How to combat first-day nerves and make a great impression

Your first day in a new job is always a nervy affair. It doesn’t matter how old you are or how much experience you’ve got. By 5.30pm you’ll have learned (and promptly forgotten) a whole bunch of names, been bombarded with a ton of confusing information, and you’ll probably have a sore hand from all that ‘meeting and greeting’. Exhausting! 

Trouble is, first impressions count a great deal, so the pressure’s on from the first minute. And while a bad first impression isn’t the end of the world, making a good one can do you some serious favours in the world of work. Here are some simple ways to make the right impression on day one…

Early bird

Try to arrive around half an hour early. This gives you time to freshen up, settle in and have a chat with your boss and colleagues before the day begins. It’s important to arrive wide awake and ready to go, so charge up the coffee pot, wipe the sleep from eyes and get ready to shine. Continue reading “Thrive from the start: your first day in a new job” »

If you read our recent blog you’ll already know that we’re launching our Fresh Thinking Series by bringing two of the freshest thinkers from the US – Amanda Hite and Scott Stratten – over to the UK for a series of invite only events at which they will talk about the huge impact that social media is having on the areas of Recruitment, HR and Marketing.

What will they be talking about?                                                                                 

Scott will be focusing on The Business of Engagement – it’s not ‘if’ your clients and candidates are talking online,  it’s ‘how often’ and ‘where’. So what does the landscape of online engagement look like today…and what will it look like in the future?

Amanda will be talking about The Social Revolution – the era of social business, social relationships, social engagement and social commerce has begun, with the ripple effects now reaching the world of recruitment. How can you create social ripples that will attract and maximize your Return on Talent?

We are sure that these dynamic sessions will inspire Jobsite clients, partners and contacts to action!

Go to our Fresh Thinking page to register your interest for either Manchester (May 24th) or London (May 25th) and look out for blogs from Scott and Amanda that we will be publishing over the next two weeks.

There are many ways for employers to unravel the true personality and character of any potential employee. Typically, this will be in the form of an interview where questions will indicate the viability of a candidate. Sometimes, this can be supported by Psychometric and aptitude tests. The website Psychometric Success states that 70% of the world’s employers use this line of testing as part of their recruitment process. These tests allow potential employers to find out more about you, your ability and personality.

If you have been invited for a job interview, you may not know if you’ll have to take part in such tests but knowing what to do and how to apply yourself should the situation arise might make all the difference for your job success.

Preparation is everything

In the current economic climate, it is more important now than ever for employers to know they have the right person for the job, someone who can work well within the company and develop a good rapport in a team. With increased numbers of people applying for jobs, employers are frequently using psychological testing to distinguish the best. There are various websites that offer great advice on preparation techniques and tips. These include Peoplemaps which provides a guide on how to pass psychometric tests, while Psychometric Success offers a number of similar assessments and include aptitude tests to help your preparation. We suggest you view these tests before your interview to get a basic understanding of what they are and what you need to do to deliver your best impression. Test yourself and see what the results say about you. This will put you in the perfect position to detect your weaknesses and turn them into positives. And by having a good understanding of the nature of these tests, you can relax in the knowledge that you’ve covered all your bases before your interview. Continue reading “Psychometric Tests and How to Prepare” »

If anybody ever tells you that size doesn’t matter, they’re wrong – at least when it comes to finding a job you love! You may feel that amidst all the other things you have to consider when applying for jobs, the size of the company may feature low down on the priority list. However, it’s something that is really worth thinking about says career coach Michelle Bayley of Find Your Way Coaching.

“True, for some people the size of a company might not be such a big issue,” she says, “but for others it’s all part of the jigsaw you put together when job-hunting. There are many different elements to consider and this is just one of those elements.”                                                                                                                                                                                         

Different sized companies offer different advantages and disadvantages and what’s right for your best friend may not be right for you. It’s all about finding out what size fits you. “When we talk about ‘fit’, it really means looking at how  you fit in with a company’s culture and values, which permeate everything,” says Michelle. “That’s why it’s important to consider what kind of culture you want to work in.”

If you’re the sort of person who enjoys flexibility in their working life and the chance to try your hand at many different roles, then a smaller company might be best for you where you could be called upon to take on roles beyond your remit. On the other hand, if you are the sort of person who enjoys getting stuck into one element of a task, a larger company may allow you to specialise more in your field. Continue reading “Does size matter?” »

There can be little doubt that the world of recruitment has changed considerably over the last 10 years, offering jobseekers an unparalleled range of opportunities and ways to find them.

We invited Andy Pierson, Managing Director of Networx, to give his view on how things have developed over the period and what 2011 holds for the enlightened job hunter. Networx celebrate their 10th birthday this year, and embark on a new era with the opening of a Central London office. They are consistently high performers in our RecruitRank listings and were winners at our last awards evening.

Here are Andy’s thoughts: Continue reading “What a difference a decade makes!” »