Jobseeking

JobseekingLooking for work? Find advice, guidance and support on a range of topics. Click on the toolbar buttons above for information on finding and choosing jobs, interview skills, making applications, writing CVs and covering letters, using social media, and building confidence, motivation and momentum. There’s also a special section for graduates and students.

Spring clean your CV

Mon, 17/09/2012 - 14:08 -- nick

Your CV is one of the most powerful weapons in your job-seeking armoury and is often the first point of contact with a potential boss, so it’s vital to make this document as powerful as possible.

There are two stages in this process:

How should I follow up job applications?

Mon, 17/09/2012 - 14:02 -- nick

You found a job you’re interested in online. Excited, you send off your CV along with a cover letter explaining why you would be perfect for the job and sit back and wait for their response. And wait. And wait. And three weeks later you're still waiting. Your early enthusiasm has disappeared and you've concluded your CV has fallen into a recruitment black hole.

Revamp your CV for the new year

Mon, 17/09/2012 - 13:54 -- nick

The one great thing about the new year (apart from the parties, food and drink etc) is the natural feeling of making a fresh start.

Why not begin with the most fundamental thing you can – your CV. Here are four steps to making sure your CV is right and ready to go in your campaign to get the job and career you really want in the new year.

What is a CV?

Mon, 17/09/2012 - 13:51 -- nick

The term 'Curriculum Vitae', commonly abbreviated to CV, can be literally translated as 'course of life'. Sometimes referred to as a résumé, it's a summary of your career history that is often the first phase in getting yourself noticed by potential employers.

Why CVs are requested
When employers have a vacancy they need to fill they will put together a person specification; a list of the skills and experience they want the ideal candidate to possess. From this list, the job advert is created, which is where they will ask you to send them your CV.

How can I leverage volunteer work on my CV?

Mon, 17/09/2012 - 13:47 -- nick

There are many reasons leading up to opting in for volunteer work. The important thing to remember is contributing your time and effort has a directly beneficial effect on your current or future career path.

Employers find volunteering work on a CV a valuable distinguisher. Whether the work was taken during a job or in between, it shows a pro-active approach to better yourself in a productive way.

What makes a good CV design and layout?

Mon, 17/09/2012 - 13:43 -- nick

There are a few schools of thought suggesting you should shy away from an arty or funky design that may distract employers from the content of your CV in favour of a more conservative and clean format. But, you can have both, albeit with a bias to the conservative style.

Employers spend around 20 to 30 seconds scanning your CV so it needs to remain clutter-free and easy to read. The last thing a recruiter wants to do is to go hunting for the information that they are looking for and struggle to find it amongst the array of elaborate graphics.

What hobbies and interests should I include on my CV?

Mon, 17/09/2012 - 13:38 -- nick

If an employer has already been unimpressed by the time they get to the Hobbies and Interests section, the information that you include at the end of your CV will not persuade them to change their mind about offering you an interview.

However, that doesn't mean the information included here is not important. A few brief words could catch the employer's eye and persuade them to take a second look through your skills and experience.

What skills should I include on my CV?

Mon, 17/09/2012 - 13:29 -- nick

As we have mentioned in many articles, your CV is designed to do one thing: to get you an interview with a prospective employer. That means that every section of your CV must contain information of most value - and relevance - to the advertised position. And, your ‘Skills' section is arguably the most important part of your CV to employers.

Hiring managers want to know what's in it for them. What will you bring to their company? Therefore, you need to sell yourself and demonstrate your skills and show how you are going to be a positive addition to their workforce.

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