Careerstructure.com > Careers advice > Life at work

How to convince your boss to give you more responsibility

Mon, 23 May 2011 11:19:19 +0100

No matter how much you enjoy your job, there will come a time when you need a new challenge.

Eventually you are likely to want more responsibility – not just to make life more interesting but also as a step towards career advancement. How do you convince your boss you can handle it?

Learn as much as you can about the construction industry. You can keep up with industry news at news.careerstructure.com. Familiarise yourself with your firm’s daily operations and benchmarks, as well as the challenges it faces. Read trade journals and join relevant online groups and communities. If you’re seen to be reading the right kind of material in your spare time it will definitely impress.
Always act as a team player. Be friendly and helpful to all your fellow employees, not just your superiors. When you are involved in group discussions, listen to the opinions of others and try to include everyone.
Come in every day with a positive attitude. Be friendly and respectful to your boss and start each morning by asking if there’s anything he or she particularly wants you to do that day. Be prepared to work late if the project demands it.
Take the initiative wherever possible. Offer to do tasks that nobody else wants to do and to sort out any problems that arise. Make sure you explain why you think you could do the job well.
Avoid office gossip. Be friendly towards everyone but avoid being associated with people who are known troublemakers or jobsworths. Even when you’re outside the office or in the pub with co-workers, keep your nose clean.
Make your boss look good by staying on top of all the tasks and projects in your department. Prepare for all your meetings, always look presentable and make sure your boss has everything they need when they’re going into a meeting themselves.
Try to present a solution for every problem that arises. If you become aware of any particular issues or difficulties, speak to your boss about them and have at least three positive resolutions to bring to the table.

Rasheed Ogunlaru, a leading motivational speaker and professional development coach, believes that actions always speak louder than words.

“You need to walk the walk as well as talking the talk,” he says. “If you are always positive, proactive, precise and make the effort to be a good team player, your boss will notice.

“In meetings, make sure you contribute plenty of ideas but always listen when others are talking. Being supportive of others is a sign that you are ready to take on more responsibility.

“Ultimately you will probably have to communicate directly to your boss that you are keen to progress within the team and the company. Take your lead from others and use your instincts to judge when the time is right for this particular conversation. If you can, set up regular meetings/reviews with your boss as a matter of course. This will be the ideal forum in which to bring the issue up.

“The key is letting them know you’re keen to advance without seeming pushy or presumptuous. Ask for their opinion on ways in which you could develop your skills and experience. Asking for people’s opinions usually flatters them, so it’s a good way of getting them on to your side.”

Official travel advice from the Foreign Office

Mon, 23 May 2011 11:06:31 +0100

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), in association with CareerStructure.com, has created an embeddable widget which provides bang up to the minute news and travel advice for every corner of the globe. It's an invaluable resource for those looking to work or travel abroad.

An example of the widget can be seen on the left of the page. Simply type in the country you're looking for and then select what kind of information you're looking for.

The widget allows users to search by country and provides the following information:

Travel Summary: An overview of all travel advice relating to that country.
Entry Requirements: Updated regularly, with comprehensive information relating to visas, work permits, travelling with children and exit requirements, particularly important when applying for jobs overseas.
Local Laws & Customs: All the important laws and customs for any given country, specifically highlighting marked differences to British laws.
Safety & Security: General crime, travel safety, possible terror alerts and political stability are all highlighted to provide an overview of the security of a country, with specific advice on ensuring safety at all times.
Health: Information regarding vaccinations, insurance and other relevant issues relating to health.

CareerStructure.com is the UK’s leading construction recruitment website, with over 4,516 jobs listed in all sectors of construction and the built environment. The recent economic growth that has taken place in the Middle East has meant that more and more areas such as Dubai are being transformed by ambitious construction projects. The increasing opportunities to join the international construction industry makes the FCO’s information more valuable than ever for those applying for jobs in construction overseas.

The partnership with the FCO allows users to compare the suitability of different countries and make an informed decision about where they are interested in working.

The widget is embeddable for use on blogs and sites, and with the vast amount of information available it is a great resource for jobseekers, and indeed anyone, looking to travel or work abroad.

Search for international jobs now

Coming to work in the UK

Mon, 23 May 2011 10:26:18 +0100

Despite current global economic challenges, the UK construction market continues to experience a skills shortage for roles within the industry.

This trend is likely to continue with the demand for skilled workers boosted by construction projects such as those associated with the 2012 Olympic Games, Crossrail and the Thames Gateway developments.

Your skills

With shortages existing for architects, town and traffic planners, and civil engineers, a degree in one of these subject areas will stand you in good stead. It is also likely that UK employers will wish to see evidence of relevant work experience on your CV. Demand for site engineers, contracts managers and skilled tradesmen, among others, is also high and a relevant trade qualification will be essential.

Be aware that not all academic and professional qualifications are recognised internationally and UK employers may not immediately understand the level or scope of the qualifications you possess, so be prepared to outline exactly what you can do.

Opportunities in the UK construction industry will increase dramatically in the run up to the 2012 Olympics and the Construction Industry Training Board is preparing a system to assess workers from overseas, particularly those in skilled trades. This will include a health and safety test and a skills assessment to identify and convert foreign formal qualifications.

Most contractors and clients now demand proof of competence, before allowing workers onto their sites, which is provided by a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card. This is the industry's largest scheme and covers around 220 occupations including trades, technical, supervisory and management.

Not having a CSCS card may affect your ability to work on certain UK sites. For more information visit ConstructionSkills.

UK employers

The private sector offers the greatest number of employment opportunities, although many jobs exist with local authorities and other public bodies. The main employers operate in the following fields:

Civil engineering (search civil engineering jobs)
Construction and building services (search building services jobs)
Architecture and surveying (search architecture, building surveying or quantity surveying jobs)
Engineering construction (search mechanical, structural, electrical, site or civil engineering jobs)

Your opportunities

Leading UK employers are keen to recruit the best people in the marketplace so don't be put off by red tape. Many say they will treat candidates on merit and if you are the best person for the job they may apply for a work permit on your behalf. Some employers recruit only from overseas for specific jobs. For example, Balfour Beatty will take applications for its graduate programme from people outside the UK who need a work permit if they have a degree in quantity surveying, civil engineering or construction management.

A useful starting point for jobseekers not based in the UK is the European Employment Services (EURES) network — a partnership between all the public employment services in the European Economic Area. If you are an EEA citizen, your country's employment service will have details of UK vacancies supplied to it by the EURES website.

Applying for jobs

Make sure you tailor your job applications to the UK market and understand just what information employers expect to see in your Curriculum Vitae and application letters.

See our advice pages on writing CVs and cover letters.

