"You also work as a professional recruiter. If my CV or application will only get 30 seconds of consideration, how do I make sure it will survive that experience? Is that even right?"

This question was raised at a group training session and below is my distillation of the key points that surround the issue -

“Hi Lily, I wanted to ask – my temporary contract just keeps rolling forward and now my boss has said they should be able to make it permanent in a month or so. The thing is, I’ve got an interview coming up in a week’s time – is it worth going? Angie.”

Congratulations, Angie! In my experience people generally mean what they say, at the time they say it. Sadly, things can change unexpectedly, beyond your boss’s control. This is what happened to me.

"How do I know I can do this? How do I actually know? What if I can't? What then?"

Grace was suffering a high level of anxiety, facing a crucial interview and then exams in a few months. It's a real question that we all ask of ourselves in the working world, often in the early hours of the morning when our demons are feasting on our falsely bloated uncertainties. Fear of change, the future and failure is a very real thing. So how do we overcome it?

"Hi Lily, can you talk? I've got a Group Marketing Executive position at a local company and I think it's right up your street. I'm confident you'll get short-listed, if you apply."

It was two weeks ago when I took that call from a consultant I knew at a local recruitment agency. After a quick scan of the job description on my lunch break, I knew I had an interesting opportunity on my hands. I gave the agency the nod and they moved me straight onto the company's radar - the joy of working with a recruitment agency!

"I'm all done chubbing up for Crimbo, chilling out and chucking up! I'm onto thinking about 2017 now, so what's the best way to kick off a new job hunt?"

Cheryl didn't look chubbed up to me, but I know that after the extended R&R time has begun to pale a little, there does come that itch to get back into the groove and start looking forward again. You do in fact have some very useful advantages at this time of year, so here we go with seven top-class steps which will help you launch 2017 and make it a kick-ass year for your career.