|
|
|
|
|
|
Project Resource can provide you with all the information you need to help manage your job search and longer-term your entire career. This page includes advice on writing & presenting your CV, interview tips, links to training courses & factual web sites to aid you in your career.
You can also learn about psychometric profiling, and carry out a psychometric assessment to find the type of job which would suit you best, and learn more about your strengths and weaknesses.
To discuss your career options with an experienced recruitment consultant, please call us on 0118-952-2240, or click here for a call back. Click on the sub-titles below to view information
|
|
|
|
Writing your CV >
CV Content >
CV Presentation >
|
Writing your CV
This is likely to be the first contact you have with prospective employers. First impressions count, so it is important to get it right with a well prepared CV.
- Create a 20-100 word executive summary of your career as an effective way to sell yourself in your introduction. Some employers many use this summary as a decision as to whether to interview or not, so make it factual, informative and clear what you have done to date.
- Highlight relevant career achievements, maybe using bullet points, to gain the attention of the reader.
- Think about what a potential employer would want to see, and aim to excite them with your skills and experience to make you CV stand out from the crowd. Your CV should be tailored towards the type of job and company you want to work for, highlighting your relevant experiences pertinent to the application.
Bizarrely, many candidates apologise for the presentation of their CV, as an opening line to an interview, which certainly doesn’t help to get the job! Be confident that your CV is an accurate and well presented reflection of you, your career and the achievements you have made to date.
CV Content
- Always tailor your CV to the position/ job vacancy that you are applying. Highlight your abilities, qualifications and background, then highlight the relevance to the job to which you are seeking. It might mean a number of changes to be made to your CV, but it will definitely help your chances of gaining an interview request.
- Endeavour to remain upbeat throughout the CV content, however, avoid quips or humour. Keep the reader’s focus with short bursts of factual information. Don’t use copious dialogue, as this is likely to result in your potential employer not finishing to read your CV.
- Chronicle your CV from the present, backwards. Summarise previous positions (3-10 sentences). Any missing time periods will appear suspicious, so clarify all time periods.
- Avoid subjective comments such as "a resourceful individual" - just because they sound good. These are "banana skins" put in (by you) for you to slip up on; stick to facts and DO NOT falsify any information.
- Personal details should be kept brief, but cover essential information. Remember contact details are important (or how will they contact you - day or night?). Avoid photographs unless requested.
- Personal interests, keep them to a minimum.
- Remember to adhere to requests highlighted in advertisements by clients or consultants, for instance "details of your salary package" then provide the detail. If you don't do this you will only annoy and demonstrate that you cannot follow instructions.
CV Presentation
- Presentation is paramount. Utilise bullet points that will help the reader find key information easily.
- Make the CV pleasing to the eye. Segmenting sections is very important, with main headings and sub headings (if needed).
- Highlight achievements and positions that are your best selling points, and make an employer want to see you.
- Keep your CV concise. The prospective employer is more likely to appreciate a well thought out summary than a full life story.
|
|
Pre-Interview Research >
Pre-Interview Preparation >
During your interview >
After your interview >
|
Pre-Interview Research
Research the company. Take time to ask yourself what the important questions you want answered are.
Remember that an interview is as much about you meeting the employer, as it is about the employer meeting you. Ring the company and ask for their product sales literature, look up their web site, use a search engine to see what information you can find, and read the trade press.
Q - Who owns the organisation?
Q - What do they do?
Q - Do they have any other offices?
Q - How many employees do they have?
Q - Is the company profitable?
Q - What is their reputation within the industry?
Q – What projects have they completed?
Q – What projects are they currently undertaking?
Q - Who are their main competitors?
Pre-Interview Preparation
It is very important to try to think of all possible questions the employer may ask you, both technical and personal, in relation to the presentation/ content of your CV. Your Project Resource recruitment consultant will always inform you of who you are going to be seeing, how long the interview is likely to last, the format for the interview (for example, departmental, technical or with human resources) and what the employer will want to know from you.
Ensure that you have practiced your journey (literally if possible), that you have a map of the office the interview will be taking place, you have train/ tube/ bus timetables (if not driving), journey planner (if driving).
Ensure you are dressed professionally, and look as though you are a serious business professional. Get your interview wears ready in advance, and check they are clean, and will create the right impression. First impressions count.
Aim to arrive at the interview venue 15-20 minutes before the start time, so you can report to reception, and compose yourself.
During your interview
As well as demonstrating your interest and enthusiasm towards the employer it is important to establish what your job role is to be, accountabilities, and who you will report to.
Q - What (and who) will you be accountable for?
Q - What skills must you have?
Q - What knowledge and experience are needed?
Q - Who will you report to?
Remember, always to be positive, never be negative about anything in an interview situation. Often companies may tell you the worst in an effort to test your commitment, it is always better to be positive to enable you to negotiate any potential job offer, as opposed to having no options other than a "NO" to consider when you get back from your interview.
Always listen to the interviewer emphatically. Misinterpretation can be costly. "First Impressions" do most definitely count.
Do not worry about being nervous, a little nerves keep you alert and feeling sharp. To keep your nerves in check, try visualising yourself answering questions with confidence, and take deep breaths to relax.
Have your questions to ask rehearsed, and try to include information in those questions, that will demonstrate your pre-interview research, and the information you have gathered from the interview.
Be sure to transmit enthusiasm, don't be afraid to think out loud and ask about your role.
After your interview
Hopefully, at this point you will be feeling confident that you created and delivered the right impression to the employer, allowing us to now help you take the process forward.
Before you call us after your interview, consider a few things that would be useful for us to know:
- How long did the interview last?
- Who did you meet?
- Did anything happen that you did not expect (such as being shown around the department after the interview, or were you introduced to anyone, not directly associated with the initial interview)?
- Were there any specific negative or positive points, behaviours or comments that were observed by you?
- How did you feel the interview went overall?
- What reservations, if any, would you potentially have about the job opportunity or employer?
- What further information will you require from the employer?
- What further comments or information would you like us to pass to the employer following the interview?
If you think about the aforementioned questions prior to calling us, then it will be much easier for us to help de-brief you after the interview. We will then work together through the next steps, whether it be moving on to securing an offer, or moving on to a new job opportunity altogether!
Remember that we are here to help you. It is in our interest to make sure that the option that you follow is the right one for you and the employer. The more information you supply us from day one of our partnership, the more we can help you get the right opportunity.
|
|
| |
 |
Useful Links
General news, industry news, industry glossaries, limited company formation, journey planner, etc. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quick Job Search
|
|
Select area of interest:
Select job type:
Select Salary:
Enter Keyword:
|
|
Click on a region below
to activate your search
|
|
|
Or click below for jobs
in all UK regions
|
|