If you are in sales, your career depends on your ability to motivate customers to act and purchase products. To be successful you need to have certain qualities. Some of these are easier to learn than others but all can be improved. In this Insight we will introduce five of the most important traits that every sales professional needs. If you are facing a Performance Review these are some of the attributes that your boss might be assessing you against.

Trait #1: An Understanding of the Customer

Understanding the customer is essential. Each customer is different and has individual needs. If you can understand your customer’s challenges, goals and motivations, you will be able to deliver a fantastic customer experience.

The best way to do this is by asking the right questions. This will help you to understand each customer’s needs and how to best meet them. Active listening ensures that salespeople are truly absorbing the information the customer is providing and the customer feels heard.

Trait #2: Adaptability

Successful sales people are adaptable and are often compared to chameleons in their ability to change their technique to suit their audience. Some customers need data and evidence; some need personal reassurance; some value service over price. Adaptability requires intuition, the ability to ‘read the room’ and good listening skills.

Trait #3: Product Knowledge

Having deep knowledge and understanding of the products you are selling is essential if you are going to meet the needs of your customer. However, the best sales professionals know how to turn product features into the advantages and benefits that their customer really needs. They also understand the most frequent objections they are likely to face and how to overcome them.

Trait #4: Communication Skills

Successful sales professionals possess excellent communication skills in person, via phone or email. A great salesperson will be able to build rapport with the customer and craft a persuasive conversation that will secure long-term sales results.

If you want to improve your communication skills, focus on your listening and questioning techniques. It is also a good idea to improve your storytelling skills. Creating stories around the product to better explain its advantages and to build a connection with the customer is a really effective tool.

Trait #5: Persistence

Sales is often a numbers game and the only way to win is by staying in the game. The most successful sales professionals have the resilience and willpower to never give up.

They understand that every “no” is a step closer to a “yes” and strive to continue even when faced with challenging objections.

Salespeople can improve their persistence by setting realistic short-term goals and tracking progress over time.

It is common to feel frustrated by a run of bad luck. If this happens, remember why you are in sales, take time to celebrate small victories and look for the baby steps that will return you to success.

Conclusion

We have been recruiting sales people for UK businesses for over 30 years and know that the over-riding quality of all great sales people is the ability to make other people like and trust you. If you can do this successfully you will have the opportunity to ask questions, listen to answers and build a selling proposition that will be well received.

If you want to get into sales or feel that your qualities would be best employed in a new role please visit our jobs page for information on new opportunities.

Spring is here, and new year resolutions have long since been forgotten. Performance and salary reviews have been and gone, so what is next for you and your career???

Your New Year resolutions could have included things like.

i) Get better sleep.
ii) Start a new workout routine.
iii) Practice mindfulness.

You may also have found yourself setting some goals around your career, including exploring the employment market.

But you can’t simply wish your way to a more fulfilling career. You have to work at it.

To help you find a position in 2023 that matches your skills, experience and interests, start working toward these job search goals now:

Goal #1: Update your CV and LinkedIn profile

You can probably think of a million things you’d rather be doing than writing a CV. But you’ll do yourself a favour if you have an up-to-date document at your fingertips.
One mistake people frequently make is to wait to revise their CV until they find a job opportunity that interests them. That prevents them from applying for the position right away. And by the time they have an updated version ready to submit, it may be too late. So, don’t delay.

While you’re at it, review your LinkedIn profile and make sure it reflects your most recent professional accomplishments. Your profile is essentially your online CV, and many employers search for candidates on LinkedIn as part of their recruiting efforts. You want your profile to reflect the same information as your traditional CV.

Another advantage of having a polished LinkedIn profile? Recruiters often use LinkedIn to identify passive job seekers. With a solid online profile, you’ll increase the likelihood that a recruiter will take a closer look at you.

Goal #2: Strengthen your skill set

To realise your job search goals, you need to be ready to compete for the roles you want, of course. And no matter your chosen industry or career, developing an in-demand skill or pursuing a certification can help you to stand out as a candidate.

Pursuing professional development shows initiative and a commitment to learning, as well as an understanding of what it takes to excel in your field. It also makes it easier for you to answer the question that all hiring managers are likely to ask in one form or another: “How can you add value to the organisation?”

Possessing certain abilities and credentials can also help you negotiate a higher salary.

Goal #3: Prioritise job satisfaction

It’s a good time to assess your job search goals — as well as your personal aspirations — and determine exactly what type of employment opportunity to seek. Many professionals are doing that as they look ahead to a new year — and leave a very disruptive one behind.

