Most interview panels will ask job candidates questions about their career aspirations. Understanding your career aspirations and being able to relate them to each position you apply for can help your chances of being hired. When preparing for an interview, you should consider how you would answer this question about your future goals.

Why employers ask about your career aspirations:

Employers ask about your career aspirations to identify how well your goals align with theirs. They want to get an idea of how committed you will be to your job and how long you plan on staying with the company. They also want to see if the position you are applying for makes sense for your ideal career.

Examples of career aspirations:

People develop their career aspirations based on their skills, personal values and other factors. Consider your interests and goals when brainstorming ideas for your response to questions about your goals. Career aspirations can be influenced by whichever factors are most important to you.

Here are some helpful aspirations that you can use to integrate as part of your answer to this interview question:

• Being exposed to managing a team.
• Being exposed to new parts of the business.
• Being able to gain new skill sets that are applicable to future career opportunities.
• Being able to be more hands on with the companies operations.
• Being able to obtain a stronger track record of result making.

Senior management / executive level

• Managing a hotel | Large conference centre | Tourist Attraction
• Executive positions
• Owning a business
• Becoming a consultant
• Managing Director of company.

Talking about your career goals can be challenging, especially if you are still considering different career options. When interviewing for a job, stay focused on how well you would benefit from the job and vice versa. Here are some guidance steps you can take when developing an answer to interview questions about your career aspirations:

1. Consider why you want the job. Think about how this job will support your long-term goals.
2. Relate your aspirations to the position. As you discuss your career goals, relate them back to the job that you are applying for.
3. Focus on your career.When answering this question, avoid mentioning goals that are not related to your career.
4. Show dedication. Telling the interviewer that you plan to commit to a career path for a significant amount of time.
5. Demonstrate ambition and development. Regardless of your aspirations, you should describe some sort of growth in order to show the interviewer your ambition and potential.

When answering this question, try and personalise the answer to the position as much as possible –  having many goals in common with the job description / company values.

Questions about your career aspirations can help employers understand your motivations other than salary and benefits.

IMPORTANT:

Sit down and think through what personal career aspirations you have before coming up with an answer, or even before interviewing. If your career aspiration as a professional doesn't align with the job opportunity why interview? Recognise what your personal career path is, and ensure the job you're interviewing for aligns with that.

The Importance Of Work Life Balance.

Have you ever considered why some people are much more able to handle stress than others?

It turns out that one of the most important factors is how well you’re able to switch off after work — something a lot of people struggle with.

Let’s look at how important it is to switch off?

There’s nothing wrong with thinking positively about work or mulling over a problem that you want to solve.
But when you can’t stop thinking about work, you wellbeing, relationships & productivity suffer.

It’s never been more difficult to do one task at a time at work because, on top of the usual daily distractions – Emails, calls & notifications on your phone now make it very tempting to switch between tasks before they’re finished.

One result of this is that, by the end of the day, you might have 20 browser tabs open, ten half-written emails & an important project you’ve put off yet again, which means that you’re likely to be thinking about these tasks in the evening.

🔹Another result of multi-tasking is that you become slower & decision making becomes cloudy.

🔹 It’s a well know fact that when you feel distracted & overwhelmed, you make bad decisions, which means you’re more likely to take on more than you can handle & leave tasks unfinished.

IMPORTANT NOTE TO SELF:

Being able to switch off from work is as much about how you spend your time at work, as what you do afterwards.

Many people are obsessed with time management & trying to maximise how they use of every second of the day.

In fact, what we should be obsessing about is the quality of our attention, & the amount of attention we give to the people & problems that matter to us most.

That will result in you bringing your best self to work, & to your friends & family. 

In return you will be more productive in work & continue to lead by example as the wonderful leader you are and wish to be!

Taking care of yourself is an essential part of taking care of others.

The healthier the tree the healthier the fruit it can offer!..

Before applying for a role, it’s important to do your research first to decide if it’s the right role for you, and to give you a solid understanding of what the company does, for you to demonstrate in your application.

