Changing the way we view our jobs can help us increase our job satisfaction.

Since becoming a mum I have learned a large number of new skills.  One of the most useful skills I have acquired is the ability to review and change my family’s routine when necessary.  You may think that this is a skill most people possess and I agree, but the ability to recognize when the change is necessary takes a little more intuition.  You get in to the habit of attending certain activities at certain times in the day and you can easily miss that all of a sudden the kids no longer enjoy this as much or perhaps they are ready for bigger challenges.  All of a sudden those trips to historic landmarks that you had been putting off ‘til they get older’ have become possible.  6 months ago such a trip would have been a nightmare, hoisting buggies up and down stairs, spending hours searching for changing facilities etc. But now, it’s a joy watching them walk around by themselves, taking it all in.

Successful businesses also change their routine when necessary.  In recent years businesses have adjusted to anything from the incorporation of technology such as electronic tablets to changes in Employment Acts allowing employees far greater flexibility.  In fact businesses consider this skill – the ability to change when necessary – so key to their success that they invest millions in learning about Organisational Change Management every year.

As employees we could benefit greatly from applying these skills to our immediate working environment.  Many duties within job roles are – let’s face it – monotonous, but we often make the situation worse, by sticking to a set routine.  We travel to work that same way, we go to lunch at the same cafe and we take our coffee breaks at the same time every day, day in and day out.  Making small changes to the way we approach our work, may go a long way to revive some of the passion and enjoyment we initially when we took the job.

These guys are great.  Their website is packed full of useful information on building a career.  I liked this short article on ‘creating jo satisfaction’ and thought I would share it with you.

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCDV_94.htm

 

Feedback from the childrens centre

I wanted to share with you the positive feedback Top Candidate received from the Children’s Centre following our free sessions.  I am really pleased that we were able to help and I hope we can repeat the success again next year.  ‘Top Candidate attended our Children centre groups to provide parents and carers with free information concerning a range of services, including CV advice, training opportunities and career advice. We were impressed she was also able to sign post people to providers of similar services. We found her to be friendly , approachable, empathetic but also extremly professional in the information she gave to our parents and carers and the hand outs that were provided. The feedback and evaluation given to the Children’s Centre reflected this’.

Thank you

The Back to Work sessions with the Salisbury City Children’s Centre have now finished.  Thank you to everyone who came along and who came to my stand.  I hope you all got the advice you needed and I wish you every success in your return to work.  To those of you who are looking for jobs at the moment, I was pleased to hear that many of you had found a number of posts to apply for.  It seems even in this environment, the jobs are out there if you look!  Best of Luck!

If you need more information or advice, or if you didn’t get the chance to come up for a chat, then please contact either me or the Children’s Centre directly.    Some of you mentioned that you would like guidance regarding the regulations for part-time work.  Please keep following my blog and I will have something for you very soon.

Less than a week to go..

The time for the ‘Back to Work’ sessions is nearly upon us, so this is just a reminder to you or anyone you know who is a parent in the Salisbury area and who is currently looking for a job or thinking of returning to work – come down to the Children Centre for a chat!  There will be plenty opportunity to ask questions regarding returning to work, changing your career, filling in an application form, applying for a job and creating a Linkedin profile.  And there will be material to take away on all these topics too – So here are those where’s and when’s again:

The dates for the sessions are: 20th – 22nd and 27th – 29th February.  Monday and Tuesday sessions will take place at the Methodist Church on St Edmunds Church Street and Wednesday sessions in Elizabeth Hall onExeter Street.  Each session will run in conjunction with the Stay and Play Groups from 10am – 11.30

For more information about Top Candidate please go to www.top-candidate.com

Returning to work after having a baby

Ten tips for going back to work after having a baby

In many ways you are returning to work a different person from the one you were when you left.  Your family life has obviously changed and so have your priorities. Hopefully you are fortunate enough that your baby is sleeping beautifully from 7pm to 7am, but if not, then not only are you adjusting to a new family setting and a new set of priorities, but you also have little fuel in the tank…  In spite of that, your experience of going back to work is actually likely to be a very positive one.  You just need to give yourself a bit of time to prepare, think about your priorities and, most importantly, talk about any concerns you may have with your support network.  The following tips have been pulled from a survey carried out amongst parents who have returned to work in the last 3 years (2012).

Map out your routine

Go through a typical day step-by-step and identify problem areas.  You will need to think about for instance:  Who looks after baby while you get ready?  Do you need time to prepare lunch for you or baby? How long is the drive/walk to your child care provider? Does it add to your journey to work?  What about those days when work takes you elsewhere? Who picks up? And what if your child has to be picked up early owing to illness or other? Do you sometimes have to work late?  There will be many more questions that are relevant to your specific needs.  Go through these with your partner or other support.  And think of doing an actual dry run of the journey.  Traffic may be quite different if you need to leave at different times because of child care, or the child care facility may be in an area you are not familiar with.

