Blog

The Growth of the UK Tech Sector (& What It Means For Our Skill Market and Job Competition)

Whilst there’s no doubt the pandemic has been a setback for millions of businesses and industries across the planet, there is one reason to celebrate: the UK tech sector saw astronomical growth. ​According to Tech Nation’s Detailed Industry Report...

Forward Role's Market-Leading Parental Package

​Here at Forward Role we have a true commitment to our Rollers, we offer many employment perks but more importantly we have a truly supportive and nurturing environment. We welcome suggestions and are more than happy to incorporate viable proposal...

Twitter's New Interface - A Lesson to Be Learned

​Twitter is having to do a major U-turn and revisit UI changes after a major backlash from users. Whilst original complaints stemmed from “accidental unfollows” as Twitter changed the colour of their follow button, more recent proclamations accuse...

How To Write A Successful Tech CV

​As a recruiter in Technology, I have many horror stories to tell, people who were ignored for a job or who were overlooked despite having all the qualifications on paper. People who at that very least should have been given a shot at an intervie...

Technology: Driving Change Across Every Industry

​We’re living in the digital era - a time of fast and far-reaching technological innovations that influence and affect our personal and work lives on a daily basis. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digital transformation, and as the technolog...

Don't Get Caught Out By Technical Debt!

​What is technical debt?Technical debt is the cost incurred when developers cut corners in order to prioritise the speedy delivery of a piece of functionality or a project over good quality code. Teams may reason that ‘Speed is the priority now, w...

​Why It's Important To Have Mental Health First Aiders In Your Business

I know you’re probably thinking “not another mental health blog!”… but you’re reading this, so you must be some-what intrigued! I attended a Mental Health First Aid course recently with St John’s Ambulance, I’m not usually one for training courses...

Five Essentials for your Content Marketing Strategy in 2021

77% of companies say they have a content marketing strategy. (SEMrush, 2019)A content marketing strategy or content strategy refers to the planning, creation, delivery and overall management of all forms of content, including written content, imag...

B2B – What’s in it for me?

There’s no getting away from it, Business to Business or B2B Marketing doesn’t have the most glamourous reputation and a lot of Marketers steer clear for that reason. A bit like working in recruitment, no-one ever dreamt of being a B2B Marketer wh...

How To Tackle New Job Nerves

​As someone who recently left their industry to try something completely new, I am very familiar with new job nerves. Whether you’re a recent graduate dipping their toes into their first grad job, or someone like me who wanted to try something new...

The Battle For Talent

I think everyone will agree it’s been an unprecedented year emotionally, socially and professionally and as we (hopefully) begin to navigate our way out of the seemingly interminable social restrictions, we see that the employment landscape is alm...

IT Graduates: What are recruiters looking for? A how-to guide to scoring your first job in the tech industry

Trying to find work can be brutal for fresh-faced graduates. 31% of degree holders end up in a job they are overqualified for - often because they’ve had no luck despite hundreds of applications for their dream job. It’s time to change that statis...

The top 10 most highly sought after digital marketing roles

The world of digital marketing is constantly evolving. As companies adapt to changing customer habits and strive to stay ahead of the competition, new roles emerge year after year. As a result of this fluidity, some digital marketing professionals...

​Top 10 Tips for Hiring Managers to Attract the Best Talent Right Now

With last year firmly behind us now, the economic landscape looks to be in a state of recovery and with the incredible rate of the vaccine roll out, the outlook is feeling positive. The recruitment market is generally a good barometer for how the ...

​Moving to a new company made me fall in love with my job again – could it do the same for you?

​Let’s throw it back to April 2020. Zoom quizzes with family and friends were just becoming a thing, lots of guys were shaving their heads, and furlough was being rolled out across the country. By month’s end, all three of these things had beco...

Preparing for the ERP Project Backlog

​It’s been an interesting year to say the least, but here are my thoughts on what’s happened and how you can prepare yourself to take advantage of the ERP Project Backlog. A year ago, there was a lot of uncertainty in the market and at the time ...

Is recruitment simply recruitment, or does the market you represent matter?