If you are successful at making it to the interview stage make sure you are thoroughly prepared to answer the questions you may be asked and to deal with the skills and personality tests that organisations may ask applicants to sit.

See our advice pages on approaching interviews and tests.

Will I be allowed to work in the UK?

Be aware though that the UK government and employers are often only interested in recruiting non-UK graduates if they are unable to satisfy recruitment needs from their own nationals. It is generally very difficult for nationals of non-European Union countries to get employment in the UK if there are British people who can do the job.

Your right to work in the UK depends on a number of factors, including your nationality and the terms of your permission to enter the UK.

There are different rules for three main groups:

Citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA)
Other foreign nationals outside the UK
Other foreign nationals who are already in the UK

Each year, tens of thousands of work permit holders and dependents come to work in the UK in professions where there are skills shortages.

The government-run site Working in the UK provides clear information about the various routes open to foreign nationals who want to come and work here.

A visa (also know as 'entry clearance') is required for various foreign nationals before entering the country. Check with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to see what kind of visa you need.

In the case of work permits, you will need to have secured a job before you arrive in the UK. It is employers who apply for work permits; not employees or recruitment agencies. Your employer has to prove you are the right person for the job. However, you must continue working for that employer to stay in the UK.

Under the UK Ancestry scheme, Commonwealth citizens with a grandparent born in the UK can enter the country and work for up to five years. No separate work permit is required and the scheme allows candidates who have worked continuously for five years to apply for permanent residency.

The Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme (SEGS), launched in 2004, enables certain non-EEA students who have successfully completed and obtained a degree (with second class honours or above), a Master's degree or a PhD, to work in the UK for up to 12 months upon completion of their studies.

For the full range of visas and permits, applications and leaflets, visit your local British Embassy or the UK Visas website.

What else do I need to consider?

Most employees will pay tax through the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system, which means money is deducted from your pay by your employer.

In addition to tax, every worker between 16 and retirement age must pay national insurance (NI) contributions that will again be automatically deducted from your pay. Applying for an NI number can be a lengthy process, requiring an interview with identification such as passport, proof of address, a letter confirming you have work and, if available, pay slips. You will be given an account number, which is to be used when dealing with HM Revenue & Customs.

Getting a bank account in the UK can be an arduous task if you have just arrived here. Try to get your current bank to set up an account with an affiliated bank in the UK, as this is much easier. Banks require proof of address and a referral letter from your home bank or British employer. You may have to be resident in the country for six months or more before you can apply for a credit card or overdraft.

Good quality housing is not in shortage in the UK, but it can come at a price. The best way to start is to run an Internet search on one of the many property websites to assess the typical price for the area in which you're looking. A short-term flat share is probably the best option until you're settled.

Most effective way to search for a job

Mon, 23 May 2011 10:19:06 +0100

When searching for a job, it’s worth remembering the adage “work smart, not hard”. You could spend hours upon hours trawling through job ads every day, clicking on a search button an endless number of times. Or you could follow our advice so that relevant job opportunities come to you.

CV

There are two reasons why your CV and profile should be up to date. First, you want to have your CV ready when you find a job you want to apply to. Second, recruiters search for candidates in the same way jobseekers search for jobs. How will they find you if you haven’t uploaded a CV and completed a candidate profile?

It's important to perfect your CV; if you need help, see our guide on how to write a CV. When you’re done, its time to upload it for recruiters to find. Sign into your CareerStructure account (or create one if you haven’t already) and upload it to your jobseeker profile. You profile is an online version of your CV but it’s easier for recruiters to search than a traditional CV. Moreover, your profile lets you specify information you won’t have included in your CV, like desired work location and salary. Both your candidate profile and CV are very important.

Email alerts

Next, to avoid spending time scrolling through job postings, set up an email alert to automate the process. Specify the job role, location, salary, job type and key search terms, and a daily email will go out to you with jobs that match your criteria. Get up in the morning, have a cup of tea and start applying to a list of jobs you know are relevant and fresh.

Professional organisations

Whether it’s for networking, research or training, most professional organisations offer good value to members. You are able to connect with other professionals in your field, hear about new trends and show potential employers you are serious about career development. Organisations such as the Association for Project Management, the British Institute of Facilities Management and the Institute of Commercial Management even give out sector awards that would help you stand out to a recruiter.

The more efficient your job search, the more time you’ll have to focus on quality applications.

Job roles	Sectors
Commercial Building services GeoTech Oil / gas / power Public sector Residential Traffic and transport Water	Architect Building surveyor Buyer CAD technician Civil Engineer Commercial Manager Contracts Manager Electrical Engineer Estimator Facilities Manager	Graduate Health and Safety Roles Mechanical Engineer Other Construction Roles Planner Project Manager Quantity Surveyor Site Engineer Site Manager Skilled Trades Structural Engineer

Extra helpful:

Management advice from industry leaders

Mon, 23 May 2011 10:10:30 +0100

How can you make the leap from keen novice to high-flying manager? According to industry experts, while technical knowledge is useful, it’s the softer skills that count.

Ben Woodgate is a design co-ordinator of a commercial office construction in London. He’s been working for two years for building and engineering specialist Kier. Working life as a manager, he says, is very different from what he expected. “I’ve found that many things you learn in your degree don’t necessary apply when you start work. You have to develop the confidence necessary to tell people – who may have many more years’ experience as you – what to do.”

While this confidence comes with time, there are lots of other ways you can improve your management skills – how you ‘tell people what to do’.

Making a connection

Now, more than ever, construction management is all about the people. A medium-sized project costing around £5 million may entail managing up to 50 people at any time, but even managers of smaller projects could look after up to 15 people, including designers, surveyors and sub-contractors.

The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) named David Wilson, a manager at full-service construction business Morgan Ashurst, Construction Manager of the Year 2009 for his role managing a university project in York. For him, establishing good relations is key.

“A good working relationship involves being friendly, receptive and respecting people and their knowledge. General speaking, if people working on a project get on as well with each other at the end of a project as they did at the beginning, then you’ve succeeded.”

A good manager will have good communication skills.

“You have to communicate on many different levels to different people, from the client to surveyors, engineers, labourers – anyone working on the team,” says Saul Townsend, a spokesperson for the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). “Imagine a project involving, say, building a school. You will have to be able to liaise with the client – the local authority – and also the people on site: the teachers and the children.”

Recent developments in technology over the last few years have improved communication, says Townsend. “Most sites have wireless internet where information can be shared quickly and easily. Everyone's got access to CAD drawings online now, so it's much easier to check the designs and discuss them over extranets or intranets.”

But direct communication is still important, according to Paul Sealey, who’s head of organisation, development and training at Kier.

