Beware of the Catfish!

‘Catfish’ refers to an individual who creates fake profiles / accounts on social networking sites, primarily Facebook, usually for romantic or sexual intentions. The 2010 film ‘Catfish’ and more recently Catfish: The TV Show have shone light on the actions of these individuals through real life examples. They will provide you with false information about themselves via social networking sites, attempting to project themselves as somebody else.

You can protect yourself against a catfish through using Facebook responsibly:

• Do not accept friendship requests from anyone you do not know
• If you do happen to be chatting with someone you haven’t met before, be vigilant. Ask to Skype with them, speak with them on the phone, verify details, and if you meet with them either bring somebody with you or meet them in a crowded public area. Do not take someone you have not met before at face value.

Cyber-bullying

Recently we have seen the emergence of the term ‘trolling’. Trolling refers to an individual who posts obscene, hurtful or hostile information online usually referring to another individual, group or event. Common victims of ‘internet trolls’ are teenagers, young people and celebrities and the consequences of a ‘troll’s’ actions go far beyond the Internet. For example, there have been reports of teenage suicides as a result of ‘trolling’ gone too far.

Additionally, some trolling activity has involved mockery of tragic events / deaths. If you find that you are a victim of an internet troll, try to remain calm, collect together all the evidence you can, and report the activity. Do not engage in conversation with the troll.

RIP Social Life

We have become so reliant on social networking sites that we often do not realise how engrossed we have become. The average Facebook user checks their account up to 14 times per day; and around 175 million people log into the website every day.

Studies also suggest that a large number of young people (18-24) even check Facebook before they get out of bed in the morning. The key here is to not let yourself become too attached to social networking sites and allow them to take over your actual social life, remember, there was once a life without technology!

The Way Forward

In addition to the suggestions provided above, an additional piece of advice would be to not put personal details online that could be used fraudulently. Also, do not post a status on Facebook about jetting off to Barcelona for the week.

You are indirectly letting your entire Facebook friends list know you will not be home; your house might be targeted by burglars! Furthermore, be careful what you post online, many silly arguments stem from misunderstandings on Facebook; you could lose friends!

If you have encountered any of the dangers of social networking sites discussed in this article and have any further advice for our readers please get in touch!

Employee engagement during tough times

When I say ‘tough times’, what I am really talking about here are terms like organisational restructuring and downsizing often as a result of recession or requirements such as cost cutting. As a result, employees are often left uncertain and demotivated, questioning their commitment to the organisation. Even though managers are often aware of employee engagement and the benefits it can have, it often ends up being put on the back burner due to the million and one other tasks and responsibilities they have to deal with.

However, research by CIPD has shown that actively addressing employee engagement during tough times actually has a positive effect on longer term employee retention. During times of change and uncertainty, managers should consider their employees early on in the process and execute a progress and monitoring procedure which they actually follow through on, rather than putting it aside. Seeking feedback from employees and including them in decision making where possible can also contribute to engagement.

Engaging employees in performance appraisal

Performance appraisal; that dreaded event that employees typically never look forward to. Managers will often not do themselves any favours when it comes to performance appraisal, as they usually treat it as something they have to do and try and just get it over and done with. However, performance appraisal can be a key opportunity for managers to have some quality one to one time with each of their employees, and encouraging them to put forth their ideas and suggestions can work well in terms of making them feel valued.

A recommendation for managers would be to attempt to create a more positive attitude towards performance appraisal within their work culture, as opposed to making employees feel like it is just about them being under scrutiny. Integrating a chance to discuss long term goals and opportunities for development can also be useful, especially if we are considering intent to stay with the organisation.

Engaging employees in career management

Drawing from the subject of performance appraisal, there is also a valuable opportunity in organisations for managers to engage employees via career management, although this is very much overlooked in most cases. Managers are looking for employees who are committed to their organisation, its strategy and its success.

By taking the time to encourage and support employees to devise a career plan and think about their future with the organisation, they are increasing the chances of not only employee retention in the long run, but also the happiness and wellbeing of their employees at work.

