Finding a new job can be a challenge but settling into a new role and company can be nerve-wracking too. You’ll be meeting a whole new team, learning new processes and adapting to their company culture.

While starting a new job is exciting, if you’re feeling disappointed by the end of your first week you may have some thinking to do. You may have been miss-sold the job by a recruiter who exaggerated the perks, you may be unimpressed with the training you have received, or perhaps you’re not gelling well with your new team members. Whatever the reasons, if your new job isn’t meeting your expectations it can be disheartening.

So, the big question is, should you stay or should you go? While the thought of leaving your new job may make you feel guilty and worried about where to go from here, there are a few options to consider first. Here’s what you should do.

1. Make sure you have given your new job a chance
If a new job doesn’t meet your expectations in the first few days, it’s easy to make a snap judgement that you aren’t going to like it. However, it’s important to give it some more time.

You may have started at a particularly busy time, so the team has been rushed off their feet and unable to make you feel welcome. If you’re feeling unhappy, set yourself a time period of giving it another week or month to see if things turn around. Unless the situation is very bad, quitting hastily after a poor day may not be the right decision.

2. Consider if you can switch it up
If you feel like your talents are better suited to a different department in the company, then ask your manager if there are any opportunities to move. If they think you are an asset to their business, then they won’t want to lose you.

If it’s not the work itself that is bothering you, consider if there are any actions you can take to improve the situation. For example, if you are not getting along with your line manager, or the people you sit with, speak to someone about it. If you can raise your concerns early and fix them, there will be no need to hand in your resignation letter later.

3. When is it ok to leave your new job?
While it’s a good idea to give your new role a chance and see what can be done to improve things, there are some instances when it may be better to leave straight away. You should leave if:

The job is negatively affecting your mental or physical well-being
You’re feeling a lot of stress and pressure that you weren’t expecting
You don’t want to be burning yourself as this is damaging for you and your career. If you’re seeing these red flags in your new job then it may be a better option to look for a new role.

4. Finding a new opportunity
Don’t feel pressured to stay in a job you hate simply because you are worried about finding another opportunity. There are plenty of roles out there and if you commit to your job search and make the most of your professional connections, you’ll have a new job in no time.

5. Don’t burn bridges
Where possible, you should try not to burn any bridges on your way out of any job. You never know when you may meet your boss/colleagues again, so conduct yourself professionally and leave with your reputation intact.

In an ideal world, people wouldn’t judge each other on their image at all.

However, we don’t live in an ideal world; the small choices you make when dressing, the scar on your chin and the tattoo poking out from your collar are all data that our brains take into account almost immediately and – consciously or not – and use to formulate an opinion. This subconscious analysis is simply part of what makes us human.

Sigmund Freud postulated in his psychoanalytic theory in the early 1900s that the human brain is comprised of three levels of awareness or consciousness. Freud believed that our conscious mind takes up only ten per cent of our analytical bandwidth, whilst our subconscious comprises around 50-60% and our unconscious around 30-40%. Freud stated that your subconscious mind is the storage point for any ‘quick recall’ memories or associations. It also holds the information that you use every day, such as recurring thoughts, behaviour patterns, habits and feelings.

What does this mean for first impressions?

It means that essentially, all humans have immediate associations that are recalled as soon as we meet anyone new, and these biases help us formulate an image that contextualises the individual straight away. That tattoo on their wrist may recall the behaviours of past individuals with wrist tattoos, or that scar on their chin may elicit memories of dealing with others sporting scars.

What are the biggest factors people decide straight away?

One of the first things people decide after meeting you is whether they should trust you. This process, according to the Research Digest, takes just one-tenth of a second to conclude – in which time they’ve already decided if you’re trustworthy or not. Princeton researchers found this out by giving one group of 245 university students 100 milliseconds to rate the attractiveness, likeability, competence and trustworthiness of actors’ faces.

One hundred and twenty-eight members of another group were able to take as long as they wanted. Results showed that ratings of trustworthiness were highly similar between the two groups — even more similar than ratings of attractiveness — suggesting that we figure out almost instantaneously if we can trust someone.

The second thing people judge a new acquaintance on is their socioeconomic status; a Dutch study found that people wearing brand-name clothes were considered to have an immediately higher status than those wearing non-branded clothing. 

"Perceptions did not differ on any of the other dimensions that might affect the outcome of social interactions," commented the authors, as reported by Business Insider. "There were no differences in perceived attractiveness, kindness, and trustworthiness,” they added.

