Perfectionists - do they really exist?

As the saying goes 'humility goes a long way'--this statement does not really apply to most perfectionists as they are always right.  Perfectionists do not know the meaning of the word humility even if it is staring them in their eyes. People, particularly leaders, have to know that 'nobody has a monopoly of knowledge'.  Everybody should try and imbibe the cloak of humility in their lives as this will set them apart. The perfectionist can ultimately become the raving lunatic in an environment as their expectations are placed on others.  Challenging their standpoint is not acceptable.  Only a foolish man will think he is perfect but a wise person will be humble to put their head down and learn from others around them.

Giving up at the site of problems

Encountering obstacles most people run a mile - a fact.  Being solution oriented does not come naturally to most, however it should be embraced.  Entrepreneurs or business owners should face the problem, seek expert advice or find practicable solutions.  The 'solution is often around the corner' for every problem.  For instance, you may not be in a position to hire more staff as expected, you may have to downsize and delay expansion until the economic window arises. The current economic climate requires solution focused entrepreneurs.

Inability to embrace learning

People tend to shy away from learning which can have a detrimental effect on their lives.  It is important to learn at the right time and never give up on one's dream of pursuing knowledge as 'Knowledge learnt is knowledge halved'. The brain can be likened to a receptacle that amasses information that shapes and moulds our existence and well-being. Think about people of repute such as President Barack Obama, if he did not embrace learning it would have been impossible for him to be at the pinnacle of his life.  The brain stagnates if one does not continue to learn and pursue knowledge.  A person that clamours for more understanding will ultimately challenge themselves in all areas of their lives be it education, ideas and extra-curricular activities.  As life is for living, embracing learning should be a pivotal part of it.

Having work-life balance and avoiding detrimental clashes

Success should not be determined by how many hours you can stay at work but by how you are able to nurture the youth without losing grip on reality (i.e. the work that supports the family).  We should do our utmost to find out ways to work smarter and more efficiently.  Striking the right balance between work and life is an essential ingredient to success.

Under estimating or not trusting your own instinct

What you can bring to the table matters at all times, not making the right decision at the right time can have a detrimental effect to an idea, project or business.  Sometimes our instinct tells us one thing but we do another.  We have to develop the courage to stick with what we believe, and never falter in the face of adversity particularly when major decisions are being made.  Our voice must always matter in every situation. People can only trust us if we show them that our ideas are invaluable under any circumstances. Examples are Instagram, Facebook etc.; there are a plethora of examples out there.

As the saying goes "feel the fear but do it anyway", business is a journey be it good or bad times.

I may be the UK managing director and RVP Northern Europe of a successful technology company now, but the route I took to get here is far from traditional. In fact, before I started in software, I began my career with 14 years in the Army and during my career I was tasked with storing and resupplying anything from helmets and boots through to weapons and ammunition as well as running a bomb disposal unit in Northern Ireland. Towards the end of my 14 years I even flew anti-tank helicopters with the Army Air Corps during the first Gulf War.

It might seem like an odd step, but I knew when I joined the armed forces that it would equip me with the skills I needed to have a range of options in the future. But how has what I learned in the Army been of help to me in the world of business? Here are some tips for making the transition:

Continue to be a leader - One of the most important things being an officer in the Army taught me that I've applied directly to the private sector was leadership and just how important it is. Everyone in the Armed Forces knows that the execution of a good plan depends on how well it is led. Two leaders could have exactly the same people and the same skills, but the way they lead will have a drastic effect on the end result.

Transfer your people management - As a result of being in the Army, I joined the private sector job market much later on than my peers, but the leadership and management skills I developed while in the forces definitely helped me to get promoted very quickly. Effective people management is something a lot of people struggle with, but my Army training meant I was at a level where I was comfortable leading teams from the go.

Be committed - Another thing the Army showed me was that one has to have commitment and dedication - once a plan is made, you have to move forward and execute it, even if it's something you don't fully agree with. Ego has no place in the Army and it can be damaging in the boardroom as well. Along with this, Army Officers develop the ability to turn ideas into actions and implement plans quickly, as well as having the courage to go beyond one's comfort zone. This is invaluable in the world of business. To get ahead of the game, you need to quickly decide what you want to do and do it fast - this not only gets you ahead of your competitors, but gets you noticed as a market leader.

