5 Soft skills you should always bring up in an interview

With a few short weeks until the Christmas holiday season starts, a lot of candidates start brushing up their CV’s in preparation for the expected New Year uplift in the jobs market. Whilst that’s an obvious strategy, along with preparing yourself for the interview, we thought that we’d look at a few of the other oft overlooked issues that the majority of candidates overlook.

Even if you are extremely qualified, have terrific application materials, a targeted CV and you're interviewing for jobs, but always coming up with a silver medal, it's possible that you're bumping up against an elusive almost impossible trait to pin down: likability.

Also known in the industry as "cultural fit," likability is a reason many candidates don't make the final cut—the interviewers either didn't like them or didn't believe they would mesh well with current employees.

Emotional intelligence, otherwise known as soft skills, is the category of skills most likely involved when evaluating likability or fit. Wikipedia defines them as "Personal attributes that enhance an individual's interactions, job performance and career prospects. Unlike hard skills, which are about a person's skill set and ability to perform a certain type of task or activity, soft skills relate to a person's ability to interact effectively with co-workers and customers and are broadly applicable both in and outside the workplace.

Soft skills include: attitude, communication skills, time management, critical thinking and a slew of other categories that do not relate to intelligence.

It’s undeniable that soft skills play a role in most, if not all, recruitment decisions. So how can you demonstrate these skills during an interview? Unfortunately there is no hard and fast answer to that, however we believe that the following tips help highlight five soft skills that are key during an interview.

1. Work ethic. Make sure to weave your thoughts about how important the company's mission and vision are to you and explain why you're willing to go the extra mile to help the organisation succeed. One tenet of evaluating candidates is that past performance is a predictor of future results. Make sure you prove that you have a strong work ethic by giving examples from the past about how you went above and beyond the call of duty to get a job done. Describe how you always complete projects efficiently and on-time, why you're punctual and persistent and how you balance your drive to succeed with the company's goals.

2. Positive attitude. Give examples of how you improved employee morale in a past position, or how your positive attitude helped motivate your colleagues or those you managed. I know from all the interviews that I’ve conducted over the years that some people are naturally bubbly and always upbeat whilst others have a more restrained and low-energy demeanour. If you tend to be more low-key, smile when you shake the interviewer's hand and make an extra effort to add some intonation and expression to your responses.

Make sure you aren't boring or dry, or you could lose your chance to be recruited.

3. Communication skills. Your interview is a great opportunity to demonstrate how well you communicate, so be sure you prepare and practice responses to showcase your best skills. Be concrete with these examples, and bring proof to the interview. Provide examples of materials you’ve created or written campaigns you developed in past roles.

4. Time management. This is a crucial skill many employers seek in their hires. It's especially important for candidates who want to work in a start-up to know how to manage their time, tasks and responsibilities effectively. Be prepared to explain how you prioritise the most important items first, delegate the items that others can do and figure out a way to get things done in the confines of your resources on the job.

5. Self-confidence. Very few employers want a wall flower. You can demonstrate self-confidence at the interview by the way you present yourself, including how you dress for the interview, the way you approach to shake hands and how you speak about your experiences during the interview.

If you're not particularly confident, practice acting as though you were. Make direct eye contact when speaking with strangers. Listen to your own voice, is it forceful or timid? Rehearse speaking in a more confident-sounding voice. Don't forget about your body language, which is one of the first ways employers will gauge your confidence levels. If you tend to hunch over, make sure you think about sitting up during your interview.

Don't forget to think about these soft skills when you prepare for an interview, be sure you demonstrate everything you have to offer the employer.


As ever we’re keen to hear from you, let us know your thoughts at blog@chestertongray.com or tweet us at @chestertongray

How to spot a bad boss before it's too late

Although the six week build up to the Christmas holiday can be quieter in terms of clients starting recruiting – setting next year’s budgets & forecasts seems to take priority – there is always something going on. For us it’s a good time to start research on an assignment, for candidates it’s a good time to brush up the CV for when the market kicks off again in January.

However, your career isn’t all down to your CV. There is the human element to it as well. You’re leaving people who you might have known for a number of years or quite possibly even for decades and potentially moving to a company where you know no-one.

That’s scary. As can be the interview process, but providing that you’ve prepared it should go smoothly. On the day of your interview, you have answered all their questions and then there's that inevitable moment: do you have any questions for us? This is your moment to find out whether you want the job and, in particular, what kind of person your putative boss might be. After all, you might be working for them for decades. Now is the time to ask a few questions that will reveal his or her true colours?

1. Of all the people who have worked for you, who are you proudest of - and why? You want to work for someone who will help you grow, develop and advance. If this boss hasn't helped people progress, this could indicate a fear of rivals -- in which case, you'll be held back. It may also suggest that no significant mentoring or coaching will occur, in which case: what, apart from salary, will you gain from the position? On the other hand, if the director/manager can cite a number of people who've gone on to a wide range of opportunities, you could be onto a winner.

