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Essential Candidates Advice
Top 10
Tips For Writing CV's
Things
to
avoid in your CV
Making
the most of your Agency Personnel Recruitment Consultant
What
should your
CV include?
Cover
Letters
Top 10
Interview Tips
10 Tough
Interview Questions
Interviews
: How to
make yours a success
Top 10 Tips For Writing CV's
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1. Make your CV clear and interesting,
but keep it concise. It isn't your life story. A CV only has one
function: to get you an interview.
2. Don't forget to include an e-mail address unless you want to appear
a techno-dinosaur.
3. Sell yourself on the first sheet, which should stand alone. Start
with a profile of who you are, plus your key achievements, followed by
a career history in brief.
4. Your CV should make claims about who you are and what you can do,
and then provide evidence to back up those claims.
5. Translate what you know and can do into terms that will appeal to a
recruiter - talk about solving problems, making a difference...
6. Try to say something interesting about your academic history -
relate it to an employer's needs rather than regurgitating the
syllabus, e.g. if you led a seminar or gave a talk, write about your
facilitation or presentation skills.
7. It's all very well being the best thing since sliced bread. Be
specific: make claims and then give evidence. Express achievements in
terms of awards, money, time or percentages.
8. Try to include something under "interests" which is neither bland
nor run of the mill. Include interests which make you appear a rounded
person, and those which have some relevance to the job.
9. Avoid empty adjectives. Almost everyone is creative, dynamic,
enthusiastic…. Focus on what you have achieved.
10. Remember your CV will be read in about 20 seconds, just to screen
you into the "YES" or "NO" pile. Do everything you can to end up in the
"YES" pile by making the recruiter's job easier.
Things
to avoid in your CV
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1. Don't provide huge amounts of detail
about jobs you did more than 10 years ago.
2. Don't put anything down under "interests" unless (a) it has some
relevance to the job or (b) you can talk inspiringly for hours on the
subject.
3. Don't put yourself down, try irony or humour. It rarely reads the
way you want it to.
4. Make sure your email address is businesslike.
Happygolucky@freebie.com conveys the wrong impression.
5. Don't put anything on the front page that strikes a negative note.
6. Don't include anything that looks incomplete or misleading, e.g.
mentioning a degree without mentioning the subject or result.
7. Don't put "Curriculum Vitae" at the top - put your name and contact
details, including e-mail address.
8. Avoid obscure abbreviations or jargon.
9. Don't include your age - but do put your date of birth at the end of
the CV.
10. For the same reason, avoid referring to the age of your children,
especially if they are older than the person recruiting!
Making
the most of your Agency Personnel Recruitment Consultant
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1. Prepare a CV before you go. For each
job you have done, focus on what you have achieved and where you have
made a difference.
2. Write down your achievements in measurable terms -
£££s, percentages, time…
3. Be very clear about what you are looking for. Think about a
mini-profile you can use to present yourself - what have you done, what
kind of work are you looking for, and what do you have to offer.
4. Think about what you will say at interview in terms of claims and
evidence: claims about your strengths, and evidence of what you have
achieved in the past.
5. Translate what you know and can do into terms that will appeal to a
recruiter. Remember that a recruitment consultant has to "sell" you to
a potential employer.
6. Avoid jargon and acronyms that won't mean anything to a
non-specialist recruiter.
7. Be prepared to be interviewed in depth. The person interviewing you
needs to know enough to represent you to a decision-maker.
8. Don't forget to ask for feedback. A good recruitment consultant will
be able to tell you what your CV actually says, and how it can be
improved.
9. You can also ask your recruitment consultant for honest feedback
about your interview technique, and for inside information about the
job market. Ask for feedback after an employer interview.
10. Make sure you have very clear details at the end of the interview
about the next steps, and keep in touch to update your consultant about
changes.
What
should your CV include?
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Preparation:
Think about your skills, competencies, qualifications and experience.
What are your unique selling points and strengths? Think in terms of
what you have achieved.
If you are replying to a specific job
advertisement, review what key words and tasks were used in the
advertisement. Which of these words applies to you? Use these words in
your CV.
Helpful Hints:
Remember that you want your CV to be read and responded to. Include
enough information to stimulate interest, but not so much that you bore
the reader. If you provide small, digestible pieces of information you
stand a better chance of having your CV read. Three pages maximum is
preferred, but keeping it to one page is even better! Every word must
contribute to the overall message - so keep it brief and ensure that
the content is relevant to the job you are applying for.
Ensure that your CV is well structured
and well laid out; this gives the impression that you think logically
and makes it easier to review. Remember - a CV that is hard to read is
often put aside and forgotten. When writing the CV, remember that
self-opinion is best avoided. Aim to include factual information or
objective evidence and remember to focus on the benefits of your
achievements.
