In the world of work, knowing exactly what your boss or potential employer wants from you is the holy grail – especially when it comes to getting a job interview or a promotion.
Jane Gibbon, the director of reward, talent and inclusion at Starbucks and the former human resources director for McDonald’s, is responsible for around 10,000 people across Europe. The American, who lives in London, knows a thing or two about what bosses are looking for – here, she shares five secrets that will help you nail that job interview or get a promotion.
1. The First Thing Any Recruiter Does Is Google You
You might think that drunken rant was only visible to your friends, but it might be the first thing your potential employer sees about you. Gibbon says: “When trying to get an interview, remember the first thing any recruiter will do is to do a web search to view your presence and personality online.
“So with your social media don’t assume that just because it is your personal social media presence, it is private. The internet never forgets.”
2. Including Voluntary Work On Your CV Isn’t A Bad Idea
Just because it didn’t pay, it doesn’t mean it was irrelevant. Gibbon says: “Volunteer work is still work which may provide relevant skills and experience. So do not hesitate to write and speak about the unpaid work you’ve done and how what you did is relevant for paid work you may be applying for.”
3. Never Answer In An Interview Without Examples
Interviews are stressful, but the magic formula is to always have evidence of what you are claiming. Gibbon says: “When answering an interview question, be sure to provide concrete examples of work you’ve done and outcomes you’ve achieved.
“Use the STAR model when answering a question by describing: situation (set the scene), task (describe the purpose), action (explain what role you played), result (describe the outcome).”
4. Women Need To Have More Faith In Themselves When Asking For A Pay Rise
Gibbon says: “Generally men are more persistent with requesting pay rises than women. But persistence is more than just being a pain in the ass by booking tons of time in your boss’ diary. It is a negotiation like any other.
“Make the pitch (‘I think I should receive a pay increase and the evidence for why’), seek to understand the barriers to it happening (your boss doesn’t agree with your rationale, company doesn’t have the funding or you just received an increase a month ago) and attempt to dismantle the barriers or persuade your boss otherwise. Be polite and persistent about asking.”
5. Want More Money? Provide The Data.
Still struggling to get that pay rise you’ve been after for years? Gibbon says: “Getting a pay rise is all about being confident and coming armed with data to support your case. Share the reasons that you think you should have an increase such as increased level of responsibility or approach from an external competitor.”
We spend more and more of our lives at work, but wages are stagnating, the workplace is getting more competitive and it’s impacted by nearly every other change in society: from Brexit to inequality to when we decide to have babies.
How We Work Now takes a comprehensive and deep dive into the working lives of our readers with exposes, experiences and evidence to help people navigate their careers from the very first rung on the ladder.