2. Can you describe a disagreement within the project, job or department and how it was resolved? All healthy departments argue: that’s how organisations think. If there's no debate, there's no thinking. What you want to glean from the answer is whether there is a professional level of confidence around healthy disagreement. If there isn't, then your own views won't be welcome -- a sure sign that politics trump intelligence. Probably best to pass on this job.

3. Are there formal opportunities to mentor or coach rising stars in the firm? If you can't be a mentor, it's highly likely you won't get one either. Many job candidates hesitate to ask if they'll get mentoring or coaching (they think it looks weak), so this can be a good way to find out without appearing to ask.

4. What did the last person in this position go onto do - and what were they like? The background to a vacant position is always interesting. If the past incumbent left under a cloud, some of that opprobrium may attach to the position - in which case, beware. If they've advanced inside the firm, it means you could too. If no one really knows - they're lying and you should have a serious rethink. It's helpful to know how the job was done before, if only because it is far easier to follow someone who is different; if they're too similar, you may find it difficult to assert your own identity.

5. How far have the expectations and requirements of the position changed since it was first created? If it hasn't changed at all, there's a high likelihood that this is a pretty stable - but possibly rigid - organisation. Whether that is to your taste or not is a personal choice. But you want to know before you go any further whether you're jumping into a torrid or a stagnant pond.

By asking these questions you will almost certainly be asking questions that most candidates won’t, and questions that will quite probably surprise the interviewer. None of these questions will get you into trouble - but they may stop you jumping into it.

As ever we’re keen to hear from you, let us know your thoughts at blog@chestertongray.com or tweet us at @chestertongray

Three habits of effective leaders

It doesn’t matter how old you are or what industry you work in, but over the years the chances are that you will have worked with and for many bosses/leaders/managers, some of whom were awful and had possibly been promoted above their ability, whilst others appear to have taken to leadership like a duck to water. There are natural leaders, but many, if not most, have to work at it and are given ‘management training’ or simply work out from previous experiences of past managers the good and bad of leadership.

Which begs the question; Are you a leader? It doesn’t matter if you’re a Director or a Graduate entry-level employee, leadership is an essential skill that can propel you and your career to bigger, better things. There are countless books and on-line forums dedicated to the subject, but here are a few of our thoughts.

What are three habits a competent leader practices regularly?
The first habit is asking different questions. This is about expanding your curiosity. The second habit is taking multiple perspectives. This habit is about listening well and understanding the perspectives of others. The third habit is looking at systems, and that one reminds us that while the human brain likes to break things down into manageable parts, it is the unwieldy combination of those unmanageable systems that opens us up to new possibilities.

Do even the best leaders make mistakes?
Yes of course. They'll get mad and make mistakes, and sometimes they won't even recognise that they've done that. But the best leaders, like entrepreneurs, never stop learning, never become so arrogant or complacent that they stop believing they have room to grow. John F. Kennedy wrote that "leadership and learning are indispensable to each other." The good leaders (almost) never forget this.

What else separates great leaders from everyone else?
They create environments where people can thrive. We all have the experience of people who make us feel small and less capable than our colleagues versus those who make us more capable in their presence than we are without them. Good leaders remember that their perspective isn't the only truth, and they welcome entire human beings into the workplace -- inconvenient emotions, vague hunches, thoughtless mistakes and all.

If I want to become more of a leader today, how should I start?
Believe that you can change and begin to look for the ways you might need to by asking for feedback from others. Forgive yourself for your limitations (rather than denying them or beating yourself up about them), and then seek to grow beyond the way you understand the world today.

Nothing above is groundbreaking or revolutionary but hopefully a few common sense thoughts.

As ever we’re keen to hear from you, let us know your thoughts at blog@chestertongray.com or tweet us at @chestertongray

How to resolve conflict in six easy steps.

When we interview candidates for an assignment, one of the most common reasons that they offer up for leaving their current employer is that they’re having “issues” with either their manager or with another member of staff. Too often these are unresolved until the moment when they hand their notice in, at which point the companies try and resolve them. Sometimes the candidates decide to stay, but more often or not they still choose to move on.

By and large it would make working life a great deal less stressful for all involved if these issues were addressed at a far earlier stage. My colleagues and I have whittled down a few key steps that may not resolve every conflict, but will certainly help to improve communications:

1. Drill down. When you get upset, you become flooded with emotions. Your mind can start to resemble a bee hive of activity -- racing thoughts and a lack of clear focus. This is when you should drill down and to really try to figure out what you are actually most upset about. You're probably upset over 20 different things, but your job is to keep drilling until you hit the core of what is most upsetting. Once you get past feeling angry and thinking that your boss is an idiot, you may find that there is something deeper that is really troubling you. The answer will have a marked effect on how you handle the situation.

2. Be positive. It's critical you do your best to determine the other person's positive intent. What's positive intent? Well, negative intent is when you attribute the other person's behaviour to them wanting to hurt you and do you harm. When you are in the middle of a heated argument, negative intent comes naturally. "Why is he doing this to hurt me?" is a perfect example of assigning negative intent -- the assumption that he is trying to hurt you. It's difficult to resolve a conflict if you think the other person is hell-bent on doing you harm. Instead, play detective and try to figure out their positive intent. What positive outcome were they trying to achieve? Once you do this, understanding and empathy can begin to flow.