Get involved with the day-to-day - I personally still enjoy having hands-on management responsibilities and keeping direct contact with people. My role now is very people oriented, which is actually one of the same assets that initially drew me to the Army. Being an Officer taught me the importance of setting individuals clear goals and objectives rather than micro managing them. The Armed Forces aren't as hierarchical as most people think. Instead people are given clarity and direction to make a success themselves.

With unemployment rising, uncertainty and increasing university fees; we find a generation now caught up in a "financial time warp" as they still find it increasingly difficult to access credit from lenders. The concept of charity has led to the creation of an innovative business model called crowdfunding now popular amongst young entrepreneurs.

What is crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding is a phrase coined by Michael Sullivan in 2006 the founder of FundaVlog. Other terms used are crowdsourcing, crowd sourced capital, crowd financing including crowdfunding. It is essentially financial contributions from online investors, sponsors or donors to fund both profit or non-profit initiatives and enterprises.

It is an alternative to loans or grants where small donations are collected for an idea, business or project which became very popular in 2009 with the launch of Kickstarter.com

How it works?

This business model is a proven method of encouraging a large number of people to donate small amounts potentially raising a lot of money. This removes the need to borrow from lenders such as banks or investment angels.

How it has grown over the past few years?

Dr Mohammad Yunus has been credited with pioneering a crowdfunding program that enriched over 30,000 people from Bangladesh since 1976. Within the last decade artistShare has cropped up as the first documented crowdfunding site for music and funding for new artists.

 In 2005 Kiva were able to raise loans for entrepreneurs in poor areas around the globe, done through small donations. Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform geared towards creative projects which took off in 2009, which is very popular in the US. In the UK JustGiving is one of the most popular crowdfunding websites dating back to 2000. The recent launch of HelpMyCause apart from fundraising, there is also support services which provide sustainability strategies to grow from business concept to fruition.

Today crowdfunding has birthed a number of reality shows such as Dragon Dens, Shark Tank and the upcoming series called Crowd Rules. The popular Dragons Den, where entrepreneurs pitch ideas in favour of investment, has generated millions of Pounds over the last 6 years. In New York starts a new reality TV series called 'Crowd Rules' where small businesses compete for a grand prize of £32,000 ($50,000).  

Has appeal money made a difference?

Crowdfunding has raised money for various global disasters around the world such as the most recent Boston marathon victims and Haiti earthquake disaster in 2010.

Money raised so far for the Boston marathon victims exceeds £1.2 ($2) million, whereas the Haiti victims received over £107m ($168m) from the British public alone. The Haiti appeal has helped over 1.8 million survivors.

How social media has impacted crowdfunding

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and many others are very popular with most age demographics including business and the political arena. Nowadays we see a lot of integration with most business whether large or small. President Obama's crowdfunding campaign contributions for both elections were very successful due to the impact of social media.

The future of crowdfunding

It's a 'no brainer' If you are looking to raise money these days be it for an artistic venture, to start a business or launch a new product, chances are that you will consider crowdfunding. This method of finance funding has gone from obscurity to one of the most popular approaches to find funding. This trend will continue to rise amongst the younger generation with ideas especially in the mobile Apps and gaming industries.

Reputable sources state crowdfunding raised £1.7B ($2.7B) worldwide last year. Forecast this year should more than double this year at a staggering £3.5B ($5.4B).

According to the recruitment specialist the UK currently produces 30,520 computer science graduates each year, but almost a quarter of these settle for non-graduate or unskilled roles after university.

Jonathan Dobkin, director at  Connections Recruitment, said: "With IT companies receiving an average of 73 applications for each graduate vacancy, it's clear college leavers need to make more use of the skills they should excel at such as creative problem solving and technology in order to stand out from the crowd.

"Too many young IT graduates have poor, drab CVs in traditional formats."

Dobkin explained the recruitment firm is seeing top candidates going that step further to create and share their videos online and to showcase the products they have worked on. He added:

"Many populate their Linked-In profile with videos and also share them on other social media platforms such as YouTube and Vine. Graduates need to take more of a risk and really put themselves out there to stand out and get noticed - especially now when the university 'milk rounds' are kicking off in earnest."

Dobkin offers IT graduates the following ten top tips:

1)      Upload a professional LinkedIn profile and include all your experience, education and awards. Add video content and secure endorsements and recommendations.

2)      Cleanse your Facebook and Twitter accounts to ensure they are free from any incriminating photos or postings.

