FIND A JOB

Searching for your next career move can be hard-work, a bit of a hassle and in some cases pretty nerve-wracking. Although recruiters can’t promise to calm the butterflies in your stomach before the big interview, they're here to help you secure the job you want. Here are 7 thing recruiters wish you knew... Be honest – honesty is the best policy when working with a recruiter. Be transparent about what type of role you’re looking for and let them know straightaway if you’re not open to new positions. This way you’ll get the most out of working together and don’t waste each other’s time. Working exclusively with one recruitment agency is also the best way to simplify the process of finding your next role. Recruiters will always have multiple roles that they’re working on so the chances of you getting a new role increase when you work with one recruiter instead of multiple different agencies. Give feedback – recruiters put a lot of work into getting you that interview and really appreciate a catch up after the interview or at the end of the day (yes, we will probably still be working past 6pm). Although this may seem like a bit of a waste of time, it really helps the recruiter get a better understanding of how the interview went and gives you a chance to share your thoughts on the experience. It also helps your recruiter move you forward in the interview process if you are still interested in pursuing the role. Make time – recruiters know that most candidates are currently employed and probably at work when they call. While this can be a nuisance for candidates, recruiters do try their best not to disturb your day too much and will double check if you can talk. A good recruiter should be discreet and respect that you’re at work and can rarely talk privately. An initial conversation with a recruiter will take around 10 minutes so making time for this at some point is crucial. This initial conversation will help your recruiter understand what you’re looking for and what your expectations are. This will also help them paint a better picture of you when they put you forward to the client. It’s also a way of making sure they find the best role for you and only send you to relevant interviews. Make sure you look at all the information your recruiter sends you before an interview and do the recommended research, so you’re prepared. Also listen to their interview advice as they’ve worked closely with the client and have a pretty good understanding of what type of person they’re looking for. Don’t be shy - recruiters are busy people and work quickly. Having 100+ applicants for a position is not unusual so if you sent in your CV and haven’t heard back from them after a few days, give them a call to follow up. This will help recruiters prioritise your CV as someone who has shown interest and will set you apart from other candidates. Due to the high number of applicants, recruiters can’t always get back to you if you’re not the right fit for the role. So, getting in touch is a sure way to find out if you weren’t the right fit, if the maximum number of candidates have been sent to the client already or if there are other similar roles that you might be more suitable for. Patience is a virtue – recruiters may seem to ask a lot of random questions but it’s all for a reason. They need to build your profile, so they can find you the best roles, tell clients about you and make sure they are aligned with you in your search. For example, we may ask you how you think your employer will react when you hand in your notice. This is not just us being nosey, but actually gives us a good indication if you’re really serious about leaving your current company. Most companies will try and keep candidates with a counter offer because it costs them more to hire a new person. We genuinely think that companies should pay people what they are worth instead of increasing their salaries when they threaten to leave. In our experience, 90% of candidates who accepted a counter offer wind up leaving the business within six months anyway. Once you decide you want to leave, commit to the decision and don’t be fooled by short-sighted counter offers. Remember why you started your job search in the first place. A salary increase won’t change the atmosphere you work in, the work you do or that manager you don’t get along with. Be seen - LinkedIn´s search engine gives priority to fully completed profiles so unless you have completed every section of your profile chances are recruiters can’t find you. You can also share your career interests with recruiters on LinkedIn. This option can be activated on your profile and will not be visible to your network so is a good way to let recruiters know you’re looking for a new challenge and what that looks like. Recruiters also use a wide range of job boards so if you’re looking for a new role make sure your CV is visible here too, so we can contact you with relevant opportunities. Stand out – Looking through CV’s is a huge part of a recruiter’s day and they come across the same buzzwords again and again. Overusing words like motivated, initiative, organised, and driven can actually be an indicator of a lack of time and effort going into your CV creation. To stand out, tailor your CV to each role you apply for. The best way to do this is to run through the job description and highlight the key experiences required for the role. Then show how you tick every box and let your personality shine through.

