Flexible working has become a regular feature of the modern workplace, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. As many employees were unable to work in close proximity to colleagues due to the risk of spreading the virus, employers had to adapt quickly. Businesses introduced new ways of working, including remote and hybrid arrangements, to keep operations running while protecting the health and wellbeing of their workforce. These days, flexible working takes many different forms, including hybrid working, remote working and a more easy going approach to working hours.

Flexible Working and Recruitment

If you are not offering some kind of flexibility, you are likely to have a much smaller pool of candidates to choose from. Many people, especially those within the younger age groups no longer want a 9-5 office based job, they want a more fluid approach where they can have a better balance in their life. These are some ways that flexible working helps improve recruitment.

Top Talent

It can be difficult to hire top talent when you are concentrated on a specific area, especially in remote places. When you allow candidates to work remotely, you can hire from anywhere in the world. It gives you a wider pool of candidates which means a higher chance of recruiting top talent.

Global Market

Businesses can also expand into global markets by adopting a more flexible approach to recruitment. For example, a UK-based company that hires an employee in the United States can offer services during US business hours, increasing its availability and potentially attracting a larger client base. Similarly, recruiting employees from non-English-speaking countries enables businesses to provide multilingual support, which can allow you to become accessible to a wider audience. A better cultural understanding can also help you to support clients from overseas.

Increased Loyalty

Adopting a flexible approach is also likely to increase employee loyalty. As a result, businesses may experience lower staff turnover, reducing the need to recruit and train new employees. This not only makes the recruitment process easier but also saves time and money while helping the business retain experienced and skilled staff. 

At Inspired CVs, we provide professionally written and designed CVs, tailored to your needs. You can order your CV here or contact us to find out more.

The thought of returning to the workplace after a period of absence can cause a great deal of anxiety - especially if you feel that your manager doesn’t believe your reasons for being off. These are common feelings that often build up and get out of hand in your own mind. If you feel that your employer doesn’t believe you, these are some ways to deal with it.

Take a Step Back

If you are telling the truth about your absence, you have no reason to worry. Employers are often suspicious about every absence in the workplace, as people do tell lies about why they were off. That doesn’t mean that you need to feel worried about being absent from work. Someone believing you or not is really out of your hands. It may be the case that you work in a toxic environment and in this case, people will always look at the negative.

The Bigger Picture

People tend to get themselves into a frenzy about an absence from work, thinking that everyone is going to be talking about them and they will return to a cauldron of hostility. The reality is that most people are not concerned about you (in the nicest possible way.) People have their own lives and don’t need to spend a lot of time focusing on others. When you get into this frame of mind, you will be in a much better position to worry less about what other people think.

Communicate

If you are really worried and it is affecting your ability to do your job, speak to your manager. Tell them your concerns so that they can reassure you. It is the responsibility of your manager to make you feel at ease and to discuss any issues you are having.

Self-Care

When your body is in a state of anxiety, it can cause you to become ill, and quite often, the anxiety is needless. It is important to take care of yourself, even if you are dreading the prospect of returning to the workplace. Do activities that take your mind off the situation, such as going for a run, reading or having a bath. It is important not to let negative thoughts overrun your mind.

If your negative thoughts turn into dread rather than normal anxiety, it may be time to look for your next role. At Inspired CVs, we provide professional CV writing, as well as one to one consultations that can help you get your career on track. Order your CV or consultation here, or contact us to find out more.

You have found the perfect role and been invited to attend an interview, but you haven’t attended an interview for a number of years, so how do you prepare to give yourself the best possible chance of interview success? Our blog discusses the various stages of the interview process and how to ensure you are prepared.

Logistical Planning

The first stage before you attend an interview is to ensure you know how to get there and whether the travel will be feasible for you. For instance, if you are travelling two hours by train there and back, will this be sustainable long term? It is important to understand where you will be working and how you will get there. You can then plan your journey in advance. You may even want to do a practice run prior to the interview, so you won’t end up getting lost.

Research the Company

It is a good idea to find out as much as you can about the company, including their products and services, vision and goals - and any competitors they may have. You may also want to conduct some research on your interviewers - as this could provide some key information for building rapport. For instance, if they went to the same school or University, or they have an interest in the same sport as you, you may want to try and incorporate it into the interview.

