You’re interviewing candidates for a new job. Three interview well but you finally settle on the person you think is most suited for the job: James. But looking a little closer - why do you think that person is best for the job? Is it a coincidence that you and James have the same educational background, or that you both support the same sports team? What about the fact that James was the only male candidate and the rest of the office is predominantly men – were you unconsciously seeing his gender as part of the reason he ‘suited’ the...

This is a guest blog written by Sandy Cullen, a career and communications coach   If, for whatever reason, you’re looking for a new role, or are simply keen to change direction, then you should start to think of it as a marketing exercise. But here you are the product; the (potential) employer is the customer.If, for whatever reason, you’re looking for a new role, or are simply keen to change direction, then you should start to think of it as a marketing exercise. But here you are the product; the (potential) employer is the customer. You need to sell...

It’s one of the biggest taboos of the workplace, but approximately 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem each year and often, it’s related to their work. In fact, studies show that work is now the most stressful factor in people’s lives and employers must take action to help tackle the issue if they want to make sure their employees are happy and productive. As many as 300,000 employees with a mental health problem will leave their job every year. For employers, this means missing out on talented individuals who have already proved themselves worthy of the...

It is commonly known that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into force on the 25 th of May 2018, applies to customer and employee personal data.  However, companies may not have considered that the GDPR also has significant implications for the processing of personal data in relation to job applicants.  The nature of the personal data processed regarding job candidates is likely to be different to employees already in position.  For instance, potential employers may wish to process data in relation to references, background/criminal record checks, and the right of an individual to work in the UK. ...

“So, what do you do?” (i.e. “What’s your job?”) A common question, but rarely, if ever, will anyone ask you about your ‘career’, and far less how you’re actually managing it. In fact the majority of people rarely think in terms of career; they tend to think instead about their ‘job’. So why, when our career is probably one of the most important aspects of our lives, do we spend so little time attending to it? If you ask people if they are happy with their job, very few would actually say yes. Some might say ‘content’, but most would...