Nobul's Expert Advice

5 Ways to Start your New Job the RIGHT Way

The Resignation
Resigning from your job and leaving on good terms is very important to build & maintain credibility in your career. Start by reviewing your contract which will give you an indication on how much notice you will need to provide, what you will need to return and how much you’re entitled to be paid out. Next is to ideally resign in person, to your direct manager, with a resignation letter in hand. If an in-person meeting is not possible, then you could opt for a video or phone call. it is best to keep these resignation conversations as civil and professional as possible. If you are leaving your current employer for a position with a competitor, be prepared that you might be asked to leave on the same day as you are providing your resignation.
Research & Prepare
Before you start your new role, do as much research about your new company & employer as possible! Get a feel for the culture and dress-code by checking out their social media, add your new colleagues on LinkedIn, and touch base with your new Manager or Supervisor to ensure you are all set for your start date and if there is anything they need you to prepare prior, or bring with you on your first day. It may even help to ask to do a meet & greet with everyone in the office before starting – this helps your first day nerves!
Take Notes
Processes, information, instructions, people’s names… take notes on everything! You will be able to revert back to these notes in the days and weeks to come, and will come in handy later in your career with you need a bit of a refresh!
Ask Questions
Don’t be afraid to ask questions – this is the only way you will learn, and it also shows your Manager or Supervisor that you are listening and taking in information, and that you are taking an interest in what they are talking about.
Be Yourself & Treat Yourself
Finally, it is important to be yourself! Don’t be too hard on yourself trying to fit in quickly or trying too hard to be liked or adapting to your new workplace culture. It is natural to feel anxiety, stress, and exhaustion after starting a new role – in particular the first week! It is so important to go back to basics and practice self-care and treat yourself by getting as much sleep as possible, exercising, meditating, keeping hydrated and indulging in something you enjoy.

                                                    Where do I start?

It can be overwhelming when it comes to searching for a new job – where do you start? How do you know who’s hiring? What projects are on? Job platforms like Seek, Indeed and Jora are great platforms to use when it comes for job hunting but you then face the challenge of making your application stand out amongst hundreds of others… sometimes more!

That’s where we come in! By contacting one of our specialist consultants, you will have access to a wealth of knowledge on the industry, projects, hiring companies and most importantly, genuine long-lasting relationships with the hiring managers and your potential future boss.

At the end of the day, there is no doubt that your personality and skills are what’s going to get you the job but it’s important to remember that the CV is what gets you the interview. Here are a few tips on how to format your CV and what to include:

  • Start of with your personal details (ie. Name, contact information, address) followed by a short overview of your experience.
  • List all relevant qualifications, tickets or other forms of education. By putting this at the top, it quickly outlines what skills you have and shows whether you are qualified for the job or not.
  • It is always good to include a specific skills section – for example if you work in a technical profession and use specific software and equipment, bullet point them.
  • Include each position, dates of employment, company, and some key duties – listing them from most recent to oldest. This will be the biggest part of the CV, try to make it detailed but concise.
  • Last but not least, include some references. This will help speed up the process as you have clearly already gotten permission from atleast two contacts to vouch for you and the company you have applied to can contact them asap.
  • Ensure that the format is consistent and easy to read. Choose a font that is simple, make sure the font size is consistent for titles and paragraphs, as well as underlining or bolding headings to break up each section.

                                      Impressing at the interview

So, your CV was great and with the help of your specialist recruiter, it was put in front of the hiring manager and landed you an interview! Well done but this is only just the beginning.

Once you have been informed of the interview and received all of the details, it is time to prepare. There are a few different ways to interview and these are face to face (generally in their office), video call or a phone call.

First off, research the company! It will show you are interested in the position, give the interview some context and help you to ask any questions about the role.

Pre-plan your route to the interview, if it is online (Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc) – try using the software prior to the day so you know how to use it or if it is via phone, find somewhere that has good signal and limited background noise. Punctuality goes a long way as far as first impressions go, so remember to be 5-10 minutes early or if you notice you are running late, call them, apologise and let them know what time you will arrive.

Dress to impress. Regardless of whether you are interviewing online or not, dress in smart casual attire or workwear that is relevant to your profession. For example, if you were applying for a job as a forklift driver in a warehouse, they may ask you to perform some tasks which is where wearing your steel caps and hi vis would come in handy. Not only will it make you look the part, but you will also feel the part – confidence is key!

Prepare yourself to answer questions like:

  • What are your career goals?
  • What are your strengths?
  • Do you have any weaknesses? What are they?
  • Can you tell me about a time when …?
  • How would you describe yourself?

Depending on the person interviewing, the interview has the potential to contain personal questions regarding hobbies, your 5-year plan and maybe even your pets. Alternatively, they may only be concerned about your technical skills and experience – at the end of the day, you need to be prepared for both scenarios.

Ask questions if you have any regarding the company and the role. If not, ask what the next step is, how many people are interviewing for the position and when you can expect to hear from them. Some companies conduct 2-3 interviews so it’s good to know the process and prepare yourself further should you need to.

                                        Landing the Role

After acing the interview, the company you interviewed with have decided to proceed to the reference check stage. If you haven’t already, get in touch with your referees and let them know to expect a call, ask when they are free if you can and relay that information and in a worst-case scenario, have a few backup referees in case they are too busy to take the call. This is an important part of the process, especially if your future employer has time restraints with filling the position. If they can’t contact your references, they may just choose another candidate.

Now we get to the nitty gritty of it – the offer, the part you have been waiting for! Remember, it is not always about money, there are other factors to consider including but not limited to:

  • Other forms of remuneration ie. Super, Phone, vehicle, bonuses, etc
  • Opportunities for career progression
  • Professional development and other training
  • The location of the site/office

Read over the contract and try to be as honest and realistic as possible. Remind yourself why you initially began your job search and ask yourself if this opportunity meets what you were hoping for.

If not, go back and address other requests you have. If the requests are justified and within reason, they probably won’t have any issues amending the contract accordingly for you to sign. If you are happy with the new proposal, sign away!

Handing in your resignation might seem easy but it can be rather emotional if you have good relationships with your managers. Prepare yourself for the conversation and prepare for your current employer to make you a counteroffer. This can seem overwhelming but remind yourself of your motivators and keep in mind that despite the fact they are offering you more money, it only happened because you decided to resign. What happens when you want another pay rise in a year or two?

                                  

Kicking off your job in the right way

The offer has been signed, you’ve handed in your resignation and you’re due to start your new role in a week.

 

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