Perhaps you’d like to work in a different industry, for example? Or take on a more fulfilling role with greater responsibility? Maybe you’re looking for a remote work opportunity that provides a flexible schedule? Formulate a clear idea of what you’re aiming for, so you can better focus your search for a new position.

Goal #4: Audit your online presence

You can assume all potential employers will review your LinkedIn profile (refer to Goal #1). But some will also look at other channels to see if they can form a more complete picture of you as a job candidate. Consider how you present yourself on social media and online forums. You may need to do some digital housecleaning.

Make sure all information is current and accurate and presents you in the best possible light. If there’s anything you wouldn’t want a potential employer to see — photos from a vacation or your unfiltered thoughts about a politician or a sports team’s poor performance, for example — review your privacy settings.

Goal #5: Expand your professional network

Your professional network can play a critical role in your ability to achieve your job search goals. In lieu of in-person networking during the pandemic, look for virtual events hosted by professional or alumni organisations, or other groups relevant to your profession or industry.

Also, reach out to new contacts on LinkedIn and ask trusted colleagues, mentors and friends for their recommendations. Be both strategic and genuine in your requests to make connections. And don’t stop nurturing ties with the professional contacts you already have.

Related: https://www.cavendishmaine.com/potential-pitfalls-of-the-virtual-interview/

Goal #6: Be persistent

Most employers today are taking great care to choose job candidates who are likely to thrive in their unique organisation. So, even if you’re a top candidate for a job, it may take weeks and several rounds of interviewing before you hear back about a final decision.

Don’t get discouraged. But don’t just wait around for an employer to make up their mind. Stay in contact with the hiring manager. Continue networking. Keep applying to other jobs that interest you. And consider building a relationship with a recruiting professional. After all, nothing is certain until you’ve signed on the dotted line.

Best of luck in realising your job search goals — and achieving all your other 2023 goals!

For further help and advice, please do not hesitate to speak to a Consultant at Cavendish Maine.

If you are in a management role you probably interview candidates as part of your job but, in a candidate short market, you need to stand out if you are going to appeal to best talent.

Job seekers like to be interviewed. It gives them an opportunity to shine and differentiate themselves. It also allows them to assess you and your business.

If you want to look like an employer of choice, then making sure your interviewing techniques are up to standard is an essential step in separating you from your competitors. It shows you are selective and, if successful, will make the candidate feel like they have reached a high bar in securing an offer.

Yes, you still need to sell the idea of working for your company. Tell the candidate what they can expect, the challenges, the support, the team and the package as part of your interview plan. If you need any advice in this area please Contact Us.  

You might also be interested in our short video clip on Protecting and Enhancing Your Employer Brand through the recruitment process.

However, this article is focused on the interview questions you should have in your mental library so that you can pick the right combination for the role.

Do not try to ask all questions in all interviews!

The Basics

These are low-intensity questions that you might use to get the interview started:

– Tell me about yourself.

– What is most important to you in a work environment?

– What do you know about this company?

– Describe your relationship with your current colleagues.

– What are you most proud of in your professional life so far?

– What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

– How would your managers and co-workers describe you?

– How do you want to be managed?

– Why do you want to work for this company?

– What are your greatest strengths?

– What is your biggest weakness?

– Why do you want to leave your current role or company?

Intermediate Questions

These are a little more challenging, will put the candidate under more pressure and will test their ability to think before answering.

– What is one fact that you haven’t included in your CV, but would love to?

– What is the most recent thing you have learned?

– If somebody asked you to give an impromptu presentation on any topic, what subject would you pick?

– What nonprofessional skill would you most like to learn?

– If the decision was down to you and one other candidate, what would you say to persuade me to hire you?

– Describe a time when you proactively identified and addressed an issue at your company.

– Tell me about a time when you failed to achieve your goals and had to follow a different approach. What happened?

– Walk me through your time management system.

– Imagine you need to implement a new process that you do not have much experience with. What steps do you take to gather information and ensure successful execution?

– Pick five adjectives that best describe you.

Hard Questions

These questions are designed to take the candidate out of their comfort zone and talk about issues that might prefer not to include in an interview:

– What is the most difficult lesson you have had to learn thus far?

– What piece of critical feedback do you receive most often?

– If you could redo your career, what would you change?

– What have been your most positive and negative workplace experiences?

– Talk about a time when you had to work with someone whose personality was very different from yours.

– What is the farthest out of your comfort zone you have been while working?

– How do you deal with failure?

– How do you communicate bad news?

