If you have been sacked from your job, you will probably feel shocked and upset. It can be challenging to know whether you have been unfairly dismissed or if there was a legitimate reason for losing your job. Employers can dismiss their staff, but they must do so fairly. To take any claim for unfair dismissal further, you must be an employee of the company, and in most cases, you should have been employed for two or more years. Although possible, it is much more difficult to claim against your employer if you have been employed for less than two years. These are some things to consider when referring to unfair dismissal.

What is the situation surrounding the unfair dismissal?

It is important to decipher between unfair dismissal and an end of contract or failing to complete probation. Employers have the right to dismiss employees when a contract finishes, or if you are on a temporary contract, they may end it without notice. There is also a notable difference between dismissal and redundancy. It is essential to be aware of this. If the company decides to make your role redundant, there's unfortunately not much you can do as they may not need the role anymore, or it might be for financial reasons. However, if they make you redundant based on this and then replace it with someone else within six months, you could have the right to claim against them.

Types of unfair dismissal

Understanding the types of unfair dismissal is essential. If you have high absenteeism, or you have behaved in a way which would be described as gross misconduct, for example, your employer would have the right to dismiss you. Similarly, if you are just incapable of doing the role, then they would have the right to dismiss you. However, where it becomes unfair dismissal is whether the employer has handled the situation in an appropriate way. For example, if you are underperforming, there should be evidence that they have offered you training to assist you in making improvements. If you are absent every couple of weeks, your employer should have discussed this with you through performance meetings. If you have been affected by a disability that prevents you from undertaking your role adequately, your employer should have put measures in place to assist you.

How to deal with unfair dismissal

If you suspect that you have been unfairly dismissed, it is highly recommended to seek professional advice. An employment lawyer can help you determine if your case qualifies as unfair dismissal. If you are represented by a trade union, it's also advisable to consult with them. You can initiate a claim for unfair dismissal via ACAS.

Losing your job can be highly distressing, and the next stage is to start looking for a new job. At Inspired CVs, we will provide you with our professional CV writing service to suit your needs. You can order here or contact us to find out more.

The summer months are between the end of June and September in the UK, when many students start looking for employment. With a few months to spare, the summer can allow you to earn some extra cash and meet new people. You can also gain essential skills and experience to add to your CV. This blog will discuss the types of summer jobs you can acquire and how to find them.

Types of Summer Jobs

There are many different types of summer jobs to choose from, and the best option will depend on what suits your needs best. Here are some possibilities.

Internship

If you are studying at university, you may be able to secure a summer internship with an employer in your field. Summer internships are the best options as they give you essential skills that will help you secure a job when you graduate. It can also provide insight into whether you study within the right field.

Retail

Shops tend to be busier in the summer, as children are off school and students are finished up, so more people are out and about spending money. As such, many shops cry out for staff during the summer.

Events

Summer brings more events, including festivals and gigs, which require staff. Whether serving customers or providing security, you will find many more employment options during the summer.

Hospitality

The hospitality sector is also busier during the summer, as more people enjoy holidays. Some typical job roles in hospitality include waiting staff, porters, housekeepers, and general managers. 

How to Find a Summer Job

It is a good idea to start your job search immediately as there are only a few months in the summer. The sooner you start, the more likely you will have a job safely secured for the summer. Here are some steps you can take to find a new summer job.

Prepare CV

The most important step you can take before applying for jobs is to prepare your CV. A professional CV will help you stand out from other candidates and make you more likely to progress to the interview stage. A professional CV will help ensure you make a great first impression, but it can also be challenging to sell yourself properly when you write it yourself.

Use Job Sites

Many job sites help you search for summer jobs, including Glassdoor, Total Jobs, and Indeed. It is also worth tracking your applications so you can follow up on them after applying for a job.

Check Socials

Many companies don’t use job sites; instead, they post vacancies on their socials. It is worth checking the socials for different companies/events etc. For example, if you search for ‘trnsmt 2024 jobs’, you will find opportunities for bar staff. Similarly, if you search ‘Glastonbury 2024 jobs’, you will find information for summer staff, including clear-up crew and stewarding. You can do this for other companies and events and you might also find that they are attending local careers fair.

LinkedIn

It is a good idea to set your LinkedIn up and optimise it for summer jobs, as most recruiters use LinkedIn daily to source for staff. You can also contact recruiters to learn about any summer jobs they may have on their books.

