I cannot be the only one who has seen a real increase in commentary around the job market right now. Whether it’s LinkedIn posts lamenting the current difficulties – being out of work far longer than expected, applying unsuccessfully to a plethora of opportunities, just feeling at a loss for what employers are actually looking for – to people around me sharing their on-the-ground struggles, it seems the formulas of old like experience, a strong CV, and interviewing well are not bearing the same fruit.

I have always tended to see navigating spaces such as education and careers as a bit of a game; with the right inputs, you get a certain output. From early on I figured out that you do not necessarily have to be the ‘smartest’ pupil in the room to get top grades, you simply have to decipher what the examiners are looking for and give it to them. But what rules apply to this current world of work? As it’s starting to feel like there aren’t any.