How many of these skills might be required of you in your chosen career? negotiate to get the best price you can identify a niche market for something, create it, pitch it - and make a profit sell somebody something they don’t need lead a team of people who dislike each other - and make them get on talk yourself out of a hot spot in the boardroom. If you ticked even just one of these skills chances are you’ll thoroughly enjoy the BBC’s multi award-winning series “The Apprentice”. This fast-moving, hard-hitting talent show has been hailed as one of the more “intelligent" of its genre. The format has been sold around the world including to Germany ("Big Boss" on RTL) and Switzerland ("Traum Job"), where the show's catch phrase "You're fired!" translates as "Du bische drusse". Followed by an average of four million viewers, wannabe tycoons battle it out every week in a series of challenges designed to test their business acumen and team playmanship. In typical Big-Brother style one contestant is fired each week. For the last series the BBC received over 20 000 applications. Challenges in this series have ranged from running rival laundrettes and pubs, creating a new perfume, designing a greeting card and selling top-of-the-market wedding dresses. Whilst many former contestants have become stars in their own rights the biggest star of all is Sir Alan Sugar. As one of the most successful business moguls in the world, Sir Sugar decides who wins the show’s coveted prize - a six-figure salary and the opportunity to join his enterprise.

Sir Alan Sugar with steely-haired sidekicks Margaret Mountford and Nick Hewer Sir Alan said Lee McQueen got the job thanks to being "enthusiastic", "focussed" and "hungry". However, in real life this man would not have got the position at all. Lee McQueen lied on his CV. Whilst not illegal, this is no way to win the trust and confidence of your future employer. Sir Alan obviously thinks differently. In an interview McQueen said he couldn’t remember what he’d written on his CV. Just a moment. You submit your CV to a BBC "talent " show and can’t remember what you tell them? Whether you spent four months or two years at uni? Did this 30-year old Recruitment Sales Manager (who openly admits he wouldn’t accept applicants lying to him) deservingly win the Apprentice? Or is the whole thing a media sham, where good looks, hunger for success and gift of the gab (Lee: “A CV is just a conversational tool”) are more important than professional integrity and qualifications? The Apprentice On-line highlights from this year's series. Sir Alan Sugar Know Howe Apprentice Blog Just how honest should your CV be? Related Know Howe Watching the BBC