career

An interview is not only an assessment of you. It is also an opportunity to understand the role, team, expectations, working environment and whether the opportunity fits the direction you want to take.

Interviews are rarely improved by pretending to have perfect answers. A stronger approach is to explain your reasoning, acknowledge uncertainty, ask clarifying questions and show how you work through problems.

A job description tells you some of the skills and responsibilities associated with a role, but it rarely captures the full reality of the work. Understanding the team, systems, expectations and day-to-day responsibilities helps you make better career decisions.

Starting professional work can expose gaps in your knowledge and make you question whether you belong. Feeling out of your depth does not automatically mean you are incapable; unfamiliarity is part of becoming more capable.

Your career is being shaped from your earliest professional experiences, long before your first promotion or senior title. The habits, skills, relationships and reputation you build early become part of your professional foundation.

Guidance, education, mentors and practical programmes can provide direction, but they are not the destination. The purpose of guidance is to help you become capable of navigating professional life yourself.