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How do you turn an upcoming period of unemployment into a highly beneficial period for your future employer and your career?

Submitted by Christopher-Lee L... MCMI on Sun, 31/07/2011 - 14:46

I will be returning to the UK in just 4 weeks. Although I am hoping to find employment within about a month or so of relocating, I don't want this period on my CV simply to be a gap filled with job seeking and nothing else.

I am very interested in completing a short term management course in this time and can free up some money for this from private funds (I am not eligible for benefits as I am leaving my current employment voluntarily). Since graduating toward the end of 2006 I have to admit that I have not completed any management qualifications so my CPD portfolio is ashamedly empty - I have simply focused on gaining work experience.

I will be moving to just outside of Kettering to begin with (sister's home) and am aiming to move to Birmingham as soon as have found a suitable flat there. Indeed Birmingham is where I will finally settle.

Who can recommend a course provider either in Birmingham, West Mids or Northants? Should I aim for a skills refresher course or can for example an "Introduction to Management Consultancy" be completed in a short period of time? I am also open to other suggestions (volunteering?). My main aim is to make this period as beneficial to myself and my future employer as possible.

[Originally posted on CMI LinkedIn network]

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Submitted by Vincent Pizzoni FCMI on Mon, 01/08/2011 - 10:45

Chris, I strongly propose you do volunteering to keep the work and CV ticking over. If it can be in a related area to your career aspirations then so much the better. I would approach companies/organisations of interest in the Birmingham area and give it a go.

Regarding CPD I would think the CMI can help with suitable ones available near you.

A few years ago I used the services of Right Management which I appreciated. They have an office on Birmingham Business Park http://www.right.com/country-sites/uk/. Not sure if this is the sort of organisation that would provide what you are specifically looking for?

Submitted by Adrian Gaskell MCMI on Mon, 01/08/2011 - 10:59 Profile image

CMI HQ is based just up the road in Corby Chris, you'll have to pop in and see everyone (minus me of course - we're based in London)

Submitted by Christopher-Lee Lovell MCMI on Mon, 01/08/2011 - 18:50 Profile image

Vincent - I will certainly look at Right Management in more detail.  Only had time to scan it right now.  I think it would be best to approach organisations/companies once in UK.

Adi - is the centre a run in a way that people can drop in?