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Is It Time To Leave Your Job?

Deciding to leave a job is a significant moment in your career.

Naturally, we all go through periods of having exciting projects on at work which make us fall in love with our roles again; and times when finding motivation is harder.

But if the thought of the end of the weekend and another week in work fills you with dread, this could be a sign that something is seriously wrong.

Either you’ve outgrown your ServiceNow role, your workplace has become toxic, or you realise that your passions lie elsewhere in a different position or with a new company with different values. There are some signs to look out for which indicate that it’s time to look for a new job.

Deciding on a career move can be a daunting thing, and that’s why many people try to ignore the warning signs that they should move on.

Today, we share the six undeniable signs it’s time to look for a new job (and how to find one).

You Dread Going to Work

Everybody gets the case of the Monday blues. However, if you do not look forward to going to work or anything work-related, it might be time to quit.

Have you found yourself stopping off for a coffee to delay getting into the office; have you started taking the longer route to work; does the thought of work in the morning keep you from sleeping at night?

Of course, many more of us are working from home now, and so the physical act of going to work might soon become a thing of the past in many roles.

But this feeling of dread can become present in morning Zoom meetings, when you’re on a conference call or any time work-related messages pop-up on your screen.

A sense of dread when you think about your job is not normal – if this is happening to you, it’s time to make a change.

There will be a job in the market that will excite you! It’s time to find that role rather than dreading going to work in your existing job.

There Is No Advancement

Have you been at the same company working the same position since you first got the job? If there seems to be no advancement for your career in your current job role, it is time to start looking elsewhere.

Most people will have a promotion or a change of job title within 4 years of working in their job. You want to commit your time and energy to a company that will support the growth of your career. If this is not the case, and you feel stuck in your career, you should look elsewhere.  

You Are Not Learning

Your job should challenge you and improve on your core skills. As well as providing you with the opportunity to learn new ones.

There should be opportunities where you are learning, for example, signing up for a course or asking to be involved in new tasks or projects.

If these opportunities do not exist in your current job, it is a sign that the company is not serious about investing or nurturing your career development.

You Fell Disconnected From Your Role

High employee engagement is a characteristic of all excellent employers.

Great ServiceNow employers will ensure that you have the right amount of work to do; that you’re not overworked or frequently find yourself with few tasks and unsure what you should be doing.

You should feel a passion and drive for your role, and a connection to your team and your employer which makes you want to give your best to the job – it was probably there when you applied for this position.

But over time, inadequate management can lead to employees feeling disconnected and then eventually stop caring. It is hard to find enthusiasm for your role when you have become disconnected. Will you ever trust that your employer truly cares about you even if things change in the short-term?

You are procrastinating

It is normal to procrastinate when working. We are not productivity machines!

However, if you find yourself procrastinating most of the day it means you do not find your job engaging. In this case, you need to consider whether your job is a good fit for you.

You are Taking Extra Sick Days

Taking extra sick days, or taking holidays simply to get away from your job is a sign that something is wrong.

It is estimated that 12.7% of all sick days are taken due to mental health problems, which can often be attributed to your current role in the first place.

If your mental health is being affected due to your job, first speak to your manager. They have a duty of care to you to ensure that your position is not causing you harm. Sadly, if the problems are out of your manager’s control, and they continue, it might be time to look for an employer who has an excellent wellbeing reputation.

Negative Work Environment

A negative work environment is toxic.

Having a great relationship with your boss and your colleagues is never a given in any role. It’s always a nice added bonus when you find a role you love, and you get on with your team.

But negative relationships with the people you work with every day can quickly become draining, and they can turn a once dream job into a nightmare situation. If your co- workers are constantly complaining and your boss is unhappy or unfair in the treatment of workers, it is hard to be happy. A pessimistic atmosphere can also kill your passion for your job.

There should always be avenues you can explore before it gets as serious as leaving for a different company, but sometimes that’s what it takes.

Toxic workplaces are sadly more common than you might think. Although your job might look great on paper, if your boss regularly puts you down, and the atmosphere in the workplace is continually negative and is holding you back from success in your job role and your whole career, it’s time to find a company where you not only feel fulfilled but also happy.

You are being recruited

Are recruiters reaching out to you with job offers?

