Sharpen your CV to switch sectors

During this lockdown period, which has once again been extended, some sectors will be struggling, while others are booming. The challenges companies are facing, big and small, are being faced not just by isolated businesses but by whole industries – the hospitality sector for example, or leisure. If a business was struggling prior to lockdown, then the ongoing situation may have exacerbated things. Cash-rich companies are safer. However, no one is exempt from feeling the uncertainty and pressure of these unfamiliar times. If you currently work in a sector that is in decline or you can see problems on the horizon in the near future, this is a highly opportune moment to take a look at your CV and consider switching sectors.

New challenges

With an ever more competitive employment market, the first impression you make with that speculative email and CV is more important than ever. It has to be both an accurate reflection of your skills, but also interesting enough to stand out as distinctive. If you are used to writing, then pulling together a CV will come as second nature. Unfortunately many roles do not feature precise, concise writing as a primary skill and articulating your knowledge, experience and enthusiasm may not be a simple task. Think about how you’d like others to see you. Identify areas where you can highlight your particular strengths. Demonstrate too how skills that you’ve accumulated over your career so far have been adapted in different situations. This shows how your aptitude can be transferred to new industries and new challenges.

There are arguments pro and con on which style of CV is more effective. A functional one, or a reverse chronological one. Reverse chronological CVs are the most common form of presenting your work experience. They allow you to highlight your skills and experience, particularly within the same or similar sectors. But this might be the time for a change. The relevance of longevity in a single sector is less important than your skills themselves. A functional CV looks at key skills, abilities and achievements. This format will be far more useful than a reverse chronological one, particularly if you have worked in the same sector for an extended period.

Transferable skills

Most job titles, roles and functions are transferable. Companies will be on the lookout for the most talented people, regardless of the sectors they are from. This is particularly true of roles like sales, marketing, IT, HR and finance, to give a few examples. The medium or product changes, but the role is the same. As a result of this pandemic, some ‘boom sectors’ might be new ones, driven by a demand that was previously much smaller. Where medical products are involved, a high level of quality assurance/control is required. Companies will be hiring the best in their fields to contribute to what has become a national effort.

The UK Treasury’s ‘Furlough’ scheme is available until the end July in its present format. It will remain in place until October 2020 in some form. But some companies are already starting to look at their plans for the future. If you work in a sector that has been negatively impacted by recent events and your job is at risk, you might want to look at a different sector. Post-lockdown impacted sectors will be a highly competitive jobs market and it will be more important than ever for your CV to shine.

Coaching more important than ever

In the UK’s current lockdown situation, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that at some point the restrictions will be eased and we will return to a form of normal. Many people are apprehensive of what all aspects of our lives will look like on the other side of this. From how we work, to how we socialise. It’s essential to remember that the UK’s businesses and staff are still out there – it’s just that business is far from usual.

Coaching for the future

At this crucial moment in time, executive coaching is more important than ever. Managers are having to deal with managing a team, in a situation which they have never had to deal with before. Thankfully, the standard and availability of technology has made home working a lot more feasible than it would have been 15 or even 10 years ago. Many staff work on laptops now as a matter of course. So the location of their ‘desk’ – be it in a company office or the dining room table – does not impede their ability for perform efficiently. This flexibility is key to the success of remote working and some are adapting better than others.

Leading by example

But whether staff are still working onsite – some in factories and warehouses, for example – or from home, the pressures and behavioural issues are still increased. Executive coaching provides essential reflective space and much needed clarity of thinking in times of uncertainty and upheaval.  And there has never been a time of uncertainty quite like this one. Managers need the opportunity that executive coaching provides. To deal with their own challenges, before they are able to help their team deal with theirs.