Ease yourself in to your new routine

You can ease yourself in to your new routine by taking a few preparatory steps.  Just as you perhaps did when you prepared for the arrival of your new baby, try cooking and freezing a few favourite meals.  Choose your outfits and try them on (pregnancy and breastfeeding do funny things to your shape).  Your support network may ask if there is anything they can do to help you – don’t be afraid to ask for help with the cleaning or washing.

Involve your partner in the daily chores

Perhaps you feel that being a parent is a full time job in itself.  You are absolutely right.  This is why it is pretty difficult to picture how you are going to squeeze another full time/part time job in to your life, unless you do night shifts and just give up on sleep all together (which is not advisable).  You will however, soon realise that you can be a parent and have a job at the same time.  But – you cannot do it all yourself.  Be sure to involve your partner in the daily routine.  Remember that if your partner went back to work soon after your baby was born he or she will not be as experienced or confident in running a household as you are.  Make sure you make it part of your preparation to ‘train’ your partner in these tasks.  A good system, which many couples adopt, is to allocate responsibility for chores to certain days of the week – i.e you do bath time on Mondays, your partner does Wednesdays as so on.. This may seem a little extreme, but trust me; the transparency and routine helps to make sure you are sharing the workload evenly.

 Ask for a re-induction

It is probably in your interest as well as in the interest of your organisation that you get  re-induced in your old role.  You have had a significant amount of time out and aspects of your work will have developed since you left.  Asking for a re-induction shows that you are interested in hitting the ground running and returning to work confident that you are still able to perform the tasks the job demands.  A re-induction can be anything from a complete training session (in instances where perhaps new processes have been put in place) to a quick informal catch up on any news along with an introduction to new members of staff.  A re-induction will get both you and your employer thinking about developments that have happened since you left.  It will help ensure you still know what’s going on, boost your confidence and minimise your stress levels.

Know your duties/Know your rights

If you are returning to the same role then generally the same duties are likely to be required of you.  If you worked in to the small hours in a catering role or took work home as a teacher then this is, most likely, the situation you will be returning to when you get back to work.  If you receive the same pay/ grade/ bonus scheme, then your employers are under no obligation to make any adjustments to accommodate you of their own back.  You do, however, have a right to have your hours (and corresponding salary) reviewed if you feel that you will not be able to work in the same pattern as you did previously.  This right is outlined in the Employment Act of 2002 regarding ‘flexible working’.  It is important to stress that you have a ‘right to request’ flexible work and that your employer has a ‘duty to consider’ your request.  Note that the legislation makes it clear that a ‘duty to consider’ unfortunately does not mean a duty to comply.  Some roles simply do not lend themselves to flexible working. Be prepared for this.

Think about your priorities

It is easy to say that you priorities change when you have children. But what are those priorities?  Take a little time to think about what you prioritised before you left work and how this has changed.  If you were the life and soul of the office party, you may not be able to or want to keep this up when you return.  You will need to think about how this may affect you and your relationship with your colleagues. If you were the colleague who always volunteered for the Sunday shifts you will need to think about whether you will still be able to do this.  Try not to assume that your colleagues or your employer will have thought about your changing priorities.  They will most likely be very happy to support you in your choices, but they may not have thought about how your change in home life affects your work.  Be realistic about your priorities and don’t be afraid to voice them with your employer.  He or she would not want you to accidentally promise more than you are able to keep.

Incorporate your new skills

Becoming a parent has given you a whole new set of skills which you can show off in your working environment. You have most likely improved your organisation skills and your time management skills.  You have probably become a better teacher and you have most certainly gained a better understanding of work/life balance and how it may impact on both you and your colleagues to name but a few.  Give yourself time to think about how you tackle a project at work and you will find that your new found abilities will help you greatly in carrying out your chores effectively.

Be confident about your child care provider

Make sure you start researching your child care options as early as possible in order to give yourself the widest possible choice.  Choose any child care setting you are comfortable with and give yourself time to ask all the questions you need of the provider.  The most important thing you can do before returning to work is to make sure you are 100% happy with your child care provider.  And, as well as feeling convinced the provider has your child’s best interest at heart, you will need to know their policies on lateness, sickness etc  so that you know the steps to take if you are running late or your baby is ill etc.

Plan social time

Many of your colleagues may not have seen much of you while you were on leave and they will be eager to catch up with you and keep you up-to-date with all the latest.  Remember that in order to stay confident you will want to make sure you don’t fall behind on work in your first couple of weeks so plan for a bit of social time with your colleagues outside of work.

Don’t feel guilty!!

The positive aspects of going back to work are almost endless.  You will see the following benefits:  1. You will have some ‘me’ time which will help you feel happy and more relaxed.  2. Your routine becomes more scheduled and therefore demands less planning on your part. 3. You get the opportunity to ‘miss’ your little one which actually helps you appreciate the hours you have together more.  Your baby will see the following benefits: 1. Learning social skills.  2. Learning that routines can be different in different environments. 3.  Learning independence.  4. Even exposure to illnesses from the other children around your little one will help boost immunity.  Being a working parent is part of life in 21^st century and you are helping to provide a positive role model for your child in the long run.

Go back to work and enjoy yourself.