We all know how important branding is for companies but what about us personally? A personal brand exists whether or not you create it for yourself. Not purposefully building it just means you don’t have control over it. The concept of cultivating a personal brand can seem daunting to most of us. But it doesn’t have to be complex or time intensive and can really help people remember you. Two of our consultants experienced this first hand after recently enrolling in The Recruitment Network Trailblazers programme that aims to develop the next generation of recruitment leaders and runs for a year. As part of the programme’s series of regular London based meetups Hannah and Ben enjoyed a workshop that was all about the importance of personal branding for recruiters. We caught up with Hishem Azzouz from the inbound marketing and creative agency, Hoxo Media, who presented the keynote on the day and shared some of his key takeaways with us: “You can only reach a certain amount of people by calling and meeting them. The amazing part about creating content is that you can reach thousands of people with one post. Recruiters historically just share their new jobs everywhere online, but we all know this isn't successful and quite frankly doesn't work. Recruiters are in a really unique position. They listen to candidates’ challenges and aspirations within their industry along with the businesses in that industry. If you have the courage to start sharing your opinion on candidates/clients’ challenges/aspirations then you can work yourself into an amazing position as a recruiter where you won't just be perceived as someone who helps people get new jobs, but someone who is an expert within their industry. Start sharing your opinion online as a recruiter and take a step closer to becoming a thought leader within your space, which in turn will make you stand out amongst your competitors.” Personal branding isn’t just important for recruiters though. No matter what role or industry you’re in; the more successful you want to be, the more important your personal brand becomes. Whether you just want to improve engagement with your network or you’re aiming for personal branding to open doors to public speaking gigs, you decide how far you take it. As a rule of thumb, the more you put into it the more you’ll get out of it. How to get started Your personality is probably the most unique thing about yourself and being your authentic self is the basis of building your personal brand. Don’t be afraid to let your personality and opinions show in the way you communicate online and the types of stories you tell. It’s all about communicating and creating emotional connections with your audience. Being honest about what you know and don’t know will also help you build credibility in your industry. Ever Googled yourself? We suggest you do! Google automatically gives priority to your social channels and will list the channel you’re most active on above the others. Know what search results are attached to your name by auditing them and get rid of anything that doesn’t fit your vision for your personal brand and could even damage your reputation. Next up, take some time to determine your personality traits and amplify them to make your personal brand stronger. Here are some questions to ask yourself: What makes you unique? What do you stand for? What are your values and beliefs? What are you passionate about? What do you want to be known for? Who are you? What makes you unique? What is your vision for your personal brand? What is your goal with personal branding? What are your professional goals? Who is your audience? Who can you help? How can you help them? What makes you different? Including images in your updates is best practice but make sure they are copyright free. There are multiple sites that offer free images without copyright such as unsplash.com, pixabay.com and pexels.com. You’re now ready to start sharing your personal brand with the world! Start by posting regularly, experiment with short videos and write content online and offline. Ben and Hannah’s top 10 personal branding takeaways: Do a little, often. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Have an opinion and share it online. Connect with relevant people and follow influencers for inspiration. Engage regularly with other people’s content and posts. Pick your channels and post regularly instead of posting sporadically on lots of channels. Include relevant hashtags. LinkedIn is increasingly becoming the tool to search and find high calibre candidates, it has never been more important to have your own personal LinkedIn brand. It’s key you build your influence within your sector by posting articles on your niche, having an opinion on topics related to that industry and asking peoples’ thoughts on current developments. A new feature to LinkedIn that is predicted to take off more and more, is the production of video content. When producing content and engaging with your audience it’s crucial to persist. Initially traction will be slow, but as you continue posting regularly your following and audience will grow and reach more people. Finally, be patient and don’t expect overnight success. Everyone expects a flurry of engagement but how often do you engage with other people’s posts? Simply posting an update is not enough, so make sure to respond to comments and questions from your audience and engage with other people’s post too. As you see, it doesn’t have to as complex as building a whole personal branding strategy and your own website. With tools like LinkedIn publishing at your fingertips, writing short blogs and sharing your take on a topic in your industry has never been easier. Why not challenge yourself to make a start today?

