Career Skills Enhancement

The Clarkson Effect. When Jeremy Clarkson first swapped supercars for sheep, many dismissed Clarkson’s Farm as just a side project. But the impact has been far greater than anyone expected. By showing the everyday struggles and joys of farming in an authentic (and often hilarious) way, Clarkson has opened a window onto an industry that’s often invisible to the public. Viewers are seeing not just the muddy fields and machinery, but the razor-thin margins, the policy frustrations, and the sheer resilience required to make a farm work. Beyond the viewership numbers, farming has suddenly become a topic of mainstream conversation. Young people who might never have considered agriculture are taking an interest. Colleges are reporting a rise in applications for agricultural courses, and existing farmers are upskilling to meet the changing demands of modern farming. Here are a few standout figures: - Applications to agriculture-related degrees are up almost 20% since 2019. - Rural Land Management with farm placement: +18%. - Two-year foundation degree: +14%. - Nationally, student acceptances onto agri courses rose 8% in 2024 compared to 2023. - Some colleges (like Plumpton) report certain course enrolments have tripled! As well as.. The launch the 'Kaleb Cooper Bursary' to support students (£3,000 support + farm placement for non-farming students). It’s easy to laugh at Clarkson’s on-screen mishaps, I could watch his mini-failures over and over 😂, but the truth is he’s shifted perceptions of farming. For once, we've all seen both the struggles and the passion that drive the industry. Visible, relatable, and (now with the backing of the statistics above) aspirational. For an industry often battling misconceptions & financial pressures, that spotlight could be just as valuable as any subsidy. #Farming #Agriculture #ClarksonsFarm #FutureFarmers #Sustainability www.facilit8business.com

🎓 An Exciting Development in Doctoral Education? 🌟 This article in today's Times Higher Education sheds light on the "Venture Science Doctorate" program, which aims to reorient PhD candidates towards entrepreneurship and innovation. The venture science doctorate is a novel concept introduced by a British investment company in collaboration with technology translation experts from Imperial College London. This program allows PhD students to establish start-ups based on their research while completing their studies. Its primary objective is to address many graduate researchers' challenges in securing funding for their innovative ideas. Since its launch in 2016, this program, known as DSV (Deep Science Ventures), has been instrumental in establishing more than 40 science start-ups with a combined valuation exceeding £300 million. Building on this success, DSV ventured into the field of doctoral education, and its new program has garnered significant attention, with over 400 applications received during its inaugural year. Under the program, selected candidates engage in interdisciplinary, immersive analyses focused on societal outcomes. They collaborate with like-researchers and gain access to industry experts. This unique approach aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry, providing PhD students with the necessary skills and contacts to succeed in both realms. In the program's initial year, students receive training in ten essential areas of starting and running a company, including leadership, storytelling, and industry economics. These skills are essential for equipping PhD graduates with the tools they need to transition into entrepreneurial roles, as traditionally, less than 0.5% of PhDs venture into the world of start-ups. One notable feature of the venture science doctorate is the mentorship provided to each doctoral student, guiding them in systematically exploring their respective sectors. The ultimate goal is to prioritize improving global outcomes, diverging from the traditional focus on academic publications. According to Dr. Thane Campbell, the Dean of Education at DSV, the program aims to train approximately 1,000 students by 2033, focusing on diversity and inclusivity. It aspires to have at least 80% of its graduates establish their own start-ups, a notable departure from the current 4% to 8% of PhD graduates who pursue entrepreneurship, depending on the sector. Does the venture science doctorate represent a significant step towards empowering PhD graduates to become successful entrepreneurs? Could a program like this work in New Zealand? What do you think? (Unfortunately, this article will be behind THE’s paywall for some of you. You can also read about the venture science doctorate at https://lnkd.in/gh-xehvV.) #PhD #entrepreneurship #venturescience #universities #highereducation