3)      Volunteer to gain experience. This will give you practical experience of team working and problem solving - all the skills employers are after.  This also demonstrates a genuine appetite for work and hunger for success.

4)      Network - find IT societies, clubs and groups. Attend and talk to professionals, ask them questions, show an interest but don't be too pushy.

5)      Talk to IT recruiters to find out what they consider to be an above-average CV.

6)      Write a cover letter of no more than two sides of A4 but keep it pacey.

7)      Think about making a film using the Vine App of recent engineering projects you've undertaken in your spare time or at university. This will help you stand out from the crowd and demonstrate a genuine passion for your chosen career.

8)      Consider posting some of your designs to potential employers or contact them and ask them to set you a challenge to solve.

9)      Use IT keywords throughout your CV so if an employer scan reads it these words will jump off the page.

10)  Invest in a smart suit/dress and pair of shoes. If you don't look the part - you're already on the back foot.

#247Apprentice is showcasing a week in the life of apprentices on twitter all this week. 10 young apprentices are posting / blogging and uploading images of their working week to really demonstrate a 'week in the life of apprentices. You can find them at #247Apprentice and #NAW2013.

In addition, the National Apprenticeship Service has launched a new app designed to make it easier to search for apprentice vacancies. Free to download from iTunes and Google Play, the AV Search app is targeted to 16-24 year olds and potential apprentices aged 25 and over.

The app is an extension of the Apprenticeship Vacancies database, which allows users to search and apply for positions online.

If you are doing something to mark National Apprenticeship Week, I'd love to hear about it.

Recently I have been having more and more conversations on the idea of encouraging ex-military personnel into the IT sector.

Those who have been in the forces have an array of skills that can be transferred into civilian career opportunities - it's ensuring that someone is there to bridge that gap and to help with the transition part.

Speaking with IT service provider FDM Group this morning, I realised the amount of work that some companies are proud to put in to ensure that these skills are translated into the civilian workplace.

FDM runs a Veteran's Programme, in the US, which focuses on transitioning veterans into professional IT consultants.

The company offers 17 weeks training at its New York based academy, and two years employment with FDM once fully qualified.

Monica Hogan, US marketing assistant for FDM, told me how translating the skills and systems that ex-military candidates are experienced in can sometimes be a challenge when writing a civilian CV.  Not all HR departments may understand this. She pointed out that post 911 veterans would have enlisted at the age of 18/19 and some may be choosing to leave in their early 20s - those without degrees may find themselves slipping through the gaps, when applying for civilian job roles, however being a veteran is a big selling point.

FDM's programme has been a success in the US, recruiting 20 veterans so far, with 10 more in line for this year. As a result the company has been announced as a finalist by CivilianJobs.com for the Most Valuable Employers (MVE) for Military 2013 awards. Congratulations to FDM being shortlisted.

Furthermore, today BT Openreach announced that it is reserving 200 positions for armed forces personnel. Working with the Ministry of Defence and the Careers Transition Partnership the company is on the hunt for those about to leave the forces. BT Openreach has recruited over 1,000 staff from the armed forces in the past two years.

If your business has a similar programme in place, I would love to hear about it.

To all businesses making the path clearer for ex-servicemen and women to transfer their skills into civilian IT roles, Computer Weekly salutes you.

For graduates and school leavers looking to embark on their careers, the road ahead can seem very daunting.  With damning reports of youth unemployment dominating headlines, the prospect of securing your first job, let alone pursuing your dream career - if you're fortunate to even know what that is right now - can seem impossible at times. 

At the heart of this issue is the well documented skills shortage; something which is particularly prevalent in the technology industry.  With Computing A-Level student numbers continuing to plummet, and a recent report revealing that some 16 million people in the UK lack basic online skills, the situation seems bleak.

So, what does this situation mean for today's students? I believe there is a real opportunity for young people to use the skill shortage to their advantage. Although the media paints a negative picture about the effect the skills gap is having on the technology industry, the unreported angle is the opportunities it presents individual students.

Businesses are desperately crying out for new technology and services, which in turn increases demand for skilled workers in everything from app development to website design. This offers a lucrative opportunity for young people who are willing to learn the necessary skills to set themselves apart in this fast-growing and ever-evolving sector, ultimately making themselves more employable. 

