How to Make a Career Move in 2012

Posted on January 6, 2012 by admin

2012 will be an uncertain year for many people given the ever present financial crisis that is rocking the world. Many may choose to sit helplessly and wait until destiny carves out the path they should take, whilst others will grab the bull by the horns and embrace daring choices to move ahead. The person you choose to be will depend on where you see yourself at the end of the year and the risks/steps you are willing to take to get there. If you are not a passive individual, then some useful tips to consider ending 2012 with a satisfying feeling include:

Study Employment Trends

Being ahead of the game is the safest move to ensure you remain employed throughout the year. You should study industry trends to understand which are slow and where talent shortages are prevalent. If you find that your industry is in the negative, then you may need to start thinking about professional changes, training to quality for new roles. Job boards, surveys, statistics and news from reputable recruitment websites are some areas to look for trends.

Don’t Hide Your Skills

Whether you believe it or not, but the workplace is a battle field where skilled (and even unskilled) employees are always trying to take the lead. If you want to make it to the top and get promoted, then you will have to stand out! This simply means that showing your talents to top influencers to get noticed will make it easy for management to distinguish you from the crowd.

Evolve

If you plan to end 2012 with the same qualifications you had in 2011, then your chances of making a possible career move are next to none. There are various new developments in different industries and having in-depth knowledge about these is important to move up the career ladder. You should always learn new concepts, new approaches and embrace innovative ideas if you want to be taken seriously as a competitive applicant.

Introspection

Who are you and what do others think about you? Do you have silent body languages that give others the wrong impression? These are questions that you need to ask yourself in 2012 if you intend to move ahead in your career. Personality traits that hinder your growth, and personal biases should be quickly dealt with to fully explore your potential as a professional. Try to find people that are honest enough to tell you what they think about you, and be honest with yourself to reveal what you think about yourself. To make it in the business world you have to perfect and hone every aspect of your personality.

If you are currently unemployed, genuine introspection will allow you to see where your pitch is failing. Chances are, you are eloquent in every aspect; but your body language says differently. When you ensure that both are in sync, then you are more likely to move ahead.

Embrace Change

Comfort zones are great, but they can hinder your career development if you are not careful. Depending on the industry you are in, changes will come in 2012. You should be ready for those changes and be able to quickly adapt to guarantee continued progress. If the company wants you to move to another county/country or even do particular courses, do not reject the opportunities. Your willingness and eagerness to guarantee your own professional ascension and the company’s progress will determine if top management looks at you in a different light.

Find Out who is Hiring and Adjust

Job boards are the first place you need to look for job vacancies if you want to make a career change on 2012. You should take the time to tailor your CV according to the job description to get the recruiter’s attention. If you are not qualified for the job– don’t lose heart—read the job description carefully to see where you fall short and take necessary steps to get qualified.

Network with Influencers

There is no better way to be considered for a job than to rub heads with the right people. It can be an overwhelming experience, but act naturally. You will need to be in the right places at the right time and take the initiative to reach out to these people. At the opportune moment, try to soft sell yourself to ensure you are remembered.

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Getting Promoted: How to Climb the Career Ladder

Posted on November 20, 2011 by admin

Whether you‘re job hunting or currently employed, a possible promotion in the near future should be a part of your career plans.  A promotion means more than getting a better salary; it can mean career advancement and a chance to sharpen your professional skills to undertake even more rewarding roles in the future. However, promotions do not automatically knock on everybody’s doors and in many instances top talent can go unnoticed by management if a particular employee does not make his/her presence known. But how can a professional with a keen interest make it clear that he/she is the right person for a promotion without creating a rift with others? Here are some tips to help you answer this question:

No More Mr. and Ms Goody Two Shoes

There are some employees that would never think of esteeming themselves above others due to fear of hurting their feelings, reprisals or just being too virtuous. There is absolutely nothing wrong in advertising yourself and skills if you believe that you have what it takes to get the job done. This, however, should not be done in a malicious way to overturn everything and everyone that you believe could be a threat to getting the prize. It is true that being a self-promoter in a working environment can get a lot of raised eyes if it is done in a crude, self indulgent manner, but it is also equally true that people that lack initiative are overlooked in a blink. The key to this lies in striking a balance between your promotion plans and harmony with fellow colleagues, but under no circumstances should you believe that you are less deserving than anyone else.
Know Your Stakes from the Beginning

You should ask about career advancement when you are being interviewed by the company and also when vacancies arise that you are interested in after being employed. Getting to know more about the company in this aspect and the steps it takes to push its employees forward can save a lot of disappointments and wasted time in the future.