Other key defining factors include jewellery, the brand and materials of your watch, cologne or perfume, your haircut and our shoes.

A study conducted in 2007 by a Professor at Loyola Marymount University discovered that the first few seconds of an interaction also formulate an assumption on an individual’s intelligence. Similar aesthetic anchors that lead people to assume your socioeconomic standing also contribute to their view of your intelligence. Yet factors such as height, weight and age can also affect their assumption.

The study also found that confidence made a large impact on assumed intellect; Professor Nora A. Murphy from the university found that looking someone directly in the eye made a marked impact on their view of your intelligence.

These phrases are thrown around a lot, so, as you can imagine, they can get pretty annoying

Sick of your employees’ and colleagues’ use of jargon? Well, you’re not alone. New research from CV-Library, the UK’s leading independent job board, reveals that there are some phrases and clichés that employers simply can’t stand in the workplace, and ‘with all due respect’ (46.5%) is the most aggravating.

The survey of 300 employers across the UK found that there is a string of common phrases they find to be particularly irritating, including:

“With all due respect” (46.5%)
“Reach out” (30.9%)
“At the end of the day” (30%)
“Think outside the box” (26.5%)
“It is what it is” (23.9%)
“Let’s regroup” (19.1%)
“Can I borrow you for a second?” (18.7%)
“Have you got two minutes?” (17.4%)
“At this moment in time” (12.2%)
“Get the ball rolling” (11.3%)

Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library, comments: “We all know that work can be stressful at times and the last thing we want is our mood being worsened by employees saying the wrong thing. It’s certainly frustrating when people don’t just get to the point and choose to beat around the bush with the help of office jargon, so it’s vital that you lead by example.

“Set the standard for your employees to follow and encourage them to keep a direct line of open communication with their colleagues and their supervisors. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page!”

CV-Library explains why these annoying phrases could be damaging to employee morale in the workplace:

You’ll annoy your colleagues: These phrases are thrown around a lot, so, as you can imagine, they can get pretty annoying

People may take them the wrong way: If you’re hinting at circling back to the task later or asking for more hands on deck, this can come across as rude. Are they not good enough for this task?

You may not be taken seriously: Often, talking in jargon is seen as a way to hide the fact that you don’t actually know what you’re talking about – not ideal if you’re someone’s boss!

You could aggravate delicate situations: Trying to break the ice or move the conversation on? Don’t use these phrases as some can be insulting. When you’re saying something ‘with all due respect’, is it actually respectful?

https://recruitingtimes.org/business-movers-shakers/26431/revealed-10-phrases-employers-are-sick-of-hearing-in-the-workplace/ 

If you have never attended a job interview before, you may panic at the prospect of your potential employer offering you their hand. Should you go for a purposeful and enthusiastic handshake to show your eagerness? Or perhaps a more mild approach is better?

You may also consider how long you should hold on to the handshake for, so as to not appear too rushed, without being uncomfortably prolonged either.

ilesh Dosa, a youth mentor at leading accountancy firm, Ernst & Young, argues that these concerns can easily be addressed by schools taking a more proactive approach in teaching their pupils basic interview skills. He believes that educating students on the appropriate etiquette to adopt when attending a job interview will prevent the growing problem of academically able pupils being ill-equipped for life in the working world.

This view is shared by etiquette consultant, Jo Bryant, who has also published a number of books on the subject, in addition to working at Debrett’s, the arbiters of etiquette in Britain. She claims that whilst pupils may have a host of impressive qualifications, poor interview etiquette, such as a lack of eye contact and a poor handshake and body language, will limit their chances of being offered the job.

So, if you are still left wondering how to achieve the perfect handshake, Bryant advises eye contact, matched with a firm palm-to-palm clasp of the other person’s hand. However, remember not to be too forceful that you risk crushing their hand, nor too limp, as this can give the impression that you are lacking in confidence and enthusiasm for the potential role at stake. Instead, try to strike the all-important balance of confidence, without bordering on arrogance.