It’s a tragedy how undervalued hospitality workers are when changing careers. 😔 They multitask effortlessly, think quickly on their feet, handle pressure gracefully, and consistently deliver exceptional service with a smile. Yet when they try to move industries, suddenly these skills become invisible. Why? Because hiring managers from other industries often don’t realize: 👉 A restaurant manager is an operational powerhouse. 👉 A chef who handles a £1M budget clearly understands finance. 👉 Front-of-house staff manage various customers expectations daily. 👉 Bartenders excel at sales and relationship-building. 👉 Hotel receptionists master multitasking and customer care. 👉 Event coordinators demonstrate logistics and project management experise. Transferable skills aren’t industry-specific—they’re human-specific. Hospitality professionals deserve better recognition. Next time you interview somebody from hospitality, look beyond the job title—take a moment, listen to their story, and you’ll see the heart and value they bring. Real talent is never industry-specific—it’s human-specific. ❤️

𝐈'𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐁𝐢𝐠 4 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦. A partner shared with me, "Technical skills is still far more important than soft skills." That was in 2014. Fast forward to today, the same firm just asked us at Influence Solutions to expand our 𝐅.𝐈.𝐑.𝐒.𝐓. 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦, with Strategic Thinking, Innovation, Navigating Paradoxes & Leading for Change skills. Over the years, we've seen a marked increase in commitment from participants too. Since I started my career in a Big 4 firm nearly 30 years ago, the 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 has changed. 𝐎𝐥𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚: Technical Skills = Job Security 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: (Technical Skills × Business Acumen) + Leadership = Career Success KPMG Singapore’s Managing Partner Sze Yeng Lee recently shared that “creative thinking is the new accounting competency.” Accountants are fast evolving to become “creative designers of businesses” who have to embody the tenets of design thinking & innovation. Data from 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞 (𝐀𝐖𝐑𝐂) also reveals: ⚡68% of accounting professionals now say career growth depends more on 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 than technical skills ⚡Top 10% of 𝐡𝐲𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝-𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝  professionals earn 40-60% more than peers ⚡Demand for 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 is growing 3x faster than traditional roles 𝐒𝐨 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐢𝐠 4 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫: ✅ 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐬 who can pivot audit teams into advisory roles ✅ 𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 equally fluent in delivery & people strategy ✅ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 who inspire teams to thrive on change Reflecting on how my career has evolved - from assurance, consulting, fashion, not-for-profit & organisational transformation, I realise these are 3 actions that helped: 1️⃣ 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐮𝐩 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 (𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐭' 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞) Sharpening the axe will get you further faster, while working less. 2️⃣ 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐞. Helping victims of sexual trafficking in Amsterdam & saying yes to public speaking transformed my life 3️⃣ 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - Instead of "The numbers show..." , try "What this means for your strategy is..." If you have more ideas on how to navigate the future, do share! PS: Love this evolving profession: Here's a #throwback pic when I spoke on 'The Attitude Advantage' at a European Conference of a Big 4 Firm.

Everyone thinks change management is about user adoption. (It’s not) You can train your team. You can hit your go-live date. You can check every box on the project plan. And still fail at change. Because change management isn’t a phase. It’s what makes transformations actually stick. Here’s what most people think it’s about: ❌ Training sessions ❌ User adoption ❌ Go-live day But what it’s actually about is much deeper: ✅ Adaptability ✅ Cultural shifts ✅ Team engagement ✅ Leadership alignment ✅ Building change capacity ✅ Trust and communication ✅ Ongoing training (yes, even way before and after go-live) Because launching the system is the easy part. Getting people to use it and also improve your business in the process? That’s where real change happens. If you want lasting results, stop treating change like a checklist. Start treating it like the backbone of your project. PS. What’s the biggest change management myth you’ve seen? ♻️ Repost to help others see what change management is really about. 👋 Follow Mariya Koteva for more ERP & change management insights.

