If you are applying for jobs and your CV is not updated, it can look unprofessional and that you haven’t invested time in presenting your CV clearly before applying for a job. An outdated CV could result in you being overlooked and can reduce your chances of being headhunted. There is no specific time frame for updating your CV, but these are some triggers.

New Job

It is worth getting your CV updated when you secure a new role and have been employed for at least a few months as this gives you time to get a grasp of what you will be doing day to day. If you have been promoted in your role, it is also worth adding this to your CV. If you have been on a career break, you should also add this to your CV - including what you have done during the break, i.e. travel, education, caring for a family member etc.

Training or Qualifications

If you don’t update your training or qualifications as you go, you are likely to forget them - especially training courses completed in the workplace. If you attend a lot of courses, keep a note of them and add the relevant courses to your CV. The last thing you want is to take up a full page of training courses - so only use the most relevant to the jobs you would be applying for.

Significant Achievement

You should update your CV with any significant achievements, as a few months down the line, you may completely forget. For instance, if you receive an ‘employee of the month’ award or you get a glowing testimonial. It is even better if you can quantify any achievements, for instance, ‘saved the department 60% on marketing fees’.’

Different Roles

If you are applying for different types of roles, then you may need to update your CV with small tweaks. For instance, it might be applicable to change the direction of the CV based on the job spec or to update it with specific keywords.

If you are looking to update your CV, we can help at Inspired CVs. You can order a new CV here or contact us to find out more about our professional CV writing service.

Job interviews can be stressful, even for the most confident candidates. While preparing thoroughly can help you make a great first impression, there's always an element of uncertainty as you can’t predict how it will unfold - or whether you will get on well with the interviewers.

Although it's impossible to know the outcome until the employer makes a decision, there are often subtle clues that may indicate you weren't the successful candidate. These are not definite signs by any means - but they may be an indication that things may not have gone well.

Shorter Interview Than Expected

Although it is generally not a good sign if the interview only lasts 10 or 15 minutes - it depends on the nature of the role and the structure of the interview. If the interview is only conducted by one person and they are in a rush or it is a role that doesn’t require a lengthy interview process - such as a production operative or labourer, short interviews are common. However, if you are being interviewed for a professional role, you would expect the interviewers to conduct a thorough interview and go through each aspect of the job. In this case, a short interview suggests they weren’t asking many questions which - unfortunately, may reflect their interest in you. 

Scripted Questions

You can usually gauge the interest of the interviewers by whether they stick to a script or “go off- piste” during the interview. If the interviewers are asking a lot of questions, it shows they are genuinely interested in you and want to learn more. If they don’t - the interview might not have gone as well as you may wish.

The Conversation Suddenly Went Flat

If you have said something and the conversation suddenly goes flat - it might be that the interviewers have noticed a red flag. There is no way of going into a job interview knowing what these are so there is nothing you can prepare for with these. However, it does unfortunately mean that you might not be successful.

Feedback Takes a Long Time

One of the most obvious signs is that you don’t hear anything for weeks after the interview. If the interviewers are keen, they are more likely to get back to you within a few days. However, this will depend on when the closing date and whether they are still conducting interviews. The longer it takes, the less likely it is that there will be a positive outcome.

If you would like help with your interviews and preparing for success, we can help through our one to one consultations. We also provide CV packages to suit your needs. Contact us or order directly today.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a job seeker is failing to follow up on your application. If you don’t follow up, you won’t know if the recruiter has received your application, or any reasons why you might have been rejected. When you do follow up, you will be one of very few, which will make you stand out.

Why You Should Follow Up on a Job Application 

Following up on a job application can increase your chances of getting noticed by hiring managers. It demonstrates professionalism, enthusiasm, and genuine interest in the role. A well-timed follow-up also helps keep your application top of mind and gives you an opportunity to reinforce why you're a strong candidate.

Here are some of the key benefits of following up on a job application:

• Shows you're proactive. Taking the initiative to follow up demonstrates motivation, confidence, and a strong work ethic—qualities employers value in potential employees. Very few candidates take them time to follow up, so if you do - you instantly set yourself apart from many others.

• Confirm receipt of application. A lot of importance is placed on the ATS and of course, this is one aspect that can reduce your chances of reaching the recruiter, but there are many others. In a pile of applications, yours could simply get lost, or a technical glitch could prevent it from reaching the Hiring Manager. Following up gives you the opportunity to ensure that the recruiter did receive your CV.

• Gain Feedback. You might not get it but it is worth asking for some general feedback if you have applied and received a rejection - especially if it seemed to be instant. 

How to Follow Up on a Job Application

There are various steps you can take to follow up on your job application, without being too much of a burden to the recruiter.

• Send email - If there is an email address on the job advert then use this to follow up. You can always call up but it is best to try and follow up in writing first so you are not catching the recruiter unaware.

• Add connection - One of the most effective methods to follow up on an application is to add a connection on LinkedIn. If you are applying for a job with a small company, you can search for the Director on LinkedIn. For larger organisations, you might want to try and find someone from HR or recruitment. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and ask for feedback. The worst that can happen is that they ignore you,and the best outcome is that you grab their attention and end up with an interview!