New routines

Teams working remotely are facing different issues. Isolation can be a big part of that. In an office environment certain things happen naturally. You make yourself or your colleagues a cuppa, you say hello to your team, you chat about things that are not work-related. These trivial things are part of your normal working day. In this remote working set-up, we need to remember, “Leaders now need to be more intentional about saying good morning”. These routines need retaining, they need to be in place to provide staff with confidence that they’re not forgotten about, with contact providing reassurance. Remember, booked-in 1-2-1s with the team have a massive impact. It should be obvious to tell how your team is faring in isolation, when they have to interact with someone outside their home environment.

Engagement and development

Coaching and the coaching process is essential in helping to provide a thought process for problem solving. It’s also a reflective space with structure. Managers engaging with coaches are encouraged to self-analyse. To identify strengths, weaknesses, challenges and ambitions. At this time, different sectors face different challenges, different roles face different challenges. Coaching can provide new perspectives, an external point of view, that allows a fuller picture to be drawn outside the client’s own experiences. The lockdown period is a testing time and makes some issues more acute. Leaders and managers need to be more attuned to things spoken and unspoken, and the business decisions that their companies are facing. By working with a coach, they are able to formulate how their own businesses will develop – both in the short and long-term – and the shape work and the working environment will take, as the year progresses.

These difficult times also offer leaders some opportunities to develop themselves and their teams. Whether this is through furlough or time saved from the daily commute whilst working at home.  There may never have been a more urgent time to begin an executive coaching programme focused on future business performance. Or reengaging the workforce with a very clear return on investment.

Touching base, not touching face

It’s particularly important during this lockdown period to make sure that you remain in contact with your team, particularly those who have been furloughed. These are untested times for many people and helping them feel engaged will ease the transition back into work again when this is over. Trying to keep communications open, with a degree of ‘normality’ in terms of routine and a working day. This will ensure the return to the office environment isn’t too dramatic or traumatic.

Adapting and learning

The concept of furlough has brought with it extremes. Some people are loving being on furlough and are possibly enjoying themselves too much. While others – although understanding the rationale behind it – are actually feeling less certain. In fact, some have been emotionally impacted as if they had been made redundant, even though in many cases their jobs will be there for them to go back to when the lockdown eases.

While staff aren’t allowed to work for their employers while furloughed, they are allowed to volunteer (not for their own company) or undertake training. It might be useful to help furloughed employees focus by signposting some training that they can do. There is lots of free or low-cost training available online at the moment. It’s an excellent opportunity to use the time creatively in a way that will stand them – and the business – in good stead in the future.

Staff updates

Different firms and managers are dealing with this crisis differently. Good employers are making sure that their staff are involved in the ongoing developments, as and when the government announce them. When the government decides on its exit strategy and shares it with employers, companies can plan how they can activate their businesses and to what degree ‘normal’ business can resume. Such assurances to staff are important, but interim updates along the way are equally crucial too.

A change in the weather

People’s mental wellbeing is also important during periods like this. Good, regular communication can help with this aspect for your staff too. April’s good weather has made it easier for many people to deal with worklife changes, but the weather can soon change. Resilience, both mental and physical, is very important. It’s also worth considering how people who haven’t been furloughed are feeling. Some are thankful to still be working, while others are resentful that some people have all this perceived ‘time off’, when they are still working.

Continuing to work will stand employees in good stead going forward. They will not have had the disruption of being furloughed and a break in routine. But equally, furlough is probably doing certain people a lot of good, with a chance to take stock and spend time doing things they otherwise don’t have time to, which can considerably help their mental wellbeing.

These unprecedented times can induce a conflicting mix of emotions, sometimes from day to day. Employers can’t make any assumptions about people’s situations, financial position and stability of home life. Keeping in touch with staff will help keep them rooted in the reality of a working environment, even if that environment is something very different to what they are used to.

Goals – the short and long of it

In these current times, it’s hard to predict what will happen over the coming two or three days, let alone next week or next year. With daily government announcements changing everyone’s perception of the global health crisis every 24 hours, we have a situation where workers are on furlough and some self-employed people are wondering how they are going to manage in the coming weeks. Because of the uncertainty and lack of a defined route out of this, long-term goals are all but impossible to set and achieve.

