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- 📩 What do you do with 'other' work experience?
📩 What do you do with 'other' work experience?
Hey
If you worked in retail, hospitality, or customer service, you may wonder whether you should list that on your applications, and to what extent.
On 19 June at 12:00, Mark Dubes is joining us to break down how recruiters actually read the work experience section. He’ll go through what they're looking for beyond job titles, and how to present any experience in a way that genuinely strengthens your application.
Mark spent over 20 years in legal graduate recruitment and has interviewed more than 10,000 candidates, including at Mayer Brown. He knows exactly what strong candidates do differently, and how to turn what feels like a weakness into a compelling part of your story.
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The Swatch Group is one of the world’s largest watchmakers, but the company has seen its profits collapse by 90% to $32 million compared to last year. The company’s value has also almost halved over the past decade, having been impacted on by a higher valued Swiss franc, a luxury downturn in China, and a weakening brand performance.
A big issue the company is currently facing internally is US investor Steven Wood suing the Hayek family for blocking him from joining the company’s board of directors. Steven Wood owns 55% of the company through shares, but has no say in how it is run. The Hayek family (CEO Nick and Chairman Nayla) only own 26% of the company through shares, but have special shares that give them 44% of voting power regarding company decisions.
Analysis
The dual-class share structure Swatch uses means a family can run the public company however it wants. Even when 80% of regular shareholders voted for Wood to join the board, the Hayek family simply rejected this. The Swiss pension fund group Ethos describes Swatch’s governance as being ‘among the worst structures’ in Switzerland.
This board structure is especially poor, as three of the eight company directors are family members, which means there is no room for fresh perspective and no one realistically willing to challenge the Hayek family’s decisions.
What does this sort of governance structure mean for investors?
Families can retain control of companies in this way despite terrible financial performance, leaving smaller shareholders trapped
Swiss law additionally allows controlling shareholders to block board nominees based on their nationality, preventing foreign investors like Steven Wood from ever getting representation
Company committees that should be independently checking company management on matters like pay include family members that are essentially reviewing their own pay and performance
How to Use This In Applications
7 June 1628 — The Petition of Rights was given Royal Assent, setting protections against the state and restricted the king’s non-parliamentary actions. This was a response to the monarch’s abuses.
8 June 1949 — George Orwell’s 1948 is published, giving a warning against totalitarianism and introduced such concepts as Big Brother and the Thought Police.
9 June 1975 — The first live transmission from the HoC was broadcast by BBC Radio.
10 June 1692 — The first ‘witch’, Bridget Bishop, became the first person to be hanged during the Salem with trials.
11 June 1509 — in a private ceremony in Greenwich, 18year old King Henry VIII married his former sister-in-law and first wife, Catherine de Aragon.
12 June 1989 — Members of Parliament voted to allow television cameras to broadcast proceedings in the House of Commons. See 9 June.
13 June 2012 — A man received a warning after calling 999 to complain about a prostitute's appearance. According to a police spokesperson, "The caller alleged that the woman had misrepresented her looks, prompting him to report her for violating the Sale of Goods Act." The Sale of Goods Act 1979 grants consumers legal rights, requiring that sold goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for their intended purpose, and accurately described by the seller.
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