We live in a flexible world. One in which social media and improved technology has made keeping in touch faster and easier than ever before… and it’s not over yet! So has all of this progress (some will debate that the growth of technology equates to progress, but that’s another debate!) actually helped or hindered our everyday work / life balance? What about a flexi style of working? Is that option appealing to you?

As social media and technology has made working from home, or…

In February I was lucky enough to attend an event called Unconventional Strategies, one of a series of events organised by …

One of today’s hot topics is undoubtedly Social Networking within the enterprise and how to build employee engagement, share information and otherwise build a collaborative culture. But what about actually applying this new software paradigm to business applications such as HR Management Systems - what effect would this have?

Many software vendors are now looking at the impact of social technology - and are adding a layer ‘on top’ of their applications or simply adding a…

This post is one in a series where I am I’m going to take each of Sarah Bakewell’s twenty attempts at Montainge’s answer to the question ‘how to live’ and re-interpret them as an answer to the question ‘how to be a leader’. If that baffles you (and if you haven’t read the rest of the series, why wouldn’t it?), you can read…

A radical approach to enhancing graduate employability

With thousands of graduates in the labour market it should, in theory, be easier to recruit talent. The reality, however, is that this can actually make it harder to identify and recruit graduates of the calibre your organisation needs. Even many exceptional candidates are missed by traditional recruitment processes and most applicants are getting little or no feedback, leaving them doubting their own…

I read this article which briefly discusses culture in organisations.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/georgebradt/2012/02/08/corporate-culture-the-only-truly-sustainable-competitive-advantage/ 

Why Must your Business go "Social"

Because I have been using social tools both to "do" business and to grow and market my business I believe it is a critical way forward, and yet almost every day and in many meetings I meet people that still just "don't get it".



They think of "social media" as Facebook and Twitter - but social is more than that - its about collaborating with the right people, at the right time to solve a business challenge of deliver a business…

Over on my Wordpress blog, I've written a post on the recent "Jobs Summit" at the RSA. It might interest some people here...

http://wp.me/piAOo-gD

(from the careergro blog , 08/02/2012)

‘Bitzer,’ said Mr Gradgrind, broken down, and miserably submissive to him, ‘have you a heart?’

‘The circulation, sir,’ returned Bitzer, smiling at the…

People have been asking us a burning question. No, not "What's the meaning of life?" or anything remotely connected to this Saturday's lottery numbers, but a more personal one. 



One that's harder to define, because it's about feeling, memory, emotion and energy.…

Going live

The following is a guest post written by Group HR Director and seasoned blogger Alison Chisnell which was first published to Discuss HR in January 2012

So 2012 is well and here and…here’s a surprise…it really doesn’t feel any different to 2011. The economic and work environment continues to be extremely tough for many, if not most, and as HR professionals, now more than ever, we need to grit our teeth, show our resilience and work with the business to deliver value…

Great letter written by the PPS Managing Director in response to the Evening Standard article this week on 'Why a Brit can't get a Job at Pret?' - agree whole heartedly with his response http://blog.ppsworks.com/2012/02/01/dear-editor/

If you have glanced at the newspapers recently you will have no doubt become aware of the story of the HR Executive sacked by his employers, BG Group, for using his LinkedIn profile incorrectly.

Firstly, let’s clear up a few points.  He wasn’t sacked from his position, he left due to collapse of working relations with his superiors that stemmed from his…

Prepared for that upcoming job interview? Suit pressed, shoes shined, answers rehearsed? While I am a massive advocate of properly rehearsing the answers to potential interview questions (there really is no excuse these days not to have prepared in this way), I would urge you to take into account another point, one which can make a major difference. It’s a classic example of small things can make big differences…

A good friend of mine recently attended a gruelling…

It's taken for ever, but I have a company Facebook page at long last :-) Content will be added regularly:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Steve-Nicholls-Career-Coaching/289258337799790

I prefer to avoid learning too much about films before…

[Originally posted here]

Today is this blog's 1 year anniversary…

The concept of "intention and perception" and the related issue of "context" is one which has been brought to the forefront of debate recently by the Luis Suarez affair. For those who missed it, Suarez is a Uruguayan footballer playing for Liverpool, who was accused of racially abusing Patrice Evra, a French player for Manchester United. Suarez admitted describing Evra as a "negrito" but argued unsuccessfully that in Uruguay the term did not carry the racially charged overtones that it does…