– Share a time when you made a decision that involved great risk. What was the situation, the final verdict, and the result?

– Walk me through a time when you had to adapt to major change within your organisation.

We provide our Clients with a wide variety of services including advice on how to structure interviews and how to include questions that relate to the skills and experience you are looking for.

If you would like any additional support this area please Contact Us for more information.

Going green – be it with a fully electric car or with a hybrid car – makes big sense if you’re a company car driver. That’s because, for the next few years at least, running such a vehicle will be efficient when it comes to benefit in kind tax.

And the good news is that tax situation is set to be the status quo, because benefit-in-kind tax bandings have been frozen until April 2025.

How are hybrid company cars taxed?

Not all hybrid cars are created equal. Some hybrids are self-contained, and run for only brief periods in pure electric power. These are called regular hybrids, and they’re are taxed in the same way as any petrol or diesel car. This same rule applies to cars that are described as mild hybrids (cars that use electrical assistance to help acceleration but which can’t run on electricity alone, even for short distances).

A driver’s monthly tax bill will be calculated using the car’s P11d value (the on-the-road price, less the cost of registration and the first year’s car tax), its CO2 emissions, and the driver’s personal tax rating (20% or 40%). The lower the car’s price, and the cleaner its emissions, the less the driver will pay in tax.

Then there are plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), which are cars that can be plugged in and have the ability to run on battery power alone for certain distances. This ability further reduces the car’s emissions, so it qualifies for lower tax rates. For such cars, the longer the electric range, the lower the tax band. This is because the PHEVs currently on sale aren’t yet efficient enough to qualify for the very lowest rates (2%), because none has a long-enough electric-only range. Nevertheless, they’re much cheaper on company car tax than a pure petrol or diesel equivalent.

Electric cars were subject to 0% BIK in 2020/21, but for 2022/23 that has risen to 2%, and that rate will remain in place until 2025. Despite the increase, someone with an electric company car will pay thousands of pounds less in company car tax each year than someone with a petrol or diesel.

Here’s an example to illustrate the point.

Perhaps you’re deciding which BMW 3 Series Touring should be your next company car. At the time of writing, the PHEV BMW 330e Touring M Sport has a P11d value of £46,360.  The diesel BMW 320d M Sport has a value of £43,540. For the 2022/23 tax year the PHEV sits in the 12% tax bracket, while the diesel is in the 31% band.

So over the full year, a 40% taxpayer running the 330e will pay out £2225.28. If they’d chosen the 320d instead the bill would be £5398.96. Choosing the hybrid saves £3173.68 in just one tax year.

With the sums so heavily in hybrid’s favour, it’s no wonder that sales of PHEVs are rising all the time. If a desire to change your company car is driving your need to find a new role please visit our job search page.

Conclusion

If you want super-low BiK bills, pure electric power is the way to go. But running an electric car demands certain compromises, such as having to plan your journey around charging opportunities, that hybrid petrol and diesel cars don’t place on you. And, while a plug-in hybrid car with a decent battery-only range can effectively be treated as an electric car for short distances, having petrol or diesel power in reserve means you don’t need to panic when the electricity runs out. That’s why making the switch to a plug-in hybrid car from a petrol or diesel will be much less of a shock than if you made the leap to an electric car. If you would like any more information about the level of reward package you should be offering or receiving please Contact Us at your earliest opportunity.

Why so few female applicants for an MD position? Imposter Syndrome?

I recently ran an advertisement in several on-line media for a Managing Director for a 19 branch retail chain. Of the 91 applications only 6 came from female candidates and we wondered why.

To our mind, retail management has no gender bias. Female CEO’s exist at John Lewis, Coop, Bravissimo, Harvey Nicholls, White Stuff, Jimmy Choo and there are many more so why were only 6.5% of our applications from female candidates?

We are confident it wasn’t the text of the advertisement which was entirely neutral so we asked some female senior managers for their opinion and the majority mentioned imposter syndrome. We don’t absolutely know if this was the cause but Imposter Syndrome is considered to be a factor that is more limiting to women than men when applying for jobs and even more limiting to people of colour. One female MD said that men will apply to job adverts when they know they only have a few of the required qualities but women will only apply for a job if they have all of the required qualities. At Cavendish Maine we work hard to remove conscious and unconscious prejudice from recruitment processes so wanted to learn more about Imposter Syndrome.

Bupa defines Imposter Syndrome as:

A form of ‘intellectual self-doubt’, when you don’t believe your achievements are real. It was first described in high-achieving women in 1978, but anyone can be affected, whatever their job.

