No two CVs are the same. No matter what decisions you make in your education and career, it’s no guarantee of what doors might open for you. In this feature, we interview some of the Bright Sparks of Stockport and share some of their career paths, successes and mistakes alike, to help inspire and encourage you to find your spark, whether conventional or more unusual.
In today’s post, Chris Walker, HR Manager in the engineering sector tells his story.
Q: What do you currently do?
CW: I am the UK HR Manager for a technical engineering consultancy that helps UK based clients with the design, construction and operation of power and process plants.
Q: What qualifications do you have?
CW: I have 6 GCSE’s, 2 A levels, a HND in Business and Finance and I’m professionally qualified in HR and Health, Wellbeing and Safety.
Q: What was your biggest career flop?
CW: I spent a very short amount of time working in the furniture industry within retail many years ago. The role wasn’t for me and I think I stayed around a week!
Q: How did you progress to the job you have today?
CW: By having a long term view of where I wanted to be and working smart to achieve it. By studying for qualifications in my own time after working for the day. By investing my own money on progressing those qualifications.
Q: Finally, what are your three keys to success?
CW: Have a long term career goal, 5-10 years away.
Be proactive, work smart and don’t give up
Realise that learning and development doesn’t stop when you leave formal education. It continues throughout your working life and often if you want to progress you will need to fund it yourself.
Read our other Bright Sparks of Stockport posts:
