Office presents; tricky but not impossible.

Now that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are behind us, holiday shopping season is officially underway. And for office workers, that includes shopping for colleagues and bosses. But buying gifts for them can be as much of an etiquette minefield as the annual holiday party. Give the wrong gift, and you can derail your career before New Year's. Give the right one, and you'll start 2013 off right.

Here are 7 brief tips which we hope can help you:

Don't blow your budget

It's all too easy to want to impress your boss and colleagues with expensive presents, but this may send the message that you're trying to buy their loyalty. If there is no agreed upon budget, spend less rather than more. An office holiday gift is meant to be a token of appreciation rather than a large holiday gift from Santa, not only will your gift be seen as more tasteful, your credit card will thank you.

Do make thoughtful choices

While your gift to your colleague won't be as personal as to your spouse or parent, show that you know something about the person. If you don't know them particularly well then choose something he or she can use at work, such as a quality pen, a stylish organizer, or an iPad or eReader cover. Gift or music vouchers or sports tickets are safe options. By and large it’s probably best to avoid bottles of booze or spa treatments (the first is risky if the person doesn't drink, the latter could send a mixed message)!!

Give gifts away from the office

If you're only giving gifts to a few select people (and not the entire staff) then you should consider doing it at lunch. However, if you're playing Santa to all, make sure the gifts are equal in value, particularly if staff members are at equal levels on the corporate ladder. You shouldn't give more to one than the other because inevitably they will compare.

Always give your PA something

Again, a small token is still fine - but always give something. It's a nice holiday gesture to show your gratitude to someone who supports you and shows loyalty throughout the year. Even if this person is new, it's still appropriate and can work wonders for the forthcoming year.

Think about joining forces

If you're not sure whether it's appropriate to get your boss a gift, consider organising a group one. By doing so it looks less self-serving and with joint funds you'll be able to give him or her a nicer gift without breaking your budget.

Remember to say ‘Thank you’

It always seems to happen that someone is caught off guard by a gift from someone they didn't buy for. Don't panic - simply give back your gratitude. It is not mandatory to reciprocate, but it is essential to accept the gift with a genuine smile on your face and say something such as, “Thank you so much for thinking of me”.

Just say no to gag gifts

Ok, we all like a joke and a laugh to lighten the working atmosphere, but anything that can be seen as possibly offensive has no place in an office environment. Save the gag gifts for very close family and friends. Unless your office is hosting a white elephant exchange where the premise is to give a silly gift, opt for tasteful over tacky.

Those few thoughts should give you plenty of time to prepare and come up with the perfect gift for your colleague(s).

As ever, the team can be contacted at www.chestertongray.com

Planning ahead; re-writing your CV

The traditional Christmas shut down is now about 5.5 weeks away and after a quiet December the jobs market has historically always picked up in early January. The drivers behind this are two-fold; firstly many companies are now in new financial years and therefore have new budgets to spend and secondly the Christmas period has always been a time when many candidates reflect upon their careers and aspirations resulting in a surge of activity in the New Year.

As a candidate you can wait until your frustrations kick in once you are back at work and update your CV then, you can do it over the holiday period, though I feel sure that there will be too many other distractions and it will be put aside or you can start planning to get ahead of the game now, re-write it and get it out to all the search firms or recruitment companies that you’ve used in the past.

CV’s are marketing documents, so you want yours to portray you in the best light possible. Of course you will read it, re-read it, ask your friends and former housemate, the one with a double first in English, to read it and give their comments on it. I suspect that you will tweak the format until it's just perfect, but the chances are you're still probably making some - if not all - of these errors.

1. Your CV reads like a job description. True, there are similarities, but there are also distinct differences. If you write, "Responsible for sales in the Midlands" that tells me nothing about what you accomplished. It tells me and prospective employers what you should have done, but not what you actually did.

2. There are no numbers on your CV. Numbers bridge corporate cultures. If you write, "Increased revenue," that's a good thing. If you write, "Increased revenue by 25 percent over a three-year period," then that tells us a lot more about what you did. How many people did you supervise? How big was the budget you managed? By what percent did you increase efficiency? How many clients did you have? This tells us so much more and means that your CV will stand out from all those others sitting in the pile.

3. Your formatting only works on your computer. Not everyone uses the same word processing program that you do, meaning your formatting may not translate. Bullet points disappear. Tabs get shifted. Check how your resume appears in Microsoft Word, Open Office, Google Docs and any other common program before you email it. Formatting problems make you look sloppy even if your resume was perfect when you hit send. The other issue is that many companies now use CV scanning systems, which have problems reading boxes on CV’s: keep it text driven.