If you are applying for jobs without success and are not quite sure where to go from here, we can help with our one to one consultations. You can order your one to one consultation or contact us for more information.

If you are unhappy with your current career, it is never too late to make a change, no matter how long you have been in the same type of role. There are more 50-64 year olds in employment now than in the past 20 years, with a staggering 40% increase. If you are looking to make a career change, there are many ways you can achieve this.

Why Change Careers?

If you find yourself looking for a career change at 50 plus, there are many situations which might have led you to this place. You might just be bored and feel like you need something more challenging or it could be that you are no longer physically able to do your job. For instance, if you have worked in the construction industry your whole life, but feel that it has become too physically demanding. Other reasons might include redundancy or a need for a better balance in your life.

How to Change Careers at 50

When you have worked in the same sector for most or all of your life, the mere suggestion of changing careers may feel daunting. However, it is always best to put your happiness before anything else and find a career that will make you feel fulfilled. These are some steps to take to change careers at 50.

Decide What You Want

People often want to change careers, but don’t know what they want to change to. If you are in this situation, the best thing to do is to sit down and work out what you enjoy. Do you love being outdoors? Is helping people something that makes you feel happy? Or maybe you want something that offers flexibility. Make a list of what you want so that you are in a better position to pursue a career that makes you happy.

Retraining 

If you don’t have the relevant skills to change your career to the one you want, it is worth considering retraining. Whether that is doing some online courses, or going to University, it will put you in a better position to be able to secure interviews.

Career Consultation

It is worth seeking professional guidance to help you understand more about your options and how to highlight your transferable skills. A professional career coach will be able to support you with your career change and help you refrain yourself in the best possible way to achieve your goals. They can also help you build confidence before an interview.

At Inspired CVs, we provide one to one career consultations to help you at any stage of your career. You can book a consultation here, or contact us to find out more. We also provide professional CV’s to help highlight your transferable skills and experience when seeking a career change.

References are often a crucial part of the recruitment process. Employment references can help hiring managers verify experience, assess professional conduct, and identify potential concerns before making a final hiring decision. But what happens when you find the ideal candidate, only to discover that their reference is less than perfect? 

Understand the Situation Before Rejecting a Candidate

An employer’s immediate reaction to a poor employment reference may be to remove the candidate from the recruitment process altogether. However, before making a final hiring decision, it is important to understand the full context behind the reference and assess the situation fairly.

In some cases, a negative reference may come from a former employer who was unhappy about the employee leaving, or from a manager with whom the candidate had a difficult working relationship. 

It is important to give the candidate an opportunity to explain the circumstances. For example, if the reference highlights a high level of absence, ask a bit more about the situation and their reasons for the absence, before discounting them completely from the process. If concerns are raised about attitude or conduct, ask the candidate for more information. Candidates may have made mistakes in previous employment, but that is not to say that the mistakes will be repeated. They may just have been extremely unhappy in the job.

Ask for Specific Details on the Employment Reference

Employers have a responsibility to provide references that are fair and accurate. If the employer has provided a poor reference, you can ask them for specific details. For instance, if they have mentioned poor attendance, ask them to provide the number of absences and the timescale. If the negative employment reference is around poor attitude, ask the employer to provide examples. It is important to dig a little deeper to ensure the information provided on the employment reference is accurate.

Request Additional References

It is difficult to get an overall view of a candidate from one employment reference, which is why it can be useful to ask for more than one. If you have received a negative employment reference, you might want to inform the candidate about it and suggest they provide another two so you can get a more balanced view. For example, if two are positive and one is negative, it is likely that the poor reference is based on a personality clash or the candidate having a negative experience in the job.

At Inspired CVs, we can provide you with guidance on HR issues, as well as our professional CV writing services which are tailored to suit your career goals. Order your CV or contact us to find out more about our services.

Most people begin a new job feeling motivated, enthusiastic, and eager to perform to the best of their ability. However, working in a toxic environment can quickly damage morale, reduce job satisfaction, and leave employees considering their next career move. So, what exactly is a toxic workplace, and what are the common warning signs to look out for? 

Unsupportive Manager

Managers should provide support and guidance to their teams. When a manager is consistently unsupportive, it can be an indicator of a toxic workplace culture. For example, an employee may explain that they do not have the capacity to take on additional work, only to have their concerns dismissed or made to feel that they are exaggerating or being dishonest about their workload. Managers should provide you with a safe place to share your opinions, without making you feel bad. Poor leadership leaves employees feeling aggrieved and demotivated.

High Turnover

A strong sign of a toxic workplace is a high turnover of staff. People are much more likely to stay in a company where they feel happy and fulfilled. They will not stay with a company where they feel undervalued and undermined. If there is a generally negative atmosphere in a workplace, it could eventually have an impact on your mental health, which is why people decide that it is more beneficial to leave.

