9 September 2010

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Career Management Newsletter

"Who's Who of Britain's Business Elite"

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After so many years it was daunting to be out of the job market but PCS helped me gain confidence to begin my job search.

Susan Alexander
CEO, Bristol

Career management is worthwhile in all respects, to prepare for major changes in your career.

Alasdair McKinnon
Managing Director

I am really pleased as this is as close to my ideal job as makes no difference.

Steven Manning
Benefited from Career Management services in Leeds

I appreciate all the support you gave me whilst I battled with the personal challenge in hand.

Andrew King
Benefited from career management services in Leeds

I never really understood the unadvertised job market but the PCS marketing strategies made it all clear.

Phillip Thompson
Following career management services

I never thought career management could yield such positive and exciting results.

Brian Hirst
Sought Executive Career Advice in Manchester

I’ve enjoyed working with you and appreciated your balanced contribution to my search.

Richard Evans
Following a PCS Career Management Programme

The expertise and knowledge my dedicated consultant passed on to me helped tremendously during these troublesome times.

David Mcloughlin
Sales Director

The support I received enabled me to stay focused, motivated and determined to succeed.

Michael Chambers
Landed a new role following redundancy

You have been inspirational and motivational to me when the last thing I was feeling was motivated!

Ann Charlesworth
Sales Director, Cardiff

Your help has been not only practical but I felt supported throughout the process.

John Stewart
Used PCS's Executive Services in Cambridge

Job Market News

All the latest career related topics, job market news, research, surveys and company news.

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Never underestimate the value of a good CV, say PCS Executive - 8th October 2009
Advice from PCS Executive, with over 10 years experience assisting mid to senior level individuals with their careers, is that the importance of your CV should never be underestimated. A good CV should be like a meticulously planned sales document, provoking interest and response.

The first thing to understand about the job market is that it is a market. Within it there are buyers and sellers, and the laws of supply and demand are as valid here as anywhere else. Being good at your job is not enough - so are many other people. To an extent, therefore, success depends on your ability to sell yourself, and the first stage in this process is your CV.

First Impressions

The first question an employer will ask when reading a CV is “Can this person fill my need?” You need to ensure that the experience relevant to the role is outlined at the very top of the CV. Keith Church, Regional Director of PCS Executive, states “Never apply for a role with a generic CV, make sure that you tailor it for each and every position, without exception.”

The personal statement is a crucial part of the CV and provides an excellent opportunity for a candidate to give an overview of their skill-set and career goals. More importantly they can ensure that their goals and experience are relevant to the position applied for. Keith comments, “So many candidates put their personal statement at the back of their CV or fail to utilise it to their advantage at all. The nature of CV’s has changed over the years and filling a personal statement with unquantifiable skills and stock phrases really won’t do any you any favours.”

The Main Body

The body of a CV can be adjusted to your individual job search campaign. You may need a chronological style CV, that is, you have worked for impressive companies and your recent experience will stand you in good stead for your next position. Alternatively a functional style CV may suit your campaign best, which will display your work experience and skills at the top of the body of your CV. This is particularly useful for someone who wants to change career direction or industry. PCS Executive advise that you have several versions of your CV so you can choose the most appropriate to edit for each position.

Keith concludes with the advice that “Anyone serious about changing careers in this current climate should ensure that they devote the necessary time and effort into making sure they have the correct marketing plan in place and with this the appropriate supporting documents.”

PCS Executive are the UK’s leading Career Management and Outplacement consultancy.

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