Euan McGonagle, who specialises in the field of Python FinTech at Understanding Recruitment, recently attended the Unthink Tank event in London. This edition explored the concept of 'unthinking', inviting leaders and innovators from the tech, disruptor, and creative communities to discuss the issues that impassion and empower them. Technologist, author, applied Artificial Intelligence designer, technologist, accidental polymath, mental health campaigner, and co-founder of 'Us Ai', Pete Trainor, explored the growing role that Artificial Intelligence plays in our every-day lives, from our mental health to our money. Over the last three years, Pete has helped to pioneer an entirely new approach to AI focused products, one that looks at ‘self-evolving systems’ and ‘minimum viable personality’ to help solve societal and human issues. He was recently voted, by the industry, as one of the 5 most influential people in the British digital industry in Econsultancys 2017 industry report. Here's Euan's take on his evening spent at the Unthink Tank: I thoroughly enjoyed Pete Trainor’s talk on the Future of AI in FinTech. The talk focussed on the use of AI as a tool within Financial applications to identify risks to the user’s mental health. In effect, indicators like credit card debt or unusual spending habits are identified and as a result, help is offered to hopefully prevent any harm coming to the user, with a real emphasis being placed on reducing suicide rates. Firstly, I think the idea is absolutely brilliant and the use of technology to possibly save lives can only be applauded. I also think the tech involved is really cool! The ability of AI to learn what is and isn’t normal behaviour, using the data created by the individual and then tailoring its response based on this is a brilliant idea. In my last post I wrote about the use of Open Banking and The FinTech Revolution. This is a brilliant example of that revolution, the use of technology to bring Financial services into the 21st century. Traditionally from an outside perspective at least, the finance sector has looked to make as much money as possible and not think about the customer. I think it’s brilliant that it is moving completely in the other direction with a far more customer centric approach. I think the revolution of the “Disruptive FinTech” has really driven this. The biggest challenge to this kind of technology is to decide where you draw the line between support and surveillance? Ethically, Artificial Intelligence has always thrown up a number of conundrums (although if you believed the media, sometimes you’d think the robots are taking over!). As AI advances, these kinds of issues are going to become more and more prevalent. How we are going to deal with that? I’m not sure… Pete highlighted this issue and put forward a really interesting question on the topic: "Is one person’s life worth more than the privacy of 99 others?" ​ If you're looking for you next tech role in Fintech get in touch with Euan emcgonagle@understandingrecruitment.co.uk 01727 225 551 or check out our latest roles.

With 750,000 new digital jobs by 2020 the UK is facing a huge tech skills shortage. Brexit could help fill this gap. “Could” being the most important word in that sentence. Before my recruitment days I spent a summer working in parliament between my Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Studies. In my time there I witnessed a vote to leave the EU, a change of Prime Minister, and an unprecedented amount of shadow cabinet resignations. It was a crazy time. Almost 3 years on I have left parliament, finished my studies, started my recruitment career finding top talent for the UK tech market and then switched to doing the same for the Berlin Tech scene. Being English and recruiting into an international Berlin naturally the topic of Brexit will come up in conversation whilst I’m on the phone, and sometimes people are interested to hear my opinion. If anything, I was expecting to become much more Europe-centric in my stance whilst recruiting into Berlin. But this has not been the case. Why? Well, one thing that stands out about Berlin tech is its truly international nature. Each day I speak to tech professionals from all corners of the globe: Egypt, Brazil, China, the Lebanon, and I could literally list the countries all day. The relative ease of obtaining a visa goes some way to addressing the huge skills shortages in Berlin. Something I think maybe the UK can learn from as they look to attract talent in a time where a good Software Developer has a large list of vacancies to choose from; or should I say a large list of recruiter’s emails to choose to reply to. In Recruiting into the Berlin market what I’ve realised is that, yes! Europe is a big place and something that should definitely be treasured. But, the rest of the world is even bigger, and in each corner of the globe is an immense amount of talent that can, not only address the skills shortage, but also add some real value to the UK’s tech industry. Of course, Brexit has the potential to make the UK look inwards which would be catastrophic. Conversely, it could actually give the UK Tech market an opportunity to look at the wider world for strong tech talent, and it is this that can make the UK realise how big the world actually is.

