Blog

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 ...

Women in Leadership - Stacey Judson

​In the first of our latest blog series - Women In Leadership, Rachel Wheeler chatted withStacey Judson from Elegant Resorts andIf Only, to discuss some of the challenges she’s faced in her career and the advice she would give to women who aspire ...

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...

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

As always, in a downturn, the recruitment industry throws up the question of whether or not to “go contracting”. The question arises due to three main reasons: The lack of permanent opportunities,  redundancy or job loss due to cost-cutting and th...

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...

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

“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. E...

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 during the pandemic

The current pandemic has had a huge impact across all industries and many jobs have been affected. You may have found yourself in a position where you need to look for a new role.   At Forward Role, we have found that despite the pandemic, lots of...

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...

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 ...

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. ...

5 ways to boost productivity during your job search

Looking for a new job isn't an easy task and it's always harder to focus during the summer. Spending your evenings and weekends searching for a new job is much less appealing when the sun is shining. But if you're desperate to move on from your cu...

Forward Role host Manchester CRM event

Last week Forward Role hosted a CRM event - ‘How AI is changing the face of CRM’. The reason for the event was that it was becoming more apparent to me how little networking and event opportunities were available in the CRM space, across the No...

Chelsea Hingley- Why I Swapped Sydney For Manchester

When I was approaching 25...I was faced with a decision. A really fortunate decision but a decision none the less. Should I buy my own house or should I go and see the world. Of course, the wild free spirit in me decided to pack a little backpack ...

Salary Snapshot of the Technology Industry in the North of England

      Our Salary Snapshot Series has already looked into marketing and digital roles at an executive-level as well as business-to-business (B2B) marketing roles, giving insight into average salaries across these markets. Next up is the techn...

Record VC investment in UK tech; one of three key shifts for 2019

As a closet techie I am delighted to see the UK tech industry supercharging our economy. VC investment during the first half of 2019 hit a record $5B and despite serious global players we continue to rank third in the world, after the US and China...

Brexit and the contractor market - a solution to all this madness?

When I tasked myself with writing more content this year I made one promise, not to write a blog on Brexit! I hated the divisiveness, the uncertainty, the backlash and my aim was always to put out helpful and interesting information that people...

Forward Role host Manchester PHP event

Last week Forward Role hosted a PHP event; featuring three spectacular speakers who discussed all things PHP and dug deeper into the world of Laravel and Docker. It was a great opportunity for likeminded developers to take on board new ways of usi...

Forward Role sponsor data meetup Numberwang

Last night Forward Role proudly sponsored Numberwang, a data lover's meetup held in Manchester City Centre. Numberwang gives anyone the chance to share their stories of data, discuss challenges they have faced, present their creative visualisation...

What’s holding you back?

A recent study of 2,000 marketing professionals has found that 95% of those polled by a UK job board were actively considering a change in role - but that a number of things were holding them back from job hunting.  These include: A lack of ...

The benefits of Bring Your Dog To Work Day

Today is Bring Your Dog To Work Day, which means our four-legged best friends can join us in the workplace and make the office a better place for the day. But what is Bring Your Day To Work Day? Established in the UK in 2014, this is an annual ...

Why does the tech industry have a gender problem?

The UK’s technology sector is growing substantially - it currently employs 1.1 million people and was worth £184 billion to the UK in 2018. However, despite its forward-looking attitude and contemporary image, the technology sector is dealing with...

How to get the best out of your recruitment agency

Finding the right person for your marketing team can be a full-time job so when you have endless campaign deadlines and a “to-do” list as long as your arm, having the support of a specialist recruitment agency can be a huge help. That said, engagi...

10 top tips for preparing and delivering interview presentations

Almost all marketing candidates are asked to put together a piece of work for the second stage of an interview process. It gives the employer a chance to see how candidates put content together, what their thought process is and how they deliver i...

5 small things you can do to improve wellness in your workplace

“There is no health without mental health.” – Dr. David Satcher ‘Mental health’, a term often confused with ‘mental illness’, but simply put it’s our emotional, psychological and social well-being. Everybody has mental health, but one in four o...

5 steps to improve your mental wellbeing in the workplace

Work is stressful, and when already faced with pressure to succeed, some may feel that speaking out about their mental health will make them seem weak or unable to handle their workload. According to research by Accenture, 9 in 10 UK workers have ...

My marathon journey and why I ran for Mind

Last Monday, at 10.00am, I was thinking about every possible outcome of my first marathon, including collapsing in a heap and seeing the light... Then the starting gun went, and my legs were forced to start moving and put the past 16 weeks of t...

What does flexibility in the workplace actually mean?

 With so many people now having the option of ‘flexible working’ or seeking this altered working pattern when searching for a new job, I thought I would explore this modern arrangement in more detail. According to GOV.UK, flexible working is “a...

Forward Role to take on the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge

13 Forward Rollers, 24.5 miles, 12 hours and a £1,000 fundraising target! The mud, aches, bruises, more mud and electric shocks from last year’s Tough Mudder were soon forgotten when it came to discussing what Forward Role would take on for thi...

The 9 most infuriating email habits in every office

Do you love your inbox? If you’re like most people, the answer is probably a definitive ‘no’. That’s because, for most of us, our inbox is a forsaken place where we collect the detritus of our working lives and get the latest updates from that one...

How to ace an interview presentation

What’s more nerve-wracking than an interview? An interview that includes a presentation! In today’s competitive job market, more and more companies are using presentations as a way of pushing candidates to display their communication and organi...

The best Game of Thrones season 8 collaborations

Mondays just got better!!We’ve been waiting what feels like years but the final season of Game of Thrones is here at last and needless to say we are very excited at Forward Role.Many of us in the office will be part of the millions of fans running...

The three A’s to get you over a job role rejection

“We're very sorry but on this occasion, we will be unable to progress your application any further.” When this happens, it’s hard to hide the feelings of frustration and you may think that all of the hours of research and preparation have been ...

3 tips for turning colleagues into work mates

When you get home and reflect on your day at work, do you fondly recall the report you filed or the phone call you made to IT? No! Although these things happened, you remember that joke that Steve told you, the cake that Sarah brought in or that J...

How positive procrastination can skyrocket your productivity

Technology has empowered us to get a lot more done, especially over the last decade or so. Businesses are seamlessly integrated with lightning-fast internet, on-the-go apps and Cloud-based software. As a result, it feels like we can do anything. ...

12 hot apps to help any freelancer

I love working with freelancers and often envy the flexible lives they create for themselves, however, after 7+ years of working with the best marketing freelancers in the market, I know it is anything but plain sailing!You are your best friend an...

B2B Marketing Salary Snapshot

Following on from our executive level salary insights research, we have continued to analyse our historic placement data from 2018 to highlight some of the biggest changes to the Business-to-Business (B2B) marketing sector in the North of England....

International Women’s Day 2019: 5 women who inspire me

A woman is like a tea bag - you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.- Eleanor Roosevelt  As today is International Women’s Day, what a great reason to write about some of the women that inspire me. From the modern day to hi...

Women in the workplace: A look at female employment in the UK

Female employment in the UK has risen through the decades. The most recent statistics show that as a proportion of the population, 76.3% of women aged 16-64 are in employment, compared to 52.7% of women back in 1971. Photo credit: Office fo...

Marketer or Marketeer: What’s the Answer?

The English language. Full of rules, traditions, anomalies and a healthy dose of complexity. A debate that’s been rearing its head at Forward Role HQ for a while now is the correct way to describe a marketing professional: Are they a Marketer or a...

The 5 best Valentine’s Day marketing campaigns of 2019

Valentine’s Day. A whole 24 hours dedicated to telling the one you love how much you appreciate them, or if you’re a marketer, the perfect promotional tool!Every year tons of brands jump on the Valentine’s Day hype to sell their latest products an...

What's been happening in the world week #5

Love is the air! As I’m sure you all know it’s Valentine’s Day this week. For you that don’t, here’s your reminder now go get a card before Thursday! One company who couldn’t wait to tell us how much they loved us was British Airways. Last w...