If you are asked to manage a budget within your day-to-day job, it shows that you are trusted with a high level of responsibility. Most departments within an organisation will have their budget, and the aim is to keep your spending to a specific value and ensure you are spending responsibly. If you have never been responsible for budget management before, the prospect may seem a little daunting. These are some tips for how to manage your budget effectively and how to develop budget management skills.

Understand Goals

When you are asked to manage a budget, the first step should be to understand the business's goals. If you don’t know the expectations, it will be difficult to make positive changes. For instance, the objective might be to reduce spending by £5,000 a month or to reduce spending in a specific area, such as marketing. Ensure you know what is expected before you start the budget management process.

Review Current Budget

The next step in the process is to review the current budget to gain a better understanding of where the money is being spent. In doing this, you can get a clear idea of the areas of the spending that might need to be looked at more closely and where to make good financial decisions. For example, if the majority of the budget is being spent on marketing, it would be prudent to understand whether the areas of marketing are providing positive outcomes. If not, you might want to reduce spending within this area.

Assess Needs

Speak to colleagues within your department to ascertain any needs they have. As a budget management example, you might conclude that there is a lack of stationery within the department and as such, you might want to reduce your spending in one area and prioritise this.

Negotiate Terms

Analyse the current terms you have with your suppliers and try to negotiate the terms so that you can reduce your spending. For example, if you buy your stationery in bulk, can you get a discount? If you are using the same taxi firm frequently, can you agree to a retained fee that reduces your costs? It is always worth asking the question!

Monitor Budget

It is not enough to check your spending every month as costs can add up without even realising it. You should monitor your budget weekly to ensure awareness of any unexpected costs that may have affected your spending. Monitoring your budget regularly will give you a chance to make tweaks to it as and when required, and efficiently manage the budget management system.

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Managers play a crucial role within an organisation, especially when you consider that 1 in 3 employees will leave their jobs because of a bad manager and a toxic working environment. A survey by The Chartered Management Institute and YouGov revealed that 82% of managers were “accidental managers" meaning they became managers without management or leadership training. If you have found yourself in a management role without formal training, you will need to know how to overcome challenges at work.

Lack of Structure

One of the first actions you should take as a manager is to ensure a clear structure for new starts. A structure will allow your team to clearly understand where they fit into the team and who they should be liaising with. It is also paramount that there is a structure to the role otherwise, it will lead to management issues in the workplace. Create a structure and plan for moving forward. Employees will soon head to the exit if the role is not refined. Set your expectations so there is no confusion.

Understanding Communication

As a manager, it is important to be aware of how you communicate with your team and understand that everyone communicates differently. Your communication should be positive, and any criticism should be constructive. Some people are more sensitive than others, for instance. A good manager should be able to alter their communication style to suit each individual.

Conflicts

Unfortunately, not everyone gets on, and conflicts are commonplace in the workplace. As a manager, you should try to resolve arguments, and foster good relationships . When conflicts filter to everyone else in the team, it can lead to low productivity and difficulty retaining staff. Arrange a meeting with the employees and mediate between them to resolve the situation

Performance Issues

Managing poor performance in the workplace can be challenging. However, it is crucial to deal with performance issues professionally without being confrontational. There are all kinds of reasons why an employee may be underperforming. They may be unsure of their role, experiencing personal issues, or they might need additional training. Ensure you have a sensitive discussion with them before proceeding to the more formal route.

Leadership Without Micro Management

There is a fine line between showing leadership and micromanaging your employees. Micromanaging shows a lack of trust and can be extremely frustrating for employees. Make sure they have a clear structure to work with when they join your team, and as they get to grips with the role, regular check-ins are sufficient. Employees are more likely to leave if they feel their manager is constantly on their case. This is one of the most prominent of the current issues in management in the workplace.

If you are looking for a new management role, you will need a professional CV to help support your job search efforts. You can order your CV here or you can contact us to find out more about our CV and resume writing services. We offer online CV writing services, including executive CV writing services.

Without even realising it, we constantly make small decisions throughout the day. These decisions, while seeming meaningless at the time, can combine to determine our quality of life. For example, if you spend time with a person who drains your energy regularly, you will end up feeling low. If you eat chips most days, it will soon affect your weight and your health.
It is no wonder that many of us find decision-making quite challenging. Effective decision-making is valuable in the workplace, as it can allow you to become more efficient and a strong leader. These are some ways for how to make effective decisions in the workplace.

