ARTICLES

Strengths are the fuel that makes work feel energising rather than draining. When you take your strengths from good to great, and then from great to extraordinary, you not only stand out in your career, you also feel more confident, motivated and fulfilled.

What is the most common mistake made on CVs? That they are not achievement-focused. Recruiters and hiring managers want to know what results you have achieved for the business, the impact you have created, the outcomes you have contributed to and the value you have added by doing your job. A CV without evidence is like a car without wheels - it will not take you anywhere.

A vital element of anybody’s professional presence and job search is LinkedIn and if you are going to be on there, then you need to have an effective LinkedIn profile. Here are 11 tips to help you maximise your LinkedIn profile.

Other than your name and contact details, your profile is the most important part of your CV. If you can’t keep the recruiter/hiring manager’s attention in this brief section, you have lost them and they won’t read the rest of your CV, however fantastic it may be. But how do you make your profile so engaging that they will want to read the rest of your CV?

There’s a lot to think about when you start a new job, a hundred things, big and small, that you don’t know but need to learn very quickly. Some things you can plan for, some you can’t. But there is one sure-fire way to make yourself unpopular and set you back on your path to success and it happens more times than it should - coming on too strong and trying too hard.

Stop stumbling over "Tell me about yourself." Craft a concise pitch highlighting your role, key strengths, and the value you deliver, setting the stage for a powerful conversation about your impact and value.

Most of us dread writing or updating our CV. It can feel awkward, overwhelming, or like a tedious admin task. But the truth is, a little discomfort now can lead to a lot of growth later and no regrets about potential missed opportunities. Here are four reasons why updating your CV can actually be a positive, productive experience. No pain, no gain - here's how to make it hurt less.

Your CV needs to stand out for the right reasons. Follow these 4 tips to create your 5 star CV. CVs are not a documentary history of your career, they are a marketing tool to sell what you have to offer - skills, knowledge, capability and experience. And they need to demonstrate to the reader a compelling case for hiring you.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are software designed to help employers and recruiters find the most relevant applicants for a position based on keyword matching. They scan and store CVs, sort applications, build shortlists and move suitable applicants through to the next step of recruitment – a real person. You may not be able to beat ATS, but there are ways that you can make your CV succeed within the ATS framework. Think of it as learning how to become noticeable to ATS.

Can you talk about why your brand is so strong or great? Do you even have a personal brand? And why is it so important? Find out more...

Your CV is about you, but not for you. It needs to be a clear, concise showcase of what you have to offer with relevant information and evidence that you can meet the roles requirements AND bring the skills, knowledge, attitude and experience to deliver success. A clear, concise, accessible CV makes it very easy for the reader to scan and puts you in the ‘must know more’ pile of candidates, don’t make them hunt for the info they need or they’ll move on! And science shows two

Are you overlooking or downplaying the skills, strengths, knowledge and experience that make you good at your job? Do you take for granted that people know what you are good at? If you’re struggling to understand what you’re good at or find it hard to articulate your strengths, then a session of Career Therapy will help you.

Confidence isn’t fixed — it’s flexible and shaped by context, experience, and mindset. If it can be lost, it can be rebuilt. Confidence grows through action, self-awareness, and reframing fear. It’s not who you are, it’s how you choose to show up. And it’s always reclaimable.

Our confidence understandably grows when we perceive we have control over what is happening. Conversely, that confidence shrinks when we feel like things are happening beyond our control and, even worse, get ‘out of control’. We feel more confident when we are in control because we know what we are doing and what is expected. We know we have the knowledge/skills/resources required by the situation.

Connect with and articulate your passion in a way that is authentic to you so you can be happy and productive in your career.

Do you warm up before you run? Stretch as you start a yoga session? Ever thought of doing that before an interview? If not, why not? It could give you the edge. Even with the most diligent preparations for content, about 80% of the time, clients hit their stride after 20-30 minutes, which is too late on the day to make a good impression. Warm up and be ready to GO with my top tips and practical actions.

Personal branding is essential for career growth, but many struggle to express their value and keep their CV and LinkedIn profiles current. But doing so is key to career success.

Make networking easier by knowing how to ask great questions and make someone feel interested in what you have to say.

Why is it so hard to write your own CV? It's because everything you write down has an emotional connection to you and you will procrastinate and struggle to get perspective because you can't separate the self-judgment from the evidence. How nice would it feel not to be staring at that blinking cursor and your CV from years ago, wondering where to start?