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Then something changes unexpectedly and unpredictably, the "gentlemen - in - grey suits" come along and remove the car, the comfortable office environment and secretarial support. Even worse they take away the salary, pension contributions and bonus, and sometimes a lot more - self respect. One day you were somebody, the next, you are an out - of - work executive with a lifestyle that is no longer affordable. It can, for some, be a terrible experience because an uncertain future has to be faced. Those things which have defined our place within the family, community and society at large, are lost. Losing a job can be seen as hard as losing a loved one.

When faced with having to leave a "corporate overcoat" - and this may have been a fairly "bloody" affair! - there is a process of adjustment to make. It is a time for reflection, thinking and planning for the future; a time for accentuating the positive and grasping opportunities. Only the past is fixed and can't be undone - the future offers virtually unlimited choices.

Despite this, most people immediately start seeking another "overcoat" which fits as well as before. This can be a scramble and an ill-disciplined business, shooting off CV's to all and sundry - the "scatter-gun" approach. As is well known, to prevent this and focus effort effectively, many companies now exist to give practical help and guidance to executives in this position.

The importance of reviewing choices in these circumstances is vital. Among the options is interim management. However, it is a choice beyond the job search phase, not something that should be done in parallel or as part of job hunting. But why, when it is clearly possible to do both job-hunting and temporary work, should this be so? Surely it is not a sound strategy to attempt to find a new job as well as earn some money to eke out the severance package?

Well, frankly, no! It is not a sound strategy. The objective of a job-searcher and that of someone working on interim assignments are totally diverse. The former has to find that single career role which will restore the security lost in full or at least to an acceptable level. The interim manager already has a job - finding and satisfying the short term management requirements for a portfolio of clients. He or she has restored the "corporate overcoat" by creating their own practice.

There are other reasons, too, that should be borne in mind:

• If the object of your activity is to find another job, to what extent is working on a temporary contract going to prevent you from pursuing the job opportunities that do arise? Most career counselors will tell you that looking for a new job is a full-time job in itself.
• The prime focus in job search is self interest. Even interim managers suffer from this, but their focus is to satisfy the demands of their clients first in order to achieve this end. It is a subtle but vital difference in approach - perhaps a manifestation of "service before self".
• What happens when the opportunity you have been looking for arises in the middle of a period of temporary employment? No doubt you would say, as many do, that you would never let down a client and would honour the commitment given. Pressure to move to the full-time role can be immense, not only from your family, but also from the new employer. They know by instinct that you are looking for security and will play you on your needs to ensure an early start.

However, research indicates that, almost without fail, interim jobs extend beyond the original horizon, often within the last four weeks of commitment. This is particularly so when the client realises that you will not be around soon, that you are real value for money as a flexible resource, and that a long term solution to replacing you has not yet been found. Often a different yet appropriate role arises to which you will be transferred. In the business of interim management, not only do you need to appreciate that your current client has first and only call in line with the agreed commitment, but also, that you are really only able to leave an assignment when the client determines it.

Global Executives Limited have learnt from experience that only those who have made this courageous career choice, or are financially independent and seeking to use their talents constructively and independently, are totally reliable in assignments. So, unless you have the determination to succeed in your own practice as a permanent way of securing your future and put job search and security behind you, please do not choose an interim manager's life style. To be an interim manager, determine to cut links with corporate and State benefits and stop the full time job search! Set up your practice, preferably as a limited company, and run it as thoroughly as you ran the companies you once worked for.

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