The Academy of Business Strategy - Career Management

2009-07-10T11:06:00.001+01:00

SEAN KERRY (CCMS)

Age (41-50)
Location (San Francisco - USA)
Annual salary before graduation
$650,000.00 USD per annum
Annual salary after graduation
$1,200,000.00 USD per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

It is fair to say that I have probably always been reasonably proactive with my career development but it is also fair to say that I had reached a peak and I was fearful that my career direction would start moving towards a gradual decline. I needed new impetus, a new challenge and a new direction.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

(CCMS) was just what the Doctor ordered so to speak. The program had very clear and precise objectives, which were supported by a robust structure and the opportunity to practically integrate what you have learnt. I knew the Academy of Business Strategy from a previous employer and had considered doing this program earlier but personal circumstances prevented me from doing so. I then had to wait the mandatory two years before re-applying but I always knew that I wanted to do this.

BENEFITS

It was well worth the wait. The program enables you to carefully analyse yourself from the outside over a sustainable period of time, together with the impartial and independent advice provided by the tutors who are both helpful and extremely knowledgeable. The quality and value of this program are second to none and I would have no hesitation in recommending it.

2009-07-10T11:04:00.000+01:00

LARRY WEEKLY (CCMS)

Age (31-40)
Location (Montreal - Canada)
Annual salary before graduation
$115,000.00 USD per annum
Annual salary after graduation
$164,000.00 USD per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I had been made redundant three times over the space of six years due to corporate downsizing and acquisitions. I was fed up of being moved around as well and wanted to be in more control over my career. I tried consulting for a while but it wasn’t for me, I’m no salesman. So I was looking at corporate life again but I wanted a new approach towards developing my career.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

I was impressed by the way in which the Academy of Business Strategy was established and developed and their core values struck a chord with my own. (CCMS) was just what I was looking for. There was no risk, I could carry on working while developing and implementing my own career strategy at the same time. I could manage my own study time and there were no requirements to attend classes or to do examinations. Everything was practical and real.

BENEFITS

A high quality and high value program with first class support from the tutors. I feel that I am genuinely in control of the development of my own career for the first time in my life. This has been a truly inspirational process and I cannot speak highly enough of the Academy of Business Strategy or the (CCMS) program. I have since enrolled upon (DCMS).

2009-07-10T11:03:00.001+01:00

DENISE MURRAY (CCMS)

Age (31-40)
Location (Auckland - New Zealand)
Annual salary before graduation
$126,000.00 USD per annum
Annual salary after graduation
$176,000.00 USD per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I had just been made unemployed for the first time in my career and decided to take some time out. I took a year off and it gave me time to re-evaluate my career to date. This time made me think about myself a bit more and what I wanted from my career in the future. It became clear to me that I was going to need help if I was going to stand any chance of achieving my newly developed career goals.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

Talk about timing. The (CCMS) program came along just at the right time. I answered YES to all of the self-assessment questions and it was pretty obvious that this was just what I needed.

BENEFITS

This really is an excellent program. I have learnt so much about myself and about how to be more self-focussed when developing your career. I have also learnt how to target the positions that I really want and how to be more competitive during the recruitment process. I feel as if I am in much more control of my career now and this in itself is a major satisfaction. I feel that I am working for me for a change. This program is an absolute MUST for everyone at some stage within their career. The earlier the better!

2009-07-10T11:02:00.001+01:00

DANIELLE WALSH (CCMS)

Age (21-30)
Location (Sydney - Australia)
Annual salary before graduation
$80,000.00 USD per annum
Annual salary after graduation
$150,000.00 USD per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

After graduating from university I wanted to do something with a more international flavour to it. I was a working girl now but still wanted to further my education. You kind of have to think internationally if you live in Oz and I knew about the Academy of Business Strategy because my elder sister had graduated as a (DManS).

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

(CCMS) seemed perfect for me at this early stage in my career as I wanted to achieve as much as I could. We are used to calling a spade a spade in Oz and the program information appeared to do just that. I liked the fact that it was practical by nature and that you could achieve things during the program rather than having to wait until many years after graduation before realizing benefit.

BENEFITS

I was a bit worried about the possibility of a lack of personal feedback given the fact that it was a distance-learning program but I need not have worried. The tutors are a great bunch of guys and the personal feedback is really excellent. You receive detailed feedback on everything and are provided with detailed task lists of what to do next. (CCMS) does what it says on the tin!

2009-07-10T11:01:00.001+01:00

MEI LING TAN (CCMS)

Age (31-40)
Location (Hong Kong - China)
Annual salary before graduation
$225,000.00 USD per annum
Annual salary after graduation
$485,000.00 USD per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I had good qualifications and good experience and had been fortunate to be employed in good positions within two global corporations. I have always been ambitions and have consciously been proactive about developing my career. I have never considered myself too old to learn or too arrogant to think that I might know everything. I have always been committed to ongoing self-development.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

I knew about the Academy of Business Strategy and had heard very complimentary things about their client programs. The (CCMS) program was just what I was looking for at the time and if it could just enable me to be a little bit more proactive than I was already then the small investment would pay dividends. Reading through the program information it seemed inevitable that this would be the case.

