Supporting the Next Generation of Future Leaders

My friend??? Gunjika Vishwanath Misra (She/ Her) [L.I.O.N]?? ?(a Data Scientist and National President of the Home and Security Council WICCI - Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry , tagged me into a Linkedin post poll today, it's very pertinent to me due to the nature of 'some' of what I do (besides, being a freelancer, delivering digital marketing projects with my team at a national and global level).

I?also #teach and #coach ?many young people, providing?#careeradvice ?and often supporting them into their first full time role, so, I thought I’d explain more about it along with my own career journey.

Personally, I haven’t used my CV for about 18 years as I’ve been self employed for so long or have previously founded and owned several marketing and #advertising agencies.

I set up my first?#advertisingagency (3 employees), in the 1990's and founded and ran two Marketing Agencies, early to mid 2000 (collectively 20+ employees across both brands), the latter encompassed?#website ?creation and?#digitalmarketing ?(during the internet’s infancy).

From my extensive work with?#apprenticeship ?#academies ?today, and my?#mentoring ?of?#youngpeople ?and supporting early careers and university students from 英国曼彻斯特大学 , The Manchester Metropolitan University and others, I do naturally guide younger people with?#CV ?creation and career applications.

On the flip side, I’ve?#employed ?and #interviewed a great deal of people over the course of my life.

How many references should you put on a CV?

Three to five is the ideal number of references in accordance to many professional industry sources.

Often a job description may specifically request that you include a certain “number” of references (some career, some personal).

In the case of those at?#earlycareer ?level,?#employers ?generally understand if there is only ability to mention two references.

I will often provide my own students with business references relating to their paid work with me, as a digital marketing #intern , whilst I provide them?#upskilling and?#training ?during my own client’s digital projects.

In the past, I’ve included up to 8 references on my own CV (especially where I’ve applied for high demand / high skilled?#vacancies ?particularity within?#PLCs

I don’t advocate doing this now, however, at the time, I secured all those roles.

These were #Sales and Marketing focused roles in companies such as;?Siemens ?(Sales for LAN/WAN Network Solutions),?American Express (Marketing/ Sales),?Sainsbury's ?(#PR ?/?#branding ).

I don’t often mention it, as it was only 15 months and part time (3 days a week), but, whilst I was setting up my second?#marketingagency (Fireball Media t/a AIM Solutions), I also gleamed experience in the?#aviation ?/?#spaceindustry ?within the?#logistics ?(Defense/Space) department of?BAE Systems .

I still have incredible contacts in all of the above organisations and, should I need, there’s a number of people I can turn to today, who can verify my experience,?#training ?and #commitment in these roles.

Generally, employers don’t have time to read long CVs and it’s OK to include specific?#businessreferences ?with an added assurance, should they wish, that there are further references upon request.

I often go out of my way for my own students, should it expedite the recruitment process, I will also call their potential employer and provide a verbal reference along with written. In many cases, their potential employer is already known to me.

I get a lot of vacancies sent to me, especially in digital marketing, PR, #SEO as soon as they 'go live' because of the nature of what I do with digital training and due to the vast connections I have within these networks, not just regionally and nationally, but also globally.

These are with large corporate companies as well as #smes

Employers (unless otherwise stated), don’t have strict requirements on a CV's length, but making your CV 2-3 pages helps?#hiringmanagers ?digest your experience for positions they're currently?#recruiting ?for.

Personally, I'm in the lucky position of having a large range of client referrals, I can quickly put my hands on for?#marketingcampaigns ?that I’ve produced for companies including;?Nestlé ,?Norwich Union International ,?Panasonic ,?Lipsy London ,?Orange ,?O2 (Telefónica UK) ,?Manchester City Council , Kellogg Company , 松下 , Lloyds Banking Group , Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya , Hertfordshire County Council and many more!

I'm always happy to support and advise early career starters, young people, career changers and those looking to upskill through #skillsbootcamps (particularly in the digital field).

I have so many business contacts and work with so many fabulous organisations providing further education, skills courses, apprenticeships and training don't be afraid to give me a shout!