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Final Steps

Here at Thomas Munroe we have put together a step by step guide to the successful interview process. We've split the guide up into easy to handle sections which are listed below:

1. Accepting a job offer
2. How to Resign
3. Moving Abroad
4. Starting A New Job

Accepting a job offer

• You can decline the offer whilst thanking the interviewer for the opportunity. You will need to have a reason, preferably one that is not defamatory to the employer.
• You can smile, immediately accept the job and thank the interviewer for the opportunity.
• You can say that you are 99% sure, but that you would like to sleep on it/confer with your partner/other valid reason to be sure.

There is no right or wrong answer. It is best to be honest. Do not accept a job if you have genuine reservations that you want to think about or seek advice from someone you trust. On the other hand, they might ask "If we offer you the post today, are you prepared to accept it?". This is a more difficult scenario because they are probably asking all candidates the same question. Saying "No" might well cost you the job.

Written Confirmation

If you are offered and have accepted a verbal offer of a job, you will still need to confirm the offer and the acceptance in writing. Check with the employer that they will write an official letter formally offering you the post. You should then write a formal letter of acceptance. If you're transferring from another job, it's likely that you will have to work a notice period. If your new employer is keen for you to start as soon as possible, the offer letter should arrive promptly. Do not resign from your present post until you have written confirmation of the offer.

The Acceptance Letter

As this is an official business letter, it needs to be laid out as one.

• Your address in the top right corner with the date underneath. Include relevant contact information before the date (e.g. email/telephone/mobile)
• Their address on the left side starting just below the level of the date.
• If the offer letter has a reference number. Write ‘your ref:’ then the number
• Leave a line
• Write the name/position of the person you are writing to e.g. 'Mr Thomas Munroe, Managing Director’
• Leave a line
• Dear Sir (or Dear Madam if you are writing to a woman) Do not write ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ unless you genuinely don’t know which is appropriate.
• Thank you for offering me the post of …………….
• I am delighted to accept the offer. I look forward to joining the team and to making a positive contribution to the work of the company.
• Confirm the starting date. Check that it fits with your notice of resignation from your present job.
• Dear sir ….. end the letter with ‘yours faithfully’
• Dear Mr Munroe ….. end the letter with ‘yours sincerely’

During your notice period

Keep in contact with your new employer. Email or phone and see if there is an opportunity to meet future colleagues before you start. It will make the first few days a lot easier if you can put names to some of the faces.

There is a right and formal way of handling this phase of the process which makes everyone involved more comfortable.

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How to resign

Whilst we know that there is no such thing as a job for life these days, there is no reason to create bad feeling by resigning from your old job in an inappropriate way.

Setting the scene

Although there is no reason that resigning from your job should be unpleasant or complicated, some bosses can take it personally. The tactics you adopt will depend on how well you get on with your boss and your knowledge of the way s/he is likely to react. Sticking to some simple rules will help to smooth the way. After all, you might need a reference in the future

The first task is to inform your manager. This has to be a formal letter because it officially starts your notice period

• Your address in the top right corner with the date underneath
• Their address on the left side starting just below the level of the date.
• Leave a line
• Write the name/position of the person you are writing to e.g. 'Mr Thomas Munroe, Managing Director’
• Leave a line
• Dear sir (or Dear madam if you are writing to a woman) Do not write ‘Dear sir/madam’ unless you genuinely don’t know which is appropriate.
• I am writing to inform you that I wish to resign from my post as …………….. effective from (date)
• If you are leaving on good terms, add a comment or two about being grateful for the opportunities offered and how much you will miss your work and colleagues.
• If you are leaving on difficult terms, add nothing. There is no benefit in raking up the past and creating waves.
• Dear sir ….. end the letter with ‘Yours faithfully’
• Dear Mr Munroe ….. end the letter with ‘Yours sincerely’

Telling Your Boss

Telling your employer that you wish to resign in a formal letter is one thing. Facing your boss and telling him/her that you are leaving is another. We all like to feel that we are indispensable, but, of course, we aren’t. However some bosses do take leaving as a sign of disloyalty and are less than generous in their response. Others take pride in developing their staff so that they can take on bigger and better jobs. You will know which way your boss is likely to act.
Here are a few tips which will help:

• Your boss should be the first to know. S/he will want to be in charge for succession planning. S/he will not appreciate hearing it from another junior member of staff or from a more senior manager.
• Ask for an appointment so that you can inform your boss in private. Be generous with praise for the job and the experience gained.
• Have good reasons for leaving
• Do this task as soon as you can so there are no embarrassing leaks.
• You don’t have to say where you’re going if you don’t want to.
• Say that all your work will be properly organised for your successor and that, if there is to be a handover period to someone else you will ensure a smooth transition.
• It may be daunting, but you will soon be gone and it's what you want do. So do it!