Understand the Outcomes

Instead of diving into a decision, ensure you understand the potential outcomes first. Write these down so you are clear about the risks and challenges. You may even want to list the pros and cons of your decisions. For instance, imagine that a customer has sent you an angry email, accusing you of being inefficient and using profanities. The natural reaction would be to respond in the same tone, but if you do this, the situation could escalate. Therefore, the best course of action would be to take some time to assess your response, when you are making decisions at work.

Second Opinion

If you’re unsure about a decision you’re making, you might want to ask for a second opinion. Decisions are often more informed if you discuss them with others as you can see from a different angle. It doesn’t mean you need to change your decision but it may give you more food for thought and help you to understand how to make better faster decisions at work.

Take Action

When you are unsure about a decision you make, it can be easy to procrastinate on it. Avoidance won’t make it any easier though, it will just cause you stress and worry in the long run. If you have a decision to make, do it quickly, while also weighing up the outcomes and as such, you will learn how to make effective decisions in the workplace.

Confidence is Key

The key to making better decisions is not only to consider them carefully and get other opinions but also to have confidence in your own ability to make decisions. Once a decision is made, be confident in it and stick to your guns. People tend to respect those who are strong in their decision-making skills, and not easily swayed or led astray.

Improve Your Skills 

Information is king when you are making decisions in the workplace. The more informed you are about the subject, the easier it will be to have confidence in your decision. You can do this by improving your skills. For example, if you need to decide on the most effective social media content to use, but are a novice in marketing, a relevant course will help you make better decisions.

Self Care

Hasty decisions can be made if you are not properly rested and getting enough sleep and nutrients. If you want to understand how to get better at making decisions at work, make sure you are looking after yourself and practicing self-care.

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Most employers will ask the dreaded “Why do you want to work here”, during an interview. The main reason for this question is to determine how prepared you are for the interview and to understand your motivations. The recruiter wants to determine whether you will fit into their culture and future aspirations. If you go into the interview without preparation, this will become very clear you should do your homework. If you are wondering how to answer why you want to want here in an interview, this blog will help.

Discuss the Culture and Values

As part of your research, you should understand the company culture and values of the organisation and how these align with your interests. For example, Amazon has the values: of customer service focus, invention, and ensuring excellence. You can usually find the values on the company website. To understand more about the culture, you can look at websites such as Glassdoor, where you will find reviews directly from employees and previous employees. You can mention the culture and values and how these align with your own. For example, if you are interested in sustainability, find out what the company does to become more sustainable, as this will help the conversation flow during an interview and show that both parties are aligned. Discussing the culture and values will help you with how to answer why do you want to work here questions.

Focus on Achievements

Research the main achievements of the company if you really want to impress the interviewers and make them feel good. For instance, if they have picked up any recent awards or even if they have a 5-star Google rating, these are worth mentioning. Not only will you show that you have prepared, but you will also give them a boost and open up the conversation to discuss these achievements in more detail. Everyone likes to hear what they’re doing well and it is a great option for how to answer why you want to work here questions.

Mention Relevant Attributes

When asked the question “Why do you want to work here”, you could also talk about attributes you possess that are relevant to the company structure, values, or mission. Companies always tend to gravitate towards candidates who are familiar with the setup of their business, as it can make the transition much easier.

Understand Future Goals

You can also gain an understanding of the future goals, which can then furnish you with information to answer the question “Why do you want to work here.” For instance, if they are going through a period of growth or recently changed their products or service, this is something you can mention to show that you have done your research

How to Answer Why You Want to Work Here Sample Answer

“I have worked in the public sector before, and your values of putting the customer first and focusing on efficiency align with my own values. These are values I have considered when determining my next role.”

“I was interested in the fact that your company consistently wins customer satisfaction awards which shows your customers are a priority, which is important to me”

“I have previous experience of working within start-ups and I enjoy helping to support businesses as they grow and all the challenges they face along the way. As a start-up within an industry, I am passionate about, your company, and the role appealed to me.