People with imposter syndrome tend to be intelligent and high achievers. They’re also likely to be perfectionists, feeling self-doubt whenever something doesn’t go as planned. Or even when things do go as planned, they may still feel that they could have done better. They may put things off, always looking for ‘extra information’ before they start a task as they worry about looking stupid if they don’t know something.

The Journal of Business and Psychology reported that:

Individuals that have impostor syndrome always attribute their success to either luck, influence, or other people, instead of accepting that they are competent and their hard work paid off. Thus, they believe that they will have to work harder than others to prove themselves. Small and big successes achieved by people with impostor syndrome will trigger an impostor cycle. They will become bothered that their abilities will be scrutinised to reveal a level of incompetence. If you find yourself always avoiding extra responsibilities that could hone your skills while opting for a familiar duty that you have developed, then you may have impostor syndrome.

It appears that a lack of role models fuels Imposter Syndrome and until men and women across all ethnic groups are equally represented in all senior roles, some job seekers will have self-doubt over their ability to secure or succeed in a promotion or a more senior job application.

If this could be you, LinkedIn published a good article that offered some solutions: (18) Imposter Syndrome in the Job Search | LinkedIn

One of the most important (and rewarding) things that a business can offer is supporting employees in reaching their professional goals. When it comes to your “star players,” you will want to reward them with increased responsibility if they want it. But how do you know if they are ready for a promotion? And if they are ready, what new role should they take on?

The following article was created from a range of experts who detailed their insights into how to make these decisions.

Below are 10 signs that an employee is ready for advancement and how to determine what kind of promotion they should receive.

1. They Ask For More Responsibility

When an employee asks for more responsibility, it means they have more capacity and are eager to help the entire team succeed. When they seek to know “what else they can do,” they are demonstrating they are ready for the next step. If they are actively anticipating their leader’s or team’s needs and taking initiative before deadlines, it is time for a promotion.

2. Acquiring New Skills Would Help Them Grow

The biggest pitfall is what is called the Peter principle, wherein people continue to be promoted within an organization until they reach a level of “respective incompetence.” Promote people who excel. You shouldn’t expect more of the same from an employee who has been promoted; the promotion should be a challenge that triggers the employee to develop new skills. So, look at the employee and ask yourself, “What is it that this person in front of me could learn to grow as a professional?” Use that concept to decide on their next step within the company.

3. They Consistently Exceed Performance Expectations

An employee may be ready for a promotion if they consistently exceed performance expectations, seek out additional responsibilities or demonstrate a strong work ethic. To determine the appropriate promotion, consider their skills, experience, and career goals, as well as the needs of the organization. Most importantly, have an open discussion with your people about their career aspirations.

4. Clients And Team Members Provide Positive Feedback

One key indicator of an employee’s readiness to be promoted is the feedback you hear from clients and the people and teams the employee interacts with. Listen for key input, such as, “They are knocking it out of the park, consistently,” “They show up engaged,” “They show maturity,” and, “I go to them for thought partnership!” These are clear signs of their readiness to take the next step in their role.

5. They Work And Think Above Their Pay Grade

A typical sign of readiness for promotion is working and thinking above their pay grade. When an employee is already performing at that next level, they demonstrate a clear readiness for promotion.

6. They Are Willing To Push Themselves

We strive when we are in the flow. The challenge should be slightly higher than the employee’s competencies for them to remain in the flow. If an employee is asking for a real, new challenge outside of their comfort zone, it is a great sign that they are willing to push themselves and grow—and that if they do not get a new challenge, they will soon be bored, which is the beginning of the end.

7. They Take Initiative Beyond Expectations

Employees can demonstrate that they are ready for a promotion in a number of ways: volunteering for additional work, taking initiative beyond what is expected, acing performance in their current role or reaching out to solve organizational problems and issues. Leaders can assess where discretionary effort is being expended to assess the type of promotion that should be considered.

8. They Consistently Operate At The ‘Next Level’

When an employee is consistently operating at the next-level step of business, relationships and leadership, they’re ready for a promotion. As a leader, you will feel proud to see that you are primarily operating in coaching or delegation mode. You also need to know your employees’ aspirations for growth. Moving up is not always the motivation for everyone. No one size fits all.

9. They Show Leadership Potential And A Strong Work Ethic

An employee who consistently meets performance goals, takes on additional responsibilities, shows leadership potential and has a strong work ethic is likely ready for a promotion. Determine the appropriate promotion by assessing the employee’s skills, experience, career goals and company needs. Have regular career development conversations and provide growth opportunities.

