Closingthedeal

Closing The Deal

“Closing The Deal” covers everything you need to
know, after you’ve had a job offer.

It guides you from deciding whether or not to accept,
through negotiating your salary and quitting your old
job with dignity.

© Clare Jaques 2003 - 2006

All rights reserved. You may circulate this book, free of charge, to friends, family and work
colleagues, as long as you do not edit it in any way.

All contents remain copyright of Clare Jaques and Interview Stuff.

Table Of Contents

---------- 1 Introduction ------- ---------- 8 Settling In -------

Introduction The First Few Days
The 5 sections of this guide .........................4 How to settle in well................................... 38

---------- 2 Should I Say Yes? ------- ---------- Extra Resources -------

Should I Take The Job? Want To Know More?
Not such a stupid question!..........................6 Make the most of these free resources..... 41

--------- 3 I've Still Got Questions ------
---------- 9 Exercise Templates -------
I’ve Still Got Questions
Exercise templates 42
Need to know more?..................................14

---------- 4 My Ideal Package -------

What’s My Ideal Package?
How to negotiate your salary and perks ....17
Exercise
Exercise 6: My ideal package ....................18 It’s up to you whether you work through this e-
book in sequence or just pick the exercises
that seem most relevant to you.
---------- 5 Salary Negotiation -------

Salary Negotiation
Bear in mind that some of the exercises build
How do I negotiate a better package? .......20
on previous topics, so you may need to go
back and do some background thinking.
---------- 6 When Should I Start? -------

When Should I Start?
The instructions make it clear where this is the
How to get the start date you want ............28 case

Reviewing The Contract
Make sure you read it carefully ..................30

---------- 7 How To Quit -------

How To Quit My Current Job
Handing in your notice without burning your
bridges .......................................................35

© Clare Jaques 2006 www.interviewstuff.com 2 Closing The Deal

1
Introduction

The 5 sections of this guide


Deciding Whether To Accept

1
Just because you’ve been offered a job
Introduction
doesn’t mean you should go for it. Making
The 5 sections of this guide an objective decisions pays dividends and
means you won’t be job-hunting again in
six months’ time.

Putting Together Your Ideal Package

It’s easy to miss something out, when
negotiating a salary package. Usually
employers have salary and benefits
You’ve made it through the recruitment guidelines within which they can operate.
process and now you’ve had a job offer. But you’d be surprised how flexible things
Congratulations! might be, if you’re a smart negotiator.

But before you rush to say “yes”, it’s worth Negotiating A Start Date
taking a few moments to think about how Your future employer will usually want you
you’re going to negotiate your package and to start “yesterday”. But, to be honest, an
start date. extra week or two is unlikely to make a
huge difference. Think about when you’d
like to move and whether you’d like a
Research has shown that it’s week or two off between jobs.
much easier to get a pay rise
when you change jobs, rather than
getting promoted within your Quitting Your Current Job
current role.
This can actually be quite stressful,. It
certainly isn’t recommended to march into
your boss’s office with your resignation,
At the same time, the recruiter will want to get
based on a telephone offer. Your
the right person, but for as little outlay as
employer’s reaction can vary from trying
possible. So you need to do some clever
to keep you (which can really drag things
negotiating.
out) to escorting you off site!

The good news is that getting closer to your
Settling In
ideal package is quite straightforward, as long
as you’ve done your homework. The first few days in a new job can be
daunting and exciting. This section
includes some top tips for making sure
Closing The Deal takes you through a nerves don’t get in the way and you make
structured process of deciding whether to a great first impression.
accept the job, negotiating a package,
agreeing a start date and quitting your current
job.


2
Should I Take The Job?

Not such a stupid question!


The first stage is to think about your current

2
role. This helps you work out whether the new
Should I Take The Job? job will fix the problems with the old one.
Not such a stupid question!

Sometimes it’s easy to get
carried away with the
excitement of being offered Exercise 1: Evaluate your current role
a job, that we don’t stop to Take a minute or two to think about your
think about whether we current or most recent role.
really want it.

How would you describe it?
After all, we’ve been through the interviews
What do you like about it? Which aspects you
and had the offer. Why wouldn’t we want it?
won’t miss?

Be as specific as you can, because this will
Well, it’s time for a sanity check. help you start to gain an insight into what is
motivating you.

Think about your current role.
What would you miss about it? It will help you find a new job that builds on the
good features of your last role, but avoids the
bad bits.
Does what the new job has to offer
make up for that?
(An example is on the next page)

Can you imagine yourself working
in the new company in 3 / 5 / 10
years’ time?

The following exercises help you objectively
make the decision.

Even if you’re pretty sure it’s a “yes”, it’s worth
going through them, to see if there’s anything
you want to add to your negotiation framework.


Click here for a blank form

My current / most recent role is: Example - Emma was fired from her recent temping job.

Temping for Mr. Hargreaves. Made it through 4½ months of a 6 month maternity cover
contract.
Responsible for all sorts of stuff that just didn’t rock my boat.
Good luck to the new girl.

