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7 ways to boost your work place productivity
By Sarah Bloomfield on 09.11.17 in Your Career
Whether caused by a seven-year itch or a 3pm slump, the truth is that all of our productivity wanes at some point. The key to maximising your output in the workplace is understanding that it’s not about working harder, but working smarter. It’s about adopting certain practices and sticking with them until they become habit – I’ve listed seven of these which have helped me over the years below.
1.Create a conducive working environment
Considering most of us spend the majority of our week days at our place of work, it should come as no surprise that your office environment has a great effect on your mood and subsequent ability to perform to a high standard. There are many different factors which could affect your happiness in the workplace, from sufficient shrubbery to congenial colleagues. Conduct a full review of your space and, where possible, make recommendations to your human resources/office support team on how to improve conditions. Read more
Are you more suited to a larger or smaller business?
When it comes to making your next career move, big doesn’t necessarily mean better. The truth is that different sized businesses have a multitude of varying benefits, and it’s not until you’ve considered these benefits that you’ll know what size company you should be working at.
Size matters – understanding the benefits
Larger companies are often able to offer a better overall bonus package (including budget for learning and development, health insurance, bonus pay and so on), better opportunities for networking, greater job security, greater options for global mobility and more established ways of working (e.g. company expenses, new business processes etc.). Smaller businesses, on the other hand, are likely to offer more regular promotions, greater professional responsibility, more access to senior personnel and, a lot of the time, a more congenial atmosphere.
Which of these benefits most appeal to you? Consider the below five questions to help prioritise these benefits and, subsequently, bring some clarity to your career planning. Some of these questions are introspective, but those that aren’t should be central to the structuring of your job interview; while you should also weave in these killer questions my colleague wrote about previously. Read more
5 obstacles you’ll face as a new starter and how to overcome them
Most us experience nerves before starting at a new company, even those who have been a part of the working world for decades. Nerves are necessary to help you perform at your peak and in this instance are a positive force for making sure you’re fully prepared and alert on your first day.
Most of the obstacles you’ll encounter at your new job will in some way relate to time management. Your biggest quandary, and the one that feeds most into the below five points, is how to effectively balance learning as much as possible with getting stuck in and showing your new colleagues your worth. By addressing the specific obstacles listed below, I’ve broken down how you should manage your time; making sure you’re adequately prepared to not just survive in your first few months, but thrive. Read more
Make campaigning great again
Most of us have been involved with our fair share of bad campaigns. A few people would argue that there’s a couple taking place right now, concluding with the general election this Thursday.
Often, however, there’s not enough reflection done after a bad campaign and the same mistakes are made again the next time round. We’re all quite quick to pat ourselves on the back once one has been executed successfully, but when the opposite happens there’s a lot of finger pointing and shirking responsibility. One campaign should always help inform the next one; there are always lessons to be learned.
Use the below six pointers as an action plan to ensure your campaign runs smoothly – helping to avoid any Dianne Abott-type gaffes along the way. Read more
5 personality traits that will get you hired
Building a team that gels together is a tricky task which eludes many business leaders and managers. It’s relatively easy to recruit and throw together a bunch of high-performing individuals without regard to their different personality types, but this can often lead to internal discord and division later down the line.
That’s why many managers now prioritise personality in the hiring process, often over the candidate’s skillset and past accomplishments. All of your research, interview prep and written documents (CV and cover letter) could amount to nothing if you haven’t given proper consideration to the type of personality the employer will be looking for.
Not everything that a hiring manager needs to know can be communicated on two pages of A4, which is why it’s so important that you convey your full personality during interview. You can certainly hint at the below character traits on all your written documents, but it’s in a face-to-face environment that you’re really given the opportunity to bring them to life. Read more
Does self-promotion have to be shameless?
Shouting about your own success is uncomfortable for most of us, and understandably so. There is a fine line between being proud of your accomplishments and being brash and boastful, but it’s worth working on because it’s integral to your career progression.
It’s your responsibility to keep your boss updated with your ongoing projects and recent accomplishments; many managers are too busy to appreciate the minutiae of your day-to-day schedule and achievements. Also, if you don’t toot your own horn then who will?
Incorporating a few of these tips into your self-promotion strategy should help you get recognised Read more
How to create an effective team environment
While there is no ‘I’ in team, the success or failure of said team often falls to one person: the leader. It’s possible to have a bad team with a good leader but it’s almost impossible to have a good team with a bad leader; such is their influence on everything that happens within the organisation.
Therefore, none of the below will work unless you’re already a confident, commanding, conscientious leader. But even this isn’t a guarantee for success, as building an effective team environment is as much an art as it is a science.
The three below points, however, should at least serve as the sturdy framework from which you can build something bold and brilliant. Read more
How to make sure you’re on top form whilst looking for your new job – 6 tips
If you’re not working and you’re looking for a new job in marketing, staying positive and motivated is especially important. The longer it takes and the more knock-backs you receive, the harder it can become. But with perseverance comes reward – and maybe the job of your dreams!
Use these tips to help you stay confident and motivated in your job search. Read more
5 steps to conquering interview presentations
5 steps to conquering interview presentations
It’s becoming increasingly common for our candidates to be asked to present as part of the interview process. Presenting during interview might be a foreign concept to you, but don’t be thrown off by it or let your nerves get the better of you. This is actually the perfect opportunity for you to showcase more of your personality, experience and skills.
It’s very unlikely that you’ll be asked to present during the interview without prior warning. You will usually be told exactly how long you’ll be expected to talk for and on what topic. If you’re not properly briefed on this then it’s not unreasonable to ask; nor is it unreasonable to ask whether a projector/screen will be available, as this will have a bearing on how you approach the presentation.
Think about what those present in the room are going to be looking for. Usually they’re assessing three main things:
• Creativity and knowledge:the content of your presentation, your aptitude for problem solving and how you have used your experience to answer the brief
• Communication skills:your ability to engage with an audience, build rapport and trust
• Time management:your capacity to manage and adapt the pace of the presentation based on frequency of questions/interruptions – so that it finishes on time
Here’s some best practice advice on making a lasting impression – for the right reasons. Read more
A new and effective way to approach your next job interview
I saw an interesting quote attributed to the Carnegie Foundation doing the rounds on LinkedIn recently that got me thinking. It read: “85% of your financial success is due to your personality and ability to communicate, negotiate and lead. Shockingly, only 15% is due to technical knowledge”. This statistic is a favourite of salesmen, but I also think it’s a great way to approach job interviews.
Doing your homework in advance of the interview is of course mandatory if you’re looking to impress, however what’s just as important, but greatly underappreciated, is your ability to develop the interview into more of a mutual exchange of ideas and passion points.
Unless you’re applying to be a neurosurgeon the reality is that there’s probably a handful of other people who are, on paper, just as qualified for the role as you are. What’s going to separate you from the crowd is being able to establish a connection with the interviewer.
This isn’t to say CVs are obsolete, although an increasing number of companies are doing away with them, but that they are merely an opportunity to get your foot in the door so that you can convey your full suitability and enthusiasm for the role at the next stage: interview. Read more