Blog

Today is officially the first day of Winter and we know it can be difficult making your way into work on these chilly and ever so short days. However, we’ve come up with 9 top tips to stay warm and well this Winter.   1.    Dress wisely During the Winter months, the temperature can drop rapidly in a short space of time. You don’t want to be caught out in the cold. By that, we mean wrap up warm! We’re talking windbreaker, gloves, scarf, and even bringing along a thermal blanket to the office, just in case you feel a chill whilst you’re checking your emails.   2.    Change up your work routine Routine can be very important to the organisation and success of an individual. However, this Winter, why not change things up a little? The days can be dark, and the weather can be bleak, so in order to avoid the Winter blues, it might be best to keep things interesting by switching up your schedule day-by-day, so you don’t fall into a slump.   3.    Keep up to date with the weather Picture this – it’s first thing in the morning, it’s freezing outside and still dark, you have a full day’s work ahead of you, you summon all of your will to get up out of your cosy, comfortable bed, get right to the end of your morning routine, step outside and your car is covered in ice. Before you go to bed, check the weather report for the next day and work out whether you need to get up a little earlier. There’s nothing worst than turning up for work late after all that effort in the morning. Waking up 20 minutes or so earlier will give you enough time to make it to work, even if the weather takes a turn for the worst. We know, 20 minutes earlier? We believe in you!   4.    Regular breaks We know that the average attention span of an employee is between 30-45 minutes, so take a few minutes to stand at your desk, chat to a colleague, pop over to the kettle, or go for a bit of fresh air. Regular stoppages during the working day can make a world of difference to your performance, so try not to be stuck at your desk constantly.   5.    Remain organised and focused It is of paramount importance to remain organised and focused during these long Winter months. It may seem obvious but losing focus or lagging behind on projects can decrease productivity, thus increasing your stress levels and therefore, worsening your mood during this time. Being behind on your work and increasing stress is the last thing you need. Instead, grab yourself a festive-themed hot chocolate, pull up a weekly planner and work out exactly what you will be doing for the week to stay ahead of the game.   6.    Recognition for yourself and for others Complimenting your fellow colleagues on their hard work and valuable contributions to the business means that they will often reciprocate. This may appear as though it’s a small factor of your working day but can actually make all the difference in boosting morale around the place – give it a try and spread some Christmas joy.   7.    Eat well It’s essential to keep fit and healthy this Winter, with the temperature tumbling and cold & flu taking its course, eating well can make all the difference. This may sound painful but stay with us here – we recommend you ditch or at least cut right down on sugary drinks and comfort food (aside from Christmas Day, we’re not monsters!) As well as this, introducing plenty of Vitamin D into your diet is one of many ways to avoid illness and also improves your mood.   8.    Embrace new tasks and goals We previously mentioned that it might be a good idea to change up your work routine. Well, one major component of this is embracing new tasks and setting yourself new goals. Taking on new tasks or helping out colleagues can increase work load but also boost morale and increase productivity. Setting yourself new goals can improve your sense of achievement and changing up your daily schedule, making the days go quicker.   9.    Get into the Christmas spirit Why not, right? After all, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. When we talk about getting into the Christmas spirit, we mean no half measures. Decorate your desk and wear your worst Christmas jumper (if these are permitted), enjoy mince pies and mulled wine after a long day at work, put up the Christmas tree and tinsel around the office, and crank up the Christmas songs.   We hope these tips help you at work in the coming months. Alternatively, why not join a fun, fast-paced global recruitment business? We encourage all of the above and are still hiring around our global offices. If you’re interested in a career with us, email info@hamlynwilliams.com with a copy of your CV or call 0203 675 2920. We look forward to hearing from you.

Today is National Salesperson Day – a day where we are eternally grateful to all of our 70+ Recruitment Consultants across the globe for all the hard work they put in. Today however, we’re doing more than just showing our appreciation for our brilliant global teams. In line with National Salesperson Day, we’re going to take some of the best traits of a top-quality salesperson and use them as a base for how you can develop your own personal brand as a candidate. We’re going to break this down into the 3 main stages of the recruitment process: 1) The application, 2) The interview, and 3) The on-boarding. 1)   The application process During the application process, it is important to find your niche, so to speak. Simply listing your interests, talents, and passions may not suffice, whereas brief descriptions of your engagement in such activities can help emphasise your personality. This will give the employer a much better understanding of who you are as a person, and more importantly whether you would be a good fit for their organisation. Networking is important in virtually every industry, whether that be liaising with colleagues or attending specific networking events. However, it is now essential that you build your digital network. Sharing and writing articles & blog posts, connecting with the right people on LinkedIn, and interacting/ connecting with industry influencers can help develop your personal brand. It is crucial that you tailor your CV to the company you are applying for. Suitable use of buzz words that are associated or even featured on the job ad is a great way to showcase your value before you even take part in the interview. It is also important to be self-aware – i.e. knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are and emphasising them in a positive manner in your CV displays an excellent level of professionalism and humility. 2)   The interview process The first key component to undertaking a successful interview is to be able to emphasise your knowledge. Specifically, remaining aware of current industry trends, staying active on social media by following influencers/ industry players, and also liaising with colleagues/ ex-colleagues/ friends who have their finger on the pulse of the current market climate. This shows employers that you’re living and breathing what you do for a living – a great asset for them. Actions don’t necessarily speak louder than words in an interview scenario, however they do in a sense with regards to your body language. Try to avoid slumping in your chair, avoiding questions, or being evasive in answering/asking questions. Instead; be willing to share knowledge and discuss through a theory you are interested in or that is affecting your market, or future of the company. Make sure you’re specific in your answers to questions – i.e. if you are describing a time when you completed a task at your old job and that caused sales to rise, don’t just outline. By that, we mean tell a story (objective, solution, outcome) and provide specific KPIs. 3)   The on-boarding process When starting a role, you will be introduced to a lot of new people. The key rule here is to introduce yourself in the right way – with enough detail, whilst keeping the introduction brief. When introducing yourself to one of your new colleagues, you should try and keep your introduction between 30-60 seconds to let them know who you are, what your job is, what team you’re in, what company you have come from, and a few positives about your current focus. Something to remember when starting a new role is don’t tell people how great you are, show them how great you are. Figure out where you can contribute the greatest value without taking on too much. Of course, prioritise your own work and complete tasks to the best of your ability, but also attempt to pick up extra jobs around the office, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. For example, if you excel with Excel, then lend a hand to someone struggling with a spreadsheet. Offer creative suggestions in team meetings and most of all, show a positive and hard-working attitude. Finally, align yourself with the organisation. By that, we mean putting your ideas across whilst ensuring that they match the goals of the business. As well as this, make sure you incorporate feedback from senior management and colleagues so that you can learn from your mistakes, therefore growing as an employee and showing that you are adaptable. We hope this has helped refine your self-branding skills across the recruitment process. If you are looking for a new job and are interested in speaking to one of our specialist Recruiters, please call 0203 675 2920 or visit www.hamlynwilliams.com/job-search or email info@hamlynwilliams.com for more information. Happy job hunting!