At Inspired CVs, we can provide you with a professional CV optimised with relevant keywords to help you reach the all-important interview stage. You can order your CV here or contact us to find out more.

A successful marketing manager will generate customer interest in products or services to increase sales for the company for which they are working. They may also respond to customer comments and queries. A marketing manager may be employed directly for a company, where they would be responsible for generating business solely for that company. However, a Marketing Manager may sometimes be self-employed, so they are likely to work for multiple companies. If you are thinking about a career as a Marketing Manager, this blog will help you decide if it is the right choice for you.

What you do as a Marketing Manager

There are many aspects involved in the role of a Marketing Manager. You would design marketing campaigns, often with the support of a Graphic Designer to help you create content. You may also develop paid marketing ads and manage associated budgets. There may also be an element of competitor analysis involved. A successful Marketing Manager will bring new business or leads to a company, so they must work out the best way to do this.

Types of Marketing Managers

You may be a Marketing Manager overseeing the entire marketing function, from digital and social media to content marketing. In some cases, you would only focus on one area of marketing. For instance, if you are employed solely for content marketing, you would be responsible for creating content, such as blogs, and ensuring the content is optimised to gain the highest traffic. On the other hand, a social media marketing manager focuses on creating content for social platforms and managing social media strategies.

Knowledge for Marketing Manager

It would be helpful to undertake a degree in Marketing if you wish to proceed in this career. However, you could also take training courses on platforms such as Udemy. There are a wide range of courses which would be helpful for a career in marketing, including:

• Launching your social media strategy
• Individual courses for different platforms, including Instagram and TikTok
• SEO

It would be extremely difficult to work as a successful Marketing Manager without the knowledge you would get from a qualification or training course. It is also important to keep up with your knowledge, as marketing strategies are constantly evolving.

Soft Skills for Marketing Manager

In addition to the training you need to become a marketing manager, several soft skills will support you with this career choice. A marketing manager's primary goal is to drive traffic and sales through communication, so excellent writing skills are necessary. The ability to collaborate with others is also essential, as this job will involve working with other departments. You should also have strong creative skills and the ability to present your ideas clearly. You may also need to manage others within the team, so leadership skills could be an aspect of this role.

As well as undertaking relevant training for a Marketing Manager role, it is also crucial that you have a strong CV that showcases your marketing experience or transferable skills. At Inspired CVs, we provide professional CV writing services and can help ensure your CV attracts employers. You can order your CV here or contact us to find out more.

You might decide on a temporary job instead of a permanent one for many reasons. You may want to work temporarily while seeking permanent work, or it may suit you better to work in this way. Some people prefer temporary work as it means you can always work in new places and you don’t need to get too involved with any workplace. You can avoid office politics, which often occur when you are in the same place daily. If you are a temporary worker or considering it, it is essential to understand your rights. These are some of the rights you have as a temporary worker, whether through an agency or directly with the company.

Pay Rights

As with other workers, you are entitled to the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage. The National Living Wage currently stands at £11.44 for adults over 21. It varies for other age groups. It would help if you had no unlawful deductions taken from your pay. For instance, unless previously discussed with you, you should not have payments taken for uniforms, etc. You should always be paid on time and receive payslips. It does not matter if the agency has not received payment from their client; they are still required to pay you on time.

Discrimination

You should receive the same respect as a permanent worker regarding your protected characteristics, which include age, gender, sexual orientation, race, and religion.

Holidays

As a temporary worker, you also have the right to receive at least 5.6 weeks of paid holiday per leave year. You start to accrue holiday entitlement when your assignment begins. If the role finishes and you haven’t taken your full holiday entitlement, you should be paid this in your final pay. When requesting a holiday, you should ask both your manager and your agency (if using one) so they can process this correctly.

Working Hours

You must only work over 48 hours if you opt out of this. You are entitled to 20-minute breaks for over 6 hours of work; anything over this may be unpaid unless the company has a different policy in place. You should have at least one day off each week and 11 hours rest within 24 hours.

Sick Pay

If you are employed as a temporary worker via an agency, you will not receive sick pay via the company, although you may be eligible for statutory sick pay.

Temporary to Permanent

As a temporary worker, the company may take you on as a permanent employee. If you decide to become permanent, the agency must allow this. However, depending on the employment terms, the company may need to pay a fee to the agency.

Notice Period

You don’t have the same rights when it comes to notice period as you do as a permanent worker. For instance, if the company decides they no longer wish to employ you, they could terminate your contract on the same day. The same applies to your rights if you want to leave the company. However, in most cases, either side would give at least one week’s notice.

