I think this time of year must breed ‘the Blues’: the splintering cold winds; the regrets of our Christmas over-indulgence and a scary realisation that we’ve already reached 2012. No one can escape it. But to sit in a melancholic haze, with a hot cocoa, reminiscing over 2011 is no cure – the only medicine is action.

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This is my very lightly seasoned, festive blog. I can assure you that working during this period means a bit more than an extra espresso shot in your coffee, the customary Secret Santa and extensive train delays. After a busy few weeks, a recent performance review with my Line Manager has given me the opportunity to look over the past few months, and forward, to my development in 2012. [More]

It’s been four weeks since I started work and submitted my first post: what a four weeks! To call the graduate scheme a learning-curve is an understatement: as life blurs before my eyes, I find myself constantly being introduced to areas of HR, business and technology that are new to me. To top it all, life beyond ‘student-hood’ is a challenging enough step as it is! I could not do a justice in attempting to squeeze the last month into a short blog. I will, however, try to give an impression of what working life as a graduate in Lloyds Banking Group is like. [More]

At a recent ‘family gathering’ an excitable Aunt asked me “So – what’s the next step?” It’s a question that anyone who has recently completed 15 gruelling years of education will be all too familiar with. Whilst many housemates and friends would have answered my Aunt’s inquisition with the vague suggestion of taking “another gap-year”, I –for once in my life – was able to answer with certainty. “On September 19th I will be joining Lloyds Banking Group: I am on their HR stream, with my first placement being in London”, She (not so abruptly) replied. “How lucky.” [More]