Frequently Asked Questions

What does C-F-S Executive do?
Are you recruitment consultants?
Are you career counsellors?
Do you provide outplacement services?
How do you differ from other outplacement companies?
Why should I choose C-F-S Executive if I need help with my career or my career move?
What is your success rate?
Do you guarantee me a job?
Do you provide a resume writing service?
Do you provide me with specific assistance such as interview skills?
Do you specialise in any particular industries?
Do you specialise in any particular type of Government roles?
Can you help me get a job overseas?
If I want to return to work in Australia can you help me?
How do you evaluate my skills and transferable skills, particularly if I am considering a major change in career direction?
What are your fees?
Can I pay you when I get a new position?
How long will it take to secure a new position?
I am working from 9-5PM, so how can we meet?
I am not near one of your offices so how can you help me?
How does C-F-S Executive get paid?
Do you have any person I can talk to about their experience with C-F-S Executive?
What body determines the professional code of ethics for career managers?

What does C-F-S Executive do?

We are the opposite of recruitment in that we work for the individual, not companies. We only work privately and one-on-one with professionals. The most simple explanation of our service is we assist people in getting from one job to the next through close mentoring and coaching. Many individuals who approach us are looking for a clear career direction and assistance with networking.

Are you recruitment consultants?

No, we are career managers. Again, we focus only on the individual. We not only help you access the hidden market but also help you to overcome the recruitment consultant barriers during the screening and interviewing process.

Are you career counsellors?

Not in the traditional sense. We are not psychologists and place less emphasis on testing than career counsellors. Our expertise covers career direction, job search strategy development, marketing skills (job hunting skills) development, negotiating, resolving current employment angst and future planning, among others. With due respects to the career counseling industry, we have concluded that a lot of trained career counselors lack the expertise in knowing what career options are actually achievable once that individual initiates their job search.

We do have psychologists on our team if a client requires one.

Do you provide outplacement services?

Absolutely! Our main point of difference from traditional outplacement companies is that we work with you one on one whilst avoiding classrooms or group sessions. This can intimidate some clients and compromise the confidentiality of others.

How do you differ from other outplacement companies?

We are different in that we are not a process-driven company. Many of the large outplacement providers provide basic initial counseling or psychological assessment and then provide computers, phones and work stations after some classroom or electronic instruction. The shortcomings exist when there is a lack of expertise and follow through during the job search. At C-F-S we feel that this one on one support is critical for so many individuals who have experienced redundancy. It separates us from our competitors.

Why should I choose C-F-S Executive if I need help with my career or my career move?

We are proud of our track record of success. Significantly, we do not employ younger professionals; rather, we employ only seasoned executives with exemplary track records of success in commercial enterprises. If you have a need for any form of career guidance it is important to seek the advice of a professional career practitioner. It costs nothing to have an initial consultation with us and there is no obligation to do anything if you can not see the benefit in what we offer.

What is your success rate?

Because we offer to work with clients until they achieve their objectives, our success rate is 100%. Some clients come to us to plan a career move over time periods in excess of one year; others need to move quickly.

Do you guarantee me a job?

We guarantee to work with our clients in partnership until they have successfully transitioned into a new job and we offer to maintain our post-transition relationships, at various levels from 3 months up to 48 months at the most senior levels. If after an initial meeting or phone discussion (for those who are remote to our offices) we are confident that we can assist you, we guarantee to provide ongoing support until your objectives have been achieved.

Do you provide a resume writing service?

If your career direction is clear we can develop a professional resume that gets results. From our vantage point this is one of the most important aspects of the work we provide to clients however, most clients come to us looking for more, particularly our ongoing mentoring and coaching support during their job search/career transition.

Do you provide me with specific assistance such as Interview skills?

Yes, but our extensive research gleaned from thousands of consulting hours shows that shortcuts to our more comprehensive service offerings often fail to address the key issues holding people back from securing their best job, particularly a lack of awareness of all achievable career moves.

Do you specialise in any particular industries?

We have experience dealing with people in most career professions. Our approach benefits individuals from virtually any industry or sector.

Do you specialise in any particular type of Government roles?

We have experience dealing with people in most Government departments and one of areas of expertise is in assisting in the preparation of selection criteria. Our approach benefits individuals from virtually any industry or sector.

Can you help me get a job overseas?

Yes. We work with clients all over the world, the process is electronic and our networks exist in many countries.

If I want to return to work in Australia can you help me?

Yes. We work with people returning to Australia and we can prepare you before you actually depart for Australia. In other words you can be active in your job search months before you return.

How do you evaluate my skills and transferable skills, particularly if I am considering a major change in career direction?

Although there are so-called sophisticated software programs and career counselling services out there, our vast experience clearly shows that two steps are required to analyse your skills. First, we require our clients to complete a rigorous self-assessment. Secondly, we engage in extensive discussion to identify your successes. This enables us to determine what you are actually “selling” and what the best career options are for you.

What are your fees?

The amount of your investment can best be determined by arranging a meeting with one of our executive consultants. If you are shopping around for a similar type of service, you will find our fees to be more realistic than those of our competitors. Some charge less, some charge astronomical fees, but for your investment, we are confident that we provide the best value and depth of consulting experience in Australia.

Can I pay you when I get a new position?

No. We do not work the way recruitment consultants work. Our clients appreciate that our focus is totally on the individual and their needs. We do offer installment payments for those who need time to manage their investment with us.

How long will it take to secure a new position?

It depends on your needs and the complexity of your situation. Time frames always depend on individual needs and circumstances. Most proactive clients seeking to make a career move expeditiously will transition between 1-4 months. We are equipped to move as quickly as any client requires to become active in the job market, particularly if redundancy has happened or is imminent.

I am working from 9-5PM, so how can we meet?

We will always try to accommodate your time requirements. Remember, to achieve your best move you should plan to put the time and effort into your search, otherwise, your options will be limited.

I am not near one of your offices so how can you help me?

We work with clients all over the world so we are well equipped to work with you by phone, email, and fax if necessary. All our intellectual property can be transmitted electronically so as long as you have internet access we can assist you remotely.

How does C-F-S Executive get paid?

You pay a guaranteed, fixed fee which you and C-F-S Executive will agree before you start. We will always work within your budget needs and payment installments can be arranged. We do not quote individual fees over the phone because we offer a variety of services with a broad range of fees.

Do you have any person I can talk to about their experience with C-F-S Executive?

We offer as many up to date testimonials as possible on our web site and we keep client communications thanking us for our help, because the privacy of our clients is of utmost importance, we will not agree to providing their information to anyone. Our current and previous clients constitute the network we utilise to assist others with their job search and we are keen to safeguard it.

What body determines the professional code of ethics for career managers?

The Association of Career Professionals is the World's Voice on Career Issues. All C-F-S Senior Executive Consultants are members.