BENEFITS

I was pleasantly surprised by (CCMS). It has been an experience that I would not have missed for anything and it has been a real breath of fresh air. The processes are very well thought out and are easy to follow and not only are the benefits significant but you achieve them during the program itself. I have learnt how to be considered for core vacancies and the power of such knowledge is worth the tuition fee ten times over.

2009-07-10T10:57:00.001+01:00

WILLIAM MUNGWIRA (CCMS)

Age (31-40)
Location (Cape Town - Africa)
Annual salary before graduation
$68,000.00 USD per annum
Annual salary after graduation
$110,000.00 USD per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I had lived and worked in both Africa and the United States for global companies and felt that my unique mix of qualifications and experience deserved more personal reward than I was achieving. I never seemed to be offered the positions which I craved and felt that I was missing something.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

Upon reading the (CCMS) program information, I suddenly realized precisely what I was missing and enrolled immediately. I learnt so much just from reading through the program information and felt that this was a taste of what was to come. It is very rare to be able to make a decision without having any doubts. This was one of those decisions.

BENEFITS

I thought long and hard about this, trying to fit all of the program benefits into four lines is impossible. Very well written and structured, easy to follow, technically state-of-the-art, highly enjoyable process, the chance to implement what you learn, excellent support throughout, confidence building, the power to control your career, fellowship awards and service after graduation, truly international feel and unquestionable value for money.

2009-07-10T10:56:00.001+01:00

NADIA YERSHOVA (CCMS)

Age (41-50)
Location (Moscow - Russia)
Annual salary before graduation
45,000.00 GBP per annum
Annual salary after graduation
82,000.00 GBP per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I have always considered myself to be a career-minded woman at heart, but never really felt that I was achieving what I believed I was capable of. I always worked extremely hard, have always been loyal to my employers and have been dedicated to the cause. I suppose I had just reached a point where I started questioning whether I was being properly rewarded for my efforts.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

I had never heard of parallel career planning and the concept made very good sense to me. The idea of planning your next career move while you are already employed is just common sense really, but I wonder how many of us actually do it. The decision to enrol on (CCMS) was the easiest career decision that I have ever had to make. The information was so clear and specific and the substance behind the program was obvious from reading through the information.

BENEFITS

I never really expected to be offered a position on this program. When you look at the salaries that many students earn it appeared out of my reach. When I was offered a position I was ecstatic. I suppose it does not matter how much or how little you are earning when you enrol, the fact is that you can always improve. There are so many benefits of this program, but if I were to pick just one, I would have to say that it puts students in control of their careers and instils significant self-confidence as a result.

2009-07-10T10:54:00.001+01:00

LISA KENNEDY (CCMS)

Age (21-30)
Location (Washington DC - USA)
Annual salary before graduation
$55,000.00 USD per annum
Annual salary after graduation
$90,000.00 USD per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

Just having graduated with my Masters from university, I was lucky to achieve a good first job pretty quickly. I already understood the importance of staying ahead of the game though and wanted to continue with my education while working and gaining experience. My academic qualifications while business-related were very traditional and I wanted to do something different and started looking at professional qualifications.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

One of my Professors actually recommended the Academy of Business Strategy to me because of the practical implementation aspect of their programs and he recommended one of the consulting programs because I had regularly expressed a desire to consult at some point in the future. I felt that it was too early in my career though and thought that the (CCMS) was more appropriate for me. The core objective of the program struck a chord with my desire to stay ahead of the game.

BENEFITS

I have to say that I have achieved more personal benefit from (CCMS) than any other academic program that I have studied. I understand that it may be some time before I realize the benefits of my university degrees, but I loved the fact that you achieve things during the program with (CCMS). Wonderful!

2009-07-10T10:52:00.000+01:00

JOHAN BERGMAN (CCMS)

Age (41-50)
Location (Amsterdam - NL)
Annual salary before graduation
125,000.00 GBP per annum
Annual salary after graduation
180,000.00 GBP per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I had reached middle-age and suddenly realized that I had not yet achieved financial independence. I still had a mortgage, home loans and the like and started to feel that this might always be the case. I thought about setting up my own business but there always appeared to be too much risk involved. I could also never understand why as a senior manager earning 125k how my bosses at Executive Officer level were earning over ten times this amount. The difference was inexplicable.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

(CCMS) was not a high risk decision to make. The cost of the programme was low, even though the Academy was limited to 30 positions in any one year. This impressed me and the structure of the programme was simple but effective. I thought that the concept of the practical integration of academic theory was inspired and it just seemed like the right time for me to do this.

