What politics can show us about employment..

What does Andy Burnham’s victory in Makerfield yesterday teach us about achieving our goals?

For anyone on Growing Talent journey towards employment, there are some powerful lessons:

✅ Reaching your goal takes time

✅ You might need several attempts before you succeed

✅ Sometimes the original route isn’t the one that gets you there

✅ Never give up

Andy Burnham’s long-term ambition has been clear for many years.

👉 He stood for leadership positions and wasn’t successful.

👉 He stepped away from Westminster to become Mayor of Greater Manchester.

👉 He built new experience, new networks and a different platform.

Now, following his victory in the Makerfield by-election, he returns to Westminster.

The route wasn’t straightforward, but he kept moving towards his goal.

💥 An important lesson here for anyone struggling in today’s jobs market 💥

When applications are unsuccessful, it’s easy to feel frustrated, demotivated and lose confidence. Giving up can seem like the easiest option.

Instead, consider what action you can take:

💡 Build your personal resilience through good nutrition, physical activity and looking after your mental wellbeing

💡 Identify your ultimate goal

💡 Break that goal down into smaller, achievable milestones

💡 Review your skills and consider how they could transfer into different roles or sectors

💡 Explore a side project that interests you – a blog, YouTube channel, Facebook group, Etsy store or another creative outlet

Sometimes opportunities come from places you never expected.

The key message?

⚡ If one route is blocked, find another ⚡

Progress is rarely a straight line, but every step forward brings you closer to where you want to be.

If you’re currently unemployed, feeling stuck, or frustrated with the jobs market, what’s one action you can take this week to move yourself forward?