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Maria S.

L&D Director

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Top Insider Advice

Development never stops so own it; be the driver of your own skills development. Take time to build relationships and networks. Be brave to use your voice. No question is a stupid question so speak up if you need to ask or want to understand. Stay curious: everyone is human regardless of their level. People are always on hand to help so be confident to ask for it! Culture is key and great teams make great things happen!

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Career path

L&D Director

First Central

Started 01/2017 to Present

Company

What do you like about your job and the company?

People, People, People. They’re what make us who we are. We get things done around here, together! We have very clear goals as an organisation and everyone pulls in the same direction. Our Execs are approachable and always on hand for guidance. Ideas are welcomed and we never sit still, always wanting to be better and share in the success. Development programmes are designed to meet the needs of the business and we continually develop the talents and skills of our colleagues supporting their personal growth which creates an atmosphere of learning and knowledge sharing. And it’s fun here. People matter. Talk to anyone, I’m positive they’ll say the same.

Greatest achievements

Being part of a small team of three to organise a professional cycle road race over 10 days across the UK which was televised on Channel 4. Presenting to local district councils and agreeing road safety. Booking street entertainment, hospitality, the Queens Guards parading through Holborn and the Red Devils flying over Portsmouth are just a few of the super fun projects I’ve been involved in which were exciting and rewardingly exhausting! In recent years, influencing a change in company values and the introduction of a leadership development programme supporting all levels of leaders from aspiring right up to our very own Chiefs. And then there’s my team of credible experts who’ve risen to the challenge over the past few years to really push the boundaries of personal development and are now equipped with many qualifications to work one to one or with teams offering bespoke team building or psychometric personality feedback. Lastly, raising a family as a single mum and moving through the ranks to Director Level. This went hand in hand with feelings of imposter syndrome and was also an achievement of which I am proud.

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Other insiders

Lauren M

Top Insider Advice

If you’re applying for an Early Careers role such as a Graduate or Apprentice scheme, hiring managers won’t expect you to have a whole host of work experience to draw upon. They will, however, be looking to understand what kind of person you are, what skills you have, and what makes you tick! So don’t be afraid to talk about the sports team you play for or manage at the weekend, the examinations you’ve racked up for playing a musical instrument, your involvement in a community group or your passion for learning foreign languages!

Jacob H

Performance Analyst

Top Insider Advice

Ever since I started as a handler, I’ve constantly pushed for positive change, working with different business areas throughout my tenure and learning from each experience. When I think back to my application to become a Performance Analyst, I was lucky I could pull experiences from my time as a handler and team leader. However, they weren't all huge changes to processes or massive improvements to performance. Nothing is too small; as long as you’re tenacious, inquisitive and excited by continuous improvement, you're already halfway there!

Adam W

Product Manager

Top Insider Advice

It sounds obvious, but sometimes it can be easy to perform the actions required for your role in a way that doesn’t best amplify your strengths. Be acutely aware of your own strengths and play to them, putting together a development plan for areas of improvement. I’d recommend developing your strengths too. Just because you’re naturally good at something doesn’t mean you should rest on your laurels. Have a mindset of wanting to move from the top 10% to top 1%. Always welcome feedback too whether it’s positive or constructive. Don’t take constructive feedback negatively, to be imperfect is to be human. We all have areas we can improve on.

Discussions with Maria S