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What to Look For When Applying for a Job

You’re ready to apply for your next job. Your CV is written and polished. Your cover letter is exactly where you want it. Your heart is pounding as you search the job offers available and you suddenly wonder, “What do I look for when applying for a job?”

As you ask yourself this, you’ll want to think outside the proverbial box. Certainly, salary matters, but there is more to a job and company than just salary. Here are a few things to look into while you’re applying for a job.

Research the Company

Start by researching the company. Check the company’s history and see if it is a stable company? Search if they’ve had frequent layoffs or cutbacks. Is there a history of legal troubles, or has the company been seen positively throughout its lifetime? If it’s a start-up, do some research about working for a start-up before you sign on the dotted line. Around 90% of start-ups fail, and you don’t want to be searching for a job again in the recent future.

Office Culture

See if there are reviews from other workers in the company and how they would rate the job atmosphere there. You want to ask around, if possible, to ensure that the other employees are happy there. Ask if the management ensures the safety and wellness of the employees.  If an employee is injured, how does the company react? Do they have an incident reporting system? How do they prevent future injuries on the job?

As you research the office culture, enquire about the dynamics of the office. Is the office respectful and courteous? Beyond that, is there anyone in the office that could become a mentor and help you as you achieve your goals for this job? Office culture is an important part of a job. You want to be sure you’re surrounding yourself with morally upright and hardworking individuals that will help you grow and achieve your goals.

Growth Opportunities

At the interview, enquire about opportunities for growth, if any. Inquiring about growth will help you understand what opportunities exist for you within the company long term. Sometimes, you can find more out about growth opportunities via social media pages, as some companies advertise when employees get promotions. You should also inquire about horizontal growth opportunities, because as your skills grow and develop, other jobs may open up that might be a better fit. For this job to be a long-term one, you’ll need to know there are chances for you to grow as well.

Educational Opportunities

As you fit all or most of the qualifications for a particular job, you’ll also want to keep growing and educating yourself. Check about any educational opportunities that the company has to offer. Do they want their employees to improve their education, and if so, how do they help them achieve their educational goals? Some companies offer stipends for continued education. Ask if this company pushes their employees to grow and thrive educationally and what they can do for you.

Values and Vision

In researching the company, you can easily see what this company values and how they are better reaching their vision and goals. Is this a company that is improving society? Do they help others and does their vision align with your personal vision? In the end, it all comes down to whether or not you'd be happy and proud to be working for this company. 

Hopefully, the company and job are a perfect match for your skills and life goals. If not, keep persevering. There are plenty of jobs out there, and one of them is bound to be a perfect fit for you! Good luck!

CV / Resume done. What next?

Our latest research tells us that recruitment agencies do not get a look in compared to job boards and direct applications to specific jobs and organisations.

After a month of asking jobseekers what they do once they are happy with their CV / Resume, we found that 45% choose to upload it to a job board and make online applications via their systems. 39% apply directly to company opportunities and lagging way behind is the option to use a Recruitment Agency with only 12% taking that route.

There will always be a market and desire to use Recruitment Agencies especially within certain specialist industry sectors so it really does come down to what kind of jobs are being applied for. Many jobs can be found on job boards so it is quick and easy to make job applications online in this way where the CV/Resume can be saved within a users account. On the flip side of this though, some companies will never publish their vacancies on job boards or even enrol an agent, so direct applications to companies would be the chosen avenue.

Where have you found the most success when applying for a job? Tell us here.....

The best cities for finance professionals

There are plenty of cities that are frequently declared to be expat havens, offering a high quality of living and a vibrant international community to help new residents from all over the world feel at home. But if you’re a finance professional looking for your next step, there are other factors to bear in mind when you’re deciding where to relocate to.

As well as setting your sights on the world’s global financial centres, it’s important to look into the typical salaries on offer for finance professionals at your level in different locations. You may also wish to consider what personal income tax you’ll need to pay, and the economic stability of your potential new home.

For financiers just starting to research their options, here’s a look at some of the best cities in the world for people working in the finance industry.

Frankfurt
Often cited as the finance capital of Europe, Frankfurt is home to the heart of the European Central Bank and German Central Bank, as well as the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority. The city’s ‘House of Finance’ research and teaching institute is said to set new standards in researching capital market issues, and a number of banks looking to relocate from London as a result of Brexit have decided to move their teams to Frankfurt because of its status as a financial powerhouse.