At Career Evolution, we usually advocate long-term planning when it comes to career progression. But in these current times, which are challenging both personally and professionally, some form of looking ahead remains important. At some point things will return to normal, though it may still be a way off and it may be a different normal to what we are used to.

Daily exercise

A useful exercise is to identify short-term goals that you can define and influence. As businesspeople this may be against our nature. We are hardwired to develop long-term goals – quarterly or 12-month plans – but don’t increase your stress levels by trying to do that at the moment. Making a short-term plan could involve looking after your key stakeholders. This may be internally, for example your employees, to make sure they stay engaged. Or it could be external, such as customers, suppliers, key network and warm contacts.

Developing and nurturing relationships in these dislocated times, is perhaps more important than ever. In the same way that many of us are working remotely, you can still connect to anyone you would normally see in person, or ring on the phone. Use your LinkedIn or other business community platforms to engage and communicate, building bridges that you may, post economic lockdown, be able to cross.

A learning curve

Even working remotely, you can still share experiences and new ways of doing things – those that have worked well and those that haven’t. The best way of learning is usually talking to someone who has experience of doing it. It’s amazing what you learn just from listening or participating in discussions online, either one-to-one or on forums or networking groups.

We are all in this situation together and people are generally more open about the issues they are facing during this testing time. The confinement and limiting of movement are impacting physical and mental health, as well as the way we carry out our jobs and interact. Having a plan – even a short-term one – will help give you clarity and purpose. Set out goals that align with the SMART formula – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timeframe – and think about how to implement these new benchmarks in the future. In this way, you will gradually be putting in place plans you can activate as normality returns – and it will provide you with anchor and focus for the time being.

Together we’re stronger

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During this unprecedented period of uncertainty and disruption, it’s very important to bear in mind strong mental health and wellbeing in general. We all deal with change differently. However, the social and economic measures we have witnessed over the last few weeks are like nothing any of us have experienced before. There is no ‘right way’ to do things in these changing times, but throughout this crisis your health and wellbeing, and that of your team, is very important. There are several things to consider.

Stay connected

Although some people work from home regularly, for others this shift is a huge change and challenge. Make sure that workers who are now working from home have the technology to be able to perform their tasks. Most homes have some form of broadband or internet connection, but it shouldn’t be taken for granted. Not everyone needs or wants to have that level of connectivity at home. There was a flurry of activity in the immediate aftermath of the lockdown, as BT and other engineers visited homes to install internet connections to those home workers who didn’t have this capacity.

We’re in this together

It’s good to remember in these difficult times to be kind – to yourself and to each other. Some people might be struggling with the uncertainty and change surrounding this situation. They might need the support of others to help them through. People will be worried about their jobs and the shape of work after the lockdown is lifted. There is also the economic implications, depending on how long the situation lasts. They may need reassurance, or more reassurance than normal. Giving them the sense that ‘we’re in this together’ will provide a degree of security and assurance in insecure, unassured times.

Distance networking

It’s a good idea to reach out and network with people beyond your household and even your team. Many people will have a little more time to talk at the moment. This is a great opportunity to build your networks and develop relationships. Honesty is welcomed and for many the opportunity to share their frustrations and challenges – and solutions and triumphs (no matter how small) – is appreciated.

Still part of the team

It is also good to get other people’s opinions on things. If you’re used to working as part of a team and bouncing ideas off people in your office, then carrying out your job in isolation may seem very odd indeed. Working in the bubble of your own home, where professional and personal lives have clashed for so many people recently, can be challenging. For most workers these two entities – work and home – are two completely difference spaces.

Video conferencing

People are using all kinds of video conferencing tools at the moment, in a way they have never done before.  There are plenty of positives and negatives around using platforms like Zoom (other platforms are available). However, if you are nervous about using them, there are a few things to remember. IT issues are to be expected. People will forgive you, as the chances are, they are suffering the same niggling issues. A dog/child/cat/spouse might come in at an inopportune time and interrupt the call. Don’t worry, as above, people are willing to make allowances. You might find it advantageous to apologise for the potential disruption in advance. It breaks the ice and helps people relax. It can be a bit like the ‘housekeeping’ that is often done at the start of normal meetings. Don’t be too nervous about letting fellow workers ‘into’ your home space.

