CVs and Interviews

Interview Checklist

Be Polite – Go out of your way to be polite on the day of the interview not only to the interviewer, but also to the receptionist or secretary.

Body Language – Firm Handshake, direct eye contact and a friendly smile; demonstrate a sincere interest and enthusiasm for the job.

Positive Attitude – Maintain a positive attitude and believe in yourself.

Focus – Remember what the clients is looking for!!

Answers Brief & Concise – Unless asked to give more detail, limit your answers to two to three minutes per question. Tape yourself and see how long it takes you to fully answer a question.

Concrete & Quantifiable Examples – Interviewees tend to talk in generalities. Unfortunately, generalities often fail to convince interviewers that the applicant has assets. Include measurable information and provide details about specific accomplishments when discussing your strengths.

Listen & Adapt – Be sensitive to the style of the interviewer. Pay attention for helpful clues to assist you in tailoring your presentation.

Loyalty To Former Employers – no matter what they did (or did to you) never, say anything negative about them.

Two Way Process – Ask Questions One of the final questions you’ll be asked in an interview is: “Is there anything you would like to know about the company or job?” Answering “No” sends the wrong signals. It can say you are not really interested in the job or lack confidence and assertiveness. Use your judgment about the number of questions you ask. When you begin to think of the interview as a two-way process, you will see it is important for you to find out as much as possible about the company. You should therefore have plenty of questions but if you are struggling see Appendix 8.0.

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!”

Psychometric Testng Ireland offering tests and assessment tools to support recruitment and selection. Measurability offer Psychometric Testing solutions in Ireland.

Outplacement Services Ireland can help you and your staff transition through redundancy. Measurability for Outplacement Services.

Interviews

Have you messed up at interview recently? Answered a question liked Homer Simpson or asked a question that filed your application under ”rejection & exit door”.

Interviews are tough BUT you can improve confidence, performance and results through proper preparation. I guess interviews are no different to most things in life. The harder you work at them the luckier you get.

If you are feeling down about a recent interview I have collected some examples of how other people opened their mouth at interview to change feet. Here are some interview disasters that will give you a laugh before the weekend and prove you were not that bad.

Interviews – Funny Interview Mistakes

* At interview an applicant was asked what their greatest job-skill. The applicant replied “I am proud of my computer illiteracy”


* At the end of the interview the interviewer asks the applicant if they had any questions about the position. The jobseeker replied – “What happens if I wake up in the morning and don’t feel like coming to work?”


* After a jobseeker arrived for an early morning interview, the jobseeker asked to use the interviewer’s phone. The jobseeker then faked a coughing fit as they phoned in sick to work.


* An employer called the jobseeker and asked them to bring several copies of their CV and 3 referees. The candidate called back an hour before the interview requesting a rescheduled interview. The jobseekers gave the excuse that their referees couldn’t were unavailable to attend the interview.


* Towards the end of the interview the interviewer asked a jobseeker to describe their dream job. “I don’t know…I haven’t had it yet.” was the reply.

If you have any good examples we would love to hear them ….

CVSANDINTERVIEWS offering expert CV Advice and Interview Preparation information to 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