10. It’s Apparent From Development Conversations

Ideally, the manager and the employee have regular 360-degree conversations about performance, motivation and aspirations. Together, they will plan the personal and professional development of the employee, allowing the employee to grow within their role and for both parties to establish measurable elements, creating the conditions for a move. A fair leader would facilitate a move within or outside of the organisation.

This is a curated article taken from Forbes Magazine online.

Salary negotiation is something that everyone should be focused on.

No matter when the last time you negotiated for a better salary was, the time will come again when the value of the work you do is not reflected in the compensation you receive for that work.

When this time comes, it’s important to approach the issue objectively, build an evidence-based case for your desired salary and negotiate for it.

This guide will cover the basics of salary negotiations, how to find out your objective value from job market data, best practises, how to negotiate a pay rise and what you should do afterwards.

What Are Salary Negotiations?

Salary negotiations are discussions between yourself and a representative of your current or prospective company that aim to help you secure a higher salary.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a long-time employee or a new hire — if you believe that your salary isn’t enough, you should feel empowered to negotiate in order to get what you deserve.

When you decide that you want to negotiate for a better salary, be prepared to:

Build your case: You will need to prove that you are worth investing in, with specific examples of the value you’ve provided to your employer throughout your tenure there.

Face some resistance: Even air-tight cases for a salary increase can elicit skepticism, so be prepared to answer questions, especially, “Why do you deserve this salary?”

Strike a Balance Between Firm and Flexible: Your salary negotiations won’t go well if you refuse to give any ground or say “yes” to a minimal salary increase. Be prepared to go back-and-forth during negotiations and be sure that any compromise reached is acceptable.

Why It’s Important to Negotiate Your Salary

It’s important to understand that negotiating your salary is a perfectly normal part of the employment process and that getting the salary you deserve is part of advancing in your career.

Your salary is more than a deposit to your bank account — it’s how your company shows you that they appreciate your work and value you and your skills.

Your salary is also how your company supports your work-life balance, with career development, work flexibility and health-related perks.

Negotiating for some of these perks will help you to get the complete salary and benefits package you need:

University Tuition Reimbursement: University tuition is only getting more expensive, and negotiating for tuition reimbursement is highly appealing for people who want to continue their education.

Training, Professional Development & Certifications: Not every company offers effective professional development and/or certification programs, but career-minded professionals should be sure to negotiate for professional development resources.

Mentoring & Coaching: This perk is nearly priceless because it can lead to both professional growth and growth of interpersonal relationships with talented leaders in the company.

Childcare: The costs and time requirements of childcare add up quickly, and negotiating for childcare is a great way for parents to secure a better working arrangement.

Health + Fitness: Negotiating for health and fitness benefits (such as wellness stipends, gym memberships, etc.) can add value to your bottom line.

Flexibility: Being able to work from home, work while travelling or work on a different schedule can be more attractive to some people than a higher salary.

While dollar signs definitely matter when negotiating your salary, these are forms of compensation that should be considered before taking a new offer or re-signing on a dotted line.

How to Find Out What You’re Worth

Before you go into a salary negotiation, it’s crucial that you find out, objectively, how much someone in your position, with your experience and in your location, should be paid.

Salaries range greatly by industry, seniority and geography, and getting the salary you want will depend on asking for a realistic compensation package.

Define Your Range and Do Online Research

First, you need to find out what people in your position, with your level of experience, are making in your area.

Being an office manager in Bristol, for instance, yields a different average salary than being an office manager in London does.

To get a sense of what the average salary is for your job title, a simple search on Glassdoor’s salaries tool will give you baseline information.

Know Your Salary

After researching the compensation range for the job, the next step is comparing the average compensation with your market worth. Using google, glassdoor and a  range of free online tools, look up the average salaries for your title and location — the results you will see are based on what others in your field are being paid. You’ll also see available job listings for those titles.

Once you have a general sense of your market worth, you’ll be able to compare that with what the average salary for the position you’re vying for is.

Salary Negotiation Tips

Salary negotiation doesn’t have to feel uncertain or intimidating.

As long as you’ve done research to learn a realistic salary range to ask for and have a plan in place for navigating the negotiation, there’s nothing to worry about.

Following these tips will also help you to have effective salary negotiations.

Have a salary range rather than a single figure: When pressed for your salary requirements, you should always be sure to offer a range based on what others in the field are earning, rather than a single fixed number. Having an acceptable salary range helps you to negotiate and find compromise more easily.

