How to Resign From Your Job

I do like this one; probably because as I look back into my murky past I think - could have done that better, read on...

1. Make up your mind first

• Thejob hunt can be long and stressful, often involving days off work and a good dose of secrecy in the work place. So, make sure your mind is 100% made up before you embark on the interview process.
• Ask yourself how determined are you to leave?
• Would you stay put if offered more money or a better position?
• Talk to your family to see what they think

2. Verbal Resignation

• Work out your strategy and what you are going to say and DO NOT allow yourself to be drawn away from this onto other subjects.
• Try to highlight positives, such as what you have liked during your time there. This will demonstrate you have thought about things in a balanced frame of mind.
• Keep your composure. If your Boss becomes annoyed, do not change your tone or deviate from your initial strategy.
• Expect to be "bought back" (see The Counter Offer below)

3. Written Resignation

• A written resignation gives you time to prepare what you going to say.
• Keep it simple. Include your name, date of resignation and the person it's addressed to. You can add information such as appreciation for your time there, but don't use it as a vehicle to voice any opinions you may have or bad mouth the company.
• Remember you may require a reference, so do not leave on a bad note.

4. The Counter Offer

• Always consider a counter offer seriously. This could come in the form of a pay increase, a change in job role, a promotion.
• HOWEVER, always remember why you are here in the first place. Consider the following before your ego is flattered too much:
  
  
  1. How difficult will it be to replace you? Is the prospect of having to find the next ‘you' the reason they would rather just throw money at you?
  2. How much money will it cost to replace you? On average it costs £7000 to replace a vital member of staff - recruitment fees, time taken out of other people's days to recruit & cover your work, etc. Therefore it's often an easy option to pay you a touch more to keep you.
  3. If you have been offered an immediate pay rise, when can you expect another one? It's unlikely that having paid you more than they would like in order to keep you, you will also get a good increase next time around. The chances are, this is simply a pay rise that has been moved forward in order to paper over a crack.
  4. Will it rock the boat? Studies show that when someone leaves a company, they often take someone else with them (someone who has been thinking about leaving will be buoyed by you resigning and do the same). Does your Boss want the team morale slumping or would it be better if you stayed?
  5. Where has this fantastic position being offered to you suddenly sprung from? Don't be fooled by the prospect of new titles and roles. If you didn't think those prospects were there in the first place, the chances are they are still not. Once again it's a technique to keep you, in the short term, to give the company chance to create a contingency plan.
  6. Now that you have resigned (or threatened to) how secure is your job really? Will you be first out the door if things become tough for the business, because of your lack of loyalty?
  7. Will things very quickly go back to how they were? Studies have shown that people who take up a counter offer are often back looking again within 6 months as they realise improvements were simply lip service.

So, don't be flattered to the point of staying put. Remember what made you look for a new role in the first place. For this reason, it is vital that you give careful consideration to a move at the very start.

If you are able to establish whether an improved position and/or pay rise is possible prior to resigning then you maybe saving yourself, the companies you interview with and any agencies you use, a great deal of time and effort.

Article Source:

Chris Crawford is the MD of BD Recruitment a specialist recruiter for new media jobs, based in Manchester, UK.

Pedn Vounder Beach Cornwall

A reprieve and a reminder that there was a summer after all.

The Survival Guide to the First Week in your New Job

This is an excellent article published on BD Recruitment's advice for job seekers page.

First impressions count when you start a new position, so make sure that the weekend celebrations over your new job stop long before Monday morning.

It can be a nervous time, when you want to be merging gradually into your new environment and not sticking out like a sore thumb. So, here's our simple guide to getting the first few days right...
Getting to work

* DO NOT be late on your first day.
* This journey maybe unfamiliar to you, especially during morning rush hour, so preparation is the key.
* You will have ideally carried out a trial run one morning the previous week, to assess the flow of traffic and give yourself every chance of predicting journey time.
* Check for traffic jams/road closures/train delays before you set off.
* If you are going to be late, make sure you call ahead and inform the company.
* If you arrive too early, don't worry. It will give you time to relax and grab a coffee before it all starts.

Who are you seeing?

* Who are you due to ask for on day one?
* Do you know what time you are set to start?
* Do you know the address you are working (if the company has more than one site)?

Security

* Many larger firms have strict security policies. You maybe expected to meet with a Security Officer initially to go over procedure.
* Make sure you know before hand if any information is required, such as ID or a couple of photo's for a security card.

Your P45

* You should have been provided with a P45 by your previous employer. This details what you have earned in the current tax year along with tax paid to-date.
* Take this along with you on day one and give it to the Payroll or Accounting Departments.

Something to keep you busy

* Often your job will require you to "get stuck in" with immediate effect. However, if it's a slow burner or perhaps it's your first job, you can expect some "down time" when you could be left twiddling your thumbs.
* Take a book or magazine with you to work - perhaps a leading industry publication. This will make you appear organised and prevent you being seen as idle or a little lost.

Personalise your space

* It's usually acceptable to allow a little personalisation around your work space.
* Bringing in a couple of family photos or something personal will make you feel comfortable and at ease early on.

Learn names

* You will obviously be meeting a number of new people when you start. Learning names is very important - not only to make you feel part of your new surroundings but also to let people see you are really making the effort.
* Focus on putting a name to the face in the early days as getting names wrong after week 2 is not ideal!

Ease into the social scene

* At the end of your first week, it may be common for the team to go for drinks.
* Be aware of your behaviour during the early social stages. You don't know these people yet and the wrong thing may be said to the wrong person.
* Wait until you have stronger relationships before opening your heart to them.

Article Source:
BD Recruitment are a specialist recruiter for IT & new media jobs, internet marketing jobs and technical IT jobs, based in Manchester, UK.

National Minimum Wage Increase

From Wednesday 8th October, the national minimum wage in the UK will increase from £5.52 to £5.73 per hour for workers aged 22 and over, £4.77 for an 18-21-year-old and £3.53 for those aged 16 and 17.

The National Minimum Wage was first introduced on 1 April 1999. The main rate was set at £3.60 (for workers aged 22 and over) and £3.00 (workers aged 18-21 years old).

Business Secretary John Hutton said:

"The National Minimum Wage remains one of the most important rights introduced by the Government in the last decade. Before it was introduced, some workers could expect to be paid as little as 35p an hour, our legislation has ensured that can no longer happen."

Tough new penalties are set to come into force next April for employers that flout the rules, while an information campaign over the next six months will aim to make sure that every employer is aware of the changes. The Government is also tightening up enforcement of the minimum wage with new measures, including:

* A fairer way of dealing with national minimum wage arrears, calculated to ensure that employees do not lose out as a result of underpayment.

* Tougher penalties for employers who break the law, increasing the maximum penalty for non-payment of the National Minimum Wage from £5,000 to an unlimited fine. Serious cases of non-compliance will be tried in a Crown Court.

Pat McFadden, employment relations minister, said:

"Ten years ago, the National Minimum Wage was born, marking the start of a hard-fought campaign to introduce a basic standard of employment rights that every worker could be protected by. The minimum wage has made a lasting and significant difference to the low paid, with around a million workers benefiting from the increase each year."

Author:
Chris Crawford is the MD of BD Recruitment a specialist recruiter for new media jobs, business development manager jobs and technical IT jobs, based in Manchester, UK.