James Innes (author)

James Alexander Seymour Innes (born 1 September 1975) is an English entrepreneur and author, currently Chairman of the James Innes Group.

Early life

Innes was born James Anthony Seymour Elkins in West Sussex, the son of Donald Anthony Elkins, a businessman and Elisabeth Daphne Innes (née Innes). He had one brother, Christian, who died young due to complications of Down’s Syndrome. He also has three half-siblings from his mother’s first marriage. He changed his name via deed poll to his mother’s maiden name in his late teens, also adopting the popular clan Innes name of Alexander in place of his middle name Anthony. His maternal great-grandfather was Sir Charles Alexander Innes, KCSI, CIE, Governor of the British Crown Colony of Burma. Initially attending St. Augustine's CE Primary School in Scaynes Hill he then won scholarships to Ashdown House preparatory school and subsequently Horris Hill preparatory school before winning a further scholarship to Charterhouse. However, he left school just a year later at the age of 14.

Career

Having left school at the age of 14, Innes worked in fields as diverse as photography, journalism, teaching and construction before moving into the recruitment and employment sector, creating the first company in the James Innes Group in 1998. The James Innes Group specialises in professional CV, resume and online profile writing as well as interview coaching and now operates in 12 different countries under four different trading names: The CV Centre (UK, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa), The Resume Center (USA), The Resume Centre (Australia and Canada) and CV Center (France, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Switzerland). Innes retired from his role as CEO in 2014 and currently holds the position of Chairman of the James Innes Group. He is also the author of five best-selling careers books which have been translated into a variety of other languages including Romanian, Korean and Vietnamese.

Published Work

• The CV Book (Pearson, Harlow, 2009) ISBN 978-1292086477. Third edition published 2016.
• The Interview Book (Pearson, Harlow, 2009) ISBN 978-1292086514. Third edition published 2016.
• The Cover Letter Book (Pearson, Harlow, 2009) ISBN 978-1292086392. Third edition published 2016. First edition originally entitled Brilliant Cover Letters.
• The Interview Question & Answer Book (Pearson, Harlow, 2009) ISBN 978-1292086552. Second edition published 2016.
• Ultimate New Job (Kogan Page, London, 2012) ISBN 978-0749464097.

Personal life

On 20 August 2010, Innes married veterinary surgeon Delphine Vaucanson in Rouen, France. They have a daughter, Aleyna Françoise Elisabeth Innes (born 13 November 2014). They live in Geneva, Switzerland.

Philanthropy

Innes is an active philanthropist. He is a Founding Trustee of The Gradbridge Trust, a charity which supports young people in their goal of achieving the Gradbridge Award.

He donates 50% of all publishing royalties in addition to 10% of all (group company) profits annually to a wide range of charities, including Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust UK, The Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Charitable Funds, Havens Hospices, Down Syndrome Education International and The Charlie Waller Memorial Trust. He is involved with Cameleon Association, a charity which supports abused and disadvantaged children in the Philippines and has personally funded, in perpetuity, an undergraduate bursary at Trinity College, Cambridge – the James Innes Bursary.

Freemasonry

Innes is actively involved in English Freemasonry, having been initiated into Southwark Lodge No. 879 (London) in 1999, in which he was installed as Master in 2005. He is also connected with Freemasonry in both France and Switzerland.

Rotary International

Innes is a Rotarian, a member of The Rotary Club of London, Club No. 50 in Rotary International, the premier Rotary Club in Britain, being the first to have been chartered outside North America.

References

^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]}

1. Get your dream Job
2. Books by James Innes
3. James on how to keep that first job
4. Finding a new job
5. Authors Directory
6. The CV Book
7. The Cover Letter Book
8. The Interview Book
9. The Interview Q&A Book
10. Ultimate New Job
11. Financial Times Press