If you are liable to get nervous, then this can inevitably lead to sweaty hands. To avoid this, Bryant recommends wiping your hands before heading in to the interview to try to keep any potential clamminess at bay. Above all, it is important to simply try and be natural. Avoid coming across wooden and robotic by trying to remember too much and if you really need to, practice your handshake with a friend or family member until you feel confident, comfortable and ready to face any interview that comes your way.

https://recruitingtimes.org/recruitment-and-hr-learning-and-development-l-and-d/26504/how-to-nail-the-perfect-handshake/ 

Now that I'm a manager and a founder, I wish I could take what I know and go back in time to be a better employee. There were so many things that were never explained to me, but became obvious once I was managing and leading others who were far better employees than I ever was. As time goes on, I see my team doing or saying certain things and find myself thinking "a-ha, that's why so-and-so was successful and I wasn't." I have also been in a position to witness behavior that makes me ache for the person's career.

So much time is spent teaching leadership, but very little is spent on how to be a good follower, especially for kids like me who didn't have white collar parents to coach them. And the fact is that no company succeeds without disciplined, loyal, and effective followers, which you'll find out quickly the first time you have to manage a team or start a company. If you can avoid some of these mistakes, you'll be far more likely to get into a position of leadership faster - and be better at it from the start.

If Only I'd Known These Things...
Keep Your Word - Do Your Job
Do what you say you will do. No excuses. This isn't your high school English class where you can beg for extensions. Get your work done, on time, with as little drama as possible. This is your single most important job.

Your Manager Wants You To Succeed
One of the most forehead-slapping things for me to realize in hindsight was that most of my managers really did want me to succeed. Yes, there are a lot of toxic managers out there and I had my share of them too, and more on that later. I let those poor managers trigger me into setting myself up as the enemy of my manager. In normal healthy work environments, your manager usually is not your enemy. They're busy and under pressure and ambitious too. Truly, they want you to succeed, because it's just easier for them than dealing with the issues that come up when you don't. Coaching, managing, and yes, firing and hiring people is a LOT of work, and they really do think it would just be easier if you could be great at your job. So help them as much as you can, and think for yourself as much as you can, and you'll be a hero to your boss.

Your Manager is Not Your Parent - Get A Therapist
If you're fresh out of college, it's especially easy to continue on in the role of child. After all for your entire life to date your parents and teachers and professors have been authority figures with a lot of power over you. It's normal to have baggage and to even be triggered when your boss demands things of you in a way that reminds you of that parental relationship. But your boss is not your mother or father. They have a job to do, and so do you. Don't read so much into everything they say or do. They're human, they make mistakes, and they're not trying to keep you insecure or powerless. Seek a therapist to discuss these issues with. As you grow in your career, these issues will come up - even as you lead people, you learn about your triggers and therapy will make you a better manager, too.

If There's a Problem, Don't Wait or Hide It...
Say something before it gets so bad you want to quit, you start acting out, or someone gets fired or arrested. Managers assume you are fine until you say something. They're busy too, and yes, it's their job to ask and check in, but if not, you need to own this for the sake of your own career.

...But Don't Complain About Everything, Either
Those who rarely complain usually get immediate attention when they do finally speak. Figure out what's in your manager's control and selectively air your gripes in those ways. Try not to whine about the rest or you'll be labeled a malcontent. Work isn't easy, and no one wants to hang around complainers.

Get Stuff Done With No Drama = You Are A Star
Those who get "stuff" done and create no interpersonal drama are highly prized in organizations. Be that person. Don't let your emotions run your decisions. Take a breath, cool off, go for a walk. Make decisions with your head and think long term as much as you can. If you are truly this person and you are not highly prized for this trait, something is wrong, so leave your manager or your company. Tell a prospective manager that you are this person, and prove it, and you will be hired.

Ask For What You Want, Explicitly
Managers are busy but as I said above, they want you to be successful and happy. It's easier for them! So, get to the point. If you want help, or just want to explore some ideas without judgement, or need something, just say it out loud, explicitly and as clearly as you can. Don't just flop down in your boss' couch or the conference room and vent your emotions. Think it through, and figure out exactly what you want. Then ask for it.

Make Your Manager Look Great And Good Things Will Happen
If you do this and you are not being rewarded, get a new manager. Don't bother complaining about it, because it's not going to change. Move on and don't waste time trying to wonder whose fault it is.

Be Loyal To Your Boss
You never look good when you bad mouth your boss, and it always gets back to them. At that point, trust is dead and your career in that organization is likely now at a dead end. Loyalty in people is highly valued by managers. Don't gossip about them or your other team members. Believe me, they notice when you do, even if they never say anything to your face.