I like…

Be honest with yourself. Even if things aren’t so well any more, there must still be something
you like!

Like?
Are you kidding?
Ok, let’s take this seriously.
I did like the fact it was close to the shops. And there was free mineral water and coffee. And
I was paid quite well, for what I did. And I guess that the company was quite ethical, it was
mainly the work I didn’t like, rather than the people.

I won’t miss…Be objective and specific.

Objective? Guess that means no emotions.
It was too much detail. I just got bored – it wasn’t me.
What else? Well, I guess I didn’t really know what I was doing. And everyone assumed I did,
so I kept getting it wrong. Maybe they should have had some training, or something?
And I would rather have worked with lots of younger people. Most of the people in the
company were much older than me – the majority had kids my age. Nothing wrong with that;
just not for me right now.

What is motivating me to change? (Be honest!)

Duh! I was fired!
Yeah, but I wasn’t really happy anyway.
Right, I want a permanent job, where I can settle in and actually make friends. And get some
training and development. And eventually more responsibility.

And finally… Is there anything my current employer could do, to make me want to stay?

Well, they put a stop to that.
But seriously, I don’t think so. Even if they’d given me more responsibility and made me
permanent, I think I’d have wanted to work with a company with a more dynamic outlook. I felt
like I was being treated like a kid, which is what I was in most people’s eyes.

How did you respond to the final question? Is there anything your current employer could do to make
you want to stay? Is that what you want? Are you moving for the right reasons?


Exercise 2: Four Questions That Can Make Your Head Spin

The next four questions can really help clarify whether you should move to the job you’ve just been
offered. They’re specially designed to help you cut past your rational thinking and get to what’s going
on underneath.

So if they make your head spin, that’s ok. Persevere with them and write down your answers, no
matter how odd they seem.


What will happen if you do accept the job offer?

Let’s take Jude’s example – returning to work after 7 years of raising a family.

I’ll be back in the marketing game, refreshing my skills and meeting new people.

What will happen if you don’t accept the job offer?

I’ll still be at home all day, looking after the house, and wondering what would have happened,
had I gone back to work.
I will eventually find it’s too late to go back.

What won’t happen if you do accept the job offer?

I won’t get to pick the kids up from school.
I won’t have time to do the housework I currently do, which might make things a bit more
stressful.
I won’t be able to look after the kids, if they’re ill.

What won’t happen if you don’t accept the job offer?

I won’t regain my independence. I love being a mum, but I really want to go back to having a
career, too, even if it’s on a different scale.
I won’t have the stress of commuting, but I wouldn’t be earning money, either.
I won’t be able to use my brain as much as I’d like to.

Has this exercise helped you clear things up?


Exercise 3: Deciding Whether To Accept

This exercise helps you work out what would be important to you in your ideal job. You may have
considered this already, or this may be the first time you’ve thought about it.

The key is to check whether the job you’ve been offered is closer to your ideal job than your current
role, or further away.

Being objective, how well does your potential new job meet your criteria?


Step 1 Write a paragraph describing your next, ideal job.

What will your team be like?

What role will you play?

What will your rewards be?

What will you see?

What will you hear?

What will you feel?

These last 3 questions might seem a bit strange, but they’re highly effective for clarifying your
thoughts. Make sure you really get into the frame of mind you’d be in if you had the job.

Let’s follow Jude for this example.

What will my team be like?

At least 20 of us – big enough to get the job done – not just 2 or 3 people in a tiny company. With 20
there’ll be plenty of opportunity for socialising, but there aren’t so many people that you get lost in
anonymity.

What role will I play?

I’d like to do something that involves working with the media agencies and advertising teams. Not too
much pressure. Probably a Brand Manager role, so I’m responsible for decisions and strategy, but
without having to manage too many people.
Exercise continues on next page…



Good pay and possibly bonus scheme. I guess my preferred reward would actually be recognition for
my achievements.

What will I see?

Hmm… Not sure I understand this one. Ok, let’s give it a go. I’ll see smart, bright, airy modern offices;
fairly open plan; lots of people smiling; clutter-free environment

What will I hear?

Phones ringing; people laughing; keyboards typing; coffee machine spluttering away

What will I feel?

Well, I’d like to feel confident and self-assured. I’d like to feel relaxed, but slightly excited. So probably
enough of a challenge that I have to think, but not so much that I stress about it.

Step 2 Pull out the key elements from Step 1. They might include:

Whether you want to manage direct reports

The size of team you want to manage (or not)

Working hours, flexitime

Level of responsibility

Working environment

Training

Basic salary range

Paid overtime

Other benefits

Holiday entitlement

Career opportunities

Location

Amount of travelling

Which of your key skills you most want to use / develop

Which of your main values should be met



Then split them into one of three categories:

Essential These are things that are so important to you that you next job must deliver them.
Without these, you would reject a job offer.

These items effectively provide your worst case scenario, when deciding whether to
accept a job and negotiating a salary. Be careful not to put too many things in this
category, or you’ll notice you find it really hard to get a job that meets your
requirements.

Important Important, but negotiable. These are things that you want, but would be prepared to
sacrifice, if you had to.