A Final Thought

Employee engagement should not be underrated. In comparison with other HR and management initiatives it does appear to be an aspect were managers have every intention of making it a priority but in reality this does not always end up being the case.

By understanding that employee engagement can be bought into existing priorities, and also its value during tough times, managers can work towards a more committed and happy workforce and lower staff turnover.

If there are any readers who have active experience of employee engagement, your advice is welcomed!

Today’s article aims to address these issues in the context of IT and software / web development graduates, a discipline which faces particular difficulties in terms of competition in the current graduate labour market.

Recruitment & Selection for IT & Software / Web Development Graduates: What to Expect

You will find that recruitment and selection methods bear some similarities across all graduate schemes, with regards to the general stages involved. For example, beginning with submission of a CV / application form and ending with an interview / assessment centre before a selection decision is made. However, additional stages in between will differ depending on the organisation and the type of graduate scheme.

For the graduate discipline in question, in addition to the previously mentioned stages, don’t be surprised to face in-tray exercises where you will have to demonstrate your skills. This could be in the form of a task which is emailed to you to complete, or as part of an assessment centre. You may be asked to complete a small development task within an allocated period of time, or to solve a web development problem. As part of the recruitment and selection process you may also be asked to provide examples to evidence your experience and potential.

Employers: Current Priorities

Top employers in the area of IT and web / software development in 2013 include IBM, Microsoft, BBC and Lloyds Banking Group. In general, graduate employers will be looking for a combination of knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) during the recruitment and selection process. But in the context of IT and development, you may find that graduate employers such as those named above are looking for graduates with experience.

They want evidence that you can demonstrate the skills you claim to have, as this is a very practical and skills-orientated discipline. Additionally, you can expect to be asked for at least a 2:1 in your degree, up to date knowledge relating to the subject (such as knowledge of software / web development packages and programs), excellent communication skills, and good attention to detail.

How Can You Make Yourself More Employable?

Primarily, I would recommend any aspiring IT or web / software development graduate to take on a work placement, summer internship, or some form of paid / unpaid work experience before the end of their degree. This will put you in good stead in the competitive graduate labour market, and you will also have the chance to gain a personal insight into the world of work and decide what the best path for you to take after graduation is.

I would also recommend trying to put together some practice development work in your own time. This will help you develop and refine your skills, and it will demonstrate initiative to a potential employer.

A Final Thought

There are several graduate disciplines which are facing a competitive graduate labour market, reasons for which depend on the discipline in question. For example, the supply of IT and web / software development graduates in the labour market greatly outweighs the number of related graduate vacancies available.

Additionally, many employers in this area complain that these graduates are not leaving university with the required knowledge and skills, thus their selection processes are very challenging. The key here is to understand what to expect from the recruitment and selection process for your subject area before you start sending your applications off.

If there are any IT / web development / software development graduates reading this, feel free to share your own experiences after graduation!

Age and Retirement

Since the default retirement age was abolished in 2011, there have been several cases involving disgruntled employees. The main reason for this relates to employers now being able to set their own retirement age subject to justification, although there are some employers who have chosen to not set a standard retirement age at all. Another reason may be that managers and employees clash on their views of when the employee should be planning to retire.

The solution here involves both managers and employees working together with regards to retirement plans, and ensuring they abide by ACAS guidelines and other procedures. Readers looking for additional information regarding recent cases should look at HM Land Registry v Benson (2012), Woodcock v Cumbria Primary Care Trust (2012) or Seldon v Clarkson Wright and Jakes (2012).

It must also be acknowledged that age discrimination spans outside of older workers and the retirement age, it also applies to younger workers. Often referred to as ‘ageism’, this usually affects employees in their late teens/early 20s and can have the same effect as age discrimination for older workers, for example, not being offered the same opportunities as older workers, being treated differently at work compared to older workers (it may be assumed that younger workers lack the knowledge and skills required to do the job), or even during the initial recruitment and selection process.

Religion and Belief in the Workplace

The religious beliefs of employees in the workplace may not seem to be as much of a priority compared to other issues when it comes to employment law. However, over the last 2-3 years there have been a handful of cases within this area which have had a significant impact.

