Recent stories emanating from Amazon about its internal work practices suggest a confused moral picture. How CEO, Jeff Bezos, goes about addressing the challenge will be a test of his ethical leadership. The UK’s Chartered Management Institute (CMI) argues we face “a crisis of ethics” arising from the ashes of the recession. Moral development is [...]
Shift happens. That’s what the neuroscientists are saying. The nature versus nurture debate seems a little simplistic these days. The more we know about the brain (that inimitable control centre forever envied by Apple and Google), the more the known unknowns. Learning raises more questions. Which is great for each of us because our learning [...]
Is your mind too full of stuff at the moment? Are you on auto-pilot engaging in mindless activity causing you stress with the potential for burnout? Many of us have become increasingly dependent on technology and are living with greater uncertainty in our lives. Busy, yes, but what kind of busyness and does it contribute [...]
You know that feeling when you hear a song played and you can’t get it out of your head? That happened to me this week with Sisters are doing it for themselves (Annie Lennox and Aretha Franklin - if you clicked on the link, you won’t be able to stop either). It resonated with something [...]
One of my daughters is now living at home with us after gaining her degree. She is facing that challenging post-university period when the summer partying is over, her friends are scattered up and down the country and the cold reality of ‘what’s next?’ takes centre stage. Sound familiar? If that’s you too, what practical [...]
This blog is a change from my usual stuff. I want to share some of my favourite online inspirations, those consistently inspiring reads from thoughtful people who put their heart, soul and creativity out there for us to kick around in our own minds. The joy of reading other bloggers is a mix of pleasure, [...]
Big Data is one of those terms you hear that gets a mixed reaction. Some people are working with it day in and day out (some name it, some don’t), whereas others fear and hate its application because of perceived misuse and association with intrusive surveillance and commerce. I believe the digital age is in [...]
The vast majority of employers in the UK run small businesses of less than 10 people. Yet, only a minority of them actively recruit graduates. Small business owners and young people tend to eye each other with suspicion, when they eye them at all. What can they offer each other? I went to a celebratory [...]
How do you show your character and sell your potential if you lack experience or the right grades? It’s a conundrum faced by many young people entering the workplace. With employers demanding that job candidates are a good fit for them to avoid costly recruitment mistakes, the age-old choice of today’s delivery versus tomorrow’s needs [...]
The stereotype One of the perceived criticisms by employers of my generation is we don’t understand the work ethic expected in today’s workplace. As a Generation Y student, let me say that no two students are the same. The truth is, I know students who have lazy days, sometimes I’m a lazy student and yes, I [...]
This provocative question was raised at a fringe meeting at one of the political party conferences in 2013 by a frustrated university Vice-Chancellor. Professor John Brooks of Manchester Metropolitan University was reported as saying: “I’m fed up with employers telling us our students are not employment-ready. I think increasingly there’s evidence that employers are not [...]
One of the conundrums of our national unemployment challenge is the lack of small and medium-sized businesses prepared to take on graduates, despite their availability in considerable numbers. The RISE graduate internship scheme, currently being piloted in Sheffield, is a shining light amid the economic gloom that has the potential to be a sustainable model [...]
Callum is 26 years old and runs his own pub in a village in Yorkshire. He only employs people who live in the village and members of his extended family, from grandad in the garden to mother-in-law on the books. Callum studied Health Nutrition at Leeds Trinity University and worked in bars and restaurants when [...]
Learning by doing is equally as important as learning by studying – graduates need practical skills said Lord Ken Baker at the ‘Skilling Britain for the 21st Century’ conference last week in London. A lot of hands were wrung about who was to blame for the massive shortage of skills in the UK (if the [...]
McKinsey published a report on education- to- employment last week that sounded a chill note to match the drop in temperature here in the UK. Unfortunately, its central messages were equally chilling for other countries globally. What clues does it provide for a way forward for 21st Century graduate employability? The report drew upon two [...]
With so many stakeholders involved in the graduate employability and employment world, it is unsurprising that there are seemingly conflicting agendas and mixed messages. Are you lost in translation? Here are a few caricatures and generalisations to illustrate the point: […]
Before the internship: Hey, Mr/Ms Employer, take your responsibilities seriously! You have a fantastic opportunity to shape and nurture the talent of an enthusiastic, unique young person who is aching to learn from you. In return you are going to reap the rewards of all that potential for the good of your business and your [...]
In my constant drive to encourage a more coaching approach in work and education, earlier this year I supported a student completing her Master’s dissertation. She was looking at whether school children at Key Stages 1 and 2 could have coaching conversations with their teachers. Under the age of 11, handling difficult situations such as [...]