Make Sure That You’re Sure

This is your last chance to change your mind. Once the resignation letter is in the post and you have told your boss, there is no going back. Be sure that the new job is the right one for you and that you really want to leave.

A New Life Abroad

Going abroad to live and work need not be as daunting or difficult as you might think. Careful planning and sound advice from the experts can ease the way and make dreams a reality.

Perhaps the time has come in your life that you need new challenges and a fresh environment to put some spark back into your working life – and a bit more sunshine would not come amiss either! You’ve made a decision to move, but how do you make it happen? Its not simple, but, with a bit of courage and a lot of clever planning, you could open up opportunities that you’ve only dreamed of.

You won’t be alone out there. According to the Office of National Statistics, over the last fifty years 14 million of us have moved overseas. The British Centre for Future Studies predicts that by 2020 about 10% of our population will be living outside the country.

We British lead the world in foreign home ownership and are among the most travelled people on the planet. A survey by Manpower conducted a survey in 2004 which indicted that an amazing 82% of us would consider working abroad.

Global banks offer specialist advice to assist clients with the problems and concerns that routinely affect expatriates and those who are living and working abroad. It isn’t surprising that people find the prospect of moving from one country to another difficult to take on board. However, checks and balances can be built into the process to cover all eventualities.

Here is a checklist which prompts would-be expatriates to consider a number of questions:

• Do you have a contract of employment overseas?
• Will the company help you relocate and provide or assist you with finding accommodation?
• Where will you live? (Will you buy or rent? Do you know what the market is for renting a property in the country you are moving to?)
• Do you understand the UK tax rules that apply to expatriate working?
• Are you taking your family with you? Your partner may not be granted a work permit. What will he or she do?
• What about your children’s education? What are the schools like?
• What currency will you be paid in? What currency do you pay your bills in?
• Have you thought about health cover? Is that part of your new employment contract?
• Have you set long-term goals for your time away?

If you’ve seriously considered moving abroad, you will probably have a list something like this. Compare your list with this to see if there is anything new to think about.
Thousands of British workers have found that, once you have worked through the difficulties of the transition, the rewards can be enormous. You are joining a long line of predecessors with the pioneering spirit and a desire to see the world

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Starting a new job

How do you ensure you start your new job with a bang that's remembered for the right reasons? Think of a blind date. First impressions definitely last! In a new job, your first day and initial weeks in your new position can have a strong bearing on how you'll be perceived for the duration of your spell with your new employer.

Making the Right Impression

Some of you reading this will have been in jobs where you couldn’t seem to fit in or gel with other colleagues. There is no magic trick to solve this, but there are some ideas that you should take on board to get you started. At Thomas Munroe, we hear frightening examples of horrible first days, some of which might be less horrible if these tips are followed.

• Don’t sit back and take it easy. Go out of your way to impress others with your enthusiasm, commitment to learn and your organisation.
• You need not cow-tow. Get stuck in without waiting for spoon-feeding and you’ll be accepted more readily.

• Be punctual
• Be keen
• Show your employer what you can do
• Don’t struggle – ask!
• Be appropriately dressed and groomed
• Get organised (keep lists) 

Don't:

• Be too quiet or too pushy
• Sit about waiting for the next task – show some initiative.
• Ask when it's time to go home
• Use the company phone for personal calls without checking what is permissible.
• Get too close to colleagues too soon. Office politics is a minefield and you don’t yet know who the protagonists are.
• Try to book time off or holidays on your first day.

Don’t Be Alone

One of your line manager’s responsibilities is to coach you so that you can be more effective in your job, This means mentoring, making expectations clear and correcting errors. You can help your manager by properly structured questions (without moaning) and make it a reciprocal process.

We All Make Mistakes

The advice on this sheet will help you to avoid the trials and pitfalls of the first days. However, you could still inadvertently rub someone up the wrong way by saying or doing the wrong thing at the wrong time

Although we know that first impressions are important, few mistakes are fatal as long as you don’t keep repeating them. If you think you’ve handled something badly, say so to your line manager and ask for advice.

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