Thinking about working part time? Some things you should know
Posted inWork and career tips and advice

Thinking about working part time? Some things you should know

Deciding to reduce your hours at work can mean many things for working mums – the ability to spend more time with the children, get the balance right between work and family life, or because a business has taken off and needs more of your attention.

Whatever your reason for working part-time, there are some things you should consider. This video will look at:

  • the pros and cons of part-time work?
  • whether you still have the same rights and benefits if you work part-time
  • your holiday entitlement…and more
A quarter of mums feel discriminated against at work. Find out what to do if that sounds like you
Posted inWhat's in the news? Work and career tips and advice

A quarter of mums feel discriminated against at work. Find out what to do if that sounds like you

One in four mums who have returned to work believe they have been subjected to discrimination, either before or after the birth of their child, according to research by employment law specialists Slater & Gordon.

Posted inWork and career tips and advice

Top five benefits to working from home

As a result of the fragile economy and the uncertainties around job security, a rising number of people are now deciding to go it alone. Self-employment numbers have increased in recent years as a result of more people wanting to take control of their future, finances and lives.

Many of those who ditch the world of 9-5 and become self-employed decide to use their own home as their workplace. By setting up an appropriate area in your property, such as one of the home offices available from Betta Living, you can start to enjoy the many benefits of working from home.

Lost your confidence? How to get it back before work on Monday
Posted inHow to cope with problems at work Work and career tips and advice

Lost your confidence? How to get it back before work on Monday

Even the most accomplished people can lose confidence at work. It doesn’t help when you’ve had time out to raise a family, or if you feel threatened by younger colleagues who seem to be on top of everything in your area of work and are leaving you trailing behind because you have other commitments.

This video tutorial will help you build your confidence back up, using simple tips to help you get your swag back.

Job interview over: how not to obsess after the event
Posted inHow to look for a job

Job interview over: how not to obsess after the event

The job interview is finally over and you can’t help but sigh with relief. But now that the waiting has started, it is not that easy to carry on without mentally dissecting your responses, the interviewer’s facial expression as you spoke…the list can go on. Here are some tips to stop you driving yourself around the bend while you wait for the outcome of your job interview.

Three things you should know during your job hunt
Posted inHow to look for a job

Three things you should know during your job hunt

Looking for a job is like having a part-time job. It takes time and dedication to rewrite your covering letter and make sure your CV doesn’t let you down at the first hurdle.

If you’re thinking about applying for a new job or have sent your CV to recruiters than you can remember then you need to know these three simple tips:

Sing your own praises! Self promotion is key to your success at work and in business
Posted inCareers Coach Blog

Sing your own praises! Self promotion is key to your success at work and in business

Smartly executed self-promotion is the key to career advancement. In your workplace I’ve probably seen people who always seem to get promotions or new challenges. You’ll also notice that they tend to talk abut their achievements and how much work they’re ploughing through…self-promotion in other words.

We can all learn a thing or two from that – applying it to our workplace or in our businesses. Start by using LinkedIn – it is one of the best tools to help you self promote, using the following tactics:

I quit! How to write a resignation letter
Posted inCareers Coach Blog Video tutorials

I quit! How to write a resignation letter

Making a decision to leave your job can be the result of many factors. A career change, needing more money or because you couldn’t stand to work under a draconian boss or colleagues from…

Whatever your reason, it pays to resign with dignity and professionalism. After all, you’re having the last laugh now aren’t you? Not to mention the small thing called a reference that you’ll need from your old employer.

Here are some tips to help you resign professionally.

Posted inCareers Coach Blog

How to appear more confident in business and when returning to work

Taking time out to raise a family is great, it for many mums months of years if cantering everything around young children can start to have a knock-on effect on their confidence.

Before your bundle(s) of joy came a long you were the centre of your social universe, but now you feel like you’re a shadow of your former self. If you are embarking in business or going back to work, self-confidence is something you need. If you haven’t got it yet, then fake it till you make it – this video will show you how:

How to remember people’s names
Posted inCareers Coach Blog Video tutorials What's in the news?

How to remember people’s names

Is it Jane? Is it Vanessa? Maybe Jack? Aargh! Remembering names in a work or business environment can be quite a head scratcher. It’s too embarrassing to make a mistake, and you don’t want to offend by getting it wrong.

Watch this video tutorial to help you find ways to remember names and take the stress out of meeting new people.

Posted inA mix Work and career tips and advice

Are you being productive or just busy being busy?

We live in a culture where every talks about being busy, and we’re all guilty of saying it at so e point (or all the time, depending on how honest you want to be!). Rarely do we stop to ask whether we’re working hard on the right things for the right reasons.

Imagine this: you’ve been applying for jobs for weeks, months even, when you are called for an interview. You can barely sleep the night before, and when the time comes, you’re burning with energy. You hop the bus to get there and rush into the building, only to find the lift that will take you to the 12th floor is broken.

But you don’t let that stop you. You rush up the stairs, and by the time you make it to the top, you’re completely out of breath. That’s when you look at the sign hanging above the receptionist and realise that you were in the wrong building!