Get the Necessary Skills
A role as Vice President of a major company is a very tempting thought, but this can only become a reality if you are preparing yourself from now. It does not matter if you are not aiming that big; if you want to get promoted for a particular function you will need the talent and skills that companies look for. This is part of the reason why continuing your education even after getting employed is so important: you should be on par with the latest developments to ensure you are always competitive in an employer’s eyes.

Get Noticed by the Right People
If you want to move ahead you will need to “knock heads” with the right people. It makes no sense to express your promotion plans with someone that is not in a position to make it happen. However, when you do find the right person to talk to about promotion, this has to be done tactfully to avoid giving the wrong impressions.

Update your CV
Once you have acquired the necessary skills and training to undertake certain roles, then your CV should be the first place that reflects this. You can easily update your CV when you are applying for jobs in the company or by going the extra mile to ensure that your updated CV be kept on file. When an opportunity arises that may just have your name on it, then having an updated CV on file will make all the difference.

Know When to Back Down
Unfortunately, there are those rare occasions when someone else might get the lead even if you have been with the company for years. When this happens, try not to show any signs of irritation about the matter, but to embrace this reality in a professional manner—chances are, another opportunity may just be waiting for you in the company! However, if you find that you are not moving ahead and are stuck in the same role for just too long, then it may be time to think about changing jobs.
Getting promoted can take as little as a few months to years, but this will all depend on the company, your skills and just how “aggressive” you have been to get seen. Once you have been promoted to the function you always wanted, then your quest should not stop there- you should still aim for even more rewarding roles in the company.

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Careers in London: All You Need to Know to Hit the Bull’s Eye

Posted on September 25, 2011 by admin

London is a bustling metropolis that attracts talented people from various sides of the globe (and country) who are looking for career opportunities to anchor their skills and expertise. With the right mind set, perseverance and determination these same job seekers can easily choose between a wide range of London careers given the skills shortage that lash the city. Whilst it is common for many to believe that there are very few jobs in London, the numerous adverts on online job boards, bulletin boards and even the old fashion news papers are proof enough that there is continuous need for top talent. Whether you are a recent graduate, pensioner or currently restructuring your career path, you can mark your spot by knowing how and where to aim your arrow.

Know Industry Trend:

Industry trends are the most reliable indicators that can be used to evaluate which careers in London are on the rise. These indicators will also reveal which London careers should be avoided due to high redundancy and unemployment rates. Shifts in the job market have paved the path for web designers, network engineers, medical administrators, nurses, civil engineers (bridge and structural), software engineers, customer service assistant, IT professionals and advertising managers.

Know Where to Look:

More and more recruiters have turned to online mediums to find talented individuals to fill their vacancy. This initiative has been primarily motivated by the need to cut advert cost, but there is also the growing need in organisations to reach as many job seekers looking for careers in London. Apart from online job boards, there are also bulletin boards that still advertise vacancies; but these are usually geared towards internal employees. Companies that are unaware of online job boards are known to post adverts for job vacancies on their website. This is a good place to look if you are looking for jobs in London and want to target a specific company.

Your CV Still Has a Say:

London is a very competitive and almost unforgiving city when it comes to recruitment. There is no- if not- very little room for mistakes and this is why having a professionally written CV is of utmost importance. Your CV is the first pitch you will use to be considered for jobs in London. If you fail to deliver your skills, expertise and experience in less than one minute then it is highly unlikely that you will get a job. Attitude, professional approach and values are still intricately tied in with your CV, so honing these areas prior to looking for jobs in London will increase the chances of getting noticed.