A recent study by Hotel.com revealed that 1 in 4 adults wish they had chosen a career in technology but a lack of skills is holding them back.  If this is the case, now is the time for school leavers and graduates to hone the expertise they need to succeed in this sector.  The British technology sector is vital to the UK economy, contributing £140 billion annually (the equivalent to 12% GDP) and it is one of the most innovative and exciting spaces to work in.

I would urge students to seek out opportunities in the industry and where they can gain hands-on, practical experience - in new and ever-growing specialisms. Why not research opportunities to gain work experience with entrepreneurial tech start-ups, learning from those driving innovation in the technology industry?  There are also great vocational qualifications which offer a 'sandwich' year, enabling you to gain a real insight into the working world.  And even if you don't choose a strictly technical course, there are still opportunities to gain work experience alongside your studies which can really give you an edge when it comes to meeting a potential employer.

 

I am pleased to see that there are an increasing number of technology initiatives and campaigns out there for ambitious young school leavers and graduates.  Take the project, led by Martha Lane Fox and Go UK which aims to get some 16 million people across the UK basic online skills so they can use the internet to its full potential. It sounds minimal but the amount you think you know about particular technologies - and their impact on our future - is often just the tip of the iceberg!

 

The organisation eSkills is working relentlessly to make sure Britain is getting the technology skills it needs to succeed, as well as encouraging more women to pursue careers in IT. In fact, ITMB now has 33% female students - which is a huge step forward.  It's Information Technology Management for Business degree offers students practical and vocational training rather than just a purely academic qualification which can often leave graduates poorly prepared for the workplace.  There are even opportunities to teach yourself relevant skills in your spare time. BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, has launched a free mobile app development course on iTunes U last summer with a dedicated area offering free educational content from leading educational institutions.

 

These kinds of initiatives can go a long way in kick-starting the careers of young people and the more businesses and organisations that can get involved by offering apprenticeships, shadowing schemes or training opportunities, the better!

 

Rather than something to be fearful of, the skills shortage could actually be an opportunity for up and coming, ambitious students to carve themselves a career in the sector. By 'thinking outside the box' and learning skills applicable to up and coming disciplines, a whole new world of opportunities can be opened up. The IT industry is an ever evolving and exciting space to work in, and there is so much potential for the young and digital generation to excel. Now is the time to make it happen. 

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Silicon Valley has delivered an endless list of technology success stories to the world, boasting names such as Apple, eBay, Google, Western Digital and Yahoo, so it was perhaps not surprising that two years ago our Prime Minister David Cameron launched a vision to emulate the Valley's success here in the UK.

Cameron's vision called for an area of London, dubbed by the media as "Tech City", which would form a hub for technology entrepreneurship. Tech City, which broadly covers the area between London's Old Street and the Olympic Park in Stratford, is certainly an inspiring setting, partly because of the government's efforts in encouraging exciting new tech start-ups such as the likes of TweetDeck or Seatwave, as well as giants such as Google and Vodafone to set-up shop in the area.

By creating an ecosystem of funding, government incentives and a network of partnerships has helped make Tech City an attractive proposition to existing technology companies at home and from abroad.

However, for Tech City to be successful in the long-run, we must sustainably fuel it by developing the right skills and inspiring young talent to drive it forward beyond the financial incentives. This can be achieved through education, industry involvement and mentoring.

The ICT curriculum

At school my children learn ICT; however the curriculum from which they are being taught is entirely Windows-based and provides no exposure to elements such as coding, web design or social media. Yet isn't this the type of technology companies that Tech City has set out to create want and need?

This problem was recently highlighted in a  Confederation of British Industry report where over 59% employers envisaged that they will face problems finding staff with Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) skills in the next three years. The same concern was shared by the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, who earlier this year called for immediate action to ensure that enough young people are studying STEM subjects.

The recent development of the Raspberry Pi board is a symbolic reminder that all today's youth need is the right encouragement, tools and guidance to evolve into the technology entrepreneurs of tomorrow. Therefore there is also a case for industry to get involved beyond the classroom.

The UK technology scene is an inspiring hub of great talent within itself and there are great synergies that can be achieved by exposing tomorrow's talent to it. For instance, the immediate gap in STEM skills can be addressed through apprenticeships where individuals are equipped with the right skills to pursue a career in IT. In the long term, by working with academic establishments, industry players can share their expertise and even help provide the means to incubate the Google's or Facebook's of tomorrow.

Yet having been in the industry for over 25 years, I would have expected Tech City to cross my path outside of what we read in the media. The fact that it hasn't happened yet is perhaps a sign that more needs to be done from the government's perspective to work with industry and help nurture the hidden talent this country has.