Nice to have The icing on the cake. These are things that would be a real bonus for you – they
might make the critical difference between two jobs. When you’re deciding whether to
accept a job offer, beware choosing your “nice to have” items instead of your
“important” items.

The nice to have section is really about things you’d like to aim for, but wouldn’t miss
too much, if you didn’t get them.

Essential Important, but negotiable Nice to have

Managing a team of 2+ Ability to take unpaid leave if Health insurance
children are ill
Bright, airy office with good Flexible working hours Company car
parking & access to healthy
lunches
Other mothers in the team – Support next level of study Option to work 4 days a
so people understand the for Chartered Institute of week
challenges Marketing
Salary enough to cover at Minimal international travel Time off in lieu for overtime
least twice the cost of
childcare, to make it worth
working
Responsible for decisions on Good pension scheme Bonus scheme
a minor brand

Responsible for sign-off of all Opportunity to use my foreign Company-organised social
aspects of the advertising languages events for teams & their
campaigns partners
Recognition of achievements Annual pay review scheme Flowers and plants in the
– formal scheme offices

The most important column is “essential”. You should check the job you have been offered against
this list. What you are saying with these items is that, if the job doesn’t offer these (or equivalent), then
you will reject it.


Exercise 4: Visualisation So where are you now?

And finally… Definitely accept it

You’re pretty sure you want to Probably accept it
accept or decline the job offer.
Probably reject it
Spending five minutes on this
Definitely reject it
visualisation helps you work out
the longer-term consequences Really can’t decide
of your choice.

1. Imagine you accepted the offer of a job,
which fulfilled your “essential” criteria, but
few of your “important” ones and none of
the “nice to haves”.

Then pretend you could float 5 years into
the future. What is your life like?

What would you see?

What would you hear?

What would you feel?

2. Is that what you really want?

3. If not, what would have to change, for your
future to be what you want?

4. Go back and make the necessary changes
to the table in exercise 6.


3

Need to know more, before you can make a
decision?


Nice to know

Need to know more? 3 What’s the canteen like?
Do they have a Christmas party? (Again,
checking attitude)

If there are still things you
want to know about the
company, before you make
a decision, you owe it to Do you really need to know all this?
yourself to get answers.

Sometimes we put obstacles and extra
Exercise 5: What information do I still need, requirements in the way, to avoid having to
to help me make my decision? make difficult decisions.

So before you spend time, finding out what you
want to know, just double-check whether
Critical you’re using it as a means to procrastinate.
Let’s continue with Jude’s example:

Once you’ve done that, revisit your answers to
Do they offer flexitime? Is it something I could
exercise 5 and highlight the bits you really
negotiate?
want to know.

Ideally, I don’t want to work their hours of 9 to
5:30. My youngest would be in bed before I got
home, if I had to work overtime. I’d rather do 8
to 4:30. Can I change that?
There are many ways to find out the
information you need.

Useful
Sometimes you can do “desk research”, which
means looking on the internet or in magazines,
Do they have plans to open a crèche in the to find out the information “second hand”.
future?
How many of the employees are parents?
(Checking potential attitude to family Or you can do “primary research”, which
commitments) means going and asking the questions
yourself: maybe to the person who offered you
the job, the HR team, the recruitment agency
or people you met on your interviews.


Whichever option you choose, researching the
company is covered in much more detail in
The Interview’s Looming.

Use the space below to make notes from your
findings.

End of exercise


4
What’s My Ideal Package?

How to negotiate your salary and job perks.


certain time period.

Car allowance (with or without fuel). Note: this
What’s My Ideal

4
can hit your tax bill.
Package?
How to negotiate your Bonus scheme
salary and perks Employee discounts

Working from home

Flexitime

Paid overtime / time off in lieu

You may be perfectly happy Pay reviews. Note: if you negotiate a higher
with the job offer you’ve salary, they may not give you an increase at
been made. And that’s fine. the next pay review.

However, it’s still worth
checking it against your
Be careful about checking the policy for sick
current total package,
pay and maternity / paternity leave, before you
because it’s easy to overlook
have a written contract. It may make the
something and suddenly realise you’re not
employer nervous! See When Should I Start?
getting the deal you thought.
for more information.

Bear in mind that a job offer package may
Before you negotiate, you should note the
include many things, other than salary.
following:

• Research your expectations, to make sure
To help you work out your ideal package and they’re realistic for the industry, the
create a strong negotiating position, fill in the company you’ll work for and their
table in Exercise 6. geographic location.

• Justify why your new role deserves more
remuneration. 10% is a typical maximum
Bear in mind that a “package” may include any
increase in base salary, but there are plenty
of the following – and more. Some items will
of other areas you can negotiate.
be company policy – set in stone; others may
be more flexible. • Minimum: be clear about the minimum
you’d settle for and why. Be prepared to
walk away.
Basic salary
• Don’t suddenly increase your expectations
Percentage pension contribution from the from anything discussed during the
employer recruitment process.
Number of days of vacation

Relocation allowance (e.g. solicitor’s fees,
estate agent’s fees, stamp duty, moving costs,
temporary accommodation, allowance for
carpets & curtains, etc.). Note: you may be
required to repay these, if you leave within a


Exercise 6: My ideal package

3-5 reasons why I’m worth the package I’m asking for.
(If you can’t answer this, you’ll feel weaker, when negotiating).