Whatever your situation and wherever your location, trying to make the best of the current circumstances will make is easier for everyone. Stay healthy, keep active, and this will positively impact on your wellbeing.

Adapting to the new normal

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Times change and we all need to adapt, but the pace is usually slower than a single week. With the implementation of the UK’s countrywide ‘lockdown’ at the end of March, the way most of us carry out our jobs has changed beyond all recognition in a very brief timespan. Thanks to the technology now available, remote working has become the new normal for many people. Dining tables have turned into desks and communications expanded to include virtual meetings and even remote networking.  Some people are prepared for this, as many staff now have the flexibility of working from home at least one day a week as part of their routine. But for others, it may be a considerable shock to the system.

Home, not alone

With so many aspects of our society closed, such as universities and schools, even those of us who are used to operating from home offices are finding their workspaces very different places. Partners, children, relatives and pets now also in the mix. As we’re all adapting to the ‘new normal’, there’s a few important points we all need to bear in mind. Some people like structure, while others benefit from the flexibility offered by home working. There’s no single answer, as each case is different.

Firstly, it might not always be possible to work our regular hours. Our normal working day might hinge on being able to drop our children off at a nursery or school. However, many of these establishments are not open, or are only taking in children of ‘essential workers’ at the moment. So, in addition to carrying out our jobs from home, we are also juggling childcare, which means they are at home too.

Shared responsibilities

As a result – and more people being in the house – you might be sharing the dining room table with your partner, or the study with your child. This isn’t always conducive to concentration and efficiency. Distractions may result in your productivity being affected. Try and find a way to strike a balance, dividing your time between your various responsibilities, to ensure everyone is, if not happy, then accommodated.

It’s crucial however that your home working environment is set up so you can find some time to concentrate and get some work done. This may mean changing your daily routine to incorporate more flexibility. A good way of doing this is getting up earlier, or working later, in the day than you would normally do. Many workers already adapt their hours to avoid rush hour traffic, drop children at school or nursery, or to help care for elderly relatives. Lessons learned from these examples can be useful at this challenging time.

Thought for the day

It’s also useful to set yourself some basic goals each day. In this way, you can retain a modicum of structure. Give some thought to setting yourself SMART (specific, realistic, achievable, measurable, timely) goals for each working day. Using these guidelines, it’s not about the number of hours you work, but rather the quality of the work you produce that becomes important. It also gives you benchmarks for what’s achievable, so be realistic. If you find you’re not hitting your targets, perhaps you’re being too ambitious – or not working hard enough!

It’s important too, to try and give your day structure. If it’s possible to work a ‘normal day’ do so, with regular breaks and a set start and finish time. This is obviously the ideal, but there will be many factors, some beyond your control, that will impact how productive you can be. Basically, find what works for you and be prepared to be adaptable. If one way doesn’t work, then try mixing things up a bit the next day. It’s a learning curve, with no ‘right answer’, but eventually we’ll each find our own ‘new normal’.

Proactive in uncertain times

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In these unprecedented times, it’s easy to become caught up in the immediate and lose sight of the long-term. Our Coaches and Consultants at Career Evolution have had to adapt, as everyone has, to the measures that have been implemented by the UK government. These have included social distancing, working remotely and the paring back or closing of many businesses.

Business as usual

Nevertheless, Career Evolution continues to offer advice and support on many levels to staff and HR personnel. Technology has a big part to play in achieving this. Although our face-to-face meetings and group sessions have had to move online – via telephone and the Zoom platform – we are still able to offer our clients a personal service. This means they are still receiving guidance as and when they need it, from specialist Consultants with years of experience across many sectors. The only thing that’s changed is the media.

