Employment Law Changes That Could Affect Your Business

There are a number of recent developments in UK employment law which could soon be affecting your business if they aren’t already.
 

·         Unfair dismissal compensation

With effect from 1 February 2013, the maximum unfair dismissal basic rises to £13,500, the compensatory award to £74,200 and the cap on a week’s pay to £450.

·         Revised Unpaid Parental Leave

From the 8 March 2013 unpaid parental leave entitlement increased from 13 weeks to 18 weeks and can be taken up until a child’s 5^th birthday but limited to a maximum of 4 weeks per year.

·         Flexible Parent Leave

The government intends to implement flexible parental leave by way of shared maternity leave by 2015 in addition to fathers ‘2 weeks’ paternity leave and pay.

·         New ‘employee-owner’ employment contracts – share for rights

From April 2013 – In exchange for certain employment rights (statutory redundancy pay; claim unfair dismissal (except in limited circumstances including TUPE); request flexible working hours or time off for training) an employee may have a new status of ‘employee-owner’ with shares of between £2,000 and £50,000 which will be exempt from capital gains tax.

·         Collective Redundancies

The government has announced that the current 90 day minimum consultation period where employers are proposing to make 100 or more redundancies at one establishment will be reduced to 45 days with a commencement date of 6 April 2013.

·         Employment Tribunal Reform

The Government is consulting on new Tribunal Rules where an early strike-out will be permissible and the cap on costs of £20,000 removed. However, it is widely expected that fees will be payable at the commencement of proceedings in the Tribunal and for the hearing itself with effect from summer 2013.

·         Working Time and Time Off

The Government is yet to publish its response regarding whether workers who are unable to take annual leave during one holiday year will be able to carry over unused leave to the next holiday leave.

·         Income Tax

Income tax for high earners will fall from 50% to 45% in April 2013 when new policies and tax measures come into play. The personal allowance rises to £9,440 in April 2013.

·         Protection of Freedoms Bill

There are planned changes to the vetting and barring scheme and Criminal Records Bureau checks. The CRB check will be instantly accessible online and portable but there is no date yet when these changes come into force in 2013.

·         Whistleblowing Disclosures

A public interest requirement will be included in the definition of a qualifying disclosure and this is expected to come into force in 2013 in the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill. An employee will no longer be able to blow the whistle for alleged breaches of his or her own employment contract.

·         Flexible Working Rights

The Government intends to extend the right to employees to work flexibly from 2014. Micro businesses will not be exempt.

·         Diversity – Women On Boards

The Government has moved ahead with draft regulations requiring listed companies to report on gender balances of managers in the company. A manager is defined as "a person who has authority and responsibility for planning directing and controlling the activities of the Company". Companies with reporting years ending after October 2013 will need to consider the regulations when preparing annual reports.

 

Written by Liam Oakes

Liam is the Candidate Manager at Aaron Wallis and has been with the company for 2 years after having a career with the RAF; Liam has helped hundreds of Sales Professionals secure a new Sales role and ensures that Aaron Wallis runs smoothly.

Liam.oakes@aaronwallis.co.uk

www.aaronwallis.co.uk

Twitter - https://twitter.com/aaronwallisliam

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/AaronWallisSR

LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/pub/liam-oakes/4b/536/403

How to Plan an Effective Recruitment Campaign



When recruiting you’ve got two choices.  You can make up the process as you go along and hopefully cover ‘every angle’ or you can set aside a few hours to follow a process that works. 

By following a simple checklist you can save a lot of time and money (especially in the long run). By following this six stage process (with links to additional help and advice) you can ensure that you have a logical path to hiring the right talent for your business. 

• Article: http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/recruitment-planning-sales-recruitment-checklist.aspx
• Recruitment Plan Checklist: http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/recruitment-checklist.pdf

We hope that you find it useful

Why Testing Sales Candidates is a Must

Whether it is testing candidates in a classroom environment or testing them online, pre-screening candidates can do wonders for your recruitment process. This blog discusses what types of tests are available and why it is something you should really consider.

Testing doesn’t predict who will succeed or fail in a position, it should be used in combination with other recruitment tools, however…testing can make the hiring process more productive by preventing costly mistakes and identifying who will be your organisation’s top performers.

