I used to be excited about becoming an adult. I still am, I think. But this excitement has now been coupled with an underlying fear. While I still have a few years to suss out exactly what it is that I want to do after I graduate, 2013 will be my second year of university, which means that I’ll have to start thinking about what I want to major in and the general field that I want to get into.The summer before starting university, I thought that I knew what I wanted to do in my career. I thought ...

I was recently at a rugby prizegiving for 10 year olds when all the kids in one team were told that they were amazing, gifted and special; that they could all be All Blacks one day. I mean, seriously, I am all for encouragement, but it’s simply not realistic. These boys are more likely to be our next generation of entrepreneurs, multi-media specialists or CEOs. It got me wondering - as parents today, are we all a bit clueless regarding the future careers of our children in this changing world? F...

I’m often asked by high school and university students what they can do to ensure that they have the best chance of getting a suitable job and beginning their career quickly after studying.  Although there is more than just one solution, my first and foremost suggestion is always: GET A PART-TIME JOB!  The permanent job market is tight, especially for youths aged 15 to 24.  In the past 18 months we have seen youth unemployment in New Zealand surge to almost 20%.  With overwhe...

It’s hard to describe but you definitely know it when you see it; “a God given talent”. But is having that potential enough to succeed?I don’t think it is. It is only a step in the right direction towards success in your chosen discipline. While pulling my thoughts together on this subject, I watched a piece Breakfast did on past NZ Olympians. 12 out of the 14 gold medal winning athletes who were surveyed thought that they had less "talent" than their competitors, and that it came down to their ...

What is it about having a baby that makes us decide to also throw into the mix renovating the house, selling up, starting a new business, or in my case moving countries?   That was what I did at the beginning of 2011, when I moved from Australia to New Zealand with an 11-day-old-baby.  Admittedly the move was to Queenstown, which I regard as the most beautiful place in the world, so really I can’t complain.So I found myself in Queenstown with an 11-day-old and a two-and-half-year-...

When I was four years old, I wanted to be a professional tennis player and work part-time at Bakers Delight. At ten, I wanted to be a novelist who also just so happened to be an on-call astronaut for NASA. At thirteen, I wanted to work for Donald Trump and compete in The Amazing Race. This year, I’ll be turning eighteen. Although I now have an overarching goal to pursue a career in the film industry, the underlying truth is that I’m still very much ‘undecided’. There are still days when I wake u...

First Foundation is an educational trust that aims to help financially disadvantaged youth by awarding scholarships to those who may not otherwise be in the position to pursue tertiary education. The First Foundation Scholarship is based on a four-year programme that includes financial assistance, a mentor, and paid part-time work experience with a scholarship partner. In 2011 I was awarded the First Foundation Scholarship through the Madison Group. This particular scholarship was in memory of R...

I was recently lucky enough to meet with Gayl Roden – 2011 CCINZ winner - Contact Centre Team Leader of the Year to chat about what makes a good CSR and why she thought contact centres were a good career move.When Gayl spoke about contact centres being the place of the future her points truly resonated with me. My life is busy and if I can get queries dealt with over the phone and online it certainly makes my life easier.  I think this is why we will see growth in the contact centre world o...

When I graduated from Uni in the late 90’s, I can’t say that working in a contact centre was ever a job I considered (or even knew existed!). But nowadays with the numbers graduating and the New Zealand job market tightening, gaining any form of permanent employment in a large organisation is a positive step to starting a successful career. The contact centre is a great entry point for grads with little work experience to learn a business from the ground up. They develop patience and empathy thr...

WAIT...!  Before you let out that big sigh of relief (thank goodness the interview is over!), or bolt straight for the front door, there are a few essentials to remember to successfully close the interview. At the end of the interview The last question is usually “do you have any questions?”  This is your chance to convey your interest in pursuing the opportunity.  Only ask questions where you can’t find the answers for yourself.  Some ideas are: What is the process for induc...

The day has finally arrived.  You’re five minutes early, and look like you’ve walked off the set of ‘The Apprentice.’ You know your CV, the position description, and information about the company inside and out.  You’ve practised your behavioural/competency based questions and feel ready to take on the world!  Before embarking on what could be the most life-changing hour of your life, check out the tips below to ensure you ace the interview!First impressions count!  It is cla...

Interviews are nerve wracking, but the key is planning and preparation. The more prepared you are, the more comfortable and confident you are likely to come across! Over the next three weeks, my three part series will cover three stages – before, during and after the interview. PART ONE - HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN INTERVIEW Research – Learn as much as possible about the company you are interviewing with. Research its products or services, people, competitors and current market conditions they fac...

Over the weekend our former Olympic Gold Medallist Hamish Carter competed in his age bracket at the ITU Champs in Auckland. Admittedly he is no longer competing and has not been training like the old days...but he is a similar age to Kris Gemmell who won the Elite Men's. Though once the best in the world, yesterday he came 6th and was beaten by some enthusiastic amateurs, guys who have never reached the heights he has. Another bloke – Mr Martin Crowe, hung up his cricket boots for the secon...