Posts Tagged ‘Job hunting’
27
Jul/10
With reports claiming there are now 70 graduates for every available position, a focus on how your CV and life experiences can single you out from the crowd is essential. Gap year applications have shot up this year, and employers appreciate that gap year students can add knowledge and skills to their repertoire that can be valuable in the workplace.
Gap Year Skills
Individuals who choose to take a gap year - for travel, work or a charity, should make use of this time to think about how their experiences can translate to essential skills and abilities to benefit their career. Here are just some of the gap year attributes you can showcase to potential employers:
- Fundraising – Showing that you were able to raise a percentage (or all) of the cost of your gap year by working, fundraising or applying for a grant shows determination.
- Staying Power – The ability to see a project through from start to finish.
- Enthusiasm – A can-do attitude and the spirit to take on the unknown.
- Making a Difference – Working and assisting charity and fundraising projects across the world is a fantastic personal accomplishment.
- Actively Volunteering – Choosing to help others, putting yourself forward and signing up for a beneficial project shows great character.
- Working as a Team – Gap years are often organised in groups, and especially if you are working on a project, you will have to use group skills to achieve your goals and get on with others from all walks of life.
- Overcoming Challenges – Whether you are travelling, working or volunteering, you will undoubtedly face obstacles, difficulties and hard times during your gap year. Showing how you overcame these (and what you learned) can be a great subject to bring up in interviews.
- Communication – Succeeding with interpersonal skills and problems of language shows problem solving and adaptability.
Employers wish to see proof that you have made the most of a gap year – even if you spent it working in your hometown, rather than volunteering in a third-world country – you should be able to show that you have grown as a person and expanded your life experiences. This can be on your CV, in a cover letter, a Video CV, your Personal Career Website or face to face in an interview.
A gap year can show responsibility, drive, ambition and commitment, and if you managed to fit in some related work experience along the way then all the better. By recognising the areas in which you have learned and articulate them in your CV or interview, then you will stand out from the crowd.
Interviews and applications often ask for examples of challenges you’ve faced, difficulties you’ve overcome and times when you’ve had to use your initiative. Gap year experiences can be great examples of teamwork, organisation, ingenuity, enthusiasm and passion. They can also help answer those tricky “what are your strengths/weaknesses?” questions, as your personality is sure to have been tested at least once while on a gap year.
Most importantly, a gap year should not just be a year off – for graduates particularly, a gap year should be considered to help improve employability, and for seizing opportunities. Any and every work and life experience is valuable, so long as you translate it into a tangible skill that is beneficial in your career. Accendo can help you word your experiences in a cover letter or CV to best show these attributes and gain the most from your gap year.
Tags: cover letters, CV Services, CV Writing, gap years, graduate gap years, Job hunting
Posted in CV Tips, career counselling, cover letters | 1 Comment »
21
Jul/10
Your cover letter is usually the first thing a recruiter will see, and therefore needs to be carefully created to give you the best introduction possible. A cover letter is a short, sharp summary of why you are the ideal candidate for the advertised role. It should be tailored to each company you apply to, and give employers a brief idea of who you are and your suitability for the position.
Here are AccendoCV’s guidelines on how to write the perfect cover letter:
- Find out who the letter should be addressed to and personalise the letter accordingly.
- Format professionally, proofread and double-check spelling and grammar, names and addresses.
- Keep it to a single page, made up of 3 or 4 paragraphs (or bullet points) describing your relevant skills and experience relating to the job.
- If sending by email, don’t forget to attach your CV! (It’s also a good idea to ask for acknowledgement of receipt, in case it ends up in a spam folder.)
- Highlight what the employer is seeking by listing your skills, experience and characteristics.
- Provide exactly what is specified in the advertisement, eg: your CV and a 3 page outline of a successful project you’ve managed – no more, no less.
A helpful tool to write an effective cover letter is the acronym AIDA:
Gain the reader’s Attention by introducing yourself effectively.
Keep their Interest by showing you have the skills and experience to fulfil the role.
Ensure that the content is relevant to the advertised position and the recruiter will Desire to meet you.
Make sure that your contact details are clear in order for the recruiter to Action a response to your application.