Technology superstars of the future

We are fundamentally going to have a ten year skills deficit here when it comes to nurturing the technology superstars of the future unless we start building the essential coding and technical skills into the fabric of the curriculum today. Without this input, I fear that in as little as a decade's time, Tech City will merely become a stagnant, "parliamentary" technology hub.

If Tech City is to produce the next Tim Berners-Lee or Mark Zuckerberg of this world, who will go on to inspire and energise our Tech City, we must go beyond the incentives and put education back on the agenda within our schools.

Big data is considered by many to be an integral part of an organisation's IT strategy. But as the technology and strategy grow at a rapid pace, it widens a gap in necessary skills that are needed to unlock the business value of big data.

One of our customers is already seeing this. For comScore, a global Internet information provider, to which leading companies turn to for consumer behaviour insight, data is its commodity. The company has a global cross-section of more than two million members who have granted it permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behaviours. As comScore's customer base grows, so too does the sheer amount of information it is tasked with analysing. This puts pressure on the company's own strategy as well as the need to ensure that their staff are equipped with the right technical skills to handle big data efficiently.

With big data also comes a discussion about new technology and solutions to support it. Technical skills in Hadoop, MapReduce and proprietary commercial big data frameworks are increasingly becoming scarce and as such, those with experience in these practices are commanding higher salaries - even if their experience is limited. This is bucking the traditional trend of IT employment that involves years of hard work, training and experience and so highlights the employment issues facing the IT industry.

So how can this skills gap be addressed?

Big data, in the very essence of the subject requires two things, the IT infrastructure to store the data and a skilled team of analytical minds to enable businesses to understand the vast amount of information. Web logs, machine-generated data such as sensor systems, social media and transaction data is amongst this raft of information that needs to be stored correctly and then analysed by trained and able individuals. 

Similarly there are two avenues to consider for companies looking to up-skill within their big data projects. Firstly, organisations should start by looking right under their noses.  

The Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) team, otherwise known as data warehousing specialists, already understand the context in which data is used within their business; they know how it is being moved and transformed as well as recognising its value when turned into useful information. For this reason, this team is often best suited to begin the implementation of Hadoop-based big data solutions. Companies should look to bring in additional skills to their ETL teams to create collaborative Data Scientist teams.

But technical proficiency isn't always enough. Organisations need skills that transcend pure data analysis and need to hire individuals that are able to ask the right questions of the data to come up with analytical insights that really add business value. As such, the scientific community could offer the IT industry the necessary bridge for the big data skills gap. Companies should look within the science departments of universities and research houses, as scientists already deal with vast amounts of data and, importantly, are coming up with the right questions to query the information.

Secondly, organisations should follow the lead of those companies that are responding to the skills gap by offering outsourced big data services from third party providers in much the same way that Red Hat did with Linux. Offering Hadoop platforms where organisations can leverage the benefits of big data without having to invest in the necessary in-house resources.

But as the value of data increases and as more sensitive data is produced, do businesses really want to entrust it to a third party? Data is fast becoming the most valuable asset of a business and with questions over security and intellectual property continuing to be asked; Big data will fast become a function that companies will want to keep in-house.

The false economy of outsourcing big data specialists is there for businesses to comprehend. Rather than outsourcing to enjoy short term cost efficiencies, businesses should ideally bring in their own big data clusters and employ people with the necessary skills. For Hadoop to really deliver to its full advantage, it is important that the right data scientists are employed and allowed to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in.  

It's equally important to give the IT team the tools to simply and efficiently move data into Hadoop, (e.g. mainframe sources which can be particularly tricky), cope with the steady stream of complex data from disparate data sources including relational, non-relational, cloud-based and SaaS, and emergent, less structured data types - speeding the time and reducing the resources required to collect and query against it.

For every additional month that businesses can experiment with Hadoop and the data at their disposal, the more competent they will become at monetising big data and the more competitive advantage they will achieve.

IT skills is a hot topic and one which personally, I am passionate about. Whilst the education process and associated debate is focussed very much on the younger generation, developing the skills required to meet the needs of businesses of the future, we must also not forget about the importance of continuing to educate those already in business, including the c-suite.

