Tips And Techniques
Cv Tips |
Interview Techniques |
Cv Tips
Guidance on CV Preparation
CVs should always be adapted to be relevant to the vacancy and its requirements. In addition, the contents of a CV should be truthful and an honest reflection of your experience and qualifications.
As a candidate this is your chance to shine amongst other candidates and be chosen by the recruiter. This means that you must put the maximum amount of effort into the content and presentation of your CV.
There are many ways of presenting information but the most successful CVs are variations around two main types:
- A reverse chronological format of factual steps back through your job history starting with your most recent position.
or
- A functional format concentrating on key skill areas and expertise.
Reverse Chronological
This is the most favoured by recruiters and is the easiest and most straight forward to prepare. This type of CV enables the most recent job to be given prominence and make an immediate impact on the reader. It emphasises the titles of jobs and organisations you have been with and should be achievement-orientated.
It is most useful when:
- The last employer provides high credibility and is an important selling point for you
- The next career move is in the same field as previous jobs
- The career history shows natural and sustained growth and development.
It is not so useful when:
- Seeking to change career direction
- Changes in employment are frequent
- Work history is intermittent.
Functional
This type of CV emphasises key areas of skills and strengths. They can be more difficult to prepare and also tend to be disliked by recruiters.
It can be useful when:
- You wish to emphasise skills and experience not used in recent jobs or to demonstrate capabilities not tied to a particular sector
- Changing careers or industry sectors
- Much of your work has been freelance or consulting
It is not useful when:
- You have performed a limited number of functions in your jobs
- In-depth experience within functions is limited.
Ground Rules for All CVs
Whichever format you choose there are a number of ground rules common to all CVs:
Length and presentation
Try to keep it to two pages, however sometimes it is appropriate for the CV to be longer if you have technical skills. In this case you may wish to itemise the skills used/gained within each company. A technical skills summary may be also useful. Do not assume the recruiter will know the skills you have from your job title, this may put you at risk of having your details overlooked through an assumption of lack of technical experience.
Use a clear typeface/font. Make sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors. Most recruiters tend to reject any CVs with spelling mistakes.
Personal Data
Include name, address, contact numbers and email address. Other personal information such as nationality, age, marital status and photographs should not be included.
Profile or Summary
Only include one if you are certain that it substantially adds to the CV. Clichés and generalisations such as ‘a proactive, people-orientated person with extensive experience’ is of questionable added value.
Dates of Employment
Include the month and year of employment. Explain any gaps in employment - otherwise recruiters may assume the worst.
Job Titles
State the job title and clarify ambiguities.
Career History
Try, wherever possible, to substantiate your work experience with specific achievements and their benefits. Highlight your key strengths through carefully chosen examples.
Company
State the name of the company and unless they are well known, state what they do.
Education
Highest or most relevant qualification first and with the most details. Include dates and institutions. If membership of a professional institution is required then this should come first.
Languages
Only mention languages in which you are proficient – either spoken or written.
References
You do not need to include referee names and contact details at the CV stage. It would be very unusual for a recruiter to request references before a candidate has had a first interview.
Interview Techniques
Preparation
One of the essential factors of a successful interview is preparation.
1. You should research the hiring organisation thoroughly, making use of the internet, press comment and personal contacts. You should also research the role and be sure you are familiar with the type of experience and skills that will be required.
2. Know yourself. Few people reflect upon their own skills, strengths and experiences, yet this is what you are supposed to talk about in the interview. By taking time before the interview to think about your experience / skills and how they relate to the requirements of the vacancy you will be able to anticipate questions that the interviewer may ask of you.
3. Prepare for commonly asked questions. These include;
- Why do you want this job?
- Where do you see your future?
- What are your strengths/weaknesses?
- What has been your biggest achievement/mistake?
- What is your current salary?
4. Practise your questions and answers with someone.
Practicalities
1. Make sure you know the time, date and location for the interview. It is also useful to take the organisation’s phone number with you, in case of emergency.
2. Be on time. You only get one chance to make a first impression, if you are going to be late call your interviewer to explain and apologise.
3. Take a note of the interviewers name and remember it. It is good manners to call your interviewer by their name.
4. Make sure you know exactly the location of the interview – plan the journey so you will arrive early. Practise the journey the day before if you are able, just to make sure.
The Interview
2. If you are asked if you would like a drink, ask for water. This will help during the interview if you need to wet your mouth.
3. Expect small talk. At the beginning of the interview your interviewer will try to make you feel as comfortable as possible which may include questions about your journey, try to be as natural as you can.
4. Be enthusiastic. If you have prepared adequately and you feel the role is a great fit with your experience, show the interviewer why you feel this way. Enthusiasm is infectious and is something that all organisations want from their employees.
5. Be yourself. Try to relax and be yourself. Be honest about your experience and skills.
6. Listen. Do not interrupt the interviewer and listen carefully to what is being said. If you feel the question is unclear ask for clarification.
7. Do not talk too much. Answer questions as fully as you possible can, however do not talk for the sake of it or to bridge any silences. The interviewer may need the silences to catch up on their notes/gather their thoughts before the next question.
8. Do not talk negatively about past employers. Even if your last boss or organisation was not good, never say this as the interviewer may feel you are being disloyal. Try to be as positive as you can about the person/situation and move on to the next question.
9. Prepare questions for your interviewer, although do not ask questions for questions sake. If the interviewer has already covered the questions you were going to ask – say so. Some sample questions you may consider include:
- Why has the position become available?
- What can I expect from you in terms of development / motivation / support?
- Where does the role fit into the overall team?
Closing
When the interview is finished, always thank the interviewer for their time.