As the song goes…..

🎵 “Getting to know you, getting to know all about you…” 🎵

No matter where we are in our careers today, most of us can remember the fear of the ‘interview’.

❓ What will the interviewer be like?
❓ What questions will they ask?
❓ Will my mind suddenly go completely blank?

With time and experience, many of us learn how to manage those nerves. We develop confidence and find ways to quiet that inner voice of doubt.

But for people who have been knocked by life, confidence isn’t always something that returns easily.

I’ve seen the same barriers come up time and time again:

📄 The CV.
🪑 The interview.

So, what if we removed them?

At Growing Talent, that’s exactly what we’ve been doing for the past 12 years.

During that time, people have not only secured employment but progressed into management roles, built successful careers, and even launched their own businesses.

Our Getting to Know You event is where that journey begins.

The event opens with Spotlight on Employers, where employers share their own career journeys—the twists, turns, setbacks and successes that led them to where they are today. They also offer their personal top tip for impressing any employer.

👉 The result? Applicants gain genuine insight into the people behind the job titles and realise that career paths are rarely straight lines.

Then comes our London Challenge.

Working in teams, participants devise a solution to improve a part of London and just 45 minutes to prepare a presentation.

The creativity, collaboration and energy in the room were incredible.

When employers returned, they weren’t simply assessing interview answers—they were watching people:

✅ Solve problems
✅ Work as a team
✅ Communicate ideas
✅ Deliver to a deadline

These are qualities that often remain hidden in a traditional interview.

The event finished with networking, conversations, laughter, new connections and, most importantly, growing confidence.

A huge thank you to all the employers and applicants who joined us and those behind the scenes.

A special thank you to Michael for stopping by to say ‘hello’. Part of Growing Talent in 2016, he is still with the same employer. Now managing a team responsible for welcome services within a major building.

Michael’s journey reminds us why Growing Talent matters.

The best outcome of all?

Every applicant who attended wants to return for the next stage of the process—our “Slow Dating” selection event!

They’ll arrive confident, connected and ready to show employers who they really are.

Because when we create opportunities for people to be seen beyond their CV, amazing things happen.

Adam Bushell
Matthew Izekor
#DavidSteeds
Bal Virdee MBE
#CIS-Security
ISS A/S
#NGBailey
SPS

#GrowingTalent #EmploymentSupport #Recruitment #SocialImpact #HiringDifferently #InclusiveRecruitment #SkillsForLife #CareerDevelopment #LondonJobs #CommunityImpact #OpportunityForAll