One of the newest and most pressing issues facing the boardrooms of today is digital literacy or lack thereof. Focussed on the need for members of the board to know and understand how IT can - and is - impacting businesses, digital literacy is not something that should be ignored. The recently published 'Future Role of the CIO' report  highlights the detrimental impact of failing to include technology on the boardroom agenda, and the CIO's role in communicating the importance of IT to business efficiency and overall success.

The role of the CIO is an ongoing debate, not only with regards to how they fit within the business model but also in how significant their input is to boardroom discussions and ultimately, business decisions.  As CIOs are recognising there is an issue, they are in a strong position to raise the level of digital literacy amongst senior managers. Perhaps more importantly, CIOs are the driver for digital strategic thinking within the organisation.

With many senior leadership team members being digitally illiterate - according to over 80% of CIOs - something needs to be done to drive relevant skills in the boardroom. I see many businesses failing to understand the problems associated when digital literacy is ignored; missed opportunities, poor competitiveness, slower time to market and IT investments that are underachieving. Quite a significant list of attributes for any business seeking to innovate and ultimately grow in a triple dip recession!

One of the major problems is that many business leaders see IT as a cost of doing business, rather than viewing it as a means through which to grow the organisation, make processes more efficient and introduce greater agility and competitiveness - a mind-set that needs to be changed and a call to action for CIOs. Businesses cannot afford to neglect technology and business leaders need to learn to embrace the true value it can bring.

University can be frustrating, and not just from an "I work all the time" standpoint. The immense change that will come to the technology field during the three or four years you're in university can seem daunting. It's nobody's fault; in fact, we asked for it. We worked hard to bring technology and the technology field to the point it's at, and to make sure it continually improves.

But that doesn't change the fact that it adds an extra layer of complexity to your education. While university can teach you the basics of the field, you're left on your own to stay up-to-date with current improvements. So how do you do this without going crazy?

The most important thing you can do is to make sure you have the right mindset going in. Understand that university doesn't teach you everything you need to know about the IT field; it just gives you a foundation from which to work. Think of university as a springboard. Now, beyond that, what kind of concrete strategies can you implement?

Find an area of focus

What is the thing that you care most about? Maybe it's networking or database management. Tie everything you learn back to this area of focus. One day, when you work with a company, you'll have to find ways that your focus area intersects with other areas both inside and outside the IT industry. Practicing that now will prepare you for the future.

For example, if your area of focus is database management but you're learning about cloud computing in class: How is cloud computing affecting and changing the database management arena? Do some of your own research to find out how these relate and interact in the marketplace.

Locate practical uses in the marketplace

I touched on this a little bit in the last paragraph, but I suggest you look into the marketplace for most things you learn about and not just your focus area. For example, let's say you're studying service catalogs. Find a company or two that does the service catalog well. Two examples are BMC's IT service catalog and PMG's guide on business vs. technical service catalogs article.

Notice that each of these resources talk about real-world uses for the catalog. Additionally, there's a real company and real people behind the resource, so if you have questions you can probably email or call somebody to learn more.

Read and follow thought leaders

It's never too early to start listening to conversations in the marketplace. This doesn't mean you need to spend hours each week reading numerous blogs. Instead, find a couple writers who you enjoy the most and read everything they write. I personally like to read Jerry Bishop over at the Higher Ed CIO. Bryan Glick's Editor's blog here on Computer Weekly is also a great read. Use these as starting places and find out who you enjoy reading.

Final thoughts

University is a great time in your life. You get to learn a lot and be shaped in the process. But don't let your education end with university. Take time to implement these strategies so that when you enter the working world you're not behind, but instead ahead, of the curve.

In addition to the questions that are typically asked at either traditional or competency interviews, you can also expect interviewers to focus on any areas of concern that they may have about your background, for example if you have changed jobs frequently or if there are any gaps in your career.

Here are some examples of these sorts of difficult questions with suggested responses.

'You've changed jobs quite frequently. How do we know that you are going to stay in this job?'

Well, this is a promising question. If the interviewer wants to be sure that you want to stay in the job then presumably they are thinking of actually offering you the job. But beware! Why have you been changing jobs so frequently? You need to reassure the interviewer with your answer.

'Yes, I have changed jobs several times but that has been a deliberate strategy. I wanted to gain experience in a number of different areas. I've come to the end of that process now and I can bring that experience to your company. I've also recently married and I want to settle down in a stable job. I've done a great deal of research on this company and I know that you can offer me job security and a long-term future.'

'Why should we offer you the job?'

