the Month?
Did I get good performance or quarterly reviews?
Have I received complimentary letters from customers or colleagues?
Have I produced anything tangible (e.g., a publication or product)?
Did I complete tasks in less time than expected?
Did I participate in my company's employee suggestion program?
Have I saved the company time or money?
Did I work with someone important, e.g., the CEO? Was I recognized for excellent attendance?

Simple Tips

Grab an employer’s attention with a hand addressed envelope. The last time a hand addressed envelope landed on your door mat, was it the first to be opened? I bet it was; ahead of all the other bills, letters and mailing pieces. Genuine handwriting is a rare and precious find in most letter boxes, which makes it a wildly effective marketing tool when distributing your CV.

Use white space and formatting to make your CV easy to read. I had someone say to me once "Let your CV breathe visually" meaning, don't try to squeeze everything onto one page.

Adding references to your CV is always a good idea. It shows forward planning and confidence that others will endorse you. But don't forget to ask the people if they are willing to serve as referees before you give their names to a potential employer! If not specifically asked for, it can be acceptable to state ‘References available upon request’.

Check for TYPOS and inappropriate phrases. You may have a degree, but if the course name is spelled incorrectly you really aren't making the most of your education. In some cases, applicants' attempts to impress potential employers failed through the odd missed word, with phrases such as "I was responsible for dissatisfied customers”, “I get well with all types of people”, “I was responsible for fraudulent claims”, “Highly adept at multi-tasting” and “Left last four jobs only because the managers were completely unreasonable”.

Don’t get carried away with CAPITALISATION. Job titles, names and places, companies and the first word of every sentence should start with a capital letter. NOT EVERY LETTER! You may as well hand write your CV with a crayon.

Newest stuff should always go at the top.

Lying on a CV is never a good idea for jobseekers, it has been claimed. The Write Stuff has highlighted that people looking for employment cannot be held legally liable for any embellishments on their CV because it is not a legal document. However, if they are discovered to be lying on their CV it can greatly affect their future job prospects and is therefore strongly advised against.

Peter Panayotou, senior consultant for The Write Stuff, said: "You should be aware that a CV is a sales document and is designed to cast you in the best possible light, but you should try to avoid outright lying." He added that honesty is always the best policy. The Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors has discovered that 55 per cent of people do not feel that their CV properly shows off their full range of skills.

More than 30 per cent of people admit to having embellished or lied on CVs to boost their chances of getting a job, a FT survey from a government institute suggested. The news that resumés may indeed be too good to be true prompted disapproval and some disbelief among experts and business leaders, mixed with sympathy for candidates who accentuate the positive without crossing the line into outright lying.

ed. Lesson to be learned - Never lie. Never, ever. Lies always come back and bite you on the bum. It's a small industry, and everybody knows somebody. Anyway, it’s not about lying; it’s about presenting the truth in the most positive way.

9 things that really matter when employers look at a CV:

A strong area of expertise with solid experience to back it up.
Relevant industry experience that includes a solid track record of success.
Leadership experience (if applicable).
A strong, succinct summary paragraph of one's professional experience.
Education credentials; where did you go to school and how you did when they were there.
An effective, well-organized CV that allows one to quickly skim and review the candidate's suitability.
Quantifiable accomplishments; results that show how you contributed to the bottom line.
Relevant technical and business skills such as certifications.
Tenure at a company. Job hopping is usually frowned upon. Rather than a bulleted list of duties, summarize job descriptions with a focus on measurable results.

Association of International Product Marketing & Management (AIPMM) can also help you land your dream job. Hiring is turning around so if you've been thinking about a new job now is the time to get serious. Here's how you can stand out from the crowd.

Make sure your resume is current, proofread and has two or three powerful summary statements at the top of the first page.

Know your 60-second elevator pitch and rehearse it so it becomes second nature.

Reconnect with your support network. Meet with them and new contacts on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.

Focus your search using websites that cater to the jobs you’re looking for and upload your resume to them. Employers increasingly search resume banks to find talent.
Any job application should reflect the needs of the organisation as described in the advert or on its website; skills, qualifications and interests should be listed in order of how appropriate they are for the role.

Most employers check dates when they go through CVs. They would be suspicious of any break that is unaccounted for. But if you've taken a few dodgy detours through life and learning, all is not lost. Employers are looking for an explicit path through education and employment. If this is missing make sure you explain what was happening during that time. Reassure a potential employer that you were gaining knowledge, developing skills and generally making yourself super-efficient.

Have you spoken with (ie. sold yourself to) someone at the recruitment firm before sending them your CV, so that they are on the lookout for your application in their inbox?

...If you do send a paper CV by email, make sure you save it as a pdf first - you never know how a Word document is going to print out and it could get altered when it’s opened.

Final tip: when you get the pdf ready, you might also want to add hyperlinks for your email address, websites, online stories and blog address so your prospective employer can click through from the pdf when they open it.

