Coaching to Success

Our business is your success

Habits

CVs … How to WRITE them and how to READ them!

Having often been engaged to assist with the selection process, it baffles me to see how people write and present their CVs. Bluster and bravado can often sway the reader with little supporting evidence!

Consequently I thought I’d write this feature on putting a CV together and in the same vain, how to read them.

To begin, consider it from the employer’s point of view, write in the sense of ‘You’ rather than the ‘I’. They have a situation they need resolved so spouting on about how marvellous YOU are is not going to win them over! Sell yourself by showing how you can remove the problems. Insure your cover letter and CV also flows in the same consistent manner.

Another area all too frequently missed is Evidence Based examples. It’s all very well stating you created a stock system that reduced purchases but what effect did this have? Adding “Subsequent profits increased by 6.7% as a result” substantiates organisational benefits.

HAVE MORE THAN ONE CV! I can’t believe how many CVs I’ve read that have no bearing on the job! Someone working as a Technician applying for an Office Administrators role is fine but don’t preach about the technical things you studied under a microscope when filing or sourcing material is what is required.

Look for examples in your current and previous roles that support your application and mention them throughout your employment history and professional summary (to follow). You may be looking for a more technical role/person, again, the CV should illustrate throughout examples of what you have done that supports your application

Here are 8 Top Tips which will be written in the context of someone applying for a post. Those looking to employ should equally consider the importance to see if they have applied themselves or if it’s just a case of throwing out CVs!

  • Contact Details – Centred at the top of your CV, name first in Bold to stand out, then your address and contact details such as mobile, telephone, email and web site if you have one.
  • Professional Summary – This is where you sell yourself! Keep it brief encouraging the need to read all of the CV. Tailored for the post advertised, check what the criteria normally is for these positions. Summarise how the organisation will benefit from taking you on.
  • Achievement – Create a library of as many achievements you have done throughout life/career then select two or three from this list that are pertinent to the role and place them in your CV.
  • Employment History – It’s critical to insure there is ‘Evidence Based’ material. Do not list out what you did in a job, that’s no different from a job description! Prove you can do it by adding a few words on the end showing HOW the employer benefitted and start with your most recent post at the top.
  • Courses/Skills – Bullet pointed as they back up what has been mentioned earlier. Add in other skillsets that will help in a given role. Ie, if administrative, words per minute typed. If rural area, passed driving licence etc
  • Education – For Secondary & College results, list as such with grade achieved. For University Degrees, include a succinct outline of skills developed that are relevant to this role.
  • Interests – Do NOT simply put down you like reading, going to the cinema, socialising with friends or the like…boring! This is about YOU, expand, ie “I like Mystery/Crime novels, favourite being Lincoln Rhymes series by Jeffery Deaver”, “Playing 5-aside football every Thursday”, “Experiment badly in the kitchen with Italian cuisine” etc
  • References – Put two references, avoiding ‘Available on request’! This shows your answers are open and happy to be checked. Include Name, Job title, Company name, Address, Telephone number and email. Attempt to put down someone in your existing role but stipulate “Do not contact until after a job offer has been made”.

Run through a spell check and read through twice. Ask someone else to read as they will read it differently than you.

If reading as an employer, grab a highlighter pen and detach yourself emotionally. As you go through, highlight areas you wish them to expand upon or requiring clarity. A red pen is a great tool to make notes too!

Copied and pasted CVs show no real effort put in and you know what, they are disregarded straight away. It is difficult and very time consuming to read through all the different jobs, having to write different CVs for each and every one, however, if you’re smart, you’ll create two or three CV templates that are suited to the prevalent roles and have a library of achievements that will be pertinent to certain positions that you can then create bespoke CVs.

Coaching to Success specialise in Career Coaching whether it be employers looking to recruit or individuals seeking employment, for further information, contact Neil directly on 07761 187238 or email neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk to have a confidential discussion or meeting to see how we can help you find that right job or employee.

The Power of People’s help via successful delegation!

Often delegation can help relieve an element of stress. The reverse can be said when you try to handle it all and everything then seems stuck or at least moving only in first gear.

Delegation sounds easy, after all, you pass what you don’t want to do onto others … simple! The true art of successful delegation is not that easy. But done correctly, successful delegation build teams, strengthen the business, improve productivity/profit making for a more pleasant working environment.

So let’s start by ascertaining some reasons ‘Why’ as in why people don’t delegate!

  • No-one has the same level of knowledge.
  • It takes time to explain what is required – quicker to do it myself!
  • Fear of delegating yourself out of a job.
  • Your lack of trust in others’ capabilities.
  • You don’t know how!

You have progressed to a level but now can’t move forward as your workload eats into your time and more! So how do we get around this? It will be easier to break this into sections.

WHEN to delegate

  • Your own skill sets can be enhanced or new ones developed by passing other tasks on
  • Ascertain if this ‘Truly’ has to be done by yourself or whether someone else can manage it
  • A chance to improve another’s skill-set by them taking it on board

Some of this takes being honest with yourself. There may be tasks which take you out of your comfort zone so you avoid them and, worse still, avoid delegating them for fear someone will know notice!

WHO to delegate to

  • Check the current workload of the person. It’s no more beneficial to the organisation if you simply pass it onto someone in similar situation.
  • Skill set. Do they have the skills or how long would it take for them to grasp its importance?
  • Up-skilling may be a great opportunity for a person to start the promotional ladder!

HOW to delegate

  • Clarity, from Stephen Covey “Begin with the end in mind”. Insure the person knows when the work is to be completed by. Where they can get resources and what the expected outcome is.
  • Authority – again, make it clear who has overall responsibility and if this impacts on others, make sure they know too.
  • Matching workload – insure you delegate to the lowest level. Make sure the work is appropriate to the level of the individual. If anything, give it to someone who will need to stretch a little to achieve it in order to raise their skillset!
  • Motivation – never underestimate the value of positive motivation. A simple “Well Done” can carry so much weight. Recognition that they have been selected or promoted may be a sufficient reward in itself.
  • Results – Focus on the outcome. They may have a different, potentially improved productive means of carrying out the task. Assist when required but also allow them to self-develop as you too may learn something.
  • Support – It’s never wise to ‘Micro-manage’ people, but in the same degree, to leave them completely to their own devices with a new task is equally wrong! Be available to answer questions. Arrange update reports/meetings to allow them to raise concerns and questions.

CONTROLLING the task

  • Create a delegation log sheet. Indicate who you’ve given a task too and expected completion dates.
  • Allow them room to find their own way of doing things.
  • Explain why they have been chosen. This should be done to promote their emotional attachment.
  • When completed, set time aside to go through the objectives and outcome. Allow lessons to be learned if areas haven’t been done.

Although there is still a lot more to be learned, the above steps will at least set you on the right path towards some of the elements involved with positive delegation.

Coaching to Success specialise in gaining clarity and responsibility. Should either yourself or a member of your team want to enhance your delegation skills to get the best out of your team, please contact Neil by email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or call 07761 187238 to arrange an complimentary meeting and if you’re online, have a look at his interview video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco where you’ll be assured a warm welcome to discuss how we can help.

 

Change is a necessity in our lives but how do we handle those we didn’t wish for?

Often the pleasant things that change go un-noticed while those which go against what we’ve been used to can cause fear or trepidation. Consequently, if you are in the throes of change that is out of your direct control, rather than rebel, look at it from a positive manner, adjusting your own preconceptions as to how it may work out.

To begin, actually adjust your thinking

  • Reframe – Look to encourage new experiences to get you out of the ‘Norm’ rather than the ‘How will it affect me’ in a negative sense. Give it some positive meaning.
  • Process orientated – Any Great British Bake Off fans? Well think of change like baking! Stick with me on this … whether it be bread or cakes, there are many ingredients and steps to ultimately produce the wonderful results. It takes time and patience. Change is no different, it needs to be worked through. No ‘Knead’ for any other analogies here!

Okay, now that’s set the way of thinking, let’s move on to territories we experience in change.

  1. Change is inevitable – Changes occur frequently throughout the day and we handle them without a thought. A pen and it runs out, we change to another without thought, a minor change. You see a building site going up, a major change now for those working there and the soon to be new residents It doesn’t affect you, nonetheless, accept change happens.
  2. Change is just learning! – So it’s something you’re not familiar with? Think of some major but pleasurable changes you’ve undertaken. , it was all new to begin but now you’ve probably settled into it quite well now. A little like driving, the first responsibilities at a new job etc. Enjoy new experiences through wanting to learn rather than fearing the unknown.
  3. Address your feelings – Especially when you have no choice. Try avoiding the victim approach of “This isn’t fair, why me?” If it’s out of your control, the decision has been made so start searching for the positive elements. This will be hard to begin but with enough practice, you’ll search the more comfortable way of travelling your new direction. Positive thinking assists in building bridges or opportunities!
  4. Opportunity – welcome change as such. You’ll spend less time fighting it and while you’re searching, write down the positive experiences you’ve found that will open these doors to opportunity.
  5. Notice enjoyable changes! – consider all the areas where positive outcomes can be found in change. When was the last upgrade of your mobile? How many new great features does your new phone now offer. Think of how we used to listen to music and how portable it now is! These are enjoyable changes but even so, they are changes!
  6. S.M.A.R.T. Goals – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant & Time-bound. My clients will tell you how important I believe this to be. “A dream is a dream but a goal has a time limit!” Create an accurate goal with start, middle and finish. Each component having clear settings with time against each and the most important thing is to establish when you will START and not when to be done BY!

One of the biggest helps is your ability to find a supportive network. Whether this be in your workplace, home, family or friends, look to someone who may have had similar experiences and how they overcame their initial concerns.

Coaching to Success understands change is inevitable. As George Bernard Shaw put it “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” And this is where we specialise, in helping you find new paths and then embracing them as you do.

With the change of mind-set, you can achieve almost anything and for those really difficult situations, contact Neil by email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or call 07761 187238. If you’re online, have a look at his interview video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco where you’ll be assured a warm welcome to discuss how we can help.

‘Procrastination’ – Why do today what you can put it off until tomorrow?

How often do you find that you are about to start something with the best intentions only to find … sorry, hang on a minute, let me just read this email, oh, I better have a look into this… and sometime later we’re back to writing this feature!

There are several reasons we (and I include myself in this!) let procrastination get a grip. These may include:

  • Waning interest – This is sooooo boring!
  • Motivation – The Mojo has taken a holiday!
  • Skill factor – Umm, how do I do this?
  • Rebel – Don’t want to do it and I’ll prove I don’t have the time!
  • Failure – What if I can’t do this?
  • Success – If I do well, will they expect more?

There will be more but I have found that these 6 normally top the bill, so let’s look at them individually.

  1. Waning interest – If, like me, when doing something that’s not that interesting, the ping of an email or something irrelevant but enjoyable suddenly seems to take precedence … STOP! Find somewhere without the distractions and concentrate.
  2. Motivation – Do you believe you need motivation to begin a task? How about this for a radical idea, start the task and then find it! Even the initial steps to beginning a task can promote the somewhat lacking motivation. Set yourself up with a reward once complete, after this feature, a nice inexpensive filter coffee and half hour read of a book will be mine!
  3. Skill factor –Sometimes it’s our own beliefs that hold us back. As a coach, many of my clients hold unfounded beliefs until we establish exactly where the problems lie and look at ways to overcome them. Consider breaking tasks into manageable parts. What is the starting point and the desired end goal? See what areas you are competent at, others may require some additional training or even delegating.
  4. Rebel – Predominantly another ‘subconscious’ level barrier generated from power struggles. I was amazed how when someone gave me a task I didn’t wish to carry out I managed to find every reason for not accomplishing it on time, whereas, jobs I did enjoy, would be cleared straight away! Remove the ‘Emotional’ attachment to the task and look at it from a practical sense. How much trouble would I be in if I don’t complete it? How will this benefit my business by completing on time? Only you can know the truth of this and letting the emotional attachment go will give a much clearer picture.
  5. Failure – None of us set out to fail, nonetheless, it is something that we learn from. Each step we take we learn something new or to persevere can win out in the end. Take J.K.Rowling for example, she got rejected by numerous publishers while working as a waitress. Her break came from the publisher’s 8yr old daughter begging him to publish it! Sometimes it’s simply down to timing!.
  6. Success – “Now if I do this right, they’ll expect me to continue or even improve!” Maybe expectations of you will be increased? And with each successful outcome, you raise your standards once again. Consider each and every task on its own merits WITHOUT considering where it may lead.