What were your “essential” items from Exercise 3? Can you put numbers against them?



What were your “important” items from Exercise 3? Can you put numbers against them?

Salary and benefits package – current

Salary and benefits package – desired

Best case Worst case

Time to go and negotiate!


affair and may be relatively small. This is your
chance to take a step up.
Salary Negotiation
How do I negotiate a better
package? So before you accept, it’s worth taking a step
back, to let the excitement die down a bit first.

When you accept a job offer, that’s when
Congratulations! You’ve had the job offer and your bargaining power ends. So it’s
you want to accept! All that hard work has paid important to make sure you have done
off. whatever you need to, to ensure you’re getting
a fair deal.

Hopefully you did your homework before your
job interview and have checked the salary So one of the first things you should do is
range for the job fits with your expectations? revisit Exercise 3: Deciding Whether To
Accept. Remember? The exercise where you
worked out what was essential for you and
We’re going to assume a “yes” to that one!
what was negotiable?

Many people don’t bother
By being clear about this, it puts you in a much
negotiating their starting salary,
stronger position for negotiation.
simply accepting the company’s
first offer. But this is a real waste.
The key to good negotiation is
knowing where you’ll quit, and
Employers usually understand that they have
being prepared to do so.
to pay the going rate to get the right candidate.
However, often their budgets mean they’ll try
to recruit you at the most affordable rate. What you’re effectively saying is that, if the
company can’t meet your essential list, you’ll
walk away from the job offer.
Your agenda, conversely, might be to get a
pay rise or increase in benefits from your
promotion or job move. This is what gives you your bargaining
power.

This means that you have to work
to find a win-win solution.

Once you work for the company, salary and
benefit reviews tend to become an annual


So here are the top tips for win-win salary Exercise 7 helps you prepare for this call – you
negotiation: only get one chance to get it right.

1. Understand what's important to you Recruiters are used to people negotiating so,
about the job. as long as you're realistic and polite, and can
justify your requests, then it's likely to be a win-
You have completed exercises to help you
win outcome.
clarify this.

It will help you decide how far you're
prepared to compromise. Remember that salary and package are about
more than just cash.

2. What's your current package?
You can negotiate on, for example, monthly
Include salary, bonuses, perks such as
salary, bonuses, car allowance, pension
health care, paid overtime, relocation
contributions, healthcare contributions, number
allowance, company car and holiday
of days' vacation or even future salary review
entitlement…
dates.
See the answers you gave in the last
section.
Bear in mind that some companies have fixed
policies about benefits, depending on the
3. What is your "best case" package? seniority of the position. This can make
Keep it realistic, but optimistic. What would negotiation tricky, as the recruiter may have
you really like as a package? little say over the package.

4. What is your "minimum offer" position? If this is the case, simply ask them where they
could be flexible - and negotiate from there.
... below which you will reject the job offer?

Be prepared to reject the job offer, if the
Once you know this, the salary negotiation call
package doesn't meet your minimum
is simple.
requirements.

If you're feeling nervous, then practise with a
friend or family member first.


-------------------- TOP TIP -------------------- Exercise 7: Phoning the recruiter: salary
negotiation
Get the complete job offer and contract in
writing before giving anything other than a
conditional acceptance.
Before you pick up the phone, do some quick
-------------------- TOP TIP -------------------- preparation.

Unfortunately, we sometimes come across You’ll only get one chance to get
candidates who were offered salaries and this call right. If you go through this
perks "at the end of the trial period", but never exercise, you’ll increase your
got written confirmation and - surprise, surprise chances of getting the salary and
- they never materialised. package you want!

Often promises of big rises "at the next review" It’s usually best to call the relevant member of
aren't delivered - sometimes because the the company’s Human Resources team,
"promiser" has left the company and no record unless you have been told otherwise. The
was made of the offer. recruiting manager tends not to handle the
legal side of recruitment, once a job offer has
been made.
We're not suggesting you be cynical; simply
reminding you that this is a business
negotiation. If you have been offered the job verbally,
during a phone call, it’s perfectly ok to tell them
that you’re very interested, but would like 24
You owe it to yourself to deal with it
hours (or a few days) to make a decision. This
professionally, which means getting your terms
buys you time to negotiate your package.
and conditions in a written contract, before you
quit your current job.
Whatever you do, try not to accept there an
then, or it greatly reduces your negotiation
power.



Before dialling: you start a week or two later than they
want.
• Work out your current salary and benefits
package and what range you are looking
for. In detail! Use Exercise 6 to help you do
this.
Unless you’ve already handed in your notice
(bad idea before getting a written job offer and
• Note down any other questions you have contract), then it’s hard for you to set a start
and decide your objective(s) for the call. date.