Common CV Mistakes

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 12:41:00 +0000

Your Resume or CV is one of the most important documents that you may write in your career. Mistakes in your CV could therefore cost you the opportunity of a lifetime. Here are some common errors to be avoided while writing your CV:

Spelling Mistakes: Spelling mistakes can leave a poor impression. So have your CV read by someone to remove such errors before you go ahead and apply for a job.
Factual mistakes: Incorrect tenure in an organisation, incorrect education details, chronology of experience, can all lead to misunderstandings.
Long flowing sentences: This distracts the scanning eyes of a Recruiter due to the limited time they allocate to reading CVs. My suggestion to all, make some key bullet points in your resume that would summarise your experience, skills and achievements.
Formatting: The size and type of font chosen can have an impact on the readability. Please do not highlight unnecessary points with colourful fonts, keep it simple and to the point.
Incorrect contact information: This being the second most critical data after your experience and skills must be correctly presented. You should mention both your present and permanent addresses with direct contact numbers such as your mobile and landline number. If these details are not listed you might miss an opportunity by a missed call.
Lack of objective/focus: Unclear objectives can leave a Recruiter guessing which field or type of job you are interested in. A great objective statement clearly defines your career goal aligned with the job you are targeting for.
Length: The CV should be descriptive enough to explain what your key skills are, yet short enough to retain interest of the Recruiter.
To add this, you should also know that a Cover Letter adds a few stars to a great CV. It highlights your interest and summarises your objective for applying for a particular profile. So, once you have worked on your CV, get working on your Cover Letter. This can greatly increase your chance of getting an interview call, which will be your key to securing an opportunity.A cover letter should be sent out with every CV. The cover letter is your sales document. It will augment your CV.

It is quite easy to extend the truth but doing this will not help your situation. Some people try changing the dates of employment or education to hide the gaps. Some may mention a position and over exaggerate on the duties. This could be an embarrassing situation and you could get caught out by the interview questions.

Personal information, like age, gender, and head shot should not be included on your CV (unless you are a performing art student). Research has found that a third of people wouldn’t mention their children on a CV and 15 per cent say they wouldn’t cite their age. But do you risk coming across as difficult and paranoid if you don’t do so?

Filter out information that might seem irrelevant to the position. Be wise in choosing certain facts to be included on your final CV. Untargeted - though you may be sure your skills and experience are a good match for the role, a generic (or 'cookie cutter' CV) may not show it.

Use an email address that is professional. Your professionalism has to come through in your CV.

It can be obvious that what is written is not in your own words when you do not speak like you write. It is important to prepare your CV in your own words.

Present your CV in a consistent layout. Set your margins evenly (right and left sides 1" margins; top and bottom). Have an even amount of space between each heading. Be consistent with your verbiage. For example, if you are describing your current job, use all verbs in the present tense.
Include dates on your CV. Leaving them out might seem like you are trying to hide certain information.

Do not use the same verbs to describe your work experience. Use a variety of action verbs to prove your transferable and diverse skills. Utilizing different action verbs can highlight the wide range of skills and knowledge that you possess.

Use the spell-check tool but the best proof reader is another set of eyes. Be sure that there are no spelling errors, poor word choice, or misuse of language. These mistakes are not acceptable as it might appear that you are negligent with your work.

Make sure that your document is legible. A recommended font size is 11 or 12.

Not accomplishments focused (I'll keep drumming this one in)

Then there’s the question of the personal statement. Personally, I hate the things: they are rarely more than a collection of bland, nauseating platitudes and clichés, which recruiters see all the time, and are about as revealing as your shoe size. No wonder the director of admissions at Cambridge has admitted that tutors at his university do not assign any marks to students’ essays on why they chose the subject they are applying for.

Companies, besieged by job applications, are increasingly using electronic scanning tools to automatically search CVs for certain phrases, so it may be that if you write a personal statement containing buzzwords such as “problem-solving and decision-making”, “oral and written communications”, “teamworking”, “leadership”, “project management”, “dynamic”, “driven” and “enterprising”, you have a better chance of getting your foot in the door.

There’s also the tricky question of photos (most recruiters say they’re unnecessary, but research shows that attractive people have a better chance of being recruited than the ugly, so if you’re hot, why not make the most of it?) and hobbies (no employer really cares that your interests include “going to the pub”, “eating” and “watching Friends”, but then the gap between work and leisure is blurring and so if you have, say, managed to run the New York marathon in an hour, it surely demonstrates certain admirable skills worth mentioning).

And if all this were not enough, there remains the challenge of actually remembering your achievements, a problem sometimes referred to as “achievement amnesia” and the reason that recruitment experts recommend updating your CV regularly. Initially, I struggled with this amnesia more than anything else, maybe in part because there haven’t been many achievements as such in the past decade.

A job applicant listed their interests as "cooking dogs" while another boasted of having "excellent poof-reading skills", a new survey of CV blunders has discovered.

Experts found that 94 per cent of job hunters risked missing out on vacancies through poor spelling, grammar or presentation on their CVs. In some cases, applicants' attempts to impress potential employers failed through the odd missed word, with phrases such as: "I was responsible for dissatisfied customers."

For others, the omission of a single letter consigned their CV to the dustbin: "I am a public relations officer." And sparing use of the comma led to seemingly embarrassing disclosures of equal note: "My interests include cooking dogs and interesting people."

Examples of CV blunders:

My interests include cooking dogs and interesting people
As security guard my job is to pervert unauthorised people from coming onto the site
I am a pubic relations officer
I was responsible for dis-satisfied customers
My role involved coaching and mentioning
I have excellent editing and poof-reading skills
I relieved the conference manager
I am a prooficient typist
Socially I like to dine out with different backgrounds
I get well with all types of people
I was responsible for fraudulent claims
While working in this role, I had intercourse with a variety of people
Experienced sheet mental worker
Highly adept at multi-tasting
Left last four jobs only because the managers were completely unreasonable

But, slowly, it became evident that such amnesia is probably a good thing, because, let’s face it, if you can’t remember an achievement, it probably isn’t worth remembering, let alone worth including in a CV, which in turn means you are less likely to fill your résumé with inconsequential nonsense and commit the No 1 crime of CV writing: excessive length.