Pay close attention to reply
instructions in advertisements (e.g. spelling of a contact's name).
Always have someone else on hand to check your spelling and grammar.
Nothing can ruin your chances of getting a job faster than easily
preventable mistakes. Avoid colored paper or fancy fonts, if you plan
to fax or e-mail your CV, you'll get a much better result with clean
fonts and a simple lay-out.
The First
Page:
This should contain your personal details, your home address and
contact details located right at the top, followed by a brief summary
of educational credentials and qualifications. An overview statement
should be included covering your strengths in the relevant area, skills
and experience, and the type of position sought.
Pages Two/Three:
Here you should highlight your employment history. Present this in
reverse chronological order, (i.e. last job first). If you have only
worked for one company, break it down with an entry for each position
or project dealt with. For each position held, briefly describe
responsibilities and work undertaken.
Do include achievements, not just
regular tasks, if possible, quantify them in sales, financial or
production terms.
Each professional position that you've
had must include at least one statement of accomplishment. For your
current and recent positions, you may want to have several bulleted
items under the job that list your most significant experiences.
List your hobbies and interests in no
more than three lines, and only if they are relevant to the position in
question. Any voluntary or charity work or external posts you hold are
worth including. Always include any languages, courses or training you
may have done, or any professional memberships.
It is recommended that two referees be
given at a later date - including the referees' official titles,
addresses and telephone numbers.
The 'Covering' Letter:
CVs are seldom used alone, they should always be introduced by a letter
or a telephone call. The letter can really let your personality come
through. Remember, recruitment consultants and employers read hundreds
of CVs, an interesting introductory letter can make yours stand out.
Your letter can be used to pick up
points which modesty or space prevented you from including in your CV
(i.e. to highlight your key strengths relevant to the job). An
introduction letter can save you from having to rewrite the CV each
time you want to target your application to a specific advertisement or
sector.
Nevertheless, keep your CV up to date.
Using an out of date CV looks sloppy at best and may exclude you from
consideration.
Cover
Letters
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1. The only function of this letter is
to get your CV read, and to get you a meeting. Think of your letter
like the first page of your CV, as a one page advertisement for you.
Make your letter brief, enthusiastic, and interesting.
2. Ensure that everything in the reader's name, job title address is
correct.
3. Try not to begin every sentence and paragraph with "I". Focus on the
reader of the letter and his/her perspective.
4. Research. Refer to the problems, opportunities and headaches your
target company is facing. Remember SWOT as a prompt: what can you say
about a company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities or threats?
5. Indicate in brief paragraphs what you are applying for, who you are,
why you are interested, and what you have to offer. Don't oversell.
State briefly why you are a good match for the job.
6. Refer the reader to your enclosed CV. Pick 3 or 4 of your top
achievements and repeat them in the letter, using different terms to
the way you have expressed them in your CV. Choose achievements
relevant to the job.
7. Don't put anything in your covering letter which gives the reader an
excuse to put the letter aside, e.g. apologising for your lack of a
particular requirement, or mentioning your age, or referring to
negative aspects like why you left your last job.
8. If your letter is a speculative approach (i.e. to a company that
isn't currently advertising a job, try to ensure that your letter is
read by a decision maker.
9. Think carefully what action you are asking for. If you are seeking a
meeting, ask for one.
10. Telephone to check that your letter has been received by the
intended recipient. Ask one relevant question, or
mention one reason why you might be able to help the employer, and
suggest a meeting.
Top 10
Interview Tips
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1. Plan carefully. Do you know where
you are going and how to get there? Who are you seeing?
2. Make sure you know the names of the people who will be interviewing
you. Practice saying them if they are difficult to pronounce.
3. There's no such thing as enough preparation for an interview. Find
out everything you can about the company and what it makes or does.
Look for current news - show you are up to date.
4. Why does this job exist? What problems will it solve? What are the
Key Result Areas?
5. Remember: employers buy experience. Think about what evidence of
achievement you can talk about in the interview; rehearse your success
stories.
6. Work out what is appropriate in terms of everything you present,
including yourself. Look the part, and you will feel it. Dress as if
you are already doing the job.
7. Second guess the employer's "shopping list" from the job details -
what skills / qualities / experience do you have to match?
8. Be your own worst interview nightmare. What is the most difficult
question you might have to face? Practice the answer. Practice again.
9. Be upbeat. Employers latch on to negative messages, so don't give
them any.
10. Prepare for rejection. On balance you will be rejected more times
than accepted. Even if you don't get the job, you can learn a huge
amount about your perceived market value. Remember - there's a job out
there for you somewhere - more people are working in the UK than ever
before.
10
Tough Interview Questions
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You can't prepare for every question
that will come up at interview, but you can anticipate most of them.