BENEFITS

Understanding precisely what you need to do to transfer from being a peripheral employee to a core employee is by far the outstanding benefit for me and not only that but having the opportunity to implement your career strategy during the programme. I am still employed in a peripheral position but still managed to increase my salary by 45 per cent. This was my short-term career strategy. I am now in the process of implementing my medium-term career strategy. A truly excellent programme.

2009-07-10T10:50:00.001+01:00

BORIS LANGER (CCMS)

Age (31-40)
Location (Vienna - Austria)
Annual salary before graduation
82,000.00 GBP per annum
Annual salary after graduation
114,000.00 GBP per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I had enjoyed my career up until this point but I did not know what I wanted to do during the latter part of my career. I knew that I wanted to do something different. I just did not know what. I had undertaken various psychometric tests but they all told me the same thing. I was ideally suited to the job which I was already doing.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

This programme was as they say like a light coming on for me. I knew I wanted to do it immediately and hoped that it might help me to find my way. I think that the initial attraction was caused by the fact that it was so different to anything else that I had seen. It was well thought out and had a good history. The structured approach was apparent from the programme information.

BENEFITS

The programme was a life-changing experience for me. I have never particularly been motivated by money, but the programme has actually helped me to improve my quality of life. I am doing a completely different job now and have changed industry as well and feel that I actually now make a difference.

2009-07-10T10:45:00.000+01:00

MIHAELA POLOWSKI (CCMS)

Age (31-40)
Location (Warsaw - Poland)
Annual salary before graduation
50,000.00 GBP per annum
Annual salary after graduation
75,000.00 GBP per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I felt that I wanted some more control over the way my career was developing because I felt that I was capable of doing much more than I was doing. All of my experience had been in Poland and within one specific industry but I just did not know how to break out into pastures new. I always wanted to work for a global company but never got the opportunity.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

(CCMS) had a real international flavour to it and all of the students came from all different corners of the world and the desire to be in control of my career was the reason why I enrolled. I was also attracted to the simplicity of the programme and its practical nature.

BENEFITS

The programme was much better than I could have hoped for. It taught me how to create opportunities from my core skills, how to develop new skills and how to promote myself within the workplace. I have become much more confident and capable as a result and now target the positions that I want much more deliberately. Each job application becomes a detailed project in itself and it is understandable now why I achieve more success with interviews and ultimately with employment. I am always much more prepared for things and I think this is obvious to the people who interview me. Before (CCMS) I would have been more than happy to increase my salary from 50k to 75k. Now this only represents the short-term career objective which has been achieved.

2009-07-10T10:44:00.001+01:00

GLEN WYMAN (CCMS)

Age (41-50)
Location (Dallas - USA)
Annual salary before graduation
$235,000.00 USD per annum
Annual salary after graduation
$780,000.00 USD per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I was really in a rut and was tired and frustrated at seeing other people that I knew making progress with their careers when I was not. I spent an awful lot of time and energy doing things outside of work because I was so disillusioned with my career. I know that this wasn’t helping but it was the only way that I could switch off. I get bored very easily and I could do my job blind folded.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

I was a bit sceptical about whether (CCMS) could help me until I spent time reading through the information in more detail. I found myself gradually getting excited and started to understand just how this program actually works and achieves its objectives. It just made so much perfect sense to me. I began to start hoping and for the first time in more than 10 years I was interested in my career again.

BENEFITS

The best compliment that I can pay this program is that it has had the effect of turning my career into my hobby. I enjoy it more than anything else now and it doesn’t seem like work any more. I have changed the company that I was working for twice during the program and feel that I am working for myself now rather than for the companies I am employed by. My substantial salary increase reflects this.

2009-07-10T10:41:00.000+01:00

JEAN-PIERRE MITTERRAND (CCMS)

Age (31-40)
Location (Paris - France)
Annual salary before graduation
65,000.00 GBP per annum
Annual salary after graduation
140,000.00 GBP per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

My current job satisfied all of my short-term needs and I enjoyed my work too, but I always knew that the company would never satisfy my medium-term or long-term needs. I knew that I would have to be more proactive at some point but was satisfied for the time being. Then a really good senior position came up within another company which I applied for. I was really well suited to it but didn’t even get past the first interview. I decided that a more proactive career strategy was now required.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

I knew about the Academy and wrote to them asking if they had anything that might be suitable and was asked to forward my CV. I was sent details of (CCMS) and knew instantly that this was for me. It was precisely what I needed and the fact that I would have the opportunity to implement my career strategy during the programme with the Academy’s support and assistance was pivotal.

BENEFITS

My career has moved forward considerably and what is more important, I feel in much more control of the development of my career. (CCMS) provides students with a career management strategy which is sustainable throughout their careers and it empowers students to be more progressive. It is a terrific programme that I would unquestionably recommend. Money well spent.