“Recent advances in technology have made it easier to reach everybody working on a project at one time. But with people actually working on site with you, it’s much more effective to go out of the office and speak to them face to face.”

Time for good management

Ben Woodgate has found that time management is another important aspect of his job. “You learn to juggle many different tasks and prioritise the most important. Most people consider their job is the most ‘urgent’ but it’s up to you to decide what really is urgent and organise tasks accordingly,” he explains.

“A lot of project management is about logistics and planning – whether you’re talking about human resources, building materials or the financial side,” agrees Paul Sykes, head of recruitment and careers at ConstructionSkills.

According to David Wilson, a good construction manager always plans in advance. “It’s important to look at the whole picture. Have a plan from the start, look at the site overall and check any budgetary issues at the beginning.

“You should also choose the right supply chain,” he says. “For example, roofers may also have cladding skills, so you don’t have to organise a different sub-contractor to do two separate jobs.”

A head for business

A recent survey of current practice in the industry, the Wolstenhume Report, suggested that new construction graduates have excellent technical knowledge, but lack business know-how. Ben agrees. “I need to learn about the commercial aspects of the project – and that’s something which I’ve learnt since working at Kier.”

Of course, on most projects, it’s the quantity surveyor’s job to manage costs and keep track of the financial aspects. But Paul Sykes believes that sticking to budget, particularly in the current economic crisis, is a vital part of being a good construction manager.

“Although, depending on the type of project, the quantity surveyor will be the financial specialist, it’s fundamentally the manager’s responsibility to keep to budget,” he says.

Keeping it safe

The watchword in construction at the moment is health and safety. Despite ever more stringent regulations, there were still 53 fatalities following construction accidents in 2008/2009, according to Health and Safety Executive figures.

For Ben, “health and safety is an important part of my job. Health and safety officers visit once a week, and it’s up to me as manager to report any problems and ensure that procedures are put into place.”

Paul Sealey agrees. “It’s important to make the site a really safe place to work, to make sure everybody’s briefed properly and that everybody knows their responsibility.”

But a good manager shouldn’t just focus on physical injuries.

“Construction managers should be good at spotting stress levels, professional relationship issues and the dynamics of the work,” says Townsend.

Maintaining quality

Once you’ve gained these skills, it’s vital to keep them up.

“Over the last five years, professional institutions and training organisations such as ConstructionSkills have made it easier for managers to progress their continuous professional development (CPD), especially in the management arena,” says Paul Sykes.

ConstructionSkills has recently set up the National Skills Academy for Construction Leadership and Management to help promote project management skills. These courses will also cover new skills required, such as new methods of construction and reducing carbon emissions.

“The most important piece of advice I would give is to really take on board the concept of life-long learning – through courses but also through working,” says Sykes. Being a good manager is both a day-to-day goal and a lifetime’s achievement.

Search latest manager jobs

Becoming a Ska rating assessor

Mon, 23 May 2011 10:03:13 +0100

Any building professional who works fitting out offices can benefit from becoming a Ska accredited assessor, and being formally able to certificate fit-out projects.

Accreditation involves attending a two-day training course, completing and passing an exam and then joining the accreditation scheme and register. Day one in particular provides a comprehensive grounding in sustainability issues relating to fit-out and refurbishment, whether or not the candidate goes on to be an active assessor.

Those attending gain an in-depth understanding of the philosophy and method underlying the Ska rating system, and how to apply the system in the context of the design and construction process. You will also develop a detailed understanding of the sustainability issues relevant to the office fit-out process.

The course is aimed at all building professionals who are involved in building and fitting out offices: for example surveyors, building surveyors, project managers, facility managers, construction managers and sustainability assessors who are involved in office fit-outs.

The system allows landlords and managing agents to give tenants stronger guidance on fit-outs. Participation can also lead to more efficient use of resources and better value for money. Occupiers in the private and public sectors can use Ska rating to complement their environmental and corporate and social responsibility policies and potentially reduce operating costs.

Equally, consultants and contractors can make Ska rating an integral part of their sustainable procurement and construction processes, offer assessments to clients as part of an enhanced service and ensure their work meets good practice criteria.

Tim Robinson, strategic business development director of RICS, says, “I can definitely see a role for in-house assessors at bigger developers and landlords. For example, Land Securities have a small in-house LEED and BREEAM team within their engineering team and are looking to train at least one person in Ska.

“It’s a similar story with contractors. Skansen has trained three of their employees to become assessors so they can informally assess design proposals, adding to the value they can give their clients as part of a wider service. My hope would be that many contractors specialising in fit-out will do the same over time.

“Conceivably, a large corporate or public sector occupier might also employ an in-house assessor if they are doing lots of projects across a portfolio of buildings. The Environment Agency, for example, was looking at Ska from this perspective.”

Background

Launched in November 2009, Ska rating is the new environmental assessment toolkit for the fit-out sector, worth some 11% of total UK construction spend.

The system incorporates a free online tool and guidance which anyone can use informally to self-assess a fit-out. There’s also an optional certification element where clients ask an assessor accredited by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) to rate their project as bronze, silver or gold.

Because the scheme is specific to individual fit-out projects, it’s unrelated to how environmentally friendly or not the base building is. All aspects of fit-out, such as furniture for example, are covered in far more detail than they had been previously.

In the past, knowledge about the sustainability (or otherwise) of fit-out projects was notoriously patchy, with little in the way of consistent information.

Ska rating aims to change that, with its 99 environmentally friendly actions. For example, it recommends sending stripped out wooden flooring to a salvage yard for re-use rather than landfill. And, to reduce energy, lights should be automatically controlled depending on daylight or occupancy.

Each area for action has a datasheet covering energy and carbon emissions as well as waste, water, materials, pollution, transport and well-being (covering temperature controls and noise levels).

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has backed and led the scheme, developing it alongside key industry partners including AECOM, ARCADIS, Carey Jones, DTZ, Hurley Palmer Flatt, Interserve, Pringle Brandon, Savills, Sheppard Robson, Skansen (which created the rating, hence the name) and Sun Microsystems.

Ska Rating won industry awards from CoreNet, the professional organisation for corporate real estate and from the Association of Interiors Specialists in 2008 and 2009.

Case study

The first project certified as ‘Ska Silver’ was for RFIB, an insurance broker in the City of London. The 40,000 sq ft project had enhanced environmental performance and efficiency as a key target. Employees had more control over their environment through daylight controls, glare reduction, service monitoring and recycling facilities, boosting productivity. RFIB Group’s reputation as a socially responsible firm has also been enhanced, within and outside the organisation.

For more information about Ska rating visit RICS.

