Updates
Chapter Two: From Work Done to Work Next
A founder update on what the last few weeks have taught us, and why The Bench is moving from learning into implementation.
Three weeks ago I posted my first video about being made redundant and trying to build something from it.
Since then, The Bench has started to take shape.
The original mission was simple: help people who have been laid off get back to work faster.
That is still the heart of it. But the idea is evolving.
The biggest learning
The biggest learning so far is that businesses do not just want another CV. They want outcomes.
They want to know what someone has actually done, what problems they have solved, and whether that work is relevant to what the business needs next.
Two products we are building
Decode
Decode helps clarify what outcomes a role, project or business actually needs.
Instead of starting from a job title, it starts from the work that needs doing and the results a business is really hiring for.
Atlas
Atlas helps people record, confirm and carry the work they have done, through Work Cards and a private Work Passport.
You record a piece of work, have it confirmed by the people you worked with, and keep it with you wherever you go.
Bringing the two together
The opportunity for The Bench is to connect those two sides together, with permission.
What does the business need?
What work has this person actually done?
Where is there a strong match?
That might become full-time work, fractional work, a short-term project, or an internal move.
Chapter One was learning.
Chapter Two is implementation.
I would value your thoughts
Are CVs and cover letters still doing the job, or do people need a better way to show the work they have actually done?
Email me your thoughts. I am building this in public and the feedback is genuinely shaping what comes next.