The company you choose to work for has a big impact on your career, making the wrong move can impact your confidence and make you question your ability. It impacts everything from your level of work satisfaction to your ability to get noticed by other employers, and travels into impacting your personal life. Make sure you’re doing your due diligence and research the company before applying.
Research and know the companies you know you want to be a part of and specifically target them.

When most candidates set out to find a job, they are fixated on obtaining the next job title or salary increase. As important as personal development and salary are you want to be confident the career goals offered by the company is compatible with your goals and values.
With companies fighting for top talent, the interview process is officially a two-way street a huge benefit to candidates when making the decision on their next career move.

WAYS TO RESEARCH THE COMPANY

Employee reviews & feedback:

Many of us in every day life probably wouldn’t buy an item without checking online reviews first. The same goes for any potential employers. Search for the company’s reviews to discover how both current and former employees really feel about the company, its culture, its benefits, and its brand at large.

Connect with past employees or use your network to make an introduction. Use LinkedIn as a tool for connection. Research their profiles and see what they post.  Whatever way it’s always good to speak with past employees, to assess a company culture.

Bear in mind, people move on, and new management could be in place. Ask these questions and research the current management structure.

Company Website & Social Media Platforms

Read their “About Us” page. Read their social media feeds and pages. You will quickly find out what really matters to them. Do they post new initiatives and successes? What is their voice? Does it align with yours?

Use LinkedIn company profiles as a way to find more information on a company you’re interested in. You’ll be able to see your connections at the company, new hires, promotions, jobs posted, related companies, and company statistics.

Visit LinkedIn for past employees and see how long they stayed with a company, a trend of high turnover and leaving within months of starting never paints a good picture….

Google:

Search both Google and Google News for the company name so you can see what’s been written about them recently. Good news or bad news, you can find it on the web.

Just Google what’s it like to work at…. and see what you find. Please be sure to only visit reputable sites.

HOW THIS RESEARCH CAN HELP YOU:

Your company research will make your responses to interview questions compelling and show that you’ll be helpful to their goals and bottom line.

Plus, your knowledge will help you give a specific answer if you’re asked why you’d like to work for the company. You can share details about things you find admirable about the company, its mission, or its culture.

Interview The Company:

When you’re in an interview, it’s easy to forget that this is an opportunity for you to decide if this company is right for you. Often, we’re so focused on being liked and impressing the interviewer that it can be hard to remember that as a potential employee you also have control in this conversation.

When you’re asked if you have any questions, don’t forget that this is your moment to ask about the job / company. You’re not limited to asking about what the goals are for the role or the time frame by which the company hopes to achieve those goals.

You should the interview panel as well as the team members you meet what they love about working for the company, and how the company shows them they are valued. This is a very important question, use this to observe how quickly they are able to answer and read their body language.

This is probably the most valuable research you can do. You’ll get real-time answers from the people who matter most – the ones you’d be working with if you were to accept a position.

Then it’s time to just trust your instincts.

Finally…..

If you feel you had a bad interview experience let the company know directly either by phone or email, don’t use social media as this will put other potential employers off from enaging with you.

THE ANSWER IS YES!!!!!  CV LIES ARE ILLEGAL.

The Fraud Act 2006 states ‘A person is in breach of this section if he dishonestly makes a false representation, and intends, by making the representation to make a gain for himself or another, or to cause loss to another’

Why is it important to tell the truth on your CV? 

• The CV that you submit is the employer’s / recruiters first impression of you and so it needs to really sell you, but more importantly the content must be a truthful reflection of your experience, skills and qualifications. When it comes to people lying on their CV, those who do lie – or embellish the truth – are very likely to be found out through the pre-screening process.

• Lying on your CV can quickly be identified by a specialised recruiter like ourselves, if we come across this we will immediately terminate our relationship with you and you will be automatically be blacklisted from Daly Recruitment.We take pride in the calibre of candidates we represent within the market and we build our relationships based on professionalism and trust – its essential this works both ways.

PLEASE NOTE WE TAKE THIS EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY. DON'T RISK IT, THE CHANCES ARE WITH OUR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE WE CAN IDENTIFY IT VERY QUICKLY. 