Well done on getting a new role! Handing in your resignation can be the most daunting part of the process, so here are some tips on how to do it in style. HOW TO RESIGN GRACEFULLY 90% of all counter offered candidates leave within six months as the underlying issues never go away. 50% become active on job boards within 60 days. 1. Plan ahead. Write down what you want to say and list the reasons why just to remind yourself. If you need to practice it with a partner/friend, then do. 2. Be firm and assertive but always remain professional. 3. Thank your manager for all their time and effort but reinforce that your mind is 100% made up and that you would like them to respect your decision. 4. Have a resignation letter with you and get a leaving date confirmed. 5. Be selective on the reasons why you're leaving or where you're going. This information will only be used to sell against your new opportunity. Usually employers act in one of three ways when you hand in your notice: 1. They may thank you for your time and hard work and wish you all the best in your next role. That's the easiest response to get as the employer has accepted your resignation. However, still make sure it's official with your resignation letter and leaving date secured. 2. They may take it personally and be difficult about the whole situation. Fortunately, it's not that common, however you need to remain professional and rise above this. Remember, you're doing it for your best career interests. 3. They counteroffer. All of a sudden you gain a promotion and a pay rise due to your resignation. Sometimes this is enough to persuade an employee to stay on however beware that 90% of all counter offered candidates leave within 6 months as the underlying issues never go away. Just remember the reasons you started to look for a role in the first place. HOW TO HANDLE COUNTEROFFERS 1. Your employer should pay you what you're worth from the beginning, not when you threaten to leave. 2. If you accept a counteroffer, you'll always be considered a fidelity risk. You've already lost their trust and shown your lack of loyalty. 3. Counteroffers are often made to give the employer time to replace you. 4. While a counteroffer may make the situation more tolerable in the short term, your reason for wanting to leave still remains. 5. Counteroffers are only made in response to a threat to quit. Are you prepared to threaten to quit every time you deserve better compensation?​ 6. Decent and well-managed companies don't make counteroffers. We'll always advise you to decline counteroffers made to you by your current employer.

We can't promise to take away the butterflies, but we can share our interview tips with you. It's time to step up your interview game... Stage 1 Research the company Find out as much as you possibly can about the company. Look at the latest company news, their annual reports, website information, and anything else you can get your hands on. This shows your enthusiasm and interest and will also make you feel more prepared. If it's a close match between you and another candidate, it can make all the difference. Arriving early You should plan your route and give yourself plenty of time to get to the interview. Plan for the worst-case scenario i.e. traffic jams, nowhere to park and so on. Aim to get to the interview at least 20-30 minutes early. If there is a remote chance of being late call a member of Understanding Recruitment so we can make the client aware. Understand your CV Know yourself. What are your strengths, weaknesses and achievements? You should try and plan for what questions may be asked during the interview as well as providing examples to back up your answers. These are typically for competency-based interviews (usually lead by the Human Resources department). First impressions count You should always dress appropriately for interviews. This is your first opportunity to impress the client and get off to a great start. Research the company and figure out what the dress code is for the current employees. If in doubt, always dress smartly. Being overdressed is definitely better than being too casual. Stage 2 Smile and offer a firm handshake As well as being a strong cultural and technical fit, it's also good to portray yourself as someone who would be a real asset to work with. Always offer a firm handshake when you meet interviewers. Even make an effort to get on with reception whilst you're waiting as this feedback does filter through. If an interviewer is unsure about you, they may well poll others you passed in the corridor or briefly met. It may not be fair, but it is common practice. Communicate concisely and listen carefully Thoughtful and concise communication is the key to successful interviewing. Listen very closely to the interviewer and don't interrupt their question as this can be extremely frustrating. Also use positive body language. Be respectful It's important to show the utmost respect to everyone you meet throughout the interview process from the office junior through to the CTO. Everyone you meet will be part of the decision-making process. Don't ramble The most effective interviews are those where an interactive two-way conversation prevails. Make sure you answer the question directly without any rambling. Each answer should be no longer than 1-2 minutes. Stage 3 Provide examples There's nothing more powerful than backing up an answer to a question with an example of how you demonstrated that particular capability/characteristic. That's why it's important to try and predict some of the likely questions and plan out your responses with strong examples. Prepare questions Asking a few questions during or at the end of an interview can be a really positive sign to an interviewer while also answering any lingering queries you may have about the role. Make sure these questions are well thought out and relevant but also of interest, rather than purely for the sake of asking a question. If you're interested in the job, tell them! Too many candidates don't let the client know exactly how interested they are in the opportunity. If you're keen on the position, it's crucial to express your high level of commitment. Don't be afraid to ask what the next stage would be and whether they would want to be informed if you receive another offer in the meantime (this may well speed up the process).​ Communicate concisely and listen carefully Don't blag - you'll eventually be found out. We've already discussed the importance of being prepared for the interview which means that there should be very few hidden surprises. However, if you do get that "difficult question" that you're struggling on, don't blag an answer, be honest, and say you don't know, but that it's an area you'd be keen to learn and explore further.

