Joanne Caine

Despite having embarked on successful careers, why do women feel they have peaked in comparison to men, and what can you do if you feel this way?

Lockdown has changed the future of big cities. In the wake of COVID-19, almost half of Londoners wish to move house, wanting to escape the ‘Big Smoke’ for good. And it seems like this desire is soon to become a reality, with 43 out of 50 of the largest UK companies – most of them based in the capital and other large cities – citing that they do not plan to bring staff back to the office full-time.

A CV is a window into you, your personality, and your expertise – it gives employees a snapshot of you as an employee and your success but getting it perfect can take time.

The benefits of a diverse and inclusive workforce are numerous, and the number of reports that give substantial evidence to this claim are great. A 2018 McKinsey study, for example, highlighted just how much more profitable a diverse workplace is compared to its non-diverse counterparts.

At the end of 2020, it was reported that three-quarters of UK workers had experienced burnout as a direct result of the workplaces changes brought about by the pandemic – notably being thrown into working from home with no choice. And in 2021, this worrying trend has seemingly continued with 1 in 5 employees reporting to feel unable to manage the pressures and stress levels at work.

While it may seem hard to comprehend moving jobs in a pandemic, there’s never been a better time than the present. For the first time in nearly a year and a half, the landscape is on more level footing and employers are desperate for talent. Such a candidate-led market is rare, and this is a brilliant opportunity to make the most out of taking your next step.

At the start of the pandemic, it was recorded that by May 2020, the UK’s demand for casual and loungewear had skyrocketed by 49 per cent. With no reason to leave the house, especially in the initial months of lockdown, formalwear sales dropped by 25 per cent and slipper sales boomed by a whopping 285 per cent.

In April 2021, vacancy growth for temporary roles rose at the quickest rate since October 2014, according to the REC. And, as the economy continues to reopen and organisations look to plug skills gaps without going over budget, the demand for temporary workers is set to continue.

While many employees have craved the return to the office, ridding themselves of social isolation and the same four walls, not everyone is excited about the return to work. And even though over half a million Brits won’t be returning to the office full-time, the idea of going back to ‘normality’ at all is nerve-wracking for many.

If you’re in the process of job hunting, here are three ways you can protect your wellbeing during this time.

At the end of that day, we have all been battling an invisible enemy for over a year, and the barriers we have had to put in place to protect ourselves, our teams and our families have been nothing but robust. The thought of having to break down these barriers and open ourselves back up to potential threat will, of course, be distressing – no matter how much we’ve missed and craved human contact.

Since the start of the pandemic last year, the use of technology, software and innovation to adapt to the ‘new normal’ has skyrocketed. From the boom in use of applications such as Microsoft Office, to the creation of new apps to make virtual business work seamlessly, the need for comprehensive and experienced IT and Tech talent has never been so high.