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The average weekly earnings for full time workers in the UK is around £728. If you feel that you are exceeding the requirements of your role, you may decide to ask for a pay rise. You should consider asking for a pay rise if you are going above and beyond in your role, you are being paid less than others doing the same role, or you are being paid below the market rate. If you have had no pay rise in 5 years or more, you may also decide it is time to ask for a pay rise. It takes courage to ask for a pay rise, as it can be a daunting experience. It is important that, if you do ask for a pay rise, you communicate it in writing, in addition to any verbal discussion. In the unfortunate scenario that your pay rise is refused, these are some steps you can take.

Request Feedback in Writing

If you have had your pay rise request rejected, you can request feedback on why they feel you are not eligible. In doing this, you can understand the reasons for the pay rise rejection and any steps you can take to achieve this in the future. For instance, if the rejection is due to performance issues, some feedback will help you make improvements. Ask your manager to help you set some performance goals if you are being refused a pay raise.

Negotiate Other Benefits

Your pay rise may be rejected for financial reasons. Your manager might decline your pay rise if they don’t have the budget or if there are concerns that everyone will request a pay rise. In this case, you might be able to negotiate other benefits, such as extra holidays, flexible working or end-of-year bonuses. If you are happy to compromise, it might be worth determining if this is an option, if you are disappointed with with salary raise decisions.

Appeal Decision

You can appeal the decision if you believe it is unfair. For instance, if other colleagues are getting paid more than you and the reason for the rejection is financial. You may wish to organise a second meeting with your manager to discuss your concerns and find out if there’s anything you can do to change the situation of having a pay rise refused.

Consider Moving On

If you are unhappy with the decision and there is no room for movement, it might be time to consider other options. Moving on from your job can be challenging, but if you are not rewarded for your efforts, you’ll probably find that another company will. 

At Inspired CVs, we can provide you with professional CVs, both graphic and traditional, as well as one-to-one consultations and CV workshops. You can order your CV here for the best CV writing service UK, or contact us to find out more about our resume CV writing services.

If you are one of the 1.56 million unemployed in the UK, you would be forgiven for believing the authenticity of every job posting, hoping that an offer may come to fruition. However, when it comes to applying for jobs and sending your CV to recruiters, you should be vigilant. Fake job postings are commonplace and are often used for CV harvesting. Not only will you waste your time with applications and perhaps even raise your hopes, but you could also expose your details to scammers. 

What is CV Harvesting?

Your details are on your CV, including your address and telephone number, which may be used for activities such as phishing schemes, and identity theft as well as many other scamming techniques. Unfortunately, resume harvesting doesn’t just happen on obscure job sites, it can occur on some of the most popular job boards, such as LinkedIn and Indeed.

Fake Job Postings

Although one of the reasons for fake job postings is for CV harvesting, there are other reasons. Recruiters may use fake job postings to gather a database of candidates for future roles or to make it appear that they’re growing. Recruitment agencies may use CVs to try and gain new clients. Although this in itself is not a scam, it is immoral.

How to Avoid Fake Job Postings

You can never be sure that a job posting is legitimate unless you receive a response to your application. However, there are some things you can look out for to try and identify fake job postings. 

Lack of Details

A fake job posting will have little information and may look generic. It might not mention the company or any specific aspects of the role. You should check any links to ensure they are a genuine company, and look for contact details on the job posting.

Exaggerated Benefits

If the salary is well above the market rate and there’s a load of other benefits associated with the role, this may indicate a fake job posting. 

Direct Offer

If the job advert states that you only need to apply to receive a job offer, it is probably a fake job posting. Genuine jobs will require an application and an interview before considering an offer.

Spam Links

Be aware of links that take you to external sites, as they may cause viruses on your computer. In addition to your CV, scammers can also try to acquire information through external links. Avoid clicking on any that you are unsure about as it may be a fake job posting.

Spelling Errors

You won't find a professional organisation that would publish job adverts with spelling errors in them. If the advert is littered with errors, or poor English or it just doesn’t sound professional, it may be a sign that you have discovered a fake job posting.

Dealing with Fake Job Postings

There is no point in wasting your time on lengthy applications only to discover that the job posting is fake. If you are concerned about a job posting but are extremely interested in the role, it may be worth reaching out to any contacts mentioned in the job advert to discuss it. This will give you a better idea of whether the job exists.