Your CV is your digital handshake and the first thing your potential employer sees. Here's how to make a great first impression. The tech market is growing rapidly and there's an increase of talent. This makes your CV a really important tool to help you stand out from the crowd. Your CV should always be role specific and provide a brief, but full account of your working life, including your interests and academic achievements Personal Information - Name - Address - Telephone number - Email address - DOB (optional) Employment History - List your employers in date order (starting with the most recent) - The role you held in each company - A short summary of your tasks and responsibilities Education - GCSE's & A-levels (or equivalent) - Degree - Any other professional training or qualifications - Relevant skills Interests - What you like to do outside of work Referees -Whether they can be contacted COVER LETTERS Some roles require you to submit a cover letter. It should be a short statement to summarise your CV, highlighting why you're right for the job. Remember to tailor your cover letter to every position you apply for. Here's an example: Dear Name (or Sir/Madam as appropriate), Opening Paragraph: Identify yourself; state what position you're applying for and where the vacancy was advertised. Second Paragraph: Cover: why you're interested in the job/work and why the company appeals to you. Mention your academic background, relevant qualifications and related work experience. Third Paragraph: Mention that you've enclosed your CV/completed application form - and cover any additional points of relevance. Finally: Close with the following: your availability to interview, your expected salary (or current package), and a positive final sentence to encourage a positive response. Yours Sincerely, Your name

We think of Product Managers as the CEOs of the product, responsible for the strategy, roadmap, and feature definition for that product or product line. With the tech industry booming, the role of Product Manager, is becoming increasingly significant. But how can you make sure you stand out from the crowd when you’re looking for your next challenge? Our Head of Product Recruitment, Zak Forbes, specialises in this field and has put together some tips for you to step up your game! Your CV 1. Listing your achievements should form the core of your CV and lets employers know what you’ve done. While it does sound like common CV advice, you’d be surprised how few people do it. Did you lead the development of a new product? Did you look after the product from the research phase to release? Did you implement a new way of gathering customer feedback? Were you the champion of the team methodology? Let us know about it! 2. Be clear about what type of product you worked on and were involved in building. Was it data analytics, a B2C restaurant app, a new e-commerce platform, EdTech, or something like a challenger bank? The type of product you have experienced with is crucial to securing your next role. Also mention what size of business you built a product within. For example, you could say: “I work/ed for a global retailer and built the analytics product, that enabled managers across the world, to know which lines were selling and which weren’t.” 3. Be succinct - no one wants to read long statements about everything you’ve ever done. The less you write, the clearer it is to see what you’ve actually done, so focus on the stuff that really matters. 4. Don’t forget to mention challenges you’ve overcome. Did you come into a product behind schedule? Did the stakeholders hate your product ideas? Or did you hate the stakeholders’ ideas but pushed back anyway? Product leaders like to know you can be relied on to make a difference to the business, so make sure to mention the difference you’ve made in past roles! The Job Search 5. Product Managers are some of the most active, when it comes to giving back to the community they work in. At the start of your job search, it’s worth increasing your activity on social media channels, attending meet-ups, or creating something in your own time to showcase your skills. Hiring managers love to see that you’re passionate about creating brilliant products outside of work too. 6. Knowing the market is important to your job search. Understand who the movers and shakers are, and which are the growing sectors. This will give you lots of insight into the type of roles to apply for, but also a lot to talk about at your interviews. Try to be a little savvier in your research, we all know who the challenger banks are. Common Interview Feedback We Get from Clients 7. Too often, candidates don’t have enough specific examples to illustrate what they’ve done. This leaves hiring managers thinking they were just part of a team, told what to do by someone else. To avoid this, be clear about what your involvement was and think of situations you can talk about as examples. 8. Another piece of common feedback we hear a lot, is that the candidate didn’t demonstrate leadership capabilities. Even if you’re joining a large team, Product Managers must be able to lead people in some capacity. They must be able to guide anyone, from stakeholders, to developers, designers, all the way to the CEO. This doesn’t mean you have to be a micromanager, but you do have to be a natural leader of people and demonstrate this. 9. Being clear and concise is difficult to prep for but is always analysed in a Product interview. Many candidates aren’t clear enough. You’re going to have to be able to communicate effectively with everyone, so interviewers need to know you can speak about a subject clearly and concisely. Normally this is judged by asking questions such as “What did your role entail?” or something along the lines of “Tell us about a product you’ve worked on.” General Interview Tips 10. Do your research and make sure you know the company you’re interviewing with. A lot of clients will test your knowledge and ask what you would change about their product. Being prepared will not only avoid any hesitation in your answer but will also show that you’re interested in the role and the company. 11. Avoid talking too much about your team and focus more on talking about yourself. While you want to show that you’re a team player, and speak about your team’s achievements, always saying the team did this or the team did that, makes it seem like you had no real control.