Fess Up, ASAP
The minute you think your deadline is at risk, or you know you've made a mistake, own it. Don't hide it! The earlier you fess up, the more time your manager has to help you fix it and help you clean up the the mess. It should go without saying that nasty but avoidable surprises are unprofessional, and you should never repeat them.

Choose Your Allies Carefully
When starting a new job, the first person to befriend you is likely disliked by everyone else. So pick your friends and allies carefully. Spend time observing where power and influence flow in your new company, both formally and informally, to avoid inadvertently making a career-limiting move early on.

Nobody Wants To Hear About How They Did Things At Your Last Job
After you have been there for awhile you can just suggest those things as your own ideas, like this: “Has {idea} been tried? I have had some success with it before.”

Pick Up After Yourself
Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink. Keep your cube orderly. Apologize if you make a mistake. Volunteer sometimes, but not always, to take on grunt work. When a manager asks for volunteers they (should) value/reward those who do. Stop if they don’t.

IMPORTANT: None Of This Excuses Poor Management!
There's an inherent assumption in everything I just wrote. The workplace you are in and your manager must be reasonably sane and healthy. If your culture or leader is toxic, I suggest you get out as soon as you possibly can. Don't gaslight yourself into thinking you can change that. In fact, the longer you stay, the more damage you will do to your own psyche and your career as you adopt unhealthy habits.

At the same time, the purpose of this article is to challenge you to think about the parts of the relationship with your manager that you can own, even in the earliest and most powerless parts of your career. You do have choices in every situation, and those choices can either push your career forward, or stifle it.

The Myth And Reality of "The Feral Founder"
Recruiters often refer to founders as "feral" because some employers think we're unmanageable after we've had a taste of running our own show. The question is, were the founders unmanageable before they were founders, or did founding making them so? To some extent, I am probably a little feral, but it's no longer because I am unmanageable. The real reason it would be hard to be an employee again is because the longer I run my own company, the more I realize this is what I was born to do and where I am happiest.

By Melinda B

A new report by LinkedIn Talent Solutions questions the effectiveness of the job interview as the best way to assess for soft skills.

The report criticises what has long been the standard approach as not fit for purpose, and goes on to make a number of suggestions as to how employers can better assess soft skills.

According to the ‘2019 Global Talent Trends’ report, while soft skills “have always been important, they are increasingly vital today”. As the report says, “a particular programming language may go out of fashion, but creativity, adaptability and collaboration skills will always be valuable”. And yet despite 80% of respondents agreeing that soft skills “are increasingly important to company success”, the report says that “many companies still struggle to accurately and consistently assess soft skills”.

A requirement for soft skills was one of four trends identified in the report. The others were flexible work, anti-harassment and pay transparency.

The report contends that the way most companies assess soft skills by relying on interviews and picking up on soft cues, such as “he seemed nervous, so he is probably not a good leader” – which 68% of talent professionals say is the main way they assess for soft skills – isn’t predictive of job performance. Also, a true reading can be undermined by well-rehearsed answers. Worse still, such methods are prone to bias.

The report was based on a survey of 5,164 talent professionals and hiring managers – all LinkedIn members – and an analysis of the LinkedIn profiles of more than 590m members in over 200 countries to reveal which soft skills are in most demand relative to supply. This found creativity was the most in-demand soft skill in short supply followed by persuasion, collaboration, adaptability and time management.

The report makes a number of suggestions on how employers can better assess for soft skills:

• More project-based assessment as these showcase candidates’ soft skills in action.
• Using tech-based assessments, such as Koru, Pymetrics and Plum that all use AI, which is less prone to bias.
• Identify the skills your top performers share and those your business will need going forward.
• Similarly identify and define the skills need for every role.
• Standardise your interview questions. Behavioural and situational interview questions are effective but only when used consistently.
• Ask problem-solving questions to see soft skills in action.

The number of people in work in the UK has reached a record high of 32.54 million, latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show.

Unemployment was flat, with a small increase of 8,000 between September and November for a total of 1.37 million. Average earnings excluding bonuses increased by 3.3 per cent in the year to November, as wage rises continued to outpace inflation. The number of job vacancies rose by 10,000 to a record high of 853,000.

The unemployment total is 68,000 lower than a year ago, with the jobless rate 0.2 per cent down on this time in 2018. The number of job vacancies rose by 10,000 to a record high of 853,000. The increase in both unemployment and employment is explained by the UK’s rising population and fewer people being classed as economically inactive, which includes those on long-term sick leave, students, and people who have given up looking for a job.