Female discrimination is 'often unintentional'

Mon, 23 May 2011 09:51:36 +0100

When it comes to gender discrimination in the construction industry, sometimes the problem is that people don’t know they’re being discriminatory, according to training consultant Chrissi McCarthy.

“It’s not necessarily through malice, but through fear and confusion. [Managers] tend to do things like trying to protect women – not let them go out on site – or not give them jobs that involve some danger, even though it’s those kinds of jobs that would be good for their career,” she says.

McCarthy runs Bespoke Consultants, which specialises in helping companies recruit and retain women in the construction industry. She’s finding retention is sometimes the bigger challenge.

“What we tend to find is that for the first couple of years, it’s OK to be a woman, if you can get a job that is, because people quite like to train a woman. It’s seen as a novelty factor,” she says. “But once the training is finished, and women then suddenly have a bit of power or start to become a threat because they know things. That’s when some real problems start happening.”

She says a common misconception is that most problems with discrimination come from onsite construction workers. In fact, problems tend to arise at a managerial level with managers, as well as peers, not being used to working with women or not doing enough when they spot discrimination.

The number of women in the industry is, however, on the rise. According to the Office for National Statistics, there has been a slight increase in the percentage of women in the construction industry, from 10% in 2005 to 13.5% in 2007.

However, even professions that are successful at recruiting women, like architecture, are having a tough time keeping women in the industry.

But McCarthy does point to signs of improvement: Construction Skills, the industry skills council, has recently implemented an equality and diversity strategy; James Wates, the president the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), has named diversity as his second priority; and also, Wates will be the chairman of Construction Skills in 2011, thereby ensuring a strengthening commitment to diversity.

Even more encouraging, McCarthy says, is when people finally realise their actions have not been conducive to a diverse and healthy work environment. Those moments can sometimes be emotional with people breaking down in tears. This happened in McCarthy's own life when she ran into a former boss who had exposed himself to her in the past, and he expressed to her how sorry he was for having done that.

Currently, McCarthy is trying to set up a support group for women who face discrimination, to add to her company’s offering of workshops, school visits and newsletter.

Additionally, women may be able to bring a claim to an employment tribunal, but the government recommends employees discuss the problem with their boss before doing so. Women may also receive free and confidential guidance from the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas).

To find out more about McCarthy, visit Bespoke Consultants.

Resolving conflict in the workplace

Mon, 23 May 2011 09:47:14 +0100

Conflicts at work can put extra pressure and unnecessary stress on us. Jobs can be demanding enough without the feeling that we are being victimised or bullied in some way.

In a way, the recession has added to this pressure. With companies cutting back and more redundancies being made, employees feel as though they have to work harder in order to keep their job secure – meaning extra work, more hours and more stress – ultimately leading to more conflicts in the workplace.

But this doesn’t mean it should be accepted in the workplace. And the first step, Cary Cooper, psychologist at Lancaster University, believes is to recognise this conflict: “It could start with aggressive behaviour in a meeting, colleagues not socialising or employees gossiping.”

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) believes that conflict at work can take many forms. It can be an individual with a grievance, a problem between an employee and a manager or conflict between two co-workers. However, all conflicts can get in the way of work and make a business less productive.

Common reasons for conflicts in the workplace can be office romances which turn sour, misunderstandings, jealously, a dislike of someone and, of course, excessive workload.

But where do you start if you feel that there is conflict between you and a colleague or a boss? Communication is the most important aspect at this stage. If a boss or colleague is unaware of your unhappiness with a situation then you must voice your concerns. But always at an appropriate time.

“Address your boss or colleague when they are not in a state of stress. This is important as there can be a lot of stress in the workplace. If they are not in the right frame of mind, you may not get the reaction you were expecting,” says Cooper.

Pick a quiet time when you and your colleague are not riddled with deadlines or back-to-back meetings. Use a calm tone of voice and ask for a professional setting to do it in. Accusing a colleague of conflict in front of others or in an unprofessional tone will not improve the situation.

Cooper also advises that we give specific examples of conflict which have arisen. “This way we are pinpointing on a specific time which made us feel victimised or bullied, rather than just generalising.”

Acas also advises that you should try to bring up a conflict before it gets out of hand. It could just be a misunderstanding, and the quicker it is diffused, the better; otherwise, it could have a detrimental effect on the rest of your colleagues and the company as a whole.

But what if the conflict persists?

If talking to your colleague or boss about the problem doesn’t have the outcome you were hoping for it’s important to seek advice or support from a higher level. Companies will usually have systems in place to deal with conflicts in the workplace.

Options available to you are speaking with a HR member within your company or a union representative and getting advice from outside sources such as the Acas helpline. If you are making a formal complaint you may need evidence, so first keep a record of events where you think you are a victim of conflict – including dates, times and descriptions of what happened. Also keep copies of anything else which you may think is relevant – such as emails, notes or letters. If it gets as far as a hearing, then you will need these as evidence.

If the conflict ends amicably, it shouldn’t just be forgotten and swept under the carpet; otherwise, the same problems may arise again and again. Time and effort needs to go into repairing this relationship. “You need to invest in that relationship again. Be co-operative, friendly and social because that element of your relationship has disappeared, and you need to get it back again,” says Cooper.

Most of all a conflict at work, whatever form it takes, shouldn’t be ignored. Unresolved conflict at work can backfire professionally and personally, so act before a minor conflict becomes a major one and not only affects you but also the business you’re working for.

Case study

Jenny was working as a shop assistant in a shoe shop and felt that the assistant manager was picking on her. “For some reason, she just didn’t like me. It made it a misery to have to go to work every day when I knew she would get me to do the most menial tasks.” Jenny finally plucked up the courage to talk to the manger about what was happening.

Thankfully, he handled it professionally and talked to both her and the assistant manager separately and together about their problems and helped them to work through them. “I found out that the assistant manger was bringing in her problems from home and taking them out on me and the rest of the staff. After we talked it through, things got much better.”

Negotiating a pay rise

Fri, 20 May 2011 17:03:51 +0100

The key ingredients to landing a pay increase are planning, preparation and communication. Stick to these core components and, assuming you have a good sense of your abilities and your company, you're in with a good chance of success.

First thing's first though: be honest. Around two thirds (65%) of British workers believe they are not paid enough and, on average, feel they are underpaid by £5,250 per year, according to research by Unum, the UK disability insurer. So are you really of more value to your business than what you're being paid? Have you been consistently outperforming your colleagues? If so, great! Let's make sure you get what you deserve....

Planning

You don't want to bluster up to your boss in the heat of the moment and demand an urgent 5-minute meeting to unleash your grievances. Consider the best time for you and the most amenable for your line manager. When will they have a comparatively pressure-free period in a typical week? When are they in a good mood, but also attentive?