Our Head of Contracts Alexandra Martuccio works with all our Contractors daily. Here are her top tips to secure your next contracting role! 1. Don’t be a generic consultant or jack of all trades. Most clients we work with are looking for specific skill sets for their projects. 2. Make sure to read the role that is advertised in detail. If you have experience in the skills mentioned, make sure to highlight these on your CV. Only include the relevant skills you think match the role and describe what you’ve achieved by applying them in past roles. 3. In addition to skills, list relevant work experience you’ve had that is similar to the role you’re applying for. 4. What is your unique selling point? What makes you stand out from the other 500 applicants? 5. You may have the skills for the role but does your CV tell the same story? It’s the first thing we (and the client) see. 6. Clients and I don’t need to know your blood type or how many pets you have – keep it professional! 7. LinkedIn is your shop window and where clients find you. Double check that your CV and your LinkedIn profile match in terms of contract dates, companies and job titles. 8. Quantity is not always quality. CVs don’t need to be 20 pages long to be good. Just include the most up to date roles over the last 5-8 years in detail including a few bullet points followed by job title, client and dates. 9. Make sure your CV looks presentable and double check for spelling mistakes and alignment issues. Ask someone else to take a look for you and make any changes we might suggest before we put you forward for a role.​

Whether you’re at the offer stage for a new job or are gunning for a promotion at your current one, honing your negotiation skills is crucial to getting the salary you want. Yet surprisingly, a survey by Salary.com showed that only 37% of people always negotiate their salaries while 18% never do. In addition, a staggering 44% of respondents claim to have never even approached the subject of a raise during their performance reviews. We’ve put together some tips to help you take your salary negotiation game to the next level! Understand your worth Always use research to inform your negotiation technique. Walking into a negotiation prepared will make the outcome so much better. The better prepared you are the more confident and informed you will come across. If you don’t have an exact salary figure in mind your Manager will have the upper hand from the start and will take control of the conversation very quickly. To avoid this, find out how much the job is worth and then research how much your skills and experience are worth to the company. The Glassdoor salary search is a great tool to do this with but most jobsites have a tool to help you find this information. Speaking to a recruiter can also be useful as they know what people with your experience are worth. Research the salary range for people in similar roles to you to give you a better idea of what you should be earning. Remember this will differ largely depending where you are located and the industry you work in. Once you find a range, set an exact figure that you would be happy with that is both realistic and leaves room for negotiation. To be on the safe side, always ask for more than what you want as your Manager will want to feel like they negotiated with you and got a good deal. Timing is everything After you’ve done your research, you can set the wheels in motion and book a meeting with your Manager. Many people wait till their performance review to start negotiations, but it’s a better idea to start talking to them three to four months in advance, as this is when they set the budgets. According to The Muse, several studies show that you’re most likely to get a raise if you ask on a Thursday as people become more flexible and open to negotiation closer to the weekend. Whichever day you opt for, double check your Manager is available for the meeting and schedule it into their calendar, so they don’t forget. Make sure you have a space for your meeting that is confidential to avoid having an awkward conversation in the hallway. ​ Be persuasive but stay flexible Every negotiation will have an element of back and forth, so you need to be flexible but still stand your ground. Be prepared for some resistance and be sure you have put together a case to show why you deserve the salary figure that you’ve put forward. This is the time to sing your own praises so put together a summary of all your achievements, awards won and testimonials you got from your colleagues. It’s a good idea to talk your Manager through your achievements before you start talking numbers. You can also give them a printed copy of your summary of achievements to look at while you talk them through it. But don’t make it all about the past. Make sure you outline your plans for the future. What projects are you going to take on and how will this help your Manager? Will it free up their time? Do you have ideas that you want to own and implement? Try to put yourself into the shoes of your Manager. What is important to them? Listening during a negotiation is a hugely important part and will let you understand the needs of the person you’re negotiating with. How can you sweeten the deal for both of you? Instead of being forceful, try to convince your Manager that it’ll benefit the business to pay you more. Be sure to listen and understand their views as well as getting your point across. Present all your facts and give them time to consider your proposal, as they will probably have to run it past Human Resources and possibly other Managers. Don’t expect an answer immediately. Consider your