3. Step into their shoes. This is easier said than done -- especially when emotions are running hot -- but if you really want to resolve the disagreement or conflict, this is essential. If you can, pretend you are the other person and answer these questions: What are your goals? What must I have been thinking and feeling in order to respond/react the way I did (remember to continue to assume positive intent!)? When you can step into the other person's shoes you can begin to see and understand their interpretation which can help you resolve the conflict.

4. Rub the "magic genie" lamp. Be clear on precisely what you need to have happen. Maybe at this point you realise it's not worth it to resolve the conflict, or alternatively, that what you really need is to rekindle the relationship. Whatever it is, figure it out. Stop focusing on what you didn't get and all the things that didn't work out and start focusing on what you need to have happen now. This isn’t what you "want" to have happen. You may want a heartfelt apology and a dozen roses, but what really is the minimum you need in order to have the conflict resolved? Your answer will be your guide going forward.

5. Create a game plan. Now that you've taken a step back and tried to figure out their perspective and what it is you want to accomplish, now's the time to determine the best course of action to get you what you need. Should you send an email? A phone call? Call in a mediator, for example HR? What can you do that will increase the chances you'll get your wish from step 4? Your game plan should focus exclusively on only those things you can control. Whilst your wish from step 4 may be that the other person apologises, this unrealistic because you can't control this. Instead, what can you control? Scheduling a meeting? Yes. Having a civil conversation about what happened? Of course. Taking responsibility for things you would have done differently? Absolutely. You are controlling what you have control over to create an environment where an apology is more likely versus sitting back and waiting for an apology.

6. Execute. Now that you know what you need and what you control, go get it done. Resolving conflict is not a simple task, but by keeping these guidelines in mind, it can be less painful and more effective.


As ever we’re keen to hear from you, let us know your thoughts, do you agree or do you have other key areas that you look at to resolve conflict within your business life: blog@chestertongray.com or tweet us at @chestertongray

Seven ways to take a real holiday from the office

As we approach the end of July it seems that the whole of Europe is about to shut up shop for the summer holiday. Are you one of those people about to take your annual holiday? If so, good for you. According to a recent Expedia survey in the USA, most of us will fail to use two precious days this year. Overall, that adds up to 226 million lost days, or $34.3 billion, left on the table by the U.S. workforce.

Now it strikes me that you've almost certainly earned those days to recharge your batteries and to spend time with your family before facing up to the second half of the year. But to avoid getting constant emails, phone calls or even the dreaded call to come in, you'll want to prepare your office properly. Because holiday time should be spent on a beach with a margarita or sheltering under canvas as the heavens open. One place you should definitely not be? Sitting in your office.

Follow these tips, and you'll be dreaming of sand, sea and a suntan -- not work -- by the end of the month:

Think before you send. The day before you leave your office, be stingy with emails. Electronic messages are like boomerangs -- they come right back at you. "Typically for every email you send, you can expect double the responses in return (thank you, FW, RE, CC and BCC)," says Yahoo! Web Life Editor Heather Cabot.

Organise your office. Spend a day tidying your desk so that your colleagues who are left behind can easily find important files or data. You should also make any active files accessible on your computer desktop, if there is a chance you'll want to ask someone else to retrieve them.

Take a tip from McDonald's. One of the reasons McDonald's is so successful is because they have systems in place so that anyone can step in and it will continue to run smoothly. Clearly outline the way to do things to simplify anything from invoicing to interviewing potential employees while you're away (and while there are more temps than usual filling in).

Leave an automatic to-do list. You'll probably already be leaving a "to-do" list for any of a team that you might manage whilst you're away. But make sure it gets done without you checking in with an automatic follow-up email to employees, through Outlook or another comparable program. That way you don't walk into a post-holiday mess upon your return.

Give everyone advance notice. Your colleagues and boss should know you're leaving, but give clients a heads up, too. Change the answering machine, voicemail, hold music, and/or email line to say/read when you will be away on holiday. This will give anyone working with you a few weeks’ notice on your absence so they can get anything they need you for done beforehand.

Try a dry run. If you have real concerns then ask your team to operate as if you are on holiday for a couple of days. Then, hold an informal meeting after the dry run to see how it went. Discuss the obstacles and install procedures to address them. Dry runs let you show your team (not just tell them) how to operate without you, and it gives them the confidence to follow through on the plans in place.

Don't check in. If you don't call or email to see if there is anything you need to know about, you won't get roped into something that can probably wait. If you've set up the proper systems, you shouldn't have to worry about missing something important. If there is an emergency, you'll get a call. Your team will follow suit: If you lead by example you will soon create a culture where everyone takes a real holiday, comes back rested and is ultimately more productive.

As ever we’re keen to hear from you, you can let us know your thoughts either before or after your holiday at blog@chestertongray.com or tweet us at @chestertongray

Management advice that works; or does it?