The fact is that there is no one on this planet, up to and including Neil Armstrong, whose achievements could not be boiled down to one side of A4, although the paradox here, to judge from the CVs I have seen recently, is that the less successful you are, the harder you find it to digest your achievements.

Once you’ve, say, walked on the Moon or become President of the United States or written Harry Potter, the urge to mention that you were litter monitor for an entire term at Woden Juniors in 1987 doesn’t feel so strong.

Indeed, I would extend this point and say that brevity is the key rule of CV-writing, the only maxim really worth remembering when embarking on the enterprise, encompassing, as it does, the necessity of:

not waffling;
not writing “curriculum vitae” in large letters at the top of the sheet of paper, because it’s obvious a CV is a CV and you might misspell “curriculum vitae” while you’re at it;
avoiding negativity;
not framing your CV with squiggly red lines and heart shapes (unless you are going for a job on a teenage girls magazine);
not banging on about your gap year in Australia on the pretence that it helped you to develop as a human being when we all know that you actually spent a year getting smashed, stoned and laid; (f) not taking a match to the edges of your CV and proclaiming in a note: “As you can tell from the singe marks, I’m hot property”;
not writing “Yes, please” next to “sex”;
not mentioning that you were chairman of the fundraising committee at Wulfrun College before noting that your last job involved working as finance director of a FTSE 100 company;
not attaching a note to your contact details explaining that potential employers should leave messages with your mum, in the event that you’re not at home; and, most important,
not sending your CV to anyone and everyone, in particular to random business columnists whose total lack of authority extends to being unable to offer employment.

Being unfocused and untargeted in this market is the worst thing you can do. When looking for a new role, too many people are still using a scattergun approach – firing out CVs everywhere and applying for anything they can get hold of. A more effective method is to use TARGETED CVs to be clear about what you want, why you want it and why you’re obviously the one to do it.

A targeted CV can be a combination of functional and chronological CVs however; all the detail included will be written with a clear objective in mind, as opposed to a general overview. This style is useful when:

You have a specific job to go for, or are responding to a particular job advert.
You want to emphasise skills and achievements, not necessarily acquired in your most recent work, or which were obtained outside paid employment.

Adopting this style will, by its nature, mean you are likely to have a number of versions of your CV, which you adapt accordingly.

Imagine a conversation with a self-described envisioneer who, when it comes to mission critical, is on the cutting edge, a proactive people-person capable of meticulously strategizing a paradigm in the aggregate. Whoa. Now imagine sitting in a human resources office and spotting that kind of jargon on a résumé. Double whoa. For those so "orientated," Lindsay Capobianco, co-author of the online "Resume Dictionary," has one word of advice: Repurpose." And should there be any doubt about whether, well, "recontextualizing" is really the right way to go, Capobianco recommends job-seekers seek out a decidedly low-tech reference point. It's called a dictionary.

Though online job sites make it easy for you to apply for a position with the simple click of the mouse, don't blindly send your CV to every company you come across. Hiring managers seek tailored CVs that tie a job seeker's unique skills and abilities to the requirements of the position. Take the extra time and effort to customise your application materials to each opportunity as any information you gathered during your research can prove particularly valuable here.

This style of CV is best to use when you are aiming for one specific type of job. As such, the CV can only be written with the job in mind. Although much of the content of the CV may be the same as used in the previous styles, this one will be tailored accordingly. Greater emphasis will be given to detail that relates specifically to the job in question.

When deciding which type of CV is best for you, keep the following in mind:

It may appropriate to have more than one version of your CV.
Different styles of CV are useful to have, depending on your circumstances and objectives.
Your CV must look good and be easy to read.
Tailor your CV to a particular job in order to draw attention to relevant skills and experience.
Jargon should only be used when you know the reader will understand it

Here are a few more CV errors, mistakes and probably urban myths. I'll leave it to you to decide if they are true or not.

"My intensity and focus are at inordinately high levels, and my ability to complete projects on time is unspeakable."
"Education: Curses in liberal arts, curses in computer science, curses in accounting.
"Instrumental in ruining entire operation for a Midwest chain store."
"Personal: Married, 1992 Chevrolet."
"I have an excellent track record, although I am not a horse."
"I am a rabid typist."
"Created a new market for pigs by processing, advertising and selling a gourmet pig mail order service on the side."
"Exposure to German for two years, but many words are not appropriate for business."
"Proven ability to track down and correct erors."
"Personal interests: Donating blood. 15 gallons so far."
"I have become completely paranoid, trusting completely nothing and absolutely no one."
"References: None, I've left a path of destruction behind me."
"Strengths: Ability to meet deadlines while maintaining composer."
"Don't take the comments of my former employer too seriously, they were unappreciative beggars and slave drivers."
"My goal is to be a meteorologist. But since I possess no training in meteorology, I suppose I should try stock brokerage."
"I procrastinate--especially when the task is unpleasant."
"I am loyal to my employer at all costs. Please feel free to respond to my resume on my office voicemail."
"Qualifications: No education or experience."
"Disposed of $2.5 billion in assets."
"Accomplishments: Oversight of entire department."
"Extensive background in accounting. I can also stand on my head!"
Cover letter: "Thank you for your consideration. Hope to hear from you shorty!"