options A ‘no’ doesn’t mean the end of the negotiation but usually marks the start of it. If your Manager seems uncomfortable with the figure you have put across ask them why this is and what you can do to convince them to move in your direction. To come to an agreement, you both will have to be flexible, but you need to still stand your ground and not accept an offer that is too low. If your employer has made a counter offer it’s ok for you to ask for some time to consider the offer. Doing this will make sure you don’t panic and accept a minimal increase. When it’s an initial job offer you can also make a counteroffer 10-20% more than their offer. Consider that your benefits are up for negotiation as well, so if your Manager won’t budge on your salary increase, they may be more open to enhancing your benefits such as additional holiday, training or flexible working. Sometimes these can be just as valuable as a salary increase. If it doesn’t work out Most departments have budgets assigned by the wider business and sometimes it might not be possible to give you a pay increase at the time you want one. There may be factors that aren’t known to you so have a plan B in place. It may be that a raise is possible further down the line, but the timing isn’t right now. You need to know the point, you want to walk away from negotiations. Consider what you want to do if the answer is no or the figure is much lower than what you had in mind. Consider the whole package including the working environment, benefits and job role. Is this enough to make you stay without a pay increase? If the company won’t pay you what you’re worth, looking elsewhere may be the best option. But don’t burn your bridges just yet. You still want to keep working with this person for now so staying positive throughout the conversation is important. Once you’ve successfully negotiated a raise, make sure you get a written confirmation of all the details including how your responsibilities will increase.

You expect for lots of questions to come your way during the interview but are you prepared for your interview to be a two-way street? Preparing a set of questions you can ask the hiring manager at the end of an interview will show your interest in the role and company, but it's also the prime opportunity to find out if the job is right for you. Not having any questions makes you look unprepared and uninterested, so make sure you research the company and take a note of topics you can ask about. Your best bet is to prepare at least four questions in case some are answered during the interview or you forget any. ​ Here are a few suggestions what to ask when it’s your turn to call the shots. Have I answered all your questions? – This gives you a good chance to clarify any questions or doubts the interviewer still has. You can also expand on answers you may have given during the interview and it will give you a good idea of how you’re doing so far. What is your company culture like? – It’s a good idea to find out what the company’s philosophy is and if you can see yourself fitting into their environment. What are the day to day responsibilities of this job? – Hopefully this will shed some light on what your day to day in your new job would look like and if it sounds like something you want to be doing. What are your expectations for this role during the first 30 days, 60 days, year? – Find out what expectations they have for the role to see if it aligns with what you’re looking for in your new role. What are the biggest challenges you’re facing? – Asking about their challenges not only makes them think but also is a way of uncovering trends and issues in the industry. Who do you consider to be your major competitor? – You should have already researched the company’s competitors but getting your interviewer’s insights can be useful and could be different from the information available on the internet. What are the challenges of this position? – This question will help you identify areas the role will be focussing on over the next months. What qualities are the most important for doing well and advancing at this company? – This question can uncover information that’s not in the job description and gives you a chance to show you’re a good fit for the team. Is this a new position? If not, why did the person before me leave this role? – Asking this will uncover what happened to the person doing the job before and why and how they left. If you had to sum up the company in three words what would they be? – This can give you an interesting and spontaneous insight into what the company is really like and gets the interviewer thinking. What do you like best about working for this company? – Asking your interviewer about their personal experience at the company is a great way to gain insight into the company and to make a more personal connection. Watch for any tell tale signs here in their expression or body language that might indicate some issues or underlying negativity. Where is the company headed in the next 5 years and how can I grow in this job? – Find out if the company is growing and if there is room for you to progress your career over the coming years. Can you tell me a bit about the team I would be working with? – Some companies will volunteer this information and even introduce you to the people you’d be working with during the interview process. If not, it’s a good idea to clarify what the team looks like and what the pecking order is. What are the next steps in the interview process? – This is a great way of finding out how many stages are left in the hiring process and clarifies when you can expect to hear from them.