If you have ever stood at a newsagents at the airport or railway station, one of the things that you really can’t have failed to notice is the plethora of books offering copious amounts of management advice. Now I always question management advice books because I wonder "Does this really work, or did the author just dream up a theory just so they could write a book?" The only useful advice is, of course, advice that helps people become better managers.

With a few spare moments between assignments I did some delving through the search engines to see what the most common advice is, and this is these reflect the most common/repeated thoughts:

• For those times when you tell someone to do something just because you're the manager: Every time you hit someone with the 'management' stick, it breaks in half.

• Getting bad news early is good news. I've found it applies to nearly all walks of life.

• Never tell or ask someone to do something you're not willing to do yourself. Always remember how it felt to be the one managed, and take that into consideration when managing others.

• My boss tells us all the time that the reason we are successful as a clinic is that she has made a point over the years to hire people smarter than she is.

• Remember the people reporting to you have their goals, dreams and vision for their future. To the best of your ability -- and their willingness to share -- learn what these are. When it comes to coaching, mentoring and managing your direct-report staff, you can incorporate this understanding into your message. Even if the mission doesn't directly correlate with or even contradicts their own vision, they will hear that you considered their point of view.

• Never value bureaucracy and process over people. This is what gives HR a bad name (and often unnecessarily). When you have a problem with an individual person, deal with that person or problem and don't push out some wimpy policy to try to 'stem the tide' of people who wear orange Crocs to work (or whatever other lame HR policy you can imagine). If you put people first and deal with them clearly and honestly, you'll find that most of your policies are unnecessary.

• Start every work conversation by asking a variation on the following: 'What can I help you with/how can I help you?' That may sound corny, but it is amazing when you see the stress on someone's face melt away because they 'get' that you 'get' that you're in it together. It's also a positive way to identify roadblocks; find areas where additional training or professional development would be helpful; and get a quick handle on staff workloads and priorities, helping readjust if needed. I've found that starting with, 'What do you need from me?' or 'How can I help you?' also gives you valuable insight into how a person is doing mentally, physically, professionally and personally.

• The best management advice I ever got was from a school counsellor who was talking about breaking up with a boyfriend/girlfriend, and only later did I come to apply it to managing work relationships: Understand that your primary goal when making management decisions is not to earn the concurrence of the employees you manage. You will never get employees to agree that they need to be reassigned, demoted, reprimanded, laid off or fired. Because those are some of the hardest actions to take as a manager, it is smart to keep in mind that you can lay out your case to the employee for why it is the best course of action for everyone (the employer). Employee buy-in is always a secondary goal.

• Don't treat your employees like idiots. It demeans them and you. It is especially true when you have unsettling news to share, [like] a company shakeup and changes in management -- really changes to anything. If you try to put a nice, 'everything is still wonderful,' Pollyanna gloss on the news you are trying to break, your employees will quickly lose confidence in you and your ability to determine when a situation needs more care and gravity.

• I was once told that all people really want is respect and to know that what they are doing is important. His statement has stayed with me ever since, and I use this philosophy all the time.

I don’t believe that any of these offer any ground breaking thoughts or advice but merely re-enforce what most of us have heard over the length of our careers. Maybe you can offer us something a little bit different? If so, what's your best piece of management advice?
As ever we’re keen to hear from you, let us know your thoughts at blog@chestertongray.com or tweet us at @chestertongray

Public speaking; how to grab people’s attention

I was at a business presentation a couple of mornings ago, along with about 100 other people, and there were two things that struck me. Firstly how relaxed and informal the key speaker was and secondly when the Q&A session came around, there was absolute silence from the audience.

Now I’m not a natural at standing up and making a presentation but whether you're addressing your team in a weekly meeting or headlining at a large conference, it's easy to get butterflies before public speaking. The last thing you want to see when you look out at your audience? People checking their smartphone, yawning, or just staring at you blankly.

It’s terrifying for some, but incredibly easy for others, so if you’re due to be that person soon; here’s how to avoid losing the audience:

Make your pitch personal
Telling stories is a great way to draw people in. Personal stories and self-directed humour are most effective. Facts, stats and other information are great, but a story acts as a vehicle to put that data into a digestible form.

Start strong and build on the momentum
A great intro line, interesting stat or news headline can help hook your audience. If your presentation is at a breakfast meeting, you might try and find a statistic about the number of breakfast meetings held each month/year or how many people skip breakfast for meetings.

Use props to pull them in
Some people are visual learners, so a physical prop, a PowerPoint presentation, YouTube videos and/or maintaining eye contact can help them concentrate. For instance, you might show that there is a new smart phone app that is relevant to what you’re talking about and you can give a demonstration of it.

Interact with your audience
Get your audience involved, and help them appreciate that not listening isn't an option. Get them to do something physical. For example, if you're talking about work-life balance, have people stand on one foot. Instruct them to post something on LinkedIn, ask for a show of hands, or break them into groups for smaller discussions. Whilst we all come from different backgrounds, try and show that you have an understanding of their world. Be personal. Make eye contact. Use people's names. Encourage questions and participation.

