Have you come across a job advert where one of the requirements is to be Security Cleared or Security Clearable?  Often, if you are applying for a job within the Public Sector in areas such as UK Defence, Security and Government sectors where your role will involve access to sensitive government assets, information or personnel – Security Clearance is pre-requisite.  Do you understand the different levels, how to go about clearance and the time it takes? There are a few different levels and processes involved, which can be somewhat perplexing.  When working within the Public or ..read more

As a graduate, you are now faced with the reality that you and 1000’s of other graduates are now on the hunt for your first role in Networking. You may have been the star within your University, with a steely confidence that you thought would give you no problems in landing that dream job after graduating. You have just graduated with honours, who would not want to hire you? The problem is you have been cocooned in the education system that you have never had to sit in front of a hiring manager, suited and booted, trying to create a good impression and convince the manager that even with no or ..read more

The last few months have seen the world adjust to new ways of living during this pandemic and businesses shift how their staff are working. Many people have spent this time unable to work from home due to the nature of their work, or indeed there have been many who have not been able to work at all.  Network Engineering has been one of the areas that have had to keep going with Network Infrastructures accommodating the increased number of remote workers.  IT departments have had to ensure that those who had never worked remotely before but were able to with the right technology and t ..read more

As remote working has become the normal, it is important to keep diligent and safe.   Not just from the COVID-19 virus, but from digital viruses and other cyber threats you may be exposed too.  Twitter is just one company who have announced that all their workers will be allowed to ‘work from home forever’.  There is likely to be a change in how we all work, as businesses realise that they will be able to offer workers the opportunity to work from home where they are able to do so.  If this does become a more frequent way of working, what can you do to make sure you ke ..read more

During these uncertain times, there are many businesses who have had to put all hiring on hold or are recruiting, but the actual onboarding is postponed. However, there are those where it is essential to keep on hiring and to also onboard them during these times of Social Distancing. Onboarding a new employee remotely can be common practice for some businesses dependent on the location and nature of the role, however, for many, this will be a whole new concept and challenge.  But the extra challenge, which is faced by every business now, is how to onboard remotely with the added social di ..read more

It’s not just GCSE and A-Level students missing out on their examinations. As governments and education authorities are addressing the issue, so is Cisco. Cisco certification testing has now launched on-line using the Pearson VUE testing software. Don’t think for one second that with the lack of exam moderators ensuring you are not cheating, that you can have your devices by your side to search for answers, or that you can have someone with you telling you the answers.  Cheaters will not be tolerated! The intelligent software works by taking control of your video camera and microphone.&nb ..read more

Video interviewing is the perfect solution to virtually meeting someone who can’t attend a face-to-face interview or is in a different city, plus it gives you access to global talent! Video interviewing is more convenient for both the company and candidates. It takes up less time because someone doesn’t have to travel to a company, which then will also save money on travel costs again. There is more time to interview several people in a day and the possibility to collaborate with a co-interviewer who couldn’t attend the interview in the same room. The flexibility of video interviewing will als ..read more

In the current climate, global companies have shifted to employees working from home.  In the weeks and months ahead, ‘home’ will be the new workplace.  There are those of us that already split our time between the office and home, and those that already do all their work from home.  The question is often asked to those who do, how do you motivate yourself?  How do you not get distracted? Do you not miss out on the social side? Do you have a home office? How do you keep in touch with your employees/employer? These may seem like commonsense answers that you’ve read before to questions like – ho ..read more

  Chuck Robbins announced the changes to the Cisco Certifications last year and these have been hailed as the biggest overhaul of certifications by any vendor. Remember, Cisco Certifications themselves, have been around since 1993! Cisco know that Certified employees are valued and key strategic assets, building credibility and trust and are more successful and more influential. 78% of technology executives and managers believe that technical certification are critical for the success factor.  A staggering 99% of organisations use certifications to make hiring decisions and research has shown ..read more

  Cisco Live Europe is now done and dusted for another year.  With 5 days of this fantastic annual event to attend, the days packed full of inspiration seminars, workshops, networking events and presentations, there was a lot of information to take away and try to digest. Cisco pushed on privacy, transparency and security because these are key conversations that people have with their customers.  During the week, it’s an opportunity to talk about things that they’ve been building for years and talk about using Automation and AI to empower people. Did you get to go?  We did for the first few ..read more