The cases of Ladele and McFarlane v UK, and Eweida and Chaplin v UK are key here; particularly the Eweida case involving a British Airways employee who was told to cover up a necklace she was wearing which displayed a Christian cross. Eweida, along with the other three cases, have been very influential in changing how discrimination in this context is dealt with in the workplace, and it is likely that employers will have to be much more diligent in future.

TUPE

TUPE refers to the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, and concerns the protection of employees and their employment contract in cases where the business is being transferred from one owner to another. The reason TUPE has been selected for this article is due to the current economic climate; changes in business structure and the selling off of businesses means that the TUPE process has been undertaken more and more in recent years.

Understanding and abiding by the procedures involved with the TUPE process is crucial for the organisations involved, as loss of employment benefits and/or even employment for the individual altogether can result in unnecessary conflict or even a court case. For example, the case of Spaceright Europe Ltd v Baillavoine (2011) involved an employee being dismissed prior to a transfer even though no actual requirement for a transferee was identified. The claimant asserted that they had been dismissed in order to help facilitate a transfer by cutting costs. Her dismissal was therefore transfer-related and unfair in law.

A Final Thought

Here I have provided just a small selection of areas of employment law which have been increasing in relevance over recent years. There are many others, for example, redundancy and unfair dismissal, pensions, the National Minimum Wage, etc. What is important for employers is that they are aware of such changes or cases in the media, ensure that they are doing what is required according to guidelines and legislation, and seek professional advice if needed.

Additional updates and/or experiences from readers are welcome!

The Rise of Social Recruitment

The use of LinkedIn, as well as other social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter, in order to both advertise vacancies and source candidates is growing in popularity with many employers. This process is now referred to as social recruitment. The reason for its popularity is really dependent on the organisation using it, but in a general sense we can consider factors such as convenience, ability to reach a specific audience, cost saving, and the reputation of the organisation as a contemporary employer.

In terms of advertising vacancies, the employer is able to use LinkedIn to reach an audience of specific potential candidates, for example, through placing an advert on a specific group or discussion board. For sourcing candidates, the employer can search through candidates’ profiles almost like online CVs. The employer has the advantage of having control over who applies for their vacancies, and the candidate can benefit from employers approaching them rather than them doing all of the searching.

Recruitment AND Selection!

An important point I would like to make here relates to social recruitment as a general concept. We need to be aware that employers are not just using social networking websites such as LinkedIn to advertise vacancies and source potential candidates; they are also consulting these websites during the selection process. Often after interviewing candidates, employers may search for their profile on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn when they are in the process of making a decision on whom to offer the job to.

It is important that candidates choose appropriate profile pictures, make some of their information private if necessary, and basically make sure that their online profiles portray an image of themselves which will not negatively influence an employer’s decision to appoint them.

Using LinkedIn to Your Advantage

So, we now know how influential social media websites can be when it comes to recruitment, and sometimes selection also. How can you use your LinkedIn profile as a useful tool to make you more employable? As I have previously mentioned, your LinkedIn profile can be your own online professional CV. Treat it the same way as you would your traditional CV. Make sure it is kept up to date with your work history, qualifications and training, and other achievements.

Use the ‘Skills and Expertise’ section to your advantage, employers may search by keyword and you want to make sure your profile shows up. Include an appropriate profile picture and customise your URL. Write an informative and concise personal summary highlighting what type of work you are looking for, not too long, not too short, and get it checked by someone before uploading if you wish. Add appropriate connections and join groups which will help suitable employers find you.

A Final Thought

If you are seeking work, you should be using every tool available to you to get back into employment. Social networking websites such as LinkedIn can be highly effective if used the right way, some vacancies may be filled just from searches and recommendations.

If you have experienced using LinkedIn for recruitment or selection purposes, or have found employment through LinkedIn, please share your story!

Employability, Not Employment!