• Suspecting you’ve lied on your CV is grounds for dismissal.
• What’s more, you’ll struggle to find future employment once you’ve been let go for lying on your CV.
• You stand to risk your professional career.
• Think of the overall impact that will have on you and those around you… Is it worth it?

THE COMPANY CAN ALSO TAKE LEGAL ACTION AGAINST YOU. ALWAYS BE HONEST ON A CV FOR 
1.YOUR OWN PROFESSIONALISM
2.TO REMAIN WITHIN THE LAW.

But there’s one important difference, of course. Those pieces on the chess board aren’t human. Your team members are and they need to be treated accordingly and businesses need to invest in the changing needs of employees post pandemic.

Your team members’ motivation levels can have an impact on their productivity, the quality of their work, their engagement, morale and their relationships with others. The pieces on the chess board aren’t human but your team members are.

• But a positive, upbeat approach (yes even in these times) can help to energise your team & encourage them to adopt a similar mindset.
• As a leader or manager, the way you approach your role can also have an impact on your team members’ motivation; if you put in 100%, your team should be inspired to do the same.

• Recognising & celebrating success in your team is one of the most effective ways of inspiring everyone to keep up the good work.
• Saying a simple ‘thank you’ or ‘well done’ to team members can help to boost motivation on a day-to-day basis & will reassure them that their efforts have not gone unnoticed.

• Motivating your team is an important aspect of your role, & one that requires continuous attention.
• It’s not about making elaborate gestures or offering costly incentives. It’s about taking simple steps to create the right daily conditions for motivation to thrive.
• Don’t pay what your colleagues were worth 3/4 years ago, or even 18 months ago, pay your team what they are worth to you now!

Doing this you will help make your team a motivating place to work.

It’s the little things that matter right now to your team, our candidates tell us this daily.

• When prospective employees find your core values inspiring, they’re more likely to apply for a position.

• When your workplace is known for a strong culture built on real values, word can travel fast. Your reputation as an employer could grow, meaning more people will want to work for you.

• Core values don’t just help you recruit better-quality employees — they help you attract staff who are a  better fit, too. These new hires are likely to fit well with your organisational culture.

• Core values are now what’s attracting prospective employees. Much like an excellent perk or benefit, a core value, such as work-life balance or empowerment, are attracting employee’s who are looking for an employer that will be naturally inclined to treat them with respect.

• Effective core values can increase engagement by creating a workplace culture built on principles that employees believe in. Employees might therefore find more fulfilment in their work and customers will in return feel that impact securing repeat business.

THE PURPOSE & IMPORTANCE OF CORE VALUES:

• They can provide guidance for company leadership as they make decisions.
• They can communicate an organisations focus & goals to past, present, potential staff & customers.
• They help attract top talent / customers to a business due to similarly held beliefs.

Existing employees are your most powerful source of advertising and play a key role in helping to attract talent.

•  The kind of professional you are – management style.
• Why you want to work for the employer
• Why you’d excel at doing the job you’re applying for.
• ALWAYS tailor your personal statement to be unique for each job application.
• Where should you put your personal statement on your CV?
• Position your personal statement directly beneath your personal details.
• Make sure all of the information in your personal statement will make sense to the hiring decision maker.

•  Include percentage’s NEVER include actual confidential business figures!!

LENGTH:

Whether it’s a change of salary, the duration of your commute, the company perks at stake or a change of organisational culture, these factors all have a role to play in your job satisfaction in the long run.

Thinking about a job change in this way can help you to see things objectively, and will help you to make the best decision.

Signs you need a new job:

• You’re not getting promoted.
• You haven’t had any new training.
• Company culture has changed.
• You can’t see a future.
• Your good work goes unrecognised.
• Poor work-life balance.
• You’ve already tried to change things.
• Your current role is impacting your mental health.

Stop & think: Do the positives outweigh the negatives?

If you’re really unsure, it’s a good idea to weigh up the points you like and the points you don’t like about your current job, write them down and compare these with the pros and cons of the new job in question.

