The Eurozone has entered the red zone – CNBC Comment September 1, 2014 The Eurozone's August inflation figure was confirmed at 0.3 per cent last week, down from July’s surprisingly weak reading of 0.4 per cent. It was also, of course, way below the European Central Bank’s (ECB) inflation target of just under 2 per cent, and well within the ECB’s stated “danger zone” of under 1 per cent. [...]
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time? How to answer the hardest interview question September 1, 2014 Harriet Green explains how to answer one of the trickiest interview questions out there. With job hopping becoming increasingly common, and new definitions of the “career ladder” coming into play, careers are becoming less predictable creatures. Even if you’re within a profession, knowing what the next few years will look like can be difficult [...]
Perfect the art of “managing up” in the workplace August 31, 2014 See your boss as a resource, but also know when to climb down. Keeping relations sweet between you and your superiors can feel draining. In fact, if you haven’t had a bad experience with a boss so far in your career, you should count yourself lucky. In response to a survey last year, conducted [...]
The best free online courses for businesses this September August 28, 2014 Liam Ward-Proud looks at the free online courses that can help you learn a new skill. Massive open online courses, or Moocs, are taking higher education by storm. Often free, accessible to all, and with lectures viewable at your convenience, they’ve already given millions the chance to trial a new area of study or [...]
Are algorithms the future of hiring? August 27, 2014 Many recruiters are automating their processes, but don’t expect the death of the interview. Could your choice of web browser be a better predictor of job success than university transcripts? It’s not something you’d expect to be asked about in an interview, but an analysis of 3m data points from over 30,000 employees by [...]
How to save for retirement August 26, 2014 The peer-to-peer lending industry is booming. Figures from the Peer-to-Peer Finance Association showed that over £500m of new money was lent in the first half of 2014, with over 66,000 retail investors offering loans to individuals and small business though online platforms like Zopa. Returns can be attractive, offering the chance for both long-term capital [...]
Take the fear out of networking in just three moves August 26, 2014 Know how to prioritise, do your research and always arrive early. For some, networking is a joy – new people, new ideas and an opportunity to share your own. But for others, it just means an evening of performance and hard work. Actor Idris Elba has said of his own profession – and it’s [...]
Why France could be the euro’s weakest link – CNBC Comment August 25, 2014 In a world where we are sold pups on a daily basis by both policymakers and the market snake-oil salesmen, yesterday’s Bank Holiday trading on the Continent was a great example of how we continue to lap up the nonsense we are fed. There I was, one of the few people in the Square Mile [...]
Serious strategy: What chess can teach businesses August 25, 2014 Stay on the lookout for “strong squares”, and be ready to sacrifice. There's a rich history of corporate strategists turning to board and card games to hone their skills. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett are keen bridge players, and Business Insider drew up a list of 28 US executives who are strong chess players. [...]
How to be an inspirational leader August 21, 2014 You’re probably less inspiring than you think you are – here’s what you need to know. There is a significant inspiration gap that exists between leaders and followers. I recently asked many hundreds of leaders from around the world to rate themselves on the Leadership Inspiration Quotient – a measure of how inspiring they [...]