Company Updates

If you were asked what your favourite aspect of contracting was, I'm guessing you would say it's the freedom. That is, the freedom to choose which contracts you get involved with, the freedom to work from wherever, and for whomever you want, and the freedom to manage your own time.

"Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally." - Jon Kabat-Zinn, Founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Mindfulness, which has its origins in Buddhist traditions, is usually practised in the form of meditation exercises.

In my role, I train ambitious new starters on a daily basis. Most of them walk into the training room bright eyed, smile on their face and eager know all there is to know. But at some point or another during their first few weeks, I will see their enthusiasm start to wane as they come to realise just how much they don't know.

Everyone with ambition needs a good career mentor. It's as simple as that. Your career mentor is that confidential advisor who can objectively help you to overcome your professional hurdles in order to meet your goals. And yet you still don't have one. Why not?

When was the last time you saw a boss demanding to review even the most basic of emails or memos before sending, barking orders or timing people's lunch breaks down to the last minute? This was an all-too-common scene when I first started out in my career.

As an employer, it should come as no surprise that as soon as a candidate has an interview scheduled with you, they will automatically do three things: 1. Visit your website 2. Scour the employee reviews on sites such as Glassdoor and 3. Ask their recruiter and contacts what you are like to work for.

You know when you've bought new shoes which looked great and fitted perfectly in the shop, only to find that they have pinched, rubbed, and slowly given you a nasty blister ever since? Well this is how you feel about your current job.

"Just be yourself" is advice that might have served you well on your first day of college, or when you went to that party where you didn't know anyone. But can you really be yourself in an interview situation?

Starting a new job can be one of the most exciting, but also one of the most stressful experiences in our professional lives. During those first few months, it can feel like all eyes are on you. You will work hard to prove your value and will be keen to make an impact from the get-go.

"So, how did it go?" This was probably one of the first questions your recruiter, friends and family asked you after your recent job interview. Hopefully your answer was that it went well, and if it was, their next question may well have been: "Would you take the role if you were offered it?"