Lines of enquiry

With less time spent on the road and delivering sessions, Sue Thomas, Career Evolution’s Founding Director is working closely with her Consultants to develop clients’ campaigns. This will provide additional value, as she shares her wealth of first-hand experience. An initial call usually involves a lot of listening and prompts. It is an opportunity for our clients to tell their story. The process can easily be carried out remotely and provide the background of an overall profile. From an initial telephone conversation, or internet consultation, Sue can ascertain her client’s strengths, weaknesses and ambitions, and help them map out their future role.

New avenues

In times such as these, when uncertainty and doubt play a big part in future developments, the most important thing is to have clarity about what you want to do next. By doing this, it allows some focus in all this ambiguity. By identifying what you want to do in terms of career progression, you can then plan how you will achieve it. It is useful to spend the time now outlining how you can do this. It could include exploring new sectors, which might be congruent with your present career, or updating and sharpening your CV to include some of your more recent career milestones and achievements.

Wise use of time

In the present situation, interviews are currently being pulled and candidates need to manage the psychological impact of that too. Certainly days, sometimes weeks, of preparation will have been done and this will need to be picked up again at an unknown point in the future when it’s business as usual once more.

But people need to be fully ready when normal life resumes. Proactive preparation done now will stand you in better stead when people start recruiting properly again. It’s worth spending some time thinking how you can use the time wisely – to make yourself an even stronger, more professional candidate for your next challenge.

How to stay connected whilst working remotely

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Often seen as an ideal for many staff, remote working is becoming something of a necessity in the current economic and social climate. Thanks to the portability of work technology, it is perfectly possible for employees to work as efficiently as if they were onsite in an office.

Here is our advice on how to stay connected whilst working remotely…

For companies:

Companies are being steered by necessity towards offering the flexibility of remote working. This option is increasingly becoming the norm for interconnected and international businesses.

Below are three ways to keep up with this changing way of working:

  1. Bring the team together

When things return to normal, encourage remote workers to visit the company offices when possible. Get staff together, such as through teambuilding days or company celebrations, to encourage team bonding and reduce employee isolation.

  1. Prepare for remote working

Have a policy in place to assist team members to know how to conduct themselves whilst working remotely> This should also cover how managers are expected to tackle the complexities of team members working remotely.

  1. Assist with time and career management

At Career Evolution, we can assist your business to provide the resources needed to support either individuals working remotely or staff managing remote members. Taking advantage of career coaching or building resilience, can reduce the time and emotional strain that this can bring.

For managers:

Working with and managing remote team members can arise for many reasons. It could be because of the current virus crisis, or because team members have regularly allotted days when they work from home. Managers may be supervising individuals at home on the odd occasion, or more employees when part of a large or international company.

Here are three key ways to stay connected with your remote team members:

  1. Smart working

Encourage the use of online shared work systems. Platforms such as the cloud help keep team members connected to the office. While the use of Google Documents shows who is logged in and making changes and when. This will assist with tracking productivity.

  1. Keep up the conversation

Create a chat group such as on Slack or Sqwiggle, and involve members in video meetings or phone calls, such as on Skype or FaceTime, to stay connected to remote team members and make them feel part of the team.

  1. Be considerate of different time zones

When working with team members internationally, set up daily time reminders of when staff should be coming online, to touch base with them at the start of their day.

For individuals:

As an individual, it’s important to stay connected to the team whilst working remotely. Your manager has trusted that you will continue to tackle your work as normal. Working from home is not an excuse to catch up on household chores or watch TV.

Below are three of the best ways to stay connected to the office and show that your work is still being done effectively and efficiently:

  1. ‘Go’ to work

Set up a workspace somewhere quiet, with all the equipment you need. Avoid distractions and to do your work.

  1. Be proactive

Send daily updates of what you are going to be working on. At the end of the working day, update on what you have achieved, and what still remains to be done. If you work remotely extensively, an end-of-the-week update is also effective to illustrate your productivity.

