F. Scott Fitzgerald once said: “There are no second acts in American lives”. It’s the idea that people who’ve done great things don’t go on to do more.

We all know that an important way to accelerate your job search is to be introduced to people who are senior and may be hiring managers. However, we also know that whilst promises are made in the moment, follow through and actually making the connection happens all too infrequently. So, what can you do to encourage your network contacts to actually deliver on what they say they’ll do in the moment?

Behavioural interview questions are bound to come up in almost any job interview. To deal with them effectively, they need to be answered slightly differently to 'competency questions. As part of our Foundation Coaching programme, we spend a good chunk of time looking at interviews, different question types, and how to best answer them. Clarifying what a behavioural interview question is - and how to effectively answer them - is the subject of this week’s blog.

Last night, I had a conversation with someone, trying to understand his job search efforts so far. Over the course of our chat, several job search ‘buzzwords’ were thrown around: networking, prospecting, marketing, to name a few. All three are absolutely central to an effective job search. That said, it’s important they’re used - and acted upon - with precision if you want your job search to be effective.

There’s no question that being able to demonstrate that you’re competent and have the skills and experience to do the job that they’re recruiting for is critical to success. There is, however, another factor that will often make all the difference: likeability.

When giving an example to the interviewer, you want to illustrate that you’re a great candidate, perhaps the best candidate for the role. You won’t achieve this if you’re off point, boring or simply lose the interviewer in an over-complicated and verbose answer. 

So, in this short read. we’ll look at how to prepare first class examples that you can use to showcase your abilities in the very best way.

If there are common career mistakes that others have learnt the hard way, let’s learn from their experiences and avoid making the same ones. This is Part 2 of a two-part series on career mistakes that many learn the hard way.

Over my 22-year career in Financial Services Executive Search and now, having been a Career Coach since the Global Financial Crisis, I’ve noticed some common career mistakes that even the most accomplished professionals make.

Forewarned is forearmed, so here’s Part 1 of a list of mistakes that many learn the hard way and can be avoided.

There may be a different feeling at work. Some people’s behaviour towards you has shifted. You’re no longer invited to certain meetings. In all, you have a gut feeling something isn’t right. Worst case scenario, you become worried that you may be about to be let go. If you find yourself in this position, what should you do? In this week’s blog, we discuss what you should always be doing as your default and what to do as you begin to read the runes.

Effective network is all about authentic reciprocity. Should the time come where you need to lean on your network - for example, if you’re looking for a new role - you’re far more likely to be met with success if you’ve been genuinely serving your network before the need arose.

There’s no doubt that conducting a job search can be a time-consuming and arduous endeavour. This is especially true if you’re out of work and have the additional pressure of cash flow concerns. So, what can you do to minimise stress and potential burnout during your job search?

The normal model for a job search is that you go online and apply for jobs, or hope that a recruiter will send you forward for openings that they’re working on. Perhaps you do some ‘networking’ by calling people you know and you may even meet a few for coffee. Our belief at Career Mentor is that in an effective job search, you need to be more proactive and in control of the process.

When you think about all of the things that go into presenting yourself in the optimum way during an interview, your posture and body language should definitely be on that list. In this blog, I’ll run through three levels to consider when it comes to body language and job interviews.

During a job search, you’re going to be reaching out to people in your professional network. Those people may be warm, lukewarm or cold contacts. There are a variety of reasons for wanting to send a message - primarily, it’s a step to ask for help to find and secure a job that aligns with your broader career goals. You’ll likely be doing this via text, email, Bloomberg or - increasingly - LinkedIn message.

When you’re assessing a particular firm to join, there’s an important factor to consider and that’s how they’ve set up their incentives. This is an area that’s often overlooked, but might well be a red flag. This is a key area I cover with my clients once they’ve secured a job offer. It’s an area worth considering carefully and asking thoughtful questions about during the interview process.

Starting a new role at a new firm and getting the nasty shock that things aren’t quite what you signed up for is, thankfully, not a common occurrence. However, it does happen, so it’s certainly worth knowing about because it’ll determine the actions you take and the question you ask as you’re accepting an offer and joining a new firm.

If you’re having a job interview with one interviewer, there are two agendas for you to contend with. If there’s more than one person - well, let’s not even go there (just yet). In this brief read, let’s look at what those two agendas are so that you can lift your level of interview skills and thus achieve better job search results.

Do a search on Google or YouTube about how to write a CV, and you’ll see any amount of advice, some of which is conflicting. Finding the best solution to your CV-related problems is not always straightforward, especially if you’re under time-pressure to send it to a recruiter or hiring manager. In this short read, we’ll go through 7 mistakes that should be avoided to ensure your CV is ready to go at the drop of a hat.

Is it possible that occasionally you lift your head up from the path, look towards the horizon, and wonder if you’re still going in the right direction? Becoming a bit lost in your career and not being sure where you ‘re heading is something that happens to many Financial Services professionals. In this short read, we’ll discuss this issue and give you some practical ideas for gaining greater clarity.

The issue of what to do if your 'top cover’ at work changes has come up twice in quick succession with my coaching clients. Your ‘top cover’ is typically the person in the firm who recruited you, protects you, and lobbies on your behalf - they’re the one who always has your back. If that person changes or moves on, it’s important to take a step back and consider if you too need to make a change.