The number of economically inactive people fell by 100,000 to 8.6 million, a rate of 21 per cent, which is the lowest on record.

Employment Minister, Alok Sharma, said

Our pro-business policies have helped boost private sector employment by 3.8 million since 2010, and as the Resolution Foundation’s latest report shows, the ‘jobs-boom has helped some of the most disadvantaged groups find employment’, providing opportunities across society.”

The UK recruitment industry grew by 11% to £35.7 billion in 2017/18 despite ongoing Brexit uncertainty.

Recruiters and associated HR services placed over 1.1 million people into permanent jobs in 2017/18, and were responsible for placing more than 1 million agency workers on any given day, according to new data published today by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC).

The REC’s annual Recruitment Industry Trends report for 2017/18 showed that the total industry turnover from permanent and temporary/contract placements, and other HR services, reached £35.7 billion, an increase of 11 per cent on last year. £30.85 billion was generated through temporary/contract placement activity, and approximately £4.84 billion through permanent placements.

The number of businesses operating in the UK recruitment industry grew by almost 10 per cent in the year to March 2018, totalling 30,430, and the industry employed approximately 115,000 people – enough to fill all the seats and the pitch at Wembley Stadium.

Other figures from the 2017/18 report include:

• Almost two thirds (64 per cent) of temporary assignments were for 12+ weeks, while one in five (20 per cent) were for 6+ months (compared to 61 per cent and 20 per cent respectively in 2016/17)
• 85 per cent of contract placements were for 12+ weeks, and 45 per cent of contract workers were on assignment for 6+ months (compared to 80 per cent and 44 per cent respectively in 2016/17)
• The average value of permanent placements from the wider recruitment industry was £4,238 (up by 6.4 per cent on the average in 2016/17)
• The average annualised turnover of each temporary/contract worker on assignment was £34,976 (up 20 per cent on the average in 2016/17)

Recruitment Industry Trends 2017/18 also includes the REC’s forecast for the next three years, which remains positive despite the unknowns in the political landscape. The REC forecasts that the UK’s recruitment industry will grow by 4 per cent in 2018/19, 4.5 per cent in 2019/20 and 5 per cent in 2020/21.

Commenting on the report, REC chief executive Neil Carberry said:

“It has been an extraordinary year for recruitment and recruiters. Tight labour markets and quickly shifting skills needs have driven the growth of the industry – but only because recruiters have adapted swiftly to changing times. We see this increased value for clients reflected in our monthly survey feedback – recruitment is a key part of the UK’s world-leading professional services sector. We should celebrate an industry which boosts the economy and transforms candidates’ lives every single day.

The path ahead is uncertain – Brexit, immigration reform, tax changes, technology. But this report shows that recruiters can look at that uncertainty and see the opportunities. Whatever the coming months and years bring, recruiters will continue to use their skills and knowledge to boost the UK’s labour market and find people their perfect job.”

Simon Adcock, Head of Professional Services for HSBC UK, which supports recruitment businesses of all types and sizes, added:

“Despite current uncertainty, the recruitment industry’s focus on quality of service and its enthusiasm for technological innovation has seen it continue to flourish, boosting the wider UK economy. In a world where the way we work is becoming ever more flexible, the role of the recruiter in connecting people to opportunities and employers to people has never been as important. That’s why we remain firmly committed to firms in this vital part of the professional services sector.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. Recruitment Industry Trends is available for REC members to download for free from http://www.rec.uk.com/recruitmentindustrytrends. It is available for sale to non REC members.

2. Market-wide estimates for this annual industry snapshot have been calculated by the REC using data drawn from the survey of members conducted by ComRes, data from the ONS Inter-Departmental Business Register as well as historical data from IHS Markit. ComRes interviewed 179 recruitment businesses online between 17 July and 8 October 2018. Data was weighted by size and region to be representative of all recruitment agencies in the UK.

3. For more information, contact the REC Press Office on 0207 009 2157/2192 or pressoffice@rec.uk.com. An ISDN line is available for interviews on 0207 021 0584.

4. Jobs transform lives, which is why we are building the best recruitment industry in the world. As the professional body for recruitment we’re determined to make businesses more successful by helping them secure the people they need. We are absolutely passionate and totally committed in this pursuit for recruiters, employers, and the people they hire. Find out more about the Recruitment & Employment Confederation at www.rec.uk.com.

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