First of all, I’d like to clarify exactly what I’m referring to in terms of ‘employability’. It is very easy to mistake this for the ability to simply get any job, i.e. become employed. This is not necessarily the case; employability involves a variety of different factors including the ability to enter a role which is relevant to your own career path, being able to demonstrate a particular skill set effectively and carry this through to the workplace, career management, knowledge of the labour market and employers in your area, and ‘job pursuit’ skills such as designing a high quality CV, conducting effective job searches, knowing how to write a personal statement to fit a particular role, etc.

The Importance of Employability

Why do we need to bother defining employability? Why makes it such a big deal? We are currently still facing a tough and competitive job market, high unemployment rates mean that the typical number of applications per vacancy has skyrocketed, meaning that it is now more important than ever to know your industry and stand out from the crowd.

As a result of large numbers of applicants, employers can now increase their expectations and request much stricter criteria from their ideal applicant. They are in a position where they can be picky, which is great for the employers but not so great for applicants who do not take the value of employability seriously. This is particularly the case for graduates, mass higher education and the increased number of universities being established since the 1980s means that huge numbers of graduates are being pumped into the labour market, most of whom have very little work experience, little knowledge of their industry and little or no knowledge of the concept of employability.

The recent rise in UK tuition fees has proven so far to slightly reduce the number of undergraduate applicants understandably; however there are still very large numbers of graduates entering the job market and the importance of employability is still strong.

How to Enhance Your Employability

So, we grasp what is meant by employability. Now, how do we make ourselves the ideal job candidate for our target role? The beginning is as good a place to start as any. Get yourself to a good job café or drop-in session, work on your CV / application form / personal statement writing skills, ask for advice and get your work checked. Practice your interview skills. Carefully read the person specification and job description, these are valuable tools.

In a broader sense, think about your career path and where you want to be. Research employers in your area; make sure you know some facts about them. If in doubt, book an appointment with a careers advisor, they can point you in the right direction and help you plan out your next steps. If you are at university, try to do a placement, internship, part-time job or voluntary work, and look in advance at what employers in your chosen area are looking for.

A Final Thought

Whether you are a job seeker, recent graduate, looking at a career change or been made redundant recently, employability is not something which should be underrated. If you want to do more than just enter any job anywhere, you need to take the necessary steps towards managing your career.

If anyone has any tips on where to seek employability advice or information on job cafes / careers advisors then please get in touch!

Setting up your own business is anything but easy, the hours are long, everything takes longer than you thought, and hoped, and things can get frustrating.

But once you overcome this the important thing to remember is that rewards make everything worthwhile.

The hours you put in and the money you earn is for yourself and not someone else who is reaping the rewards.

But how do you make the dream a reality?

Talk it over

The best way to get ideas out of your head and into an organised plan is to talk about it. Use your family and friends as an initial sounding board before taking the ideas in a more organised fashion to a business advisor.

Take your time

Although the passion and drive or maybe necessity is important, it is vital not to get carried away. For a business to be successful it takes time, not only to plan but also to become established and make money. To make sure everything goes to plan you have to make sure you understand the plan. Know the industry, research your competition, understand your customers and most importantly have trust and belief in your product or service.

Know your limitations

In an ideal world we would all be able to do everything and not need any help from people who could prove costly. But the reality is that we can’t. There’s a reason why people pay web designers, accountants and PR and marketing executives and it’s not because they like spending money. It’s because they have to if they want to do a job properly. We can all set up a basic website, do our accounts and plan pr campaigns but how well is another question.  It is important to do things right and look professional, especially when starting up because first impressions count.

If a designer / developer does your website then going forward it will be easy to maintain, while getting your books and databases set up at the beginning will save time in the long term.

Spend your money wisely

If you do go down the route of spending money on web design, make sure you know what you want, which will ultimately save time and money.

Once you have your website don’t ruin all the hard work by then writing the content yourself, unless you know what you’re doing. If you don’t then make sure you run everything through spell-check, get other people to check your content and understand key words and meta tags or no one will find your website.

Free advertising is one of the best ways to keep your set up budgets low, use Facebook, Twitter, Free Index and forums to get your business name out there.

Free software downloads are also a good way to keep costs down, at least in the beginning.  Take advantage of the free trial to sample the programme to make sure it’s exactly what you want before splashing out.

