The Skills Hub

Resources to help improve your career skills at every level.

Explore our top tips, how to articles and resource templates to help you along your career journey.

Understanding IR35

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How to survive an investment bank internship application

If you’re set on starting your career in an investment bank, you will no doubt have figured out that a summer internship is an important pathway to fulfilling that dream.At Freshminds, we work with a number of ambitious investment banks who are looking for world-class graduate talent to fill th...

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Optimising your LinkedIn profile: Win jobs and influence recruiters

From a reasonably low profile 10 years ago - LinkedIn is now used by almost a billion members, across 200 countries and territories worldwide. In April 2024, LinkedIn counted more than 42 million users from the UK. This makes LinkedIn the 5th largest social network in the country.The network has...

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9 Skills Employers are Looking for in 2024

The post-Covid landscape has been a tale of two halves - inflated growth and then the sobering fallout as businesses strive for control over their profit margins. This pattern has been reflected in the candidate market, and in the past year or so employment power has shifted back into employers...

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Investment banking internships: The first steps to securing a role

Completing an internship is a great way to get your foot in the door of a company you wish to work for long term. Investment banking is no different. It is, however, arguably more important to complete these internships for a role in investment banking than it is within other career paths. There...

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How to leverage your employability power in 2024

Freshminds is often at the forefront of connecting exceptional talent with world-leading businesses. Because of this, we forge strong partnerships with our candidates and ensure we stay informed about evolving industry trends to support their journey. Our focus extends beyond the traditional nar...

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The right blend of IQ and EQ: Tips to keep improving

When it comes to identifying the most suitable individual for a role, a strong academic background is often an important factor but not the sole focus for assessing the fit for a company. When choosing the right candidate, we often look for a balance of IQ and factors such as evidence of collabo...

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How to maximise your relationship with your recruiter

Go solo and unencumbered; get some useful guidance and advice, or go all in - fully in partnership with an experienced recruiter. Which of the three is better for you when looking for a new role, and what are the pros and cons?From a perspective of some 20 years in the recruitment industry, alb...

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Building a career in consulting: what can you expect

The allure of consulting lies in the constant learning you’ll receive, often spanning across industries. With each client interaction, you’ll be able to weave a network of invaluable connections, shaping the narratives of business growth. But it won’t all be plane-sailing; you’ll have to learn t...

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A skills guide for graduates entering the consulting field

A consulting career can be hugely rewarding. Often you’ll find yourself at the periphery of business change, helping companies build resilient and innovative infrastructures to propel their growth.Consulting itself is dynamic; it’s focused on helping clients address various business challenges, ...

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Bridge your digital skills gap with these essential tips

There's no avoiding it; digital skills are fast becoming the beating heart of a core professional skillset. Many businesses are concerned that there isn't enough technical know-how to accomplish their ambitious digital transformations, so upgrading your knowledge can be a huge career advantage. ...

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Understanding Private Equity Jobs: What’s right for you?

Over the last year, the private equity sector has seen conservative levels of activity. But despite a lack of deals, the future of private equity is promising, with trends focusing on ESG investing, technology, and impact investing. Emerging markets, co-investments, and data-driven decision-maki...

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Healthy vs destructive conflict in a team: understanding the difference

Managing a team is all about balance. Project leadership has shifted away from the traditional top-down ‘command and control’ approach and moved towards open, collaborative, agile structures. But a more liberal approach can produce additional challenges, especially when it comes to managing team...

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Job Titles Explained: What is a Strategy Analyst?

A Strategy Analyst is responsible for identifying the needs of business and determining the direction it needs to go in order to excel and succeed. They will develop these decisions by analysing, gathering and reviewing data and then creating relevant solutions to the company’s problems.In theor...

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How to manage conflict in a project team

Freshminds carries out a large number of projects every year, putting together and briefing teams to fulfil client requests. Our project teams range from researchers to analysts to transformation specialists, so we understand the challenge of conflict. While healthy conflict is often creative an...

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The Job Hunt in 2023: Top Skills Employers Look for

While core technical skills will vary from role to role and become differentiated based on seniority, there are many transferable skill sets that candidates can nurture for role advancement. “Transferrable skills are crucial for professionals looking to enhance their leadership opportunities an...

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Successful Project Management: 9 Habits You Can Foster

Good project managers are proactive, adaptive, decisive, and above all, excellent communicators: skills they will continue to hone throughout their careers. We’ve put together a list of the key habits you can foster - both on and off the project - that will help you sprint down the road towards ...

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What Is Management Consulting & How to Get into It

At its most basic level, consulting is simply the act of informed business recommendations led by an expert. But at its most enigmatic level, consultants are change makers. They can bring an objective view to internal company challenges and help them achieve long-term growth, which can transform...

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6 Hiring Trends to Boost Your Job Search in 2022

Over the years, the job market has been guided by employment trends and economic needs; 2022 is no different. Never before have job seekers been more in control as employers search high and low for talent. This shift has been largely exacerbated by the covid pandemic, a mental health drive, and ...

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What Is a Freelance Consultant and How to Become One

The way we work has changed radically in recent years, and many more people are turning to new models of employment or self-employment. Working for yourself has many benefits, and in today’s world, it can be easier than ever to strike out on your own.Becoming a freelance consultant is one way to...

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How to Structure a Job Search From Start to Finish

In 2022, with economies recovering from a global pandemic and a rise in digital flexibility, there’s no better time for a career evaluation.You wouldn’t be alone, with almost one-quarter of workers thinking of leaving their employment last year, triggering the Great Resignation. So how can job ...

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How to Conduct a Telephone Survey Effectively [8 Useful Tips]

If you are new to telephone research projects and would like to learn more about how to be an effective caller, you have come to the right place. Whether you’ve joined the Freshminds Projects network to expand your horizons, work on consulting projects in interesting fields, and gain more experi...

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5 Key Skills to Show to Employers During Covid-19 and Beyond

The way we work, interact, and manage time has all shifted dramatically since March 2020. The advent of mass working from home and wider changes brought about by Covid-19 has led to a shift in certain skills that are valued by employers. So, it’s important to be aware of the traits that companies...

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How to Answer the Interview Question About an Employment Gap

In a post-covid world, career gaps have become unavoidable for many people. Redundancies, extra flexibility, family needs or simply wanting a break are all legitimate reasons for many of us to take a step back from our careers. And whether these changes were self-inflicted or not, a gap shouldn’...

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Getting Started in Personal Branding: Importance and Considerations

Personal Branding is no longer exclusively synonymous with influencers and digital marketers; now, instead, it has become almost mandatory for candidates to stand out during the application process. For new graduates and industry professionals alike, personal branding can provide candidates wit...

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4 ways to express your strengths at an interview

One common interview question is: “What are your greatest strengths?” It can seem like an easier question to answer, but it's still one that people find challenging to get right. Being too modest, overly confident, unspecific or not aligning the strengths to the situation are all things which can...

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5 Tips for Successful Video Interviews

Video interviews are fast becoming more common; even as the pandemic begins to decline, many changes, including remote communication, are likely to remain for many companies. Easy access to video technology platforms, as well as time and cost savings, mean that they are an effective way of managi...

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How to get the most out of working from home

There are a lot of roles that can be done from the comfort of your home if you have the right kit and the right mindset. Freshminds supports clients on projects where a freelancer working from home full-time orpart-time can often be the preferred option already. For tasks like desk research, phon...

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Getting better at multitasking with technology

The rapid advancement of technology throughout the last few decades has led to huge leaps forward in our ability to collaborate, produce, and multitask in the workplace. However, with the influx of new technologies, we are now capable of multitasking even to our own detriment. When your focus is ...

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Making a career move - how can it impact your salary?

Your salary expectations may differ across industries and therefore will need to be taken into consideration during your search. Notoriously start-ups are known to pay less as a base salary comparative to large corporates for similar roles and within the same industry. This can be up to 20% lower...

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How to prepare for a career change

The decision to make a career move will come for various reasons. Whether it's a consideration around salary, location, seniority or looking for new challenges, the process of setting up and managing yourself through a job search can still be a daunting and complex task. Setting a few steps to pr...

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How to adapt your CV to consulting experience

‘How do I get into consulting?’ is a question we often hear at Freshminds. With a range of varied backgrounds and experience, it’s hard to know how to make your CV fit into the tick boxes consulting companies want to be checked off. This can seem like a difficult dilemma to face, and from the out...

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8 Tips to Prepare for a Successful Interview

At any stage of a career and whether you're going for a permanent or contract position, the interview is often a daunting prospect. Leaving a great first impression is crucial to making it to the next stage of the process which can often be lengthy and involve various stakeholders, dependant on t...

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5 activities or interests to add to your CV

A common mistake some candidates seem to make is adding the wrong extracurricular activities to their CV or none at all.Some interests can be left outside of the business resume, but other activities outside of the day-to-day job are not only a great way to demonstrate your individuality, but the...

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How to improve your LinkedIn profile

At all stages of your career, it's important to keep your LinkedIn profile updated as it is your base to grow your network, build relationships and seek new positions. It is the foundation for your personal branding and with the majority of employers now checking your profile before hiring it is ...

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Three top tips to boost your online career profile

Not so long ago, a stellar CV and considered cover letter would have been all that was needed to kick-start a fantastic career. Now, along with social profile checks, employers have access to thousands of CVs in a few clicks. So, how do you stand out from the next person on the likes of Reed, Mon...

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Consulting case study what you need to know

Case interviews are the main selection method for a consultancy firm's applicant process. Many firms will have a two or three-stage process to land a full-time job, at least one of which will involve a case study. This is a chance to show your analytical, reasoning and communication skills and in...

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So, you've got a degree, what next?

After graduation you may feel torn between career paths or even frustrated that you’ve got a seemingly limited number of options of jobs because of what you’ve studied.It can feel like being in a bubble: you’ve spent three or four years learning something which perhaps you wanted to pursue profe...

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The grad series: How to ace the case in an interview

You have a 2:1 from a reputable university, were the captain of your sports team, had an internship at a law firm and have a great smile? The recruiter said it would just be a chat about your experience and your personality? You’ve already had three interviews and two assessment centres; this ne...

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The grad series: Sending better emails for the business world

No doubt, these burning questions have run through your head while proofreading any professional email, especially if it’s a first-time contact. Whether searching for a job or communicating with colleagues, clients or senior professionals, navigating the world of email has become an art form in ...

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The grad series: Top 10 tips for the graduate CV

There are many templates out there that promise the perfect CV structure. But, despite this, sadly many resumes end up being less functional and more overwhelmingly creative.With thousands of graduates entering the job market each year, you want to stand out from the crowd, but you should do this...

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Tips & Tricks: CVs, LinkedIn and cover letters

What does a good cover letter look like? How long should my CV be? Do I need LinkedIn? These are a few of the questions posed to the Freshminds team, when we were joined by CBRE to provide UCL students with a CV panel discussion and Q&A session. As a recap, we’ve put together some of the most...

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