Relocating cities or even countries for a new job can be an exciting but also daunting prospect. There are lots of things to consider before packing up, so we’ve put together the most important things to think about before accepting that new job. 1. Find your why Before relocating, take some time to write down the pros and cons of the move. Why is it that you want to change your current situation? Is it a step up for your career or are you looking for more job satisfaction? Is the pay package better and will your quality of life improve in the new location? Also take into consideration the negatives such as being further away from family and friends, cost of living and possible language barriers. If you have real doubts about moving, then discuss them with family or friends and remember it’s an option and your choice to make. 2. Get to know your new home Before making the final decision about your move, visit your new home and try to experience it as if you already live and work there. This will help you see if you can picture yourself living and laying down roots there. You’d be surprised how much places can vary from online photos and information and your gut feel will give you a good indication if the move is right for you. Research the place you’re moving to as much as possible. It’s a good idea to see some different areas while you’re there so you can find the one that suits your lifestyle best. If you can’t visit before you move, speak to people already living there to get a better picture. Local social media groups can be helpful to join, and your new employer will be able to offer advice. 3. Ask for help Many companies offer a variety of relocation services including practical and financial assistance to employees who are relocating, so it’s worth asking about this during the hiring process. Even if your employer doesn’t typically offer relocation services, it’s worth negotiating this with them if it’s crucial for you to be able to make the move. Make sure to find out what your moving expenses will look like and if your goods need to be shipped so that you have a basis for negotiation. Some companies may also offer corporate housing. 4. Research, research, research Research your future company as much as possible and find out who you will be reporting into and what the team is like. You can find out more about the organisation’s ethic and culture by asking to speak to someone in a similar role as the one you’ll be doing. Next up think through the logistics of your move. Is it a permanent move? Will you be gone for a few months or a couple of years? Selling a house is one of the biggest complications that relocating homeowners face. So, analysing how permanent your move is will influence if you keep your current property, put your things into storage or opt for the full move. Renting your accommodation is also a great choice to settle into a new city without making a huge commitment. Make sure you know how much your cost of living will be, including accommodation, transport, childcare, other expenses, and tax rates. Your new job may offer a better salary package overall, but it may soon lose its novelty when compared to your cost of living. You also need to find out if you need a visa or residency permit to live in the new county. Visas can take quite a lot of time to process, so tackle it early on. If you already have found a job, the company is likely to sort this part out for you. But you should double check if this is the case before accepting the position. It is also worth looking into taxation as many countries have different tax guidelines especially if you are self-employed. Several countries also have bilateral tax treaties in place for non-residents to avoid being double taxed in your home nation and abroad. The UK for example, has over 100 of these treaties with different states. Your move can also affect your state pension so it’s best to clarify your pension status. To make the whole process easier, the best thing to do is to become a list person and keep a to do list for your current location and one for your destination. That way you have an overview of everything you need to keep on top of and don’t forget anything important during this busy time. 5. Think family If you have family, you need to take into consideration how they feel about the move. Will your partner be able to find work and what is the education system, schools and childcare like? Are there language barriers that will affect integration for your whole family? Is an international school the best option? 6. Your new start Once settled in your new city, make sure you’ve done the trial commute to your new place of work and know how long it takes you. The last thing you want is to turn up late on your first day. Networking will help you make new friends and build your safety net. Your new company may offer social clubs and activities to help you meet new people. Joining sports groups is also a great way to meet people with similar interests. The trick is to say yes, get out and be social. 7. If it doesn’t work out You’ve moved to a new city or country and started a new job. Now it’s turned out to be different than what you expected. Remember that it can take some time to get used to new surroundings and cultural differences which can be stressful but it’s important to stick with it and give your new situation a chance. If you’re still not happy after months and you don’t think that will change, you need to have a backup plan. Is it something job specific that is bothering you and could it change if you discuss it with your Manager or is it the location you are living in? Perhaps your commute is too long which is adding on stress or you’re not making any friends. Analyse why you're unhappy with the situation and see if a simple change could have a positive impact. If after this, the situation is still not working out for you, consider what your other options are. Overall, experiencing a different city or country can be the boost you and your career need. The key is that if you don’t like it, you can always go back, but chances are you won’t want to...