• Thinking about a job change in this way can help you to see things objectively, and will help you to make the best decision.
• How to know when to quit your job?
• If you’re not happy at work, chances are that it will affect your general level of happiness.
• Leaving a job isn’t something you should do lightly, but it’s also something you shouldn’t keep postponing.

If any of the above apply to you, please reach out to us and have that initial chat to start the process of seeing options that are out there. Contact details in link in biog

Opportunities are presenting themselves within the industry, is it time to start putting your career goals back in place and developing strategies to achieve them.

At Daly Recruitment we focus on building successful hospitality careers and thrive on being part of your success story!

The fightback from COVID is a tough one, and having spoken to many industry peers and leaders this week there is a growing concern for the amount of people accepting and then declining job offers. This is damaging and prolonging the recruitment / recovery process on employers in a time when they need to appoint staff quickly to deal with demand.
This is having an impact all round on businesses.

It’s also impacts on other candidates who really want and need the job to pay bills and get back into the industry they know and love. Please stop and consider the repercussions of going for a job you don’t really want can have on others, and the precious time of many industry leaders you are wasting as a result.
Employers: Remember counter offers, is never a way to deal with someone handing in their notice, this is a short term solution. Read my blog on counter offers

Candidates please stop and think before you apply for a job, would you really accept this job if offered?

If the answer is no, then don’t apply as you may damage any future  hopes of when your position of choice opens up with the same company / manager / recruiter / company.

Good recruiters don’t just perform their daily tasks well. They make sure they are always investing and representing the right clients and candidates. At Daly Recruitment, we evaluate every aspect that will be become part of our brand and represent us within the industry.

A good recruiter remembers small, positive & negative details from all our interactions with our candidates and use them to build candidate knowledge, image and profile for our clients.

We are very passionate about our work, and therefore we are known to highlight candidates’ strengths and may even suggest other jobs they would be suitable for, giving career advice and assisting where we can. We stay in touch for future openings and build long standing relationships built on trust. It’s all about relationships and nurturing those relationships both professionally and personally.

Sometimes unfortunetly recruiters / employers have to deal with investing a lot of time in candidates to have them turn down a role which all requirements where fully disclosed at the time of application. At Daly Recruitment we have a strong policy that if this happens, you have broken our trust, respect is a two-way street and it’s important to always remain professional at all time. If you will happily waste our time after building a rapport with us, this doesn’t give out a trusting vibe how you would treat our clients in the future. It’s not acceptable and disrespectful to all involved in giving up their time for you.

Clients and recruiters are working exceptionally hard right now to build and repair our industry. If you are applying for a job, make sure you have all the details at the time of application and are 100% you will accept the role if you get offered. Reach out and ask your recruiter the questions you want answered, or if going directly ask these questions at the first stage interview.
Always use this time wisely to answer any questions / concerns you may have. Access and re-evaluate if you want to proceed.

If you accept and decline think of the long-term damage you are creating to your own personal brand, remember managers move roles and that professional you accepted the job from may end up in management in your dream role, or that a recruiter may have exclusivity on the next role you want!
Don’t burn bridges as the market works exceptionally hard to bounce back, as it won’t always be this way!

Good recruiters will use their expertise to highlight problematic situations that may be hard for hiring managers to spot by themselves, this is our area of knowledge and expertise and what makes good recruiters stand out!

Respect, your industry peers and colleagues at all times!

At Daly Recruitment we have a strict policy that if you break our trust or mistreat representing the Daly Recruitment brand you will automatically be removed from our database for all future opportunities or use of our services.

We are a professional brand, we only represent professional candidates and clients under our brand. Hospitality is a professional  industry, and must be treated that way by all to make it move in the right direction to attract, retain our current and future talent pipeline.

Like all businesses we are also in recovery mode. We invest so much time in the candidates we choose to represent, if we represent you know that we believe in you and have given you our upmost trust to represent our brand to our clients and candidates. Trust and transparency are key aspects our recruitment service.

It’s important we all work together as industry professionals to overcome the past year. This year will also pass, so make sure you  manage your own personal professional brand with professionalism for the opportunities which lie ahead.