Simon Gray's Blog, page 7

Executive job search – the secret is in the system…

Over the weekend, I was debating what to discuss in this week’s blog post. This morning in a conversation with a prospective client for the Career Codex ‘Jump Start’ Programme, I finally came up with the answer.

Before ever taking on a new client I ensure there’s a match in terms of what they’re looking to achieve and the services I offer. This is in addition to personality fit – after all we’ll be working closely together for the next three months.

One of things I outline on this initial exp...

The big mistake executive jobseekers make in social!

If you’re a C-level / C-suite executive and active in the executive job market in search of your next position, you’ll be aware that nowadays a social media presence is an absolute must.

LinkedIn as the premier business-networking platform is the starting point for most, but other social media platforms can also be a place to profile, build relationships and ultimately uncover opportunities. The social media playing field is moving all the time and an important balance must always be struck b...

Fall down seven times, stand up eight…

No matter what we do and how much we try to avoid it, we all feel pain, discomfort and disappointment at some point in our lives – unfortunately it’s inevitable. However, while the tough times will surely comeand are often out of our control, how we choose to respond is completely up to us.

In the middle of a period of difficulty, it’s easy to revert to ‘why me?’, ‘it’s not fair!’ or ‘what’s the point?’ This is often our default position and the narrative that exists between the situation and...

Executive job search and the power of productivity!

One of the things I’m often asked is how I manage to get so much done in so little time. First off, I’m not sure I actually do, but I do have a secret up my sleeve, which I’ve decided to share in this blog post.

Dwight D. Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, and with much responsibility found himself having to make tough decisions about where to focus his energy and effort. This constant dilemma led him to invent the Eisenhower Principle, which provided a simple, yet useful...

I’m A Politician…Get Me Out Of Here!

Yesterday my hometown of Nottingham hosted Jeremy Corbyn and Owen Smith in the latest round of the race for the leadership of the Labour Party.

The hustings were not without some eyebrow-raising moments and comments that showed a certain lack of experience. To be clear, this blog post is not politically motivated and is instead born out of observation and interest.

At one point Jeremy Corbyn was shown a picture of Ant and Dec, household names on British TV and hosts of shows including Saturda...

Six letters to change your life!

We can have the greatest ideas in the world, an ambition to reach our goal or a desire to change our situation in life, but until we decide to take action then not much happens.

When it comes to finding your next position in the executive job market or building a business, talk while important, as the saying goes is ultimately cheap, unless followed by consistent and committed action!

Through Career Codex I advise senior executive clients on how to navigate the job market successfully to find...

Why emotional intelligence is essential for successful job search.

Nowadaysemotional intelligence is a term many are aware of, yet very few really understand. Made famous by Daniel Goleman’s book, by the same name, it’s crept into our work environments, personal lives, and is something that if embraced, we’re told, can deliver outstanding results.

Two weeks ago I had the good fortune to interview Lisa Spencer-Arnell, a published author and emotional intelligence expert, about this fascinating topic.

Setting the scene in the job market…

In the job market it’s...

Confuse and you lose – how to leverage the power of marketing to advance your career!

As a professional career coach and job search strategist I work with clients from all over the world to help them navigate the job market successfully.

One of the challenges many of my clients face at the outset is a failure to grasp the importance of marketing skills in their ability, having defined the job they really want, to actually go out there to find and secure it.Marketing is hugely important in any business, and especially in the business of finding a job.

When it comes to advancing...

To accept or not to accept, and how to resign in style!

This week I received a question from Emma about a decision she’s struggling to make. Having reached the end of a successful recruitment process, she’s sat with a competitive offer – an offer she wanted and one she now must make a decision on. A good position you might think, and of course it is. However this can be one of the most difficult parts of any job search process, because it’s an important decision she has to make, which will change the course of her future.

Up until this point she’s...

New book and ‘The Power of Work Experience’!

As the Cabinet reshuffles following the appointment of Theresa May as UK Prime Minister, we see the departure of Nicky Morgan MP as Education Secretary.

While I’m not usually one for politics, I’ve kept a close eye on her activity while she’s been in post, particularly when it comes to career guidance and employability education for young people entering the world of work.

I was invited to a meeting at the Department for Education (DfE) earlier this year to discuss this very issue, which I kn...