Tag: Job Tips

What To Do On Your First Day In A New Job

Posted on | by admin

Your first day in a new job will amalgamate excitement, nerves, stress and could perhaps be one of the most memorable days in your career. The job search can be particularly taxing having spent hours constantly retouching your CV and making sure it gets to the right people. Employers have hired you for a reason and have expectations that they expect your talent and skills to adhere to. Most of us feel high levels of excitement but also trepidation when we begin a new job. There are ways to elevate some of this stress however by adapting the same meticulous approach in your first day as you did in your job search. The first day sets the tone for the rest of your career with those you’ll be interacting with. While first days are usually consumed in formalities with very little specific responsibilities it is vital to adapt a proactive response to your new role rather than a passive one.

Chances are you will be inundated with the same question by new employees. ‘What is your background?’, ‘What did you do before this?’ ‘What exactly will you be doing here’. Often it can be a little overwhelming when people ask outright very specific questions. Considering these will be the people you converse and deal with every day it may often be a genuine interest as they have only been fed a vague understanding and simply want to strike up a conversation. Having a prepared piece will make this process a little less daunting.

The recommended buffer time to show up early is about 15 minutes. If you have not done the route before familiarise yourself with it on different occasions to gauge how long it takes including peak times. Showing up early is almost a given that employers expect nowadays. While no doubt determined to make a great impression remember to relax in order to optimise your productivity. Make sure you are well rested the night before and can maintain concentration. If you are adapting from an entirely different routine make sure you have condition yourself in the days preceding your first day. Set your alarm to your wake up time to condition yourself and see how you adjust. Eat a breakfast and set your outfit the night before. While these may seem very minimal they will all ease the stress involved and will help you towards a smooth first day.

Be as professional as you were in the interview process and however in doubt you may be take the conservative approach. Your first day is not a time to establish yourself as the joker of the office or to describe your weekend social life. You will establish the culture of the company or office environment quite quickly and it’s important not to disrupt this. The urge to impress can veer you off track, but it’s important to remember that you’ve already been hired so you don’t have to wow your colleagues straight away. Your first day is not the time to have a strong and strident opinion, but more about listening, observing and learning. In time you will impress naturally, and more so when you understand the ropes.

Skype Tips for Job Interviews

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

It’s often the case that remote interviews are harder to prepare for than physical face to face interviews. Often, nowadays, making a good first or nearer a final round interview doesn’t mean it has to be done in person as they become more common in the workforce. Somewhere down the line you will likely prepare for a Skype or remote interview if you haven’t been already. You will need to construe your points and sell yourself while no one is physically present for you to convince. Within Excel Recruitment, our consultants are using Skype interviews more than ever to screen potential candidates and to match their ability with particular roles. With roles Nationwide it is not always possible for candidates and clients to meet physically and Skype interviews act as a tool to link both. They are the first action they take in understanding the client and deciphering whether they would be a good match to continue with helping them in their job search for an active role.

Here are crucial tips that are encouraged when partaking in a Skype Interview

1. Dress the Part

Dress accordingly! It is quite hard to ascertain a company culture in an informal setting such as a Skype Interview. Dress as you would if it was a physical interview and prepare ahead of time. You are completely in control on what is shown on screen and you can set this all ahead of time. Check the prospective employer’s website, Facebook and twitter pages to try garner a feel for the company, what it would be like to work there and tailor your attire according to this. Consultants will notice this straight away as they are often fitted with criteria of finding someone who not only has the necessary attributes and experience, but also a personal and physical fit who will be an asset to their company. It is always better to err on the side of formal than casual.

The tracksuit bottoms and formal upper attire should be avoided. While most interviews concentrate primarily on a headshot, opportunities can arise where you may have to readjust your equipment, web cam etc. and where you may be on show! Full professionalism clothing will attribute to a professional mind too.

 

2. Prepare your surroundings.

Be it video or telephone, do it in a quiet, undisturbed setting with no disruptions. Things as simple as an electrical socket to charge your laptop may be overlooked in advance and prove problematic mid interview ( and show off your scruffy sweatpants!) A business-like setting is best. Avoid somewhere that is clustered and has a high volume of material on the walls and the likes. Look behind you as this is what the interviewer will see. It can be quite distracting when an interviewer is faced with clutter and mess and will reflect badly on your organisational capabilities. Hiring Managers are recruiters are very discerning in all facets of an interviews process, don’t underestimate the things that they see that you may not.

Inform those who are with you that you are in interview and to under no circumstances to disturb you. You don’t want to be disturbed by sudden interruptions, young kids, a blast of the radio or an excited uncontrollable dog that has been just ushered with the words ‘WALKIES’!

 

3. Practice

Practice a mock interview. Some people can be particularly on edge and won’t know what to do with their hands, or seating posture. Skype allow you to analyse a mock tape and this is a good tool to be meticulous in how you interact and again tailor it accordingly. Lacking a live person in front of you can mean you won’t interact how you naturally would when in a live setting. Often you will be side-tracked by the thoughts of the cameras and equipment. Stay upbeat and don’t get lost in the fact that you are smiling alone in a room. This is one of the first and most important things someone will notice during a skype interview.

 

4. Technology Glitches

Check the alignment of the camera during your preparation so you are assured you are smiling at the interviewer and making eye contact rather than staring longingly off in the distance. While there is no worries like getting lost, stuck in traffic, or failing to find the building there is the impending fear of a technical glitch. Have everything ready and prepared with ample time.

When you’re relying on video or phone equipment, there’s a good chance you’ll experience a technical glitch: a weak connection, interference or garbled signals. Hiring managers will determine what kind of candidate you are by your reactionary instincts to these situations. Avoid cursing or losing your cool. Be diplomatic, do your best to revolve and any issues that have arisen. This will be an important a facet in the interview and one you may have overshadowed.