Tag: career advice

Maintaining your energy during a long job search – the role of grit

With millions of job-seekers in the UK and tough economic conditions, it would be easily to get disheartened if your job search is taking longer than you’d like. There are more unemployed people than vacancies in the UK, according to the latest UK Labour Market Statistics. 

Constant rejections, being unsuccessful despite getting an interview and, worse, firing applications into an apparent black hole where you hear nothing at all, can all take their toll when you’re looking for a job.  

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Growth mindset myths – how growth mindset can be misinterpreted to hold you back

Many people are familiar with the work of Professor Carole Dweck and her concept of “growth mindset”. (Check out her Ted Talk, The power of believing that you can improve for a 10-minute summary.) 

The idea is that people who believe their talents can be developed through hard work, good strategies and input from others have a growth mindset. Research shows people with this mindset tend to achieve more than people who believe talent is innate and fixed.  

There are a range of misunderstandings and myths around growth mindset which can be misinterpreted, resulting in you holding yourself back.  

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Career gaps – why you shouldn’t be embarrassed and how to explain yours

After the turbulence of the past couple of years, more people than ever now have gaps on their CVs, so this article covers my view about why you shouldn’t be embarrassed about a career gap, and how to explain yours when applying for a new role. Continue reading “Career gaps – why you shouldn’t be embarrassed and how to explain yours”

How to stay connected during parental leave

We’re continuing this series of blogs about taking parental leave with this insight into how to stay connected while you’re off.

I personally found this quite challenging when I took my second maternity leave so I was delighted to be able to get the inside track from Charlotte Speak, founder of Power of the Parent.

Charlotte works to help parents reconnect with their unique strengths, building their confidence and self-worth. She also works with organisations who want to make a positive difference to people by supporting their teams as their families grow. As a parent herself who had a corporate career in recruitment and coaching, she is passionate about the skills and abilities parents bring to the workplace. Continue reading “How to stay connected during parental leave”

Preparing to take parental leave – what you need to know

Plenty of people take career breaks to grow, care for, or support their family, but the whole process is fraught with concerns, assumptions and preconceptions.

I talked to Charlotte Speak, founder of Power of the Parent, to discuss some tips and advice about taking parental leave and career breaks for any kind of parenting, including adoption, maternity leave, shared parental, and paternity leave.

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Having the courage to apply for a more senior role

What’s holding you back from applying for that promotion? Is it just about the courage to take the next step, to be out of your comfort zone in some areas of the role, or is there something else at play?

There’s an often-repeated statistic that women only apply for jobs if they meet 100% of the criteria, whereas men will apply if they meet only 60%. Research in 2014 investigating this claim could find no evidence for it, but it’s true that my female clients want to meet far more of the criteria before applying for a job – especially a promotion – than my male clients do.

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How to ace starting a new job while working remotely

Starting a new job is a bit weird when you can’t meet your colleagues as we’re all still working from home due to lockdown. And as the default setting might be working from home for some months to come, many more people will start new jobs having not met their team.

So how can you make sure you’re off to a flying start, despite the disadvantage of not being able to meet people in person? I spoke to two clients who faced just this situation to ask for their tips, plus an employer who has also had new team members start their jobs during lockdown. Here’s what they shared. Continue reading “How to ace starting a new job while working remotely”

Video interviews – my top tips for coping with the new job interview

We know the workforce won’t be rushing back to offices any time soon if it’s possible to work from home, but what impact will this have if you’re job hunting? The most obvious effect will be on the interview process, which is more than likely going to include a video interview. Continue reading “Video interviews – my top tips for coping with the new job interview”

Staying resilient in uncertain times – how to look after your career and yourself

For many of us it feels like the world has tilted on its axis this last few weeks. The routines and norms we previously took for granted have been thrown away and replaced by a blended world of home/work that all happens in the same place.

For others there might be no work at all, with little prospect of securing anything suitable soon. Many of us are worried about our own health, or the health of loved ones and neighbours. It’s a scary time, described by many as our generation’s war. Continue reading “Staying resilient in uncertain times – how to look after your career and yourself”

Four signs you need the help of a career coach

If you’re wondering why on earth you would need someone else to help you make a change at work, here are four signs you need the support of a career coach.

Independent career coaches can provide a safe space for you to explore your work options even if you haven’t decided that you definitely want to make a change. We can help you feel more in control of your career and working life, and to make the right move (not just any move) if you do decide to look for a new job. Continue reading “Four signs you need the help of a career coach”

How work has changed since 2010

I’m not sure I can even remember some of the fine details of 2010, but it’s clear to me that work has definitely changed in the last decade. Here are a few of the major things that have shifted and had an impact on the world of work. Continue reading “How work has changed since 2010”

The benefits and drawbacks of working interim

With one in seven people in the UK workforce now working as a contractor rather than permanent employee, what are the pros and cons of working interim? Can you successfully have a career which includes both types of working, or if you’ve chosen to work in interim roles is there no way back to permanent ones?

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