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Career advice

Introduction

• Introduction from the Chartered Management Institute - by Huw Hilditch-Roberts
  Entering the job market for the first time hasn’t been this tough for at least 60 years. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Employers still need graduates with the capability and wherewithal to perform. Now, more than ever, capturing quality future managers and leaders is critical. Graduates

The Profession

• The future for management
  What are the issues that managers are dealing with and where do they hope to be at the end of 2012? This is a tricky question, at the beginning of 2011 there were high hopes for greater economic recovery and the benefits this would bring. However, the reality is that the euro is in crisis and the
• How to be an innovative manager
  ‘Every time a technology window opens, there is an opportunity to rearrange the industry.’ Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple and the man responsible for launching the iPhone and iPad. He was suggesting that the key to success is to be different, try something new and dare to believe it can work. If sales
• Good managers – Born or made?
  ‘On-the-job experience is more valuable than natural ability.’ That’s the view of today’s managers, according to a research project by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). It’s a good sign for those of you just about to leave university, as the implication is that you are not expected to
• What you could earn as a manager
  Having been one of the first generations to pay for higher education tuition fees alongside increasing unemployment and rising inflation you may be feeling under considerable financial pressure. However, when deciding on a career path the important factors that influence your decision might be
• An insight into operations management - by Alex Milovanovic
  Operations management is an area of business concerned with the production of goods and services, and involves the responsibility of ensuring that business operations are efficient in terms of using as little resource as needed, and effective in terms of meeting customer requirements. It is
• Frequently Asked Questions - by Mike Petrook
  How many Managers are there in the UK? It is difficult to be firm about the overall number of managers in the UK, as this involves tracing non-qualified managers, self-employed managers, and the many individuals who manage as part of their professional or specialist occupation. The Labour Force

Recent Graduates

• Strategy Project Manager - Cancer Research UK - by Henry Evans
  “I’m helping to beat cancer” – how about that for a reason to get up on a Monday morning? The Cancer Research UK graduate scheme offers training, challenging experiences and support, while offering graduates the chance to make a difference to an incredibly worthwhile cause. I’m now in the second
• Institute for Innovation and Improvement – NHS - by Dawn Stephenson
  In terms of my career I wanted to work in the public sector, as I’m not really motivated by material things and wanted a worthwhile career. I started as a temp, where I helped set up a new organisation to support doctors’ training and development. I then moved into medical education at Leeds
• Project Management Professional Programme – Rolls-Royce - by Annie Wong
  Facing the decision of what to do for a career is an aspect of life most people face at one point or another. For my A levels, I studied Business Studies and Psychology and in combination they gave me an interest into what is now termed ‘behavioural economics’. Accordingly, I chose to study
• General Management Graduate Scheme – Centrica - by Katie Alloway
  My summer placement at Centrica My relationship with Centrica began when I joined their summer placement scheme. At the time I was considering a number of avenues including management consultancy and finance. I wanted to
• Store Management Scheme - Tesco - by Richard Hodges
  Where and what did you study? I studied at Oxford University, reading Modern History at The Queen’s College. The course itself was superb, it offered a great deal of flexibility around what, and when, you read – and supported this with tutorials with leading researchers on your chosen
• Graduate Trainee – Cancer Research - by Andrew Knowles
  I left university with a good degree, but little idea of how best to use it. In the year after graduating I co-ran a project for an oil spill response company, before travelling around Cuba, and it was this year out that gave me the space and perspective to narrow down a career direction. I love
• Supply Chain Manager – John Lewis Partnership - by Matthew Hattersley
  Managing a busy supply chain in a large department store takes a high level of commitment and as recent graduate, Matthew Hattersley discovered, early mornings and the pressure to deliver. But it’s not all hard work and no play. He explains just what a typical day entails and why there is much
• Management Trainee - TfL - by Maryam Shakiba
  “I love my job” is always a good reflection to have on your workplace. And that is something I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to say about being part of Transport for London (TfL). Having started on the London Underground

Senior Profiles

• Head of Customer Service – Eurostar - by Geoff Cox
  Ensuring quality from Eurostar The champagne bar at St Pancras is amazing! That’s usually one of the first things that people say when they find out where I work, and well yes it is, but as the Head of Customer Service Operations at
• Managing Director for Scotland and Northern Ireland – Enterprise Rent-A-Car - by Diane Lynch
  I was in my final months of university when the job advertisement for [Enterprise caught my eye. It was not a company that I’d heard much about, so after reading up I applied and got an interview. Looking back, I
• Senior Consultant – Nationwide Building Society - by Anne Wood
  Just like a lot of graduates, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do after university. My degree in English language and linguistics meant that there was a wide range of options available to me in the graduate job market. But how did English lead to banking and finance? When I was applying for
• Senior Project Technician – BAE Systems - by John Brisbane
  Career challenges John has worked on a variety of projects within BAE Systems covering areas such as customer satisfaction, staff motivation, collaboration and organisational change. His latest role is based on the

Finding the Right Job

• Routes into management
  There are multiple ways into management. You may start early, by getting onto an apprenticeship scheme and slowly working your way up; you may have a part-time job whilst you’re studying which offers you an exciting opportunity; or you can join a structured management training scheme. Whichever
• Skills you need to be a good manager
  The biggest unreported skills shortage in the UK is that of management and leadership. According to UKCES we will need another 800,000 new managers by 2017 and that’s before we take into account people leaving the profession. One thing is clear UK business would benefit from more people motivated
• Writing the perfect CV
  ‘First impressions count’ – a phrase you have probably heard countless times. But how often have you taken the time to appreciate the real value of the advice it gives? Most people tend to think initial impressions are only made when you walk through the door, shake your interviewer’s hand and
• Interview techniques
  Purpose of an interview In an increasingly competitive business environment, many employers would be delighted to find candidates with drive and ambition. The problem, according to research from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) is that unlocking the talent of Generation Y – those people
• Sorting out your priorities at work
  Are you finding it hard to prioritise? You are not alone. Many individuals are struggling to cope with the conflicting priorities they face, whether this revolves around delivering basic tasks, planning, supporting team members or even dedicating time to their personal lives, found in recent

The Institute and Qualifications

• The Chartered Management Institute
  Membership of CMI brings with it professional recognition and a wide range of support services that will aid your development as a manager throughout your working life. Benefits of membership of CMI include: Information services Membership of CMI gives exclusive access to a comprehensive range
• Why you should get a management qualification
  The rising youth unemployment figures highlight the difficulties faced by young people in finding work. A recent CMI survey asked managers to pick the three factors which have the biggest impact on their decision-making when recruiting young people. Three out of five point to academic
• Continuing Professional Development
  Individuals need to take responsibility for the development of their personal and professional skills as their career progresses and their roles and responsibilities at work evolve. What does CPD involve? There are many activities that can be considered as CPD. These can include: Attending
• Masters in Business Administration - by Jeanette Purcell
  An MBA as part of your professional development Since 1994 the number of MBAs graduating worldwide has increased by over 25% a year and, despite economic uncertainty, a recent survey by the Association of MBAs shows steady growth in MBA student enrolments. The survey indicates that over 75,000
• Postgraduate programmes in Retail - by Andrew Paddison and Leigh Sparks
  Whether you are a graduate who wishes to specialise in retailing through undertaking a postgraduate ‘conversion’ programme or, alternatively, a more experienced manager looking to undertake a management development programme, there are a range of university-level postgraduate retail qualifications