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CADBURY'S: this story shows how Cadbury's makes a chocolate bar and explains the systems that underpin the process (26 min). Systems in a Factory: looks at the key systems used by Glaxo Smith Kline and Time RPS (26 min). The New Mini: explores the production process of BMW's Mini (29 min). How a Factory Works: describes how Leisure Consumer Products makes its cookers (30 min). Designing for the Market: what's involved when making a new kind of wheelchair for disabled children (29 min). Empowering the People: can Japanese - style working practice succeed in Britain? (25 min) Computers in Manufacturing: computers don't necessarily mean cutting people out of manufacturing (31 min). all priced at £125 +VAT & delivery
Whose Business?: explores business activity, stakeholders, conflict in business and corporate social responsibility (25 min). Organisations Compared: a light hearted exploration of the basic types of organisations within private and public sector (25 min). How a Business Works: explains basic business functions such as Marketing, Production, Personnel and Accounts (25 min). The Cafe Bar: how a new business is set up (30 min). Business Structures: examples from Daimler Chrysler, Easy Jet, Eli Lily and Stena Line - Tall v Flat / Chains of Command / Team Working / Human Costs (26 min). How to Do a Business Plan: two business owners explain how they put their business plans together (30 min). Into the Fire: shows how the survival of a business relies on strictly monitoring cash flow (27 min). What is a Business?: a clear explanation of the features common to all businesses (22 min). all priced at £125 +VAT & delivery
Systems in Local Government: looks at Administration, Performance Monitoring, Web Site Management, Social Care and Road Maintenance systems within Cornwall County Council (27 min). Systems in a Cinema: compares two examples of how cinemas use information technology (27 min). Systems in Banking: explains every stage of processing a cheque and the systems involved with BACS, EFTPOS, home banking and Smart Cards (30 min). Systems in a Theatre: examine systems for Ticketing, Marketing, Finance and Lighting (24 min). Systems in a Theme Park: takes you behind the scenes at Drayton Manor Park to explain the systems behind the fun (23 min). Systems for Leisure: features the UK's largest leisure complex, Guildford Spectrum and examines the financial, marketing and building management systems used (26 min). Systems in Retailing: this film demonstrates how IT systems underpin the operation of Marks & Spencers (25 min). Systems in a Hotel: shows how IT system aid the running of a large hotel (27 min). Systems in Travel: charts the radical changes that IT & the internet has brought to the travel business (25 min). Systems in a Factory: looks at the key systems used by Glaxo Smith Kline and Time RPS (26 min). Marketing on the Web: looks at WH Smith Online and how they market their wares (28 min). Computers in Accounting: a lively explanation of accounting systems used in Clinton Cards and the Arcadia Group (29 min). IT Decisions: three companies have to make difficult decisions about their IT systems (28 min). IT at Work: demonstrates the application of databases, e-mail, image processing and voice recognition in business (28 min). Going Live: a new information system in a bakery runs into disaster, deadlines missed and staff rebel (28 min). The Great IT Horror Story: tells how Craven Books are driven near to bankruptcy due to an over-ambitious IT project (31 min). all priced at £125 +VAT & delivery
The Presentation: shows how three novice presenters address a critical audience (32 min). Letter Writing for Business : shows the classic mistakes people make when writing letters for business (34 min). all priced at £125 +VAT & delivery
Customer Care & Consumer Rights A Guide to Consumer Right : three lively scenarios illustrates customers' rights and explains the law (27 min). Customer Care on Trial : a secret camera explores what happens to a variety of customers in the real world (25 min). Coaching in Customer Care : three scenarios showing how not to provide customer care (37 min). Keeping the Customer Satisfied : secret filming of a travel firm captures where staff go wrong (32 min). all priced at £125 +VAT & delivery
Working at SAINBURY'S : looks at four staff working in different rolls:- personnel, Baker, Chilled Foods and Trouble-shooter (28 min). A Decent Factory : a fly-on-the-wall documentary uncovers the hard realities of working conditions in a Chinese factory (33 min). In the Office : people think building sites are the most dangerous places to work, but the modern office presents new hazards (34 min). Bullying: A Case to Answer? : bullying at work is a hard thing to prove. This dramatised case study explores the problem (25 min). Management Styles 2 : autocratic, democratic and laissez faire, lively case studies show what happens in the real world (25 min). What is Motivation? : looks at how Ford's have tried to manage workers from their production line (27 min). Motivation Decisions : four motivational staff problems challenge the viewer to work out what's going wrong (25 min). Managing Personnel : jenny is the personnel manager in a large Sainsbury's store, this story explains her roll and the systems she relies on (26 min). Personnel Decisions : explores three cases of people problems: unfair dismissal, harassment and failing performance (34 min). Recruitment in Action : this is a blow-by-blow account of recruiting a new member of staff (27 min). The Team Working Experiment : this is a dramatic illustration of both the benefits and the dangers of team-working (29 min). Working in Organisations : people in a range of organisations describe their jobs in the private and public sector (39 min). all priced at £125 +VAT & delivery
The Marketing Mix at Cadbury's : tells how Cadbury launched a new chocolate bar called Fuse (35 min).