You are never JUST a Data Analyst. When I worked at Amazon, my job title said Analyst. But my actual job included - Building databases + data tools (BI Engineer) - Developing models to find drivers (Data Scientist) - Turning user needs to a roadmap (Product Manager) - Planning and coordinating projects (Project Manager) And I liked it that way. I got promoted bc I did MORE than my job asked for. So if you’re a Data Analyst or Business Analyst, 3 skills that you can build NOW to level up your career: 𝟭/ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘀 You don’t need a PhD to build models. Start with basic ML models (logistic & linear regression). Start by learning basic Statistics. 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘥’𝘴 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦: 𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘢.𝘰𝘳𝘨/𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯/𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘥-𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴 Then build incorporate simple models into your job. 𝟮/ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 + 𝗽𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 Building a database is complex and scary, right? Nope. It doesn’t have to be. I think about a database as 3 simple components: ↳ Design the data model ↳ Set up the database (I like Postgres) ↳ Load data into it with simple pipelines If you want a guided course, check out DataCamp’s Intro to Data Engineering: https://lnkd.in/eZV6gjYM If you’re looking for a free course, check out this 3-hour YouTube video: https://lnkd.in/eiHraCKj 𝟯/ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 Find a small project at work & manage it as a Product. What does this mean? ↳ Understand stakeholder requirements ↳ Translate those into a Product roadmap ↳ Enlist the right people to work on the project ↳ Communicate progress and blockers frequently I personally like this book about the Product Management career: https://amzn.to/4jPHxC8 ——— Btw, I’m writing about my time as an Analyst at Amazon (+ how I got promoted). Sign up to get my newsletter in your inbox tomorrow! www.askdatadawn.com ♻️ Repost this if you found this useful!

Everyone focuses on certifications and frameworks; But no one talks about the one practice that separates good privacy pros from exceptional ones: Documentation. I'm not talking about compliance paperwork. I'm talking about documenting everything you do, every decision you make, every process you build. Here's why it matters: - During audits, you'll have a clear trail of your reasoning and actions - For career growth, you build a portfolio of expertise that proves your value - In interviews, you can speak with precision about real scenarios you've handled The reality is most mid-career professionals rely on memory. They handle: - complex privacy assessments - navigate vendor negotiations - make critical data protection decisions But they don't write it down. Then audit season arrives, or a dream job opportunity appears, and they scramble to reconstruct what they did and why. This doesn't just affect your current role. → It demonstrates accountability and strategic thinking to leadership. → Your documentation becomes your knowledge base for future challenges. → It transforms you from someone who does the work to someone who can teach, lead, and scale. The best privacy professionals I know all have one thing in common: They document relentlessly. So here's my question: Are you building a record of your expertise, or letting it disappear the moment you move on to the next task?

I've hired hundreds of people in strategy consulting, startups and the UN - hear my top advice for recent grads navigating a job search! #GetStarted 1) It starts before you graduate If you have limited work experience, hiring managers might still look at your grades and also at your internships or work experience - keep that in mind! 3) Identify different career paths /goals If you are like most people, this might be hard. You might think others have their plan figured out and only you don't know what to do - but the opposite is true. Most people have no idea what they want to do in life, so if you are able to identify different options that you would want to pursue, you can already chart a course towards that 4) Design learning experiments This is coming from design thinking (if you haven't read Designing your Life - it's a great book!) - instead of assuming that you like something, learn more! This works by seeking out conversations, by doing internships, maybe even seeking out volunteering opportunities, doing courses or learning online. Basically this is for you to make sure that you don't run after a theoretical image, but have more substance and test whether that's something for you 5) Build "career fuel" From wherever you start, start building either - Experiences and critical skills that are relevant for your field and make you a more attractive candidate -or Recognized leading organizations that are hard to get into that signal to potential employers that you are great talent In earlier stages, building relevant experiences might even be more important, but make sure that it is in fact relevant. E.g. if you want to go into strategy consulting, maybe a corporate internship is more relevant than e.g. working in hospitality 6) Make the jump or stick it out There are often two different types of ways to sabotage your career. You stay too long in a job that isn't relevant or you are jumping around from 1-2 months gigs way too often. Depending on the industry, people also look for your decision making and leadership skills. What else did I miss? Curious what others think! #TheInsider #careeradvice