Stuff you may want to check before you send your CV to that would-be employer:

Date of birth incorrect (DoB) - you haven't put todays date by mistake have you?

Misspellings. You may have a degree, but if the course name is spelled incorrectly you really aren't making the most of your education.

Capitalisation. Job titles, names and places, companies and the first word of every sentence should start with a capital letter. NOT EVERY LETTER! You may as well hand write your CV with a crayon. This is possibly one of the most common CV mistakes.

Reverse chronological order. Newest stuff should always go at the top.

Wrong contact details. Changed your mobile? Changed your email address? Make sure its reflected on your cv. Also, email addresses are not case sensitive, unlike CV reviewers.

Email addresses. Try to keep it sensible. tigerpants34@hotmail.com is unlikely to impress the Board of Governors at the school you are hoping to run. Get a new one from http://www.hotmail.com.

Remember: There is no perfect way to write a CV, only 'an appropriate way'.

Keeping it Brief

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 11:52:00 +0000

A customised, one page cover letter should go with each CV you send out. Following the standard convention, the letter should consist of three paragraphs:

State the reason for your application

Sell yourself by linking your strengths and skills to the job

Request an interview or meeting

Preferably, typed / printed on white A4. If this isn’t possible, hand write it (as neatly as possible).

Address it specifically by name, and sign it ‘Yours Sincerely’.

Keep it brief.

Remember, a good cover letter increases the likelihood of getting an interview.

Good luck.

As always, let me know how it goes.

Qualification for a constructive dismissal claim

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 21:49:00 +0000

Daniel Isaac, a partner in the employment team at Withers, answers the key questions on which a claim for unfair constructive dismissal by an employee can stand or fall.

Q What is the definition of constructive dismissal?

A Constructive dismissal occurs where an employee terminates their employment in response to their employer's treatment of them. Although there has been no actual dismissal, the treatment is sufficiently bad that the employee is entitled to regard themselves as having been dismissed.

Q What does the employee have to prove?

A The employee has to show that they have resigned in response to a fundamental breach of contract by the employer. The Employment Rights Act 1996 essentially says that if the employee terminates their contract in circumstances in which they are entitled to do so without notice because of the employer's conduct, that termination constitutes a dismissal.

Sometimes that conduct will be the breach of an express term of the contract of employment, such as the right to be paid a certain amount on a certain date. More commonly, it will be that the employer's behaviour has breached the term of mutual trust and confidence that is implied into all contracts of employment. The term basically requires employers to refrain from conducting themselves in a manner that is likely to destroy or seriously damage the relationship of trust and confidence between employer and employee. Examples of such conduct may include isolating the employee, humiliating them in front of others and falsely accusing the employee of misconduct.

Q How easy is it to show constructive dismissal?

A Constructive dismissal is far more difficult to prove than employees often think. First they must prove a fundamental (rather than minor) breach of contract by the employer.

The employee must also show that their decision to terminate their employment was in response to the breach and not, for example, because they had been offered a more attractive job. An employment tribunal will also need to satisfy itself that the employee did not delay too long in resigning. A tribunal will usually expect an employee to have tried to resolve the complaint through the grievance procedure before jumping ship.

Q Is constructive dismissal a claim which can be brought in the tribunal or court system?

A Constructive dismissal is not a claim in itself, but if a claimant who has resigned demonstrates that they have, in effect, been dismissed they can go on to claim unfair dismissal and/or wrongful dismissal.

Q Why would an employee who already has another job assert constructive dismissal?

A Constructive dismissal occurs following a fundamental breach of contract by the employer, which cannot then rely on that contract in the future.
Therefore, if an employee can show that they have been constructively dismissed, they may not be bound by post-termination restrictions in the contract, such as restrictive covenants preventing the employee from contacting the employer's clients.

If an employee wants to avoid contractual restrictions – perhaps because they are joining a competitor – they might assert constructive dismissal.

Q How can I tell if an employee is preparing to assert constructive dismissal?

A Submitting or pursuing a grievance, depending on its content and tone, may indicate that an employee is considering asserting constructive dismissal. Other indications include: re-opening old complaints in an effort to 'refresh' old breaches of contract; uncharacteristically taking notes at meetings or confirming conversations by e-mail; or spelling out the reasons for resigning in a letter.
Q How can we head off constructive dismissal claims?
A Often the heart of any constructive dismissal claim is a breach of the duty of trust and confidence. Expressions of trust and confidence in the employee by the employer may assist (although a tribunal or court will recognise the difference between a cosmetic communication and one genuinely designed to reassure).

More importantly, constructive dismissal claims focus on a grievance and getting to the heart of the grievance is the key either to reassuring the employee or, if they are determined to leave, weakening any potential claim of constructive dismissal by dealing appropriately with the alleged breach.

Source: Personnel Today

CRM Training Contractor

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 16:30:00 +0000

Is this YOU?

A training consultant / contractor who specialise in CRM databases?

Someone who understands recruitment account management, Microdec Profile, and an understanding on SQL writing?

Can interrogate the software and drive the team on an internal training campaign?

Duration would be anywhere from 3-6 mons+.

Let me know and I'll introduce you.