Now I’m not going to sit up here on my lofty pedestal of presenting success waving down at you! Because I also enjoy sharing my enthusiasm, coaching and supporting people, helping to build their confidence and providing training and tips to help everyone become a more confident and articulate speaker. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, manager or team leader, effective communication skills should be part of your personal effectiveness armoury.

Don’t we all want to make a difference?

Many roles in today’s business world require people to present and speak publicly. If we contribute to a discussion, whether in the board room or a quick team meeting, don’t we want people to listen and recognise our contribution? Don’t we want to deliver the message confidently, clearly and concisely with impact? Engaging the audience, being credible, influencing people and achieving results?

So it’s more than presenting. Maybe you are representing an idea, your team, organisation or business. If we’re presenting an important pitch to get new business, presenting a bid for funding, often your presentation can be the first time the audience has come into contact with your business or brand; it’s a great marketing opportunity and one you want to get right. I understand that some people get nervous; fear of presenting can cause immense stress. I enjoy supporting and working with these people, building their confidence helping them to work through their nerves. The nerves may never disappear but they can be controlled.

Presenters beware!

However, there’s something quite bizarre about presenting and public speaking; what I call the illusion of the presenter gene. We all want to avoid becoming the ’there’s nothing you can teach me’ kind of entrepreneur, leader or manager. Sadly, I’ve seen and met many business owners and managers who assume that their hard work and the knowledge and experience they’ve acquired, combined with the position they’ve achieved, instantly makes them naturally engaging, enthusiastic, informative and interesting speakers. Not so! Few of us sat behind the wheel of a car for our first driving lesson and instantly qualified to race in Formula 1. I’m sure few athletes will turn up to the London Olympics next year without continually training and honing their skills.

So why, pray tell, do some people think that anyone can present and that they would be the last people to need any training or coaching to support them? Yes, some people are naturally gifted presenters, confident and relaxed. Even if you enjoy talking to people, as a presenter or speaker you have to continually review whether you are delivering your message successfully, influencing others and achieving your outcome. You must honestly ask yourself; am I a speaker with credibility?

Where’s a good starting point?

As a manager, leader or entrepreneur you owe it to yourself to be an articulate, relaxed and credible speaker or presenter. Effective presenting, public speaking and communication skills can enhance your reputation enabling you to demonstrate and convey your knowledge and skills.

So think about the following:

• Be yourself, be authentic whether your audience knows you or not. An audience can easily detect artifice.
• Be formal or informal as the occasion merits, if you are unsure; ask!
• Plan properly, know your subject and think of the structure of your presentation; marrying your subject knowledge to your message and desired outcome, always be mindful of how you can engage your audience.
• Keep the needs of your audience in mind including opportunities for questions, length of whole presentation, bite size junks and the venue.
• Delivery; stand up or sit down? I always stand when presenting whether to a small group or large audience, it helps me get into the zone. Some presenters sit when delivering to a small group; think what the occasion merits, the outcome you are seeking and the expectation of the audience.
• Focus on me not the slide! Visual aids are important to illustrate and enhance your message. Tens of slides packed full of information will draw attention away from the presenter; keep slides simple – numbers, photos and bullet points.

One more thing

And as I say to all presenters; just go out there and enjoy it! Oh and don’t forget to breathe!

Timing is key

When considering hiring staff you must firstly look at what stage your business is at. For example, if your business has only recently started up then you will need to keep an eye on your working capital / cash flow, as you will have so many other outgoings to cover. Consequently, you may not be in a position to hire a large group of staff. It would be more strategic to see what areas of the business require new staff the most, and allocate a couple of new staff to start out with. Obviously if you urgently require a new staff member (e.g, to cover maternity leave), or maybe even a specialist employee such as an IT technician, then exceptions can be made. If your business is well established and you are looking to restructure / expand, then you may be faced with different questions. For example, would it be more cost effective and time efficient to recruit internally in this case? Will new / additional staff aid the growth of the company?

