Hi Reader I have three important messages to share with you today: An IRL meet-up, a podcast about burnout, and a coaching success story. Let's start with a celebration: Pamela Welsh was at a crossroads. She’d been unwell, was recovering from a hospital stay, and couldn’t shake the feeling that something had to change. Her career in the public sector had once felt purposeful, but now the rewards felt hollow. She admired freelancers who focused on the work that really mattered, but doubted...
9 days ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader If you feel that you're a perfect match for the job, but can't even get an interview, this is one of the reasons why. How companies look for candidates, and how candidates look for jobs start from opposite directions: Companies will always begin with their employees, followed by their employees' network. Whereas candidates tend to start with the least effective strategy - job boards. If you’re proactive with your networking strategy BEFORE your ideal job is even advertised, you’ll...
16 days ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader Jo (not her real name) came to me after applying for more than 100 jobs in three months. She was exhausted, demoralised, and questioning whether she belonged in communications anymore. She'd had just two interviews from all those applications, and never heard back from either of them. She didn't know what needed to change, but she knew she needed help. Jo had brilliant experience but was spraying and praying - applying for any vacancy with 'comms' in the title, hoping something...
30 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader The comms world is unpredictable. Restructures, budget squeezes, shifting leadership priorities, and the comms team is in the thick of it, holding the megaphone while everyone else panics. The people who thrive aren’t always the most experienced or technically brilliant. They’re the ones who are visible, confident, and resilient. Let me tell you about Jane. Jane was excellent at her job. The kind of person who quietly got on with it and made everyone else look good. But her manager...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader Have you ever taken a job that looked amazing on paper - impressive title, great salary, exciting projects - but felt completely different when you got there? Red flags don't always present themselves during the interview process (unless you dig deeper). Red flags 🚩 Red flags can be subtle. Delayed or curt responses to your emails. A slow erosion of your confidence. A creeping sense that something isn’t quite right. Other times, they smack you in the face. Like the time a boss...
2 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader You got a seat at the leadership table. Now what?You're in the room with the 'Cs': the CEO, the COO, and that slightly terrifying CFO. You’ve got the title and the status. It's what you have worked for your whole career.But you're having an out-of-body experience. Your confidence has done a runner. Instead of speaking up, you nod along and the meeting passes in a blur.This is where so many new comms leaders get stuck. You DO know what you're doing, but in this room, with these...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader I've just returned from a week away, free from responsibilities, alarms and schedules. It was the first proper time off I've had in a year, and I really needed it. You can't pour from an empty cup. My cup is full again. Resilience and a positive mindset The job search is hard right now. Our latest Get Hired! guest speaker gave us a powerful reminder that the job search isn’t just about tactics, it’s about mindset, too. David Manning, Senior Manager of Culture Change & Comms at...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader I thought I'd change the tone of my newsletter this week and give you some behind the scenes stuff. f you're in comms, and you haven't been hiding behind a rock, you'll know it's events season. Some lucky folk have been globetrotting, from Cannes Lions to the IABC World Conference in Vancouver. I've been having serious FOMO, seeing so many of my comms chums taking care of their professional development, and hanging out together. Behind the scenes It's been a busy month, which is why...
4 months ago • 2 min read
Vicki MarinkerCandid Career Coach 🎯 Hi Reader What if you're still job searching after six months, or a year?You started with optimism. You updated your CV, turned on open to work, and started applying. It feels like you're doing all the right things. And yet, you haven't landed a job. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. The job market is a basket-case (in case you hadn't noticed). Automation and AI tools, like LinkedIn Recruiter and Workday are misfiring. Brilliant candidates aren’t being seen, and hiring...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Vicki MarinkerCandid Career Coach 🎯 Hi Reader My manager looked at me and said: “Can you smile more? People think you’re aloof.” 😳 I was 20-something, working in PR, trying to make a good impression. And instead of talking about my work, my manager was critiquing my face. I nearly replied “Britain needs Loofs”, but something told me she wouldn’t get the joke. That wasn’t the only gem from that meeting. Apparently, my nose ring had made it onto the board agenda, and needed to be removed. That...
5 months ago • 2 min read