Business Development Manager Crowdcube

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 11:01:00 +0000

Crowdcube require a Business Development Manager for the generation and development of both inbound and outbound new business opportunities in the London area. The successful candidate will have strong business acumen and an understanding of the fundraising process and market for start up and growth companies.

The role will be the key representative of Crowdcube in the London area and will be responsible for building relationships in the ‘start-up scene’ in and around London. An existing knowledge of, and ideally contacts within, start-ups hubs, accelerators, incubators etc is essential. An incredible opportunity to be one of the first handful of employees at one of the hottest startups in the UK.

Business Development Manager (London)
Location - London
Hours - Full Time (35 hours per week)
Salary - £negotiable
Reports to - Investment Manager
Duties:

The role will be very varied but the key tasks will be:
Building relationships with other funding and startup–related organisations in the London area to stimulate new dealflow of fundraising companies on to the Crowdcube platform.
Being ‘the face of Crowdcube’ in the London area by attending and presenting at events and conferences
Recruiting new Investee companies and evaluating the potential of entrepreneurial proposals against investment trends..
Analysing, developing and approving business plans and forecasts.
Supporting and managing successful entrepreneurs through the crowdfunding process.
Developing and maintaining strong working relationships with entrepreneurs and investors, maximising investment potential.
Involvement in business growth strategy and process development.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience required:

Very strong interpersonal skills including the ability to build relationships with senior figures in partner organisations
Must be outgoing and confident – the ability to present to audiences of potentially 100+ is essential
Experience of working in a startup environment and of the fundraising process and options for funding open to startups
Strong communication skills in all forms including written, oral, email, telephone, and presentation
Excellent organisational and time management skills
Strong communication skills in all forms including written, oral, email, telephone, and presentation
Excellent organisational and time management skills
An understanding of Crowdfunding is advantageous

Essential Candidate Criteria:

Qualifications- Degree Level
Personal Qualities and Attributes - We’re looking for an experienced professional with a real interest in business and entrepreneurship. The individual needs to be ambitious, pro-active, resourceful and motivated.
Skills: Strong verbal communication skills and confidence on the phone, adept planning and organising, showing initiative and problem solving skills.
Specialist knowledge: accountancy skills would be advantageous

Please send your CV to jobs@crowdcube.com

Making Speculative Approaches

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 13:24:00 +0000

In a speculative job application, remember to be short and to the point. Be clear about the purpose – what do you want? Whilst the purpose of your approach maybe to get a job – you should not specifically ask for the job at this stage.

You are ONLY asking for an opportunity to discuss possibilities.

Remember – this is unsolicited and therefore, the recipient must not be discouraged from reading the letter because it is too long. That being said, when sending such a letter or note, ensure you know the name and position of the person who should receive it. Who are you looking to target? Who are you looking to speak with or even meet at some later date?

Making your Approach:

Make a list of the organisations, businesses or companies you are going to target.
Pick your first choice organisation or maybe, the order of the list and how / when you intend to roll down through the list.
Research the following questions … why do I want to join them? How could they use my skills? Who should I contact? Who can tell me more about this organisation? Do I want to work there?
Decide who you are going to contact and write to them (enclosing a CV).
Follow up the letter with a phone call after 7 – 10 days.
Call again after a suitable time to see if the situation has changed following your initial contact.

Try it. What have you got to lose?

Other than the cost of some research time, paper, printer ink and a few stamps – nothing.

Let me know how you get on.

Getting Ready for Work Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 22:01:00 +0000

To save embarrassment and best prepare you to make the right impression in a ‘trial period’ (albeit one or two weeks of work experience), make sure you ask:

Do I have to bring ID and if so, how many forms?
Is there somewhere to eat onsite or offsite nearby?
Do I need to wear anything ‘special’?
What’s the dress code?
What time do I need to arrive and who should I ask for?
Obviously … where do I need to go?
What time does the day end?

Get ready to pack a lunch beforehand if something isn’t being provided for you.

It’s better to be prepared and get the most from the time from the would be employer.

After all, you’ll never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Please do not say that

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 21:58:00 +0000

It may not be the best approach – even if it’s true – to tell a would be employer that you’ve spent the last three months following your redundancy, sat on your arze, watching Jeremy Kyle and networking with every landlord in your local area.

Spoke to someone recently who, at a recent interview, asked the would be employee what they’ve been doing in their time off and they said just that (excluding the drinking part); not great - demonstrates little drive, motivation or initiative to get a new role let alone, bettering yourself.

Whether it’s a few weeks or few months, you don’t have to spend money to learn a new skills, develop some new experiences and gain some new things to discuss at your next interview.

Try donating blood – let alone benefitting others, you can drink as much coffee as like and gorge yourself stupid with custard creams.

Try a few FREE online, short courses – I participated in a FREE, online Stanford University course recently. Very interesting and, it fitted in with my home / work life. They are plentiful, you just have to look.

Volunteer to become a Community Speedwatch Advocate. Volunteer at your local school / college / academy to become a School Governor.

That’s just a few. If you want any more suggestions, let me know. The possibilities are endless. The opportunities are on your doorstep.

Off my soap box. What do you think?

Word of the Day: Isopraxism

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 08:26:00 +0000

Imitation.

"A non-learned, neuro behaviour in which members of a species act in a like manner" (Soukhanov 1993:135).

A deep, reptilian principle of mimicry, i.e., of copying, emulating, or aping a behaviour, gesture, or fad.