Julian Allen, senior operations manager to 15 staff at a London-based digital media company, believes timing is essential. “To be honest, my staff have a hard time persuading me they deserve a pay rise. But to agree a discussion at the end of particular project or key phase is a good way of starting that persuasion.”

Request a meeting for a good week or so in advance. Don't show all your wares just yet by declaring the subject of the meeting 'pay rise', but make sure your manager understands it's important you have a quality, uninterrupted time to discuss your performance.

Preparation

Write out the reasons why you think you warrant a pay increase. Now back it up with evidence. And back it up again. Drawing out tangible, high-profile and relevant facts is essential. Concentrate on your individual achievements, not those of your team. Use known, firm statistics, especially commercial ones, wherever possible. It might help to run through this simple checklist:

What did you do?
How did you do it?
What was special about it?
What value did it deliver to the business?
Did it exceed your expected level of performance?
Is it additional to the scope of your role?

“You need to show you are delivering more than was originally expected,” says Julian. “Look at your contract or job description and see if you have taken on more responsibility. That’s what works on me.”

Don't name and shame your colleagues – make it personal to you, not personal to anyone else – but also don't shy away from comparing and contrasting what you have done with the behaviours and achievements of most others in your role or at your level.

You should also be able to demonstrate what you hope to achieve in the next 18 months and how you could improve your work.

Know your market and your value to the business. Try to find out what people in comparable positions in the firm or at rival companies earn. You can see what salary you can expect today from our latest construction jobs.

Communication

Ultimately, communication is the key. A clear, well-structured argument that's presented in a lucid and engaging way, could well be all the final evidence they need to confirm you are worthy of a higher salary.

But remember, this is billed as a discussion, not a one-way seminar in how great you are. So be prepared for extensive dialogue. Consider what questions and comments your boss may throw at you. They could get pretty tough. Put yourself in their shoes. What will convince them? What difficulties may they have in giving you a pay rise? They may have concerns over how to justify it to their boss, so make your business case senior enough to persuade the highest echelons. They may have to justify this decision to an approver in HR. Again, build your reasoning so that it appeals to HR sensibilities and objectives as well.

Practice your pitch with a friend. You'll hopefully get some great direct feedback on your approach and will feel more comfortable in delivering your rationale when it comes to the real thing.

And be open-minded. Pay is only one part of the job package. Your boss may be able to more feasibly offer you an improved bonus package or travel allowance scheme.

Finally, if it’s not going to plan, stay calm.

“Talking about looking at other options outside the company because you want to be paid more is not a route I would recommend,” says Julian. “It will only result in short-term gain at the most and could damage your longer-term career progression. The best approach is to agree a way forward. Set out a plan with your line manager that would persuade him you are worthy of that pay rise.”

Good luck!

How to motivate your team members

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:59:33 +0100

When it comes to construction management jobs, it may seem like the best way to ensure success is to adopt a tough, target-driven approach. After all, most of the time, your objective is clear – complete a project. You figure, focus on your end product and everything will be alright. The problem with this is that it ignores your most important resource: your team. You may have a clear vision but your employees may not have the same goals those of the business. And managers can’t succeed on their own.

To move your company forward, you need to engage your team. You will get the most out of your staff if they feel like there is a shared vision between them and management.

Are you a people person?

The Work Foundation surveyed energy company EDF Energy and public services company Serco, as well as four other large businesses, and found that the most successful business leaders adopted a highly people-centred approach.

“Outstanding leaders focus on people, attitudes and engagement, co-creating vision and strategy”, says Penny Tamkin, whose team conducted 250 interviews over two years for the January 2010 report. “They manage performance holistically, attending to the mood and behaviour of their people as well as organisational objectives. And instead of seeing people as one of many priorities, they put the emphasis on people issues first.”

Some things you can do to make sure your team is as important as your profits statement:

Craft company objectives people can relate to. Being the most profitable company in the industry is fine for shareholders. Being a company that works together with a community is something employees can be proud of.
Understand what motivates people. Some people perform better when challenged, others when they feel like they are supported.
Converse with your employees. While you don’t want to forgo work for conversation, talking to your employees about things that may not be work-related is an important part of creating a positive and trusting relationship that will make things easier when the work stacks up.
Give people space and time. Crowding your employees will likely raise their anxiety level and that may lead to a decrease in work quality.
Set communal long-term objectives. If you want your employees to embrace long-term goals, make them part of the decision process.

“At the end of the day, leadership is all about attracting, retaining and motivating people to actually perform for you, and to deliver against goals”, as one respondent puts it.

“It’s almost about giving people something that they want to believe in, and to make them feel that what they’re doing is worthwhile. It’s also about ensuring that people enjoy what they do and have a sense of fun in what they’re doing.”

Search latest management jobs

Extra helpful:

Management advice from industry leaders
Resolving conflict in the workplace

World Cup shows benefits of working on big projects

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:48:00 +0100

One of the most anticipated sporting events of the year is about to begin. The World Cup has shown that construction jobs abroad can be very rewarding – and not only by offering a new scenery and experience you may not be able to get locally. To show its appreciation for all the hard work done on the 10 world-class football arenas in South Africa, FIFA has given each of the 27,000 workers two tickets to a World Cup match at the venue they helped build.

“We want to say a big thank you to the men and women whose hard work, skill and creativity brought us to the point we’re at today. It is amazing what you have achieved and we hope that you will enjoy your World Cup experience,” said Jordaan, who together with the FIFA Secretary General handed over a symbolic ticket to Patrick Geqeza, who represented the construction workers at the ticketing event.

From the upgrading of the transport infrastructure, hotel and accommodation facilities as the stadiums which were either refurbished or built from scratch in nine host cities, construction companies and the workers received a major boost in these tough economic times.

“I am really proud when I look at the work my fellow workers and I have done over the years. The chance to sit in the stadiums we have built for a World Cup match is a perfect reward, something we would have never imagined,” said Geqeza, who has been part of the reconstruction of the Soccer City stadium from day one.

The tickets fulfil a promise made in September 2008 by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and the 2010 Organising Committee (OC).

The Ticket Fund, which is the body responsible for the distribution of the tickets, has set aside other tickets with the aim of having a wider impact on South African society. FIFA has worked with its partners adidas, Coca-Cola, Hyundai, Kia, Sony and Visa on community projects focusing on education, health and the environment. Another 66,000 are being allocated as a reward to South Africans in recognition of their contributions to these programmes. All the FIFA Partner projects are based on long-term partnerships that hope to create opportunities for South Africans for years to come. Watch a video discussing the Ticket Fund more in depth.