Frankfurt


Data from PayScale and SalaryExpert places Germany in the top 10 countries worldwide when it comes to average pay for both Finance Managers and Financial Analysts, while additional data suggests that expats living in Germany also have a higher level of disposable income than those in other finance hotspots like Singapore and Hong Kong.

Aside from the ease with which you could find a job in Frankfurt’s finance sector, it’s also a trendy and welcoming city with plenty of great food, drink and shopping potential, as well as historic sites and cultural activities to enjoy.

Singapore
Salaries for financiers living in Singapore are generous, and this city-state is also known for being a safe location and one with an excellent quality of life. Rated as the second best place in the world for expats by HSBC’s Expat Explorer survey, this is a politically and economically stable location where career opportunities mix perfectly with an expat-friendly environment.

In 2018, the number of jobs in financial services and fintech in Singapore grew by 6,900, with an additional 4,000 financiers being hired during 2019. Salaries are comfortable, though it’s worth noting that the cost of accommodation and services varies from district to district and can be high.
Singapore

You may also need to take out a global healthcare policy to cover any medical expenses while living in Singapore, because only those who are permanent residents or citizens will have access to the public healthcare system. Even so, Singapore’s private healthcare system is of a world-class standard and is only slightly more expensive to access than the country’s public healthcare system.

English is the language of business, which makes settling in to a new role that little bit easier, and if you’re moving with children in tow you’ll be pleased to know that HSBC’s Expat Explorer ranked Singapore in first place for both schooling quality and childcare quality.

Hong Kong
Whether you work in brokerage, banking, wealth management or another area of finance, Hong Kong is a gateway to China that offers a rapidly growing market for finance roles. If you speak Cantonese you’ll be at an advantage, but there are also positions available for solely English-speaking expats.

Hong Kong is known for being busy and crowded, and the cost of living is high. However, it does also have some of the lowest personal income tax in the world – currently capped at a maximum tax rate of 17% of earnings. A colourful culture and lively nightlife are just a few of this region’s selling points, along with an excellent public transport system that means you won’t have to spend your salary on personal transport.

Hong Kong

70 of the world’s 100 largest banks have operations in Hong Kong, making it one of the highest concentrations of banking institutions worldwide. HSBC’s Expat Explorer rates this location as the best in the world for expat career progression, and states that ‘most international workers tend to leave Hong Kong wealthier and more senior’ than when they arrived.

Dubai
One of the main attractions for many people moving to Dubai is the fact that there is no personal income tax. This is because government expenditure is funded by revenue from the oil industry, income tax, inheritance tax, stamp duty and capital gains tax, which are all considered unnecessary. On top of this, it’s easy to get by without speaking Arabic – though it is, of course, polite to try and learn the basics.

Dubai has been making considerable efforts in recent years to become the financial centre of the Middle East, and the Dubai International Finance Centre is a ‘special economic zone’ with its own legal and regulatory framework. Housing hundreds of financial institutions, from wealth funds and private investors to multinationals, the area offers a 50-year guarantee of zero taxes on corporate income and profits.

One thing that’s important to keep in mind if you’re considering Dubai for your next career move, is that this is a conservative location with deeply ingrained customs and laws that may be unfamiliar if you’re moving from the western world. Female expats in particular should thoroughly research the local culture before a move, as while Dubai is more liberal than other parts of the UAE, there are still requirements for women to dress modestly in public, among other things.

Dubai

Tokyo
Japan is one of the world’s safest countries, and while there’s likely to be an element of culture shock settling in to a place as bright and bustling as Tokyo, this is another area offering a good quality of life and opportunities for career progression.

More than 50 foreign banks have operations in Japan, including Citibank, Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase, and Tokyo is the centre of all things finance in the country. Described as a ‘key financial centre for the international market’ , Tokyo does have a high cost of living to accompany the high salaries you can expect to find here. However, you can still expect to have a reasonable level of disposable income.

Tokyo

When you aren’t working, you can spend your time between historic temples or modern shopping malls, or simply eat your way around the city’s many excellent restaurants and street food stands. Tokyo’s work-life balance isn’t quite as life-focused as that of other cosmopolitan cities, but as a destination that is more politically and economically stable than the UK and the USA, you may find life in Tokyo less stressful in many ways than life elsewhere.

