2018: Reflection and Retrospective

Wow! 2019 is just a couple of hours away, with new resolutions, new achievements and wins, new deceptions, and new opportunities. We should all take some time in the coming period to start thinking of our new priorities and how we want to shape our 2019. But before looking into the future, let us reflect a little bit on the year that just passed, what made us proud, what we would like to change in the future and what worked well, on both professional and personal sides.

For me, 2018 was a really good year filled with emotions, successes and challenges, all equally important to motivate me and help me move forward.

Being nominated for Club was the most rewarding experience this year. All dedications and hard work paid off, and sooner or later your effort will be noticed and you will be recognized in any way... What are you most proud of and what was your most rewarding experience?

Another great experience I had is participating in LinkedIn Talent Connect this year in California. This is "a multi-day gathering of the world’s top leaders, innovators, and influencers in the talent space". You can of course watch all the sessions online (through the link above), sitting comfortably in your chair, but it is not at all the same experience and vibes you will get. Being there among 4000 Talent Acquisition professionals is surely not to be missed. This is the place where you can exchange ideas, discuss similar challenges and see how others have overcame them, but also get the latest news and updates in the Talent Acquisition space. I encourage everyone in this field to attend Talent Connect, and to give you a glimpse of what happened in TC2018 you can read this great article written by Nicola Beck, Head of Talent Acquisition at Chalhoub Group..and we hope to see you in Talent Connect 2019!

Some great emotions as well during 2018. LinkedIn is not just a platform where it connects talent to opportunities, but it can also save lives! This is what happened to a lady who got really sick and went into coma for a long period of time. Now she is awake and feeling much better, thanks to a doctor found on LinkedIn. This is what her relatives wrote:

" One week after she had been hospitalized, on a Sunday afternoon we sent the doctor (who at that time was a stranger to us) a request for help through Linkedin. He responded immediately, and since then has been in touch every single day, several times a day, asking about her, providing great advice to the family and the medical team. Thanks to him she is now awake and receiving the treatment that we are now ever more confident will bring her back to her daughter and fantastic friends."

From a personal perspective, 2018 ended for me on a very positive note, after I received on the 31st of December my Professional Photography Certificate.

This is a hobby that I really enjoy and wanted to perfect, so I took an online course and got certified today. It is a new and additional skill I can add to my profile, which will provide me a broader horizon and allow me to think more creatively and look at the world through a different eye and perspective (a glimpse of my work: my instagram page).

Based on Carla Harris' keynote at Talent Connect, who is a Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Morgan Stanley, but also a Singer, "your authenticity is your distinct competitive advantage" (Expect to win: tools for maximizing success). So don't be afraid to bring all your identities, roles and characters to the table, in order to connect faster with the audience and differentiate yourself. Bringing Cyril the Photographer, Cyril the Consultant, Cyril the Father, Cyril the Advisor, Cyril the Musician, Cyril the Husband to the meetings will help in being truly authentic and building more interesting relationships.

Finally, a quick advise I received to help me always move forward keep learning and feel successful, is to focus every week on 3 main points:

• 1 key accomplishment this week;
• 1 top priority next week;
• 1 thing on which I need help/clarity.

Wishing you a prosperous and colorful 2019!