I am in our London office today preparing for ChemCareers inbetween appointments. One of the things we will be looking at is interviews and how you handle them. I received this email in which it was reported that the question which caused most problems at interview was 'what are your weaknesses'.
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I often see people around the age of 35-45 who come in and essentially tell me that no one would want them as they are too old. I always tell them that they have at least another 20 years left of their career, should they wish to choose it (a depressing thought for some); that is plenty of time to bed into a new career, build on an existing one and generally contribute to the workforce.
 

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Occasionally I get members asking me about doing an MBA. Is it worth it? is the most common question they ask me. The answer they get, as always is that it is a personal choice. It costs a significant amount of money and time on your part and whether it is worth it depends on how much you want it. more...

Hi all, just a quick one today. I received a link to a great video today from a company called Abintegro: http://www.abintegro.com/resources/b2b/tip.html which looks at the benefits of networking through LinkedIn.

There are lots of professional networking sites, like MyRSC but LinkedIn is one of the most established and we see many people being headhunted through it. However just 'being on there' is not enough. You need to be active in your networking, join groups, comment on blogs, boards and forums, get involved at a level you feel comfortable.

80% of jobs are hidden and many people find jobs through their networks; I am just one of them.

I am concerned. Concerned that lots of people I talk to think that there are no jobs in the Chemical Sector. Now I am not saying it’s easy or that you will be able to move without a compromise somewhere. I especially understand that you might be disillusioned with the sector at the moment, particularly if your area is making lots of redundancies; but no jobs? I think I need to look into this on your behalf and find out either way……
 
 

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I have been out and about doing careers surgeries recently (as you may have noticed) and one of the most popular careers that people ask me about is teaching.
 
I think teaching springs to mind when you are looking for a change of career because it’s something people have heard of and more importantly have experienced themselves. Also, almost everyone I know knows someone who is a teacher.
 

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You may be looking for a job right now and we all know it’s a tough market. With potentially over a hundred candidates for each post what if they don’t pick you?
 

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As I ponder over my first Chemistry World article (November edition folks, make a note in your diaries) I think about my writing style.
 

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Morning, I am in Glasgow this week where I am holding surgeries and facilitating an Industry Connect event with my colleague Sophie.

Being out of the office can be difficult but it can also provide some time without distractions which allows time to explore and yield some interesting ideas. more...

Morning from a sunny Scotland (just to balance the last post!)

The BBC is reporting this morning that the number of new businesses being set up is up by 117% with 50% more this year alone. Not only that but that the businesses being started are more resilient and so are thriving, even in the current economic climate. more...