2009-07-10T10:40:00.000+01:00

JEAN-CLAUDE BUCHER (CCMS)

Age (41-50)
Location (Geneva - Switzerland)
Annual salary before graduation
125,000.00 GBP per annum
Annual salary after graduation
175,000.00 GBP per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I actually studied at Harvard so the statistics provided by the Academy relating to the fact that 5 per cent of students earned more that the other 95 per cent combined after graduation really struck home. I was undoubtedly one of the 95 per cent and it was clear to me that some Harvard students were much more driven than others.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

I had not studied anything for a while but was looking for some impetus with my career. I already knew the Academy of Business Strategy and understood they way in which their programmes worked and there seemed to be a good fit between my own career objectives at this stage of my career and the (CCMS) programme objectives so I eagerly enrolled.

BENEFITS

This is a superb programme, very well thought out and well structured. The support is really very good throughout and this is just as important and valuable as the programme itself. I absolutely love the way in which the Academy of Business Strategy trains students and facilitates the practical implementation of theory. Other business schools and universities would be well advised to move towards this commercial training process, although I think this is unlikely. The Academy is unique, selective and everything about them oozes substance in my opinion and they certainly represent the way forward.

2009-07-10T10:31:00.001+01:00

2009-07-10T10:30:00.001+01:00

MARK BUTZKE (CCMS)

Age (31-40)
Location (Munich - Germany)
Annual salary before graduation
175,000.00 GBP per annum
Annual salary after graduation
260,000.00 GBP per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I was actually quite pleased with the way my career was going. I had achieved the qualifications that I had wanted including an MBA and was working within the industry of my dreams (the automotive industry). I did not consider that I needed to change anything.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

Then I read through the information contained within the (CCMS) information guide and I suddenly started wondering whether I could actually have achieved more than I had! Being from an engineering background I tend to lean towards structures and processes that are simple and make sense and so the (CCMS) really made a positive first impression upon me.

BENEFITS

It is difficult to identify a few key benefits because there are so many, but if I had to pull out a few key ones, ignoring the obvious, I would say that the programme enables students to see themselves from the outside in and this process provides the student with such power over other peers and work colleagues because you have more quiet confidence in your own ability and what you are able to achieve. This is a very powerful programme and I would recommend it to anyone.

2009-07-10T10:29:00.001+01:00

JULIE GRAHAM (CCMS)

Age (21-30)
Location (Bristol - UK)
Annual salary before graduation
55,000.00 GBP per annum
Annual salary after graduation
75,000.00 GBP per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I had completed my BBA in Bath University and was considering doing an MBA, but I had a desire and need to start earning income too and thought that the right time for an MBA might be later on in life. I was desperately disappointed with the sort of jobs that I was being offered and it seemed almost impossible to try to obtain the right sort of experience.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

I wanted to be proactive about managing my own career and didn’t just want to leave it to recruitment companies and so (CCMS) seemed just about perfect for me at the time. I already knew about the Academy of Business Strategy and never thought for one minute that I would get in. When I received the news that I had been offered a position on the programme it was the best news I had received all year.

BENEFITS

I have learnt so much that it is hard to know precisely where to start. I suppose you could say that the most important benefit is that I have not only achieved the type of job that I was looking for, but I have been promoted quite quickly as well. (CCMS) really teaches you how to value yourself within the market place and what you can do to increase this value. It teaches you how to project yourself forward, how to develop a powerful commercial image and how to use commercial politics to your advantage. This is absolutely priceless!

2009-07-10T10:02:00.001+01:00

EDOARDO MASSERATI (CCMS)

Age (51-60)
Location (Milan - Italy)
Annual salary before graduation
250,000.00 GBP per annum
Annual salary after graduation
425,000.00 GBP per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I had reached that time in life when you start thinking about retirement and wanted to maximize my earning potential before doing so. I had reached a certain level in my career but was no longer progressing. There were people younger than me who were being promoted above me and I felt that there was more that I needed to do.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

I thought about the Academy of Business Strategy because my company was employing them and I knew colleagues who were already studying there. They have a very good reputation and my company thinks very highly of them. The (CCMS) seemed perfect for me at my stage in life and the very fact that I enrolled made my peers start to look at me differently.

BENEFITS

I am now regularly considered for core positions within the company because I have become far more active both within the company itself and within the industry. I have started to build and establish my own reputation and this has paid dividends. I have a lot to thank the Academy for and would not be achieving what I am now without them and would have no hesitation in recommending this to other students.

2009-07-10T10:00:00.001+01:00

SANDRA PETERSON (CCMS)

Age (41-50)
Location (Manchester - UK)
Annual salary before graduation
90,000.00 GBP per annum
Annual salary after graduation
150,000.00 GBP per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I had been in the same job for something like 15 years and had never really thought about controlling or developing my own career. I never really considered myself to be ambitious. Then I was unexpectedly made redundant and it made me re-evaluate my life. I did not really know what I wanted to do until I found out about (CCMS).

