Life after The Apprentice

Being kicked out of the boardroom isn't the end for all contestants on The Apprentice it would seem. Several of this year's boardroom rejects have landed some interesting and rather obscure new roles, for which some will ironically probably end up earning more cash than the eventual winner Lee McQueen.

Runner-up Claire Young may have just missed on Suralan's top job but it appears she has bagged a better one, at least in terms of salary. Karren Brady, boss of Birmingham Football Club and one of the business brains who grilled the contestants in the traditional interview episode, was obviously impressed by Johannesburg-born Young. The 28-year-old former retail buyer told The Observer she has secured a senior sales role at the club which pays more than what the Amstrad chief was offering. She also revealed that 75% of her new colleagues are women. Maybe that's the secret behind Brady's success.

While 'the rottweiler' has stayed in business, although she has signed up for a round of public speaking engagements, other contestants have gone down the celebrity route and none more so than suit loving eccentric Raef Bjayou.

Stand by for a who's got the biggest ego competition when he starts as a presenter on Richard and Judy's new television show. According to Richard Madeley, Raef has always wanted to be a talk show host. Of course he has and I'm sure it has nothing to do with the no-doubt huge cheque he's been given. The yet to be named programme will air on new digital channel Watch in the autumn.

And that's not the only place the nation's digital TV viewers - there's hundreds I'm sure - will be able to catch our Raef. He has also signed up to...wait for it...Living's new series of The Underdog Show! Does he have no shame?!

Apparently during his appearance on the programme, which pairs orphaned rescue dogs with 'celebrities', Raef is going to use the skills he learnt in The Apprentice. Is he saying confronting Sir Alan was like dealing with an out-of-control mutt? Gone to the dogs springs to mind...

We haven't finished yet with Raef's new jobs. If you just can't get enough of the 'serial entrepreneur', check out former Blue Peter presenter Gethin Jones' Saturday morning show on BBC 5 Live where the Apprentice wannabe has landed a weekly slot focusing on 'eccentric Britain'. At least with that job he should know what he's talking about! And of course we mustn't forget, words are his tool!

So what about the other contestants?

Beret-obsessed Lucinda Ledgerwood, who was "too zany" for Sir Al, is attempting to overturn the often negative public perception of herbal medicine by studying the subject at Napier University.

Fancied by women everywhere, Alex Wotherspoon, not to be confused with a chain of cheap pubs, was heading for a career in modelling but a text from the Amstrad boss – I wonder if he sent it from an Emailer? – inspired the 25-year-old to stick to business. He told Heat: "Sir Alan texted me saying, 'I know you are business through and through. It made me feel good to have his support. I am so positive about business and now I want people to know I'm serious about it." Of course you do Alex.

Dan Martin is editor of BusinessZone.co.uk.