Making the most of temporary positions

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:44:52 +0100

The construction industry may be treading water at the moment, leading more companies to offer temporary work to those seeking their first and second jobs. But approach them the right way, and you’ll reap the benefits of a new flexible kind of working.

Saul Townsend, spokesperson for the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), says some areas in the industry are faring well.

“In the UK there is a wide range of public infrastructure projects on hand, with clients looking for best-value tenders from contractors in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Moreover, there are still skills shortages in many key areas, such as construction management, because of the additional training required to become a professional.”

But the industry is nothing if not cautious, and it’s that which has led many construction companies to offer a wider range of temporary contracts over full-time work.

“It’s certainly our perception that the industry has increased its number of temporary contracts available,” says Saul. “It makes sense for them to be flexible in the short term – and temporary contracts are ideal for this. Construction is a very flexible industry, anyway, and is full of people who work on a temporary basis, such as contractors.”

According to Saul, most temporary professional jobs in construction last six to 36 months. “Construction managers oversee the whole process, so will be employed throughout, while engineers or surveyors may be employed for only part of a construction project.”

Extra flexibility, same benefits

So why choose a temporary job? There are many benefits to choosing a part-time over a full-time contract. For example, if you’re not sure where you’d like your career to go, it will give you the opportunity to see what suits you. Construction goes where the work is, so many jobs could be in exotic locales abroad – places you might not necessarily consider working.

“It’s fair to say that a temporary position is more likely to be abroad,” says Saul. “There are plenty of opportunities in the Middle East, China, Australia and Africa, as well as government-funded infrastructure projects here in the UK.”

“Even in a full-time position, you have the opportunity to experience a variety of different projects in a variety of different places,” he adds. “That’s one of the benefits of the industry.”

You should also be entitled to the same benefits with regard to pensions, sick pay and holidays. And, if you make the most of your role, this puts you in a good position with the employer when a permanent position opens up.

Making yourself wanted

So how can you make the most of your role? For Dr Mark Shelbourn, programme leader for construction management at Nottingham Trent University, making the most of every opportunity is key. “Make the most of your time. Whether it’s a long or short-term contract, the more varied roles you can take on the better.

“The best way to make your temporary contract a permanent one is to make every effort to make yourself indispensable. Do the job to the best of your ability, but be flexible as well and make the most of every opportunity.”

Saul agrees. “To turn a part-time into a full-time job, you need to show your value to the company,” he says. “Make yourself someone they’ll want to hold on to. Get to know your manager – strike up a good relationship. Ask him or her about your progress and where he or she would see you working in a few years’ time. Prove your value to the company and show willingness that you’d like to have a career with them. There are always opportunities out there if you can prove your worth.”

On the other hand, don’t assume that because you have a limited time period, you have to hit the ground running. “Employers love it when a student is not afraid to ask questions if they’re unsure about something,” Mark says. “You’ve still got plenty of time to learn. A softly, softly approach is key.”

We spoke to Tom Foulkes, director general of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), for an engineer’s perspective. “Taking a temporary or contract role could lead to other opportunities if you have the right attitude,” he advises. “Once you're in the door you have a much better chance at any new roles that come up. There are jobs out there so make sure you are prepared, enthusiastic and proactive about your approach.”

Keeping up with training

“You will still be able to pursue your professional training and CPD in a temporary contract,” says Saul. “It’s in your employer’s interest to ensure you are well-trained and well-versed in what’s going on in today’s industry. By doing a temporary job, you often get more chance to tap into the knowledge of the whole industry, through talking to colleagues and learning about different projects.”

Other options

Tom’s advice is to look at a range of options. “With fewer roles around you may have to drop your expectations,” he says. Besides temporary contracts, voluntary work could also be an option; "Another alternative would be to consider volunteering in developing countries, through RedR or other aid agencies,” Tom says. “This is a fantastic way to gain valuable, but different, experience while using your expertise to help communities who need it most." RedR is an international charity that recruits engineers and other construction workers to help build infrastructure where it is needed most.

Work placement schemes and career starters

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:40:29 +0100

Work placements and internships have long been a feature of construction, particularly among larger companies, who all employ graduate interns as part of a course sponsorship or wider graduate programme.

Costain’s group HR director Clare Hardwidge, describes their work placement scheme as “a critical part of our graduate policy”. Four of the firm’s executive board came through the system, and have been in continuous employment with Costain ever since.

So what can you expect on a work placement at a construction company, and how do you go about getting one?

Work placements generally fall into two categories: a short, 8-12 work placement, usually taken during the summer; and a full year, usually forming the sandwich year in a university degree. The length can vary depending on the structure of the course.

Many students are sponsored by construction companies from the start of their degree and will spend an industrial placement year with their ‘sponsor’. Costain, for example, sponsors around 80 undergraduates across all year groups.

“We recruit some directly from schools or colleges, and look for students with good academic results, but fundamentally a commitment to construction in their interview,” says Clare Hardwidge. “We also identify potential students to sponsor at degree-level through our university liaison programme.”

At Costain, work placements tend to be chiefly in professional construction roles, such as quantity surveyor, architect or engineer.

Michael Hitchinson, for example, spent his third year at Salford University, where he was studying for a civil engineering degree, working for Costain as a site engineer on the M62 Junction 8 to 9 widening project. Following this placement, the firm sponsored him during his final year and then took him on full-time in 2003 once he had completed his degree.

All Costain’s work placements are paid.

Willmott Dixon also offers year-long industrial placements to undergraduates studying on a four-year construction sandwich degree, and pays the students’ university fees during the placement year. It offers a variety of disciplines including site management, quantity surveying and estimating.

“Some placement students that have proven to be high performers are offered the opportunity to remain with Willmott Dixon as a management trainee while completing their degree via day release,” says Helen White, the company’s HR manager.

“Year-out management trainees often get taken on permanently once they have completed their studies,” she adds. “The year-outs normally work closely with a mentor when they are with us (as would all trainees).”

Students who are not taking a ‘sponsored degree’ can still apply for a placement during a sandwich year, and most big construction companies encourage this.

For example, at Balfour Beatty, around two thirds of its graduate trainees have done work placements with the firm previously.

“The work placement could also lead to sponsorship and can count towards a professional qualification, giving a head-start after graduation,” says a spokeswoman for the company.

Finding an industrial placement outside of a graduate or management trainee scheme is harder, though not impossible.

Costain occasionally offers work placements outside its graduate scheme: “These tend to be ad hoc arrangements, linked to a specific site or project,” explains Clare Hardwidge. “We don’t have a formal arrangement as such, and for such placements, we would recruit through a local paper or through the community awareness programme we operate on all our projects.”