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

I actually applied for (CCMS) three times before finally being accepted, but I was so determined to do this. I had not studied anything for years but somehow felt that this programme might help me to establish a new direction with my career. I already knew about the Academy and realized that they only managed a small number of students on each programme and I am glad that my patience paid off.

BENEFITS

Not only did the programme provide me with new direction, but it invigorated me and changed me as a person as well. I have become much more self-aware and realize now that I could have achieved so much more with my career if only I had known what to do and how to do it. The tutors are very supportive and should be awarded medals for their patience and understanding. I just wish that I had known about this 15 years ago.

2009-07-10T09:58:00.001+01:00

MALIK BOUZROURI (CCMS)

Age (41-50)
Location (Dubai - UAE)
Annual salary before graduation
150,000.00 GBP per annum
Annual salary after graduation
250,000.00 GBP per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I wanted to maximize my earning potential and felt that I could be achieving much more than I was. It was not that I was unhappy with my achievements to date, it was just that I believed strongly that I could still achieve more. There were a lot of opportunities in the middle-east within global companies and it was a very exciting time.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

I was already aware of the Academy of Business Strategy because they were implementing consulting services within the company that I worked for. Everything that they did seemed so state-of-the-art to me and when the opportunity arose to enrol on (CCMS) I grasped it with both hands. I felt confident that it was the platform that I had been looking for.

BENEFITS

(CCMS) has certainly widened my horizons and has enabled me to become much more aware of my own potential. My self-confidence has increased significantly and I think this has been reflected in my annual income. I feel far more in control of my career development plan now and I am very excited about what the future may bring.

2009-07-10T09:55:00.000+01:00

RAJESH SINGH (CCMS)

Age (31-40)
Location (Mumbai - India)
Annual salary before graduation
25,000.00 GBP per annum
Annual salary after graduation
125,000.00 GBP per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

It can be very difficult to think outside of the box when you are working long hours and are event-driven. My job just did not allow me to have any time for anything else. I had good experience though and wanted to use this experience to better effect. I felt that my employer was benefiting from my efforts much more than I was personally and I wanted to redress the balance.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

I knew that I wanted to do (CCMS) instantly as soon as I read through the information, but I just did not know how I was going to find the time to do it. What encouraged me was the flexibility which is built into the programme and that you could manage studying around your full-time job. I also liked the fact that there were no requirements for classroom attendance and no formal examinations and that you could do things at your own pace.

BENEFITS

It is uncanny how you suddenly find the time to something if you consider it to be important enough. I think that the main benefit of (CCMS) is that from a very early stage in the programme, you can actually see what you are going to achieve and this tends to motivate you and get you going. (CCMS) quickly became my main priority in life, not just the programme itself but implementing my career strategy. The results really speak for themselves. I am earning five times as much as I was before.

2009-07-09T17:43:00.000+01:00

SUN LI WONG (CCMS)

Age (21-30)
Location (Shanghai - China)
Annual salary before graduation
$75,000.00 USD per annum
Annual salary after graduation
$105,000.00 USD per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I had just graduated with my MBA and was working in my first job. It wasn’t what I wanted to be doing and I was very ambitious, so I was constantly looking around at other jobs but I was struggling to get that many interviews, probably because of my lack of experience.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

I did not really know what I needed to do until I read the (CCMS) information. It was exactly what I wanted and I knew instantly. The problem that I had was that I still had the burden of a student loan from my MBA but my father was so impressed by (CCMS) that he offered to pay for me. The objectives are very clear and everything just made so much good sense.

BENEFITS

My financial position actually improved while I was undertaking the program even before graduation, because you have the opportunity to implement what you are learning during the program. I had therefore realized a return upon my investment before graduation and was able to pay my father back, although I didn’t need to. Why can’t traditional academic programs be self-financing in this way instead of weighing down students with insurmountable debts which take years to pay off? I am now enrolling upon (DCMS).

2009-07-09T17:41:00.001+01:00

OLIVIA CLINTON (CCMS)

Age (21-30)
Location (Los Angeles - USA)
Annual salary before graduation
$75,000.00 USD per annum
Annual salary after graduation
$135,000.00 USD per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

Like a lot of people I suppose I just felt that I was in a bit of a rut and wanted more. I was working as an IT developer but wanted to break into more mainstream strategic business positions but I just never seemed to get the opportunities. I didn’t want to just wait around hoping for the best and was actively looking for something that might help, but most of the career assistance services provided by recruitment companies were a bit of a waste of time.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

There was an instant synergy between what I was looking for and the (CCMS) program. It just resonated with me both in terms of the information, the way in which it was written and the program objectives. I knew instantly that it was something that I wanted to do. I was also really impressed by the way the Academy incorporates practical integration into their programs. This was such a breath of fresh air.