Be Prepared for Change:

Change is what makes and breaks job market trends in the UK. You have to be prepared to consider personal career changes if you want to accompany these trends and still have a job when the dust settles. Resistance to change will most definitely result in unemployment when companies decide to downsize to cushion the blows coming from financial mayhem, organisation restructuring, new market approaches, etc.  If you already know the careers that are in high demand, and adequately prepare yourself for these jobs in London, then it is highly unlikely that you will be home for months looking for a new job.

Networking does Pay off:

Your social circle does have some effect on how far you get whilst looking for careers in London. This is why it is important to network and maintain an updated profile on websites such as Linkedin. The more people know you are looking and about your skills, the more likely it is to get what you want. When you are looking jobs in London you want to have as much input as you can get from people that are likely to know about opportunities when they arise.

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How to Ace an Interview

Posted on August 23, 2011 by admin

Selling yourself during an interview requires a great degree of tact, enthusiasm and professional appeal to be able to finally sign over the black line. This is because recruiters are constantly looking for the all-in-one candidate that can balance all three aspects without looking desperate. However, there are still very few that know how to pitch themselves even if they have mastered the art of writing an  effective CV that guarantees an interview with a company. When they do step into an interview room, they look jittery, uneasy and fail to convince recruiters that they are the best choice for the company. Most times they do not believe that they could even be considered as a potential employee and appear for the interview with a ‘fulfilling protocol’ attitude.

Confidence: Confidence says everything when you walk into an interview. When you look secure and a collected you are assuring the recruiter that you can effectively represent the company and stand for its brand. However, you should not look over confident, since this can be determined as obnoxious and arrogant.

Communicate: There are very few candidates that would actually have the courage to say something like: “thanks for inviting me to the interview or how are you today? “ They adopt the “speak when you are spoken” to approach and fail to show their enthusiasm for the job. They portray a rather mechanical persona that gives the recruiter the impression that they always need someone to take the lead.

This, however, does not mean that you should dominate the interview or blab profusely. Instead, you should try to have a dynamic rapport with the interviewer, look natural and pitch yourself in a professional, transparent way.

Practice: This might seem like cliché, but “practice makes perfect”. You need to train yourself to react positively to certain questions and situations. The more your practice the more involved you will be in the interview, and the less evasive you will appear to be. This is especially true if you have black marks in your professional history that you would rather forget and pretend do not exist. However, in the world of candidate hunting, recruiters rarely overlook any glitch that gets their attention.

You need to train yourself to answer the “top most asked interview questions”. These, however, should not be answered as if you are reading from a script; but naturally and confidently.

Look Your Best: Physical appearance still plays an important role in the hiring process. The way you dress and how you present physically yourself will send silent messages to the recruiter, so it is important that you send the right ones. You should try to avoid any colour or clothing that will compete with YOU. In other words, the type of clothes you wear should not get all of the attention during the interview. The same applies for the hairstyles, nail polish, lipstick, shoes, etc.

Curb Your Tongue: You will need to master what to say and how to say it. If your response could be interpreted as extremely negative and demeaning, then re-word your sentences to make them polite, truthful and suave. When you are asked questions such as: do you have any regrets?, what can you say about your former boss?, how do you feel about your life and professional ascension?, etc., try to look for positive ways to get your point across.

Defend Yourself:  There are those rare occasions where something you said can be misinterpreted by the recruiter. It is also possible that the recruiter may deliberately take something your said out of context to try to confuse or contradict you. If this happens, do not go on the defensive—because in many instances it is just a test. Listen carefully to what is being asked, look pleasant and politely present your thoughts. This is why you must ensure you are being transparent and not mechanically delivering yourself.

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Online Job Board: The Perfect Career Finder

Posted on August 1, 2011 by admin

Finding a new job can be a daunting task even if you are a seasoned job seeker. This is because the uncertainties of the job market and your own competiveness with other candidates can gnaw away at persistence and motivation. However, with modern day tools available on the internet, any job seeker in today’s world can keep afloat of the hurdles that tend to toss determination in the opposite direction. These tools are becoming more prevalent on online job boards and their increased use is proof that they are offering a feasible solution whilst trying to find a job. If you have never thought about using one, here are some reasons why you should:

Job Watch-list:  It is easy to track the jobs that are related to your career path on a job board as opposed to applying to vacancies in the papers. You can easily add companies that you find interesting to your ‘watch list’ and apply to their vacancies when they do appear. This is a handy function even if they do not have a vacancy at the time you are applying.