If you have any concerns about your terms or issues in your temporary assignment, you should contact your agency or line manager.

At Inspired CVs, we provide high-quality professional CVs for candidates seeking temporary and permanent employment. To find out more, contact us or order your CV here.

There are around 900,000 job vacancies in the UK. The number of job vacancies has continuously fallen since 2022, peaking at 1.2 million. If you are applying for many jobs, keeping track of your applications can take time and effort. However, it is highly off-putting to recruiters if they call you about a job and you are unsure which one they are referring to. You may not hear back about a job for weeks or months, so you are unlikely to remember the details offhand. When you are unaware of the job, recruiters may think you are disinterested or just applying for anything without much thought. It can even cause them to discount you from the recruitment process - especially if they have notified you in advance about the call. These are some tips for keeping track of your job applications.

Keep a Spreadsheet

It is worth keeping a spreadsheet with crucial information for your job applications—for instance, the job title, company, and salary. When a recruiter calls you unexpectedly, you can quickly search your spreadsheet for the relevant role.

Save Files

You can also save any files relating to the job you are applying for, such as the job description, job application, and other key information. You could then save your files under the company so you can quickly find the details when you receive a call from the recruiter.

Add to Calendar 

Another approach you can use when tracking your job applications is to add them to your calendar. Do this by the date applied or closing date. If it’s based on the closing date, you can always use this to follow up on your application.

Develop Project

Job searching is like a full-time job, so it is best to have everything in order when looking for a new job. Think of job hunting as your mini project; it will help you keep everything on track and make remembering what jobs you’ve applied for easier, saving any confusion.

Create Email Address

You can set up a new email for your job applications. This will make everything readily available in the same place, making it easier to find information when you need it.

How to Follow Up on Applications

If you have applied for a role and have yet to receive a response after the closing date, there are various things you can do to follow up. If there are contact details on the job ad, call them or email them. If there are no contact details, you could connect with someone on LinkedIn from the recruitment team and ask for some feedback. 

If you are looking for a professional CV to support your job applications, we can help at Inspired CVs. You can order your CV or contact us to learn more about our professional CV writing services.

Job searching itself can become a full time job and not a very enjoyable one at that! There are many different avenues you can use to help you find a new job, including job sites, recruitment agencies and using your network. Many people forget that there is also the option of attending careers fairs. Careers fairs give you the opportunity to meet with potential employers face to face, and it can give you the chance to find out more about a range of different companies. If you have never been to a careers fair before, these are the ways you can use them to find a new job. 

Finding a Careers Fair

A quick search on Google will give you information on upcoming careers fairs. You could also use prospects.ac.uk. Some careers fairs are general, covering a wide scope of industries, while others are specific. If there is a specific company you want to work for, you might find events on their website.

Research Attendees

With careers fairs often bustling with activity, it's crucial to be well-prepared and have a clear understanding of the companies you're interested in. Creating a shortlist of these companies before the event will help you approach them with confidence and make the most of your time at the fair.

Prepare Questions

You may want to prepare a list of some questions you’d like to ask the employers, including the type of roles they are recruiting for, the ideal candidate and locations. In some cases, the employer might even interview you then and there for the role or at the least, they might take a note of your contact details.

Choose the Time

If the careers fair is at maximum capacity, it will be difficult to get a chance to speak to anyone. Therefore, it is best to choose your time wisely. For instance, first thing in the morning or at the end of the event. In the middle of the event is probably not the best time to attend.

Dress to Impress

You don’t need to wear a suit to a careers fair, but it is a good idea to dress smartly to make the right impression, especially if you are looking for an office job. Dressing appropriately also shows respect for the event and the potential employers, which can help you stand out.

Take your CV

You should also have a professional CV with you to hand out to potential employers. This not only makes it easier for them to remember you but also increases the chances of them contacting you if they already have your details.

Why You Should Attend a Careers Fair

There are many reasons why you should consider attending a careers fairs if you are on the market for a new job:

• Face to face conversation - there are not many opportunities to speak directly to an employer, face to face. With a careers fair, you get their full attention and you have the chance to ask any questions you may have. This personal interaction can help you stand out and make a lasting impression.
• Get feedback - if you have applied for a job and received an instant rejection, this is the time to ask the employer why. You never know - you might even be able to turn the no, to a yes!
• Step out of comfort zone - Approaching a potential employer can be nerve-wracking, but the sense of accomplishment and personal growth that comes from it is unparalleled. Stepping out of your comfort zone at a careers fair can be a transformative experience, boosting your confidence and opening doors to new opportunities.