BENEFITS

It is very rare these days that you can say hand on heart that something was worth every dime of what you paid for it, but (CCMS) so was. I have learnt so much and more importantly the Academy facilitates to ensure that you implement what you have learnt. The tutors are absolutely excellent and are really supportive. This has been a life-changing experience for me and I would recommend it to anyone.

2009-07-09T17:39:00.002+01:00

LEON FRANCIS (CCMS)

Age (31-40)
Location (London - UK)
Annual salary before graduation
75,000.00 GBP per annum
Annual salary after graduation
119,000.00 GBP per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I considered that I had reasonably good qualifications, including an MBA and DBA, but the jobs that I was offered just did not reflect this. I admit that my work experience wasn’t the best, but how to you achieve the right experience if companies are not prepared to take a risk with you?

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

I saw the (CCMS) programme as an opportunity to possibly rectify this problem. It appeared very practical and straight-forward and did not require an enormous investment, either in terms of money or time. I liked the fact that you could study from home and could do things in your own time.

BENEFITS

The main benefit for me has been that I have become much more proactive in the way that I manage my own career. It made me realize just how little I was actually doing before. The difference for me has been phenomenal. I have effectively almost doubled my annual salary and can see precisely how it will increase further during the medium-term too. I really enjoyed my academic programmes and did learn a lot but I do wish there could have been more of a practical side to them. The Academy show that this can be done.

2009-07-09T17:34:00.000+01:00

PAULA KNIGHTLY (CCMS)

Age (31-40)
Location (New York - USA)
Annual salary before graduation
$750,000.00 USD per annum
Annual salary after graduation
$1,250,000.00 USD per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I had been fortunate to achieve quite rapid growth with my career early on and my expectations were therefore high. I just never felt that I was very good at playing corporate politics and although I had read various books on the subject, there was nothing practical that I could actually implement myself.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

While (CCMS) focused upon a lot more than just corporate politics it appeared very practical and stood head and shoulders above the usual quick-fix training that is usually promoted within the career management industry. I was particularly attracted to the longevity and sustainability with this program. The credibility that came with this program was obvious from the outset.

BENEFITS

The program has literally enabled me to transfer from being employed in a peripheral capacity to being employed in a core capacity, hence the substantial increase in my annual salary. It has been a very rewarding experience for me and the tutorial support is first class. Indeed the best compliment that I can pay the Academy is that I enrolled upon the corresponding Diploma within 48 hours of graduating as a (CCMS).

2009-07-09T17:27:00.000+01:00

PAUL DOHERTY (CCMS)

Age (41-50)
Location (Dublin - Ireland)
Annual salary before graduation
150,000.00 GBP per annum
Annual salary after graduation
225,000.00 GBP per annum

BEFORE GRADUATION

I had reached a point where I had been in the same position for five years with no real prospects of further promotion. My career had pretty much evolved up until this point so I suppose I had become a bit complacent. I started wondering whether I would progress any further and didn’t really know what to do and other people less qualified and less experienced appeared to be passing me by.

DECISION TO ENROL UPON (CCMS)

I hadn’t really considered further training, but this programme just seemed to tick all of the boxes for me and I knew instantly that it was something that I wanted to do. It was precisely what I needed at the time without me really knowing it. The programme seemed very well thought out and the low cost meant that there was minimal risk. There was nothing complicated and it just seemed to make perfect sense to me.

BENEFITS

The programme has been the best investment that I have ever made in myself. The main benefit is that everything is real and you cannot actually graduate without proving that you have implemented all of the processes within your career workplace. This is why you cannot really graduate without improving your annual salary. A very practical and worthwhile experience. Very good value for money.

2009-07-09T16:56:00.000+01:00

CONSULTING CAREER CHOICES

Management consulting is one of the most popular career choices for today’s graduating students and career-changing professionals. The industry is growing fast, both in demand from organizations seeking consulting services and in the supply of candidates seeking consulting positions. Although thousands of individuals receive offers every year, tens of thousands compete for those offers. In the face of such intense competition, applicants need all of the help that they can find.

Students, who especially like the accelerated professional track of consulting, have turned the field into one of the hottest choices for entry-level professionals. Approximately 40% of graduates in each MBA class attempt to enter the consulting industry.
Other professionals with established careers also look towards consulting for opportunities to accelerate their professional development or to switch career directions entirely. As management consulting firms multiply and grow the demand for experienced hires that can establish and build new practices will likewise grow. But once again, the number of candidates exceeds available positions, making the competition fierce.

Starting salaries in management consulting are among the highest available for entry-level professionals, competing with the traditionally high earnings potential for investment banking, venture capital and law. Whether changing career paths or graduating from a business school, graduates fortunate enough to land an internal management consulting job receive starting salaries of approximately $100,000 USD plus bonuses of up to $50,000 USD, while undergraduates receive base salaries of $40,000 USD to $45,000 USD plus bonuses of up to $10,000 USD.