If you can integrate some of those thoughts into your presentation then in no time at all you’ll be a natural standing up and delivering to your best ability.

However, the total silence in the Q&A session did surprise me and I was the sole hand in the air. Even after a lengthy and informative answer there were no further questions, so we all adjourned for coffee. This gave me the opportunity to mention my surprise to a few fellow audience members and they all confessed to feeling awkward about wanting to ask a question, even though they might have wanted to do so. At some point in the future I suspect that they too will have to stand at the front and make a presentation and I sincerely hope that by then they have gained the confidence to do so.

As ever we’re keen to hear from you, let us know your thoughts at blog@chestertongray.com or tweet us at @chestertongray

The Paralysed Candidate- 10 Things you are missing

My colleagues and I have been in recruitment in one form or another for long enough to know there are some people who we simply can't help. Why? They aren't willing to help themselves. Qualifications have nothing to do with it. I know they could do anything they want. The truth is however that deep down they don't want to make a change.

Within the industry these are called "Paralysed Candidates". I am not talking about physical capabilities. In any walk of life people get comfortable and are scared to make a change. You can clock in and clock out and you know what to expect every day. You have a salary that you are comfortable with, and you know when you are going to take time off for your holiday every year.

Despite all that somewhere deep inside, they are unhappy. Unhappy with the direction of the company, the management, the salary or their colleagues. Possibly they don't feel challenged anymore. How do we know you all of this? Because we hear it from candidates all of the time!

Our advice to the Paralysed Candidate. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! If it doesn't work out, at least you can say you gave it a try. You can always go back if you stay on good terms or look for a new role somewhere else.

Here are 10 Things you are missing if you are the Paralysed Candidate.

1) Happiness. Can you say you love your job? Most of us can say we do. Is your job consuming your daily thoughts where you dread waking up in the morning? Life is too short, the grass is greener on the other side.

2) Challenges. For the first time in a long time, you will be tested. Things may not be easy, but that isn't a bad thing.

3) Meeting new people. Your network will be expanded and you will be exposed to different ideas and views that you haven't thought of if you stayed with your current company.

4) Learning new technologies. In today's very rapidly changing world you will be a dinosaur if you don't learn new software and expand your technical expertise.

5) Potentially more money. Have you hit the glass ceiling with your current company? There’s a company out there could use your skills that you aren't being recognised for doing.

6) Career advancement. People get stuck! Are you at a company where you simply can't move at all? You joined a company that offered absolutely no movement? Your manager has been in the same role for 30 years and he/she isn't leaving anytime soon. So why are you staying at this company?

7) Better Hours. Are you working 3rd shift or weekends? Sounds miserable to me. Do you travel 7 days a week? Want your life back? Take control.

8) Shorter Commute. Do you spend hours in your car commuting? Is it affecting your family life? There’s no reason to spend half your life in a car.

9) Better work life balance. Do you know some companies offer a flexible workforce, even telecommuting? Yes it is new, and more and more companies are offering than ever before.

10) You could be a part of the next big thing. There are some companies out there with some really great ideas. They could change the future. Would you like to be a part of the team that started Google or Facebook or Twitter? The next great idea is around the corner and you could be a part of it!

If you have evaluated all of your options and come to the conclusion that the company you work for is not fulfilling you, stop complaining and do something about it. You will be a different person. The above advice is something you actually already know and have known. Be brave, take a deep breath and do something about it on Monday morning.


As ever we’re keen to hear from you, let us know your thoughts at blog@chestertongray.com or tweet us at @chestertongray

LinkedIn: Quality over quantity.

I was at a dinner a few night ago chatting to a chap in his 40s who worked for a FTSE Plc and I was very surprised to hear that not only didn’t he have a LinkedIn account but that he was barely aware of it. Over a beer I tried to explain its uses and how he should best utilise it for his further career development.

Coming home it got me thinking that perhaps it was time to put those thoughts down on to paper and get the views of the LinkedIn community.

Oddly he was well aware that social media exists, he and his wife have Facebook profiles and he belongs to a number of members groups on Facebook but on Facebook, your popularity is measured by the sheer number of friends you have. However, on LinkedIn, padding your numbers doesn't increase your "worth." In fact, doing so could make it a less effective catalyst for your career.

My view is that you should carefully consider both quality and quantity when networking through LinkedIn:

Why shouldn't you connect with everyone on LinkedIn?
In the professional business world, quality always matters more than quantity, especially when it comes to business contacts. You could have a database full of "contacts," but how many of those contacts can you rely on to answer your emails instantly, find you a new recruit or help you out when you're in a jam?

So what should LinkedIn users aim for in terms of numbers?
There is no magic number but you should aim to have at least 50 connections. Once a member meets 50 contacts, they'll start to unlock many more networks and doors via their second- and third-degree connections.

