CVs and Interviews

CV Writing Tips – Bring your CV to life!!

Never has a CV required more attention than the current job market in Ireland. The landscape has changed dramatically over the last 12-18 months. Redundancy has replaced new job creation BUT judging from there 1st two weeks of the year there are still many individuals moving on in their careers. If you are out of work, facing redundancy or just moving on in your career your will need a strong CV. Below I have outlined a few key points to consider. Get this right and you will improve performance in the job market.

• CV should be changed and tailored to the specific needs of different jobs.
• It is likely that the recruiter/hiring manager will only take 20-30 seconds to find what they need – help them find this information through effective positioning.
• On solution is to start your CV with a series of relevant key achievements. Don’t use sweeping statements but instead focus on fact and results.
• You CV should show how you increased sales, reduced costs, improved team performance, implemented new technology. How you will add value!!
• Throughout the CV use every opportunity to bring life to the CV through effective use of language but also effective use of results, achievements and deliverables. This will help your CV stand out.
• Power verbs work and help add impact to your CV. Basically any word ending in “ed” is useful to begin descriptions of your duties and responsibilities.
• Good CV’s talk the talk but great CV’s walk the walk. Show the evidence with every statement – including hard skills and soft skills.

Professional CV Writing Service Ireland.

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Interview Tips – Advice about Interviews – Interviewing Support

I have come across a similar situation either side of Christmas. Two clients approached me for interview support because they were not happy with their performance at recent interviews. On investigation both had previously been quite confident and successful BUT what changed this? Both individuals had attended interviews to get some practice and improve their interview skills. Neither individual was particularly interested in the job they were interviewing for but felt the interview would improve their interviewing skills to support them when interviews arose for attractive jobs.

I have no problem with this strategy – going for a few interviews for roles that do not interest you. Many jobseekers use this approach with positive results. However if you do go this route there are a couple of things you must consider.

Treat the interview as if you really want the job. Prepare for the interview accordingly ensuring you have honed your interviewing skills. There is no benefit whatsoever turning up without preparing as you will only “crash and burn”. You will probably end up in a similar situation as my two recent interview coaching clients. You will have your confidence knocked which could impact future performance.

Accept that you more than likely will not get the job. Get your head right. Lack of success does not mean that you cannot interview. More than likely the interviewer could see through non-verbal communications that you were not interested. Interviewing will normally mean coming face to face with a trained professional who has experience weeding out uninterested applicants.

Mock interviewing is an alternative option to the above strategy. These role plays will help your interview skills and techniques and enhance your performance at interviews. Ideally you can get a friend with experience as an interviewer but if not try it all the same.

Good luck with your interviewing in 2009.

For more interview tips skills and techniques.

Just a quick note to wish all our readers a Happy 2008. Here is to landing that new job. We hope that the CV & Interview tips help. You will find more posts added shortly.