CVs and Interviews

Wishing you a Merry Christmas & Happy 2009. We will be back in Jan!!

CV Writing Tips & Help

Quite often employers sift CV’s by focusing on negative points or weaknesses helping them to reduce potential candidate shortlists. This means that they are looking for reasons not to call you for interview. The unfortunate thing is that a weakness for one employer can be potential strengths for another. Weakness will be determined by the job description but some include:

• Lack of managerial experience or skills
• Inadequate or absent skills, knowledge or experience
• Very patchy work history
• Gaps in employment
• Too many jobs
• Only one previous employer

The best way to hide weakness is through effective CV design, layout and content. For example if you lack qualifications drop this section to the end of your CV giving the employer the chance to read your relevant work history. Alternatively if you are new to a position the opposite is true. Perhaps put emphasis on your relevant qualifications and training. Ensure that you make the experience you have look visually bigger. You can also highlight interests or additional information to support your case.

CVSANDINTERVIEWS offering excellent CV, Interview and Career advice to jobseekers in Ireland – Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Cork, Clare, Derry, Donegal, Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Westmeath, Longford, Mayo, Meath, Louth Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow, Antrim, Down, Dublin

For other jobhunting tips and advice — CV writing tips — Cover Letter Tips — CV Templates — CV Examples Samples — Interview Skills Tips — Competency Based Interviews — Interview Questions & Answers — Career Guidance Advice

Jobseekers need to change their focus when thinking about their CV. If you are thinking “story of my life” you are in trouble. Start thinking “sales”, “sales brochure” and “customer”. When you make this transformation you will transform your results. You see a CV is not a story of your life, work experience, education and interests. Instead it is a sales brochure focused on the employer identifying how you meet their needs and requirements.

Most jobseekers jump to find CV templates, sample CV’s, CV layout and CV format. My advice is to ensure that you understand the above point before you take any steps. If you don’t get this point you won’t get the interview.

For other jobhunting tips and advice — CV writing tips — Cover Letter Tips — CV Templates — CV Examples Samples — Interview Skills Tips — Competency Based Interviews — Interview Questions & Answers — Career Guidance Advice

Choosing a professional CV writer in Ireland
I have noticed a surge in companies and individuals offering CV writing services over the last number of months. This increase in choice for jobseekers can cause confusion BUT it in my mind dilutes the level of service in the market and feedback from jobseekers supports this. There are some individuals offering CV services who have no more right than the man on the moon. There are also many individuals offering CV services that many have the ability but lack the interest as this move to CV writing is out of necessity and not desire. To help jobseekers I have outlined a couple of criteria to help you choose a CV writer.

Let me start by making a few assumptions about you and your business:

- You are either about to begin your job search or you are in the middle of it with poor results.
- You’re not trying to get a professional CV on the cheap.
- You’re looking for an experienced professional and your friend or neighbour won’t do.
- You care enough about your career that you are willing to invest money to get the job done right.

Below are some CV tips and information to consider when choosing a CV writer

Cost – I will put this top of the list BUT believe me if you focus here you may end up with a poor standard document. Perhaps a generic computer generated one. Yes cost should be a consideration BUT remember the cheapest isn’t always the worst and the dearest isn’t always the best. Certainly ask for a price to do the work and build it into you final decision making process. By the way the cost of CV writing in Ireland has a wide range – EUR90.00 – EUR395.00. The EUR90.00 would probably be a Graduate CV and the EUR395.00 for an Executive CV.

Geography – This should not be a consideration as CV’s can be written via the phone and email. This means that you can even get a CV designed in the US although I wouldn’t advice it as CV’s vary slightly in different regions. Do you need to meet the CV writer – NO!
What qualifies the writer? – This makes me laugh. Everyone you meet would claim to be an expert including family and friends. Unfortunately reality would disagree with this. I know of skilled professionals writing CV’s who have come from bizarre backgrounds but generally speaking Recruitment/HR backgrounds are quite common. The other important fact is that your writer MUST have extensive experience in cold face of business sifting and selecting CV’s.

Reputation – The first thing I do if I am seeking a service in Google the web. Well why not go further and Google your CV writer. Quite often serious CV writers will comment on other sites, write posts for other sites and comment in national media. This indicates that someone is confident about what they do BUT also interested in what they do. This would be my No.1 criteria. Quite often reputation comes with a price but you may be surprised.

What others say – Take references on websites with a pinch of salt (although all the references on my site are legitimate). The other way is to get a CV writer referral from your own network. Again beware as CV’s that worked over the last decade would not necessarily work in today’s tough market.

A professional CV Writing Service supporting jobseekers across Ireland Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Cork,Clare, Derry, Donegal, Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Westmeath, Longford, Mayo, Meath, Louth Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow, Antrim, Down, Dublin. If you just want some CV Writing Tips & Help.

OK – I highly recommend that jobseekers invest in a professional CV. Your CV has 30 seconds to make an impact and maybe even less in a competitive market. If you want to successfully generate interviews your CV has to make an impact. I also realise that not everyone can afford professional help and this site provides loads of free advice with CV Tips & Interview Tips.

I would be interested to get the views of our readers. The site is still young but there is about 80-100 readers per day. I would like your views - How do you find the site? How do you find the information? Has it helped you and your job hunting? Please feel free to leave a comment and we will post all comments both positive and negative.

