Quarterly Career Check Up – Your Mini MOT

Check in with a quarterly career check up 

I always encourage my clients to get in the habit of carrying out a quarterly career check up – or a ‘career MOT’ as I like to call it. Getting in the habit of regularly stopping to monitor your current career position with a mini appraisal can really pay off, whether you’re happy where you are or looking for a new role.  

Here’s a quick look at what a career check up is and why a little effort can go a long way. 

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Stuck in a job you no longer love?

Being stuck in a job you’re not all that keen is never ideal – but if it also happens to pay a great salary and offer some generous benefits, you can end up feeling really trapped. If you’re torn between passion and pay, job satisfaction over salary, and you’re wondering what to do, here are a few things to consider to help you make a decision on which way to turn.  

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How a career coach can help you take control after redundancy

How a career coach can help you take control after redundancy 

With the current economic situation, many people are finding themselves at risk of redundancy – or with the option to choose it if that suits them. In the three months to December 2024, there were around 114,000 redundancies made in the United Kingdom, with more expected in 2025. It can be a strange time, but a career coach can help you take control of your next step. 

The professional perspective of a career coach can really help you work through the change that has been imposed on you or that you’ve chosen, provide time and space to talk through your thoughts and feelings, help you explore options as well as come to terms with, accept and heal from the change. 

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Four signs you need the help of a career coach

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 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. 

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Applying for a new job? Does the potential employer share your values?

It’s easy to underestimate just how important personal values are when it comes to choosing your next employer. It’s even easier to focus on just getting that next job instead of taking the time to reflect on whether it’s the right next step for you and whether you’ll be a good fit, particularly if you’re unhappy where you are or if you’re out of work. The pay packet can become the sole focus. Continue reading “Applying for a new job? Does the potential employer share your values?”

What’s an agile career path? And how can you get one?

Long ago, in days of yore, a young dreamer would find a trade, train with an experienced practitioner and see out their days plying that trade near and yon.

Nowadays, the average UK worker changes job every five years and the idea of a “job for life” is pretty much dead. And since we no longer have our employers providing definitive career paths for us, we are far more responsible for our career success than ever before.

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How to land your dream job in 2025

Whether you’re a recent graduate, planning a career switch, or seeking that big promotion, knowing what’s happening in the UK job market can make all the difference to landing your dream job. Here’s how you can stand out and secure your ideal role in 2025. 

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Could a side hustle be your next career move

Feeling unfulfilled at work or wish you could start a business but not ready to take the leap – could a side hustle be your next career move? 

Starting a side hustle could be the first step to future business success, or at the very least, a happier you as your next career move. Whether you’re feeling unfulfilled and searching for an outlet to exercise your true passions outside of your day-job, looking for an additional income stream or seeking a more permanent escape from your current career, side hustles are an increasingly popular way to switch things up.   

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Why can it take so long to hear back after a job interview?

You’ve narrowed down your job search. You’ve spent time composing a knock-their-socks off covering letter, and CV which pays off when you’re offered an interview.  You prepare and research the company, practice your success stories, rehearse your killer questions, and have a perfectly pitched presentation ready. You carefully consider your outfit and make your way to the interview – either face to face or online.

The interview is finally over, it’s the final interview and you know you are down to the last few candidates. You think you’ve done quite well, you got a good vibe, you built good rapport with the interviewers and got positive feedback, so you’re feeling optimistic that an offer will soon come through.

Then… nothing. Continue reading “Why can it take so long to hear back after a job interview?”

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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Is your job search taking too long?

Once you’ve decided you want a new job it can feel like your enthusiasm for your current one has left the building and all you want to do is get started on a new role. With a job market currently stacked against the candidate, here’s how to stay resilient if your job search is taking too long.

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