4. It's too long or too short. No, there isn't a secret, perfect length for a resume. But if you're a new graduate with two full pages, you'll look pretentious. And if you're someone with 15 years of experience with everything crammed onto one page, you'll look like you haven't done anything. Scientists and academics need extra pages for their publications. The point is, you will need to work out what is standard for your industry and your experience. The rough rule of thumb guideline is one page for new grads, two/three pages for experienced employees and extra pages for candidates with numerous publications.

5. You have an objective statement. I have never - and I really do mean this - never ever seen an "objective statement" help someone get the job. We know what your objective is - to get a good job with a great salary in an environment where you can learn and grow and blah, blah, blah. If you have something unique to say, put it in your cover letter. Take it off your CV and fire any “career coach” or CV writing house that tells you to include one.

So, that’s now set you up to attack the job market in the New Year, good luck, it will be a challenge in the current European economic situation, but it can be fun and hopefully it will ultimately be very rewarding for you.

These are the thoughts collated by my colleagues at Chesterton Gray, if you have further points that you think could be added to the list, then as always we would be delighted to hear from you. www.chestertongray.com

The Annual Appraisal.

It is one of those times that no matter how hard you’ve worked and how good you think that you are at your job; the butterflies kick in and rational sentiment can go out the window.


Your annual appraisal might seem like the at-work equivalent of a school report but in reality it's a progress report for both you and your boss.

"A review is an opportunity for the manager to motivate an employee, by recognising their good work and redirecting their efforts and energy if necessary," says Brian Poggi, author of "I Am Not Average: How to Succeed in your Performance Review." He has conducted hundreds of performance reviews during his time in corporate America, which includes stints at GE and Polaroid.


Here are six things Poggi says you should never say during your appraisal. They can damage not only your review, but also your career:


Nothing at all

If you fail to prepare for your review (by not giving yourself a self-review and anticipating questions or concerns), you should be prepared to fail, as the saying goes. "It communicates that you don't see this as an important event, and that signals that you may not be a competent employee," says Poggi. If you have some talking points ready (perhaps things that would help you do your job better), there will be a natural give and take of ideas -- particularly important if you are anticipating criticism.


How did I do?

"By asking this question you're inviting a critique, and while you may get some positive [input], you're leading them down a less-than-optimum view of your performance," Poggi says. Your boss will share his or her concerns -- you don't have to draw their attention straight there.


What can I do better?

Again, a relatively vague statement like this not only invites criticism, but also shows that you haven't really prepared or aren't self-aware. "Instead, say, 'These are some things I'd like to work on,'" says Poggi. He adds: "Rather than ask [about your faults], present how you can make your job more productive and the company a better place."


Can I have a pay rise?

Poggi says simply asking for a rise because you have been at the company for X number of years will get you nowhere. On the other hand, the review is a prime time to prove your worth -- which lays the groundwork for that salary conversation. "Your boss probably has several direct reports and there is no way he will remember all the great things you've done," says Poggi. "Many employees think if they keep their heads down they'll be rewarded. It's great in theory, but it doesn't work."


I'll do better

If you do get criticism, ask for further explanation or an example of what you can do to improve. "If they say, for example, you need to work better on a team with others, say 'Can you give me an example of how I can do that better?'" Poggi says. This shows you're interested, and gives you a clearer idea of what success in this area looks like to your supervisor.


I'm bored

If you're bored with your current position, outline your successes -- and then point out other areas where you could add value in a specific, new way. But don't mention giving up other responsibilities to focus on more challenging or interesting stuff just yet. "You want to come across as wanting more, not wanting to wash your hands of something," says Poggi.


So there you have it. A few simple thoughts on how to manage what might be a difficult and stressful situation and ways to turn it to your advantage.


If you have thoughts from either side of the annual appraisal table then we would be pleased to hear from you. www.chestertongray.com

Voicemail; love it or loathe it, we’ve all used it.

One of the foremost places that technology has transformed the basics of business etiquette is in the realms of communication. But there are few things that wind people up more than voicemail. Are there rules around the proper use of it? In fact, is voicemail acceptable at all anymore?


Considering I spend a sizeable portion of my life talking to people on the ‘phone you would have thought that by now I’d be a dab hand at leaving concise factual messages. But far from it. I know that occasionally I ramble and worse still I know that on certain occasions I am going to ramble when I have to leave a message!


The whole disaster that is voicemail hit home recently when I was interviewing and had switched the ‘phone to silent. After the interview I listened to the message from a candidate which went on and on and on, singularly failing to tell me who he was right until the end of the message, or even the gist of why he was calling me.


