Flicking through a handful of old school reports, Lee Biggins - Founder and MD of successful job board CV-Library - reminisces about his early days. The Hampshire-based businessman doesn't keep the files to hand as a proud memento of his early achievements, but rather the opposite – the comments within provide a stark point of contrast to his ongoing success since leaving formal education at the age of 16.
The recent Inspire Awards Entrepreneur of the Year Winner has come a long way from his somewhat lacklustre approach to academic development.
Despite being a disruptive force throughout his time at Court Moor secondary school in Fleet, Biggins quickly got his act together when he went to work in the family business after leaving education. He soon discovered a strong work ethic and thirst for excelling in the professional world, and CV-Library was born in 2000, with Biggins becoming sole proprietor in 2013. He currently employs over 90 staff members and the job board and CV database is the fastest growing of its kind in the UK.
“It must have come as a pleasant surprise for my old teachers when CV-Library became one of the UK's fastest growing technology companies. Luckily for me they decided to give me a second chance and let me back onto the property to take part in the Interview Day,” he says.
Along with a number of professionals from a cross-section of businesses, Biggins took part in Court Moor's annual Interview Day, aimed at providing pupils with an insight into the world of job hunting. Held on Friday July 11th, the mentors assisted with application workshops in the morning and held mock interviews in the afternoon.
Biggins, who attended Court Moor himself between the years of 1989 and 1993, holds the Interview Day in high regard. He has said of the event: "It is imperative that the children of today are prepared for entering the working world when they choose to leave education. Learning how to build your own CV and sell yourself in person are important skills. By providing the opportunity to practise interview techniques, chances of success in the future will be increased."
For Biggins, there was always going to be the option of joining the family carpet- fitting business after school, so excelling within academia was never at the forefront of his concerns.
“I know what it's like to not really have an interest in school and I feel like I can connect with certain students on that level. Looking back I can honestly say that the most important thing is figuring out where you want to go in life. If you're academically minded then great, but if not then don't lose hope - there are options out there for you. Having clarity on what you want to achieve is important. School is a good foundation but you can build on what you learn there - I've discovered that there are routes to success which don't just revolve around the grades you achieve.”
“Sometimes I come across a student who reminds me of myself when I was younger, and I make it my mission to plant a seed of inspiration in their mind. If I had had someone talking to me on my level when I was younger, I might have gotten my act together a lot sooner," he summarises.
Not one to take the path well trodden, Biggins – who has gone back to Court Moor for the past four years to take part in the careers event – employs a rather interesting technique when quizzing the students.
“I do ask them the typical interview questions,” he says, “but I also like to ask them something a bit off beat to see how they react.”
This year one of his interview curve balls was to ask students which cartoon character they felt reflected their personality. “By chucking in a question like that, you're able to get an insight into what the interviewee is really like and how they react to unexpected situations. It's also good practise for them to turn a silly question into a sales point for themselves,” he explains.
For Lee, one of the best things about the yearly event is getting to see how his advice helps school-leavers. “There are a number of ex-pupils who I see around the gym or in the town. They'll always make a point of coming up to me and letting me know how they're getting on with their chosen career path.”
Unsurprisingly, the event does not only leave a lasting impression on the students. Lee himself comes away from these events feeling inspired. “It's also a good way for me to give back to the school community which I took for a bit of a ride when I was a youngster!” he assesses.
If his award winning business and nuggets of wisdom are not enough, Lee thinks he has cracked the ultimate motivational tool to inspire certain youngsters into achieving success.
“The prospect of being able to afford that first car is always high up the list of priorities for young people. I came out of the event to find finger prints all over mine, and was informed it had received quite a lot of interest from some of the
boys! Apparently they'd been taking photographs alongside it, and joking that it was theirs to drive home in after school.”
Lee will certainly be attending next year's event and hopes to raise awareness of how important teaching interview skills to students really is.
To find out more about Lee Biggins and CV-Library visit www.cv-library.co.uk.
