IDsquared

The following tips refer to the registration form which can be used by Non-Executive Directors and Chairmen to register with us (link opens in a new window).

Firstly, because the information we require will need some preparation, you may want to print both the form and this guidance so that you can take some time over the responses.  If you would like to discuss anything about the registration process, do please give us a call or drop us an e-mail.

In what follows, advice is given under headings which correspond to those on the form.

Personal, Address & Contact Details
These should be fairly straightforward.  Under qualifications, please enter those which confer letters after your name and please enter them in this form.  For instance, if you have earned a Masters in Business Administration from Cranfield, please enter “MBA”.

The only other thing to mention is that we require your residential address rather than any other correspondence address; this is in case we need to verify your identity which we are required to do in certain placements where financial crime prevention is a concern.  If you would like us to use a different address for correspondence then please let us know through the comments box at the bottom of the form.

Profile & Recreational Interests
This is a very important section of the form.  We prepare shortlists of potential candidates for our clients and the profile, along with skills and previous experience sections make up the information which a company will see.

Your profile can be 200 to 300 words and must be anonymous (that is to say, it must not give your name or any other information which could be used to identify you).  It should not be a CV-style chronology of your working life but should rather bring to the fore the key skills and experiences which might be employed to the benefit of a growing company.  The easier your profile is to read, the better it will be received; I would always write in the third person (he/she), use full sentences and avoid hyperbole or cliches – they don’t read well when presented alongside more substantial statements.

The recreational interests field can be used to give an idea of what you enjoy when not working.  Its main purpose is to provide a few lines of ice-breaking conversation when you first meet a new company.  (Two tips - firstly, do feel free to say you love football, but it may be safer not to mention which team you support – secondly, if your golf handicap is better than mine – keep it to yourself!)

Skills
I’m sure that it is possible to claim some competence or experience in each of the skills listed in this section but please use this to emphasise those few skills that are your particular strengths.  It is worth remembering that this is always seen in conjunction with the profile so it’s not necessary to use this section to show the breadth of your experience.

Previous Non-Executive Roles & Previous Executive Roles
Again, I hope that these two sections are fairly self-explanatory.  The ‘total number of years’ is the “man years”; in other words, if you have held three NED roles, one for three years and the other two for fours years, then the figure would be “11″.

Location
In the sections above you have told us about yourself.  This section, and all those that follow, describe the company that you might want us to contact you about.  When considering the location of potential companies we suggest that you assume a ‘typical’ (albeit fictional!) commitment of 2 days per month.  If the role is likely to be more involved, we will assume that you would want it to be closer to home.  

Stage of Development
You do not necessarily have to have direct experience in a certain stage of development (or sector) in order to be interested in it but do please bear in mind where you can add the most value.

Industry Sector
Again, this relates to what interests you, which may not necessarily be industries in which you have worked before. 

Other Details & How You Heard of IDsquared
This is an opportunity to let us know any other aspects of the companies that interest you (or don’t interest you), for instance if you are looking for a company with prospects of being listed or you don’t like businesses involved in defence, do please let us know.

We’d also be grateful to know how you came across us.  We don’t advertise and tend to find new Non-Executive Directors and Chairmen through recommendation and word of mouth so it’s always nice to know who’s kind enough to mention us.

I hope that these tips have been of use but if you have any queries then do please give us a call or drop us an e-mail.  I look forward to receiving the form when complete and to discussing it with you soon.  Please also e-mail us with a copy of your CV to accompany the form.