Additional factors

Whatever position your business is in, you must always consider the financial factors involved with hiring new staff. This does not just include the additional wages to be paid; you must also review the cost for the recruitment and selection process. For example, where are you going to advertise, and how much will this cost?

You must also review the position that you wish to recruit for and measure it up against the incoming applicants. It is important that you select the best person possible for the post, both in terms of what they can bring to the role and also their potential to grow personally and professionally.

Where can I find staff?

You may wish to seek the assistance of an employment agency when it comes to the hiring process. You will find plenty of them online! You could also seek advice from an experienced HR or recruitment consultant. Both of these sources will be able to advise you on where you will most likely find the right applicants for your business.

A Final Thought

Essentially, if you hire the right people into the right roles at the right time your staff can represent a source of competitive advantage for your business. As well as effective recruitment, selection, and resourcing, you must also ensure that you retain your existing staff through effective talent management.

If you have any tips on the hiring process, or where to find excellent staff, please let us know!

A couple of years ago I began mentoring a business owner and we met on a Thursday morning after the previous evening’s episode. Inevitably, each meeting began with the usual question, ‘Well, did you see it last night?’ My mentee enjoyed making observations about each episode, demonstrating an awareness of how team members worked together or didn’t; how the Project Manager engaged the team, or didn’t; the lack of planning for the task and too often how the Project Manager should have stepped in and regained control of the task.

OK, we may enjoy being armchair business critics but these discussions got me thinking about the importance of reflection and consideration. There are times, if we’re honest, when maybe we don’t take the time we know we should to reflect on our personal effectiveness. Do we pause for professional refection on our leadership and management styles? Are we continually asking ourselves the right questions? Are we effectively engaging our people? Have we translated our vision for the business into a strategy and plan? Perhaps most significantly; have we communicated this, empowering our teams by giving them a sense of direction and momentum towards achieving the business’s future goals?

I’ve got a business to run!

Day to day, we’ve all got to be go getters, entrepreneurs, innovators and motivators. We’ve got to spot new business opportunities, gaps in the market, have our competitors on our radar to be aware of what they are doing and understand the financial health of the business. To list a few of our roles! It’s not always easy to continually cultivate a high level of self awareness and keep our fingers on the pulse of our businesses but it’s exactly what’s required, even more so in current economic climate.

For a small business here’s your starter of 5:

• You’re an entrepreneur and a leader: Ask yourself why are we here? What is this business about, how has it evolved? What do we do well? Where’s the pride in the products or services we provide? What makes us, us? Where are we in the market place? How do we compare to our competitors? Can your people answer these questions? More than once I’ve been contracted to work on specific projects in some businesses, sometimes for as long as six months. After completing my project, even after six months, I can leave without a real understanding of what the business is about, why it exists and its future direction. Sadly, I often find the staff also don’t know.
• Learn to love strategy: A strategic action plan (emphasis on action) can be one side of A4, whatever works for your business. It’s important to map out the business’s future direction, communicate and keep communicating this to your people and go for it! When you need to revisit it, then revisit but keep communicating. And don’t lose touch with your business plan!
• Seek expertise and share your expertise: there may not be much funding around at the moment but there can be free business support and business health checks. Sometimes it can be really useful to get an independent view of your business. Also get networking, meet up with other business owners and managers and perhaps use social media.
• Be your biggest critic but a constructive one: you’ve worked hard to set up, develop and grow your business, so you want to get your people to ‘buy into’ your business and get the best out of everyone. Examine your leadership style do you engage and empower people? Be a great talent spotter, see below!
• Is there a better way? Continue to be curious; we don’t know the answers to all of the questions. Maybe there are times when we don’t know the right questions to ask! So encourage ideas from everyone. Not only is it a great tool to engage people but often people at different levels can have a more immediate grasp of challenges and areas of potential improvement. These people could be future managers, team leaders and product and service improvers. But don’t fall into the ideas black hole! If people can make time to submit ideas then you should make time to provide feedback.

Be passionate!

And remember be passionate about your business with your people and your customers. Enthusiasm can be infectious. After all, at the end of the day, business can be about people. We all want to enjoy our work and we all like to do business with people we like.