Independent consultants operating from small practices can earn significantly more than this once established, but it can take longer. Project Management graduate consultants can earn fees ranging from $1,000 USD up to $2,000 USD per day, while Facilitation Management graduate consultants can earn fees ranging from $2,000 USD per day to $5,000 USD per day.
But the potential to earn stratospheric salaries or fees is only one of the attractions of consulting; candidates also recognise its power to accelerate a career. Former consultants are valued for their carefully trained analytical minds and for their presumed expertise at solving business problems, or maximising service value.

As a result, many who leave consulting are likely to enter companies at higher levels than their peers who have worked the same number of years, but in other fields. There is a strong and arguably justified perception that a stint as a management consultant is the key to future professional success.

As with any industry, consultancy has two images; that of the consultant who tells you the time and charges you for it and that of the consultant who facilitates success over a sustainable period of time. The difference simply amounts to the substance which lies behind what the consultant offers. Good quality consultants tend to have tangible products to offer their clients, whereas poor quality consultants tend to try to sell clients proposals, advice, opinions, or even experience. Consultants who have tangible products tend to be the ones to trust and clients know this of course. It is always obvious to a client if they are employing poor quality consultants because it tends to be clear that they are just making things up as they go along. Conversely good quality consultants tend to be very well prepared and clients can invariably see, feel and touch what they are being asked to buy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

P. K. Milne DPC CPC MBA BBA is an expert in the field of global consultancy and has enjoyed successful careers with four of the top five global consultancy firms. She has been practising independently as a consultant for 12 years and she is also a registered post-graduate tutor at the Academy of Business Strategy.

2009-07-09T16:43:00.000+01:00

ASSOCIATES OF THE ACADEMY OF BUSINESS STRATEGY (AABS): EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT INNOVATION

This is a strange time for the recruitment industry. Record numbers of candidates are registering with recruitment companies and online job boards alike and yet there are very few employers who are actively recruiting. The ratio between candidates who are registered and the employment vacancies actually available is a staggering 1.67. This means that for every 67 candidates registered there is only 1 employment vacancy. Consequently and given the fact that the average membership of online recruitment companies or job boards stands at approximately 1.5 million, then each organization in return offers no more than 22,388 vacancies. Just how many of these vacancies are up-to-date and subsequently still vacant is always open to question. Bear in mind that we are talking about vacancies here too, not positions allocated. It is impossible to find any online recruitment company or job board which publishes figures relating to the number of candidates who have successfully found employment. There are plenty of published figures relating to the number of candidates who are registered and the number of vacancies on offer, but there are no figures relating to firm placements. The fact that recruitment companies and online job boards earn their income either from candidates who register with them, or from employers who place adverts, does not help because none of this income is performance related.

The economic downturn has contributed to a position where the majority of employers are implementing major staff reduction programs which are unprecedented and have only niche recruitment plans for the foreseeable future. Any positions that may be available are being offered to existing employees in order to retain sustainability and to avoid punitive redundancy costs. The market is stagnant.

But we are hearing that there are visible green shoots of recovery – surely this provides some cause for optimism? Unfortunately history has taught us that when ever countries start to come out of a recession, unemployment actually continues to increase for a number of years. The reason for this is because it takes time for product and service demand to increase and when it does employers are invariably only able to react to it after it happens. It tends to be rather like the pendulum on a clock. Once the unemployment swing starts, you tend to have to wait for it to stretch as far as it can go before it starts to move back again.

All doom and gloom then? Not necessarily. Another thing that history has taught us is that human nature is relentlessly adaptable and evolves to adapt in the face of crisis. Indeed many of the great products, companies and government policies that we have today have been born out of a crisis. This is already happening now in the recruitment industry. A high number of people who have either lost their jobs or are in fear of losing them are going independent, either by setting up their own businesses and companies or by working in a consultancy capacity. Employers are happy to accommodate this change because it enables them to retain required skills as and when required without the risks usually associated with employment.

I should point out that I am not a recruitment specialist and never have been. I am a professional Head Hunter. I have worked for global firms within the professional service industry and the IT industry and my brief has always been to identify the right candidate for core vacancies that became available. So you could say that I come from the other side of the fence from recruitment companies and job boards. My responsibility has always been to the employer, not to the candidate. Having said this I know precisely how many candidates have achieved employment under my watch. It stands at 74,568 as of 1^st May 2009.

