A business continuity manager or a BCM holds an important position in a company. Such professionals are hailed as the parachute for the organisation they work for as they create a continuity plan that acts a saviour when the organisation goes through a disastrous situation. Candidates having an excellent analytical mind and possessing an authoritative personality have a great future in this field. It is an elevated position and only the best is considered eligible for it. So, you have to be the best of the lot to climb to this prestigious and crucial position. Of course, you cannot start your career right away with this role. At first, you have to prove your skills and proficiency in order to vie for the position of business continuity manager. What do BCMs do? As already stated, a BCM devises continuity or contingency plans for an organisation. These professionals do so keeping in view an unfortunate unforeseen event which can shake the foundation of the organisation. They analyse each and every aspect of a company and take note of the risks and their origin. For instance, if an organisation has a huge level of involvement in Internet commerce, its major risk lies in fraud and hacking of financial data. The business continuity manager then, creates a plan which is implemented when such an event takes place. In case the event occurs, the staff is given appropriate training on how to tackle the situation and what procedures and how to follow them to resolve the problems. The responsibilities of a BCM depend on the qualifications and also on the size of the company. In a small-scale company, a BCM will be required to develop a general continuity plan whereas, in a large corporation, more than one BCM is employed in order to create a series of continuity plans focusing on specific aspects of business. If you are in this position with an accounting background, your skills will be utilised in devising a plan in the event of theft, destruction of financial data or a financial downturn. On the other hand, if you specialise in creating continuity plans in the event of natural disasters, you are responsible for ensuring that the business recovers the losses. You will have to put in efforts on rebuilding or relocation of business. What are the necessary qualifications? An individual having a degree in Information Technology, an MBA degree, sound knowledge of finance and extensive experience in working as a consultant in finance or operations is the best candidate for the designation of BCM. He or she must be able to view how different companies function on a broader spectrum to develop a continuity plan. Why do organisations hire BCMs? A company can benefit a lot from having a business continuity manager. Business continuity managers prevent or reduce risks for an organisation as they minimise the negative effects of an event. They stop an event having the potential of becoming a disaster from which the company may not be able to recover. Regardless of the type of event, such professionals will be ready with a strong plan to safeguard the assets of the company and implement it without delay. Tips for a career as a BCM In your pursuit to becoming a business continuity manager, you need to ensure that you have all what it takes to pull out the tasks successfully. Your duty will not end with creating a business continuity plan. You will have to lead and implement the plan when any disaster occurs. Keep in mind that your employer will rely on you during tough times for the business. The survival of the company depends on your skills and tactics! Author Bio Lisa Wordsworth is a legal recruitment advisor. She has her own blogs where she deals with topics like treasury management jobs, career advice and so on. While writing on these topics she gets inspiration from Barclay Simpson Recruitment. Summary Are you sure about your analytical skills? Do you possess a commanding personality? A career as a business continuity manager can be apt for you. You may read this article to find out more about this interesting career.
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