Financial Professionals and Accountancy

I was talking to my now older teenage children, and it suddenly dawned on me that they live in a world where the art of surprise is becoming a distant memory. Information is readily available at our fingertips and particularly for Generation Z, raised in an era dominated by the internet and social media, the unexpected has become less frequent. I can see this first-hand at home. One was discussing social plans at uni, the other a house party, they knew exactly who would be where and at what time, what groups were invited through many messages and assessed whether it would be a good night out or not. So, are there some benefits to having this planned approach or is this potentially impacting the development of certain skills such as problem solving, common sense and resilience?

It’s been a particularly busy month all round, both at work and at home. The most marked life change for me, was waving my son off to embark on his exciting adventure at university at the end of last month. It was natural to feel a mix of emotions - pride, excitement, and a touch of sadness but I have decided to embrace this shift as much as I can. This significant transition marks a new chapter in his life, filled with opportunities for growth, independence, and unforgettable experiences.

Spam applying to jobs is becoming common practice. If you’re sending out numerous applications without carefully tailoring each one to the specific job and company, it can seriously impact your success. This approach often leads to rejection and can damage your reputation as a job seeker.

Venice, the city of canals, gondolas, and timeless beauty, was the perfect setting for my recent holiday. Surrounded by the city's intricate waterways, I couldn't help but feel a sense of fascination and tranquillity. But it was my experience rowing a batelina that was the true highlight.

GCSE and A Level results are not far off, with many university graduates already finding out their grades. And while the pressure to get good results is real, there's more to exams than just a grade. They're not just about memorising facts and writing them on paper within the allocated two hours. In fact, the process of preparing for exams equips you with valuable life skills that extend far beyond the examination room. So, to anyone who feels that exams are outdated, it may be the case that they aren’t a true test of your intelligence or knowledge, but they will help you to gain many other essential skills from all those hours of revision, late night cramming and intense coursework deadlines. Without exams, you would lose these experiences which you will then build upon throughout your working life:

I was lucky enough to be at yesterday's Centre Court clash between Zverev and Fritz and it was a masterclass in resilience. The crowd were firmly behind Zverev initially and although a crowd usually backs an underdog, when Fritz found himself down two sets, it wasn’t just the crowd but something noticeable shifting within him. Along with the rest of the crowd, I thought it was an inevitable victory for Zverev, buoyed on by his lead. But instead of the Fritz’s body language slumping and him crumbling under the pressure, he pushed forwards and rose to the occasion.

We live in a world obsessed with instant gratification. We want one-click solutions, overnight success stories, and quick fixes. But when it comes to building long-term success, the truth is a little less glamorous and a lot more about the slow burn.

It’s the middle of exam season for some, and just the start for others, but think of it this way – they are just a hurdle you need to jump to get to the next stage. Whatever you are studying, however you do, there’s a career out there for you. You just need to figure out WHAT you want to do and HOW you can get there.

We've all been there – working long hours, logging on at the weekend to keep up with our ever-growing to do lists, eventually staring at a computer screen in a work fog, productivity and motivation fading fast. This is where the importance of a proper break comes in. It might seem counterintuitive to step away from your work when you're feeling behind, but trust me, taking a well-deserved break is the key to coming back to work refreshed and recharged.

We are undeniably in a never-before-seen place in our professional lives where the ‘norms’ and what we once knew and accepted have transformed into a more agile, flexible model of working. This means that many of life’s everyday issues when it comes to work have now become more manageable and predictable. For many, gone are the days of commuting full-time to the office, buying lunch out on a daily basis or wearing formal attire. Not only have these more obvious examples of by-products of office-based working become less of a demand, but working from home has provided the ability to balance work and home life.

What will the biggest challenge for hiring managers and recruiters be in 2024? Whilst it’s hard to predict, on a recent recruitment webinar, 47% of attendees felt overcoming skills shortages would be the greatest obstacle, with an increase in employees moving roles and a shortage of experienced individuals fitting hiring budgets.

It’s sort of an unwritten part of Christmas that somewhere along the line, we will receive an unwanted gift of some description. Not unwanted stemming from being ungrateful; more that it is not useful or might not be to our taste, although it may be a very nice item, nevertheless.