The Marketing Mix at Haagen Dazs : explores how initially its sexy adverts caused a sensation, but more recent ads fail (32 min).
The Marketing Mix at Tesco : the UK's biggest supermarket, what are the secrets of its marketing mix? (30 min). The Marketing Mix Explained : illustrates the concepts and importance of product, price, place and promotion (25 min). Niche Marketing in the Sportswear Business : shows how two small companies compete against global giants like Nike and Reebok (35 min). Marketing a Service : service companies have no tangible product - so they have to clearly identify their service. features the AA and Co-op Bank (33 min). Marketing a Theme Park : tells how Alton Towers launched Oblivion (35 min). Marketing a Hotel : a declining hotel finds new hope when it is restored to its former glory (25 min). Marketing Holidays : explores how travel agents are under pressure from call centres and the internet (25 min). Marketing Leisure 2 : commercially the Guildford Leisure centre is making a profit, but have they got it right? (26 min). The Language of Advertising : features many classic examples of TV ads and demonstrates changing techniques and styles (30 min). What's going on in Market Research? : explains Qualitative, Quantitative, Primary and Secondary research used by Melody Maker, Universal Records and Cancer research UK (25 min). What is Marketing? : much of advertising isn't about new products, it's about established names - Disney, McDonalds, M&S ... what goes on behind the brand? (32 min). What is Marketing Research? : explores how compiling data, questionnaires, telephone surveys and focus groups are used by companies to help them make decisions (27 min). The TV Advert : follows the process of making a Lucozade advert from initial brief to final production (32 min). all priced at £125 +VAT & delivery
Finance for Starting a Business : case studies from real life businesses illustrate the practical problems of raising finance (23 min). The Established Business : illustrates how businesses gain finance through Sales, Overdrafts and Working Capital (25 min). Are We Making a Profit : a clear guide to the financial ideas business people need to grasp (23 min). The Balance Sheet Explained : a guided tour of the key terms used in the balance sheet - fixed/current assets, current/long term liabilities, creditors & debtors, solvency and working capital (23 min). Where Does All the Money Go? : examines costs, orders, invoices, pricing and break even in a travel company (23 min). Managing the Money : looks at how a small business monitors profit, loss, cash flow and net profit (32 min). Financial Decisions : viewers are invited to consider how three companies should act when presented with a Cash Flow Crisis, Surplus Money and a Takeover Bid (29 min). Computers in Accounting : a lively explanation of accounting systems and the basic elements of sales, purchase and nominal ledgers. Includes an explanation of double-entry book-keeping (29 min). all priced at £125 +VAT & delivery
Business & External Factors : illustrates how Politics, Economics, Society and Technology effect businesses (24 min). Business in the Economy 2 : explores the impact of primary, secondary and tertiary industries on the local economy (30 min). Can Regeneration Work? : a study of the Cardiff Bay regeneration project (30 min). Can you be sure of SHELL? : examines the global impact of Shell and how efforts to reinvent itself with investment in renewable forms of energy is perceived (30 min). all priced at £125 +VAT & delivery
The Holiday Resort : shows how a traditional resort is adapting to times of economic change (32 min). Inside a Leisure Business : looks at how technology is changing the running of a large multiplex (37 min). Inside a Travel Business : staff debate the way forward for a traditional tour company (28 min). Too Much Tourism : examines how the Lake District is in danger of being destroyed by tourism (45 min). The Struggle for Sustainable Tourism : the story of a new ecotourism project in Ecuador (26 min). The Impact of Tourism : a hard-hitting look at how tourism can be a double-edged sword.
1. The Caribbean (31 min). 2. Germany (26 min). 3. Spain (30 min). 4. West Africa (32 min). 5. The Amazon (25 min). 6. Thailand (25 min). all priced at £125 +VAT & delivery
The Local Council : this film goes inside Cornwall County Council to find out what local government does (27 min).
McLIBEL : McDonald's took legal action against Helen Steel and Dave Morris for criticising the company and its products, which turns into the biggest public relations disaster in corporate history
Sustainable Development : a compelling visual account of the dangers threatening the planet and what we can do to avoid disaster (30 min). Who Cares About The Weather? A lively introduction to the subject of weather and climate. The aim of this film is to inform students, but also to stimulate their interest(28 min).Why is the weather important? How does it affect our lives? The answer: a lot more than we think. The film is divided into five sections: 1. What's the difference between weather and climate? 2. What are the factors affecting climate? 3. What are the factors affecting the weather? 4. Rain 5. Depressions and Anti-cyclones
THE INTERVIEW DOCTORRecent research carried out by the employers organisation, the CBI, suggested the main reasons why many young people and school leavers fall down in job interviews are simple.The survey found a high level of dissatisfaction amongst employers with young people’s basic "employability skills". Nearly two-thirds of employers believed, for example, that school leavers’ "self management ability" – things like their punctuality and their ability to organise and present themselves properly – wasn’t up to standard. Nearly half felt that school leavers generally came to interviews with unsatisfactory knowledge of the career they were trying to get into, indicating a lack of basic research and preparation. And over 40% believed that most school leavers tended to exhibit a poor, negative attitude to work. The whole survey painted a picture of teenagers turning up shabbily dressed, communicating in grunts and not having a clue about the job they were applying for.Sir Digby Jones, the head of the CBI summed it up like this: "Too many leave school without the understanding that being well turned-out, prepared to work hard, being positive and prepared to keep learning, are not for other people – they are the ‘here and now’ for teenage Britain".This programme focuses on these basic "employability skills" – timekeeping, presentation, preparation, communication, attitude – through the eyes of a recruitment specialist. This "Interview Doctor" diagnoses many of these common problems in two typical school leavers – Vicky Flowers and Kevin Miller – and prescribes remedies which set them on the road to recovery.Both Vicky and Kevin have left school with reasonable exam grades, but not really good enough to continue further in education. Both have applied for jobs as administration assistants in a local engineering company. And both have got through the application stage and have been invited to attend interviews with the company’s Administration Manager.In part 1, the Interview Doctor watches clips from Vicky’s and Kevin’s interviews and comments on the basic "employability skills" she observes. Then, in part 2, she gives each of them a comprehensive critique of their performance. Finally, in part 3, we turn the clock back and give Vicky and Kevin the chance to do their interviews all over again. This time, however, they are equipped with all the knowledge which the Interview Doctor has imparted in parts 1 and 2, and the transformation in both of them is remarkable.Duration 33 minutes VHS £39 + VAT & delivery INCLUDES TRAINING NOTES BOOKLET ALSO AVAILABLE ON DVD FOR £44 + VAT & delivery
A first level video sharply contrasting the efforts of four low achieving teenagers being interviewed for two different first rung jobs. Alan and Cal want to be a Waiter, Bronwen and Debbie a Post Person within a large company. They can't sell their experience - they have none - so can they sell their potential? Mixing the good the bad and the downright indifferent, Interview Basics presents the interviews in separate sections based on the question area to expect. The video illustrates:
Good interviews - for both the employer and candidate - are those which progress quickly beyond the basics to areas more fruitful to both. Those doors of opportunity can only be opened if the candidate understands - and can satisfy - the basic demands of an interview. With six separate parts containing four scenes each, Interview Basics gives the trainer the flexibility to reinforce those demands by stopping wherever appropriate to discuss points made, canvass opinion and seek better answers before proceeding. More than an introduction to the fundamental questions likely to be faced - Interview basics highlights the minimum performance level needed to cope adequately with a first interview. BASIC INTERVIEW SKILLS FOR YOUNG AND EXPERIENCED CANDIDATES DRAMATISED INTERVIEWS WHERE CANDIDATES NEED TO SELL THEIR POTENTIAL. ILLUSTRATES THE PERFORMANCE LEVEL NEEDED TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS. Duration 21 minutes VHS £35 + VAT & delivery INCLUDES TRAINING NOTES BOOKLET,
This brand new title is targeted at the less articulate, often disaffected young person who lacks even the most basic job search skills. It aims to communicate those fundamental skills - without which success in applying for a job is virtually impossible - in an entertaining, engaging style, by using the format of a typical TV gameshow: "Game for a Job". Humour, fun, drama and action combine to gain the viewers attention from the outset and keep it right through to the end. Or idiomatic gameshow host, Mike Diamond ( assisted by the ubiquitous "Carol") leads us through a contest featuring three separate games: The Letter Game - our four contestants are invited to spot the mistakes which riddle the sort of scruffy, badly-written application letter which always end up in the employer's waste bin. The Telephone Game - our contestants phone an employer in response to a job advert they have seen in the local newspaper, committing some of the "howlers" people so often make. The Interview Game - Mock interviews in which our contestants score points for making a good "first impression" on an employer and avoid the pitfalls to which many candidates so often fall victim. As usual, this video comes with a comprehensive Training Notes booklet, summarizing a host of training points in each of these three vital areas of the job search process. When it is difficult to focus students' attention on what they see as the rather tedious business of job searching, "Game for a Job" could be just the resource you need! VHS £38 + VAT and delivery INCLUDES TRAINING NOTES BOOKLET, FEATURING THE APPLICATION LETTER AND JOB ADVERT WHICH APPEAR IN THE VIDEO
FIRST IMPRESSIONS LAST There is a lot of evidence that many recruiters make decisions in the very first few minutes of interviews, based more on intangible "gut feel" first impressions of people rather than specific answers to questions. Creating the right first impression - and maintaining it throughout the interview - is what this video is designed to achieve. It enables you to make sure you don't destroy your chances in interviews even before you start answering questions and, as such, it fits into the Jumpcut range immediately before our "Interview Basics" programme (which deals with how to answer those basic questions which are invariably asked). Some of the areas this video covers are:
The video contains 100 separate, easy to grasp training points. These are all expanded upon in the accompanying "Training Notes" booklet, which also contains a highly useful checklist which viewers can use. The video uses its two main characters, Mark and Jamie, as "vehicles" to get across this wealth of information. Mark and Jamie are candidates for the same job as an Accounts Assistant with an engineering company - but they are very different characters! Using both drama and humour, we follow their experiences through all stages of preparing for and undertaking their interviews. And as the programme clearly demonstrates you don't get a second chance to make a first impression - this video will help you make the most of it. Duration 21 minutes VHS £38 + VAT and delivery INCLUDES TRAINING NOTES BOOKLET, FEATURING THE APPLICATION LETTER AND JOB ADVERT WHICH APPEAR IN THE VIDEO
THE UPWARD SPIRAL This video is aimed at people who, for any number of possible reasons, have been seeking new employment for an extended period.
Rather than being packed with detailed training information, the programme’s main purpose is to inspire its audience. It features nine real people (rather than actors) who’ve been in this very situation themselves, and have successfully come through it (or are well on the way to doing so). The objective is that after watching the video the viewer will say: "well, if they can do it … then so can I". The video concentrates on the changing experiences, emotions and feelings of our nine jobseekers. In the first part of the programme we hear about downward spiral that many unemployed people experience, going through lack of confidence and self esteem, financial difficulty, loneliness, apathy, family and domestic problems, depression and even substance abuse. All of these things make jobsearching even harder, and all our participants had clearly reached a low ebb in their lives. Now, though, each of our participants has – via one route or another – been able to take advantage of the training and support programmes that are now widely available for long-term unemployed people in the UK. And in the second part of the video we see how they start to turn it around and begin the spiral back upwards. Structure and purpose return to their lives, confidence improves, valuable jobsearching skills are acquired, and our jobseekers gradually come to realise that there is light at the end of that long, dark tunnel back to employment, after all. Duration 25 minutesVHS £39 + VAT and delivery INCLUDES TRAINING NOTES BOOKLET
ASSERTIVENESS WORKS In any given "awkward" situation at work, there are three distinct ways in which we can choose to behave: aggressively, like a selfish bully, pursuing our own needs, rights, feelings and opinions with no respect for those of others. The aim of aggression is to win at all costs, and for someone else to lose (I win, you lose). Such behaviour is characterised by hostile, arrogant intrusiveness, and it causes ill feeling, poor working relationships and unsatisfactory overall performance. passively (alternatively referred to as submissively), like a doormat, where we allow our own needs, rights, feelings and opinions to be trampled upon by others, resulting in a "you win, I lose" situation. The aim of passive behaviour is to avoid conflict at all times, and it is characterised by inaction and indecision, compliance and self-sacrifice – suffering in silence and turning the other cheek. In the short term it may result in reduced anxiety (‘anything for a quiet life’); in the longer term, however, the loss of self-esteem and the feeling of inferiority it creates can lead to serious resentment, stress and depression. or assertively, which is the middle ground between aggressive and passive/submissive behaviour. Assertiveness is about being able to express your own feelings, needs, rights and opinions in a direct, honest, tactful and appropriate way, whilst at the same time maintaining respect for the feelings, needs, rights and opinions of others. Assertiveness is a way of communicating and behaving with others where the aim is not to "win"; but to solve the problem and to get the best result for everyone – "I win, you win". Assertive people have a positive, open style, adopting a meeting-as-equals approach to work relations, in which both parties end up with their needs met to the highest degree possible. An assertive person influences, listens and negotiates effectively so that others choose to co-operate willingly. As such, assertiveness is an invaluable skill in the modern working environment. Understanding the impact of your behaviour on others makes it far easier for you to do your job, to get others to perform effectively, and to enhance your relationships within your organisation. Using the drama of six realistic workplace situations involving the employees of a typical company, the aims of this video are to: help the viewer to recognise these three types of behaviour show the viewer the benefits of behaving assertively, rather than aggressively or passively show the viewer a variety of assertiveness strategies, involving the appropriate use of actions, language, vocal style and body language. In short, the message of this programme is quite simple: whilst aggressiveness and passivity have major shortcomings as modes of behaviour in the workplace, ASSERTIVENESS WORKS. Duration 27 minutes VHS £95 + VAT and delivery INCLUDES TRAINING NOTES BOOKLET
INTERVIEWERS FROM HELL No one pretends that a job interview isn’t a stressful, nerve-wracking experience. But nine times out of ten, at least the interviewer will be friendly, experienced, well organised and able to put you at your ease, so you can perform at your best. But unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. What happens if you come across an interviewer who’s totally untrained and disorganised? Or who tries to bully you and make the whole thing as unpleasant for you as possible? Or when they’ve even forgotten you were coming in in the first place? You still want the job … so how do you cope with those situations? How can you turn them to your advantage? This video shows you how you can turn interview hell … into ‘got the job’ heaven. Produced in the style of the popular " … from Hell" TV programmes, the video features six different situations which viewers might come across: The Untrained Interviewer – who has never had to interview anyone before, is very nervous about it and has no idea what questions he should be asking. The Rambling Interviewer – who just talks non-stop and, when she does get around to asking the interviewee some questions, only pauses long enough for him to give one word answers. The Forgetful Interviewer – who has completely forgotten about the interview and has gone out for the afternoon, so that a colleague has to come and meet the interviewee instead. The Disinterested Interviewer – who has already carried out twelve interviews in two days, is completely fed up and just expects the candidate to speak for five minutes rather than engaging in a two-way dialogue. The Aggressive Interviewer – who does his best to intimidate the interviewee by asking her blatantly personal, discriminatory questions. In each case, the video first shows us how an "Interviewer from Hell" like this can spell disaster for the interviewee’s chances. Then, though, we see how to cope with the situation; how the interviewee can take control, and turn the situation around, to his or her own advantage. VHS £38 + VAT and delivery INCLUDES TRAINING NOTES BOOKLET
THE EXTRA MILE The Extra Mile is a complete series of three videos, in which we follow a man in his mid-thirties, Chris Walton, through the entire job application process. Chris is a high quality candidate, having been made redundant from a well-paid, highly skilled job some three months earlier. But, since he has never been unemployed before in his life, his skills when it comes to finding a new job are at a much lower level. He has applied for lots of jobs in the last three months, with no success, and he is starting to despair: he just can’t see where he’s going wrong. Then Chris bumps into an old friend in his local pub. They chat about his situation, and his eyes start to open. He realises that in his overconfidence that he’ll walk into another job easily, he’s just not been marketing his qualifications, skills and experience nearly effectively enough. It dawns on him that he needs to work much harder, and much smarter, to get himself working again. In other words, he needs to go "the extra mile". In "The Extra Mile 1", which covers the job application, Chris learns that it’s not enough to just fire off a bland, standard letter and CV each time you see a job advertised that interests you. You need to tailor each application to the specific needs of the vacancy concerned. You need to ask questions, speak to people, search out and gather information about the company you're applying to, the nature of its business, what the job involves and the skills required. You need to prepare, really think about it, so you can make your application stand out from the crowd and maximise your chances of getting that all-important interview (without which, of course, you can’t possibly get the job"."The Extra Mile 2" covers preparation for the interview. Whilst it’s the application that puts you in the game, it’s the interview that decides whether you win or lose. Consequently, you need to organise your preparation in a logical, systematic way. Chris learns how to organise his key strengths into the three distinct areas in which the interviewer is likely to be most interested: his competence (his ability to do the job), his commitment (his attitude to work, his ambition, and so on), and compatibility (whether he is likely to fit in with the interviewer’s existing team and with the company’s "culture" as a whole). We see Chris devise and work through a clear, focussed action plan designed to maximise the effectiveness of his preparation in the days leading up to the interview.In "The Extra Mile 3", which concentrates on the interview itself, we see all the effort Chris has put in during parts 1 and 2 come to fruition. He has already put himself in a strong position through the quality of his application and now, by effectively getting across all the strengths and attributes he has worked on, under those crucial headings of competence, commitment and compatibility, he finally achieves success.VHS £39 + VAT and delivery for each part (three parts). INCLUDES TRAINING NOTES BOOKLET
DIAL 'C' FOR COMMUNICATION The telephone is a vital part of any job search campaign: whether it's for responding to advertisements, researching jobs and employers, speaking to recruitment agencies and other contacts or - perhaps most importantly - phoning companies "on spec" or "cold calling". Since we're so familiar with using the phone in our everyday lives these days, we tend to take it for granted. We tend to forget how important it is to create a good impression on the phone, just as much as with letters, CVs and in interviews. It demands the right planning and techniques, and it's all about effective communication - it's just the delivery mechanism - the vehicle - that's different. This video is designed to equip viewers with those techniques. It covers:
The first character we meet in the video is an employer, Jean Howard. As a Human Resources Manager, she receives lots of calls from people who are looking for jobs; her experience is that the quality of those calls is very variable. We then meet two people who both happen to "cold call" Jean having heard via their networking activity that the company might be recruiting - John and Sarah. We observe how both of them - in their different ways - manage to persuade Jean that they "stand out from the crowd" and are worth inviting in for the interview. As usual, the video is accompanied by a comprehensive "Training Notes" booklet. When you're on the telephone all you've got is your voice and the words you use. (In some ways this makes it even harder than interviews, when people can see you as well as hear you.) This video will help you make the most of them. Duration 19 MINUTES VHS £39 + VAT and delivery INCLUDES TRAINING NOTES BOOKLET
THE 70% SOLUTION Shown a video of their interview, Carl and Katherine comment where and when they like. The 70% Solution integrates those comments into the actual interview providing immediate reinforcement of key training points and constant insights into the tactics, peaks and pitfalls of an interview. We learn why questions were asked and the replies expected, the opportunities taken and missed and why Katherine handled some questions and failed with others. The 70% Solution covers the key areas of good applications and the question areas common to job interviews at this level. THE JOB AND THE APPLICATION A detailed look at the job ad and Katherine's impressive "mirror image" application which "leapt onto the interview pile". Carl says "she's 100% right on paper", but some doubts linger: there's a gap in dates and has she exaggerated her duties as a petrol pump attendant?
THE INTERVIEW a) Starting Out. Katherine starts well but, confused by how much detail Carl wants, fails to take advantage of three open questions. b) Previous Experience. Disaster: Katherine is unable to justify some of the facts on her CV. Seemingly "on the ropes", help comes from an unexpected source: Carl helps her discover a key skill not mentioned in her application. c) The Gap. When the gap in dates is probed, she opts for honesty and begins to recover lost ground. d) Skills. What skills has she acquired to bring to this job? How about strengths? Will she admit to weaknesses? Can she provide convincing evidence to showing she's competent and enthusiastic about DIY? e) Customers. How will they react to Katherine - and she to them? Her letter mentioned various aspects of customer care, information that Carl must check. f) And finally... has she good reasons for leaving her present job and wanting this one? Why would she do it better than someone else? Katherine, a nervous, often unprepared and at times unlikely candidate grows in confidence as the interview progresses. Clearly not "100% right" - but is she close to being "The 70% Solution" and in with a chance? The 70% Solution is an unusually effective way of illustrating the do's and don'ts of interviews and the importance of acquiring basic but essential interview skills. Duration 25 minutes VHS £35 +VAT and delivery INCLUDES TRAINING NOTES BOOKLET
THE WRITE APPROACH This programme features the same three jobseekers as our "Effective CV’s" title . In "Effective CV’s", they all consult a fictitious employment adviser, Helen Phillips, who helps them produce impactful, highly professional CV’s. In "The Write Approach", we deal with the other half of the story: writing the covering letter which accompanies your CV. As one of our jobseekers says: "it makes no sense to go to all the trouble of producing a really professional CV, and then wrecking it with a rushed, amateurish-looking letter – they both go together, as a complete application package". As Helen advises our three jobseekers, the importance of the covering letter cannot be overestimated. It’s often the very first thing a potential employer sees when you apply for a job. Its aim is to draw the employer’s attention to the key parts of your CV which are most relevant to the job in question and, as a result, to get your CV read (rather than filed – in the wastebin). Whilst your CV sets out your skills and experience, your letter allows you to show how those skills and experience fit the needs of the particular job you’re applying for. As such, your letter is crucial to making your CV work for you. The covering letter is also the place where you can get across information that doesn’t really fit into the CV, such as why you want the job, the fact that you understand the nature of it, and why (based on your research and preparation), working for that particular company appeals to you. In this way, your letter can be used to really set you apart and make you stand out from the other applicants. It enables you to pull together all the threads of your application into a strong, coherent case – emphasising the key elements that make you the best candidate for the job. Like with the CV, the presentation of your letter is almost as important as its content. If the presentation is wrong, it just gives the employer an excuse to reject your application immediately, without even getting as far as reading your CV. Your CV is a business document, so it needs to look like one; exactly the same applies to the letter that accompanies it, and this video shows you how to get the presentation of your covering letter looking just as professional and impactful as its contents. At the start of the programme, another of our jobseekers, Kevin Nelson, says "I suppose, in the past, I’ve not really bothered to take much care with the letter. I guess I’ve thought: ‘nobody really reads the letter – the CV’s the most important thing, the letter’s just something you have to send with it’. By the end, Kevin realises just how wrong he has been! Duration 25 minutes VHS £35 +VAT and delivery INCLUDES TRAINING NOTES BOOKLET
EFFECTIVE CV's Loosely translated, "Curriculum Vitae" means "your life story". And that’s the trap that many people fall into – filling their CV’s with masses of irrelevant, long-winded waffle. Employers often receive hundreds of CV’s, and their motivation is to whittle that down to a manageable number in a very short space of time. Their desire, therefore, is to find reasons to reject as many applications as they possibly can. That’s why an effective CV is so vital. Covering presentation, structure and content, this video shows you how to produce a CV which, within probably no more than the first 20 or 30 seconds, will persuade an employer that your application is one that should stay out of the bin and go straight onto the pile marked "for interview". As the video demonstrates, your CV is a crucial "selling document". It’s designed to enable employers to immediately zero in on the fact that you have the specific skills, qualifications, achievements and experience they are looking for. It’s aim is purely to get you the interview – to get you through the door. Via three case histories, we show jobseekers in all age categories how to maximise the impact of their CV’s. Its presentation needs to be smart, professional and businesslike. With regards to content, every piece of information must count; what you include depends on its purpose, and this video shows you how to create three different types of CV:
In each case study we first see the jobseeker’s existing CV, which hasn’t so far proved successful. Each CV is reproduced in the Training Notes booklet with the intention that it is enlarged to A4 size and photocopied. At the appropriate ‘Stop the Tape’ point in each case study you are asked to hand out copies to the members of your group, and conduct a discussion regarding the good points and bad points of the CV in question. Each of our three jobseekers then consults an employment adviser, Helen Phillips. Helen provides a critique of each CV and advice as to how it can be improved, in terms of its presentation, content and structure. Duration 28 minutes VHS £39 PLUS VAT INCLUDES TRAINING NOTES BOOKLET
INTERVIEW CONTRASTS What links an unemployed teenager, a former receptionist and a redundant engineering worker? Their speculative applications have won them interviews for the same job. In a dramatised account of three candidates and a race that goes to the wire, Shiela Jackson tries to recruit a receptionist for her small business. The video highlights:
In four self-standing sections we see how Nina (19), Cathy (35), and Alec (47), successful candidates on paper, try to prove they'd be a good investment for Sheila's small business. 1) "DAVE IS LEAVING" ( 2 MINS ) Reception is hard work so Sheila seeks a "worker": someone who understands the job, has the ability to do it enthusiastically and can fir in with her existing team. In short, the basic essentials every employer seeks. 2) THE CANDIDATES ( 6 1/2 MINS ) From her file of speculative applications, Sheila selects three to interview. (The applications are included so they can be photocopied and discussed.) We meet the candidates: How do they rate their chances? Have they prepared? Two are confident, the other is just glad to have got an interview. 3) THE INTERVIEWS ( 12 1/2 MINS ) The video breaks down the interviews into question areas. Candidate responses are shown consecutively - making the contrasts sharper and enabling the viewer to compare performances. a) First Impressions - dress, the greeting, eye contact. b) Understanding/Experience - do they know what's involved? The least experienced candidate seems to have the best understanding of the job. c) Relevant skills - could they operate the phone system and deal with pushy sales reps? There's no doubting Cathy's skills, Alec provides good evidence too. But Nina seems to think a good rapport with the interviewer means it's a good interview. d) Attitude - what's needed to work in a small business? Is Sheila looking for an answer about flexibility and making a bigger effort to get on with everyone - or "more of a chance to chat and a better chance of advancement"? e) Job Attractions - convenience factors attract Cathy, Nina lists what she'd get out of it. Only Alec uses the question to state the skills he'd bring. INTERVIEW CONTRASTS cont’ 4) THE ASSESSMENT ( 6 MINS ) Illustrated with short replays from the interviews, Sheila explains why "a but" surrounds the pre-race favourite, how another candidate "didn't know the realities and just hadn't thought about it." And why "the long shot... neither articulate nor sparkling" got the basics right... and got the job. Interview Contrasts demonstrates that many candidates are not beaten by someone better - they are beaten by themselves. The video will help all age groups face the challenge of an interview - from older candidates seeking to transfer their skills to other occupations, to teenagers needing basic interview skills. Duration 27 minutes £35 + VAT &delivery TRAINING NOTES BOOKLET PROVIDED WHICH INCLUDES THE CANDIDATE LETTERS AND CVs FEATURED IN THE VIDEO. AS SELECTED BY THE EMPLOYMENT SERVICE FOR THE JOB SEARCH PLUS PROGRAMME
Video Management DVDs
Video Management titles on VHS (all priced £80.00 +VAT & delivery)
This training film series comprises short (15min), practical training films
providing managers, supervisors and staff with techniques, advice and ideas on
some of the key areas of their job. Titles in The TakeAway Training Film Series are all Priced at £75.00 ea (+VAT & delivery): 10 Essential Interviewing Skills 7 Steps to Improving Communication 360° Feedback Balancing Work and Private Life Career Planning Coaching Common Facilitation Mistakes Conflict within Teams Coping with Change Counselling Poor Performers Cross Cultural Communication Skills Dealing with Abusive and Threatening Phone Calls Dealing with Difficult People Delegating and Prioritising Designing and Delivering a Training Session Developing Assertiveness Skills Developing a Training Plan Difficult Presentations Made Easy Eliminating Workplace Bullying Emotional Intelligence Essential Counselling Skills Evaluate Anything! Facilitation Skills Giving Personal Feedback Going for a Job Interview Handling Complaints Influencing Senior Managers Innovation in the Workplace Leadership Learning to Learn Listening Making Teams Work Brilliantly Managing Performance Managing Virtual Teams Mentoring The New Supervisor Personal Goal Setting Positive Thinking Preparing for your Appraisal Problem Solving and Initiative Project Management Success Factors Public Speaking with Confidence Selection Techniques Self Empowerment Situational Coaching Stress Management Supervisory Styles Time Management Understanding Body Language Understanding Group Dynamics
The Manager As ... Film Series all Priced at £75.00 ea (+VAT & delivery):The Manager As Film Series is a series of eight titles featuring discussions between psychologist Peter Quarry and Gower authors. The series provides managers and team leaders with a context for their role; skills and techniques they can adopt and apply; and an understanding of how to develop their role, within their day-to-day activities as a manager. The price and format of the series makes them ideal for: • development through learning resource centres • pre-course preparation or post-course consolidation • introducing the subject prior to further self development. Titles in this series are:
Investors in People Film Series (all Priced at
£99.00 ea) The price and format of the series makes them ideal for: • development through learning resource centres • pre-course preparation or post-course consolidation • introducing the subject prior to further self-development. The five titles in the series are:
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To
order, simply call us on
01884 821870,or fax orders to
01884 829168. 
