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...

More and more of us are opting out of the traditional nine to five, five-days-a-week job and instead attempting to find more flexible working conditions. For some this means changing from full time work to part-time work. Most employees are open to the idea of flexible working even if they do not currently offer it as ...

We all sometimes find ourselves not enjoying work. Sometimes this is because we are having trouble at work with certain colleagues or we do not feel appreciated – maybe it is time to move on and try something new. It might of course, just be the time of year or something in your personal life which is getting you...

While waiting for any response from a job application is an exercise in anxiety this can be especially true during the holiday season. With the plethora of holidays and vacations being taken at this time the job application and review process can take much longer than it usually would. On top of absence of some of the ...

Sabbaticals are a chance to give yourself some space and perspective. Many use these “grown-up gap years,” to reconsider their work-life balance and to ask themselves some questions about the career path they have followed and the corporate ladder they are currently on. There is nothing worse than climbing ...

At the end of a job interview there is usually a chance to ask your employer some questions about the business. Many of us, when we are not prepared, simply go blank and quickly attempt to think of decent question to ask – this is no way the best way to come across professional! With careful planning and an un...

What to Do After A Job Interview Often after a job interview we find ourselves at a bit of a loss, we are unsure of what to do exactly – should we sit by the phone and wait Or should we be immediately sending out more job applications Simply sitting back and waiting for the job to land in your lap is a little ...

Career development includes any way in which you want to change your job situation or improve your working life. This could mean finding yourself a better position within the company or changing career altogether. Here are a few tips for moving your career on in one way or another: Be Visible for Promotion Whi...

Unfair dismissal is, to put it bluntly, when your employer terminates your contract without fair reason. Equally you can claim the reason was fair but the way the dismissal was conducted was unsatisfactory – you are protected by law against either of these situations. Top 5 Reasons for Dismissal There are f...

Leaving a job can be stressful, especially during the weeks when you’re still making up your mind – the sense of immediate betrayal can be a bit much. Once you’ve decided to escape one of the best ways to finally build up courage to hand in your notice is writing the resignation letter. It helps you s...

Many of us can find work depressing; especially in the winter months when it is dark outside and the evenings are becoming colder. Some depression can be directly linked to work however and should be dealt with as soon as possible – many do not because of a fear of derailing their career, and this is a big mistak...

One of the best ways for a company to get employees on side is to offer a series of benefits and bonuses related to performance – simply paying staff more money never seems to do the trick. Combining benefits and bonuses is a great way to keep employees happy, and if you are an employee you should try and take fu...

While most of us would like to claim that the reason we crawl out of bed in the morning is because of job satisfaction and the sheer joy of heading to work – this is not the case. It almost always boils down to the money – you need it and your boss is willing to give it to you for your skills. With our sal...

We all come to a point during our working lives when we see a dead-end looming ahead, most of us decide, at this point, to leave. This may be because you need a change, or circumstances within your workplace have made it impossible and unpleasant to work there, either way you need to know the right way to say goodbye w...