Managerial Roles

Hello again, how are you?

Are you an unemployed manager?

You might have put in more than 10 years of loyal service and performed well that whole time. You may have moved into a new management position only to see it disappear soon after you arrived. Now, for the first time, you’re trying to find your next role without the security of being currently employed. It’s a tough new situation and it doesn’t feel fair. Scary isn’t it?

Now that sounds gloomy but you’re not alone and you’re not on the scrap heap. Picture More deal with managers all the time. We find them, we manage their career progression and we get them back into work. The roles are out there and, as James Caan says in The Telegraph, experience counts. You are still a valuable asset and if you tenaciously seek employment you will find it.

As a talented and experienced manager you are also clever enough to know how to market yourself. You’ll tweak your CV each time you apply for a role. You’ll research the company to get a feel for their values. You’ll analyse the job description and make sure your CV highlights how you have demonstrated all the relevant requirements. You’ll look at it from the recruiting manager’s point of view.

When it comes to the CV don’t feel you have to include everything. Recruiting agencies will look at your most recent position first and then work back through your last ten years of experience. They won’t be so interested in your ‘O’ Level grades or your first job unless it was something hugely impressive. If you try and stay down to 2 or 3 sides of A4 starting with the most relevant information first the company can always ask about the rest if it wants to.

You’re a good networker, even if you don’t realise it. Don’t sit at home waiting for the phone to ring. Make sure you talk to people. Form relationships with a handful of recruiters you trust. Go to industry events. Commentate on industry developments online and make sure people know you are available. Networking is the route to topping people’s lists and getting a shot at the vacancies which aren’t advertised yet.

Other things to think about: your talents are transferrable and this is an opportunity to do something new. If you rush straight back in to an identical job this chance may never come around again. If you do decide to change tracks you may have to take a lower salary than you previously enjoyed but you have an established market value so be prepared to get this across.

We wouldn’t advise applying for more junior roles in your current area of expertise. HR professionals are well aware of the pitfalls of this for you and your new employer and it isn’t a dynamic that works. If you are staying in the same industry you need to pitch at the same level. You’re worth it!

Picture More hope you enjoy our blog and find it useful. We’d love to hear your feedback, alternatively, we have been nominated for Best UK Recruitment Blog of 2009 so we’d be delighted if you show you’re appreciating if you follow the link and vote for us.

Bye for now.