Real-time Updates: You can easily customise your account on an online job board to get updates about specific vacancies. These updates are usually filtered by the keywords you specify and once a job is posted with these buzzwords, you will get a notification in your inbox. However, you may ask: what about those jobs that do not have buzzwords, but are interesting opportunities?  In this case it is best to reduce the sensitivity of the keyword filter you use, to ensure that some jobs are not rejected if they do not have the words you specify.

Larger Number of Job Applications: With a larger job pool you will be able to send out more applications and thus increase the probability of finding the perfect career.  The whole process is also let easier since everything is being done online, where you can manage which job you apply to and even accompany the status of your application. This would not be possible if you were sending applications traditionally, where you would have to call or wait until the company calls to know where you stand.

 Better Job Descriptions: Jobs boards normally have better job descriptions that are professionally crafted to attract top talent as opposed to the sparse lines of information found in newspaper adverts. As such, you can easily determine if the company in questions means business or if it is ‘testing the waters’. You will then be better prepared to make a decision as to whether or not you should send your application.

History: Some Jobs boards will allow you to see the posting history of companies. You will see how often they have successfully hired someone and also the frequency they are posting the same job. A company that is constantly looking for talent is not necessarily a bad company per se; but low employee retention does indicate poor business policies/structure. Again, this can caution you before you send an application.

Networking:  You can increase your own chances of finding a job by networking with job seekers on a job board. This is because they can easily refer you to companies they know and that might be interested in your skills.  In addition to this, networking will allow you to share common interests with other people and where necessary make changes to improve your career search.

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Career Search

Posted on July 14, 2011 by admin

The Beginning of Your Career Search

The career path that you take will ultimately determine your financial stability, professional ascension, personal achievements and even your happiness. This is why it is so important to carefully analyse the market that you want to enter before becoming qualified or applying to vacancies. Your career choice is a personal decision and regardless of the input you get from others, it is still your responsibility to make the right decision.

When you are in the process of defining or even changing your career, there are some basic questions that you need to ask yourself:

  1. What are my career interests and why are these important to me?
  2. How do I see myself in this particular career now and in the future?
  3. What are my motives for choosing this career?
  4. What type of working environment will reflect my professional posture and which should I avoid?
  5. Is there room for growth in this career and what are my chances of making it?
  6. How does this career tie in with other careers, if I plan to change in the future?

The career search questions above will assist in aligning the best direction you should take. As a result, they can be applied across the board regardless of where you are on the career ladder. Whether you are a recent graduate, job seeker, retiree looking to enter the job market or someone that wants to change careers, it is important that you clearly define the path you want to take.

Applying For Jobs

After you have taken the necessary steps to define your career search path and connect the building blocks together to make this possible, then the next step is to apply for jobs. However, you will first need a professionally written CV that is tailored to the job specifications. Your CV reflects your competencies and as such, the formatting, content and language used throughout should not be taken for granted.

You can start your career search looking on online job boards, company websites, networking and social media sites such as Linkedin and even Twitter. There are still the traditional offline methods that are used, but more and more companies looking for top talent are posting their adverts on the internet with the hope of reaching a larger pool of skills and expertise. When you are applying for jobs some points to take into consideration include:

  1. Don’t close the door on any opportunity: It is important to set realistic goals for yourself as you enter or change your career. You may have to start with a small company first and gradually work your way up the career ladder. This experience should not be weighed any less as working with a major corporation.
  2. Be flexible:  You should enter your career with an open mind. If you are rigid regarding relocation, salary, working hours, benefits, etc., then you will find that you are left in a very small circle.
  3. Sell yourself: Use your CV to sell yourself in a professional manner. Even if you are just entering the work market, you can still use this important document to your gain. Remember recruiters do not have a lot of time to look as each CV they get, so making a good first impression is imperative for success.
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Job Interview Tips