Willmott Dixon takes around 10 short-term work placements a year, though these are often less related to the professional disciplines. “A job like site secretary, because they are only needed for the length of a contract, would be one typical work placement,” says Helen White. “Or administrative work to cover holiday or sickness absence.

“Candidates need to be as flexible as possible in terms of the type of work that they can do, and normally they would need Microsoft Office skills. They are not normally paid, but we often pay for travel.”

This type of work placement, while less appealing than one offering site experience, can nevertheless lead on to bigger things. Caoilfhionn de Buitléar came to do a work placement at Willmott Dixon in an administration role, but this gave her a taste for the industry, and she has since been taken on full-time by the firm, who are funding her studies on the CIOB Graduate Diploma Course.

“This is, in effect, a conversion course for people like me,” she says, “who have been through the university system and need to back up their existing transferable skills with construction knowledge.”

Key points regarding work placements in construction:

Most work placements are part of a graduate scheme, for which it is possible to get sponsored by a construction company. Strong academic results and a demonstrable commitment to a career in construction are essential in attaining sponsorship. Your placement will then be with your sponsor.
If you cannot get a sponsor through a company initially, there are other sponsorship schemes available such as the ConstructionSkills Inspire Scholarship.
As an undergraduate, your university should have links with construction companies who offer work placements. If you know the company you wish to work for, check out its website as placements are likely to be advertised there.
Many companies offer a full-time position following a work placement. If they don’t, make sure you get a letter of recommendation when your placement ends.
Non-graduate work placements are often harder to find and tend to be project-based. Keep an eye on your local papers. You’ll need strong IT skills, e.g. MS Office, and a willingness to be flexible about the type of work offered.

Search graduate opportunities

Working abroad

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:34:23 +0100

There are lots of opportunities to work overseas in the construction industry as all the leading civil and structural engineering companies have operations across the world. Many overseas postings also come from developing countries where population growth and increasing tourism are fuelling projects in housing, commercial builds and public works, as well as industrial process plants and transport infrastructure.

Your opportunities

One of the surest ways to get a job abroad is to work for a UK-based company with overseas offices and operations. Although you are unlikely to find yourself on a plane immediately, construction professionals can find themselves posted abroad at quite an early stage in their career.

Mott MacDonald, an international consultancy with employees working in over 100 countries, sends some of its UK graduate recruits overseas once they have gained a few years' experience. Global construction giant, Atkins recruits new graduates into one of its UK offices but has plenty of future opportunities to work overseas.

Disaster also creates demand for skilled building and construction professionals. For example, the Indonesian government set down £40 billion to recover its infrastructure following the Tsunami of 2004. The relief agency Registered Engineers for Disaster Relief (RedR) has 4,000 professional engineers registered on its database.

Benefits of working overseas

Don't underestimate the benefits of overseas experience to your future career. An overseas posting can:

Display your ability to work with diverse groups of people and teams
Offer an opportunity to gain and hone language skills
Improve your awareness of different cultures and working styles
Set yourself out as a self-starter, motivated to develop your career
Bring financial benefits — particularly from overseas living expenses and tax advantages

Marketing your skills

If you decide to embark on a search for overseas experience, target your applications carefully. Be honest with yourself about where in the world you would be most suited to work and then research thoroughly all potential employers in those areas and the types of personnel they are likely to want.

As a national of a European Economic Area (EEA) or European Union (EU) country, you have the right to work in any other member state, without requiring a work permit. However, unemployment is high in some of the newer member states so the flow of workers is more likely to be out than in.

Currently the following EEAs or EU countries have a demand for skilled professionals in the building and construction industry: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Elsewhere in the world, the opportunities available to you will depend on the state of the local employment market, work permit requirements and immigration procedures. Immigration into Commonwealth countries is becoming more difficult, as they produce large numbers of their own graduates, and often employers and governments are only interested in recruiting Britons if they are unable to fill their vacancies from their own national pool of recruits.

Do not be tempted to travel to the country you'd like to live and work in and then start looking for a job. It is virtually impossible to gain the right to work in a country once you are there. Immigrant visas are normally granted to people who apply in their country of residence so sort out all the paperwork before you leave home.

Your skills and qualifications

Not all academic and professional qualifications are recognised internationally. Some countries consider degrees to be vocational and some employers will be wary of employing arts and social science graduates for commercial positions. British graduates can find that overseas employers are sceptical of degrees that take only three years to complete as their national students spend much longer gaining their degrees. New language skills can take a long time to acquire, so make sure you know how crucial this is for any position you are considering.

Potential employers

Major UK-based building and construction companies with overseas offices and/or operations include:

Information sources

It is always worth starting your search for job opportunities online either through the leading job sites or recruitment consultancies, many of whom have specialist international divisions. Search international jobs on CareerStructure.com.

If you are looking for work in an EU country, try consulting the employment services in the UK or the country where you wish to work. The European Job Mobility Portal provides contact details in each country, details of vacancies across Europe plus information on living and working conditions in various countries.

For speculative applications to overseas companies, try using some of the following sources to identify a list of potential employers.

UK Trade & Investment — information centre; statistics and market information.
Expertise in Labour Mobility — agency offering information on job availability and recruitment practices in various countries.
Europages — online business directory of 600,000 companies in 35 European countries.
Directory of International Employers — produced by the careers service at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) covers 19 countries outside Europe and the USA.

Enquiries about immigration should be made to the appropriate embassy or high commission in the UK. Full details are available from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Flexible working in the construction industry

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:25:04 +0100

Flexible working in construction may not be as widespread as in other industries, but that may be partly due to employees lacking knowledge of their rights, rather than their employers not endorsing it.

Almost a quarter of companies in the industry currently offer their staff the opportunity to work flexibly, according to a survey of 4,500 firms by YouGov and mobile phone operator Orange. This compares to 39% in IT & telecommunications, at the top end of the scale, but just 15% in manufacturing and 13% in transportation & distribution.

And yet, in a Times survey of 1,500 civil engineers, only 18% realised that the government encouraged flexible working, even though one-third would take a pay cut in exchange for more flexible working conditions.

So how are construction companies responding to requests from employees to work flexibly?

Contractor Costain has procedures in place to support flexible working, including jobs shares, but group HR director Clare Hardwidge says the take-up has generally been slow.

“People interested in flexible working tend to be office-based, though we would support all individuals who request it, and look at each application on its merits.”

“Historically, it has been dominated by women, but we have a few men who have childcare issues, and we have said ‘yes’ to their requests for flexible working.”

Balfour Beatty’s civil engineering business recently trialled flexible working on a road project. The contractor surveyed its employees two years ago, and found that while an overwhelming majority liked working for the company, 62% said work-life balance was a problem. For example, engineer Chris Till lives in Preston, but working on the M25 and M1 meant he had to live on site during the week and then drive four hours home on a Friday.