What makes someone a worthwhile connection?
Before you connect with someone, ask yourself how you can help that person down the line and how you might benefit from connecting with them. Are they in a similar industry or an industry you're thinking of switching to? Working at a company you admire or one that's a competitor? Or are they an expert in their field or alumni with similar hobbies?

Is it ever OK to quickly add a lot of new contacts?
Yes, it's OK to have an increased number of followers if you are actually helping them. You can do this by sharing insightful comments, commenting on their posts, updating articles you're reading, joining group discussions and answering questions.

As long as you are maintaining a meaningful dialogue, then it is safe to create more connections. Despite what you might see from other contacts, having 1000+ by your name won’t actually change the way LinkedIn works for you: and yes I’m aware that I’m approaching 2000! But with the number of assignments I manage it is inevitable that I’ll have more contacts than most non-recruitment people.

What are signs that you're heading in the wrong direction?
If you find yourself inundated with comments, it might be time to backtrack and go through your connections and seek out who is truly meaningful to you and your professional growth. You can also go to your settings and cut down on the number of updates and shares you receive. Just like any other form of networking, you'll get more out of LinkedIn by the amount of time you spend on it. Create a welcoming interface. Join groups that you're actually going to participate in, and tailor LinkedIn Today to stories you are interested in reading. Connect with people who inspire you. They'll more than likely have great insight to share.

As ever we’re keen to hear from you, let us know how many people are you connected to on LinkedIn and how they have helped you or how you have helped them, blog@chestertongray.com or tweet us at @chestertongray

How to fall in love with your job again.

It's easy to love a new job. It's called the 'honeymoon phase' because everyone's hopes are high, it's a new challenge and it's a stimulating time, but after three to five years, that same exhilaration can often lead to boredom and frustration.

The buzz-kill here is familiarity. Initially in a new job, you're trying to understand your role. Once you've done that, you revel in the fact that you've developed a routine and are "good" at what you do. But then you get bored. Despite our common pursuit of less stressful lives, humans are wired for change, and new challenges are the fuel that makes life worth living.

It’s at this time of year, after the initial excitement of a new year and when the second quarter inertia kicks in for many, and they realise that they’re getting stale. So here are a few thoughts on how to spice up your job love life again.

Re-think your tools. It's easy to get overwhelmed by daily tasks and never-ending "to do' lists. Technology can help tame the beast. The great artists like Michelangelo spent enormous time making sure they had the best brushes, paints and materials for their canvases. The bottom line is that whatever you do for a living, there's probably an effective tool that can help you do it better. Depending on your business, different applications and software can help you accomplish daily chores faster and even make them more fun.

Say "yes" more. Variety can help an old job seem new, but you have to raise your hand when opportunities arise. It can be easier to just do what you've been doing, but if that isn't satisfying you have to challenge yourself to take on new tasks. Not only will you learn things, but you'll work with different people. That in itself may make a big difference.

Brush up on your people skills. After a few years on the job, you have probably mastered the nuts and bolts of the position. Now's the time to work on meeting new people, leading a team speaking in public or pitching your ideas. Formal programs like can help, or you can simply take time to work on these softer skills every day. Your efforts won't be wasted. Learn to deal with people more effectively and you'll become a star at the office.

Write a "did" list. At the end of each day, don't just cross off things that are done on your to-do list. Instead, write a quick "did" list, an informal summary of everything and anything you accomplished, from sharing a smart idea in a meeting to finally cleaning off your desk. If you regularly celebrate your successes both small and large, you won't have to wait for praise or a promotion for a boost.

Look at the big picture. If you feel like a cog in a wheel, focus on seeing how important the wheel is within the company. In the day-to-day battle, it's often tough to see the bigger picture and learn the impact you're making in the world. But perspective matters and each person makes a difference. A great manager should be showing you this, but that doesn't mean you can't try to see it for yourself, too.


Try these tips today, and hopefully you'll start loving -- or at least enjoying -- your work a little more. And if your honeymoon period is well and truly over and this work marriage looks doomed, maybe it's time to break up and start looking for something new. In which case, you know who to call!

As ever we’re keen to hear from you, let us know your thoughts at blog@chestertongray.com or tweet us at @chestertongray

Why do recruitment consultants ask the questions that they do?

Every now and then we take a lot of criticism as recruitment consultants – some of which is justified, a lot isn’t. So I’ve borrowed this and hope that it explains why we ask the questions that we do in interviews.

What salary are you expecting?
There’s nothing sinister behind this question. We want to understand what you are looking for so we can negotiate on your behalf.

Please don’t believe what you read and be tempted to talk up your salary hoping that you’ll score an extraordinary pay increase next role. We have a strong idea about the companies that pay well and the ones that don’t. Be warned some clients ask us to verify your salary claims with your pay-slip.

We know market rates. We know good candidates. We can tell you whether your expectations are realistic. We’ll also understand if you say you are underpaid in your current role and want more money.

Some clients have salary bands. This means they can only offer salaries within a particular range. When we ask what you’re after, we want to know whether your salary expectations match the range of roles we have on offer.

Why did you leave your last job?
Fundamentally our role is to determine whether you match the roles we have with our clients. You’d be surprised how many people forget this.

