HR Coffee Time

Dreading tricky interview questions? Fear not! This discussion dives into the three most daunting negative questions. Learn how to tackle inquiries about your weaknesses without oversharing or faking it. Discover how to articulate your reasons for leaving a job gracefully and reframe past failures using the STAR technique. With expert insights, you’ll gain the confidence to turn challenges into demonstrations of growth and resilience, making you a standout candidate!

Competency-based interviews are a favorite among UK employers, and mastering them can be a game changer for job seekers. Discover how to identify key competencies and the importance of requesting the job description beforehand. The STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—emerges as a powerful strategy for structuring your responses. Personal anecdotes illustrate effective storytelling techniques, while hobbies and volunteer work can enhance your profile. Plus, tips on crafting your own STAR answers offer a proactive approach to interview success!

Feeling nervous about your upcoming job interview? Discover seven empowering tips to boost your confidence! Learn how to identify and articulate your worries, practice your answers aloud, and the importance of bringing multiple copies of your CV. Gain insights on asking the right questions and implementing relaxation techniques before the big day. Plus, find out how neurodiversity considerations can enhance your preparation. Get ready to navigate your interview with newfound confidence!

It can be hard to know what to say or do when a colleague passes away or experiences the loss of someone close to them. Unfortunately, bereavement is a fact of life and something that you’ll have to support your colleagues within your role as an HR and People professional. However, it’s likely that you’ve never been given any training to support you with this.So, this episode of HR Coffee Time is here to help. Career Coach Fay Wallis is joined by Director of Empower Workplace Solutions; Michelle Smith, who shares key considerations and advice to support your bereaved workforce compassionately.  Key Points From This Episode[02:06] An introduction to Michelle Smith[06:50] In the last two years, one in eight people have experienced a bereavement (statistic from Respecting and supporting grief at work. How employers can better support their staff through personal loss)[08:05] Michelle shares an important checklist that she has created - Supporting your bereaved workforce - 10 key considerations[09:13] The importance of inclusion considerations[14:29] Setting & maintaining boundaries[17:23] How Mental Health First Aid training can be beneficial in the workplace [20:13] Michelle explains the different ways to provide support:The initial responseChecking in with each otherEmpathy[27:33] Different ways an organisation can honour loss within the workplace[30:33] Details of Michelle’s services[31:47] How to connect with Michelle[32:20] Michelle’s book recommendation - Indistractable by Nir Eyal  (Disclosure: this is an affiliate link which means Fay will earn a small commission from Amazon if you choose to purchase the book using it). [34:34] Fay recaps the key points from this week’s episodeUseful Links Connect with Fay on LinkedInThe Bright Sky Career Coaching websiteConnect with Michelle on LinkedInMichelle's website: Loss, Grief and Bereavement SupportRate and Review the PodcastIf you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk.Enjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.Mentioned in this episode:Ready to learn more about Inspiring HR?Learn more about the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme, and sign up to join the next cohort, that starts on 10th September 2025.Inspiring HR

Discovering your values can help your career in a huge variety of ways...Not sure whether to change career because you hate your job? - Understanding your values can help you figure out whether you’re unhappy because of a values clash at work, or if a complete career change could be best.Experiencing friction with someone else at work? - Knowing more about your values can help you pinpoint whether it's differing values that are at the root of the problem. Feeling a bit flat in your current role? Finding ways at work to lean into your values more can help re-energise you.In this Episode of HR Coffee Time, Career Coach Fay Wallis takes a deep dive into values as a topic and demonstrates a values elicitation coaching exercise with Coach Trainer and Director of In Good Company, Zoe Hawkins. Key Points From This Episode[00:39] The importance of values within your career[03:23] An introduction to Zoe Hawkins[09:11] Zoe begins a values elicitation activity from the field of NLP[12:05] Fay shares her values[18:11] Zoe and Fay discuss the value that most represents Fay[22:08] Reflecting and understanding your values[23:56] Zoe shares more information about her book: ‘Deciding To Coach: The Coaching Mindset & Business Strategy for Aspiring Coaches’ by Zoe Hawkins and Joanne Wheatley(Disclosure: this is an affiliate link which means Fay will earn a small commission from Amazon if you choose to purchase the book using it).[25:08] How to connect with Zoe[26:02] Zoe shares her book recommendations - Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear (Disclosure: this is an affiliate link which means Fay will earn a small commission from Amazon if you choose to purchase the book using it).Useful Links Connect with Fay on LinkedInThe Bright Sky Career Coaching websiteThe Coaching Crowd PodcastThe Coaching Crowd | FacebookZoe’s website: In Good CompanyRate and Review the PodcastIf you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk.Enjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.Mentioned in this episode:Ready to learn more about Inspiring HR?Learn more about the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme, and sign up to join the next cohort, that starts on 10th September 2025.Inspiring HR

Do you find yourself with your head in a good book most days? Perhaps you have a bookshelf filled with all different genres but always looking for more recommendations to add to your collection? As World Book Lovers Day is fast approaching, on this week’s episode of HR Coffee Time, Career Coach Fay Wallis shares her top three book recommendations. Disclosure: the book links below are affiliate links, which means Fay may receive a small commission from Amazon if you choose to make a purchase through them (at no cost to you). Key Points From This Episode[00:03] Fay explains where you can find the ‘show notes’ to each episode – HR Coffee Time Podcast - Bright Sky Career Coaching[01:37] Fay takes a moment to thank everyone who has left a review and rating[03:32] Fay’s first book recommendation - ‘Dare to Lead’ by Dr Brené Brown[04:58] Background information about Dr Brené Brown - The power of vulnerability TED talk  [07:39] Fay’s second book recommendation - ‘Think Big - Take Small Steps and Build The Career You Want’ by Dr Grace LordanFay refers to last week’s episode where she also mentioned this book - Episode 45 - 6 ways to stop procrastinating & find time for important projects at work   [08:27] Background information about Dr Grace Lordan[10:57] Fay’s third book recommendation - ‘The Culture Map: Decoding How People Think, Lead, and Get Things Done Across Cultures’ by Erin Meyer[12:45] Fay shares examples from a previous job that relates to the ‘Culture Map’[16:51] Background information about Erin Meyer.Useful Links Connect with Fay on LinkedInThe Bright Sky Career Coaching websiteRate and Review the PodcastIf you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk.Enjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.Mentioned in this episode:Ready to learn more about Inspiring HR?Learn more about the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme, and sign up to join the next cohort, that starts on 10th September 2025.Inspiring HR

Have you ever woken up with the best intentions to prioritise a piece of work or project you are working on that will help accelerate your HR career, but after yet another busy day you still haven’t made the progress you set out to complete? This episode of HR Coffee time is here to help, as Career Coach, Fay Wallis shares six practical tips to help stop you from procrastinating and to make sure you find the time you need for important projects at work.Key Points From This Episode[01:45] Information about The Essential HR Planner[02:44] Fay refers to Episode 7 | What to do when you don’t have enough hours in the day’[03:17] Tip one – Eat that frog[06:25] Tip two – Start using the five-minute rule[09:05] Tip three – Go leanFay refers to Episode 44 | Succeeding as an HR professional – how to influence at a senior level[12:39] Tip four – Check your emails at set times each day[16:18] Tip five – Assess and plan your time      Laura Vanderkam recommends using a time diary to track time. Her TED talk is – ‘How to gain control of your free time’[22:13] Tip six – Try out a carrot or stick as a commitment deviceFay would like to hear how you get on with your public commitment - stickK[25:03] Fay celebrates the one-year anniversary of HR Coffee Time, since releasing episode 1 on 28th July 2021 (which is, ‘How to feel more confident at work)Useful Links Connect with Fay on LinkedInThe Bright Sky Career Coaching websiteThe Essential HR PlannerBrian Tracy's book - Eat That Frog! (Disclosure: this is an Amazon Affiliate link. If you purchase the book using it, Fay will receive a small commission from Amazon)Dr Grace Lorden's book - Think Big: Take Small Steps and Build The Future You Want (Disclosure: this is an Amazon Affiliate link. If you purchase the book using it, Fay will receive a small commission from Amazon)Rate and Review the PodcastIf you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk.Enjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.Mentioned in this episode:Ready to learn more about Inspiring HR?Learn more about the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme, and sign up to join the next cohort, that starts on 10th September 2025.Inspiring HR

Are you aspiring to work in a senior HR role, or perhaps you have already reached this level and would like to work on your influencing skills? In this episode of HR Coffee Time Career Coach, Fay Wallis shares how incorporating the six principles of persuasion can help to influence across your entire organisation. Key Points From This Episode[02:07] The importance of being strategic in a senior HR role[04:26] How to incorporate elements of Dr Cialdini’s six principles of persuasion into your work[05:28] The first principle – ‘Reciprocity’ [06:12] Fay refers to Adam Grant’s research into Givers, Takers & Matchers, as mentioned in: Episode 16 | How to become more confident about networking[07:43] The second principle – ‘Commitment and Consistency’ [09:22] The third principle – ‘Social Proof’[11:23] The fourth principle – ‘Liking’[13:13] The fifth principle – ‘Authority’[16:17] The sixth principle – ‘Scarcity’[18:27] Let Fay know if you’re interested in joining the waitlist for joining the second cohort of the Inspiring HR group coaching programmeUseful Links Connect with Fay on LinkedInThe Bright Sky Career Coaching websiteRobert Cialdini’s book, “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” (Disclosure: this is an Amazon Affiliate link. If you purchase the book using it, Fay will receive a small commission from Amazon) Rate and Review the PodcastIf you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk.Enjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.Mentioned in this episode:Ready to learn more about Inspiring HR?Learn more about the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme, and sign up to join the next cohort, that starts on 10th September 2025.Inspiring HR

Working in HR can be incredibly demanding; you’re in a busy and often emotionally draining role. Boosting your resilience is one of the key ways of making sure you don’t burn out and that you can continue enjoying your work and progressing with your career.But how do you build your resilience? Listen to this episode of HR Coffee Time to find out. Career Coach Fay Wallis is joined by Tom Cleary from Train Your Mind and he shares the one thing that will help. Key Points From This Episode[00:47] Fay would love your leave feedback about The Essential HR Planner[01:59] Introduction to Tom Cleary[04:53] Tom shares the one thing that will boost your resilience throughout your HR career[09:48] Language matters – finding the words that work for you[11:49] How to spot the signs you aren’t being self-compassionate[13:25] Why practicing self-compassion can be difficult[16:40] Practical steps to move forward – small changes that make a big difference[22:21] Why valuing your strength is important[26:20] Tom shares his book recommendation - The Mindful Self Compassion Workbook by Kristin Neff & Christopher Germer(Disclosure: This is an Amazon Affiliate link, so Fay will receive a small commission if you use it to purchase the book.)[29:15] Tom explains the main services he offers[29:15] Tom explains the main services he offers Useful Links Connect with Fay on LinkedInThe Bright Sky Career Coaching websiteConnect with Tom Cleary on LinkedInTom’s website - Train YouEpisode 10 – Tackling stress & building resilience, with Adele SticklandRate and Review the PodcastIf you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk.Enjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.Mentioned in this episode:Ready to learn more about Inspiring HR?Learn more about the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme, and sign up to join the next cohort, that starts on 10th September 2025.Inspiring HR

Career Coach Fay Wallis is joined by Dr Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey, Founder of The Element of Inclusion Consultancy and host of The Element of Inclusion podcast.Dr Jonathan shares the 7 mistakes organisations make with their approach to Diversity & Inclusion at work and explains what to do instead.Key Points From This Episode[00:30] Fay recommends listening to Dr Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey’s podcast – The Element of Inclusion[02:17] Introduction to Dr Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey[09:14] The 7 common mistakes organisations make with their approach to Diversity and Inclusion: BRISTOL[12:04] The downside of Employee Resource Groups only focusing on ‘flags, food & fun’[14:48] The ‘B’ from ‘BRISTOL’ – the business case for Diversity.[15:30] The problem with the McKinsey reports[23:49] The three biggest problems everyone should focus on – ‘people, potential, performance’[26:25] Purposeful reading, listening & sharing[28:17] The power of Employee Resource Groups[31:49] Dr Jonathan’s book recommendation - Disability - The Basics by Tom Shakespeare(Disclosure: This is an Amazon Affiliate link, so Fay will receive a small commission if you use it to purchase the book.)Useful Links Connect with Fay on LinkedInThe Bright Sky Career Coaching websiteDr Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey on LinkedIn Rate and Review the PodcastIf you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk.Enjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.Mentioned in this episode:Ready to learn more about Inspiring HR?Learn more about the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme, and sign up to join the next cohort, that starts on 10th September 2025.Inspiring HR