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Top Insider Advice
To allow and develop a potential candidate's career, one must be willing to accept change. Although it is not possible to change careers overnight, it is possible to change direction of a career overnight. For a candidate to ensure effective career changes, following must be adhered to: a) Identify potential strengths and weaknesses: Knowing your strengths and weaknesses can help you identify the areas where you need to improve and the areas where you can excel. b) Set SMART goals: Setting clear goals can help one stay focused and motivated. Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. c) Developing your skills: Continuously developing your skills can help you stay competitive in the job market. Consider enrolling to various courses, attending workshops, or reading books to develop your skills. d) Network: Networking is an essential part of building a successful career. Attend organisation events, join professional organizations, and connect with people in your field. e) Be adaptable: The job market is constantly changing, and it’s important to be adaptable. Be open to new opportunities and be willing to learn new skills. f) Be persistent: Building a successful career takes time and effort. Don’t get discouraged by setbacks or rejections. Keep working hard and stay focused on your goal.
Career path
Train Care Operative (TCO), Great Western Railway
FirstGroup
From 04/2014 to 05/2025Company
What do you like about your job and the company?
Working in a diverse culture has provided me with numerous positive experiences since I started working for Great Western Railway. This has helped me understand other cultures and their behaviours. Although it can be difficult at times, it is a rewarding experience overall. When a company recognises the value of diversification, the results can be extremely beneficial. According to a study conducted by the Hult International Business School (2023), organisations that embrace cultural diversity in the workplace have higher levels of productivity and profitability, enhanced levels of innovation, and superior levels of performance. As a member of the Oxford Carriage Sidings team, I can attest to the fact that strong cultural diversity has enriched the sidings' workforce by fostering high-quality relationships among co-workers.
Greatest achievements
My most significant achievements was graduating from Oxford Brookes University with a bachelor's degree in business and management practice. Although I have had many accomplishments, such as contributing to the evaluation of GWR's printing sustainability and delivering a 5-bedroom residential house project on time and within budget, my bachelor's degree in business and management practice remain one of my greatest achievement. This has increased both my professional reputation and employability rating. I am extremely grateful to the people, particularly my professors, who made this journey possible. I consider this achievement to be the beginning of opening new opportunities in my life and in the world.
Alice O
Top Insider Advice
The only way to learn how to do a job is to ask questions from those around you. No question is a silly question. Also putting yourself out there asking questions, getting your voice heard helps establish your presence within an organisation and can help you progress your career further
Christopher G
Top Insider Advice
Experiencing new things will broaden your horizon and give you things to talk about. This is really useful for life experiences and for discussions at interviews when the time is right to move on. Seek out new opportunities to meet new people and take part in exciting and innovative new projects. Want to try something different from your day job and see if you like it first? Why not do some shadowing or grab the opportunity to go on secondment within the business you're working in? With a secondment this is ideal as it means your original position will be waiting for you if, and when, you decide to return. You never know, a secondment may lead to new doors opening that you never thought about previously!
Claire S
Top Insider Advice
Your professional reputation is about you and will follow you throughout your career, it's important to protect it. Sometimes you may not agree professionally with business decisions or strategy. You should never let an employer feel like you have to compromise your professional integrity to aid your popularity within the company to secure promotions. It is important to check the values of the company you are seeking employment with and make sure they are a good fit for you. Research how others have rated working for the company you are considering taking a position at. Don't always think about the salary, there is much more to it in order to ensure your success and happiness within a company. Ensure you work for a company who value you and will help you develop your professional career and thrive.