Jobs and Careers Summer 2021 - 31

KARREN BRADY
Are some sectors a better choice to
work in after the pandemic?
Some jobs simply won't come back after this crisis, so now is a
good time to invest in doing courses - you may have to adapt
your skills to make you employable. Anything to do with the
internet, creating sales targets, social media, creating videos
for marketing - all these skills are needed for most businesses.
The world also needs more people in the healthcare industry
than ever before, particularly doctors, nurses and care workers.
The world of work
What qualities do you look for when
you're recruiting an employee?
People do business with people, not with brains. It's
important to have a personality, to be able to communicate
and be naturally curious about what's happening, how
it's happening and how you can improve things.
Also, make sure you show that you're interested in the
company and have something to bring to it. I like to ask
people at interviews to tell me one
thing about my business that I don't
know. If the answer is very good,
I know that they've thought about
working for the organisation rather
than just whacking out a CV to a
dozen different companies with no
interest in what each one does.
How can young people
increase the skills they
have to offer employers?
Barclays LifeSkills is a free online
course that more than seven million
Is it better to do any job, even if it's
a different role than you envisaged?
Yes, 100%. If you're in work it's so much easier to get another
job than if you're out of work. You never know where it
might lead. You can network, speak to people and gain
connections. If you apply for and get a job that's not exactly
what you want see how you can develop there and what
you can learn, giving you more skills for your next role.
The inside story
" Companies value
older people
because they hit
the ground running
and don't need
extensive training "
young people have been on already.
It's hugely rewarding because it helps you with that difficult
transition of leaving education and going into the world of work.
The course offers you help with job interviews, gaining
work experience, building your CV, creating and giving
a presentation, communicating effectively and building
your confidence. It's showing you all the skills you need
when you get that job offer - and it's completely free.
What is your advice for older people
who may have to change career?
Brush up on your skills because things change all the
time. There are all sort of courses you can take advantage
of, particularly if you've been furloughed. Think about
the experience you can bring to a role. It can be worrying
to think about taking on a new career when you're over
50, but you'll be a valuable member of any team because
you have experience and you know how to deal with
people - that's a real benefit. Companies value older
people because they can hit the ground running and
don't need extensive training to get up to speed.
How do you think the pandemic
has changed us?
I think we've all had to accept the many ups and downs of the
last 18 months and that takes lots of resilience. For me, taking
time to recognise how people depend on and feel about the
company they work for and engaging with them regularly has
never been more important. Hope and optimism can really
take a hammering when times are hard, but good leaders instil
a spirit of purpose and optimism, and come out the other side
with a better company with a
better purpose and values.
Are you happy with
the work roles you
have at the moment
or would you like
to change things?
I am happy with what I'm doing.
I'm doing more than I've ever
done for the House of Lords,
which I'm really enjoying.
And we've found new ways of
communicating at West Ham,
and are reaping the benefits.
I don't have any non-executive positions at the moment
and I'm probably not going to do any for a while - I'm
going to spend more time working in the House of Lords
and running West Ham. I also start filming the new series
of The Apprentice for the BBC soon. We didn't do one
last year, so I'm looking forward to doing that again.
Did the pandemic prompt you to change
any habits or your day-to-day routine?
I have been doing more walking and I am enjoying that.
I've been trying to get out every day because I'm on the
phone all the time and don't leave the chair! I used to walk
to and from the tube station, but because I haven't been
doing that, I've been trying to get out and about more.
Do you think our lives will go back to how
they were once this crisis has passed?
I don't think things will ever get back to " normal " or how they
were before. The pandemic has changed the way in which
we travel and the ways we interact with each other.
jobsandcareersmag.com /// JOBS & CAREERS /// 31
http://www.jobsandcareersmag.com
Jobs and Careers Summer 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Jobs and Careers Summer 2021