We ask three questions of any candidate when we are considering them against a role on offer:
- Can you do the job?
- Will you do the job?
- Will you fit the team?

We ask why you have left your roles for a few reasons.

We want to truly comprehend what you are looking for in your next role. If you left because you didn’t like the company, the work, the size of the team, the limited career opportunities and so on, then what we are about to say makes common sense.

We are not going to offer you an opportunity or a role with similar conditions.

We’ll also delve deep on this question to understand whether your stated reason for leaving “makes sense.” We ask ourselves if the reason you give is consistent with what we know of that company, that type of role and the market place.

You can expect more of a grilling if you have many short stints on your CV. Plus our antennas are alert if you leave a company in less than three months, and we know that industry or company is expanding.

We interview you for one role, but we ask if you are interested in another.
This happens quite often.

From our discussions in interview we may discover that you are a better fit for another company. If we do not think you are appropriate for one role, based on what you have told us what you want – and what our client needs then we will not put you forward to that client.

If we have other roles that will suit you, we may well talk to you about that role in interview, or call you and discuss it at a later date.

Why do you take so long to call?
This isn’t a question we ask, but a question we’ve heard asked of us.

Often the decision to appoint someone or even organise a second interview can take time. This is for a few reasons:
- someone internal appears out of nowhere
- someone internal makes a referral for another applicant
- the business restructures
- the employer likes you, but is not confident they have seen the best in the market
- the employer does not have their paperwork in order and forgot to get sign-off.
- the employer wants someone more senior to see you and that person is simply not available
- you are being hired for a newly created role.

If an employer is recruiting for an established role, then they have a more tangible sense of the opportunity cost or the cost of lost productivity. Often for newly established roles there is less urgency as an employer has less sense of what they are missing out on.

As ever we’re keen to hear from you, let us know your thoughts at blog@chestertongray.com or tweet us at @chestertongray

Should you wait for a second job offer?

The economic problems that have affected us over the last few years have had a massive impact upon the psyche of those candidates that are job hunting and especially those that have been out of work through no fault of their own. Redundancy can have a massive impact upon self-confidence and there is only so much ‘down time’ that you can have between jobs before you start to become stir crazy as well as getting under your partners feet having done all the decorating that any house could possibly need!

Interviews can be stressful and it’s a relief to get through the process and to be advised that the company will be making an offer. What happens though if you’re concluding one but still interviewing with another company?

Job offers can be like London buses, you wait ages for one and then fortuitously (or not) a couple arrive at once. Over the years we are consistently asked by candidates how they should address this issue and whilst there is no perfect catch all answer, there are a number of issues that you need to think about before making a decision.

The first thing you need to be clear about in your own mind is how the two companies stack up in relation to each other and how that affects whatever time constraints are being placed upon you. The company that has already offered you a role won’t be expecting an instant acceptance but neither will they be prepared to let you drag the process out longer than is reasonable. They have a business to run and need to make plans too. The fundamental questions about the offer that you should be asking yourself are (a) does the role offer me the challenges that I’m looking for? (b) can the company offer me the long term career opportunities that I’m after? (c) can I work with this person as my new boss? (d) does the salary match up to my expectations? If you answer ‘yes’ to all four, then you should seriously be considering accepting the offer!

If you want to pursue the second company then you need to talk (urgently) either with them or the recruitment firm about the time frames that the current and next interview steps will take. If they’re talking several weeks for second and/or third interviews, then it’s decision time for you. If you drag out the first company and don’t get the second offer there is a very high risk that the first offer will be withdrawn and you ‘ll be back to square one. If the second company expect it to be wrapped up within the next week, then you have the opportunity to run with it, but you need to make sure that the first company knows that you will make a decision by a fixed date.

Professionalism is the key to this. You need to manage this well because you never know when you might bump into either party again or whether quite by chance one of them might actually end up your boss one day in the future!

If fortune has smiled upon you, you might now have two offers sitting on your desk, in which case you go back to the four questions that you asked after the first offer. With those out of the way, you should have a much clearer idea of which offer you are going to accept.

If you are in gainful employment you now come to the day when you have to hand in your resignation. A word of warning; as for your current company giving you a counter offer? Forget it. Counteroffers generally end badly; you went out looking for a new job because of problems with your current one. A bigger salary doesn't solve any of those problems and from now on they’ll be keeping an eye on you as they know that you’ve tried to leave once. Say nice things about them in your exit interview and walk away with (hopefully) glowing references.

If you are currently in the job market, then good luck and I hope that everything slots into place for you.

As ever we’re keen to hear from you, let us know your thoughts at blog@chestertongray.com or tweet us at @chestertongray

10 things that you shouldn’t say in an office

Office jargon has been around since the first office was created and is frankly pretty annoying; it's an assault on the ears even to hear it. If you’re a cricket fan then the chances are you have played Boycott Bingo or if you too are one of those frustrated employees then the chances are that you’ve been to a meeting and played "Buzzword Bingo" using cards with expressions like "outside the box" or "on the same page."

