“We are regularly being told by our members that they are struggling to recruit employees with the right mix of skills and experience for their organisations. Many of them are investing a lot more in the employees they have and working closely with us on their training requirements” commented Hilary Laing, COO of the Cambridge Network.
As workplaces begin to bounce back from the recession, it’s important to re-evaluate the needs of the industry, and identify which skills are lacking and therefore need to be developed. As Lynda Gratton, Professor of Management Studies at the London Business School says: “We don’t know what the future is going to be. All we do know is that it is going to change faster than ever before”.
Keep up with the change, or risk falling behind. An employee with a sell by date isn’t an attractive prospect! But what skills and attributes do we need to develop in order to become future proof?
In order to answer some of these burning questions, Career Ambitions is embarking on an extensive research project. #LeadingLights aims to identify and profile those people who have managed to ride the rocky economic waves of the last few years, and kept their head above water throughout. The successful ones. Whatever their role, whatever their career, Career Ambitions is looking for people whose skills have shone during murky times; whether that has been demonstrated through their relationships with clients/customers, their values, or perhaps their dedication.
“I’ve noticed people who are doing really well in business treat their employees as adults, and have well developed emotional intelligence. Trust is a key ingredient to their success. We are interested to find out what other attributes and skills they possess that enable them to be successful” commented Lindsey Reed of Career Ambitions.
Through the use of interview and modelling, Career Ambitions’ #LeadingLights project will help the industry understand the skills and attributes that are needed in this ever changing work environment. Revealing these secrets will help companies future proof their employees and their businesses from any rocky times to come.
To find out more about the #LeadingLights project or to nominate a #LeadingLight, visit the Career Ambitions website. To keep up to date with the research and findings, follow Career Ambitions on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Cambridge-based career specialists Career Ambitions coach and mentor professionals to proactively manage their careers. They collaborate with the Cambridge Network and the Recruitment Gateway to provide articles, tips and support to their members.