During the last 10 years of my career I have worked as an Associate Director for the Academy of Business Strategy. As the company name suggests, this is a business school, not a recruitment company. The Academy is actually a small private corporate business school which operates globally. They provide 20 post-graduate programs of which 16 are only available to clients. The other four programs are available either to independent consultants or proactive employees. The Academy manages about 600 students annually, which is comfortably small for a corporate business school. My role at the Academy is still that of a head hunter, only this time I am responsible to the Academy’s extensive client base amounting to in excess of 2,000 organizations worldwide. I manage a team of five highly skilled Associate Managers and our task is to identify suitable candidates from the Academy of Business Strategy’s registered student base to undertake Associate assignments lasting between 6-18 months. Rates of remuneration are fixed at $100.00 per hour or $800.00 per day. The employment ratio for Associates of the Academy of Business Strategy has been sustained at 2:1 during the past ten years but has now increased to 3:1 during the past 12 months since the recession as more and more companies are being forced to outsource to independents. This means that out of every four Associates registered, three will ultimately be placed on an Associate assignment. When you compare this to the recruitment industry’s performance as a whole, the difference is staggering and proves that individual candidates are going to have to be much more proactive and innovative in the way in which they seek employment. Associate membership at the Academy of Business Strategy is free of charge, but is only available to registered students at the Academy. It is effectively a complimentary service which is provided to the Academy’s clients. It is just one example of a unique way for proactive candidates to obtain a significant competitive advantage over their executive peers in the search for gainful employment and combining this with professional self-development.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Justin. P.R. Lewis MBA DIM is a recruitment placement specialist or a head hunter. He has worked as a head hunter for blue chip companies in both the professional service sector and in the communications and information technology sector. He has been employed as an Associate Director at the Academy of Business Strategy for the past 10 years and is subsequently responsible for fulfilling registered clients’ outsourcing requirements.

2009-07-09T16:41:00.000+01:00

ASSOCIATES OF THE ACADEMY OF BUSINESS STRATEGY (AABS): EARN WHILE YOU LEARN – THE ASSOCIATE SERVICE EXPLAINED

WHO CAN REGISTER AS AN ASSOCIATE?

Anyone who is registered as a student on either the Post-Graduate Certified Professional Consultant (CPC) program or on the Post-Graduate Certificate in Career Management Strategy (CCMS) program are eligible to register as an Associate of the Academy of Business Strategy (AABS) if they need or desire to earn income while training.

WHAT DOES IT COST AND HOW MUCH CAN I EARN?

There is no charge whatsoever for the Associate service. Associate assignments are usually between 6-18 months and are invariably project-related. Remuneration for Associate work is now set by the Academy directly rather than by the client and amounts to $100.00 USD per hour or $800.00 USD per day and you can choose whether to work between three or five days per week, enabling you to have more time to study when necessary.

CPC ASSOCIATE ASSIGNMENTS

CPC Associate assignments constitute an interim outsourcing requirement in relation to a CPC service that is currently being implemented with clients. This means that you would be directly responsible to an established CPC or DPC consultant and this subsequently provides students with valuable CPC consulting experience and helps them to shape their own unique consulting service propositions.

CCMS ASSOCIATE ASSIGNMENTS

CCMS Associate assignments constitute an interim outsourcing requirement in relation to the CCMS student’s short-medium term objectives under their own career development plan. This means that clients will understand that these students are planning parallel careers and are in the process of developing and implementing a proactive career management plan. Consequently such candidates will always be in strong demand from clients who see the Associate database as a unique opportunity to experience working with more proactive individuals in a professional capacity with a view towards ultimately fulfilling a core vacancy. The difference between a peripheral and core vacancy is explained on the Academy of Business Strategy CCMS program web site.

HOW MANY REGISTERED ASSOCIATES ACHIEVE ASSIGNMENTS?

Demand has always outstripped supply with the Associate database because candidates are only eligible to register as an Associate if they are also a registered student with the Academy. The Associate database generates on average 150 opportunities from clients every month and we only invariably have approximately 100 Associates registered at any one time for each program. The employment ratio for Associates of the Academy of Business Strategy has been sustained at 2:1 during the past ten years but has now increased to 3:1 during the past 12 months since the recession as more and more companies are being forced to outsource to independents. This means that out of every four Associates registered, three will ultimately be placed on an Associate assignment.

WILL I HAVE TO RE-LOCATE?

It does not really matter where you are located at the moment. We have Associates worldwide in most major cities. You just need to decide where you would want your Associate clients to be. If for example you intended to stay in the country where you live at the moment while you are studying, then you can list a major city within easy reach of where you live. This would probably be advisable if you are currently employed because you could remain with your existing employer, register as an Associate at the same time and then hand your notice in with your existing employer once you have secured your first Associate assignment. Alternatively you could list a city where you would like to work, London, New York, Paris, Milan, Tokyo, or Moscow for example. Our clients in these areas would simply be made aware that they may need to sponsor an application for an employment visa if they intended to employ you internally within their organisation. It is also possible to obtain online work while studying as a CPC. Many CPCs and DPCs outsource work to Associates who work from home now and this is an extremely useful way of earning additional income and obtaining valuable consulting experience at the same time, but without the upheaval and associated risk of moving home or leaving your current employment position.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR