Working it out for executives!

Unemployment amongst managerial and executive level employees is growing rapidly with an estimated 250,000 already signing on.

West Yorkshire-based Corpex Group is delivering a number of intensive Executive Career Coaching workshops in Leeds (Novotel - June 23rd/24th/25th), Birmingham (NEC - June 30th & July 1st/2nd) and London (IoD in Pall Mall - July 7th/8th/9th) with each running over 3 consecutive half days, aimed at assisting these individuals as they attempt to get back into work.

The first of their kind targeted at this sector of the workforce, the workshops will provide attendees with a wealth of advice and information aimed at boosting their confidence as Corpex MD Guy Newton explained:

ìManagement unemployment is happening in all sectors and not just the obvious ones like banking, construction and manufacturing. We are receiving an increasing number of CVs from candidates in telecoms, retail and utilities that have been casualties of the recession.

ìDuring the downturn and recession of the early 1990s unemployment soared to in excess of 3.5 million but the vast majority of these casualties were from the clerical, semi-skilled and unskilled workforce. Management and executive posts were impacted but nowhere near as much as currently.

ìManagers and executives looking for a new job in 2009 have very limited resources that they can turn to for help. Staff at Job Centre Plus are well intentioned, well meaning and certainly try hard, but have much more expertise and concern about the comparatively larger numbers of unemployed people seeking jobs in the 10k to 25k salary range.

ìFor managers and executives seeking a new career move in the 40k plus range there is very little help available to them. Most of these individuals are facing an uphill and lonely struggle. Traditional avenues such as advertisements (online and off line), job agencies and recruitment consultancies are proving unrewarding for many. This is because most management jobs are going ìunder the radarî or are ìunadvertisedî.

ìWe know there are jobs out there because there are managers and executives securing them. However, for understandable reasons, employers are reluctant to declare them in the public domain. Consequently executives and managers seeking a new role need to identify and exploit other avenues beyond adverts and agencies,î added Guy who operates from offices in Central Leeds.

According to Guy, who has over two decades of experience within the executive recruitment and headhunting sectors, the executives they meet tend to fall into two categories:

ìFirst of all we have the unconsciously incompetent. They mistakenly believe that just because they know that they are a first class Finance Director they assume that their natural skills and abilities will shine through in the selection and interview process and secure their next job. These individuals need a severe reality check. The best qualified person does not always get the job, often the best candidate does.

ìTherefore such individuals do not know that they need help to become a first class candidate i.e. to become just as effective at seeking out and securing their next career move as they are a Director of Finance.

ìThe second type are those that are feeling demoralised. We regularly meet executives who after several months of job hunting have given up believing that they will succeed in reactivating their career. They often believe and say things like ìthere are no jobs for me out thereî or ìI need to lower my expectations to secure any sort of jobî.
The Executive Career Coaching Workshops run by Corpex not only provide help and ìpractical show howî for executives seeking a career move in 2009 but address both of the above categories head on.

ìOur Workshops equip individuals with the necessary techniques and guidance to reactivate their careers,î continued Guy ìas well as increasing their self belief, self confidence and motivation to do so.

ìThere are career opportunities out there if only the executive will apply the time, effort and expertise required to identify and secure their next career move. Our Workshops address these needs specifically and we have had great success with dozens of individuals right across the UK,î he added.

Feedback to workshops already held around the UK has been outstanding. Ms Andrea Samuel from Sussex commented: ìI learned lots especially not to panic and just because my last post was declared redundant doesnít mean I have to take a backwards career step.î

Chris Wood from West Yorkshire was similarly enthused: ìIt has helped me realise what I need to do to get back into employment as soon as possible in a clear and concise way.î
Another Yorkshireman, David Abbott, explained: ìI found the Workshop to be a lifesaver. It helped reduce the time taken to secure my next position and ensured it was an optimum one.î