Posted on June 16, 2011 by admin

In the past job interviews were done face-to-face, but with the advent of technological changes many recruiters started looking for alternatives to short-list candidates. The two most popular options that have grown in recent years include: telephone interviews and web-cam interviews. Not only are these alternatives practical for both recruiters and job seekers alike, but in many instances they are used as the preliminary grounds on which a second interview is prepared if the job seeker in question is successful. With the rapid increase of these new interviewing methods, candidates that want to be considered for vacancies must know the relevant job interview tips that apply to all three forms.

Job Interview Tips for Telephone Interviews  

Telephone interviews can be just as intimidating as in-person and web-cam interviews. As such, it is important that a job seeker takes the necessary steps to ensure that he or she is prepared before initiating one. Some job interview tips for telephone interviews include:

  • Prepare yourself in advance by knowing when the interview will be scheduled and by whom it will be done. If you are asked to call the recruiter to have an interview, then you should ensure that you know his or her name before initiating a conversation.
  • Silence is very important during an interview. If you are currently working for another company, then ensure that you find somewhere quite to take/make the call. If you are at home, then family members should be informed about the call so that unnecessary noise is avoided at all costs. The last thing you want when you are on an interview at home is a screaming toddler or child creating chaos when you are trying to answer the interview questions.
  • Get your notes ready to refer to should the need arise. These notes can be based on research you have done about the company and questions you would like to ask when given the opportunity.
  • Never interrupt the interviewer. You should first listen to all that is being said (even if there is a mistake) and then make your point.
  • Smile and sound relax. It is natural to be nervous for an interview, but do not let this cramp your emotions to the point that you are motionless and lack genuine involvement in the interview. You should be pleasant, courteous and thank the interviewer before and after the telephone interview for his or her time.
  • Do not end the interview abruptly. Try to ask questions about the selection process and anything else that is relevant to the job in question.

 Job Interview Tips for Web-Cam Interviews

All the points above should be taken into consideration with web-cam interviews. Other areas to consider include:

  • You should ensure that the camera quality and sound are perfect to do the interview. You can easily make the necessary adjustments by testing the image and audio output with someone else.
  • Dress appropriately. You should dress as if you have a face-to-face interview with the recruiter.  Some people recommend only preparing your upper half for the interview and leaving the lower section casual; however, if something unexpected should happen and you need to get up what will the interviewer think if he or she sees you wearing pyjamas with your formal attire?
  • Adjust the camera so that is captures your upper half with emphasis on your face. Poor camera setting can be annoying and can disqualify you if the recruiter believers you did not make an attempt to adjust it before the interview.

Job Interview Tips for In-person Interviews

In-person interviews are still quite popular among recruiters and are the basis on which they get to know and study candidates even more. Some things to bear in mind include:

  • Timeliness, proper attire and preparation are important points that should be taken into consideration for a face-to-face interview.
  • Body language- ensure that you have a professional body language that is not thrown off balance with “trick” questions  or unexpected situations
  • Be courteous, polite and genuine. Your words and actions should coincide perfectly. The interviewer must not feel you are trying too hard to be acceptable since this can easily me interpreted as unnatural to your character.
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Interview Advice

Posted on May 13, 2011 by admin

The interview stage during the job application process is an important stepping stone that allows job seekers to finally market themselves face to face with recruiters. In many instances this is the final stage that will define whether a candidate is selected for a vacancy or not. As such, great care has to be taken to ensure that the recruiter is impressed with your interview performance as he or she was impressed with your CV. If you fail to impress the recruiter during the interview, then there is hardly a second chance to correct interview mistakes and wrong body language. Some important points to take into consideration are:

  • Never Arrive Late

It does not matter if you are five minutes off schedule: arriving late for an interview is a gross disrespect that should not be committed. You should know where the interview will be held and gather any relevant information you need beforehand to get there. Calling just a few hours before the interview to know where the company is located sends up a red light to any recruiter that you cannot possibly be taken seriously for a job.