Offers that include room for advancement and a better work environment? It may be time to explore these new job opportunities and start applying.

You’re Being Underpaid

48% of employees feel that they are underpaid for the work they do – does this sound familiar?

When you start a job, the expectations might have been clear. What commonly happens in ServiceNow workplaces is that over time, and as you become more experienced within the organisation, you are tasked with more and more duties.

And your remuneration rarely increases with the amount of extra work you are now expected to do.

It might be a simple case of your manager not realising how much extra outside of your role you are taking on – but this again is poor management on their part.

Suppose you are increasingly given extra tasks or are performing managerial duties and your employer tells you that you are not going to be paid any extra for it. In that case, this is a sign that your employer is taking advantage of you.

Not all ServiceNow employers behave like this – now should be the time to find one who doesn’t.

Suffering Health and Personal Life

Job stress and dissatisfaction can lead to insomnia or depression. That is why it is important not to sacrifice your health for a job. If you are miserable when you come home due to your job, you should start looking for a new job.

You Feel Undervalued

Aside from being paid a fair wage for the work you do, it is also important that you feel emotionally valued and supported by your manager and your colleagues.

Signs that you are being undervalued by your current employer include:

  • your work is overlooked
  • your performance and pay reviews are continually pushed back
  • you’re not trusted to have autonomy in your role
  • those around you are promoted, and you get left behind

Being undervalued can be a sign that your current employer is not going to support you in your career and that things are unlikely to change. Unless the entire company has a management shake-up – but you don’t have to wait for this to happen.

Next Steps and Advice

Many people stay in roles that are making them severely unhappy and impacting on their mental health because they believe there is no other option for them.

The truth is there are always other options; you just might not know where to find them – and that’s where we come in.

Speak to a dedicated recruitment company they will be able to offer advice and options. They can put you in touch with new potential employers and organise interviews for you. It is good to have another job lined up before quitting unless you want a break between jobs.

Our advice is not to burn bridges at your current job. Do not vent to them about the reasons you are leaving or show your anger. You should simply state you are leaving to seek new opportunities.

If you are looking for new opportunities in ServiceNow, visit our job listing page or get into contact! What are you waiting for?

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Adjust To Working From Home

Working from home seems to be the new normal for a lot of us. It is disorienting to work from home as we are used to having a separate workspace.

As a company that has employees working from home, we have gathered some helpful tips for those who are trying to adjust to their new remote working reality.

Create a workspace

It is key to have a section or room of your house as a workspace.

This will keep you on track to get things done. As you will associate this area of your home as your office and not a part of your home. Making you more productive.

It is also important to have all the equipment you need in this workspace. You may need a work laptop, noise-cancelling headphones, or even a new desk chair. This will aid in creating a healthy and focused workspace.

This equipment will boost your health, mood and, productivity. Your office will provide some equipment and could even reimburse you for some, so always ask!

A good workspace will also be free from distractions. Communicate with any roommates and family members and make sure they do not interrupt you and are quiet during meeting times.

Another important factor to working from home is a stable WIFI connection. Make sure to check if your WIFI is running and is quick to deal with your workload. This will save you some frustration!

Maintain a routine

Establishing and maintaining a routine is key to adapting to working from home. Stick to regular time for starting and finishing your work and if you need to take a break from your laptop, schedule it in.

If you have a structure, it can help you achieve more. You are also less likely to get distracted if you have dedicated working hours.

Also, take a break, go for a walk, or cook yourself some lunch. There will be times where your productivity dips, so it is important to take breaks to refresh yourself. This will help you from getting overwhelmed as well as keep you focused on your work.

Socialise

One major adjustment of working from home is the social isolation. With social isolation, you are more likely to feel tired or isolated. These feelings can make your productivity fall.

To avoid this, try and socialise in your workday. You could plan coffee chats with people on a video call, connect with your family or friends or talk about non-work-related topics with your co – workers after meetings. This will keep your mood, health, and productivity high.

Working from home has been a big adjustment for all of us however for most of us it is only temporary! You will be back in the office soon. In the meantime, we hope this guide helps you to better work from home.

If you enjoy working remotely and are looking for a job in ServiceNow, we have some job listings that might interest you. Take a look now!