Your specific finance role and whether you’re moving alone, with a partner or with family, will help to indicate the location that’s best for you. Wherever you decide to move to, the good news is that there are plenty of cities around the world which can simultaneously offer you good career opportunities, a high standard of living, and room to develop both personally and professionally.

 

New Job for Jan

We have been asking YOU whether you are looking for a job this month.

Our results reveal the following.....

- 63% of people say "YES" they are looking for a job and do not already have one. 
- 30% say "YES" as well that they have a job and they are also looking.
- 2% do not want a job!!
- 4% have a job and are not currently looking.

Positive news that the majority of people either are looking for a job or have a job with only 2% happy not to work. 

January is a great time to go on the hunt with many more companies recruiting, advertising and looking for grow. Many want to start fresh and use January as a good time to make new, positive changes to their lives. 

Is that you? Tell us your story.....

Christmas parties ARE popular!

We have recently been asking if you are looking forward to your Christmas do or not?!

Many dread the socialising with their work colleagues as well as bosses/managers at Christmas and are worried about having too many drinks and being out of control causing much embarrassment when back at work. So, we were surprised but over the moon to see the results of our latest surveys that 79% of employees very much look forward to their Christmas Do's. We certainly do here at TipTopJob. It is the time to get to know the people you work with and spend so many hours of the day with and explore relationships. 

Our top tip would be to drink a glass of water in between your drinks and eat some food. You are less likely to allow the alcohol to go to your head and remain in control.

What are you doing to celebrate this year? 

 

National Hug Your Boss Day Round Up

Last month we celebrated another successful National Hug Your Boss Day on Friday 13th September.

As usual we saw photos and videos of employees being spread across social media expressing their love for their bosses as well as their colleagues across the World. Most bosses show a reciprocal amount of love and enjoyment from the hugs, some cringe, some refuse. We have some cracking shots! 

Thank you to everyone who shared their moments and joined in with the fun. On the serious side, we are still looking at assisting, encouraging, developing, growing and managing relationships within the workplace and especially those between colleagues and with managers or the other way around, with employees. It is so important to try to improve and nurture the environment that we work in to ensure there is excellent communication and productivity for everyone, increased motivation and morale across the workforce.

Next year, we have set the date for celebrations again which will be Friday 18th September 2020. Please stick it in the diary and be prepared to join in with us.

Photos from this year are now up on the website. We attempted to collate as many as we can.....

CHECK OUT THE 2019 PICTURES HERE

#hugyourboss #nationalhugyourbossday #hugyourbossday #friday #photos #videos #fun #bosses #colleagues #relationships #develop #encourage #grow #workforce #work #office

 

96% respect the sexes

We are very pleased to collate our latest survey results looking into sexism in the workplace. 

96% of respondents say they would respect a man and woman equally as their boss. 

Over the years equality is becoming a more discussed topic especially within the workplace. The gap between men and women is reducing but is still prominent in many industries and locations. Will the strive for true equality ever really exist with the clear differences between men and women that will always prevail?

4% of people sadly said they would not respect a man and woman equally - if that was you - who would you respect less and what are your reasons? Please do share....

Does your workplace actively encourage the elimination of sexism? What steps are they taking? Would be great to hear and share ideas.....

Image result for eliminating sexism at work

Optimal work life balance

Latest findings show most people are happy with the structure of 5 days on, 2 days off. 52% said this would be their preference.

Part-time hours were least the favoured motivator (6%) along with the 4 days on, 3 days off (8%).

Almost 1/4 of people were keen for a flexible start and finish times and 12% were aiming to work from home more.

Today, companies and organisations are moving towards choosing to offer more flexible hours/days etc in order to attract talented staff, motivate and engage their staff.

Any other preferences on how your working week would look like? Tell us here .......

Image result for optimal work life balance

 

"Suits & Ties" most popular dress for Interviews

In our latest research, TipTopJob found that the majority of jobseekers that gain an interview, will turn up "extra smart". This involves wearing, for example, suits and ties, to make the best first impression possible.

2% of jobseekers however would turn up to their interview wearing "dress down" or "casual" attire. This includes for example, t-shirts, flip-flops, ripped jeans and caps. It depends on the job you are going for and the industry as to whether you would chose to attend such an important event in your career like this but it always better to air on the side of caution and to look the part over making your interviewer think that you cannot be bothered.

18% would wear "smart casual" and 34% "smart".