There are hundreds of tests on the market today, and they measure literally hundreds of attributes from basic personality traits such as honesty and aggressiveness to specific sales skills such as prospecting and upselling.
 

Assessment Centres – They are a hugely successful way to recruit for the simple reason that over the course of the selection process you see how a candidate will actually perform in your role rather than the façade of their interview mode. Assessment Centre methods have been proven to increase both ‘on the job’ performance and reduced staff attrition.

Assessment Centres are commonly made up of any of the following:

·         Aptitude tests

·         Psychometric Profiling

·         Individual Exercises

·         Group Exercises

·         Presentation

·         Lateral thinking and problem solving

·         Competency interview

·         Group role play

 

Psychometric Profiling – Psychometric Profiling is a form of personality questionnaire which would normally take no more than ten minutes for each candidate to complete. They are a fast, simple and inexpensive pre-interview guide which when used effectively allows the interviewer to ‘get beneath the skin’ in a quicker period of time and enables you to make the most of the interview time.

Most psychometric questionnaires look at the following areas:

·         Assertiveness

·         Drive

·         Extroversion

·         Confidence

·         Social Sensitivity

·         Caring

·         Structure

·         Openness to Change

Upgraded Psychometrics – Most basic psychometrics will come at no extra cost, however for a small price you can get your candidates to complete an upgraded psychometric which could be any of the following:

·         Advanced Sales Questionnaire (ASQ)

·         Rapid Personality Questionnaire (RPQ)

·         Personality Profile Analysis (PPA)

·         Tests for Selection and Training (TST)

·         General Intelligence Assessment (GIA)

Skills Tests – There is a huge number of skills tests available, most contain questions for basic, intermediate and advanced skill levels and questions are randomised. Skills tests can vary from 15 – 45 minutes depending on which test is taken. Skills tests cover every imaginable area though here are some of the most popular for sales candidates:

·         U.K. Sales Concept

·         U.K. Analytical Skills

·         U.K. Basic Office Skills

·         U.K. Logical Reasoning – Deduction

·         U.K. Logical Reasoning – Mathematical

·         U.K. Call Centre Outbound Sales Skills

·         U.K. Call Centre Inbound Sales Skills

·         Marketing Fundamentals

 

Written by Liam Oakes

Liam is the Candidate Manager at Aaron Wallis and has been with the company for 2 years after having a career with the RAF; Liam has helped hundreds of Sales Professionals secure a new Sales role and ensures that Aaron Wallis runs smoothly.

Liam.oakes@aaronwallis.co.uk

www.aaronwallis.co.uk

Twitter - https://twitter.com/aaronwallisliam

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/AaronWallisSR

LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/pub/liam-oakes/4b/536/403

The 4 Keys to Success at Second Interviews

Well done you have secured a second interview –, it means the company are genuinely interested in you for their vacancy. Before you attend your second interview though please do remember that although you have done well, you have not YET been offered the job!
The process of selling yourself into the role is not over, please take a few moments to read the following points to help you WOW in the second interview!

1.       Frist Impressions Count!

Just as the 1^st interview, first impressions are vitally important, you may be meeting the interviewer for the first time, in which case you should refer back to the first interview preparation, it got you this far : -

• Know where you are going, and correct time
• Arrive five minutes early
• Upon waiting take an interest in the company, (i.e. read information, talk to reception)
• Greet the interview by their last name
• Switch off your mobile phone
• Present yourself correctly – if you’re not suited,  booted and groomed, it could be a losing battle!

2.       The Aim of the 2^nd interview

The main objective to be achieved in this interview is to leave the interviewer with an overview and impression that your skills, experience and personality are a match and that you are exactly the candidate that they are looking for.

DO NOT fall into the trap of thinking that because it’s a second interview, the interviewer knows all about you.  By taking this approach you will be doing exactly what the other candidates might be doing, so don’t undersell yourself!

Remember that at a 2^nd interview stage, the interviewer is looking to decide who to offer the job to and it’s your job to present you key skills at this point and why you are right for the role as clearly and confident as you can.

 

3.       Preparation

The best approach is to treat a 2^nd interview as you would a 1^st interview, prepare the selling points of yourself that you used in the first interview.

• List all the skills/attributes that the job requires- with examples
• The list then constitute a summary of your key skills, that relate to the role
• Focus on the attributes required in the job specification, back up questions with your example list
• Remember on a second interview you have to put in a great performance at a second interview.