​My journey at Forward Role began six months ago, it was scary, it was a new job at a new company, in a whole new sector…Change? I was petrified of change, if I am honest, I really had found a comfort zone in my previous role, I liked it, I was go...

Brian Johnson - Live The Life You Preach

A week off camping with family and visiting friends in North Wales. This isn’t a Facebook update but a blindingly obvious reminder as to the importance of taking a break.We talk about mental health and wellbeing being critical in the current envir...

The benefits of graduating into the flexible working world

​Graduating in the midst of one of the most uncertain times in recent history is pretty daunting, but there are currently lots of opportunities out there for graduates, and the way that life has changed due to the pandemic, has meant that a shift ...

5 Tips To Improve Your Relationship With Your Job

​How did you feel about your job when you got up this morning? Ready for the week ahead or that wave of dread? Low moments in our jobs and careers are often associated with the business relationships we encounter on a daily basis - customers, coll...

Alistair Collier- Why I'm a Change Terrorist

​My name is Alistair Collier and I’m a change terrorist.Moving from a large corporate business to a smaller business was always going to offer a number of challenges. I was ready to push myself and bring ideas that would drive growth and quickly ...

5 skills you need to have on your CV as a PPC Manager

So you want to be a PPC Manager? I’m taking a look at what that looks like in today’s digital marketing industry.I’ll walk you through some of the key skills you need to become a successful PPC Manager. If you’re already working in PPC you’ll like...

Mental Health Awareness Week: 5 Ways To Look After Your Mental Wellbeing

​“There is no health without mental health.” – Dr. David Satcher This week it’s Mental Health Awareness Week. ‘Mental health’, is a term often confused with ‘mental illness’, but simply put it’s our emotional, psychological and social well-being. ...

7 Reasons Why You Should Consider NOT Accepting A Counter Offer

​Your boss may not be Don Corleone but the counter offer is one offer you probably should refuse!Why?As a recruiter you may consider I have a vested interest in candidates not accepting counter offers. After all I’m trying to ensure people move jo...

​The Future is Green – Forward Role’s Green Talent Solution

We recently announced the launch of our exciting green talent solution, delivered in partnership with environmental start-up Greenify. This pioneering collaboration enables our clients to ‘greenify a hire’ by offsetting their new employees’ indivi...

Stress Awareness Month - How to look after your stress levels when working from home

It’s Stress Awareness Month...and let’s face it these past 12 months have been very challenging for all of us mentally.When working from home, it’s really important to stay motivated and keep working hard, but the most important thing is to make s...

Should I Become a Contractor? - The Pros & Cons and How To Get Started!

​The pandemic has made a lot of people question whether or not to “go contracting”. The question often arises due to three main reasons: The lack of permanent opportunities, redundancy or job loss due to cost-cutting and the desire to “throw caut...

Marketing & Digital Leaders - An interview with Hilary Large

​To celebrate International Women’s Day, every day this week we’ve shared an interview with an inspirational woman in a marketing & digital leadership role.In this final instalment, Rachel Wheeler chatted with highly regarded Marketing Direct...

Marketing & Digital Leaders - An interview with Deborah Darlington

​To celebrate International Women's Day, everyday this week, we have been sharing a quick interview with an inspiring woman in leadership.In this instalment, Rachel Wheeler chatted with marketing leader Deborah Darlington, Director of Brand &...

Marketing & Digital Leaders - An interview with Amy Lawson

​It’s International Women’s Day and this week in our Marketing & Digital Leaders series, we are celebrating women in leadership! In today's blog, Rachel Wheeler chatted with Founder and Director of ReDefine Marketing, Amy Lawson. Amy discusses...

Marketing & Digital Leaders- An Interview with Vicky Betts

​To celebrate International Women’s Day, this week our Marketing & Digital Leaders series will focus on ‘Women in Leadership’ and every day we are sharing an interview with an inspiring woman in a leadership role! In this third instalment, Rac...

Marketing & Digital Leaders- An Interview with Kobi McCardle

In honour of International Women's Day this week, our Marketing & Digital Leaders Series will feature inspiring Women in Leadership​In today’s interview, Rachel Wheeler chatted to Kobi McCardle, Co-Founder of Dr Fertility, about her career, he...

