CSS - together with the Worshipful Company of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators (WCCSA) - struck lucky with a first-class networking event aimed at company secretaries in the early stages of their professional career.

Organised by Kerry Porritt, Liveryman, a 20 strong group donned bowling shoes and descended (literally!) onto the lanes of the exclusive American-themed ‘All Star Lanes’ bowling centre in Holborn. Strengthened by a cocktail or two and the encouragement of team mates, some serious bowling took place. Whilst technical skill levels were certainly varied – from an enthusiastic score of 28 to an expert total of 158* – the evening proved that lack of expertise is no barrier to enjoyment!

Plenty of post-match analysis – took place over a traditional American supper – burger & fries; all in all, a very relaxed and original way to build professional relationships.

*Well done, John Rowland-Jones; who emphatically proved that the multi-tasking abilities of Chartered Secretaries are not confined to the board room!

See our photos of the night below:

For more information on the WCCSA and how to join click here.

Michelle and I found out at this year’s CSSPG’s Annual General Meeting. Members old and new gathered at Royal Over-Seas League, James Street on Thursday 25th February 2010 to receive the Chairman’s Report, review the Accounts for the year, re-appoint the Auditor, elect Officers, agree the subscription levels and discuss any other business relating to the professional practice group.

This was followed by dinner and talk from Seamus Gillen, Director of Policy, ICSA. He delivered an encouraging and insightful speech about the ICSA and its plans for this year, focussing on the growth and expansion of membership, rebranding of the institute and, most importantly, raising the profile of the company secretarial profession, particularly in the not-for-profit sector.

It was inspiring to hear such positivity after what can only be described as a difficult year all round, and to look forward to the roll-out of all the plans for the CSPPG and ICSA.

I spent last Tuesday in the company of a very important group of people; non-executive directors. We were all on an extremely well run and informative technical course run by the ICSA.

For my co-participants it was a refresher day, focussing on key areas of the extensive legislation, much of it very new and complex, that applies to their role. For me it was my first insight into exactly how demanding the NED remit is.

It was daunting to discover the extent of their responsibilities but very reassuring also the see how much legislation and guidance is in place - and how well-qualified the NEDs I met are! It has made a very positive lasting impression on me. The number of NEDs is declining and I can understand why many people might baulk at the challenge but as the day taught me; our boards and investors - and all of us in fact - need our NEDs!

All Job hunting seems to be done online now – all of it! Whether that means Job boards like Times Online, CV databases such as Top Consultant or Monster, or through social networking on LinkedIn, its all in cyberspace!

Here at BLT we have had to move too – I hope you’ve seen the BLT TV on the front page of the website! 95% of our advertising has moved to the virtual space, just as the applications we receive have. On average we get 100 applications to the Management Consultancy team alone per day.

The ease with which applications can be made has changed the way that applicants apply to jobs, and this is not always in their favour. To help in this, we have come up with the Three Deadly Sins on online Job Hunting – I hope they help you with your search!

1) Applying to positions you are not qualified for.
The Web has streamlined how we communicate with each other. Postings are often seen on the Web that "may" be of interest, and candidates quickly apply to them without giving it more thought. I’m afraid that this is the path to failure. Most people who have this habit will then have a tendency to send a short email, along with a generic resume (or no resume at all!). These applications are easily identifiable, as there is rarely even a close match with the role applied for. This can frustrate the recruiter, and reduce your chances of being directed to more suitable roles. For these applicants the issue really is: If you are not interested in the position, why bother applying and, if you are indeed interested in the position, why don't you put more effort into it?

2) Lack of professionalism when applying online.
We are much more informal on the Web. Some people push this attitude too far however to the point of using the wrong "tone" when applying for a job. Keep in mind that a certain degree of formalism should remain. You probably have heard that when attending a job interview, better dress conservatively. At the end of the day, you will be hired for your competence, but you don't want your outfit to be a distraction! This is the same with job applications! You don't want anything to distract the recruiter/employer when reviewing your job application. Being too informal could have a nagging effect on some recruiters and might jeopardize your candidacy.

3) Failure to recognize competition.
The internet has levelled the playing field by allowing more job seekers to gain access to more job postings. Jobs posted online are accessible to anybody who has an internet connection. With this increased exposure comes increased competition. Yet, many job seekers fail to fully acknowledge this reality. When posting an opening online, an employer can be bombarded with as many as thousands of applications. Knowing that, you should ask yourself what you have done to stand out.

I hope these three pointers help. In conclusion, there are no shortcuts to finding a job. Time is of the essence. Choose which jobs are worth applying to carefully and spend as much time as needed to put all the odds on your side. You only need one job, so focus on tailoring each of your applications. It's not an odds game. Applying to many openings won't necessarily increase your odds if each of your applications don't make the cut.

Annual Report & Accounts – what they are and why they matter!

A big thank to everyone who attended and to Victoria Penrice for presenting our most successful seminar so far! Victoria did a great job in giving us an insightful presentation on how to handle the practicalities and politics surrounding the Annual Report & Accounts process.

Click here to see Caroline’s follow-up discussion with Victoria Penrice.