Dress codes for the office - formal or business casual?

Fifth Graduate blog for x4 recruitment

Dress codes for the office – formal or business casual?

Over the last decade dress codes in many industries have relaxed.  These days there are many workplaces where you are more likely to see jeans and t-shirts than traditional business wear. However, this isn’t always the case. Most business dress codes sit within the vague middle ground of ‘business casual’.

Why so formal?

A company’s objective in establishing a formal business code will be largely to ensure employees project a professional image that engenders credibility and respect. It displays an image of a knowledgeable business professional that clients  find reassuring.

What does your work dress say about you?

It’s imperative that formal wear is clean and pressed. Grooming also says a lot; a well-groomed employee comes across as an organised, competent and focused worker. Dirty, wrinkled or frayed clothing suggests a lack of care or attention to detail. Likewise, clothing that reveals too much skin, or has words, logos or pictures that may be considered offensive looks decidedly unprofessional and could be considered something of an affront to a business client.

Adapt to your environment

Although traditional wear is important for companies that regularly meet with professional clients, sometimes business people prefer to project a more informal image. A company whose key strength is youthfulness and fresh thinking may opt for more casual dress. If you’re regularly working with younger people, traditional business wear may appear stand-offish and send the wrong message. It’s a good idea to adapt to your environment. If in doubt, look at how your colleagues dress. In some businesses, employees are actively encouraged to showcase their individuality through their dress, but this is unusual. As a general rule, it’s better to blend in than to stand to far out.

Practical considerations

More importantly, fashion should fit function. There is an issue of comfort with formal business suits, especially in the summer months. Companies that work outside in warmer climates may encourage their employees to lose heavy jackets in the summer months. Likewise, companies that require their employees to be on their feet a lot of the time may prefer to allow trainers to be worn (but probably not flip-flops!).

Just what is ‘business casual’?

The middle ground of ‘business casual’ is more difficult to define. Generally it is implemented on ‘dress down’ days, usually Fridays. It often means toning down on the formality, but still not crossing into offensive. So University sports team logos on shirts, jumpers, dresses, dress heels and polo shirts are acceptable. However it’s not a good idea to bare too much flesh or to go to any extremes.

Dress-down days can be a great way of maintaining office morale. They have the potential to allow workers to let off steam and encourage a friendly, collaborative atmosphere on Fridays when most people are in a good mood. Casual clothing may have this effect overall, and indeed it is becoming more common for companies to implement more relaxed clothing throughout the week, even in professional environments, to encourage positive and creative thinking all around.

If you’re starting a new role, don’t buy a new business wardrobe until you have been there at least a couple of days. Have a look around you and if in doubt, err on the side of caution and dress more formally than informally – you’ll generally do less harm that way round!

Could contract work be for you?

Here is my fourth Graduate blog for x4 recruitment

Could contract work be for you?

If you’re considering leaving your current role in search of greater flexibility, contract work could well be worth considering as an alternative to part-time work. Not only is the flexibility greater, the pay is often higher and there is likely to be more opportunity for you to make use of your education and experience and progress within your chosen industry. Contract work can also be a great interim option.

There are different forms of contract work, and each of these come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Working as a contractor for an umbrella company can be ideal if you’re new to contracting and want both the flexibility of the contractor lifestyle and some security. It’s possible to work for such companies on short-term assignments from one day to six months. This could be a good way to ‘test the water’ prior to making any large commitments. You will pay Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax and National Insurance on your earnings.

More seasoned contractors often opt to set-up Limited companies due to the additional flexibility and tax benefits they afford. If you’re comfortable being your own boss and happy to manage your own finances, setting aside money to pay your tax, this could be for you. Working as a sole trader will also allow you to be your own boss, but there are far fewer tax benefits and it can be considerably riskier.

If you’re new to contracting, working through an agency like X4 could also be the best option. We handle the contract negotiation and administration with the client company, saving you the hassle. We also deal with all payment issues, including rate and terms, so you don’t need to get involved in any chasing for late payment. Plus, there’s no need to worry about IR35 etc. We will ensure all contracts reflect the IR35-friendly working practices our contractors engage in. We are familiar with all the ins and outs of current legislation and quick to adapt to any changes. Being able to take a ‘hands-off’ approach appeals to many of our contractors.

If you’d like to speak to us about the realities of working as a contractor, get in touch. We’re always happy to chat.

The ten most common CV mistakes

Here's my third Graduate blog for x4 recruitment

The ten most common CV mistakes

Mistakes are easy to make and you only get one chance at a first impression on your CV. Companies will see hundreds of CVs every day, of which only a small handful stand out from the crowd. Improve your chances of avoiding the ‘no’ pile by avoiding these common pitfalls. 

1. It's too long

As a general rule two pages is plenty. Be succint. Your reader most likely doesn't have all day. Write to be skim-read. Keep paragraphs short and avoid long passages of prose. Short, succint comments or descriptions are fine.

2. There's unnecessary detail

No-one needs to know what you've done every day of your working life. Stick to the highlights. Where have you made the most impact? There are a lot of jobs with fairly standard sets of responsibilites; how you managed a certain task or helped the company increase their profits will be of more interest than a dull list of duties. You may need to include some context on the company you worked for, but again; not too much detail!

3. Your language sucks

Be prepared to tailor your CV to each role you apply for. Scan the job spec for keywords and be sure to incorporate them. And whatever you do, avoid dull language. If you're going to use an overused word like 'passionate', make sure you add colour in the form of an example; show rather than tell. Avoid repetition wherever possible. Your Thesaurus is your friend. Spice up your CV with an interesting verb or two; 'I transformed/remodelled/investigated' sounds more interesting than 'I worked on'.

Don't sit on the fence. Banish indecisive language (I think/believe/could etc); instead be assertive and bold; 'I am an ideal candidate because...'

4. You undersell yourself

Despite the need to be succint, you will need to fully highlight your achievements. Without arrogance, take care to match your experiences and achievements to the job specification. 

5. No link between education, experience and aspiration

It can be beneficial to connect your educational background, experience and career aspirations. Even if there is no direct link, there may be skills or knowledge that could be beneficial in your new role or to the company you are applying to work with. If you've had a career break or a career change be clear about why. Put a positive spin on any potential question marks.

6. Not including relevant but less professional experience

Voluntary work, family projects and part-time, low-paid roles can all be valid. Running a school or University club or society could show leadership skills, voluntary work shows initiative and a strong work ethic, working part-time in a fast food restaurant whilst studying shows good time-management skills. Looking after children or elderly parents shows empathy, responsibility and an ability to multi-task. 

7. You bend the truth that bit too far

You might think that one or two over-exaggerations will help your application but what good is this if you can get caught out during an interview? Plus, you may be surprised how easy it can be to spot a bare-faced lie. No employer looks for a dishonest employee...

8. Including incorrect contact details

Double-check you've put the right number, address and email on your CV, as a simple typo could mean you miss out on the opportunity for an interview!

9. Over-formatting your document

You want your CV to jump off the page. Format it too much and it may do just that... but in a bad way! You're best to keep it clean and simply, using a standard font such as Arial.

10. Using an unclear file name

As it's likely you will be submitting your CV by email, ensure it has a clean and easy-to-read file name, such as 'Bob Turner CV Control Engineer', because it makes it easier to find and suggests your CV is specific for the role you're applying for. Calling it something like 'MYCVv4', or even worse, leaving it 'Untitled-4.doc', will make it harder for your CV to stand out. 

How to answer most common interview questions

Here is my second Graduate blog post for x4 recruitment

How to answer most common interview questions

Whilst you can never quite predict what will happen at an interview, there are several basic questions you should expect to be asked. Thinking about your answers ahead of time will improve your chances of putting your best foot forward when under pressure on the day.

1. Tell me about yourself

You don’t need to go into a huge amount of detail when asked this scarily open-ended question. Be sure that your answer has some relevance to your professional skills and your interest in the job you are being interviewed for. You can refer to a generalised personal quality you believe you have; such as honesty, integrity, determination – or, to use that most popular of phrases – being a ‘team player’, but keep it on track. If you do refer to your interests outside of work keep it brief.

2. Why do you want to work here?

In order to be able to answer this question you must have fully researched the company. Make sure you understand what the company does, what the role you are being interviewed for entails, and how you think you could fulfil that role. Speak about your attributes, training and education and how you think you could put that to good use working for this company. Reference how you believe the atmosphere of the company will encourage you to work well.

        3.  How do you feel about your career choices to date?

This question is as much about your self-esteem as your career progress. Be positive about what you have done and the routes you have taken but give the impression that there is still much that you want to learn. Speak about how you believe the environment of the company is a place for you to both learn and build on what you have done previously.

4. Why do you want to leave your current job?

There’s only a certain number of reasons why people want to change jobs. Usually they are to do with new challenges, a change of location, the opportunity for progression, improvements to salary, the opportunity to gain in pride and prestige or for the chance to work for a more stable company. You can be honest about your reasons, but try to link it to why you feel this new job in particular is so suited for you. So if you say you are looking for new challenges in your new role you could say that you felt your skills and experience weren’t being harnessed to their full potential in your current job but that they will suit you perfectly in this job.

5. How do you see yourself in the future of this company?

Easy answers would include how you would like to be seen as competent and friendly by everyone who works for the company. To make this answer more specific you will need to research the opportunities that the company offers for career progression. Ambition is good, but so is the desire for stability. If you want to stay in the job you are applying for because it is stable and secure you can say so.

6. What are you most proud of during your career?

Try to keep your answers job-related. There is no need to exaggerate your contribution to past major projects. Instead emphasise the chances you had to put your learning, training and experience to good use. Emphasise working hard to reach a target, working well with people, and making a difference.

7. What do you think you will be best at doing in the job description?

Mention some of your key personal qualities and keep them relevant to the job description. Include examples from your previous work placements and experience.

8. What do you think you will struggle with the most from the job description?

Try to put a positive spin on anything you say when answering this question! You can mention something you haven’t done before, but try to make it clear that you have at least done something similar to that before, and that you are quick and eager to learn. Perhaps mention a weakness you have had in the past with something similar to your job description, but how you managed to overcome this problem, and how you would do so again.

9. How do you feel other people rate your abilities?

The chance that you will be asked a question like this a good reason while you should ask for clear references and letters of recommendation from your employers before leaving your current job. You can produce these, or at least paraphrase these, when asked this question. If you have no references of letters available you can describe certain areas you felt you gained recognition in, and how that further enhanced your abilities.

How to find out what you really want from your career

Here's my first article for the x4 recruitment Graduate section

How to find out what you really want from your career

If you’re looking to move up the career ladder or to negotiate a raise, more hours, or just a different type of job, here are the ways you can go about it.

What do you want?

Before you start you need to be completely sure of what you want to change. You might only want small changes or you might want a complete, major change. Getting a clear picture of what ‘better’ looks like right at this moment is the key. There may be things you can change straight away. However others may require more patience, research and effort.

Think about your work values

What will you need from your next job to make you happy? New challenges? A location closer to home? Improved flexibility and work-life balance? More opportunity for progression? More money? Your ‘wish list’ will provide a framework for your career change and allow you to rewrite your CV with a particular opportunity in mind to target your skills appropriately.

Formulate a career plan

Once you have a better idea of what you want and would like to change, the next step is to create your career plan. You may need new qualifications, extra training or experience of new projects. Keep reviewing your plan and revising it if necessary – it may change. You may need to be proactive and simply ask for help from those able to give it. Make it clear to everyone what your ambitions are.

Time to hit the books?

Further education gained at a later stage in your career can look brilliant on your CV. The desire to gain new insights and update and develop your skills and knowledge base shown by a return to education not only looks good; a return to studying could also provide the opportunity to network and make new contacts in your area of expertise. Not all learning has to take place in an academic setting; extra reading and researching, mentoring and short courses also aid development.

But what do you actually need?

Before committing to your new educational course you need to check what employers in your field are requesting. Often they will ask for experience in your field – you will need to make sure the course is relevant to your sector and doing some relevant voluntary work or shadowing whilst you are studying allows you to gain in skills and experience. Just a few hours a week makes a huge difference and shows you can put your education into practice.

Research your new role

If you are looking to change your role you need to get under the skin of your desired role and ask – would you be well suited to this? Look at the different problems individuals within the role are dealing with, the different working relationships they have and what different decisions they make. Don’t be afraid to ask individuals already in such roles for an honest chat about the best and worst aspects of it, as well as the path they took to getting it.

Speak to a prospective employer

If you can, speak to a prospective employer or HR department. Ask about what is expected of a new recruit to their area and what education, experience and training they are looking for for your chosen role. Connect to them on social media sites such as Linkedin and follow the people that they follow and join the groups that they belong to. A foot in the door is rarely a bad thing.

5 ways to stand out from the crowd in the competitive job market

Here is my second IT blog article for x4 recruitment

5 ways to stand out from the crowd in the competitive job market

The difficult balance between talent and quality opportunities has tipped in recent years as the economy has suffered, employers have grown cautious and talent has been released following company closures or restructures. As the job market becomes increasingly crowded, it has never been more important to make an impact. Whilst there are certainly some jobs with bigger talent pools than others, we’re not alone as recruiters in are seeing increased numbers of applicants pretty much across the board. Our clients have been receiving record numbers of applicants for even the most specialised IT industry jobs. This casts doubt on predictions of an impending digital skills shortage.

Skills shortage or no, as an industry professional, here are a few ways you can ensure you put your best foot forward and stand out from the crowd:

1.     Sounds like an obvious one but it’s important you highlight your most relevant skills and experiences at the top of your CV. If you’re a fresh graduate with little experience, seek opportunities in the industry for work experience and gain hands-on, practical experience. Write about the specific companies you worked for, what you did, and how has helped you develop.

2.     Take a tailored approach! Do your research into the company you’re applying for – understand exactly what the company does and express what specifically interests you and how you would add value to their company. Link this to your work experience and skills in your covering letter – give specific examples of what you have done in the past that is similar to the role you are applying for. By ticking the reader’s mental boxes you’re more likely to end up in the ‘yes’ pile.

3.     Show enthusiasm and initiative by showcasing the work and studying you have done yourself to improve your skills. If this is a weak area, why not consider taking a vocational qualifications before your next career step. Whilst the short term may be more pressing, don’t overlook longer term opportunities. If you’ve been taking the initiative and using internet-based resources to further your knowledge and skills, don’t be shy about saying so.

4.     Showcase personality as well as experience - talk about hobbies and interests outside of work. This can also be covered briefly in the covering letter.

5.     Create an online resume/portfolio. Showing a prospective employer specific projects you have worked on in the past can be the difference between being remembered and forgotten. You can link to these from your professional online profile, your CV or from your email signature. It can also be a good idea to include a hard copy with an application.

6.     Think outside the box – it sometimes takes drastic action to be noticed so don’t limit yourself to just writing a covering letter and CV; advertise yourself. Set up social media accounts and link them to your CV, network with peopled on Linkedin, use the internet to show that you know what you’re talking about. Or should you have strong design skills (or a generous friend who does) create an online CV with an appropriate theme. Don’t be afraid to be creative. However remember that creative must always go hand in hand with professional!

How to help potential employees see beyond the IT industry stereotype

I'm writing a few blog articles for the recruitment company x4 recruitment. I will writing on four areas: IT, Engineering, Pharmaceutical and Graduate. This is my first IT article. 

How to help potential employees see beyond the IT industry stereotype

We all know the stereotype. Think Maurice Moss from the IT crowd. 

People who work in IT are obsessed with computers and their work and don’t have much time for social skills, or friends. They sit in dark corners and write code, alone. Moss lives at home with his mother, who dresses him and packs his lunch, and he has difficulty communicating with anything that does not come attached with a keyboard.

Are all IT professionals variations of this stereotype? Of course not! However it is surprisingly easy to be tarred with this brush and discounted by employers as a result. Your personality, range of interests and ability to get on with anyone and everyone may be apparent to your potential new boss upon meeting you in person, but have you made sure all this also comes across on paper? Even when looking to fill a highly technical position, employers are also looking for candidates that would be a good ‘fit’ within their organisation.

Here are a few ideas for things you can do to avoid falling into the trap of the stereotype:

   1.  Actively respond to the need in IT for people to act as the bridge between technology and companies business problems. Show that your technical interests aren’t your only interests. 

   2.  Think about how you can show yourself to be discrete and empathetic (in other words, good at developing trust and strong working relationships)

   3.  Show that you’ve not shied away from working with others.  Mention occasions in the past you have worked in groups or have used mentors, or express a desire to do so in the future. Showing that you are capable of working with others will show you are interested in sharing ideas and collaborating. This is a good business tactic and also gives you an advantage if you are joining a large, cohesive business group.

   4.  Include an interest in the ways IT is changing. What are your feelings on social media? New software, hardware, programming languages, security measures etc.?

   5.  Show that you know the importance of IT to the wider world – many companies touch everyone’s everyday life whether its someone checking their bank account on their mobile or a keen shopper being given relevant offers on their iPad based on their spending habits.