Marketing & Digital Leaders - An interview with Ant Duffin

​In our first instalment, Rachel Wheeler chatted with Ant Duffin, a highly experienced digital leader that has worked with global brands PZ Cussons and Reckitt Benckiser, to discuss his biggest professional achievements and lessons, 2021 digital t...

The Hybrid Workforce - Life after Covid

​Last week, Boris unveiled his ‘roadmap’ strategy out of lockdown restrictions, and although it depends on many factors being met, we can tentatively start to look ahead with optimism and hope. I think it’s realistic to assume that working life ...

IR35 - What you need to do

​The biggest fear around IR35 (OPW) remains ‘what if’ and the resulting fines and penalties from ‘getting it wrong’.If you take time to understand the legislation and the impact on you and your business then the decision of a contractor’s status b...

Worried about changing jobs during the pandemic? Don't be!

This is a topic that I am coming across a lot lately, especially when speaking with developers. There is an understandable feeling of fear around moving to a new role in the current situation.Personally, I have been on the other side of the fence,...

How to Have a Positive Blue Monday

​The third Monday of January is known as ‘Blue Monday’, and with the continuing global crisis, it’s fair to say that this year could be the ‘bluest’ yet.​While you’re working from home, it’s important to try and stay motivated and keep going, but ...

Marketing & Digital Leaders - Stacey Judson

​In the first of our latest blog series - Marketing & Digital Leaders, Rachel Wheeler chatted with Stacey Judson from Elegant Resorts and If Only, to discuss some of the challenges she’s faced in her career and the advice she would give to wom...

How to start a new job & become part of the team...from home

Congrats to you if you are in the fortunate position of being offered and starting a new role during this strange time! We do a lot of build up to interviews; we prep, plan, revise... but what happens once you start the role? How do you prepare yo...

WFH - 8 Months Sitting In My Kitchen

Love it or hate it, working from home isn’t disappearing anytime soon. After all it's ‘unprecedented’ times! Here’s a few things that I’ve learnt over the last 8 months of sitting in my kitchen…1. No matter how much time you have, you’ll still be ...

Ideas For Your 2020 Work Christmas Party

Now is the time we should all be getting excited about our Office Christmas Parties; getting all dressed up, letting our hair down with colleagues and celebrating success stories somewhere glamourous and fun. But with the festive season affected b...

Online Retail Pet Peeves

We all knew that online shopping would become more and more prevalent but this year, it has been an absolute saviour. From our grocery shops, to DIY supplies, to entertainment for the kids and the rest of the family, online shopping has been ess...

Didn't get the job? How to handle rejection.

Didn’t get the job? You aced the interview, dressed smartly, spoke confidently and knowledgeably about the role, company, and your own experience but you still did not get the job. Getting rejected from a job role can really knock your confidence ...

How to manage stress and tips to help you get through the second lockdown

Today is National Stress Awareness day… good timing with the UK going in a second National Lockdown tomorrow. What even is ‘Stress’? Stress is the body's reaction to feeling threatened or under pressure. Experiencing stress over a long period of t...

5 key things to research before your job interview

As I’m sure you’re aware, the job market is very competitive at the moment; with lots of people having been made redundant, furloughed or just facing an insecure future in their current roles and we’ve seen a dramatic rise in applications this y...

The Fake Commute - Get back into gear!

Let’s be honest, put your hand up if you felt that not having to commute during Covid was one of the few positives of lockdown? Me!  What’s not to love?! A little extra time in bed, no rush to the bus stop, avoid bad weather, no one sitti...

World Mental Health Day 2020: FR Office Manager Danielle opens up about her own mental health experiences

I feel like now more than ever Mental Health Awareness is something that needs to be discussed, with World Mental Health Day approaching on the 10th October, I thought this would be a great opportunity to share my personal experience and views (...

Remote Recruitment - Evaluate Your EVP!

The business world has fundamentally changed, these unprecedented times mean that organisations need to adapt their recruitment processes in order to keep pace with the ever-evolving situation around us.However your business has been impacted by C...

3 key benefits happiness at work will boost your career

With the chaos that of 2020, and the rollercoaster that we’ve all been on during the pandemic, it’s important to ensure that your work life is having a positive impact on your happiness.  Happiness at work not only refers to your wellness...

How to handle redundancy on your CV

An unfortunate consequence of the continuing pandemic and the economic chaos it has created, is that many companies have had to make their staff redundant.  The latest figures released by the ONS, show that the UK unemployment rate for May to July...

Top tips on returning to work after maternity leave

Returning to work after maternity leave can be daunting. Numerous thoughts go through the brain ‘Can I still do my job?’ ‘Will I be any good?’ ‘Can I leave my child?’ ‘How do I balance work and my family?’. Every working mum will be in the same...

5 tips to help reduce your video interview nerves

It’s your interview day. You have passed the application stage of the process and now is your chance to impress the employer face to face via video interview.  We all know that interviews are a necessary evil that cause us to feel a mixture o...

The 'New Normal' For Forward Role

So, after 4+ Months of the whole team working from home and only seeing each other via video calls, the time has come for the Forward Role team to start slowly returning to our lovely Manchester HQ! For those of you that have already ventured o...

The Role of PR in B2B Marketing - B2B Marketing Leaders Webinar with Rob Skinner & Claire Lamb

On Thursday, we held our B2B Marketing Leaders Webinar - The Role of PR in B2B Marketing, hosted brilliantly by Rob Skinner and Claire Lamb from Skout PR. This was the second run of this session following the success of the first Webinar on the ...

The importance of keeping furloughed employees engaged

More than nine million workers are thought to be furloughed in the UK under the Government’s Job Retention Scheme, many of who have been on leave since the scheme started back in March.  For those business owners and hiring managers who have te...

How To Handle Redundancy And What To Do Next

How to handle redundancy and what to do next Being made redundant is never easy, but unfortunately it does happen. For many people, redundancy is a daunting prospect that brings with it financial concerns and confidence knocks, but it is someth...

Agency Leaders Webinar - Big Business Behaviours For Growth Orientated Agencies

Last week we held our Agency Leaders Webinar - 'Big Business Behaviours For Growth-Orientated Agencies & Clients'    Big Thanks to Dani Briers for hosting such a brilliant and insightful event and to everyone that joined us!  ...

How Coronavirus is changing the digital transformation landscape

The Covid-19 pandemic has altered the speed and scope of digital transformation, and the tech sector has been rewarded with significant growth and influence. As we tentatively move into a new phase, can the innovative and agile nature of digital t...

How to ensure working from home isn’t causing your team to feel overworked and overwhelmed

According to new research, more than half (54%) of HR Managers believe that the extended period of working from home has resulted in an increase of mental health issues such as anxiety, burnout, and isolation, amongst their employees.The findings ...

5 ways to boost your job search productivity

It can be hard to stay motivated and focused when job hunting, so here are our 5 practical tips that can help boost productivity during your job search. ​1. Set yourself goalsThe key to being productive is to set realistic goals of what you want t...

10 free Marketing & Digital training courses to keep you busy during furlough

Last month, the Chancellor extended the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to the end of June, giving those put on furlough another month of receiving 80% of their wages, up to a maximum of £2,500. Although great news, for many of those who have b...

Forward Role teams up with dozens of creative, marketing & digital agencies across the North West to raise money for the NHS

Forward Role is delighted to be helping to coordinate dozens of creative, marketing and digital agencies across the North West who have teamed up to raise thousands of pounds for the NHS - by running a marathon between each business.   We’d ...

How to keep you and your team motivated during the coronavirus outbreak

It’s safe to say that the last few of weeks have been tough. Getting to grips with new technology, implementing new ways of working and overcoming new challenges, there’s been a lot of change. But one thing that’s stayed the same, and in fact is n...

Advice for parents working from home with kids

Many of us are now a few weeks into working remotely and starting to adapt to this new routine. However, one challenge we face is trying to work from home with children. Kids need extra attention during this crisis as it’s such an unsettling tim...

Remote Recruitment Success Stories - An interview with a Social Media Strategist that started her new job remotely.

In our blog series - Remote Recruitment Success Stories, we are talking to a variety of people working in marketing, digital and tech, that have experienced both sides of remote hiring and onboarding...to show that it is still possible in this c...

Remote Recruitment Success Stories - An interview with Bethany Lang, Head of Operations at User Conversion.

In this third instalment of our ‘Recruitment Recruitment Success Stories’ mini-series, Faye Dixon interviews Bethany Lang- Head of Operations at User Conversion. Beth talks about adapting to remote working, bringing on a new employee and her advic...

Remote Recruitment Success Stories - An interview with a Head of Marketing on hiring and on-boarding remotely

“We’ve put the role on hold”, “we’re in a recruitment freeze”, “I’m really sorry, however during these unclear times, we are unable to bring them on board”.   These past two weeks have undoubtedly been the most uncertain time for a huge p...

Remote Recruitment Success Stories - An interview with a remotely hired Content Marketing Manager

These past two weeks have undoubtedly been the most uncertain time for a huge proportion of us out there. However, for me, and a handful of others, we have had a positive week! Recruiting remotely and on boarding a new employee to a business is ...

Video interview advice

Businesses all over the world are making adjustments to the way they work, in reaction to the coronavirus outbreak. With many people now based from home to avoid unnecessary interaction, video interviews are more popular than they’ve ever been. ...

How to have a positive and productive day when working from home

We are now weeks into the Coronavirus lockdown and many of us are working from home. Flexible working arrangements are now the new normal across many countries and industries, and it's likely that this new way of working will continue for many p...

The benefits of having remote workers during the Coronavirus outbreak

With the rising cases of Coronavirus in the UK, businesses are following government guidelines and implementing strategies to prevent the virus spreading in the workplace. One of the preventative measures being taken is to have employees working...

3 steps to a successful marketing job interview

So, you’ve decided it’s time for a new challenge. You’ve dusted down your CV and, armed with excellent advice on how to structure it best,  have sent this off to several great looking roles and landed a handful of interviews. Now the real work ...

International Women’s Day: An interview with Chérie Bellingham from Return

This Sunday is International Women’s Day, a global day dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women and promoting gender equality. To commemorate, we’re chatting to a number of our amazing female clients, across the different industries we o...

International Women’s Day: An interview with Mel Walker from Bring Digital

All week we’ve been showcasing the achievements of some our amazing female clients, as part of our celebrations for International Women’s Day on Sunday 8th March. Next up Forward Role’s Sophie chats to Digital Strategy Director Mel Walker, about t...

International Women’s Day: An interview with Kobi McCardle from Dr Fertility

This Sunday (8th March) is International Women’s Day and to celebrate we’re talking to a number of our amazing female clients, about their successes and what they’ve learnt so far during their career. Next in our interview series, Forward Role’...

International Women’s Day: An interview with Suzanne Angell from Kainos

As we approach International Women’s Day (Sunday 8th March) we’re talking to some of our amazing female clients about their successes. Next in our interview series, Forward Role’s Leilah has been chatting to Suzanne Angell about what it's like wor...

International Women’s Day: An interview with Sara Simeone from Digital Oracles

In the run up to International Women’s Day we’re showcasing some of our amazing female clients and their achievements. Next up our Head of Marketing Emma Allison chatted to the co-founder of Digital Oracles; Sara Simeone.Hi Sara, it’s great to cha...

International Women’s Day: An interview with Becky Lacock from On the Beach

This Sunday is International Women’s Day, a global day dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women and promoting gender equality. The 2020 IWD theme is #EachforEqual which focuses on how ‘an equal world is an enabled world’ and highlights h...

Advice for businesses on managing a coronavirus outbreak

The Government’s Cobra committee are meeting later today to prepare for coronavirus spreading through Europe and we’re told that it could break out in the UK. If this does happen, how do you manage it as a business? At the time of writing this ...

Why Product Manager was voted one of the best jobs in the UK for 2020

Glassdoor recently published their report on the ‘25 Best Jobs in the UK for 2020’ and I was pleased to see that number 2 on the list was one of my most in demand roles; Product Manager. Reading this got me thinking… what is being a Product Manage...

Brian Johnson appointed new Forward Role Managing Director

To celebrate the successes of the last six months, we kicked off 2020 with a High Rollers trip to Krakow in Poland. It was an enormous pleasure during the trip to surprise Brian Johnson with a promotion to Managing Director. It was an emotional...

This is how many jobs you need to have before you find ‘the one’

Worried you don’t love your job? A study by Indeed found that it takes the average person eight jobs, before they find the one that gives them ultimate job satisfaction. The survey, which was completed by 1,500 employees, showed that on average...

Employee benefits: fact or fiction?

The corporate world is changing. Gone are the days where employees would be happy with a round of applause as thanks for all their hard work. In recent years a rise of importance has been placed on what benefits an employer can offer to their work...

Manchester Mind chosen as Forward Role’s Charity of the Year

Being able to give back to our community and support local charities is important to us here at Forward Role. Just before Christmas we asked the whole company who they wanted to champion over the next twelve months and we’re thrilled to announce t...

Banish Those Blue Monday Blues

What's your favourite day of the week? I can bet it's not a Monday. We all know the feeling: you've had an amazing weekend and then those niggling feelings start to creep into the back of your mind, late on Sunday afternoon. We’ve all been there a...

How to write a CV that will get noticed

Inspired by a fresh new year to make your mark on, it’s no surprise that January and February are two of the most popular months to hunt for a new role. Having a CV that not only beautifully showcases your great experience, but also shows off w...

How to get a job in UX (with no experience)

How to ask for a pay rise, a step-by-step guide to negotiating your salary

How to avoid an unlucky interview incident

We all know that nervous feeling before an interview. You’ve done your research, you’ve completed the presentation and you’ve rehearsed how to tackle the tough questions. You are ready…or so you thought! Interviews can be daunting enough but wh...

Recruitment in 2020, what can we expect?

  2019 has been an exciting and busy time for the UK recruitment market, which has contributing £35 billion to the UK economy. Our employment rate has been increasing since 2012 and is at 76% overall for 2019 - 80.3% for men and 71.8% for w...

The best and worst Christmas adverts of 2019

It’s only 34 days until Christmas (not like we're counting) and the festive season is finally upon us! We’ve hit that time of year again where our screens are graced with an array of Christmas adverts to get us in the spirit. This year has seen...

Secret Planter - 5 reasons why your office should get involved!

This November get your office involved in SECRET PLANTER! Here at Forward Role HQ the office is adorned with lovely green plants in all shapes and sizes and we LOVE it! So just before the festive season gets into full swing, here’s how you can...

Which universities produce the most CEOs

Every year, millions of students, parents and academics gather wide-eyed to peruse the latest university league table. But what would the results look like if it was based on the number of graduates who went on to run a company? As experts i...

IR35 – Where’s the fire?

When IR35 came into the public sector in 2017, many people within vertical markets had a pretty relaxed attitude towards the shift. “What impact?” was a general consensus, “we’ll just switch our supply to the private sector”? The result of this we...

Are these the 10 most common change mistakes?

To really effect change and make a difference you have to get directly involved and truly believe in the change agenda. People talk about change and that change is good, but according to a report commissioned by Everest, Moving from Digital Rea...

Paid Media and Digital Advertising Salary Snapshot

As part of our Salary Snapshot Series, we’ve been sharing with you the average salaries for a wide range of roles across marketing, digital and technology.  Last week Forward Role was thrilled to sponsor the Paid Media and Digital Advertisi...

What goes bump in the office? 5 biggest fears about our careers

With Halloween approaching we wanted to know what scares you most about your career? Are you terrified by team meetings or is it the thought of getting something wrong that sends shivers down your spine. If these sound familiar, don’t worry, you’r...

3 ways that companies can support the mental wellbeing of employees

Work can be stressful, more so for people suffering with mental health issues. In order to have a happy and productive workforce, it is vital that employers prioritise the wellbeing of their employees by raising awareness and promoting positive me...

Small vs big business: where should you start your career?

Starting your career can be one of the most exciting times of your life. Many graduates have their hearts set on making their name in a global company, with Google, Facebook and Apple all ranking in the top companies that young professionals want ...

Gregg Wallace and SAP - are they the saviors of the supply chain?

It’s not novel to say that the UK has been hit by adverse weather conditions over the past few years. According to ‘The Climate Coalition’, it has been suggested that the UK’s farmers will be hit with some difficult harvests in the years to come. ...