An impulsive tendency to, e.g., a. stand and clap as audience members nearby stand and applaud, or b. wear the same style of jewellery, clothing, or shoes.

The first of many posts related to the reading / using of body language during the interview process.

Feedback after telephone interview

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 10:27:00 +0000

Remember to focus, listen and enunciate clearly when you’re talking. Born and bred in Bristol and with a strong Bristolian accent, something I have to work on continually and though someone ‘may’ get the wrong impression of who / what you are if they are stupid enough to take accent only as a means of assessing ‘fit’ (for the role), It's important to focus on the interview and that can be harder on the phone than in-person.

Be sure to listen to the questions, ask for clarification if you're not sure what the interviewer is asking, and speak slowly, carefully, and clearly when you respond. It's fine to take a few seconds to compose your thoughts before you answer.

Though you don't have to get dressed in your best interview attire, travel to a company's office, or interview one-on-one with a hiring manager – if you're interviewing on the phone from the comfort of home, make sure you’re stood up and not slouched in your favourite comfy chair. The spoken word is often cleaner, crisper and clearer if you’re standing as opposed to being sat down.

Reviewing your Job Titles

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 10:14:00 +0000

Maybe bartender, thief, lover, doctor, lawyer, editor, sales manager, administrative assistant.

When someone gives you one of the above as their job titles, you know what – generally – they mean and you have a general idea of what he / she does. Found a piece recently that listed a few weird and wonderful ‘real’ job titles (below). Suffice as to say, consider adjusting your past job titles to a) make them better align against a role your applying for b) in line with the organisational structure in which you’re hoping to sit or c) more in line with general employment market trends. While you may have been ‘Assistant Supervisor; Project Beamer’ – you may want to consider revising what is an internal job role / naming convention to make it something that the hiring manager may understand and therefore see the fit a lot easier.

Director of Storytelling
Chief Wiggle Eye Gluer
president and chief imagination officer
director of chaos
beervangelist
brewmaster/instigator
ambassador of great beer
beer beast from the East
regional spirits ambassador
brewer/mischief
chief sparkle officer
head worm wrangler
marble lady
magic maker
derma-pigmentation technician for permanent cosmetics
chief fun officer
Sustainability advocate
Producer of world records and world record attempts
overseer of order
chief fitlosopher
We recently changed our receptionist's title to director of first impressions.

KANBAN 101

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 20:39:00 +0000

KANBAN is a method for developing software products and processes with an emphasis on just-in-time delivery while not overloading the software developers. The process, from definition of a task to its delivery to the customer, is displayed for participants to see and developers pull work from a queue; ALL shown on a KANBAN board.

The board is usually divided into three sections: "awaiting production", "work in progress" and "completed work in progress". Employees move cards to the section on the board that coincides with the receptacle it represents. The most popular example of a KANBAN boards is agile or lean software development consisting of: Backlog, Ready, Coding, Testing, Approval and Done columns. It is also a common practice to name columns in a different way, for example: Next, In Development, Done, Customer Acceptance, Live.

Having worked in both the agile and waterfall worlds, keen to get more working experience using this system over the coming months.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

Probation Period

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 12:25:00 +0000

Probation is a status given to new employees of a company, varying widely between businesses - lasting anywhere from 30 days to an entire year (‘usually’ 3 months). If the new employee does well during the probationary time, they are usually removed from probationary status (can often be BEFORE the end of the previously agreed period) and given a raise, ‘full’ status and / or other company privileges (keys to the executive toilets maybe).

Conversely, the probationary period also allows an employer to terminate an employee who is determined not to be doing well at their job or otherwise deemed not suitable for a particular position. Some companies have an at will policy, which allows a company manager to terminate an employee at any point during the probationary period.

The ‘probationary’ status allows the hiring manager time to closely evaluate the progress and skills of the newly hired worker; determining appropriate assignments and / or monitoring other aspects of the employee interaction with co-workers / customers.

During the probationary period, the employer is also entitled to increase or extend your probationary period, particularly if their performance is below a set standard or for disciplinary reasons. In this instance, the employee is usually given a period of time to either improving their performance or modifies their behaviour before more severe measures are used. In this case, the use of a ‘personal development plan’ or ‘performance improvement plan (PIP)’ may help so that the key areas of improvement required can be documented / shared / discussed / agreed.

Remember, being on a probationary period doesn't make you a second-class employee. Your Employment starts from your original start date, not from the date at the end of your probationary period (when you are ‘confirmed’ in the job). Your length of service - which is essential in determining your eligibility for statutory employment rights - starts from your original start date and is not affected by the probationary period AND, you retain the right not to be unfairly dismissed.

Choosing Your Referees

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 09:37:00 +0000

Choosing a good referee can make all the difference when it comes to landing the new role. If you choose the wrong person, you might be rejected from jobs that were perfect for you. If you are unsure of their value, referees provide extra information that lets a potential employee know about your work history, your skills and experience, reinforcing what you’ve written on your CV.

Quite simply, someone else’s word that your claims are accurate.

Your referee(s) can also be asked to give an opinion on your character, commenting on factors such as your reliability, punctuality or even your weaknesses so choose carefully.

The best people to be your referees are former employers, especially a mentor or boss, your teacher / lecturer / tutor or maybe, your PhD supervisor or examiner. Do not choose a friend of the family or a neighbour (unless they have specific knowledge of your work). The best references are written by people who know you well, so pick the person you worked most closely with at your last job.