Practice your pitch at least once before the actual negotiation: Find someone to listen to your proposal for a salary increase, so you can feel the cadence of your speaking points out loud in a conversational setting. Much of a successful negotiation boils down to feeling comfortable and well-prepared.

Be gracious: If you’re at all worried about coming across as demanding or ungrateful, there’s a very simple solution to that: be gracious. No matter the outcome, be understanding, appreciative and thankful for the opportunity.

Be confident in your delivery: It’s extremely important to put on your game face when the moment comes for negotiation. Bring confidence to the delivery of your pitch and in the negotiations that follow.

Avoid accepting the first offer: If you need time to evaluate an offer, say so. Schedule your next meeting 24-48 hours out and come back with your counteroffer.

Understand your leverage: Your negotiating power will vary depending on your current employment situation. For example, if you are unemployed and applying for work, expect to earn approximately what your old salary was or slightly less, unless your skills are in particularly scarce in a high demand job market. You’ll only know this via research. Even if you believe this to be true, this must be delivered in a gracious way to avoid disappointment.

Asking these questions will also help during salary negotiations for a new or current job:

“Can I negotiate this offer?” Make sure to start off by asking if the offer is negotiable in the first place.

“Besides the base pay, what other benefits are negotiable?” This can include items such as tuition and training, paid leave, holiday time, moving expenses and pensions, just to name a few.

“How did you calculate this number?” By asking this question, you’ll be able to see if the number you’re being offered is a hard cap or a potential springboard for negotiation.

“What’s the outlook for salary rises or promotions?” Whether or not your salary offer is negotiable at the moment it’s offered to you, it’s important to know what the future potential is for a pay rise or promotion.

“What metrics do you use to evaluate the success of employees?” This is an important follow-up question to ask in salary negotiations and, if you end up working for the company, this information will help the next time you’re back at the negotiating table.

“Can I get the salary offer in writing?” Verbally settling a negotiation in your favour is great, but it doesn’t mean anything until it’s on paper.

How to Negotiate a Pay Rise

Even if your manager understands the value you’re adding to your company, it doesn’t mean they’ll proactively offer you a pay rise — you have to prove your case for a pay rise just as surely as you have to prove your case for a higher starting salary at a new job.

Leverage Internal Moves

A new role in your company provides a great negotiation opportunity. If you are considering a promotion or new job with your current employer, don’t buy the argument that management’s hands are tied and pay growth is capped.

Use market data to lay out what it would cost the company to try and hire off the street, and ask for it. You will likely find resistance, but be firm in your stance.

Choose Your Moment

Maybe it has been a while since your last pay increase, but you still need to pick a good time to negotiate for a pay rise if you’re serious about getting it.

A great time to bring up the subject of a pay rise is when you know your manager is impressed with your performance and/or in a good mood.

Be Firm & Persuasive

Confidence and persuasiveness are essential for successfully negotiating a pay rise.

What to Do After a Salary Negotiation

Whether you’ve just negotiated successfully or unsuccessfully, it’s important to already start thinking about the next salary negotiation so you can set yourself up for success.

Your Responsibilities May Increase

If your salary increase also came with a new job title, that’s more of a promotion than a salary negotiation. But even if you still have the same job, your responsibilities still might increase if you were given a pay rise. Since you stepped up and showed your worth, you’ll have to prove you were right about deserving more pay.

Your boss expects more out of you now, whether your higher salary came with changes to your responsibilities or not, and exceeding their increased expectations is important for getting that next pay rise or promotion.

If you didn’t get something in writing, make sure you get a letter or e-mail from your boss with the details of the new role outlining what they expect from you. Most importantly, make sure you know when your job changes — whether it’s immediately, or at the start of the next quarter.

Your Boss May Trust You More

As you go back to work post-negotiation, you might find your boss trusting you more or asking for your input on bigger decisions. Moreover, after they’ve seen the kind of confidence you have and how you view your work performance at the company, they will likely have greater respect for you.

Salary negotiations can be tough and nerve-wracking, but when you have a successful discussion, it sends at least two positive messages to your boss. The first is that you have plans to stick around at the company for a while, which is a good sign to any leader. The second is that you’re someone who is focused on the value of the work that they do and your boss will respect that directness and negotiation prowess.

You’re Not Done Negotiating

After a salary negotiation, it’s important to know that it wasn’t the last. Your job might become harder if you end up taking on new responsibilities, or you might find yourself with a promotion next year.

A lot can happen in the next year or two, so it’s important to consistently make sure that you’re being paid fairly for the amount of work you’re doing.

Hopefully this article will help you realise your true value, for any further advice please do not hesitate to get in touch…

Performance reviews can make employees nervous.