There are many tools that can help with procrastination, however, the biggest obstacle is ourselves! Until we start to realise what our own barriers are, procrastination will let its tentacles stretch out and feed on our daily distractions.

Coaching to success work towards breaking down barriers, opening up confidence levels, assessing what’s ahead and planning to succeed in whatever goal their clients wish to attain. To improve your own levels of procrastination or focus, take the first step by contacting Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk and if you’re online, have a look at his interview video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco where you’ll be assured a warm welcome to discuss how we can help.

Business challenges … which of these do you recognise?

It’s been a hard few years with many businesses rising from the ashes of the 2008 crash. From lack of jobs or redundancies, from renting to having a new home choosing different types of paint finishes, new and fresh companies are still being formed and for these as well as existing companies that forged through the hardships like availing online personal loans for bad credit, a larger challenge is still being undertaken in as much as maintaining the business like having a Trauma rehab center, and etc.

I have found the following 3 attributes the hardest to manage so thought I would share my findings!

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

‘Cash is King’ and Cash Flow is critical. As business starts to pick up, well managed cash flow is tantamount for success. If not already established, get on board with an accountant who can help with bookkeeping and all other aspects of financial control.

It’s not simply about money coming in and going out, seek advice and in the early days, if managing your accounts yourself, seek areas you can improve and as you grow, concentrate on what you do best and hand over this side of the business to someone else.

EXHAUSTION

The pressure to succeed, the variety of tasks and hours put in can eventually wear down the fittest of individuals when trying to start a business! Even when the business is successful, still those hours are ploughed in … but there can be a breaking point.

So look to take time out. Share this with Family or Friends, take positive breaks away from work and refrain from checking in … make it a break! Fatigue takes its toll and can lead to impulsive decisions that may affect both the business and people therein, so rest is essential!

I’ll often go for a walk during a lunch time to get a mental break from what I’m working on, giving me a physical activity which also stimulates positive endorphins that exercise releases.

Yes, the hours need to be put in at the formation but as it picks up, offset some of the rewards to other avenues such as bookkeeping, telemarketing, admin work on a temporary basis to begin but take time out. This is vital for the continuation, without replenishment of air in car tyres, the car will eventually come to a halt probably due to a crash!

EGGS & BASKETS

We start off, get a great client, then really focus on insuring we look after them well. Consequently both theirs and our business’ expand and all is well! As they grow there’s a chance they may move to someone else, so, now what?

I’ve seen this happen frequently throughout my career. Diversity is key to success and growth. I understand how difficult it is especially when you feel committed to this wonderful client/customer who not only pays well but on time too!

So continue to expand your client portfolio. Look to consider where potential new bloodlines can be created from. What are your Unique Selling Points to attract new clients/customers? As before, get someone in to help, maybe a marketing company but always look for the next potential!

 

Coaching to success help businesses and individuals to think logically, pragmatically and laterally when it comes to finding the best way of moving forward and retaining both the mental and physical energy to see it through. If you or any members of your team are showing any of the above traits, contact Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk and if you’re online, have a look at his interview video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco