Beyond The Top – Interview & CV Advice

From graduate to veteran, at each stage of your career you will have a goal for the future.

But what happens when you reach the very top of the ladder and still want to go further?

Interim management is a career move only open to highly experienced and hugely successful executives. This career choice involves working for businesses on short-term contracts and making a significant impact before moving on to another challenge, often in quick succession. Interim management is now proving to be a popular option for organisations battling the recession as it allows organisations to gain a new perspective and cut costs effectively.

Managing Consultants at Alium Partners, who provide interim managers for UK and international organizations, interview almost 150 candidates every year, to identify the most suitable executives to meet their client's exacting standards.

Mike Hollins is director of the Alium Partners Public Sector Practice and works with a variety of businesses. He works alongside Trudy Peeler, head of Technology Practice, John Bloor who works with Finance and Business clients and Kate Mansfield who head up the HR Practice. Between them they have selected interim managers for clients including TalkTalk, Pearl Group, Co-Operative Group and BP plc.

All four have worked in interim management for almost a decade and have passed on some key tips.

Make your CV successful by:
1. Keeping it a maximum of 4-5 pages

2. Checking spelling and grammar, avoiding jargon and remembering presentation - the devil is in the detail

3. Considering your audience and making sure your CV appeals to both business people and technologists

4. Using a clear and consistent structure that makes information accessible to the reader

5. Highlighting your strengths and preferences

6. Focusing on tangible results and key successes

7. Providing hard and soft measures - drawing out your key competencies is as important as what you have delivered

8. Writing in the third person

9. Keeping it professional

10.Removing emotive statements - inappropriate personal details will detract


Guarantee a good interview by:
1. Being professional , courteous and on time

2. Preparing- do your homework on the business and the people prior to your meeting

3. Knowing your CV back to front to be able to talk with confidence about your experience.

4. Listening and making sure you answer the questions asked. Be relevant and specific.

5. Being sensitive to your audience

6. Using evidence based examples to demonstrate key skills and focus on tangible results

7. Not being afraid of giving examples of 'lessons learned' to show growth and development

8. Not criticizing past employers or employees - find positive ways to illustrate the negatives

9. Being authentic - make sure they see the 'real you' in the meeting

10.Considering your body language and your non-verbal communication it can be your downfall.