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Getting a new boss can be almost as daunting as getting a new job. Depending on how you felt about your old boss you may or may not welcome change, but change, as always, means uncertainty… and that’s uncomfortable.

If you’ve got a new boss starting at work, it always pays to approach the transition professionally, and to manage your relationship with them effectively right from the start.

Apart from yourself, your immediate superior is the person who has the biggest direct impact on your career. It’s your boss who sets the benchmarks against which your work will be measured, your boss who assesses your performance, your boss who communicates your achievements (or otherwise) to others, and your boss who controls the resources you need to do your job effectively. Keeping him or her on-side from the start is generally a good idea. But how do you manage a new boss?

• Expect and accept change: your incoming boss will almost certainly do things differently to your old one, accept that things are going to change, be proactive. Remember that no matter what sort of relationship you had with your old boss, you’re starting with a clean slate now, and that’s often a good thing. By managing the transition carefully you can help yourself, your new boss and your entire team to get back into the swing of things quickly.
• First impressions are crucial: that clean slate won’t stay clean for long… so you want to make sure you make a positive first impression. One of the best ways to do that is to make it as easy for your new boss to fit into their new role… remember, while you’re getting a new boss, they’re often starting a brand new job. They’re new, and you know the ropes, so help them to settle in by offering useful pointers and constructive advice where appropriate. Remember to offer suggestions, rather than instruction.

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In the first article in the series we looked at a few of the things you could do before starting a new job to get things off to a flying start. This week we take a look at some things you can do over your first few days, weeks and months to help you settle in and become a valued member of your new team quickly.

• Pleased to meet you: in an ideal world the person you report to on your first day will introduce you to everyone on your new team. If not, don’t sit back and wait for people to come to you – be proactive and introduce yourself. And don’t forget to smile!
• Question everything: don’t be afraid to ask questions. When you start a new job you’ll have a lot more questions than answers. Remember that the only stupid question is the one that remains unasked. The quicker you can fill the gaps in your knowledge, the more confident and productive you’ll become.
• The induction is your friend: formal inductions are usually part of the HR process in larger organisations. In smaller companies this varies, but you should make sure you get some kind of induction into the company, your new job and exactly what it entails. If there’s no formal induction programme in your organisation, try asking if you can shadow someone else on the team for half a day – you’ll learn much more than you will trying to work things through on your own.

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When you start a new job it’s only natural that you want to impress. You want to show your new employer that they’ve made the right decision in hiring you, that you’re a competent and productive member of the team.
But starting a new job, while exciting, can also be one of the most nerve racking things you’ll ever do. You’ll be well outside your comfort zone: the new kid on the block, entering an environment where relationships have already been forged, and where there’s a well established social as well as organisational hierarchy.
In any new job, the first few weeks will be as much about dealing with the unfamiliar and unexpected as they’ll be about applying your skills, knowledge and experience. Here are some suggestions to help you prepare for that all important first day.

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(Written by Professor Ciaran Murphy (Business Information Systems, UCC)
edited for Career Moves by Calvin Jones

Per head of population Ireland has the unique distinction of being the biggest exporter of services in the world today by quite a margin. That may sound like an extraordinary fact, but it’s exactly what Forfas, Ireland’s national policy advisory body for enterprise and science, says in its report "Catching the Wave – A Services Strategy for Ireland", and is a testament to the efforts of Enterprise Ireland and the IDA in attracting investment in to the sector.

The services sector spans a gamut of service-based industries that include Financial Services; Computer Services and Software; Healthcare Services; Education Services; Tourism; Creative and design services; Maritime Services; Transport; Bloodstock & agriculture; Engineering, Environmental & Architectural Services; Business Services; Professional & Consulting Services; and Research & Development Services. Together these industries contribute a massive 63% of added value to the national economy.

In the decade between 1997 and 2007, the gross value added in the Irish economy almost trebled from €60 billion to €170 billion. Two thirds of that growth was attributed to the services sector, where the value added figure rose from €34 billion to €108 billion.

Whether you’re looking for your first job, a new job, a promotion or a career change, an effective CV is one of the most crucial weapons in your career-development arsenal.

The purpose of your CV is to convince a prospective employer to invite you for an interview. That’s not as easy as it sounds. The average employer’s is swamped with CVs, and will typically spends less than 30 seconds looking at each one. If it’s going to stay out of the rejection pile your CV has to make an immediate impression.

So how do you go about transforming that list of work experience, academic qualification and extracurricular activities into an attention-grabbing, interview generating tool?

• Put yourself in the employer’s shoes: it is important to remember that you’re not creating a CV for your own benefit or to impress your peers. You’re creating it to convince a prospective employer that you should be on their interview short-list. Before writing your CV put yourself in the employer’s position and consider what you’d be looking for in a candidate. Then make sure you address those requirements in your CV.

• Provide the most important information first: it’s surprisingly easy to bury important deep in the body of your CV. As you assemble the information in each section, prioritise it and list the most significant and relevant information first (remember to do this from the employers perspective).

• Don’t try to cram everything in: your CV needs to be a concise summary of your skills, experience and achievements as they apply to the specific position you’re applying for. Keep your CV short and to the point (ideally no more than 2 A4 pages), while making sure you include all of the necessary information.

• Presentation: your CV is the first glimpse that a prospective employer will get of you. Everything about it should reflect the qualities they are looking for in a candidate. Use high quality white paper, and ensure that your final document is formatted in a way that makes it easy to read. Use no more than two different fonts throughout (one for headings and one for body text).

• Make it scannable: use clear headings and bullet points where relevant to make information more accessible. With only seconds to impress guiding your reader to the most relevant information quickly will pay dividends.

• Be confident and don’t sell yourself short: not many people like singing their own praises, but your CV is no place for modesty. Use positive language to highlight your skills, strengths and accomplishments to maximum effect.

• Tell the truth: while it’s vital to make the most of your achievements on your CV, it’s equally important that you can back up the statements you make. When you get called for interview you’ll be asked to elaborate on the information in your CV – and any falsehoods will come back to haunt you.

Finally, always remember that time spent honing and revising your CV is never time wasted. Think of it as an investment in your future. After all, an effective CV can open the door to a whole new world of opportunity.