Common questions that might roll through the mind: What will my manager say? Have I achieved enough? What if their feedback is terrible?

The presence of the unknown can be unnerving in these annual assessments.

But they needn’t be.

While performance reviews evaluate your success against certain markers, they are also dialogues with your manager about improvement, ambition, and support.

Here are some performance review tips to take the anxiety out of the process and maximise what you get out of this valuable two-way conversation.

1. Know what to expect

• In most performance reviews, managers offer their assessment of an employee’s performance and then outline future expectations, often setting a timeline in which goals should be achieved.
• Don’t be afraid to ask your manager for their performance review tips, and what to expect from the process.
• Are there particular documents they want filled out? Perhaps they want you to present feedback in a particular way?
• The review process shouldn’t be one of secrecy, and you’re entitled to know what will be asked of you and the metrics or benchmarks against which you’ll be assessed.

2. Be prepared for your performance review

• Keeping track of where you went well, when and why you received feedback, and the KPIs you met and exceeded as they happened will take much of the stress out of your performance review planning process.
• It’ll also ensure you’re organised and prepared for your review, avoiding a last-minute scramble for evidence of the past year.
• Start an email folder dedicated to filing relevant emails
• Did you get great feedback from a client about your timely service delivery? Did a senior member of the organisation praise your problem-solving abilities?
• Whatever the commendation, if your skills and achievements are celebrated on email, file them away in an easy-to-identify folder.
• If you get verbal feedback, ask for it in writing
• Whether positive or more constructive, if you receive feedback in a meeting or during a phone conversation, ask the source to document it, if even briefly.
• This will add to the body of commentary you have on your work throughout the year, and show you’re serious about feedback you receive and using it to improve yourself.
• Invite feedback and praise.
• If the colleagues, clients, stakeholders and senior leaders you work with haven’t provided feedback on the work you’ve done together, ask them.
• Having a range of people from within and outside the organisation provide feedback will provide a comprehensive picture of how you performed across your various duties.
• Reflect on your previous performance review.
• Have you achieved what you set out to in your last review? Maybe you weren’t able to, because a large project got in the way, or the direction of the department changed?
• Again, it’s best to note and track these changes when they occur, so you can confidently account for what you have accomplished, and account for when goals might have got away from you.
• Be honest and open.
• Many performance reviews ask for a component of employee self-assessment. This will be a document that asks if you’ve fulfilled your core role responsibilities and achieved agreed KPIs over a specified period, and to what extent you did or didn’t fulfil these.
• If your employer doesn’t require self-assessment, consider writing something independently. It’s a valuable exercise for you and will provide more information for your manager to determine eligibility for benefits used to reward exceptional performance, such as pay rises or promotions.
• Being honest in these assessments allows you to talk candidly with your manager about the areas you’ve succeeded in, but also the areas that require attention or improvement. It will also make you more receptive to constructive criticism, and able to implement suggested changes and strategies both quickly and effectively.

3. Talk about the future in your performance review

• Want to know one of the most important performance review tips?
• Use yours as an opportunity not just to reflect on the past year, but to plan and share your ambitions for the future with your manager. Perhaps you’d like to learn skill, or class of business, or further your professional qualifications?
• By hearing your aspirations, your manager can lead you toward the right developmental activities – ones that help you as well as benefit the wider organisation.
• Performance reviews don’t need to be scary. In fact, they should be seen as opportunities for self-improvement, and conversations in which to plan and prepare for the next steps in your career.

4. Deliver constructive 360 degree.

• Whilst you work for the business, and report into a manager, the company must provide and support you to achieve the goals that you both agree during the review process.
• This is a two way relationship, and is the perfect opportunity to talk through what support the business delivered in the previous review period, and any areas where it fell short, or could be improved.
• Talking through these points in a constructive way will maximise the success for both parties, and allow for any adjustments for the coming year, ensuring that both parties are fully committed to supporting and delivering the direction for the following review period.
• Be open to the feedback and suggestions presented in this annual review, and never be afraid to ask questions or for clarification. It is, after all, your performance review.

We read thousands of CVs each year and our specialist consultants can provide feedback on how well your CV is working for you. The following notes provide general guidance around content and layout and we have a CV template that will help you to build your CV.

What information should I include on my CV?

While there is some core content that should always be on your CV, consider the need to adapt parts of the document (typically your personal statement) to increase its relevance to each job application.

1. Personal details:

You would be amazed at how many people forget to include their name, email, contact phone number and address. You need to make it easy for an employer / recruiter to contact you and please make sure you have a personal and professional greeting on your voicemail when you are job seeking. In an era of agile working you might not think that where you live is important – but its vital. Employers want to know how far you are from the office or from the centre of the area you will be covering and recruiters use your postcode to match you to future job opportunities.

2. Personal statement

This is going to help you to stand out from the crowd. It explains who you are, what you’re offering, and what you’re looking for. Aim to prove why you’re suitable in one short and succinct paragraph. Avoid cliches and use numbers for maximum impact.

For example, which of these sentences would impress you more?:

‘A super-star, high achiever who has wowed my colleagues ever since I joined’, or

‘Exceeded my sales target every year since joining and grown my business area by 85% over the last three years’.

 3. Work experience:

This section should include all of your relevant work experience, listed with the most recent first. Include your job title, the name of the organisation, time in post, and your key responsibilities. Using a template is the best way to structure this. You can access a CV template here.

Don’t presume that the reader knows your present employer and include a brief summary that provides context.

For example:

Sept 2018 to date

Commercial Manager                    XYZ Petfoods Ltd

XYZ Petfoods is a £15M turnover UK import and distribution business supplying a US petfood brand to UK retailers. We employ 31 people including my field sales team of 6.

My responsibilities include:

 4. Achievements:

Keep this to a maximum of 5 specific examples. Be succinct and don’t repeat what you have said elsewhere. What did you achieve and when did it happen? Make it recent and powerful.

5. Education:

Your CV needs to sell you. Think about how relevant your qualifications are for the job. Does the advert request any specific qualifications? Generally, the reader only wants to know your highest level of academic qualification and there is rarely any need to specify actual grades.

6. Hobbies and interests:

You don’t always need to include hobbies and interests in your CV but mentioning relevant ones could back up your skills and help you to stand out from the crowd – not to mention give you something to talk about at an interview. Just don’t say you enjoy socialising with friends just for the sake of including something. If it’s not going to add value, leave it out.

What words should I include in my CV?

It is challenging to sell yourself without sounding arrogant so don’t go over the top here. It is better to give examples that demonstrate your talents than just list them. Show that you are hard-working rather than just saying it. Appropriate keywords for your CV could include Accurate, Adaptable, Committed, Confident, Hard-working, Innovative, Personality, Pro-active, Reliable, Responsible.

How should I present my CV?

Your CV is the first thing an employer will see when hiring for a vacancy, and how it looks at first glance will be the reason they decide to read it in more detail. Even if your skills match the role perfectly, a messy and confusing CV probably won’t even get a second look.

To ensure you’re presenting yourself in the best light, you should always:

– Keep it short and succinct – two sides of A4 will almost always suffice.

– Choose a clear, professional font to ensure that your CV can be easily read

– Lay it out in a logical order, with sufficient spacing and clear section headings (e.g. Work experience, Education)

– Order your experience and education in reverse chronological order to highlight your most recent experience and achievements

– Check your grammar and spelling thoroughly

Our CV template is a good place to start. Once you have a CV we are happy to provide constructive feedback on its content and layout in order that its really working for you. Please Contact Us or go directly to one of our specialist consultants.

Let me guess. You’re thinking that you need to exercise more, drink less, eat better, work less, earn more and learn to speak French or play the piano. Same list as last year? Me too.

January 2023 is a great time to think a little deeper about what you want your life to look like a year from now and starting to make it happen. As Abraham Lincoln said ‘the best way to predict your future is to create it’.

We really like these suggestions from Aisles of Life:

1. Get more organised at work and at home

2. Stop worrying about what others think and about things you can’t control

3. Start living in the moment

4. Spend more time with the people who are important to you

5. Stand up for yourself

6. Be more optimistic

7. Quit an unfulfilling job and change career

8. Stop holding grudges, forgive others and let go of the past.

9. Try new things, even if they seem scary

10. Learn when to say No and when to say Yes

11. Enrol in course to gain more knowledge and to learn new skills or to improve the ones you have

12. Get out of your shell, make new friends and find ways to become more confident

13. Travel more, even if only locally

14. Make better financial decisions by earning more, saving more, investing wisely and budgeting well

15. Reduce social media use

16. End bad habits that have been holding you back

17. Let go of toxic friends and unhealthy relationships

18. Read more books

19. Adopt a more sustainable lifestyle

20. Give back to the community through volunteering, donations or random acts of kindness

If finding a new role is top of your list this year, we can help you with your CV preparation (Tips for CV Writing – Cavendish Maine) and job search. Just Contact Us and we can start the process.