When I finally returned to my desk, I couldn't bear the thought of wasting another five minutes wading through the long, rambling message to find the candidate's name, email, and phone. So, after a short mental debate, I just deleted the message.


He could have left a short message with the pertinent details right up front. Even better, he could have simply emailed me, or at the very least followed up the call with a mail that contained the details I cared about. As a result he’s missed out and will probably do so again in the future unless he learns to present himself better.


I think my reaction was reasonable; in today's fast paced business world, I no longer have time to waste listening to voicemail, teasing out valuable details, and transcribing it onto paper myself. But what do you think? Is there a place for voicemail in the office anymore? If so, what are the rules of the phone that one should follow?

Here are my top five rules:

• Don't leave voicemail. It's fine to call and try to reach someone when they’re in the office, but if they're not available, skip the voicemail and leave an email, which is easier to scan for important details.

• Don't even call. If they’re not in the office, first try instant messaging. It's less intrusive, as it can be ignored if the person is busy.

• If you've decided to ignore my first two rules, keep it short. Voicemail is not the place for long narratives. If your message is more than a minute long, you're doing it wrong.

• The first words out of your mouth after the beep should be who you are, how you can be reached, and what you need. Once you're done with that, feel free to leave a little more context.

• Don't leave voicemail.

I’m quite prepared to be told that in fact I’ve got it all wrong and that voicemail is the singular most important office tool. If that’s the case drop me an email, not a voicemail, and tell me why I’m wrong!

If you would like to talk with one of the Directors or Consultants then please feel free to contact us as www.chestertongray.com

Loving your employees.

Whilst it’s hard to escape the news that Europe, or at least several parts of it, are in a downturn/recession/double-dip recession/in stagnation (please delete which option you feel isn’t applicable), the fact remains that there are successful businesses across the continent that are trading profitably, show growth signs and have cash in the bank. Invariably they don’t have a monopoly and as a consequence they have competitors which would like to steal (a) some of their market share and (b) quite possibly a number of their key employees.


That means that you run the risk of one of your staff handing you an envelope on a Monday or Friday with their resignation in it; so how are companies making sure that that doesn’t happen?

I'm talking about the things that the best companies do to engender the dedication, loyalty and, yes, even the love of the people who work for them.

Everyone knows that the days of the one-company career are long gone. Depending on what data you choose to believe, the average person will change jobs between five and seven times in a lifetime. So if you run a business, it is virtually certain you will lose every employee you have (hopefully not all at once).

It's a reality that hurts, because enlightened companies know that employees are every bit as important as customers and other stakeholders, and great employees are hard to find and painful to lose. Whilst you may have to accept that your employees won't stay forever, you should never stop working at making your company the kind of place that's hard to leave.

Companies with the happiest and most productive employees, and the lowest turnover, tend to have key people-priorities in common.


Trust. In both directions. Your employees need to trust you, know where they stand with you, and feel safe with you. And you must show that you trust them, whether it's with projects, decisions, time or money. The miserable and destructive phenomenon of "office politics," as clichéd as it may be, really boils down to nothing more than issues of trust.

Responsibility. Give your people as much as they can handle, maybe even a little more. It tells them that they and their jobs are valuable and gives them a chance to shine (or fail). It helps you identify star performers, it discourages logjams and gets more done, and it's good for your business.

Culture. Your company culture is its heart and soul, the glue that holds it together. Great employees don't stick around in companies with lousy cultures, and all other things being equal, employees perform better within a great culture. And this is usually an area where smaller businesses can almost always have an edge.

Opportunity. People naturally want to keep moving, preferably upward. And they will naturally stay with an employer longer if they know they can earn the chance to do more or different things, climb the proverbial ladder, and earn more money. This can be challenging for small companies, as with only a handful of jobs there just might not be a ladder to climb. You should seek and create opportunities for people wherever and however you can.

Recognition. Some people love getting awards, plaques and employee-of-the-month certificates. But what really matters over the long term is ongoing, straightforward, day-to-day appreciation and recognition. Give genuine praise, both publicly and privately, for work well done. Never take even tacit credit for someone else's work (and in general give much more credit than you take). Say thank you, often. There are few things that will get an employee to start polishing up their CV faster than feeling unappreciated.

Salary. Of everything on this list it's the one over which most small businesses have the least control. Clearly a good employer must do its best to pay good people what they're worth, but small companies often can't compete with big ones when it comes to compensation or "packages." So while pay is obviously a critical issue, the limited resources of a small business make the other five elements all the more important.