Applying for a new job

Ten tips for applying for a new job.

It is always an exiting time when you make the decision to apply for a new job.  Whether you are looking for a natural progression, a new career or just starting out on the job market, this is the time to take a real close look at yourself and your abilities.  You may even find that this ‘career health check’ will inspire and motivate you further.  The following steps should help you along.

Review you current role

It can be tempting to go for a role which seems like a natural progression and shows the generally advised approximate 15% increase in pay.  However, it is important that you consider all of the other important factors which contribute to your work/life balance.  Make a pro’s and con’s list of your current role which includes room for progression/holiday entitlement/perks/distance from home/parking space/flexibility/relationship to management/relationship with colleagues and any other areas that are relevant to your specific needs.

Update your CV

Update your CV with your latest achievements, your references, your current salary and bonuses and your length of service.    You will need to make yourself aware of the amount of days you have had absent owing to sickness in the last 12 months.  You will also need to update yourself on any performance issues which may have been officially recorded about you.  The last two points will not need to go on your CV, but you are likely to be asked to provide this information at some point in the recruitment process and certainly if you are considered for the role.

Research the company

All employers like to see that you know something about the service they provide.  A question about the company’s mission is often an ice breaker at interviews, but if you don’t know anything about the company this will do very little to break the ice.  The question about the company is often very open-ended so rehearse a short one or two minute speech which summarises for instance this company’s services/turnover/competitive edge and past achievements.  There is a more important reason to research the company though – and that reason is you.  Is this the sort of company you want to work for?  Can you see yourself progressing there?  Do you agree with their morals and standpoints? How do they stand out from their competitors? What are their achievements?

Research yourself

In order for this to be a happy marriage between you and your future employer you need to be willing to answer the same questions about yourself as those listed above; Are you the sort of employee they want? (and how do you show them that), Do you have the potential to progress? (and how do you show them that), Do you demonstrate the sort of beliefs and work ethics the employer in this field wants to see?  How do you stand out from your competitors? What are your achievements?

Contact prospective employers if necessary

Don’t be afraid to contact your prospective employer with relevant questions before applying to the advertisement.  An employer would much rather that you have given your application serious consideration and that you have prepared for the recruitment process.   Think about your pro’s and con’s list. – Do you have all the necessary information? If not, call the prospective employer and ask.

Read the advertisement and follow the instructions correctly

You may find that there is a lot of paperwork to complete when you apply for a post, especially if they ask for a completed application form.  Often there are consent forms and Equal Opportunities forms to fill in as well.  Even though it seems a lot of effort, try to take the time to read the instructions and to complete the forms accurately.  If in doubt about how to complete a form, contact the prospective employer.  Don’t leave any fields blank as you simply leave room for misinterpretation.

Complete only the required paperwork

Sometimes it is tempting to add a little extra to help you stand out… You may intend to show off your IT skills by making tricky amendments to the application form or by attaching extra work that shows off your abilities.  Unfortunately this will most likely have the opposite effect.  The forms are standardised to ensure consistency amongst applicants and the first department that handles your application is the HR department who are there to ensure just that.

Sign up with recruitment agencies/online jobsites to get e-mail alerts

Most recruitment agencies and jobsite will have the option to sign up for e-mail alerts.  Take advantage of this option every time you come across it.  The more sites you sign up with, the wider your choice.  In addition, the amount of relevant advertisements you receive will give you an indication of the current market.

Stay in control

Remember that you are looking for the role that best suits your skills, a role you can see yourself develop in and that you will enjoy working in.  Don’t lose sight of your needs in the search for your new job.  It can be easy to be intimidated by all the questions that are asked of you by a prospective employer and therefore lose focus of what it is you wish to achieve.  In the current environment it can be difficult to move in to that dream job of yours.  Always stay focused on the skills you are gaining from your current role and how these will help you achieve your goals.

Seek advice

Seek advice from professionals.  The world of recruitment is ever changing and fast moving.  In the current economic climate the job market is in the hands of the employers and it is therefore more important than ever to stand out from the crowd even at a first glance.  Have a look online – There are many both free and paid for services which can help you stand out from the rest.  Next Step from the government and the privately owned jobsite are free and are good places to get great general advice and guidance.  One2one sessions are generally priced between £30 – £200 depending on services.

Return to Work sessions in Salisbury

Top Candidate has been invited to host a set of ‘Return to Work’ sessions for Salisbury City Children’s Centre. I am delighted to have been asked and I very much look forward to working with them on this exciting project. The sessions will run in conjunction with the Stay and Play groups Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday during the last two weeks of February.

These sessions are drop-ins and entirely free of charge – in fact I might even bring cake. I will bring along material on the following topics: Returning to work after having a baby, applying for a new job,changing your career, completing your CV, filling in an application form and creating your linkedinprofile. If you are a parent returning to work, or you know someone who could benefit from a short chat with me all you/they need to do is turn up. Monday and Tuesday sessions will take place at the Methodist Church on St Edmunds Church Street and Wednesday sessions in Elizabeth Hall onExeter Street.