If you are looking for a professional CV for attending careers fairs, consider seeking professional CV writing services. We can help you create a CV that highlights your skills and experiences, making it easier for potential employers to remember you. This can increase your chances of getting contacted after the careers fair. You can order directly here or contact us to find out more about our CV writing services.

When applying for a job, it might seem like the most sensible option is to write your entire career history on your CV, but this differs from what recruiters are looking for. It is thought that recruiters only spend about 6 seconds looking through a CV, and while it must make a great first impression, they won’t take the time to read an essay. That’s why it is essential to make it as concise as possible. These are some tips for reducing your CV to make it more readable.

Straight to the Point

Make sure your sentences contain only the necessary details. There is no need to complicate your sentences and add unnecessary information. Keep it punchy and to the point while ensuring it contains relevant keywords. The recruiter is only skimming the CV, so long paragraphs will probably not even be read.

Reduce Experience

Your work experience need not go back more than ten years. Employers only want to see what you’ve done recently; they are not interested in your experience from 20 years ago when you left school.

Recent Education

The same applies to your education. If you possess a degree and have also undertaken various courses at work, you can eliminate your school grades from your CV. School qualifications are only relevant for school leavers or students.

Stay Relevant

Only focus on the content relevant to the role you are applying for. There are probably various elements you can take out of your CV that won’t help you get the job. Keep it relevant. You can tailor it to suit the job you are applying for.

Focus on Structure

Altering the structure of your CV can significantly reduce space. Eliminate any white space and reduce the font size where possible. Your CV should be easy to read and without large spaces.

Delete Hobbies

There is no need to mention your hobbies and interests on your CV. The recruiter is only concerned about what you do in your spare time unless it relates to the role. For instance, if you run a sports club and are applying for a role in childcare, mention this on your CV. Otherwise, leave it out.

Remove References

You don’t need to detail your references on your CV; this will occupy space. References are only necessary if you are being offered the job.

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If you have handed in your notice to your current employer, you may be asked to participate in an exit interview. Employers that conduct exit interviews usually want to make positive changes in the workplace. Interestingly, over half of employers are not offering exit interviews and are missing a big opportunity to make positive changes to the role or the culture. If you have been asked to participate in an exit interview, it is understandable that you may feel apprehensive. However, you can use the exit interview to share your opinions on your experience.

What is an exit interview?

Employers that conduct exit interviews are interested in why people leave. They may use them to improve the workplace culture and the role, and help with recruitment and retention. The exit interview allows you to share your experiences and can be an excellent way to release any tension about your reasons for leaving. Although you don’t want to go into an exit interview with anger towards the company; honesty is essential. If you have enjoyed your time with the company, an exit interview can be an excellent way to leave the door open in the future. It would help if you remembered that the exit interview is voluntary; the company cannot force you to undertake this.

Common Questions in an Exit Interview

Employers don’t want to lose good employees, and as such, when this happens, they want to know the reasons why. These are some of the likely questions you may be asked during an exit interview:

• Why are you leaving the company? Resist the temptation to make personal attacks against colleagues if you are leaving due to the environment. Instead, you could comment on the general culture. If there are other reasons, for instance, the type of work you do, be specific about what areas have caused you to want to leave your role.
• Did you feel supported by your manager? Although it is essential to be honest, refrain from personal attacks here. The interviewer wants to know if the manager’s style suits you and if not, they may need to rethink their recruitment strategy. For example, some people hate being micro-managed and only want to speak to their manager when required. If the style doesn’t suit you, explain that to the interviewer.
• What have you found most challenging about the role? Consider the areas of the role that interested you and those that felt more difficult.
• Would you consider working for us in the future? It is good to keep positive relations with your employer so that the door is open in the future. However, this is not always possible, so if you do not work with them in the future, say so. You could even word it to mean that you would consider if the management changes in the future.

Exit interviews are a two-way street and can be a good learning experience for you and the employer. It can allow you to express yourself and get your feelings off your shoulders so you can happily move on to your next employer.

If you are moving on from your role and need a new, professional CV, we can provide you with a traditional or graphic CV with our CV writing services in Glasgow. You can contact us or order your CV here today.