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How To Write A Great Cover Letter

After writing your CV, the next step is to do a cover letter. We have created this blog to be your helpful guide to creating a great cover letter. 

What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is a document sent to hiring managers describing why you are the right candidate for the job. It also complements your CV as you are able to expand on your skills and experience.  In addition to this, you are able to demonstrate your writing skills and show off your personality.

An engaging cover letter is your opportunity to introduce yourself and highlight your most desirable skills and traits, and it can create a great first impression in the hiring manager’s eye.

Some ServiceNow jobs will state a covering letter as a requirement for application; others won’t. It’s always a good idea to include one even if it’s not specifically requested, as it allows you to expand on your skills and attributes and sets you above the competition.

Think of it like this – your CV lists your skills and experience. Your cover letter is there to expand on how you fulfil the job spec and create interest in order to make the employer even more interested in you as a potential employee.

A good cover letter should include in-depth information about your skills and why that will make you the right person for the job. You must convince the hiring managers to hire you in your cover letter as well as including what value you will add to the company.

Is your cover letter enhancing your application – or letting it down? Here’s how to ensure you’re making your cover letter work hard for you.

How To Write A Great Cover Letter Linking Humans

How to write a cover letter?

1. Contact information

Firstly, at the top of your cover letter, include your contact information. This is so recruiters can easily find your name and information to contact you. 

2. Address the letter to the hiring manager

The next step you should take is addressing your letter to a specific person. This usually will be the hiring manager or department. If you are unable to find the hiring manager’s name, look on LinkedIn. If you type in the company and then hiring manager, you may be able to find a name.

This adds a nice personal touch to the cover letter and it demonstrates you have researched for their name. As a result, you will impress the hiring manager.

3. Introduction

Once you have addressed the hiring manager, the next section will be the introduction paragraph. You should state the purpose of your cover letter in this section. Keep it straightforward.  

This section should only be a few sentences. You should describe the role you are applying for, why you are interested in the job and the company. As well as what makes you the perfect candidate for the role. 

4. Main paragraphs

After the introduction, will be your main paragraphs. This should be no more than two paragraphs. Highlight the value you will add to the company. As well as the responsibilities of your position, projects you undertook, and skills you gained. These must be relevant to the role. You should emphasise you role in these experiences. For instance, if you are applying to one of our ServiceNow jobs, you should highlight your experience or qualifications in ServiceNow.

You must not summarise your CV in this section. Explain why your skills and experiences make you the right person for the job. Our tip is to incorporate keywords from the job description into this section.

Moreover, in these paragraphs, you should use action words. For example, addressed, accomplished, directed, integrated, redesigned, investigated, or negotiated. This avoids overusing the word ‘I’. By using action words, you are showing what the company can gain from hiring you. 

5. Closing paragraph

Once again state your interest in the position, the company, and why you are a good fit for the role. 

You should also include a call to action in the closing paragraph. Invite the hiring manager to follow up with you. 

Additionally, thank the reader for their consideration, state you look forward to hearing back from them, and include your signature at the very bottom. 

Formatting

Finally, visual consistency makes a big difference, and it is a nice professional touch. Keep your cover letter to one side of A4 and use the same font and size as your CV. 

Do a thorough proof to ensure what you have included makes sense. Then let your recruiter read it through before they send it for you.

We hope this helped you in writing your cover letter! If you are looking for tips on how to ace an interview, check out our blog!

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Helping You To Prepare For Your Interview

At Linking Humans, we pride ourselves on helping you to prepare for your interview to give you best possible chance of securing your dream role!

This blog will focus on preparing you for competency-based interviews. As these are becoming increasingly popular. To break this down, this interview is a series of behavioural questions.

What is a competency-based interview?

Depending on the size of the company or organisation, your interview can take many forms.

Firstly, a general conversation, with the interviewer asking questions related to the job and trying to get an overall picture of you, including your strengths and development areas.

By contrast, a competency-based interview is based on a series of questions related to the various behaviours and competencies listed on the job specification.

This type of interview uses questions that aim to confirm if you have the specific skills relevant to the ServiceNow job and sets out to see how you approach tasks, problem-solving and challenges.

The interviewer will ask you to describe a situation which demonstrates your abilities that will be integral to the role you’re interviewing for. The best way to answer a competency-based question is to try and think of examples. Such as, a situation where you have been in that answers the question is a positive light.

At Linking Humans, we have a team of consultants who are specially trained in running and conducting interviews. We will be able to offer the best advice possible to give you the best possible chance at succeeding.

Below is a list of core-competencies that employers tend to look for in candidates and example question they may use:

Adaptability and Innovation

Tell us about the biggest obstacle you had to overcome to get where you are today. What different approaches did you use to deal with it?

Attention to detail

Tell us about a project that you have worked on, what checks did you put in to ensure that you met the deadlines?

Business Awareness

Tell us an idea you have put to your manager on how your department could cut costs.

Continuous Learning

Tell us what steps you have taken to develop your work skills.

Customer Service

Give us an example of a difficult situation with a customer and how you overcame it.

Effective Communication

Talk us through a situation when you felt that communication broke down, what did you do? What was the end result?

Influence and Negotiation

Tell us about a time when you have had to deal with a conflict within your department, what happened?

Initiative and Commitment to Achieve

Tell us about a contribution or idea you have had in the workplace.

Interpersonal Ability

Tell us about a time when you have had to discipline a colleague.

Leadership

Tell us about a member of your team you have coached or developed.

Organising for Results

What are some of the recurring problems you encounter at work? What do you do about them? Or tell me of a time when you had multiple tasks with competing deadlines and how you handled them.

Problem Solving and Decision Making

Tell us a time when you have had to make a difficult decision and what steps were involved in this?

Professionalism

Tell us an area within your professional development that you have worked hard on to improve.

Motivation

What was your greatest achievement in your last role, and how did you get there? This provides a check on your levels of enthusiasm and drive.

Strategic Thinking

From your knowledge of the job in question, what do you see as being the main challenges?

Teamwork

Tell us about a time when you had to engage the help of others to succeed in a job.

We hope this helps you with preparing for your interview! Check out our blog page for other helpful tips in your job search!

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How To Write The Perfect CV!

Your CV is your gateway to landing your dream job! It can also kickstart the career of your choice. 

As a human, you are unique, your CV should reflect this. Get it spot on, and you’ll be able to secure your chosen companies interview in no time. However if you get it wrong, and you may face rejection.

The CV has been around for hundreds of years, and over time it has changed and evolved with the world of work.

As ServiceNow recruiters, we have seen the evolution of the CV, and today we are sharing some invaluable top tips to ensure you get on the radar of the best ServiceNow employers.

This may seem daunting, but do not worry – Linking Humans are here to help! We have created a simple guide on how to write a great CV that will not attract attention for all the right reasons. Let’s get started!

The Purpose of a CV for Employers

Let’s start by thinking about what function your CV serves for employers.

For a start, we should point out that many ServiceNow employers are pushed for time, and they are looking for shortcuts in their recruitment process – they want it spelt out to them that you are the candidate they are looking for.

So to fit this requirement, your CV should be highly tailored to the employer or hiring manager that is looking after the recruitment process.

Aim to find out where possible exactly who to address your CV and cover letter to – this makes it stand out more than letters simply addressed ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ and tailor your CV and cover letter specifically to the company and the role you are applying for.

All too often, ServiceNow candidates send generic CVs or cover letters – these are usually the candidates who don’t get past the first round of the recruitment process.

In today’s competition-led job market, your CV needs to do the following:

  • Immediately capture the attention of the recruiter or employer
  • Illustrate how your skills and abilities clearly relate to the job description
  • Show how much of a culture fit you are to the organisation
  • Increase your chance of getting a first interview

Your CV should be a succinct summary of why you are the ideal candidate for this role.

So let’s look at what makes the ideal ServiceNow CV.

Make Sure it’s Relevant

Many people include skills, knowledge and experience on their CV that, although they might be proud of, it is not relevant to this company or role.

Remember the following tips when thinking about what to include in your CV:

  • Make sure your CV includes everything the job advert specifies.
  • Use similar terminology to that found in the job advert to strike a connection with the employer or hiring manager.
  • If there are any areas that you don’t have the required skills, address this by demonstrating your desire to learn, which you can back up with previous examples of learning a new skill for a previous role.

Keep your CV short, and to the point. The ideal length is two pages, but it can be longer if you have lots of relevant experience.

The following are what to include in your CV to make sure it ticks all the right boxes.

Contact Details

Firstly, we have contact details. It’s important to include all your contact information at the top of your CV. You want to make it as easy as possible for an employer or hiring manager to contact you about the job you’re applying for.

Make sure to add your full name, email address, telephone number and your address. 

Personal Statement

A personal statement is next. It is a great way to let the employer know about yourself in a small nutshell.

This should be a small paragraph which sits at the top of your CV under contact details. It should highlight your key strengths and achievements. Think of it as a sales pitch on why the employer should hire you. 

One question that will be going through the employer’s mind when they read your CV is what value can you add to their business? By giving examples of your key achievements in this section, it can really make you stand out.

Sounds like quite a mouthful, but personal statements are no problem to write, we promise. They’re actually really similar to cover letters. Except, you’ll be selling your best points to a potential employer in about four sentences, rather than an A4 page.

Employment History

This section comes next. It is important to be accurate with your dates, list your employment history in order of the most recent first and work backwards. In this section, you want to list bullet points on what you did in the roles. For example, produced digital marketing content across 5 social media channels. Our tip is to keep your bullet points brief. You should include all of your relevant work experience, which demonstrates your ability to thrive in a similar role. Include the name of the organisation, the time you held the position for and your job title.

For those looking for work in ServiceNow, make sure you list all the technologies that you have worked with in your employment history. This is so the reader of your CV can understand exactly how much commercial technical experience you have with each technology and which company you used it in.

Education History

After completing your employment history, it is now time for the education sector. It is important to be accurate with dates, list your Education in order of the most recent first working your way backwards.

If you are educated to University graduate level, you should always focus on your degree/Masters / PhD. You could include relevant modules you studied.

Also include college and school level information, however use less detail to minimise your CV getting to long. You want to outline the qualifications you achieved. For example, 10 GCSEs, A*-B.

Qualifications

Being qualified gives you more chances of securing the position that you are applying for. It demonstrates to potential employers you are eager to learn and grow. You can put these under your employment history or under your education history. If you have more relevant qualification, feel free to do a small section for it. A CV should not contain details about everything you have ever done. However, think about what is relevant for the job you are applying for and tailor your CV to their needs.

Hobbies and Interests

This is a great way to show your personality on your CV.  Your hobbies and interests can make you stand out from a crowd. However, remember to always maintain professionalism.  Great examples of hobbies include Sports, Music, Travelling etc.

References

Don’t forget to add at least 2 references on the bottom of your CV.  This gives the employer the confidence that if they are to offer you the job, they have people that will vouch for you.  Don’t worry as references are usually called upon once you have been offered the role.  If you are uncomfortable giving references on your CV, you can simply write “references upon request”.

ServiceNow CV Top Tips

Even with the right relevant information, your CV will still need to perform in other ways to catch the attention of the hiring manager.

The following are our top tips to get your CV noticed:

  • Check and double-check that your contact details are up to date – have you changed your mobile number since you created your CV?
  • Use a professional email address without nicknames or slang in it – if you haven’t got one, create one
  • Include a link to your LinkedIn profile – the hiring manager will probably look you up online anyway, you might as well direct them to where they can find your LinkedIn profile
  • Don’t include a picture on your CV – it’s an outdated concept and adds no relevance to the recruitment process
  • Run your CV through spell check before you print or send it. Also, have someone – a friend or a recruiter – to check for spelling and grammar mistakes
  • Choose a font that looks good, but that is clear and easy to read. Make sure the font isn’t too large or too small. Don’t use lots of different sizes or styles of font – simple is best

Avoid clichés such as ‘go-getter’, ‘think outside the box’ and ‘multi-tasker’ when describing yourself. If you are struggling writing your CV, we are able to help. Get into contact with us now.

Finally

Your CV is your chance to introduce yourself to a ServiceNow recruitment company or hiring manager in a meaningful way.

If you can show the person looking at your CV that you match the job description as closely as possible, then you’ll get the interview.

For more information on how we can help you craft your ServiceNow CV, as well as find new roles for you to apply to – get in touch with us today.

You can call us on 02381 542 542 or send us an email on farrah.wells@linkinghumans.com to discuss your CV and your next career move.

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