You can increase your chances of success with your job search if you have a professional CV. At Inspired CVs, we can provide you with a CV in either traditional or graphic form, as well as support you with career consultations. Order your CV today or contact us to find out more about our online appointments CV writing services. We offer top rated CV writing services.

When you have your finished professional CV, your next step is applying for jobs. You might not know where to start with your job search, or you may be applying for jobs without success. We offer one-to-one consultations for our CV candidates to help improve their career prospects. As we have been on the CV journey, we understand what you need and how to help you. These are some features of our one to one consultations.

Informal Meeting

We will meet up with you at your location choice for an informal initial meeting (and a coffee of course!) to discuss your needs in more detail and to get more information on the progress of your job search and what you have been doing to find a role. We will advise you on what you can do to improve your job search prospects, including sending marketing emails, advice on job boards, and how to ask for feedback. Our consultants are personal and friendly, and everything we discuss during the one to one consultations will be confidential.

Ongoing Outreach Support

Our one to one consultation service will also include ongoing outreach, where we will utilise our contacts to try and find opportunities for you, together with targeting new contacts to advise on your skills and expertise. This is an ongoing service until you secure a new role.

Email Service

You can email us any time if you have any questions about applying for jobs, interviews, etc and need one to one guidance. We will also provide the email service for an unlimited time and aim to always be on hand when you need any assistance. There are no silly questions, we are open to hearing any of your queries.

Mock Interviews

We understand that an interview offer is exciting, but also extremely daunting. If you wish to meet up to practice the interview and get honest feedback, this is also part of your one on one consultations. If time is limited, we can do this online, or if you prefer in-person, we can also arrange this.

Further Meetings

As part of your one to one consultation, you may want further meetings to catch up and discuss your progress. We are happy to do this, either online or face-to-face. We do not have a time limit for meetings, and there will be no further costs after paying your initial fee.

If you would like to arrange a one to one consultation or to take advantage of our CV writing services, you can contact us or order your CV here.

Around 1.48 million people are working in temporary employment in the UK, according to data from Statista. The thought of taking a temporary role might send shivers down your spine. The uncertainty of a temporary job can feel like a daunting prospect, together with the notion of going into various workplaces and having to settle into the environment as quickly as your backside hits the seat. If you are currently on the job market, it may be worth considering temporary employment for various reasons. These are some benefits of temporary employment.

Financial Benefits

Unless you have savings that can last for an unlimited period, temporary employment can keep you ticking over while you look for a permanent role. It is also often the case that you get a higher hourly rate as a temporary worker, although you may not be entitled to the same overall benefits. The additional earning capabilities is one of the benefits of temporary contracts.

Prevent Gaps

One of the main benefits of temporary work while looking for a permanent job is that it will prevent gaps in your CV. Gaps on your CV may concern employers, especially if you haven’t embarked on anything during your time off. A temporary role, albeit a short-term option, will save you from having lengthy gaps on your CV, as you keep your employment up to date.

Greater Flexibility

With temporary employment, you can pick and choose when you work. You might want a short-term contract for four weeks, with a one-week break in between. With the nature of temporary employment, you have much greater flexibility than you would with a rigid full-time permanent role. The flexibility is one of the most important benefits of temporary contracts for many candidates.

New Skills

When you work in a permanent role, doing the same tasks day in and out, it can be difficult to gain any new skills, unless you embark on additional training. However, with temporary employment, you will be working in different environments, in a range of roles where you can acquire skills that can help you with your future career. Developing new skills is one of the benefits of temporary work.

Potential Permanent Role

Candidates often scoff at the idea of taking on temporary employment, without seeing the bigger picture. When you are in a temporary role, and a permanent job arises, you are likely to be first in the queue. Temporary work can lead to bigger and better things, so don’t discount it without careful consideration. The potential opportunities that can arise from temporary work is an important benefit of temporary contracts,

If you are looking for a permanent job or temporary work, the first step is to ensure you have a professional CV. At Inspired CVs, we can provide you with the best professional CV writing service UK to help you secure a new role. You can order your CV here, or contact us to find out more about our professional help with CV writing.