Balfour Beatty decided to try and address this concern. The firm employed flexible working consultants, Swiftwork, to look at ways of improving work-life balance, testing the concept initially with the project team on the M1 construction site.

“We had to be clear that the business case for this significant culture change was sound,” says commercial manager Nigel Roberts. “But we were also hoping that this would have a positive impact on recruitment and retention in an increasingly competitive market for highly-skilled employees.”

The firm was able to devise new ways of working that suited its business needs. Most were variations on flexitime and, for some, compressed hours over the working week were introduced. Cost savings were even made on some night services. One team developed cross-skilling to offer a broader range of service to clients throughout the whole day.

Nigel Roberts believes the business case for flexible working has been proven. “We have realised operational improvements in efficiency,” he says, “and health and safety cover has increased – not decreased – with more flexibility. Now we’re hoping to build on this and develop even smarter ways of working.”

However, flexible working may not suit every construction job, according to a spokeswoman for sector skills council ConstructionSkills. “There are barriers, particularly in site roles, as certain activities will be driven by suppliers’ delivery of goods and services, and how specialist a worker’s role is,” she said.

Equally, smaller construction companies may be less receptive to the idea.

Brian Berry, director of external affairs at the Federation of Master Builders, says: “These principles are very laudable; the problem is that they have a disproportionate impact on small businesses, which are often unable to compensate if one of their employees is taking flexible leave.

“A bigger construction company can get other workers in to cover, but if you’ve only got half a dozen people working for you, what do you do if someone’s taking time off?”

But broadly, there is every reason to think that flexible working in construction will grow. The industry appears favourable to the concept; the Times survey found that only 8% of civil engineers had flexible work requests denied, compared to the UK average of 21%. Flexible working may also help construction companies ride out the recession.

According to Tom Potbury, a senior associate at construction law firm Pinsent Masons, “moving employees to part-time working may be a better alternative to redundancy. Many employers currently need to shrink their workforce. But casting our minds back just two years, the major complaint was a shortage of skilled staff.

“Retaining valued employees, but shrinking their cost by making them part-time, may therefore be a better strategy for some. And most employees would prefer a lower-paid job to no job at all.”

Key points for construction workers interested in flexible working

Are you mainly site or office-based? If you are mostly office-based, and can work from home, or if another member of your team can provide cover in your absence, then your firm is more likely to agree to your request.
Are the right IT arrangements in place? Bigger construction companies will have the necessary IT and telecommunications systems to allow you to work from anywhere, but smaller firms may not – meaning you may need to be in the office to access certain documents.
Does anyone else in your team have flexible working arrangements? If not, think of how your request may be received. On a time-sensitive construction project, the absence of a critical member of the team could be a major problem.
Do you have suitable office space at home? This is not just a consideration for yourself; your company has health and safety responsibilities that extend to wherever you work.
Is it the right decision for your career? Being away from the office or site reduces your visibility; you may miss out on important information circulated internally. This can be addressed by planning to go on site at least one or two days per week.

Volunteering in the construction industry

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:18:50 +0100

Volunteer work can not only be fulfilling but, depending on what you do, it can also sharpen your career skills, open doors and add necessary examples to your CV. This is especially true when it comes to the construction industry, where employers want to see concrete examples of teamwork, practicality and, potentially, management skills.

One of the greatest benefits, aside from the pleasure of helping others, is the chance to meet new people – and make important contacts. Major companies like Tarmac or Npower regularly send their employees on volunteer away days as a way of bolstering team spirit, enhancing communication or, sometimes just by way of a thank you, a means of letting the team get out of the office. And if you’re looking to break into such a company but aren’t sure who to contact, meeting someone while volunteering can be a vital foot in the door.

The projects these businesses help with are not always obvious so it can prove highly beneficial to think outside the box when considering volunteering projects. Npower, for example, sent its employees in 2009 to clean part of the coastline along the Vale of Glamorgan and, in partnership with Zurich, began the groundwork to build a community environmental facility at a primary school in Swindon. Volunteering projects involving more than one business are not uncommon so you’ll have an opportunity to meet several people at these events as well as picking up ideas from both organisations – something businesses encourage.

Jacqui Gavin, community investment executive at Npower, said: "There was some healthy rivalry on the day which only spurred the volunteers on. It was fantastic to look back at the end of the session and see what we had been able to achieve by working together."

Offering up your time for free isn’t as strange an idea as it might first sound and you don’t have to be working for a company already to do it. Around 44 per cent of British adults volunteer formally for a club or organisation (such as the Scouts, a local football club or a charity), and if you add in informal volunteers, those sparing the odd hour every couple of months or so to help others, the figure rises to 64% – that’s nearly two in three people. With such a large percentage of the population giving up their spare time, there’s clearly something in it.

“Volunteering is a great way to learn more about the new community that you are living in,” explains Laura Hacker of Coventry University’s Horizon Volunteering. “It also gives you the opportunity to learn new skills, meet like-minded people and make a valuable contribution to your local community.”

Horizon is one of the many organisations across the UK that can help organise volunteer work for you. The organisation finds out what type of volunteer work you’re looking for, what your aims are for that work and when you’re free. As Horizon has been running for nearly ten years, the organisation has hundreds of local contacts, from wildlife reserves through to local schools and homeless shelters. While primarily aimed at those studying at Coventry University, Horizon also helps other volunteers from the local community find placements and the benefits and reasons to volunteer, as listed below, are the same for both groups.

Other reasons to volunteer include:

Improve your CV
Boost your employability
Meet new people
Gain a sense of achievement
Improve your job prospects
Have some fun
Explore possible career paths before you settle on a professional route
Help your local community
Challenge yourself
Build your confidence
Make new contacts and find the right people to speak to
Follow up on an interest
Do something new
Turn theory into practice
Develop yourself

If you’re not sure you have the right skills to get the job you’re after, volunteering can again prove a good place to build on those skills or allay your fears. Of the 800 or so Horizon volunteers, 97% of them felt they’d picked up new skills as a result of volunteering and 90% thought they were more employable as a result of their efforts.

Wherever you are in the UK, there is an organisation that can help point you in the right direction for the skills and experiences you need. Do-it is a national database of volunteering opportunities in the UK and has been running since 2001. The website’s search engine has a section specifically for improving your employability (under ‘employment’ in the drop down box) which features roles designed to bolster your CV. If you can’t find something there, you can also try the websites for Volunteering England, Volunteering Wales or Volunteers Scotland. All of these websites offer geographically specific search engines so you can search for opportunities in your local area.