Trust, responsibility, culture, opportunity and recognition are entirely within the means and resources of any company, and it has been proven time and time again that employees will, within reason, make salary compromises for the most appealing overall opportunity.

The employer/employee relationship is much the same as any other relationship: what you get largely reflects what you give.

For more on Chesterton Gray then please visit our web site www.chestertongray.com

Interview preparation & how to be on the ball

As we approach the traditional summer break I thought that I would put a few thoughts together for the post holiday’s blues return to work. Over the last twenty plus years that I’ve been recruiting it has almost always signalled an upsurge in candidates hitting the market and clients finally recruiting after months of inertia. There are 1001 subjects that I could write on but few are more important than that face to face meeting; the interview

Before you walk into a job interview, you want to give yourself every opportunity to show yourself at your very best. Here are six things to do in the hours and minutes before your meeting:

Eat brain food

Put down the doughnut, the Danish pastry, anything sweet -- it'll just leave you susceptible to an energy crash during your big moment. Instead, fill up on meals and snacks that will sustain you and won't leave your stomach growling mid-question. Just as in everyday life you should eat meals that are low on the glycemic index and combine carbohydrates, fats and proteins. There is a huge quantity of research that has showed that proven brain food includes fish, blueberries, spinach, nuts and vegetable.

Warm up your mind

You want to be firing on all cylinders by the time your interview begins. If your meeting is first thing in the morning, consider doing the crossword or Sudoku while you're already stoking your brain cells with coffee. It's a great way to get into the problem-solving mode.

Get handy with deodorant

Sweaty palms leave a soggy first impression and just feeling yourself melting down can cause you to lose focus. Over the years I’ve met many a candidate who occasionally gets sweaty palms under stress, and the best tip that I was given was to rub a dab of unscented deodorant on your palms.

Call a positive pal

Please don't spend time with someone who always thinks that the glass is half empty, who tends to discourage you or makes you nervous, instead, call Mr/Mrs Positive - a friend, partner, mentor or even a relative -- who can give you a last-minute boost. It will work wonders for your attitude when you walk into meet your interviewer.

Put away your notes an hour before

Many candidates have a tendency to rehearse talking points in the car or taxi ride on the way to an interview. But preparing up until the very last second can backfire. Don't over-practice, you don't want to memorise your answers. You have to be genuine and spontaneous.

Take a quiet moment

Before you enter the office where your meeting will take place, try to briefly clear your head. Find a quiet place near your interview - a church, a library or a far corner of a hotel lobby - take a deep breath and try to calm yourself. By doing so you'll enter your interview prepared and on the ball.

If you have an interview, then good luck and let us know if you tried any of these tips and if they worked. If not, what tips have you used that work?

As ever, the team welcome your thoughts at www.chestertongray.com

Simple steps to achieve your objectives

If there was a shortcut to success, would you want it? A strategy to follow that would help you get what you want in the most efficient and effective way possible?

Most normal people have a limited number of hours in the day and a limited amount of energy to get what you need to get accomplished, while at the same time going after your bigger goals.

Reading the autobiographies of successful business people and politicians, it becomes clear that they have all adopted broadly similar strategies, of which these tend to be the key four:

1. Know your desired outcome. When you use your car's sat nav, do you type in all of the addresses you don't want to go to or just the one where you do want to go? Clearly, it is critical to know your desired outcome. What do you want to achieve? What are you going after? Now is not the time to be casual, vague. Imagine you've rubbed the magic lamp and you get one shot at requesting what you want. Be clear and be specific.

2. Take action. Get started. Simply do something -- anything, really. Don't fall into the trap of having to know the best action to take to get started because this will cause delay. In fact, it's the excuse far too many use so they don't have to get started.

3. Focus on feedback. Remember the games that you played as a child? What if you only played them and never moved on? You'd never know if you were getting closer or farther away from the prize. If you try to analyse every conceivable next step, you'll never know if your path is leading you closer or farther away. Taking action is how you get feedback. Take the step, because even if you are wrong, that will give you valuable feedback so you can adjust your approach in the future.

4. Be flexible. If you notice your actions are not leading you to your desired outcome (or maybe not as quickly as you wish), then you have to be flexible in your approach. It's not enough to just notice what you are doing isn't working; you have to shift your strategy. Stop, turn, and take a step in a different direction until you get closer to your outcome even if you've invested a lot of time and energy in your previous moves.

It really doesn’t matter what you’re doing, whether it’s in your business or personal life, if you keep to these four steps then they will help you achieve your goals faster and more efficiently.

Please feel free to let us know your thoughts or whether you feel that there are other traits that should supersede these four. www.chestertongray.com