  • Preparation

Whether you have been on many interviews in the past of will be going on your first all preparation is never enough to ensure that you demonstrate an aggressive yet professional side. You can prepare for an interview by systematically thinking through all the possible questions that could be asked and provide answers to them. This prevents you from fumbling in the interview and being taken off guard with certain questions. You should also use the chance to curb your body language to ensure that you do not react involuntarily to certain questions. Some involuntary actions that are common in interviews include: touching one’s nose, stroking hair, foot tapping and evasive stares. These are quite common when the job seeker in question is nervous or unsure about the ideal answer to provide.

You should use the preparation time to research about the company and get to know more about where they have been in the past and also major accomplishments.

  • Ask Questions

Part of the preparation stage of an interview is knowing which questions you would like to ask the recruiter. If you leave without asking anything, then the recruiter will assume that you are not interested in the vacancy and could care less about the company. You should ask smart questions that are genuine and purposeful. Do not use the opportunity to corner the interviewer with strange questions. Some questions you may want to ask include:

  1. If I am contracted what are the accomplishments and long-term goals that the company would like to achieve with my skills?
  2. How has the company maintained a competitive edge in the industry?
  3. What are the possibilities of career ascension that are made available to employees?
  • Remember Etiquette

An impressive CV with an outstanding track-record of achievements cannot stand up against poor etiquette. Poor manners are an indication of lack of social consideration and can ruin your chances of even having a real interview, since recruiters that are disturbed with poor etiquette will certainly reduce your interview time! Some important points to bear in mind are:

  1. Greet everyone with eye contact or a handshake when appropriate.
  2. If you are a male and the recruiter is a female, then ensure that you do not leave her holding the door for you whilst you cosily take your place to sit. The same applies upon leaving the interview. Make a genuine attempt to get the door yourself.
  3. If you are a female dress appropriately for the occasion. Dark colours are preferred over summer tones.
  4. Remember to say thank you before the interview starts and once it has ended. The interviewer took the time to look at your CV and also to schedule an interview, so the least you can do is express your gratitude.

For more interview advice check out our other articles.

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CV Writing Tips

Posted on April 28, 2011 by admin

You can find many CV writing tips from surfing the internet, career books and even asking friends for their opinion. However, with so much buzz coming from different sources how can you ensure that your CV does not become a landmine of useless information? The answer to this question is based entirely on your skills and how they attend to the recruiter’s needs. This is the basic CV writing tip that should always be taken into consideration to ensure that time is not wasted preparing, sending and waiting for a reply from a company. When your skills, expertise and experience are properly outlined and target the recruiter’s requirements, then the chances of getting overlooked are greatly reduced. Whilst there may be many points to take into consideration, the golden CV writing tips rules include:

  • Define Format and Information

If you decide to write your CV yourself, then you will need to define the format and information you intend to present on it. If you are sending your CV to apply for a job vacancy, then ensure that the recruiter sees key information first. If, however, you are just sending in a casual application then all care should be taken to highlight all your expertise to increase your chances of being considered for a vacancy in the future. If you are a job seeker that has been in the job market for many years, then only provide information about the last 10-15 years to make it easy for the recruiter to see your skills.  In essence a CV should have the following information:

  1. Contact information including names, address, e-mail address, telephone number and any other relevant information that assists a recruiter to find you when needed.
  2. Achievements with relevant substantiated facts and short details.
  3. Work Experience with special emphasis on roles that you have occupied in the past and that are relevant to the job in question.
  4. Educational accomplishments and special awards that demonstrate your technical and theoretical knowledge.
  5. Special Skills that will highlight you above other candidates. These should be relevant skills that pertain to the vacancy in question.
  6.  References
  • Use the Proper Font, Font Size and spacing

A CV does not need to have special designs and fonts for it to be impressive. You should use at least two fonts and ensure that the font size is easy to read. Bullet points can also be used if you wish to substantiate information and highlight certain points. Check to ensure that the page is properly formatted and that all the information appears on relevant pages.