Even if its “Just a chat”, “Lunch” or “meet the team” you are still be interviewed, so keep professional at all times, selling yourself, - You will be showing you are the best candidates for the role.   

4.       Closing the interview

This is a vital stage, your performance so far at the 2^nd interview could have secured the role for you. As in the 1^st interview it is inevitable that you will be asked “any questions?” Your questions may have already been answered during your interview but like any great salesperson question until you fully understand their need. 

Video: How to Close a Sales Interview

This demonstrates that you have thought about the role and have done extra preparation. This is one of the most important parts of the interview a poor performance here and by not questioning further it could end your chances.

When attending your interview you must demonstrate to the interviewer(s) you are talking this seriously, take a folder containing, all you preparation notes – 'handouts'. Of course you must use the folder, check your notes to answer questions, check to make sure all your questions have been answered and then tell the interviewers that “all my questions have been answered”

Video: The Most Important Questions You Should Ask at a Sales Interview

 

The MOST important questions to ask during your second interview:-

“What reservations do you have about me/my experience?”  - asking this question will give you the chance to answer any last questions, remove the doubt in the mind, something you might not get another chance to do.

The final thing to do and is a MUST is to tell the interviewer(s) that you are interested in the role (you may want to write this down as a question so that you don’t forget)

“Thank you for talking the time to see me, I am very interested in the role, this is a position I have been looking for” – add the close – “when are you looking to make your decision”

Good Luck from the team at Aaron Wallis.

By Paul Masterson

Paul can be contacted on 01908 764280
LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/pub/paul-masterson/31/544/277

5 Questions Every Candidate Should Ask at Interview

1)       Why is the position vacant?
This is an important question because it will enable you to understand whether the position has been put in place to overcome a particular problem. On the other hand it may be that you will be replacing a previous employee that wasn’t performing. The answer that you get will give you an idea of what the employer is looking for you to achieve and where the previous employee may have made mistakes. This will help you to avoid falling into the same traps or underperforming in these areas.

2)       What challenges does the company currently face?

By asking this you will hopefully gain an understanding of any problems that are hindering the company’s performance. You can then promote yourself as the solution to overcome these obstacles. Not only can you sell yourself using the employers response but you may also be able to determine whether they are being unrealistic in what they are trying to achieve.
 
3)       Specifically what do you think I can do to overcome these problems?

Now you have a more detailed idea of what the employer is actually looking for you to achieve within the company using this you can now arm yourself with answers for any objections that they may have about you. For example:

“We don’t think that you could effectively cold call our type of clientele because …..” You can now respond using knowledge that you have gained from the above questions with, “I can assure you this won’t be a problem because in a previous role I dealt with ….. and sold …..”.

4)       What are the expectations on me within the first 3 months, 6 months, and year?

Again the answer to this question will enable you to determine whether you these employers are going to target you in a constructive, achievable and realistic way that will enable you to be successful in this role. Use this answer to decide if this is an organisation that you can see yourself working for.  

 

5)       How do you feel that I am going to fit into your team?
 
Ask about other members of the team. Try and find out about their backgrounds and how successful they are in similar roles. You can use the response to gauge whether you will be an effective member of the team.

Remember you are a sales person so treat the interview as a sales pitch, seeing yourself as a solution. Sell yourself in the best possible way and close the deal as you would with any other sales pitch.

Written by Tom Ward

More about Tom: http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/tom-ward-aaron-wallis.aspx

The Top 10 Biggest Interview Mistakes

Interviews, it may be the single toughest part of any individual’s job search, and yet, job seekers often compound their interview nervousness with lack of preparation and frequent mistakes. Interview mistakes can be avoided. The 10 biggest interview mistakes and how to avoid them are as follows:

1.     Don’t Lie.

If the conversation drifts to a topic you're not knowledgeable about, admit you don't know the answer and then explain how you would go about finding a solution. Displaying your problem-solving skills is better than telling lies about something you don't understand.

 

2.     Do Your Research

You are expected to fully research every company prior to every interview. It is essential that you do some research on the business, industry and market before every interview. It is essential for two reasons a) to demonstrate your interest in the business and b) more importantly, to ensure that the business is right for you!

