Profile: Alastair McFarlane, the Lead Consultant with Better Job Scotland, is a Companion of the Institute of Personnel and Development. There are 240 Companions within the professional Institute's 120,000 members, the award being given to those whom their peers consider have made a major contribution to the development of the profession. Having held senior appointments in the engineering, Scotch whisky and education sectors, the past fourteen years have been spent as an HR Consultant much of this time providing corporate and individual career counselling support to those at all levels and working over all sectors of the community. Leading major management change processes has ensured that Alastair has developed an empathy with the requirements of those affected by outplacement programmes. The skills, therefore, to listen carefully to the needs of each client ensures that they can plan their approach to job change, safe in the knowledge that they will receive the continuing support of a professional advisor and, once committed, that they can work through each stage of the programme agreed until they achieve the goal which they have chosen   Much of the work which has been carried out by Better Job Scotland, both at corporate and individual level, has been brought about by the recommendation of former clients who have been satisfied with the service and are now settled in new roles which provide the critical element of job satisfaction. In particular, Better Job Scotland has worked in partnership with Strathclyde Police for ten years ensuring that members of the force due to retire become aware of the new job opportunities which can await them. Operating as a freelance journalist, Alastair has contributed to a wide range of publications on the topic of career management as well as writing a monthly column for “Pathfinder” magazine in which responses are provided to queries raised by those seeking alternative employment under the “Ask the Expert” column   The team of consultants working with Alastair have been selected for their professionalism, in that their backgrounds have been in at senior operational level in HR and general management but, in particular, for their in-depth appreciation of the requirements of each candidate. The Lead Consultant's view is specific and strong in that it is only those who have found that their role has been made redundant who can empathise with ease and understanding with those who have been involved in this experience. Continuing and totally sympathetic support has, therefore, been a key feature of the service and has consistently been provided to all clients