Over recent days, I’ve reached out to two of my previous employers (Trader Media Group & 118118) for such permission. I had a call this morning from my old MD to say that he’d provided a verbal reference for me earlier today. Obviously it helps if you had a friendly working relationship with them too. Pleased to hear that both have duly obliged and taken the necessary calls.

Choose someone who will write a sympathetic reference and be as positive about you as possible though it’s ALWAYS good etiquette to ask for people’s permission to act as your referee before giving their name to a potential employer.

Some people will act as referee for you for several years. Others might be only suitable when you apply for a particular type of job. Think about what each person can say about you and whether their knowledge of you is relevant to the particular job you’re applying for. While some recruitment consultants suggest providing your referees’ names and contact details at the bottom of your CV, I prefer to add ‘References can be supplied on request’ thus providing an opportunity for you to pick the referees most suitable for the role you’ve applied for.

Most people have two referees however a few jobs ask for three referees so make sure that you have a reserve that you can call on. I’ve done just that, I have a third referee on standby; an old boss.

Knowing Me Knowing You

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:42:00 +0000

By identifying your personality style you’ll gain insight into your strengths and weaknesses and how you can leverage your personality traits for personal and professional success. Courtesy of the Retail Doctor, a simply quiz to help determine your personality type.

Are you primarily a Driver, Analytical, Expressive, or Amiable personality type?

No matter what personality type you are, you need to fully understand the other three so you can become a chameleon when dealing with them as employees and customers or maybe, WOULD BE EMPLOYERS.

By learning more about each of the personality types and watching the video on the results page, you’ll get a better understanding of how your customers are making buying decisions and how you can best reach them.

Agile Automation Engineer - APPLIANCES ONLINE

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 12:11:00 +0000

What’s the Agile Automation Engineer role all about?

As an automation engineer at Appliances Online, you’ll help us to push the boundaries of the possible. We don’t want you to have to find the same bugs over and over again so we’re investing in practices like TDD/BDD to automate as much of the mundane as possible, leaving you more time to explore the edges of our systems and find the really interesting problems.

More than this, we want you to help us become industry-leading in our test practices

If you think you have what it takes to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a great team, committed to delivering absolute quality to our customers, then we want to hear from you.

What will be my responsibilities?

Proven experience and understanding of agile principles/practices
Strong technical skills demonstrated by experience of Selenium RC
To collaborate with people from across our business to ensure that our software works for our customers
Moderate experience of databases and T-SQL
To be hungry for perpetual learning, participating in community events, workshops etc.

What skills do I NEED to have?

Demonstrable experience in testing techniques such as:

Selenium RC with C# / .Net
Test Automation
Exploratory testing
Performance testing

If this sounds like it might be a fit, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply today with:

An up to date CV
A cover letter explaining why you’re interested in Appliances Online.
Please include a quote in your covering letter: either from an inspiring analyst or person you feel has influenced you during your career and tell us why!

See the full role(s) on the Appliances Online: Agile Automation Engineer

APPLY for the Agile Automation Engineer role

With lots more roles to fill, have a look at the fill list of vacancies at Appliances Online.

Other / Similar roles: SEO Executive

Other / Similar roles: Senior front end developer

28 days lovely holiday for the perfect work/life balance.

Childcare vouchers; making things just a little easier for you.

Pension scheme; with a healthy contribution from us.

Free parking; just 5 minutes from your desk.

Management training; professional qualifications to help progress through your career.

Appliances Online; the UK's Largest Online Kitchen Appliance Retailer.

Front End Developer - APPLIANCES ONLINE

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 12:00:00 +0000

What’s the Front End Developer role all about?

I’ve been alone with you inside my mind, And in my dreams I’ve kissed your lips a thousand times

I sometimes see you pass outside my door.

Hello, is it me you’re looking for?

Yes these are lyrics from a Lionel Richie song BUT it’s not me were looking for, we’ve got me, if we didn’t you wouldn’t be reading this finely crafted job advert! It’s YOU we want.

We’re after a front end developer who is passionate about what they produce. It’s not about glory, that’s for designers! It’s about producing the clean, optimised, well-formed code that makes Appliances Online a multi-million pound eCommerce enterprise website.

As a front end developer at Appliances Online you will need to be able to work alongside our awesome designers to take concepts from wireframes, through the design phase and into working prototypes and then full production ready code.

Yes the pace is relentless but it’s that which makes Appliances Online such a fantastic place to work. Believe me, coming from experience there is never a dull day at Appliances Online.

But were not all work, work, work, us, us, us, we offer an unrivalled personal development programme. Want to learn a new language? We’ve got courses for that! Need to go on a training course? Go for it! Coupled with or WOW benefits and obscene social events you don’t get a better place to work!

What skills do I NEED to have?

Good solid knowledge of HTML
Good knowledge of CSS and using CSS for layouts.
Basic knowledge of jQuery
Basic knowledge of Photoshop
Understanding of source control mainly Subversion
Good knowledge of site speed and optimisation
Basic knowledge of UX principles
Ability to prioritise tasks and workload

Advantageous but not essential

Understanding of responsive design principles
Working into a .Net environment
Knowledge of Object Orientated programming principles
Related Degree
Understanding of Agile development process
HTML 5
CSS 3
Experience of using/developing for WordPress

See the full role(s) on the Appliances Online: Front End Developer

APPLY for the Front End Developer role

With lots more roles to fill, have a look at the fill list of vacancies at Appliances Online.

