Hunting down great career ideas...

Sometimes it can feel like new opportunities and promotions are always going to the ‘known’ candidate, or someone from their wider team – and that you’re never going to get the job you’re looking for. So how can you get a job when the recruiter already has somebody in mind for the role?

Sometimes in your career you’ll get a great opportunity to take up a role that’s bigger than you think you could be ready for. Perhaps it has a bigger budget than you’re used to, involves managing more people, or requires delivering a project at a level beyond your experience.

Now the temperature is warming up, the summer wardrobe will start appearing in the office. How do you stay cool, and look in command? In general, the rule of thumb is that the more flesh you show at work, the more authority you lose!

If I asked you how much you knew about your colleagues, the people in your team and the people in your network, as individuals – rather than just in the context of work – what would your answer be? Have you taken the time to really get to know the people you share your professional life with?

Many people believe that career success is about being in the right place at the right time and knowing the right people. Through our research into careers, we would disagree.The old adage “it’s not what you know it’s who you know” doesn’t hold water. Instead “It’s not what you know – it’s who knows you and what they know you for”.