Dave Brailsford the director sportif/team principle of Team Sky reportedly said that ‘During the races, nothing is left to chance. You can have all the best bike technology, your own mattresses and pillows, your own chef, the best team buses and medical backup, the best mechanics, but ultimately the thing I have learned is that a rider cannot compete for the yellow jersey unless he is supremely fit and conditioned for the job.’

Being conditioned for the job means that every interview you attend or recruitment process you go through, whether that be with your recruitment consultant, first round with a client, interview preparation with your consultant or even a final round informal lunch or drinks needs to be an exercise in precision, team work, preparation and ultimately must be treated as the last opportunity to WIN the job.

In a more challenged market with hiring volumes down year on year coupled with ‘rightsizing’ of businesses globally, the steps you take and the clinical approach to your next career move are more crucial than they have ever been.

Here are my top tips to getting the best out of the process:

1. Understand the role you are interviewing for – Can you honestly say that the last interview you went to you fully understood the role before you entered the interview room? No?….well my advice would be to interrogate your consultant – any recruiter worth their salt will know the role, the team, the culture, the career path and what isn’t written on the job description. It is the hidden aspects of the role which are invariably the most important or need most focus. If they don’t have time to, maybe it is time to find one who does!
2. Prepare your answers fully – As career advisors, our role in the process is to evaluate you, your interview style, your answers and provide constructive feedback on these answers. Be prepared to hear things that you might not like to hear. Remember preparation does not mean being prescriptive as interviewers see through stock answers straight away, be natural but confident.
3. Ask the interviewer questions – Intelligent, thorough questioning of your interviewer will demonstrate that you are ambitious, serious about your career, looking for a company to develop yourself in as well as demonstrating excellent communications skills. Don’t be afraid to have in depth discussions around a topic or share your views, all managers want and will respect individuals who can think and bring new well thought out ideas to the table.
4. Sell your value proposition – What do you specifically bring to the table over and above the candidates that you are competing against? What have you actually achieved in your career that demonstrates that you are someone who is developing and will continue to develop? Are you self critical in terms of your own ability? What have you heard in the interview that further enhances your interest and desire for this career with this organisation?
5. Turn up fresh – I’m not suggesting that you need your favorite pillow, mattress and duvet like the Tour De France guys but sleep (in excess of 7-9 hours is generally recommended), eat and drink well before the meeting, turn up on time and ensure you have enough time for the meeting even if it goes on for that extra 30 minutes you haven’t allocated for.

Following these will not guarantee you the top spot on the podium in Paris but they will help you to get a far as you possible can in your quest for a new career.

Good Luck and go Wiggo!

Bradley Wiggins, Career advice, job interview, preparing for interview, recruitment, Team Sky, Tour De France

Prior to 2004, Greece was a relatively humble nation, particularly where football was concerned. Well known for its beautiful architecture, mythology, cheap holiday packages, terrible wine and tasty olives. By the end of Euro 2004 Greece stole the hearts of many football fans in tournament most will never forget.

The same can now be said about a nation that prior to 2011 wasn’t really taken much notice of by the financial world, barring its shipping industry. Now, they are at the forefront of most financial conversations.

Back to football, this year they somehow managed to get through the group stage, but were unfortunately knocked out by Germany on Saturday’s match. Did Greece let the Germans win? I do like the thought that such an event will help Germany to go easy on Greece after the two main pro bailout parties have won enough seats to form a coalition in the recent elections in Greece.

The New Democracy and Pasok parties along with the democratic left party are now in charge of renegotiating the terms of the bailout and deciding whether to exit the Euro. They have reportedly decided to stay in the Euro and honor the bailout agreement, although negotiations on the terms may occur, which seems to be a notion that has much rivalry from opposition leaders and much of the Greek public. If anything can be learned by the Greek national football team it is this, no matter what your history or your previous results it’s about moving forward, together as one to ensure that you succeed. This not only applies to the coalition government to work together but the country as a whole.

So the question is what’s next for Greece?

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Jamie Oliver recently made a surprise visit to the Masterchef Australia kitchen, to compete in a challenge against contestants. What followed was a lot of tears, screams, and gratitudes directed towards Jamie about his influence and contributions to the culinary world.

‘Jamie – you are the reason I’m here’.  One of the overwhelmed contestants gushes.

Jamie Oliver clearly resonated with the contestants and they look up to him as being a role model who has been extremely successful within his field. They aspire for a career similar to that which he has carved out for himself.

What effect would this encounter have on their careers in coming years? This was clearly a career highlight for the contestants, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to cook with him. Simply watching, observing, and taking feedback from Jamie would provide a career boost which cannot be learnt on the job or from reading a textbook. I’m confident that this visit would provide a burst of inspiration and will alter their career arcs in a positive manner.

In our chosen professions, we all need to have people to look up to and draw inspiration from. This could be colleagues, industry figures, friends & family, celebrities or even historical figures. To get further in our careers, we do need to have benchmarks that we should strive towards.

The positive interactions that I’ve had with recruiters prior to joining the industry have most likely influenced my decision to get into the industry.

So, who are your career role models? Has anyone ever met their career idols in real life?

career development, career idols, Career inspiration, Jamie Oliver, Masterchef, Masterchef Australia, role model