Tough interview question No. 5: Why did you leave your last job? (video)
Posted inHow to look for a job Video tutorials

Tough interview question No. 5: Why did you leave your last job? (video)

Getting sacked, hating your boss, being pushed out…these are not exactly reasons that will put you in a positive light at a job interview.

Every recruiter will know that you are either unhappy with your present or old job, or you want to climb the career ladder, or even change careers. However, they may ask this question to try to gauge your reasons for doing so, to see if there are any alarm bells.

Today’s video will help you formulate a constructive response to this tough interview question and help you.

Tough interview question No. 4: What are your strengths and weaknesses? (video)
Posted inHow to look for a job Video tutorials

Tough interview question No. 4: What are your strengths and weaknesses? (video)

Today’s video looks at another seemingly simple question that can get many people into a tight spot at job interviews.

If you’re disorganised, you probably don’t want to say that for an office manager or events coordinator role, for example. If you have a bad temper, you won’t get a positive outcome at any job interview if you state that as your weakness.

So just what can you say? Do you make up strengths and weaknesses just to get through the interview?

Watch today’s video for some tips and advice on answering this tough job interview question.

Tough interview question No. 3: Why do you want to work for this company? (video)
Posted inHow to look for a job Video tutorials

Tough interview question No. 3: Why do you want to work for this company? (video)

Because I’m desperate? Because you advertised a job in my local paper? Because I need the money. Are those your immediate responses to a question like this?

Some interview questions can seem ridiculous, and seem like they are there to trip you up. The fact is, every recruiter wants to hear that there job isn’t one of a hundred that you have mindlessly applied for.

So, even if your real reason for applying any of the above responses, you can’t say that to an interviewer if you’re really serious about getting the job. You need to think of something that’s better thought out. Is the company an industry leader, for example?

Watch today’s video for more tips on answering this tough interview question.

Tough interview question No. 2: Tell me about yourself (video)
Posted inHow to look for a job Video tutorials

Tough interview question No. 2: Tell me about yourself (video)

Even the most confident and self-assured person can stumble when asked this question at a job interview. You don’t want to sound fake or full of yourself on the one hand, and on the other you don’t want to be so coy that you come across as boring and uninteresting.

This is one interview question that you should practice at home before a job interview. Find a friend or relative who will give you honest and constructive feedback on your response. That’s on tip – watch today’s video to find out how else you can tackle this interview question.

Tough interview question No. 1: why should we give you the job? (video)
Posted inHow to look for a job Video tutorials

Tough interview question No. 1: why should we give you the job? (video)

There are some interview questions that you just can’t run away from. No matter how senior or junior the role, which industry you’re moving into and whether a recruitment agency is doing the initial interview instead of your employer, the questions will still remain.

Every day this week, we will be tackling one of the following five interview questions with a video tutorial:

  1. Where do you see yourself in five years?
  2. Tell me about yourself
  3. Why do you want to work for this company?
  4. What are your strengths?
  5. Why did you leave your last job?

Today, we look at the first questions: “Where do you see yourself in five years time?”. Watch the video below:

Shoes and interviews: three things that could cost you the job
Posted inGet the Look How to look for a job

Shoes and interviews: three things that could cost you the job

We’ve all heard the saying “first impressions count”, and it’s even more important at job interviews. But is it enough to splurge on a new suit, or dress for an interview and hope the interviewer will bypass your flip flops?

The truth is that, even when the weather is roasting in summer, what you wear on your feet is just as important at the clothes. It’s the attention to detail that the employer will be looking at, as well as how you will represent the company, so if you show poor judgement on your footwear, it may count against you.

Here are some things to consider when planning your footwear for a job interview:

How to say ‘no’ in a dignified, graceful and powerful manner at work
Posted inHow to cope with problems at work What's in the news? Work and career tips and advice

How to say ‘no’ in a dignified, graceful and powerful manner at work

Every workplace has a yes man or woman – is that you? If so, you’ll be dumped on again and again and after a while resentment, stress and demotivation may start to kick in.

While you wrestle with the bitterness and guilt (at the same time), your colleagues are oblivious to the fact, and just keep throwing more requests your way…

It’s time to start saying no – here are some useful tips to do that with grace and remain professional:

How to dress for interviews…and do you really need to wear a suit?
Posted inA mix Get the Look How to look for a job

How to dress for interviews…and do you really need to wear a suit?

Making the best impression at job interviews is not always about what you say. Your clothes, hair and overall look can speak volumes.

If you’ve been out of work for a while, or are branching into a new career or sector, you may wonder what the protocol is style wise…it can get a little confusing to say the least. and the pressure of making the best first impression you can doesn’t help matters, either.

Here are some tips to get the balance right and win over a recruiter:

Three simple tips to create a happy workplace using positive psychology
Posted inWork and career tips and advice

Three simple tips to create a happy workplace using positive psychology

Happy teams are successful teams. And if you want a happy team then you need to make people feel good.

Sarah Lewis is a chartered psychologist and author of ‘Positive Psychology at Work’ (Wiley) and she offers three positive psychology tips to make your team feel great and be more productive: