Practise makes polished

Under what circumstances do you practise or rehearse something you’ve got to ‘deliver’ at work? Perhaps part of your job involves pitching to win business and you prep for that or maybe there are times that you want to make a key point in a meeting, so you run through what you’re going to say and make sure it hits the right note? I’ve been reflecting on why something I... Read More

Power of voluntary work on CV attractiveness

A CV that is polished, to the point and relevant to the job you are applying for is likely to get picked out by a busy recruiter and research by academics Christa Wilkin and Catherine Connelly suggests voluntary work is beneficial, so long as it’s relevant. This is likely to be very good news for women and men who’ve taken a career break to raise children and have spent... Read More

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should

I’m of the opinion that discipline isn’t just for dogs, children and overweight people. Capable women like you need disciple too. A few fast-talking clients lately have presented with overload; taking on career-related activities, domestic drudge and social gluing they frankly haven’t got time for.  To them I say, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.... Read More

Bananarama Psychology for Job Satisfaction

They were wearing sloppy jumpers, bearing midriffs and shaking their maracas telling us ‘it ain’t what you do, it’s the way that do it’ and by golly they were right. I’ve been delving a little deeper into the psychology of strength use at work this month and in this post I’m helping you tap into your under-used strengths in the workplace as a route to greater flourishing.... Read More

Rewriting Career Rules

What have you done differently recently? And who or what was the inspiration? I’m spoilt by the number of people around me who I can choose to be inspired by and this month a coaching colleague of mine, Vanessa Anstee, did just that when I watched her 30 day ‘soul purpose’ film challenge. So for July’s Flourishing Female musing instead of written ramblings... Read More

Women and The Vision Thing

The old proverb about there being more than one way to skin a cat came into sharp focus recently as I observed my three year old daughter’s response to a hungry, bad-tempered troll lurking under a climbing frame at the park. The troll was me. I yelled that I wasn’t going to let her cross my bridge and if she did, I’d eat her up if one big gollop. Clever little Artemis decided... Read More

Expose Yourself

I was going to call this month’s Flourishing Female mailing “Put Yourself About” and then decided such slutty overtones would never do here. So Expose Yourself it is, although actually I’m writing on a rain-whipped day and the last thing I feel like doing is exposing anything to anyone. But of course you know I’m not here for bare bottom cheek, it’s your mind, your... Read More

Working Mothers Show They’re Still Players

I’ve been casting my mind back to all the people I was in touch with during the writing of Mothers Work! Samantha was/is an HR manager, one of the first contributors to my book and a woman intent on developing her career. One of Samantha’s first comments to me described how she felt she was being sidelined at work since adding parenting to her skill set. This being the time... Read More

5000 mentors or free childcare?

UK Home Secretary Teresa May has to be applauded for continuing to bang her drum for women despite her (male) colleagues’ attempts to do away with policies that would help women get back into employment and do more whilst they’re there. (That’s Steve Hilton I’m thinking about). Among the stats Ms May revealed in her speech on 4/11/11 on women and the economy... Read More

Persevering Job Seekers

This month as well as becoming very familiar with the inner workings of a high street bank and  J22-28 of the M25 (all in the name of client delight) I started to get to know a remarkable young woman called Victoria who has been searching for a job for 18 months. We met on BBC radio where we dissected the struggle for work many young people are enduring at the moment and the requisite... Read More