Other / Similar roles: SEO Executive

Other / similar roles: Agile Automation Engineer

28 days lovely holiday for the perfect work/life balance.

Childcare vouchers; making things just a little easier for you.

Pension scheme; with a healthy contribution from us.

Free parking; just 5 minutes from your desk.

Management training; professional qualifications to help progress through your career.

Appliances Online; the UK's Largest Online Kitchen Appliance Retailer.

SEO Executive - APPLIANCES ONLINE

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 10:58:00 +0000

What’s the SEO Executive role all about?

Devising and executing SEO strategies that will improve the organic search traffic to AppliancesOnline.co.uk

What will be my responsibilities?

Developing creative inbound marketing campaigns

Technical SEO analysis

Providing direction for the Link Building Team

Conducting keyword research

Creating and maintaining project KPIs

Ensuring innovation in our overall SEO strategy

Championing the SEO strategy across the business

Helping to make AppliancesOnline.co.uk the best retailer on the internet

What skills do I NEED to have?

We don’t insist that you have a degree (why would we?) but you will need the following.

Creativity (the real thing, not just the ability to rehash someone else’s ideas)

At least 6 months SEO industry experience

Working knowledge of HTML, CSS and JavaScript (PHP/ASP a bonus)

Ability to self-motivate and get things done whatever the cost

See the full role(s) on the Appliances Online: SEO Executive

APPLY for the SEO Executive role

With lots more roles to fill, have a look at the fill list of vacancies at Appliances Online.

Other / Similar roles: Senior front end developer

Other / similar roles: Agile Automation Engineer

28 days lovely holiday for the perfect work/life balance.

Childcare vouchers; making things just a little easier for you.

Pension scheme; with a healthy contribution from us.

Free parking; just 5 minutes from your desk.

Management training; professional qualifications to help progress through your career.

Appliances Online; the UK's Largest Online Kitchen Appliance Retailer.

Watch Out - the Internal Candidate

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 15:42:00 +0000

Being interviewed for a role with your existing organisation is a breeze, or so it would seem. Such complacency will lead to a false sense of security, a lack of proper preparation and underperformance on the day. You know the people. You understand the organisation, and you have a successful track record that should speak for itself – right?

Not necessarily.

People like ME – as an external candidate – will have:

Researched the company, the job and the panel, extensively.

Prepared the evidence to support key areas of experience, competencies and personal qualities most likely to be of interest to the interviewees.

Listed points of differentiation; what I have to offer over YOU (as an internal candidate).

Looked at and be ready to discuss my own reputation; expectations before I’ve even entered the room.

Built the case to show I WANT THE JOB.

And, I’ll be poised to sell myself.

Watch Out – I’m coming for you and, the job.

Reaching a Consensus

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 10:30:00 +0000

Often used in the 2^nd round of interviews, consensus is a process for group decision-making. It is a democratic method by which an entire group of people can come to an agreement.

The input and ideas of all participants (or interviewees in this case) are gathered and synthesized to arrive at a final decision acceptable to all. Through consensus, they are not only working to achieve a better solution to their hiring problem – who can plug a gap in terms of personality & cultural fit – it also promotes the growth of community and trust within the hiring business itself.

According to Wikipedia … Consensus decision-making is a group decision making process that seeks the consent of all participants. Consensus may be defined professionally as an acceptable resolution, one that can be supported, even if not the "favourite" of each individual. Consensus decision-making is thus concerned with the process of deliberating and finalizing a decision, and the social and political effects of using this process.

Having been through this process before, I’ve been through it in the last few months and yet again, will be doing it all again next week for a different role. Far from a negative, an opportunity to get to meet and talk with some of the key stakeholders within the business BEFORE you start working there along with, more chances to demonstrate why you are the man / woman for the role in question.

Before joining 118118 in 2004, my 2nd round interview(s) consisted of 7 face to face meetings; entering the building at 10am and leaving gone 6pm that evening.

More on Preparing for an Interview

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What will it take?

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 10:46:00 +0000

Not all employers offer a fully comprehensive benefits package or even one that you can pick and choose from (flexible benefits) however, if you’re asked ‘… so what would it take for you to join us?’; suggest you get prepared to answer with some if not all of the following – assuming the would be employer has the scope to provide flexibility within the bounds of their statement contract terms:

Number of day’s holiday; 1^st year’s allocation and how many days are added for each year of service

Personal Pension Provisions; how much will the employer contribute and how much do you have to put in.

Company Funded Medical Benefit

Employee Life Assurance; multiples of your pensionable salary

Income Protection

Employee Assistance Programme

Company Discounts; if applicable, access to a offers on everything from gym membership to your weekly shop.

Eye Care Discounts

Refer-a-Friend Bonus; a little ‘thank you’ each time you recommend someone you know who then joins and stays

Volunteering days

Health cash plan

Private Medical Insurance

Childcare Vouchers

Critical Illness Insurance; for you and your partner maybe

Dental Insurance

Health Assessments; for you and your partner maybe

Employee Life Assurance

Partner Life Assurance

Travel Insurance

Wine Club

Cycle to Work scheme inclusion (if applicable)

Buying / Selling Annual Leave

Interest-Free Season Ticket Loan

YEARLY / Quarterly BONUS; based on company performance and / or personal business objectives (PBOs) - if so, what %?

More on Accepting a Job Offer

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