Here are some of the deadliest questions, and ways of handling them:
1. "Tell us about yourself". Prepare for
the worst - a classic opener that can really throw you. Plan ahead by
having presentation statement to cover this.
2. "Where do you see yourself in 5 years' time?" - if your answer
doesn't ring true for you, it won't for anyone else. Talk about career
plans, and what you want to learn and achieve in the future.
3. "Why do you want this job?" Have a clear answer to this (even if,
privately, you're not sure - you only have to decide when the job offer
is in your hand).
4. "What kind of person are you?" Handle questions about personality
carefully. Rather than say "I'm an ideas person", talk about a time
when you changed things with a good idea.
5. "Why did you leave…….?" Employers will probe
for reasons for job change. If you are currently out of work, they will
probe this, too. Rehearse short, simple, positive "stories" to cover
these points. This is not telling lies, just a simple, positive
summary.
6. "How will you cope in a crisis?" Have a couple of good examples of
past triumphs up your sleeve.
7. "How will you..." questions are beginning to create a future which
includes you - so welcome them. Describe what you would do within the
organisation as if you are there already. Create the right picture, and
the employer won't be able to imagine a future without you…
8. "What would you do if ….?" Some interviewers ask fantasy
questions not related to reality, but watch out for questions that are
like verbal in-tray exercises. You might be asked to "sell me this
pencil sharpener/ paper clip/ biro" - prepare to think on your feet.
9. "What do you need to earn?" Wrong question. Focus on the value you
can add to the employer, not your basic needs. Find out what the
company is willing to pay, or work out what similar employers pay for
good people. Always throw pay questions back to the other side of the
net.
10. "What are your weaknesses?" Remember that the recruiter gives far
more weight to negative information. Talk about weaknesses that are
also strengths, e.g. being demanding of your team, being a
perfectionist, pushing hard to get things done…
Interviews
: How to make yours a success
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Preparation
Prepare yourself Interviews are two way meetings. Not only are they an
opportunity for the interviewer to find out about you and if you are a
suitable candidate for the position but they are also an opportunity
for you to find out about the organisation and if the position will
provide you with the challenge and job satisfaction you are looking
for.
Think about your skills, qualifications
and experience and ensure that you can talk confidently about what is
written on your CV. Particularly ensure that you can talk about those
skills that are relevant and valuable to the position you are going
for.
Prepare some questions to ask at the
interview. At the first interview it would be wise to restrict your
questions to the details of the job and the organisation. Salary and
benefit discussions are best left until a second interview or a job
offer is made.
Do your homework
Find out as much as possible about the company prior to the interview.
A good starting point is to look up their website and find out about
the products and services they offer, the location of the office/s, and
the number of employees. Ask the consultancy if they have any extra
information on them. You could also phone the company and ask them to
send you an annual report.
Dress code and appearance
Ask your consultancy what the client's dress code is. For office work,
smart business dress is a must.
Ensure you are well groomed with tidy
hair, clean shoes and clothing. Do not wear too much perfume or
aftershave and keep make-up, jewellery and nail polish simple.
Travel and timing
Plan your journey beforehand to ensure you arrive a few minutes early.
Allow for possible travel delays. Just in case of a major hold up, make
sure you have your contact's telephone number so that you can call if
you suspect you will be late.
THE
INTERVIEW
What
to expect
Interviews come in many forms - panel interviews, one to one
interviews, group interviews etc. Ask your consultancy what form of
interview it will be beforehand. You may be asked to take a test before
the interview, depending on the type of organisation. These might
consist of psychometric or aptitude tests.
There are many different interview styles and each interviewer will
have their own personal style. Some interviewers will fire questions at
you while others will start off with an open question such as "tell me
about yourself" leaving you to do most of the talking. The majority of
interviews will be somewhere between the two. Be prepared for any style
of interview.
Two-way
communication
Make
sure the employer knows the benefits of employing you. It is important
to sell yourself by telling the employer details of your relevant
skills and experience that you have to contribute to the organisation.
Try not to monopolise the meeting - let your interviewer talk.
Find out what the key parts of the candidate specification are so you
can show how you meet them.
Ask how the job contributes to the success, efficiency and
profitability of the organisation.
Show that you have done some research.
Don't give negative information or bad news if you are not asked for it
and don't criticise previous employers or jobs. The key is to turn
negative information into positive information.
The next steps
Agree exactly what the next steps will be, such as who will contact you
to let you know if you have been successful and by when. You should
also find out whether there will be second interviews and who will
conduct them. If you are really interested in the position make sure
you tell the interviewer.
After the Interview
Tell the consultancy how the interview went and get feedback from them.
Negotiation
Everything is negotiable. If the final offer is not what you had hoped
for, ask the consultancy to talk to the client. Say that you like the
job but the package is not up to your expectations and ask if the
company can be at all flexible.
Good Luck!
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