Fortunately, such jargon goes out of style pretty quickly. I haven't heard "going forward" for a while but equally on the flip side, old expressions are almost immediately replaced by new, even more irritating ones.

Over a cup of coffee one morning we “brainstormed” the jargon we hear on a daily basis and here are a few of the results, with the odd example.

Leverage. Deployment of an insufficient amount of something to do that which was previously done with much more. Example: "After the layoffs, we can leverage our staff of three to cover the entire country".

Reach out. This one really is my pet hate for so many reasons. To deliver news. To talk or connect with someone. Example: "I wanted to reach out to you about my next job". No you don’t, you want to talk to me!!

It is what it is. Meaning: Get used to it.

Viral. So prevalent that it has almost became the word of 2013. Example: "Twitter has gone viral".

Game changer. A catalyst that will transform a frog into a prince or vice-versa. Example: "Getting indicted for fraud was a game changer for Joe Bloggs".

Disconnect. A situation in which you wanted jam, but someone gave you peanut butter. Example: "There is a disconnect between what the consumer wants and what we intend to provide".

Value-add. A gain, usually financial. Example:

Circle back. See you again and again and again whether or not you want to be seen. Example: "The stalker abided by the court's restraining order but then circled back to hang out by the house".

Socialise. Ram the idea down their throats. Example: "We need to socialise to our patients our practice of closing the doctor's office every day for two hours at lunch." In other words, “Call an ambulance”!

Cutting edge. Oh dear, my second pet hate. So modern, it's to die for. Example: "Their offering is so cutting edge that they will take the country by storm".

Now that these expressions have been officially identified as irritating jargon, you might want to give them up, or add to the list! Unless your boss is planning to circle back to reach out to interface and socialise to your value-add. What can I tell you? It is what it is.

As ever we’re keen to hear from you, let us know your thoughts at blog@chestertongray.com or tweet us at @chestertongray

Five personalities that might wreck your meeting!

When I secured my first “proper” job I don’t think that I was really aware of what the ‘management’ actually got up to or that they were never available for me to talk to because they were in meetings; in fact they always had a looming presence!

These days the world has moved on and it doesn’t really seem to matter who you work for, whether you’re a small family firm or whether you work in a large corporation, the chances are that you spend a lot of time in meetings.

And if you do spend a lot of time in meetings, you soon see human nature displayed in its full glory as your colleagues and customers jockey for attention, claim credit for anything they can and prey, Darwinian-style, on weaker members of the tribe.

So, next time that you are called to a meeting, here are five kinds of people that can make things go awry fast -- and a few thoughts on how to deal with them:

1. The bully. Speaks loudly and speaks for softer-spoken team members, apparently deciding that they are unable to make their points for themselves. Actually says things like "that's a stupid idea" to someone whose ideas aren't stupid. Feel free to treat this person like the primary schoolchild whose behaviour they’re channelling. If you let them get away with their infractions, they’re only going to get worse.

2. The non sequitur. This person needs to be heard and either doesn't understand or doesn't care that the ground rules of a discussion require at least some relation between discussion points. As a counterpoint you could interrupt swiftly with "That's an interesting point. Let's note that and move back to our current agenda." If you don't have a timed meeting agenda, then you're inviting this behaviour.

3. The would-be visionary. This person is a frustrated philosopher who has a nasty habit of sending the discussion down a rabbit hole by proposing ideas that sound important the first time you hear them, but rapidly leave you cringing by the time they’ve brought them up in a third or fourth meeting. Respond with humour if you can but it’s key to bring the discussion back to your line.

4. The constant questioner. This person assumes that asking questions about everything the speaker says makes them sound smart and attentive, not realising (or caring) how distracting it is for the others in the meeting. Unless the person is your boss, this person usually turns out not to have any real questions once he or she realises it won't be possible to turn the meeting into a Socratic dialogue.

5. The rambler. Now we all know of these! Occasionally makes good points, but buries each nugget in 10 minutes of fluff. Unless you want your 20-minute meeting to last an hour, get adept at asking a question that cuts to the chase.

Those are my thoughts, how do you keep bad meeting personalities in check?

As ever we’re keen to hear from you, let us know your thoughts at blog@chestertongray.com or tweet us at @chestertongray

‘Tis the season to be job hunting!

The first “proper” working Monday of the New Year is supposed to be the day when disgruntled employees finally decide after the Christmas and New Year break that enough is enough and that it’s time to look for a new job. And ideally a pay rise!!

The big job boards report increased activity, particularly at lunch time (odd that!) and at about 6pm when candidates get home and log on having said hello to the wife/husband/kids/dog/cats/hamster and start trawling for the net for their next career move.
The other incentive to move is that many companies are now in a new financial year and as a consequence have the budgets to hire the next round of talent that’s coming onto the market.

So, if that sounds like you today, then head over to www.chestertongray.com and talk to one of the Directors or consultants about the roles that we are recruiting or if you’re a company come and discuss how we work and can help you unearth your next superstar.