This is essentially a breach of contract claim by the employee. If the employer acts in breach of the employee’s contractual obligations or in breach of his minimum statutory obligations to give the employee notice (see Notice Periods) the employer then becomes liable to pay the employee damages for wrongful dismissal. This is quite distinct from the employee’s right to claim compensation for unfair dismissal.

Where an employee has, for example, a 3 month notice clause in his contract and the employer dismisses the employee with immediate effect, then prima facie the employee is then entitled to make a claim for wrongful dismissal for damages which will reflect the 3 month notice that he should have received. The employee will also be entitled to other contractual benefits, such as accrued holiday pay. Continue reading “Wrongful Dismissal: Your Rights” »

Are you the sort of person who wonders why something works and then enjoys getting their hands dirty to find out how? If so, engineering might be the career for you, says Jonathon Mercer, Operations Director of DEM Design Engineering Management.

1.    What is manufacturing engineering?

My branch of engineering is perhaps more theoretical and not as mathematical as say, mechanical engineering. We look at production management and oversee the factory shop floor. Our aim is to make assembly lines work to their full potential, to oversee the smooth-running of assembly lines, as well as sourcing materials and being involved in new product lines. For example, when a new product is being made, we’ll go to a manufacturer to talk about how to build in different quirks of design to make it easier to process on the assembly line.

2.    How did you get into it?

Continue reading “Career Spotlight: Manufacturing Engineering” »

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but if you’ve been out of the workplace for a while, the thought of returning to work can be quite daunting. The good news is that it is now so common for people to have a work break, forced on them or not, it is no longer considered a negative issue by most employers. And, with the right help and guidance, you can use your career break as an opportunity to find a role that is both fulfilling and enjoyable. Here’s how to do it.

Anna Connery from London has an exciting job in retail which she loves, but it wasn’t always the case. Four years ago she was working for a top city bank and looking for a way out. “I felt like a machine,” she says. “I was going to work, doing long hours, coming home, eating, sleeping and doing it all again the next day, just to pay my mortgage. I wasn’t happy and felt unfulfilled. I really felt I needed to sort my life out.” Continue reading “Enjoy Your Career: No Going Back” »

In today’s workplace it’s very important for employers to recruit the right person. They want someone who not only has the correct skills and experience to do the job, but also the sort of personality that will fit in with an existing team. So, how can you answer those tricky interview questions and convey all the great skills you have to offer?

“Why don’t you tell me about yourself?” is an almost inevitable question an interviewer will ask. It enables them to learn a large bulk about you right at the beginning of the interview. But, even though it is the most frequently asked question, it’s one that many interview candidates have the most difficulty answering. This is because candidates often don’t understand what the question implies. Do they want you to explain your hobbies, past experience, or that you go out every Friday night?

Every question interviewers ask is used to differentiate your skills, experience, and personality with that of other candidates. They want to determine if what you have to offer will mesh with the organisation’s mission and goals.

The following are four easy steps outlined to ensure your response will grab the interviewer’s attention. Continue reading “Interview Questions: Why don’t you tell me about yourself?” »

“Is the customer always right? Actually no!” says Brian Trott, director of Glevum Learning. But handling a customer the right way is crucial to business. Here’s how to give good customer service.

We’ve all heard the old adage that the ‘Customer is always right!’, but I don’t suspect that many of us actually believe this is really true; apart, maybe, from when WE are the customer. I’ve been involved in customer-facing roles for most of my working life (including catering, retailing, banking, business training & consultancy, and even running my own franchise, SupaStrikers, introducing football skills to pre-school children). During this time, I can think of plenty of times when the customer has actually been completely, utterly, 100% WRONG (usually accompanied by a highly aggressive attitude)!

However, one key thing that I learned very early in my business career is that although customers aren’t always right and can be the biggest nuisance ever at times, they are always the potential customer, who are not only going to contribute towards my income, but also has the power to directly influence lots of other potential customers. A major fact of business is that you can have a great product, fantastic marketing, all the latest equipment, modern premises, even great customer service policies; however, without enough customers who return and/or positively influence others, the business won’t survive very long. It’s certainly far easier and cheaper to retain an existing customer than to keep finding new ones. Continue reading “Expert Top Tips: How to Deal with Customers” »