More CV Writing Tips & Help, Cover Letter Tips and Interview Skills, Tips & Techniques

CV Examples Ireland

Many jobseekers visit onlines sites to support their efforts to produce a CV for job hunting. The question often remains – Are these free CV examples worthwhile?

If you Google the tem “CV Examples” you will find unlimited pages. CV Examples & CV Templates gives a view. Potentially biased but a view all the same.

CV Writing – CV Preparation & Advice

There are many reasons why jobseekers fail when searching for a new job and quite often it is because their CV is not working. The CV is an important tool for job hunting and if you get this wrong you will miss out on interviews and fail to land that dream job. It is surprising how little time and energy jobseekers invest in creating their CV. This article will explore why most CV’s fail and how you can change your CV to make a bigger impact with employers.

CV content for success

It is estimated that 90% of CV’s fail because they have a lack of focus. A CV is all about the reader and not you. A CV is a marketing document which should focus on the employer. It will contain information about your skills, experience, education BUT the relevance of this information and where it will be located on the CV can change. Identify the employer needs and then tailor your marketing document (CV) to meet those needs. Concentrate on relevant education, training and work duties and responsibilities.

CV’s – Format & Layout

I believe that CV’s are like newspapers. The front page sells the paper and the first page of a CV sells the jobseeker. If information does not make the front page then it is not important to that reader. Some employers do not take the time to read beyond the first page. Like a paper your CV has about 20 seconds to make an impact. I have written one CV with Hobbies & Interests near the top of the first page. Traditional CV writers would frown at this but my argument was that this was very relevant information for that particular application. A CV is a fluid document. You should stay clear of rigid advice about how to structure your CV. I often read that Education should be at the top of the first page of a CV. What if you do not have the exact qualifications BUT very relevant experience? Follow that advice and you can kiss an interview goodbye.

Personally I do not like CV’s that try to use gimmicks or fancy paper to stand out. This is a tactic many jobseekers try but fail with. You need to remember the rule in property – magnolia sells houses. Jobseekers can create and excellent CV that makes impact without being flash. Flash can turn off potential employers. Keep it simple and consider some of these key points; ensure that you have enough white space on your CV, ensure that you use bullet points and ensure uniformity of font size.

Conclusion

A great CV will get you over the first hurdle of the recruitment process and enable you the opportunity to sell yourself at interview. It will also do much more that that. Great CV’s wet the appetite of employers. They create a positive impression and expectation which can give an edge even before you have met the employer. Little things like this are often the difference between success and failure.

If you need a professional CV contact CV WRITING SERVICE IRELAND

Personal Details – This information should be clear and accurate. I have experienced many occasions where I could not contact a job applicant because of inaccurate contact information. Normally this information will be found at the top of a CV and include name, address, phone numbers, and email address.

Value Statement – This should not be confused with a personal profile. A value statement is not about what you want BUT instead what you can offer the employer. It is a short statement which captures how you are a suitable applicant for the role. It serves the purpose of making the recruiter read your CV

Education & Training – Education should always be listed in reverse chronological order. Were it is situated on the CV will depend on circumstances. For example – if you have the required education and qualification then highlight this at the top of your CV before work experience but if you do not meet the requirements then drop this section to the end of your CV to give the employer time to read all you relevant work experience.

Work History – Normally this will be listed in reverse chronological order, and must include the date of employment, company title and job title. Beneath this you will list your duties, responsibilities while incorporating achievements. There are exceptions to the reverse chronological rule. For example if you have very relevant work experience but it was some years ago. The recruiter needs to see this but you cannot leave it to chance that they will read it on the second page of your CV. You could introduce a section “Relevant Work Experience” and the follow this by the section “Other Work Experience”

Additional Information – A section to capture information that can add weight to your application. For example other training, skills and achievements.

Hobbies & Interests – There are mixed views about having this section on CV’s particularly more senior CV’s. My thoughts are this. This section is an opportunity to sell yourself as your interests and hobbies may demonstrate relevant skills for the role or your passion for a particular area. Another reason is that many interviewers will glance here and use hobbies and interests to start an interview. Remember people like people like themselves so if there are common interests then you are off to a good start.

References – You can list these at the bottom of your CV but I normally prefer “References available on request”.

Need a CV or Interview Service in Ireland?

Here are two articles that offer information on CV & Interview Service Costs and How to choose a CV or Interview Service.

Good Luck

Lets just say you get caught sleeping on the job. Normally this means that you have to get your CV and Interview skills sorted as you are for the highway. Maybe not!! Below are some creative responses to that situation. Try one of these excuses if you get caught sleeping at work BEFORE you come back to our site for excellent CV & Interview advice to help you find that new job……..

“The blood bank told me this might happen.”

“This is a 10-minute power nap just like they raved about on the time-management course I attended.”

“As you can see I was working smarter and not harder.”

“Thank God! I must have left the lid off the glue.”

“Just pacing myself for the work all-nighter tonight!”

“That flu medicine I am taking just won’t wear off!”

“Sorry boss but I thought you were gone for the day.”

“Damn! Get to work at 6am and look what happens!”

“Research has indicated that this is one of the 7 habits of highly effective people.”

“This is to make up for the 7 hours I dreamed about work last night!”

“Why did you interrupt me? I had nearly solved our biggest problem!”

“Somebody must have put decaf in the wrong mug.”

“…and lastly I thank you for my wonderful boss, Amen!”