In most cases, career breaks are the preserve of middle-aged professionals keen to take a respite from the rat race they have been on non-stop for at least a couple of decades and enjoy 12 months of golf or globe-trotting. For most people, walking away from a stable job, particularly in the current economic climate, is...

While many of us love our job and enjoy time at the workplace it's likely that, only the keenest jobsworths would check their work emails or voice messages while sunning themselves on a beach on their summer holidays, and many women may be tempted to cut off all communication with their place of work for the total dura...

Not so long ago, the majority of office workers were tied down to a strict regime, compelled to punch in and punch out of their places of work and be visible to their bosses at all times. Fortunately, however, technology and travel industry improvements mean that being close to a place of work is no longer a top prior...

When it comes to succeeding, determination and a strong sense of faith in one's own abilities can often be just as effective as a finely-polished CV. However, the line between confidence and arrogance can easily be blurred and it is a much safer option to err on the side of caution and pull the reigns in a bit. A firm...

Although many of us are lucky enough to have a stable long term job, some are not so fortunate. Whether they have only temporary contracts or in the worst case have been made redundant many people have found themselves without a job. While some see this as a problem others can look past the difficulties and see an oppo...

Thanks to a combination of increased government intervention, growing levels of sympathy among employers and the rise of technology enabling employees to work remotely, a significant proportion of women are now able to successfully juggle a career and a young family. However, when it comes to benefiting from flexible ...

Many of us have found ourselves sitting in an office reception with three or four other people waiting for the nod to go in for an important job interview. However, how many us of have sat there and realised that although all the people in the room are probably similarly qualified as you are but that one of them has go...

Like it or not, when it comes to taking on new staff, employers are all too often looking for someone who fits the part just as much as they are looking for someone with the relevant skills and qualifications. Normal professionals and job-seekers are under pressure to look good, particularly now that the growing popul...

The employability of a candidate does not rest entirely on their degree, according to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). While the REC does not necessarily advocate by-passing formal education, it is urging secondary school pupils to broaden their skills set beyond their undergraduate qualifications. ...

Many of us have found it hard to make ends meet during the recession but most of us have retained our jobs. For those who have been unlucky enough to have been made redundant getting back into employment can be the hardest job of all. The employment market is tough and trading will remain difficult even after the reces...

Firms should be exploring the growing talent pool available to them during the recession, one expert has advised. According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), now is a good time for firms to reassess who they are hiring and make the most of the increasing number of people looking for work....

Unemployment as a whole has seen a turn for the worst in recent months; however unemployment among young people has been especially acute, as firms cut jobs to reduce costs in the downturn. Fear of unemployment: Worries surrounding unemployment stem from statistics, which show that the jobless rate increased to a sho...

As we women spend most of our lives shopping we are used to long queues, but the dole queue is one line we don’t want to be frittering our time away in. Unemployment is a huge worry in the UK, as a direct result of the recession, with the number of people claiming the dole at around 1.16 million – including...

It was watching again ‘The Spy who came in from the Cold’ that set me thinking.  In the old film, starring Richard Burton, Burton’s character Alec Leamas goes under cover playing a washed up ex-spy on the skids. As part of his cover story, Leamas lands a job in a local London library.  Set ...

Gap years are a popular choice for those either about to start university or those coming to the end of their tenure there. They give the young people the chance to adventure and see the world before they get tied into education or work, and it now seems that in a competitive job market, employers are looking for those...

In the current economic climate employers are looking for something different from their potential employees. Two things that certainly stand out on a CV are a gap year and travel. The job market is awash with degree students and employers are looking for that something extra that makes someone stand out from the crow...

Agencies are sometimes a good way to make the job hunting process a painless one. As many large companies and institutions recruit through agencies signing up to a job or recruitment agency is a good idea. Choosing an agency can be a tricky decision – some will work with specific industries and may therefore h...

Temporary work usually involves either being contracted or working freelance. There are certain advantages to working as a freelancer or a contractor – usually they allow you to move around and see the world while sometimes offering flexible hours. If you are considering becoming a contracted worker or a freelanc...

When hunting down your perfect job it can sometimes seem that job adverts are designed to make it as hard as possible. Sometimes they seem to be written in their own language – one in which you have yet to be initiated! Some of the jargon used in job adverts is designed to save time and space and has an agreed me...

Many of us have thought about volunteering, but very few of us actually get out there to do it. Because, while it is a fine idea to do something good and helpful for others or society on a wider level, we often find the idea less appealing once we’ve finished a hard day’s work! Why Volunteer Voluntee...