  1. Communicate early and often

Be available to respond quickly to any work messages and emails. This shows that you are still engaged and carrying on with your work. Also stay connected with at least one other colleague throughout the day, to act as a sounding board.

Contact our professional team of experts to see how we can best assist you and your business to make remote working possible.

Career Diagnostics

Making big decisions about a career move can be very daunting, especially when a person is unsure of what they truly want. Investing in career management services to support employees allows them to integrate career research with expert advice on the best next move for them. A career consultant will take the time to understand a person’s skillset, experience and preferences, when it comes to a job. They will understand what location, working hours and role responsibilities they need. This will help channel them towards the correct choice. Career consultants are highly skilled at tailoring job searches. This helps ensure they get the right person for the role – and that the role is a good fit for them.

Opportunity knocks

When change happens, it’s important for employees to see it as an opportunity. Its a chance to find a job that is perfect for them. Career consultants will help an employee take the time to understand what they want and need out of a role before applying. If it’s not what the person wants, then they shouldn’t settle for a role due to stress and uncertainty. A career consultant will help them identify the perfect role. Then they will help them take the time to seek out that role at a company that’s perfect for them. Settling for a role that doesn’t satisfy their needs will lead them to being unhappy from the start. Career consultants understand the emotions and stresses faced by an employee being made redundant, and can provide support to help them get through that time of change.

Next steps

There are lots of questions to ask and it’s vital that consultants identify the employee’s key skills and areas of interest. Prioritising their needs will help in determining the outcome. Taking the time to find the right role benefits the person and their new company. It will also leave the employee with a good memory of your business, as the company that supported them through their redundancy and transition into a new role. Outsourcing a career consultant to help employees facing redundancy will benefit your company’s reputation and keep good relationships with existing and previous employees.

10 signs your team would benefit from coaching  

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Times are changing

Change is an inevitable part of life, especially within the working environment. However, it can be difficult for companies and staff to keep up with these changes. Often, particularly for more senior members of staff, some can become lost and even left behind in these challenging times.

Sadly, this can lead to employees struggling or even handing in their notice, in the face of being unable to keep up with the changes. Not only can this be damaging for the individual leaving the company, but also for colleagues remaining who may then become more fearful and resistant to company change.

Noticing the signs

Changes in a staff member’s behaviour can be a key sign that individuals are not coping well with company adjustments.

Here are 10 signs which could indicate that your staff are not managing effectively with change:

  1. Frustration – with themselves and other colleagues.
  2. Stress – anxiety and general unhappiness.
  3. Isolation – lack of conversing and reduced sociability.
  4. Unprepared – looking or feeling lost and out of their depth.
  5. Increased periods of time off – illness or an unwillingness to be in work.
  6. Boredom – a reduced enthusiasm for their job.
  7. Disputes with colleagues – becoming resistant or more argumentative.
  8. Lack of confidence – in themselves and their work.
  9. Punctuality – continual lateness.
  10. Procrastinating – unwilling or unable to complete their tasks.

Inevitably, how well employees are able to deal with changes can strongly affect the business. At Career Evolution, we understand how crucial it is to help these colleagues cope.

A positive change

Our expert coaching programmes are designed to aid members of staff at all levels, including those at more advanced positions such as senior managers and directors. Our highly qualified coaches will assist your staff to handle change effectively.

This includes helping people before, during and after change. We offer bespoke support on a one-to-one and group basis.

Tailored specifically for how to best suit your employee’s needs, our coaching enables individuals to recognise their value, and most importantly, how they and your company can continue to succeed in the face of change.

Change for the better

Change should be embraced as a positive opportunity; not as something to be feared and treated with scepticism and suspicion. Change is vital for businesses to adapt and survive in an environment where too many companies have already buckled under the pressure of not keeping up with the times.

Helping employees to take control of their changing role or situation, and formulate a plan for the future that will work for them, is the key to helping individuals thrive and prosper.  It is important to strive ahead and bring about positive change together.