Promises of ‘flexible working hours’ and ‘access to medical support’ soon became far less tempting after reading the small print

So, is the job what I expected? Well, I feel very fortunate to be able to say that the role ticks all the boxes I had for my first job: hybrid working, elements of social value, critical thinking, and international links.

I have always been baffled by how despite everyone basically walking the same, when it comes to jogging… it’s just an absolute minefield of idiosyncrasies. Given it’s basically walking sped up a bit, what happens? Everyone, and I fully include myself here, jogs in a weird way. Think you don’t? You do.

While we don’t claim to know it all, the team has a wealth of experience and knowledge to draw upon, coupled with an environment where you’re encouraged to think outside the box and not be afraid to try something new.

“… then the ‘dark side’ beckoned, and I found myself with an opportunity to join a bid consultancy… At what point would I lose my soul?”

Happiness at work is a key metric for us at 50 Degrees. And I was really pleased to see our latest average happiness score across the team is 8.9/10.

Have open conversations with interesting people about why they do things the way they do, learn what makes them experts, and translate this passion into work-winning proposals

We want people with whom we can easily converse; people who are open, personable, engaging and can hold their own in a conversation.

I’m managing projects, writing bid responses and driving solution design. I’m one of those people speaking mile-a-minute about operational processes which makes sense to other people in-the-know but likely goes over your head if you’re not familiar with the intricacies of a specific project

Telling everyone how great you were on a project implies your colleagues were less great. No thanks. Let your work do the talking.

It was my first time visiting a prison, and in the run-up whilst I thought I didn’t know what to expect, I actually had a whole set of expectations … not at all surprisingly, the prison did not look or feel anything like they are so often depicted.

At 50 Degrees, flexible working is central to our offer – both in terms of how we meet client needs and our own employee needs.

I was reflecting how it is, 20 years after starting my notional career, that I still enjoy bidding. And it’s because a bid is a kaleidoscope.

When you’re presented with a new bid, in a new sector, for a new programme then it’s fair to say it can feel a little overwhelming.

We want to go way beyond just making a token investment in our people’s health and wellbeing. We want to create an employee benefits package that really makes a difference on an individual level.

A successful Social Value response can already make the difference between a winning and losing bid, and we believe this is a trend that will only continue.

With the full support of the lovely 50 Degrees team, I have just started a part-time English Literature MA… I’ve been reflecting on how the main tenets of storytelling apply to bid writing, drawing on *very serious* wisdom from some of my favourite books.

… 50 Degrees takes employee wellbeing seriously; but let’s be realistic, no organisation can isolate its employees totally from the pressures of work…

I have set out an overview of the 50 Degrees Directors and Managing Consultants in terms of their ‘spirit’ Jurassic Park character, to give you a taste of what it’s like to work with each of them.

In retrospect, before March 2020 travelling was something that society had collectively come to take for granted – myself included. Looking forward, I think we will now appreciate travelling opportunities a bit more... which brings me to my first experience of travelling with my work colleagues.