Month: November 2019

When you are trying to work out whether something is worth doing, a little computer inside your brain clicks into action. What are the odds of a certain action leading to the desired outcome? What has worked so far? How do you need to refine your approach? You work out the probability and try to…

I believe that in certain stressful situations, our language reverts to a set of stock phrases that have carried us through life. If these patterns of our language tend towards pessimism and self-deprecation, it can cause issues. Particularly during a job search. During an interview, we know that we should choose our words carefully, but…

When I was a child, I was sledging down a steep hill on a crisp winter weekend. The snow was falling, and the flakes were getting in my eyes, so I didn’t see my dog standing right in my path until the last minute. I swerved, barely avoiding him, but careered into a huge bramble…

Forgive me, but I just have to get to the point of this blog in the first couple of lines: Everyone is good at something. Everyone deserves the chance to make a difference. Got it? Good. Maybe I can now explain how a cute Dragon in the UK retailer John Lewis Christmas ad encapsulates the…

When you are looking at making a change in life, you owe it to yourself to give it everything that you have got. Certain motivational speakers suggest that you “be the change.” I guess this means that when you focus your mind on the person you would like to become, the process of becoming that…

Dust is a microscopic collection of fine decayed matter that has lost its purpose. Aged particles of hair and skin, fibres from textiles and pollen from plants, microscopic pollutants and deposits from far-away lands. Dust is the stuff that is surplus to requirements, that collects mournfully in forgotten corners to reminisce. Dust was something useful…

No job search should be conducted alone. Yet, that is often the case. Somehow many job seekers feel that there is a such a stigma attached to looking for a new job that they would prefer to take on much of the heavy lifting themselves. They might mention to their partners and families, but they…

The pressure to speak during an interview can be overwhelming. When you are talking, you feel as if you are in control of the narrative, thereby reducing any potential uncertainty. You sense that 60 minutes is not enough time to do justice to your career story, so you try to maximise the (uni-directional) flow of…

My dad taught me Physics when I was at school. Although science wasn’t really my thing, I tried my best, and it was the lessons about energy that fascinated me most. “Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be changed from one form to another” Albert Einstein. The law of conservation of energy…

The weak sometimes win and the strong never learn. There is something incredibly powerful in adopting an attitude of humility at certain times in life. When you cannot know for sure that you are “the best,” it is arguably psychologically more beneficial to assume the mantle of the plucky challenger. In a job search, there…

When you are looking for a job, many of the events that happen around you have the potential to add to the pressure on your shoulders. Your wife might (well-meaningly) ask about your plans for the day whilst you are having breakfast together. You could be hoping to receive an interview request that you fear…

It is hard to think differently when you are surrounded by the same people and the same stuff. While a familiar environment might play a soothing role amidst the stresses and strains of life, when you reach a crossroads in life such as a new job search, this familiarity can stifle any thoughts of significant…

I assume that you are most likely long past the spotty teenager stage, but the fact remains that a huge percentage of “adults” are also easily seduced by the addiction of gaming. The thing is that gaming tends to get the endorphins flowing. I must admit that I play the odd game of Fortnite with…

My head is feeling a little fuzzy right now – to the point that I am typing on my keyboard and it feels like an out-of-body experience. It is starting to throb, and the couple of pills that I have just taken probably won’t kick in for another hour or so. Yet, here I am,…

At the age of 40, I consider myself to be eight years into my “career.” Eight years ago, I started earning money with my writing. I have been working since I was 22, but my first decade of employment was spent working out who I am and what is important to me. I believe that…

Being likeable during an interview is a good starting point. However, unless you can convince your interviewers that you are likeable in your daily interactions with your colleagues, doubts may linger. The stories that you choose to tell during your interview are critical for demonstrating all sorts of competencies, but you should not forget to…