Think back to the job description and then take each item one at a time. Work through the job specification pointing out that you have the required qualifications and experience. Where appropriate provide examples of some of your achievements that match the role. For example:

'You asked for candidates with good experience of Project Management.  In my current job I've managed a number of very successful projects. In each of these projects I've consistently delivered on schedule and within budget.  I've been nominated for an award from the CIO twice in the last 6 months.'

'What are your weaknesses?'

A very difficult question to answer. Everybody has weaknesses and I can recall one candidate who answered this question by saying that he 'didn't have any weaknesses' being turned down for a senior job! Much better to own up to some weaknesses but make sure they are 'good' ones!

For example:

'I have a sharp eye for detail and a tendency to try and do too much myself. I've recently completed a two-day course on delegation and this has really helped me to let go of some of my responsibilities and trust colleagues and members of my team to take on more of the workload.'

 Notice how in this answer the candidate has admitted to a weakness but has recognised it and has already taken steps to remedy the problem by attending a course in delegation. Always try to use this model to answer this type of question. Admit to a weakness but make it clear that you are taking steps to rectify the problem.

'You've been unemployed for quite a long time. What have you been doing?'

Try to give a detailed reply to this question. Remember that the average time to find a new job is 3-6 months. There are plenty of people in the same position and everybody knows that the job market is tough. You might also want to point out any personal projects that you have undertaken during your period of unemployment.

If you were made redundant then you may have received a tax-free payment that enabled you to take some time off to travel or spend time with your family. If you have done any voluntary work then mention this and also mention any personal projects where you were able use your professional skills, for example acting as project manager for a property renovation or organising a charity event. Also mention any training that you have undertaken that will be relevant to the job.

Jeremy I'Anson is a professional careers coach and the author of You're Hired! Total Job Search 2013 published by Trotman Education. For further details visit www.totaljobsearchonline.com

Do you have a careers question for Jeremy I'Anson ?

Email: jeremy.ianson@xlsys.co.uk

Jeremy I'Anson is a professional careers coach and the author of You're Hired! Total Job Search 2013 published by Trotman Education. For further details visit www.totaljobsearchonline.com

It's almost inevitable that at some point in your career you are going to have to deal with gaps in your employment history and I'm often asked how you should deal with these gaps in your CV.

Although of course the individual circumstances can be very different I always recommend that you fully account for your career history on your CV. Unexplained gaps will immediately be apparent to recruiters and HR Managers and will inevitably lead to awkward questions at interview.

If you are planning to return to work perhaps after staying at home during an extended period of maternity or paternity leave, my advice is to make this clear on your CV. In the section covering your employment history simply state:

September 2005 - Present

• Took a planned career break to provide fulltime care for my 2 children
• Played an active role in managing my children's school as a Parent Governor
• Served as a committee member with a local charity.
• Raised over £2,000 by organising and taking part in a charity skydive.

In this example it is quite clear what you have been doing over the last 7 years. Furthermore the information that you have provided demonstrates to the employer that in addition to bringing up your children you have been maintaining your professional skills by getting involved in the management of your children's school, serving on a committee and organising a charity event.

Other job hunters sometimes take time off for a "personal project". I'm sure, given the opportunity, many people would like to take time off for a sabbatical or perhaps to renovate a property or some other personal project. Again I recommend that you mention this very clearly on your CV.

September 2010 - Present

• Planned career break
• Undertook a personal project to renovate a house
• Worked with an architect to draw up plans  and gain planning approval
• Acted as Project Manager coordinating / scheduling  the activities of multiple tradesmen
• Completed the renovation project on schedule and within budget

You could adapt this example to your own personal circumstances. An employer can see what you have been doing and that this "gap" in your employment history has been planned.

The fact that you have undertaken a challenging personal project and managed the activities of the builders to complete the project on schedule and within budget all suggest that you are a determined individual with excellent organisational and project management skills. Characteristics that may well be of interest to a potential employer.

What about dealing with redundancy on your CV? Well I strongly believe that the same advice should apply. Unfortunately redundancy is all too common these days so being clear about this on your CV is perfectly acceptable.

September 2012 - Present

• Career break following redundancy from Carter Technology.
• Undertook voluntary work with a local charity
• Updated professional skills and achieved technical certification in software testing

In this example it is again perfectly clear about the reason for the career break. There is also some further information about the activities during this period of unemployment; working with a local charity and upgrading professional skills. Both activities that should be of value to a potential employer.