Lack of Trust

If there is a lack of trust between people in the workplace, it can cause a toxic workplace. For instance, if your manager is questioning your workload when you say you are overloaded, or they don’t trust the reason for an absence. An atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust will eventually lead to an uncomfortable environment where no one can achieve satisfaction.

Blame Culture

If a mistake is like the end of the world, it puts employees in a position where they feel scared to speak to their employer when they make a mistake. Mistakes are a normal part of learning and everyone makes them. A blame culture is not healthy and leads to a toxic working environment. No one wants to work in an unhealthy working environment.

Unhappy Employees

You will only need to work in a team for a day to understand the dynamics. If your colleagues appear to be unhappy and have a negative attitude towards the workplace, it is probably a toxic environment. Employee wellbeing is essential for a healthy working environment. A toxic workplace is not good for your mental health, if you find yourself in a position like this, you might decide to move on. 

At Inspired CVs, we provide professionally written CVs designed to help you stand out in competitive job markets and secure your next role. Contact us to learn more about our services or order your CV directly today.

There are several checks an employer might undertake to make a decision about whether to hire or even interview a candidate. They may include reference checks from previous employers, financial background checks if the job is within the financial industry and for roles within the care sector, there may be additional checks. In some cases, employees might check the candidate’s social media presence to find out a bit more about their suitability for the role.

Reasons Employers Use Social Media Screening 

There are pros and cons to using social media to make decisions on a candidate. These are some of the benefits:

• Professional Conduct and Behaviour - You can find out more about the candidate’s behaviours and if there is anything you might need to be concerned about. Employers may identify posts that suggest poor judgement, inappropriate conduct, or negative attitudes towards previous employers or colleagues. 
• Criminal Record - You might even discover that the candidate has a criminal record, as you dig into their past on social media.
• Offensive Language - If the candidate has used offensive language on their social media platforms, this may be a cause for concern.
• Culture Fit - You may get an insight into whether the candidate fits into the culture of the company. You may find some information on their values and interests as you check their social media.

Potential Risks of Using Social Media in Recruitment 

• False Information - Not everything you read on social media is true. Therefore, you could be making decisions based on a fake account or the wrong person with the same name.
• Discrimination - Making decisions based on a social media presence could be discriminatory. You may make decisions based on unconscious bias which is unfair on the candidate.

Protected Characteristics & Equality Considerations

Employers should ensure recruitment decisions are based on objective, job-related criteria rather than personal characteristics protected under equality legislation. Protected characteristics include:

• Age
• Disability
• Gender reassignment
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion or belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation

Recruitment and selection decisions should be fair, transparent, evidence-based, and focused on a candidate’s skills, experience, qualifications, and suitability for the role.

At Inspired CVs, we provide professional CV writing services in both graphic and traditional formats, tailored to help candidates stand out in competitive job markets. Contact us to find out more about our bespoke CV, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, and career support services or order your CV here. 

Receiving a written warning at work can be stressful and is likely to cause you a great deal of anxiety. Written warnings are usually part of a formal disciplinary process where you have already received a verbal warning, and this is the next step. In some cases, it may be that you have gone straight to a written warning due to an act of gross misconduct or a serious offence at work. If you feel that your written warning is too harsh, you might decide to appeal. These are some reasons why you might decide to appeal a written warning at work.

Genuine Absences

If you have been given a written warning at work for your absence levels, it might feel harsh if your absences have been genuine. It is common for workplaces to have an absence management policy, whereby if you trigger a certain amount of absences within a year, you will be invited to a meeting with HR. These policies are in place to keep control of absences and so that they can be handled correctly. If your absences are caused by an illness, or perhaps because of care duties, you might feel that a written warning is unfair. In this case, you might appeal the written warning but it would be worthwhile providing some evidence, where possible. For instance, medical records or sick lines.

Lack of Investigation

If you have been given a written warning due to an incident at work or a grievance raised against you but there has been no investigation to reach the decision, you might decide to appeal the decision. It is imperative for any organisation that they follow a fair and transparent process when deciding whether to take action, otherwise it may be deemed as unfair. You would be within your rights to appeal a written warning, if there has been no investigation. An investigation is used to get evidence and HR should make decisions based on factual evidence.

Inconsistency in Decision Making

The decision should be based on evidence and should be fair. If, for instance, an incident has occurred between yourself and another individual but you are being treated more harshly, you would have a right to appeal a written warning. For example, you both make the same mistake but you have received a written warning and they received a verbal warning. You might feel that you are being managed out of your job.

How to Appeal a Written Warning

If you decide to appeal, you should:

• Submit your appeal in writing
• Clearly explain why the warning is unfair
• Provide any supporting evidence
• Do so within your employer’s stated timeframe

Following the correct HR appeal process will improve your chances of a successful outcome.

Need Advice on a Written Warning at Work?

If you’re unsure whether your written warning is fair or need help with an appeal, we can support you.

We offer expert HR consultation services to guide you through disciplinary processes and protect your rights at work. You can also explore our professional CV writing service if you're considering your next career move.

Contact us today or order your consultation online.