3.      Winging It

This is never a good idea. Trying to formulate an off-the-cuff answer to even simple questions in a high-stakes interview is sometimes harder than it appears, and doing so can be a recipe for disaster.

4.     Turning Up Late

Before the interview work out exactly where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. On the day allow yourself 30 minutes for traffic problems or any other delays – if you’re too early you can always grab a cup of tea nearby and go over your CV. If for some reason you are running late, call your interviewer to let them know.

5.     Don’t Talk Too Much

There is nothing much worse than interviewing someone who goes on and on and on... The interviewer really doesn't need to know your whole life story. Keep your answers short, to-the-point and focused and don't ramble - simply answer the question.

6.     Not Talking Enough

It's really hard to communicate with someone who answers a question with a word or two. When you fail to communicate with the interviewer, you may destroy your chances of being hired by the company. Make eye contact and be confident with your answers. So, even though you shouldn't talk too much, you do want to be responsive and fully answer the question as best you can.

7.     Dress Appropriately

Turn up to an interview in ripped shorts, an old t-shirt and some flip-flops and you’ll probably find yourself back out the door before you know it. Dress appropriately for the type of job interview. Always dress in more conservatively than you would normally. Make sure that you are not wearing outlandish colours, showing too much skin, or wearing too much jewellery (man or woman).

8.     Badmouthing Past Employers

It’s fine to talk about what you would like to achieve career-wise and how this may not be possible in your current job, but never bad-mouth a current or previous employer. It could give your interviewer the impression you’re difficult to work with.

9.     Close The Interview

Everything you say or do is being judged very closely in an interview. Make a mistake in one of your responses and your chances of getting the job are diminished. However stressful an interview may be, if you can end the interview by closing for the position, you will earn tremendous respect and show an example of your closing skills.

10.  Not Asking Questions

Asking questions towards the end of the interview shows you’re confident, thoughtful and are seriously interested in the position. If you can’t think of anything, good ones to fall back on are what career opportunities are available and what kind of training do you offer.

 

Written by Liam Oakes

Liam is the Candidate Manager at Aaron Wallis and has been with the company for 2 years after having a career with the RAF; Liam has helped hundreds of Sales Professionals secure a new Sales role and ensures that Aaron Wallis runs smoothly.

Liam.oakes@aaronwallis.co.uk

www.aaronwallis.co.uk

Twitter - https://twitter.com/aaronwallisliam

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/AaronWallisSR

LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/pub/liam-oakes/4b/536/403

Reputation is all: Could the internet kill your job application?

You surely can’t have missed the story of teacher Carly McKinney. In short, Carly, a Colorado high school teacher was suspended pending an investigation after she tweeted provocative pictures of herself, tweets about her recreational drug taking and feelings towards one of her students, who she described as “jailbait”. Strangely, Carly hadn’t broken any laws… her pictures didn't contain any obvious nudity, her tweets relating to marijuana use are also legal as she lives in the state of Colorado. So, the only damage done was to her online reputation.

So why have we all heard about her online posts and why is her career at stake? The simple fact is she chose to openly reveal herself over the internet and by so doing created a particular online reputation – a reputation that the Colorado board of education just didn’t like. As I said earlier, what Carly did is legal, but Carly chose to publish her actions and is still blissfully unaware of why there is such a fuss.

Hand on heart, I know the vast majority of candidates I meet at Aaron Wallis aren't sharing intimate photos or information about themselves on the internet. However, the truth is each one of us has an online reputation to consider.  These days, everything we do, everything we say and the photos we are in are easily found on the internet – posted by us or posted by others. So remember, when you are considering a career move, it’s very likely that potential employers are googling you.

Managing your online reputation when looking for a new role is crucial.  Have you taken time to assess what your online reputation is like? Is everything written about you true? Do all your images show you in the right light? Give it some thought… others are. 

Stefan is a specialist sales recruiter focusing on the security and fire industries at Aaron Wallis. Having held senior sales and marketing roles with leading companies in the security industry, Stefan works with a wide variety of companies to recruit sales professionals across all levels and disciplines.

More About Stefan Kobewka: http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/stefan-kobewka-aaron-wallis.aspx

Discover More About Stefan’s Career on LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/pub/stefan-kobewka/36/79a/401

Email: stefan.kobewka@aaronwallis.co.uk

www.aaronwallis.co.uk