Six ways to reduce workplace conflict

There are some certainties that come with being a human, aside from the whole death and taxes thing. Conflict is one of them.

We’re all guilty of arguing with our spouses, disagreeing with friends, and quarrelling with strangers on the street.

Workplace conflict is no different. Put a load of competitive, professional, driven people in a room, and disputes are inevitable.

That’s the first thing to know about conflict. It isn’t wrong or bad. It’s part of being human. But that doesn’t make it pleasant. When it isn’t handled effectively, it can result in strained com­mu­ni­ca­tion, loss of pro­duc­tiv­i­ty, and impaired team­work.

In a fundraising department, this is the last thing you need.

So, what can you do to keep the peace?

Here are six top tips.

1. Be clear about your expectations

Prevention is better than a cure, right? This goes for workplace conflict too.

As people join the organisation, make sure they’re aware of your operating policies and procedures, and what constitutes unacceptable behaviour. Make sure the policy is on the intranet, in the staff handbook, and pinned up around the office.

2. Implement regular 1:1 check-ins

Take the time to get to know your employees on a 1:1 basis. Identify their stress triggers, find out how they feel in their role, how they like to work, and whether they feel like they belong in the team.

This will help you spot potential issues and cultivate an environment where employees feel comfortable approaching you with issues.

3. Be aware of personality clashes

According to an OPP report, 49% of workplace conflict is attributed to personality clashes.

As a manager, it’s your responsibility to keep the peace. This doesn’t mean you need to force people to get on, but you need to foster a culture where employees recognise and respect each other’s differences in working style, communication style, and emotional triggers.

This is where personality testing comes in.

There are lots of psychometric tools, including the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), DiSC Profile, Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator (RHETI/enneagram test) and PATH Assessment.

Investing in personality testing will help your team better understand themselves and each other.

4. Train your staff in the art of good communication

Good communication involves more than talking loudly to get your point across. It also includes listening.

Using active listening techniques, like asking questions, restating, and using analogies to rephrase statements should stop things from getting heated.

5. Be impartial

If you have to mediate, remain impartial. Sure, you’ll have your opinions, but you won’t be able to manage the issues successfully if you’re seen to be taking sides. And mind your language. Avoid being judgemental and sarcastic, and be careful when using humour. You may be tempted to use it to defuse tension, but it could be misinterpreted and end up fuelling the flames of resentment.

If you’re struggling to remain neutral, ask another manager or a trained mediator to intervene.

6. Don’t bury your head in the sand

If you clock simmering tension, it may be tempting to ignore it and hope it goes away. But doing so can make things worse. If left unacknowledged, tension can build up, resulting in resentment, staff absence, or worse.

Conflict also has a knock-on effect on the wider team. It can lead to a dip in morale and productivity. So nip it in the bud sooner rather than later.

Are you looking to build a harmonious fundraising team? We can help. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 to find out how.

Five tips to make your LinkedIn profile irresistible to recruiters

With more than 57M+ companies and 15 million active job listings, LinkedIn is the largest professional network on the planet.

If you're serious about your career, a profile is a no-brainer.

But it’s not good enough to simply exist on LinkedIn. Your profile needs to attract attention, say the right things, and help you connect with people who can help you get what you want.

Here are five tips to make your LinkedIn shine.

1. Put a face to your name: LinkedIn research has found that profiles with photos are seven times more likely to turn up in searches. Yet a staggering number of LinkedIn profiles don’t include headshots.

   If yours is lacking, you’re missing out.

   It goes without saying if you you’re going to upload one, it needs to be appropriate. LinkedIn is not Instagram. So bikini shots on the beach are a definite no-no.

   Use a clear, recent headshot, on a plain, neutral background.

2. Show your value in the headline: Along with your image, your LinkedIn headline is one of the few things people can see before they click on your profile. So, make the most of it.

   Your headline doesn’t have to be your job title. Get creative with it. Put in whatever you think will attract attention from the people you want to connect with.

   If you do want to include your job title, include some industry-relevant keywords to highlight your niche experience. Rather than ‘charity fundraiser’, say ‘experienced major donor and grants fundraiser’.

3. Less is more: Recruiters will spend an average of 6 seconds looking at your LinkedIn profile. That’s a short amount of time to grab their attention. To ensure yours stands out, be concise. Use bullet points, keep your paragraphs short, and back up your achievements with numbers.

   Why? It’s one thing to say you’re good at your job. It’s another thing to be able to quantify it.

4. Include recommendations from colleagues: LinkedIn endorsements are powerful. Recruiters pay attention to them. So get into the habit of asking colleagues for them periodically throughout your career.

   The more endorsements you have, the higher you’ll rank in the search results.

   Wondering how to get endorsements? Read this handy guide.

5. Be active on LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a social media tool. As with any other social platform, you need to be active on it to get anything from it.

   Sure you’re busy and have more fun on Facebook, but if you’re on the market for a job, it’s vital to showcase your professionalism by posting regular updates, publishing articles, and engaging with forums and discussions that interest you.

   This will expand your network and provide insight into your capabilities and personality to potential employers.
   
   Want some help updating your LinkedIn profile? Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 to get the ball rolling.

How to make the most of hybrid working

In 2020, COVID-19 changed the way we work. The sudden switch to home working was abrupt and a lot of people struggled with the upheaval. Some people resented the isolation and lack of human contact, while others embraced the lack of commute and the money saved on it.

There are pros and cons to both, which is why an increasing number of companies are offering staff the option of ‘hybrid working’.

What is hybrid working?

In a nutshell, hybrid working is a mix of home and office working.

It’s a ‘best of both worlds’ approach that enables you to reap the benefits of both arrangements. And it’s gaining popularity in the UK, with 85% of employees telling the Office for National Statistics that they favour hybrid working.

If you’re one of the 85% and have accepted a role that incorporates hybrid working, how can you get the most out of it?

Here are a few tips to ensure you’re productive, wherever you are:

1. Plan your days

Do you do your best work when you’re alone? Or do you get distracted when there’s no one around to hold you to account? Does silence help you concentrate? Or do you like to bounce ideas off colleagues?

Knowing how you work best will help you plan your week, and work out what you need to do in the office versus what you do at home.

2. Keep a routine

If you get up at 8 am on the days you’re in the office, do the same when you’re working from home. You can turn your commute time into something a little more enjoyable. Maybe take some time for meditation or a cooked breakfast instead of inhaling a cereal bar as you run out the door.

Maintaining consistency will help you approach work with the same attitude, regardless of whether you’re in the office or sprawled on the couch.

3. Streamline your workspace

You’re setting up to work for the day, and the dreaded low-battery notification pops up on your screen. You go to plug your laptop in, but of course, you don’t have your charger… rookie mistake.

You don’t want to be unable to do the work you planned because you don’t have everything you need. Whether it’s having a charger in both locations or storing your to-do list in the cloud instead of your desk drawer, make sure both workstations are properly set up and you can access your work from both locations.

4. Stay connected

When you’re not seeing your colleagues every day, it’s easy to let work relationships fall by the wayside. But, not only are we more productive when we feel connected to people, we’re more passionate about our jobs.

Whether it’s a daily Zoom call or a team WhatsApp group, be sure to set time aside to check in with your colleagues.

Looking for a job in fundraising? Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 

Pitch Perfect: How to write a cover letter that'll get you hired

Cover letters, along with interviews and presentations, are the most dreaded part of the job search.

Why? For several reasons:

• It’s difficult to summarise a career on one A4 page. Using words sparingly is hard intellectual work.

• It’s hard to know what to put in a cover letter. As with so many of life's practical issues, from owning a pet to parenting, there’s no rule book. We aren't taught ‘good cover letter technique’. It’s a case of trial and error, which can be stressful.

• The cover letter is the first impression a potential employer will have of us. Our egos are on the line. There’s a lot riding on getting it right.

However, the cover letter is an integral part of the recruitment process. A well-crafted one will showcase your skills and personality and let the hiring manager know you’ve done your due diligence on the position and the company. So, it pays to put some thought into it.

Here are a few tips to help you nail it.

1. Customise your cover letter for each job

It may be faster and easier to take the cover letter you wrote for your last application, change the company name, and fire it off. But this won’t do you any favours.

Your cover letter needs to explain why you’re excited about that specific role at that specific charity. Your application will get binned if you don’t.

Also, avoid the urge to send out generic cover letters. “Dear Hiring Manager, I am excited to apply to the open position at your company” is a clear signal to recruiters that you’re on a resume-bombing mission.

Bonus tip: Don’t use generic salutations like “To Whom it May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam. They’re archaic and impersonal. And did we mention that cover letters need to be customised?

Make the effort to find out the name of the hiring manager. If it’s not on the job ad, call the charity and find out. Your efforts will be appreciated.

2. Don’t regurgitate what’s on your CV

A common pitfall job seekers fall into is using their cover letter to regurgitate what’s on their CV. The point of a cover letter is to expand on your CV to paint a fuller picture of your accomplishments.

If you’re struggling to expand on the points in your CV, ask yourself these questions:

• What approach did you take to tackle the task?

• What details would you include if you were telling someone a (very short!) story about how you accomplished it?

3. Think not about what the charity can do for you ...

Another common cover letter mistake? Talking about how great the position would be for you and your career.

Hiring managers know this. What they want to know is what you can offer them.

Try to identify the charity’s pain points — the problems they need their new hire to solve. Then emphasise the skills and experience you have that make you the right person to solve them.

4. Don’t focus too heavily on your education

If you’re a student looking for your first job, or you’re lacking in experience, it may be tempting to focus heavily on your educational background in your cover letter. But bear in mind, what hiring managers care about is your work experience (and yes, that can be volunteering or internship experience as well as paid work), so be sure to highlight anything you’ve done that relates to the role you’re applying for - paid, or unpaid.

5. Don’t apologise for gaps in your experience

We’ll let you in on a secret. Very few people meet every single job requirement on a job spec. It’s tempting to say things like, “despite my limited experience as a manager…” or “while I may not have direct experience in fundraising…”

Don’t apologise. Instead of drawing attention to your weaknesses, emphasise your strengths and transferable skills. i.e. “I’m excited to translate my experience in [what you’ve done in the past] to a position that’s more [what you’re hoping to do next].”

Need some help crafting the perfect cover letter? Give us a call on 0203 750 3111.

Five tips to make your CV stand out from the crowd

On average, a recruiter will spend just seven seconds looking at your CV before deciding whether you’re suitable for a job.

That’s a very short window of opportunity to make a good impression. So, your CV needs to shine.

Here are five simple ways to make your CV stand out from the crowd.

1. Adapt it for the job

Your CV isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ document. Sending a generic copy to every recruiter won’t cut the mustard.

Alter your CV for each role you apply for, using the job description, person specification, and any other information you can glean about the charity.

Sure, it’ll take time, but it’s better to send one carefully tailored CV, than hundreds that don’t represent your suitability for the job.

If you don’t, your CV may well be filed in the bin.

2. Keep it short & sweet

When it comes to your CV, less is more.

Cast a critical eye over the content. Is all the information relevant? Does an employer need to know you once babysat your aunt's puppy?

Your CV is a snapshot of your career – not an autobiography.

3. Make it easy on the eye

Your CV needs to be an effortless read. Keep it uncluttered with clear sections and titles, using bullet points to break up long paragraphs.

Bite-sized chunks are much easier to navigate than a wall of text.

4. Highlight your USP

Job hunting is a competitive business. For every application you submit, you’ll be up against lots of candidates with a similar skill set.

Your USP can set you apart. Maybe you’ve carried out some voluntary work in a fundraising department, or you keep a blog about fundraising.

Whatever unique experience you have, include it. It’ll help you to stand out from the crowd.

5. Back up your claims

Instead of listing your responsibilities for each role, highlight what you achieved.

For example, instead of saying ‘I helped raise funds for Charity X by writing funding applications’, say ‘I was solely responsible for writing 3 funding applications, which resulted in grants of £10,000 for charity X’.

Final Word

A CV is not a static document. It should evolve as you progress through your career. The more effort you put into it, the better equipped you’ll be to snag your dream fundraising job.

If you need some help honing your CV, give us a call on 020 3750 3111.