Another issue to bear in mind when writing your CV is the proper spacing. The spacing should be uniform and should make the information presented clear to see and understand. Major heading should have the same spacing and the same rule applies for lines of information.

If you would like to highlight information that you believe will give you a leading advantage, then do so with care. Do not fill the CV with underlines and italics since this can become very distracting and if overdone annoying as well.

  • Spell Check

This might appear to be a cliché, but it is important to spell check your CV before sending it off. There are certain errors a “spell-checker” will not detect and as such can be easily overlooked if care is not taken to proofread the CV.

  • Get Assistance from a Professional CV Copywriter

A CV is a professional document and if you have never written one before, then the best approach is to get assistance from a professional CV copywriter. Not only does this eliminate the temptation of wanting to use popular CV templates that recruiters have seen hundreds of times, but it also gives you targeted results. A CV copywriter may cost a few pounds to hire, but the end result far outweighs the investment.

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CV Advice

Posted on April 26, 2011 by admin

A CV is one of the most powerful marketing tools that a job seeker will ever use to climb the career ladder. This, however, is only possible if the pitch within the CV is one that holds the recruiter’s attention during the first minute of his perusal. If this does not happen, then the job seeker will repeatedly lose the opportunity of being selected for desired jobs to other candidates. Sadly, this scenario repeats itself across the UK; because many people have not taken the time to customise their CV’s so that it sells their abilities to companies and thus allow them move forward in their careers.  In many instances some of these job seekers adopt the traditional out-dated CV writing approach and in other instances their CV’s are inundated with just too many details.

In the past, academic accomplishments were used as the main differentiators to separate and select candidates. This approach has changed and now recruiters are looking on the CV layout, substantiated facts, writing style, use of buzzwords and a list of other factors to choose which candidates make it to the interview stage. This does not mean that an outstanding academic track-record is not necessary: what it means is that more areas are being considered for candidate selection.  A recruiter can conclude just how aggressive and professionally ready a candidate is just by looking at the CV and how the information on it is presented. With this in mind, some key pints to always remember when preparing your CV are:

  • CV Advice Tip 1 – Objective

One of the first things you will need to do when you are preparing your CV is to list what you would like to appear on it. This list should be guided by what is in the job description or by what you already know about the company and their standards. You should start by presenting yourself with contact information and basic details that allow them to contact you if they are interested. Ask yourself the following questions and make small notes to build on as you move along:

  1. What accomplishments have I achieved that can differentiate me from other candidates based on the job description requirements?
  2. What are the buzzwords that I can use and get their attention and sell my skills, expertise and experience in the process?
  3. What details and work experiences do I have that should be highlighted and which ones can I avoid on the CV.
  4. How can I present this information so that is appears sharp and clear to the recruiter?
  5. How should I customise my CV to ensure that it meets the job requirements?
  • CV Advice Tip 2 – Format

The format/layout that your CV has will depend on the professional stage you are in your career. In essence there are three CV formats that are used and they are: targeted, chronological and functional.  The targeted CV layout is used by job seekers that want to put special emphasis on the skills and expertise they have as they relate to the job requirements. If you have worked for a renowned company or occupied a position similar to the one you are applying for, then this format is the best approach.

The functional format does not highlight any work experience but rather the skills and expertise you may have. This can make you less competitive among other candidates if key information is not easily seen on the CV. This CV format is only indicated if the skills and expertise you have are not easily found among other candidates.

The other CV format that is commonly used is the chronological. This is a traditional CV writing approach that lists your work experience starting with your present job. This does not take a targeted approach, but rather leaves it up to the recruiter to look among the list to conclude whether you are qualified for the position in question. If you have been professionally active for many years, then try to keep the information short and to the point.

If you are a student that is just leaving school, then you may not have any relevant work experience to take into consideration; however, this should not prevent you from submitting a CV. The best format would be to list any relevant work experience you may have and then your academic accomplishments.  You many also consider listing any extra-curricular activities you were involved with over the years that can add value to your CV. Leadership roles in clubs and organisations are excellent differentiators that should not be omitted.

Why not take a look at our CV advice section of the site.

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