There’s no escaping it: winter is here. The dark nights have drawn in and the cold has a bite to it on my morning walks. The winter woollies are out and if you haven’t had a cold yet, sorry to be the bearer of bad news it is likely to be coming for you!

The Christmas ads have been released (I must admit a personal favourite is KFC, if you’re asking), the Halloween pumpkins have been cleared for the festive foliage, and Christmas tunes are already starting to filter across supermarket speakers. Can you believe it’s almost Christmas!? Well, yes, but it’s not Christmas yet! It is November. Call me Scrooge, but ‘tis certainly not the season yet.

In the Abraham household, the Christmas tree isn’t up until mid-December (it would be even later if it weren’t for the compromise that had to be reached between our offspring and us as parents!). Much eye rolling should someone so much as whistle a carol near us before 1st December. We are staunchly of the belief that November is a month of Guy Fawkes, bonfires and fireworks ahead of grey and rainy month that makes way for the jolly festive month of December, and only then will I start to feel Christmassy.

However, I have long recognised that there are many who think we are wrong. They may even think we are foolish to delay the copious amounts of planning that goes into Christmas, whether its gift lists, party planning or deciding upon the Xmas dinner itself. In our household, December 1st is plenty of time.  In its own way it is representative of the varied approaches to preparation for any situation, including within our professional lives. While some may approach an interview,  presentation or project with a more ‘let’s wing it on the day’ tactic, others shudder at the very thought, preferring to meticulously plan well before the event the fact, taking no chances and ensuring every base is covered.

It is certainly not for me to decide what the best approach is for everyone (although I do think even a small amount of preparation is always a good idea!). What I can suggest, however, is that identifying and perfecting the approach to preparation that best suits you is vital, to perform at your best for whatever is thrown at you as an interviewer (yes you have to prepare also) or interviewee. We here at ABPM+ do invest our time in supporting your “prep” as much or little as you wish for and are on hand to help you prepare providing expert guidance for potential employers and employees. Contact us today to find out more.

 

Rej Abraham, Sarah Torrington, Matt Byrne, Alex Handford