Understand the Culture

Although it is important to always be professional, it is also a good idea to understand the company culture so you can get an idea of how the interview will be set up. For instance, if you are being interviewed by a small construction firm, you would expect it to be a less formal interview, and more of a conversation. However, if you are being interviewed by a large global engineering company, you should prepare for a structured formal interview. 

Prepare Examples

The best way to prepare for an interview is to study the job spec, and prepare answers and examples. The interviewer wants to make sure you have the skills and experience to do the job, so they are not going to stray far from the job spec. For example, if they ask if you have ever managed a team, you would be expected to have this expertise and discuss when and where you managed a team, how many people you managed and your management style. It is important to go into detail when asked a question, and to avoid yes or no answers.

If you need to improve your interview skills, we can help support you through our one to one consultations. You can order it here or you contact us to find out more about our services. We also provide professional CVs, in both traditional and graphic formats.

A toxic coworker is someone who disrupts others and creates a negative atmosphere in the workplace. There are various traits associated with toxic coworkers, including undermining others, making “jokes” that are quite insulting, gossiping about others and constantly complaining. Toxic coworkers are generally a drain on others and not someone you would wish to be around. They don’t just get on with their job, they create drama and make life difficult for others. There are various ways you can deal with toxic coworkers.

Keep Your Distance

When you work in a team, it can be difficult to avoid toxic coworkers and office politics. However, you can try to limit contact as much as possible. Even if someone isn’t directly targeting you, it can be hard to work with someone who is constantly negative or undermining others. Speak to the individual only when necessary. You may even want to consider discussing the matter with your manager so they are aware of how you feel. They might even be able to assist in keeping you apart.

Informal Chat

If it’s impossible to avoid contact with the individual, you may wish to have a discussion with them. Some people are genuinely unaware of how they are behaving. For instance, they don’t realise they are being so negative or they may not realise their “jokes” are negatively impacting you. Sometimes an informal discussion can change behaviour. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this then maybe their manager can have a quiet word in their ear.

Formal Process

If the toxic behaviour is serious or if informal discussions are failing to make any difference, you may wish to proceed to a formal route. This may involve raising a grievance with your HR department, who will need to follow a structured process. 

A toxic coworker can cause a lot of distress and may even cause you to rethink your employment. At Inspired CVs, we can provide you with a professional CV, as well as one to one consultations to help you progress your career. You can order here or contact us to find out more about our career services.

When you are looking to start or progress your career, it might feel like temporary employment is a waste of time. After all, how do you build any kind of security with a temp job? While it might not be your ideal choice, there are many reasons to consider temporary employment, as you search for a more permanent option.

Benefits of Temp Work

If you are in the market to find a new job, it is important to be open minded about opportunities, even if the role is not quite what you are looking for long-term. For instance, if you have just finished a degree in accounting and a temp job arises for an office junior in an accountancy firm - it is important not to overlook it. Working for a company that offers your desired career path can give you priority access to relevant vacancies before they are advertised externally. 

These are some of the benefits of temporary jobs.

Work Experience

Temp work can give you some work experience, even if it is not the kind of role you want on a permanent basis. The skills you acquire with work experience include, working with others, being able to work on your own initiative and improving your network. These can help you progress within your career, when you do find the right role.

Higher Rate

Temporary work is often paid at a higher hourly rate than permanent roles. Although you don’t get the security, you can earn more and it is better than sitting around the house waiting for the perfect role to turn up. It is quite often the case that when you are waiting for something to happen- it never does, but when you are busy, opportunities tend to arise.

Flexibility

You can have more flexibility with a temporary job than you would with a permanent role. For instance, your employer knows that you may be looking for a permanent role so they will often be more flexible about giving you time off for interviews etc.

Improve CV

The last thing you want is to have gaps all over your CV, which is why temporary work is a good idea. You can fill the gaps with employment, while gaining important skills that can help for future, permanent jobs.

At Inspired CV’s, we can provide you with a professional CV to help you find the right job to suit your qualifications and experience. We also offer one to one career consultations to set you off on the right track and help you to secure a role. Contact us today, or order via our online store.

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.