Honesty is (of course!) the best policy when it comes to dealing with gaps in your CV. Never try to hide a gap by changing the date of your jobs, employers do take up references and any changed dates will quickly come to light.

The one exception to this rule is the opportunity to state the contractual end date of your employment. If you have been made redundant and you are on "gardening leave" working out your notice then it is quite legitimate to put the actual end date of your employment on your CV.

Do you have a careers question for Jeremy I'Anson ?

 Email: jeremy.ianson@xlsys.co.uk

 Jeremy I'Anson is a professional careers coach and the author of You're Hired! Total Job Search 2013 published by Trotman Education. For further details visit www.totaljobsearchonline.com

As a recent graduate from Leeds University, I felt fairly daunted by the thought of applying for jobs in the current market. Given the level of competition for every place, however, I decided to bite the bullet and started looking and applying for roles at the beginning of my final year - a strategy which seemed to pay off. I was lucky to secure a job within six months, but there were a number of challenges I had to overcome first.

Given that applications are now predominantly online, my main difficulty was managing the time needed to fully research a company, complete an application and subsequent online tests, while balancing university and extra-curricular activities.

Another challenge was during the application period when I was based in Leeds but had to travel to London for numerous interviews and assessment days. This was very time-intensive and difficult to manage, but I tried to coincide interviews with study leave and holidays to help ease the pressure.

At Easter this year, after around six months of gruelling job hunting travelling up and down the country, I was delighted to be offered a role from technology services company Cognizant within its Insurance Practice. Having studied Management and Spanish at University, entering the world of IT and technology wasn't necessarily a typical career path but, from what I understand, it is an industry that is in need of graduates and in particular females, who have typically avoided this sector - I would urge others to look into it!

Specifically, my role involves a preliminary training session in New Jersey, US, with recruits from all over the world, but then I will be generally based in London. During the probation period, I am being exposed to several areas of the business unit and I'm looking forward to learning more about Cognizant and the way it works.

It is a varied role within a very fast-growing global company with operations all over the world. It is renowned for being at the forefront of cutting-edge technologies and business models, so there are lots of opportunities to contribute to this business evolution, which really appeals.

Finding graduate jobs certainly isn't easy, but from my experience here are my top tips:

1. Define your strengths and weaknesses and decide where best they will be suited
2. Widen your search to sectors you might not have considered before
3. Persist at the task in hand, don't give up
4. Use your networks and learn from any feedback possible
5. Above all, remember you're not the only person in this situation - talk to others who have been there before or are going through the same process!

I think, in the end, my determination to succeed and to find a job that I felt would develop my potential are the reasons why I kept going. My work experience enabled me to focus on which direction I wanted to move in, and I am hoping that with Cognizant, as a large progressive organisation, I will be able to fulfil my potential within IT.

'What colour is Wednesday?'

'How many bicycles were sold in the UK last year?'

'How do you weigh an elephant without a weighing machine?'

Yes, they're genuine interview questions! These rather bizarre types of questions are much favoured by university dons who are probably rather bored and decide to add a bit of spice into the interview process. But increasingly interviewers from outside the academic world are using these extreme interview questions just to see how you respond.

If you follow my job search advice then you will be very well prepared to answer most types of interview question. Of course, being well prepared is one of the key factors in interview success. But by using these types of questions interviewers are asking a question for which there can be no preparation.

You can have no idea what kind of strange question the interviewer might ask. And that's just the point; the interviewer would like to see how you think on your feet and how you respond to something that is completely unexpected. There is some logic to this - dealing with unexpected situations might actually be a key requirement of the job.

There's no right answer to these types of questions so my advice would be to relax and take the opportunity to have some fun and come up with the most amusing and memorable response you can. Spending a whole day interviewing candidates for a job can be tough and all of those 'perfect' candidate responses can sometimes become tedious.

Make the interviewer's day and give a response that sticks in their mind. The chances are the interviewer will remember you and your response ahead of all the other candidates and you will have had the perfect opportunity to demonstrate that you can think on your feet, rise to a challenge, be funny and creative and, most importantly, deal effectively with the unexpected.

Do you have a careers question for Jeremy I'Anson ?

Email: :jeremy.ianson@xlsys.co.uk

Jeremy I'Anson is a professional careers coach and the author of You're Hired! Total Job Search 2013 published by Trotman Education. For further details visit www.totaljobsearchonline.com