Klein Hamilton

We spend around a third of our adult lives at work, according to the World Health Organisation. Of course, many of us work primarily to provide a stable home for ourselves and our families and to enable us to pursue our hobbies, interests and passions. But with so much of our precious time devoted to our work, shouldn’t it carry some greater meaning too? Certainly the research suggests so. For example, some 83 per cent of millennials (and 80 per cent of Gen Z-ers) believe that business success should be measured not just in terms of financial performance, but also by a broad mix of goals that includes making a positive impact on society and the environment; improving people’s lives; and an emphasis on inclusion and diversity in the workplace, according to the 2018 Deloitte Millennial Survey. In their quest for meaningful employment, some will look to work in the not-for-profit sector. But meaningful work doesn’t have to mean charity work, and it does not even have to mean a car...

Read your application or CV and covering letter through the night before – you will be questioned on the content. Make sure you have some new examples to hand – months may have passed since you submitted the form. Dress smartly – unless you are specifically told otherwise, it’s wise to wear a suit. Always make sure you have planned your journey and know exactly what's required of you on the day. Give yourself enough time to get to the interview or assessment centre and make sure you’re familiar with the route. Have a healthy breakfast or lunch before you arrive so you have lots of energy. Greet everyone with a firm, but not bone-crunching, handshake and make good eye contact. ‘Not having a firm handshake won’t lose you the job, but little things add up to how you’re perceived,’ advises Katie Makey, graduate recruitment officer at Shearman & Sterling. Equally, leave people with a lasting, positive impression by shaking hands at the end of the interview. Assume that you ...