Ever found yourself just going through the motions, ticking tasks off your list but unsure if you're really on the right track? You're definitely not alone. Just last week, on the Career Shifts Podcast, I spoke with Phani Pattamatta, who shared his unique approach to self-assessment, "Chintan Baithak," or what he calls a personal brainstorming session. Imagine this: sitting quietly in a corner, reflecting on the past year, jotting down your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT), and setting clear "North Star" goals. Then pinning these goals on a soft board to keep them in view daily, which helps you stay aligned with your aspirations. Well, this is exactly what he did all these years. In many corporate settings, it's the season for annual appraisal conversations, where managers review our performance. Sometimes, their views differ significantly from our self-assessment. While organizations mandate these annual reviews, there’s a huge opportunity for us to adopt Chintan Baithak in our personal lives. Why consider integrating Chintan Baithak into your routine? Here are some compelling reasons I've discovered: ➡ Enhances Clarity and Focus Regular sessions help dispel the fog around your goals. By revisiting what you aim to achieve, you stay on a clear path and avoid drifting from your core objectives. ➡Promotes Accountability This reflective practice demands brutal honesty about your successes and failures. This level of honesty increases your accountability, urging you to own your progress and adjust as needed. ➡Facilitates Continuous Improvement Acknowledging what didn’t work isn't just about recognizing failures; it's about turning those insights into actionable steps. This fosters a habit of continuous self-improvement. ➡Helps Manage Stress Understanding what needs adjustment and having a plan reduces anxiety. When you're clear about your direction and next steps, the stress of uncertainty fades away. ➡Strengthens Decision-Making Regular Chintan Baithak sessions improve your ability to make decisions that are aligned with your long-term goals, based on a clear understanding of past outcomes and current objectives. As we navigate the season of annual reviews, why not apply a similar reflective approach to your own life? Like formal performance reviews, this practice can spotlight your growth areas and celebrate your achievements. The keys to benefiting from Chintan Baithak are consistency and absolute honesty with yourself, which I had also heard from my other mentor, Tarun Nallu. Trust me, the clarity that comes from this exercise is a game-changer! Also, don't forget to join me for the next episode of Career Shifts tomorrow, Wednesday, 15 May 24, at 7 PM IST, where I'll be speaking with Raja Krishnamoorthy (Kitty), an acclaimed actor & distinguished Talent & Organizational Development consultant. #SelfReflection #ChintanBaithak #careershifts

Documentation is one of the most underrated tools in the knowledge worker's kit. Not for compliance. Not for process. But for thinking. It helps us do something seemingly contradictory - hold ambiguity and seek clarity at the same time. When you write down raw thoughts, open questions, or fragmented facts, you’re not just recording - you're revealing. Assumptions surface. Blind spots show. New questions emerge. When you answer those as a self-FAQ, it might feel remedial - but that’s how rigor is built. Documentation invites multiple lenses. It lets ideas evolve. The version history doesn’t just track changes - it shows the evolution of thought. Even if we leap to solutions too fast, it becomes a grounding anchor: “Here’s one path. We’re still thinking.” And perhaps most crucially - it saves hours of meetings. One good doc becomes a shared context, kills tribal knowledge, and becomes an onboarding gift for every future collaborator. When decisions are made, the reasoning doesn’t vanish - it lives in the document. Clarity, scale, and transparency - all in one place. And now, with AI in the loop, it gets even better. AI helps wordsmith, brings external sources, asks provocative questions, and pushes your thinking - all in real time. Whether it’s a Google Doc, a FigJam board, or a messy Figma scratchpad - the solution unfolds as you think, question, and shape. By the time the final design is done, every breadcrumb of the journey is archived. For history buffs and new teammates alike, the ramp-up becomes instant. If Amazon added one chromosome to my DNA, it’s this one — documentation-first thinking. I’m forever grateful for it. #musings