Elizabeth Bacchus, London 2011

After a 17 year career in the publishing industry working for leading organisations, Times Mirror, Harcourt Brace, Taylor & Francis, Martin Duntiz and Chapman & Hall, Elizabeth embarked on a successful career as a career coach, change management consultant and writer, founding The Successful CV Company in 2008.

Passionate about helping people from a wide variety of workplace sectors transition to new careers and roles, Elizabeth is fully involved on a day-to-day basis working with our CV and coaching clients, alongside working with companies undergoing restructuring who require effective change management, corporate affairs and reputation brand management.

Elizabeth is also a regular panellist on the Guardian Q & A forums, a writer on career development articles and a popular inspirational speaker at conferences, seminars and workshops.

We decided to get behind the woman in the hot seat!

How does a typical day start for you?

I'm normally at my desk by 7:30am and review my call sheet and diary for that day, reading background profiles for my client appointments, in between copious cups of tea. The day is governed by client consultations and CV reviews which I absolutely love doing - the opportunity of connecting with job seekers and offering advice where I can is what drives me.  I've always been passionate about leadership by involvement and so as the company has grown I've never wanted to hide behind being the CEO, for me working as close as possible to our clients is critical. Other day-to-day tasks involve coordinating with our consultants for work-in-progress, evaluating PR and Media requests for interviews and articles, catching up with our online partners,forward planning social media initiatives, and basically anything that requires my attention for the day. I try to finish by 7:00pm but I'm still working on that...

The company has a hugely impressive success rate with clients gaining interviews and job offers within a short space of time after receiving their new CV, what do you think the secret is?

I could pretend its a really magical ingredient, however its pretty simple to be honest. Its based on us understanding our client's needs right from the outset of our work with them, helping identify their key and transferable skills, working with them to overcome any obstacles they might have, like for instance confidence issues after suffering redundancy or being undervalued in the workplace. Basically we work hard to get them to place they are aiming for. Is never just about writing a CV, its looking at the whole person and developing a bespoke programme that going to work for them. I never wanted to run a CV production line, the plan was always to offer a uniquely personal and affordable service.

So if you were going to offer one bit of advice to a job seeker, what would it be?

Obviously everyone is different, but overall I would urge job seekers to understand their core value - and this isn't just about how much they are worth financially in the workplace, but also where exactly they think they can add strategic value within an organisation and how that translates into career progression in their chosen field.

What's the best part about your job?

Oh undoubtedly when a client emails or calls to say they have been offered a fantastic job!

And the worst part?

To be completely honest, there just isn't a worst part, I feel fortunate to be in a job that I not only love but which I also find hugely rewarding.

Who would you choose to be your own coach?

It would absolutely have to be Sir Gerry Robinson, his business style, mentorship of small businesses to large corporations is second to none, and apart from that, let's face it, he's incredibly charismatic (blushing).

If you could sum yourself up in six words, what would they be?

Compassionate, ambitious, driven, innovative, resourceful and happy.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

Aside from my grown up son a budding screenwriter, probably not having any enemies (well none that I know of!)

You are a self confessed workaholic, how do you relax?

Power walking, spending as much time in the kitchen as possible cooking, exercising my cocker spaniel and gardening but I'm a hopelessly impatient gardener who wants instant results!

And finally the secret of your success?

Integrity and a sense of humour...