• Take a deep breath, relax and smile. It Your notice period won’t have started and you
might sound silly, but being tense and never know whether your current employer
nervous really shows on the phone. A might want you to leave earlier – or beg for a
relaxed, friendly smile affects your voice (try few more weeks.
this one out!) and makes a better first
impression.
So try to be vague at this point. Explain that
you need to discuss it with your current
manager, but will give a concrete answer as
soon as possible. See When Should I Start for
more advice on this.

Typical objectives for the call include:

• Find out more about the job.
Remember that recruiters are busy and speak
Is there anything else you would like to
to many applicants each day, so thank them
know, to help you decide whether or not to
for their time and be polite, but friendly. Until
accept this job offer?
you have a job offer in writing, it’s not
official…

• Negotiate a salary or package.
Don’t expect an immediate answer. It’s
common for the human resources person to
have to check against company standards
and available budget. Be prepared to
justify your requests.

• Agree start date / relocation.
It’s dangerous to give notice on your
current job, before you have everything
from the new job in writing.

Usually your new employer will want you to
start as soon as possible. However,
realistically, they probably won’t notice if


Salary Negotiation Phone Call

Keep these notes in front of you as you make the call. Not only will it make you more confident, but the
confidence and rational thinking will help you increase your chances of getting the package you want.

Objective of the call

Do I have any questions about the job, to help me make my decision?

3-5 reasons why I am interested in the job (you may be asked this)



3-5 reasons why I’m worth the package I’m asking for.
(If you can’t answer this, you’ll feel weaker, when negotiating).

Salary & benefits package: current and what I’m looking for

Best Case Worst Case

Earliest start date (assume current notice period plus 1-2 weeks for signing the contract or a short
holiday)



Any other questions

Name & number to call:

Notes from the call

Well done! You’ve completed your preparation.

Now all you need to do is make that call.

Sit somewhere quiet and comfortable, where you can feel relaxed and confident. Take a deep breath.
Smile and pick up that phone!

Good luck!


5
When Should I Start?

How to get the start date you want, without
feeling under pressure.


As long as you’re polite and firm about this,

5
they’re unlikely to object. After all, you’re
When Should I Start? just being professional.
How to get the start date If it makes you feel more comfortable, you
you want can even dress this up as “wanting to make
sure I’ve had a chance to understand
everything we’ve discussed.”

Remember the old English expression:
Usually, the earliest you can
“There’s many a slip twixt the cup and the
start your new job is defined
lip.”
by your current notice
period.
2. Review the contract.

However, this clock doesn’t start ticking until See below for more tips. There may be
you actually hand in your notice, which you clauses in the contract that would prevent
shouldn’t do until you’ve had a written job you from accepting the job offer. You have
offer and seen a contract you’re happy with to iron these out, before handing in your
– or you could end up unemployed! notice.

Yet one of the key questions your new 3. Check your current notice period.
employer will be pushing is “When can you In the UK this is typically one or three
start?” months. It’s usually a worst case scenario.
Your employer may let you leave earlier,
particularly if they know your heart won’t be
The most important thing is not to allow
in your job any more.
yourself to be pressured by the recruiter.
However, others will hold you to every day
of your notice period and may even ask you
Chances are they’ve kept you hanging around to work longer, to complete any outstanding
for long enough, reviewing CVs, discussing the projects.
results of interviews and agreeing offers, so
They may even refuse to accept your
any delays are their responsibility, not yours.
resignation and try to find ways to make
you stay, which can add more time – unless
But once you’ve decided to leave, you’ll be you’re really clear about wanting to leave
keen to do it as soon as possible. and make them understand there’s nothing
they can do.

You won’t know their reaction until you
So how do you agree a start date? actually quit.

4. You may feel you need a short break
1. Explain to the recruiter that you need to between jobs.
review a written job offer and contract, This will obviously be unpaid, but it can
before you can hand in your notice for your really help you let go of the old stresses
current position. and politics, helping you feel refreshed for


your new start. It’s worth considering.

Don’t be worried about factoring this in to
your start date. Most companies are
reasonable about this. And it’s a chance
you don’t get very often!

You might also need a week, if you’re
relocating. It can be worth negotiating it into
your contract.

Many employers understand that you’ll
need occasional time off to view properties
and eventually move. Try to get this agreed
up front. It’s usually easier, if they’re paying
you a relocation allowance.

So, say your notice period is one month;
adding up the time above might mean:

Date of telephone offer Time required Total

Written offer 1 week 1 week

Finalising contract & negotiations 1 week 2 weeks

Current employer tries to get you to stay 1 week 3 weeks

Clock ticks on your notice period 4 weeks 7 weeks

1 week’s holiday 1 week 8 weeks

A one month notice period can easily turn into
two months of real time, once you add in all
the extra waiting and negotiating periods.

So be careful of committing to start “next
month”. Employers will usually be flexible, but
do tend to get annoyed if they’ve arranged
induction programmes for new recruits, who
then change their minds about start dates.


Probation Period

This is becoming increasingly common. It
Reviewing The Contract
typically lasts 3-6 months.
Make sure you read it carefully

During this period, you may not be entitled to
all the benefits mentioned in your contract, so
Your formal, written job offer it’s important to check this out.
should come with a formal
contract of employment.
During probation, your notice period may be
shorter (even just a week, in some companies)
Usually these are quite straightforward. and you may find it difficult to take vacation,
unless you can prove it was already booked.

However, there can be unusual clauses.
The reason for having a probation period is so
the company can give you a “trial period”, to
We have included some common things for make sure they’ve made the right recruiting
you to check in the list below. decision. It’s very hard to dismiss someone,
once they’re a full employee, but it’s much
easier if they’re “on probation”.
However, it is not exhaustive and,
if there’s anything that concerns
you, you should take professional The key is to make sure you get defined
advice before signing. objectives from your boss, so you understand
what you will be expected to deliver, in order to
pass.
If there’s a clause you’re really not prepared to
accept, then you may need to reject the job
offer. Should you not pass your probation, the
company is required to prove it has given you
adequate warning and support, to improve
If you manage to negotiate a your performance. It shouldn’t be a shock to
compromise with the company, you.
get it in writing – or you can’t
prove anything.


Relocation Allowances Sick Pay

If you’re being offered relocation allowances, Companies are legally required to provide
it’s to compensate you for uprooting your life to statutory sick pay for employees. However,
a different part of the country. It can be an actual provisions can vary enormously.
expensive business.

Companies understand this.
We have seen everything from 22 days to 6
It may mean that they include clauses in your months at full pay.
contract that you have to repay a percentage
of your relocation allowance (up to 100%), if
you leave within a set time period. This is Some companies have slightly unusual
usually a sliding scale, but can be a real “twists” to the sick pay rules. These are
stinger; particularly if you don’t make it through worth being aware of. For example:
your probation period, but have already moved
house.
• You get up to 22 days paid per rolling 12
month period. However, only the first 3
incidences are paid – even if one is only a
half day because your boss sent you home.
Holiday Entitlement
So, in other words, if you have a headache,
The number of days’ holiday you’re entitled to a cold and a bad back incident, that’s it for
is usually specified, as part of the job offer. the year.

The small print you might find in the contract
could make a difference to whether you accept
• You only get sick pay if you phone in before
the job. Examples include:
9a.m. Otherwise you are considered absent
without pay.

• You might have to reserve 5 days for use at
Christmas
• Sick pay converts to holiday pay, if you’re ill
• You might have to take holiday during during a company shutdown.
company shutdowns (e.g. Christmas and
summer). This may leave you with only 3 or
4 days that you can use at your own • You aren’t paid for the first three days of
discretion. any period of illness.

• You may be limited to taking a maximum of
2 weeks off at any time (may rule out long-
distance holidays)

• You might not be allowed to take holiday at
the same time as any of your team
members (leads to a rugby scrum at holiday
booking time and moans of “not fair!”)


Maternity / Paternity Pay complete a medical questionnaire, which is
returned to the company’s HR department.
This can vary wildly between employers, with
some being very generous and others offer the
statutory minimum.
Technically, they have no medical expertise
and aren’t in a position to review your answers.

If you’re planning on having a family, it’s worth
checking out.
Also, many people feel their medical history is
personal and only to be shared with nominated
medical professionals.
However, be subtle about how you do this,
because you don’t want your new employer to
think you’re going to “disappear” for six
You are perfectly entitled to ask what this
months, as soon as you’ve completed your
information will be used for and how your
probation!
patient confidentiality will be maintained.

Extremes we have encountered include:
Most HR departments believe they have good
• Statutory minimum of six week’s paid reason for asking for this information. If in
maternity leave, with the government doubt, take professional advice.
minimum thereafter.

• One year at full pay and a second year
unpaid, during which your job is still held
open for you. Travel

Your contract may stipulate that “reasonable
travel on company business” is expected of
you.
Medicals

Many companies now ask about your medical
It’s worth clarifying what that means. For
history. This is ok, if you’re ok with it.
some, it might mean the occasional overnight
stay in Milton Keynes. For others, it could
mean a compulsory three-month secondment
However, it shouldn’t be a condition of
to Malaysia.
employment. It’s worth taking professional
legal advice, if you think you’re going to have
an issue.

Sometimes a company will want a formal
medical from your GP or will ask you to visit
their company doctor. You are entitled to ask
to see a copy of the report, before it is sent,
and may formally object to anything you
disagree with.

Another common practice is requiring you to


Overtime

Make sure you understand up front whether
you will get paid overtime, time off in lieu, or
whether it’s just “part of the job”.

Some companies have slightly odd rules.
For example:

• You get paid overtime, but only for
weekend working.

• You get paid overtime if you’re working, but
not if you’re travelling.

• Time off in lieu is at your manager’s
discretion (good luck!)

Most contracts are written in legalese and
cover all scenarios. This can make them sound
more daunting than they’re actually intended to
be. Chances are that the clauses that make
you nervous are, in fact, harmless.

So if you have a question, start with the
company’s HR representative. If they can’t
answer the question for you, then take
professional advice.

“Ask now, or forever hold your peace.”


6
How To Quit My Current Job

Departing with dignity, without burning your
bridges – it’s a small world out there!


• Disbelief – “Why would they offer that to
you?” or “How could you leave us?”

6
How To Quit My
Current Job
Handing in your notice • Joy – either because they’re proud of you
without burning your bridges or glad to say goodbye…

• Putting you down – “Well, you’ve not really
added much here, anyway.”
So you’ve decided to quit!

You’ve had the written job offer.
• Telling you you’re an idiot for leaving
You’re happy with the contract.
It’s the big Decision Day.

How do you do it? • Dropping a bombshell like, “But you were
about to get promoted”

• Make you feel guilty: “You’re leaving me in
Before you go to see your boss or HR
the lurch”
representative, be clear about:

• When you want to leave
• Being supportive: “We’ll miss you. I’m really
• Why you’re leaving
pleased for you and I’ll make sure you get
• What the company could do to make you an excellent reference.”
stay / Why there’s no chance that you’ll stay

• Be prepared to explain how you found time
Also be prepared for a potential counter-offer.
to go to all those interviews – they could fire
Your employer might want to keep you by
you on the spot!
matching or beating the package or
responsibility level you’re being offered by your
Be prepared for your boss’s reaction. future employer.

All the reactions below are perfectly natural, Ideally, you should decide whether you will
human responses to the news that they’re consider a counter-offer, before you hand in
going to lose a member of their team. They your resignation.
might feel proud of your achievement or hurt
and rejected.
Whatever happens, beware playing the
companies off against each other – you could
If they criticise you, then remember that’s their lose both jobs.
baggage, not yours, and is unlikely to be a true
reflection of your performance in the job. Try
If you decide to go through with resigning,
not to take it personally.
follow these useful tips:


It’s usually a good idea to put your resignation
in writing, before you talk to your boss.

Hand deliver the letter to your boss or HR
representative, rather than emailing it. It makes
you look more serious and means you’re less
likely to be talked out of your decision.

If they can see you’re really going to leave,
then they will probably accept your resignation
– without trying to persuade you to stay.

Don’t feel guilty.

Yes, it starts a recruiting saga for your
manager, but that’s not your concern. It’s part
of being a manager.

You’re taking the next step in your career and
there are good reasons why you’re leaving
your current job. Remember them, if you’re
nervous about quitting.


7
The First Few Days

Settling in well and making an excellent start


-------------------- TOP TIP --------------------

7
How to remember people’s names:
The First Few Days
How to settle in well 1. Repeat their name when greeting them – it
helps your brain store it.

2. Mentally write their name on their forehead,
while they’re talking to you.
Sometimes the first few
days in a new job can
pass in a blur – so many It helps your brain create a strong link
people to meet; so much between their face and their name.
to learn; you’re on an -------------------- TOP TIP --------------------
adrenaline rush.

Get the complete job offer and contract in
But sometimes it’s like being back in the writing before giving anything other than a
interview. Nerves can creep in and you’re conditional acceptance.
determined to make a good first impression.

Be assertive
The tips below are a whistle-stop tour,
If you need to stop and think, do so. If
designed to help you take the stress out of
you’re not sure about something, ask.
starting your new job.
You’re responsible for making sure you get
the induction and introductions you need,
Ask questions!!! when starting your new job.

Assume nothing! You’re not stupid if you
don’t know something. You can always Understand your boss’s expectations
precede it with “how’s it done here?”
Does your boss want you to deliver results
in your first few weeks, or are they willing to
Take notes cut you some slack, as you settle in?

It’s not a memory test. You shouldn’t expect Don’t assume anything on this one. It’s ok
yourself to remember everything you’re told to ask.
in the first few days and weeks. Try to write Your boss may be really busy. It’s not
things down at the time, or immediately uncommon to get less than an hour with
afterwards, if that’s more appropriate. them, in your first week. If you need more,
ask for it. Be considerate, but don’t let their
busy schedule impact your ability to make a
Remember People’s Names good first impression.
This can seem daunting, but it’s a great
way to make a strong first impression. You
could do this by simply concentrating, while They believe you can do the job
making your notes, or maybe find a If nerves are kicking in, it’s usually in the
company organisation chart, with names form of “have I made the right decision?” or
and photos. “am I good enough to do this job?”


It’s important to remember that your new And that brings us to the end of these
employer recruited you because they can workbooks. Congratulations on getting this far.
see your potential. They must believe You’ve worked hard and deserve the success
you’re up to the job, or they wouldn’t be you’re experiencing.
paying you to do it.

Early nerves are more likely to be because
We’d love to hear your stories. If you’d like to
you’re feeling slightly overwhelmed with all
get in touch, send us an email, to let us know
the new processes, people and information,
how you’re getting on.
rather than reflecting your ability to do the
job.

Remember all the reasons why you left contact us online
your old job and took this one – you’ve
made the right decision. You just need to
We’d also like your feedback. It’s our aim to
give it time.
continually improve the products we offer job-
hunters. So if you’d like to tell us about what’s
worked for you and any bits that haven’t or you
think should be added, send us an email. In
return, we’ll send you links to download
updated versions of these books, whenever
they’re launched – free of charge.

fsend us feedback online

Thank you for taking this journey with us. And
good luck for the future!!!

Clare Jaques
On behalf of the Interview Stuff Team


8
Want To Know More?

Remember to make the most of the free extra
resources that come with this e-book.


24 Hours To Go £25 E-book

8
http://www.interviewstuff.com/24-hours-to-
Want To Know More?
go.html
Make the most of these free
resources All the last minute job interview advice you
need in a concise, valuable e-book that will
take you no more than 2 hours to go through.
This e-book is designed to help you negotiate
a fair salary and quit your old job with dignity.
The Interview’s Looming £25 E-book
If you want support on any other aspect of job
hunting, they are covered in more detail in the http://www.interviewstuff.com/interview-
following online resources. looming

Everything you need to know about job
interviews and how to prepare

Includes specially-developed exercises to help
Where Do I Start? Free online course you train yourself to answer even the trickiest
http://www.interviewstuff.com/where-do-i-start questions

Knowing why you want the job

Where do you want to be in 5 years’ time After The Event Free E-book

Why do you want to leave your current role? http://www.interviewstuff.com/after-the-event

How to make sure your next job is better Trade secret follow-up strategies to help you
increase your chances of a job offer
Reading between the lines of the job advert
How to learn from the interview and then let
go, whilst waiting to hear the result
CV-Confidence Free E-book
What to do if things didn’t work out
http://www.interviewstuff.com/cv-confidence

140 page ultimate guide to creating a
All these resources are available to you,
compelling CV / Resume that will get you more
whenever you need them.
interviews

How to create a master CV / Resume
If you’d like to give us feedback on these
How to quickly tailor your CV for each job
resources or tell us about your job hunting,
How to fill “gaps” in your experience we’d love to hear from you. Contact us.
Good luck!
Clare Jaques
Cover Letters Free E-book
On behalf of the Interview Stuff team
http://www.interviewstuff.com/cover-letters

Jimmy Sweeney’s expert guide to writing a
cover letter that gets interviews.


Exercise templates

Print these forms out to complete the exercises as often as you need to.

Exercise 1: Evaluate your current role.................................................................................... 43

Exercise 2: Four Questions That Can Make Your Head Spin ............................................... 44

Exercise 3: Deciding Whether To Accept ............................................................................... 45

Exercise 5: What information do I still need, to help me make my decision? .................... 47


Exercise 1: Evaluate your current role
My current / most recent role is: Example - Emma was fired from her recent temping job.

I like…

Be honest with yourself. Even if things aren’t so well any more, there must still be something
you like!

I won’t miss…Be objective and specific.

What is motivating me to change? (Be honest!)

And finally… Is there anything my current employer could do, to make me want to stay?

Back to Evaluate Your Current Role


Exercise 2: Four Questions That Can Make Your Head Spin

What will happen if you do accept the job offer?

What will happen if you don’t accept the job offer?

What won’t happen if you do accept the job offer?

What won’t happen if you don’t accept the job offer?

Back To 4 Questions That Can Make Your Head Spin


Exercise 3: Deciding Whether To Accept

Step 1 Write a paragraph describing your next, ideal job.

What will your team be like?

What role will you play?


What will you see?

What will you hear?

What will you feel?

These last 3 questions might seem a bit strange, but they’re highly effective for clarifying your
thoughts. Make sure you really get into the frame of mind you’d be in if you had the job.

Step 2 Pull out the key elements from step 1. Write them in the table below. They might include:

Whether you want to manage direct reports

The size of team you want to manage (or not)

Working hours, flexitime

Level of responsibility

Working environment

Training

Basic salary range

Paid overtime

Other benefits

Holiday entitlement

Career opportunities

Location

Amount of travelling

Which of your key skills you most want to use / develop

Which of your main values should be met



Then split them into one of three categories:

Essential

These are things that are so important to you that you next job must deliver them. Without these, you
would reject a job offer.

These items effectively provide your worst case scenario, when deciding whether to accept a job and
negotiating a salary. Be careful not to put too many things in this category, or you’ll notice you find it
really hard to get a job that meets your requirements.

Important

Important, but negotiable. These are things that you want, but would be prepared to sacrifice, if you
had to.

Nice to have

The icing on the cake. These are things that would be a real bonus for you – they might make the
critical difference between two jobs. When you’re deciding whether to accept a job offer, beware
choosing your “nice to have” items instead of your “important” items.

Essential Important, but negotiable Nice to have

Accept the job? Yes No

Back to Accept The Job?


Exercise 5: What information do I still need, to help me make my decision?

Critical

Useful

Nice to know

Do you really need to know all this?

Sometimes we put obstacles and extra requirements in the way, to avoid having to make difficult
decisions. So before you spend time, finding out what you want to know, just double-check whether
you’re using it as a means to procrastinate.

Once you’ve done that, revisit your answers and highlight the bits you really want to know.

Back to What Information Do I Need?


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