No matter how good your CV is, your cover letter is your first point of contact, and should represent you positively. You can find more tips and advice on writing cover letters here and here, or perhaps you’d prefer to consider a more modern form of introduction, via a Video Enhanced CV.
Video CVs are the future of job hunting, providing a personalised, succinct introduction to your abilities and strengths using a short hosted video presentation. Visit AccendoCV for more details on how you can create the best first impression possible, and optimise your chance for success in your chosen career.
Tags: cover letter, CV Help, CV Tips, CV Writing, how to write a cover letter, Job hunting, Video CVs, Video Enhanced CV
Posted in CV Tips, Video CVs, cover letters | No Comments »
12
Jul/10
It’s the responsibility of a recruiter or interviewer to thoroughly assess whether you’re the right candidate for the job, so whether we like it or not, they’re going to ask those difficult questions when interviewing. There’s no need to be nervous or anxious when going into an interview situation, so long as you are confident in your abilities and have prepared properly for how you want to put yourself forward.
They’re not looking for perfect, textbook answers; they’re looking for a genuine person who can show intelligence and the ability to think on their feet. If you follow our guidelines on dealing with difficult interview questions, you should no longer have to worry about the dreaded… “So what’s your biggest weakness?”
- Do your research. Before you even step into that interview room, make sure you have researched the company, the job description and what the work will entail, key members of management (if appropriate) and what will be expected of you. It sounds obvious, but going into an interview ‘blind’ is an easy way to go home with nothing.
- Stay positive. Answer awkward, seemingly negative questions like “What didn’t you like about your last job?” or “What are your weaknesses?” in a positive way, showing that you can see the benefits of personal growth and development. Don’t badmouth your previous employers, or be self-deprecating – answer by identifying minor faults, but backing them up with an aim to improve and extend your abilities in this new job.
- Be genuine. No one likes a suck up… Don’t practice your answers so they sound like you’ve learned them by rote, show a little personality and individuality. Putting on a ‘perfect’ front will only give the impression that you are possibly deceitful and manipulative. An important aspect of any workplace is the staff dynamic – they want to see if you will fit in as well as your ability to do your job.
- Tell the truth. You should never lie during an interview, even when you find yourself having to talk about something potentially damaging to your chances. Instead, find a way to be diplomatic and objective when asked questions about long periods of unemployment or leaving a previous job under bad circumstances. Explanations which take into account difficulties, but also display your future intentions can help you out of an awkward spot.
- It’s not about the money! Better earnings/hours are not the answers they’re looking for when they ask what drew you to this job… You should also not describe the position as a “stepping stone” to help you on your way, even if it’s true. Explaining your aims in terms of “new challenges”, “better opportunities”, “an interest in the company and an eagerness to learn and develop” etc are more tactful ways to put it.
- Plan for the future. When asked where you see yourself in 5-10 years, or what your career goals are, show your intention to better yourself and your career (ideally within the company). Even if your plans are not solid or clear, you want to put across that you are ambitious and diligent and you will work towards improving your position.
- Ask questions. If you’re really stuck for an answer, asking the interviewer their opinion can help, for example – “How do you deal with criticism?” could be answered by saying you think it’s important to be challenged and given the opportunity to improve your skills, and follow it up by asking about the company’s audit system. Showing an interest in the workings of the business is a good attribute to show in an interview.
Interviews can be nerve-wracking, but if you have confidence in yourself and your skills, a great CV to show, and do your research and preparation beforehand, there’s no reason why you can’t succeed. If you struggle with the stress of face-to-face interviews, it might be a good idea to create a Video Enhanced CV to be your first impression for you. A short introductory video CV can broadcast your personality, your assets and your goals to a prospective employer, before they’ve even met you, taking the heat off the initial moments of the real interview. Similarly, a Career Website can showcase much more than a traditional CV, detailing your work history, ethics, ambitions and individuality – available online for recruiters to peruse along with your CV and potentially giving you an extra leg up towards getting that job.
Browse AccendoCV’s services to help you make the most out of every interview, and secure the job you are after.
Tags: career website, CV Writing, difficult interview questions, interview preparation, interview questions, interview skills, interviews, Job hunting, Video CV, website cv
Posted in News | No Comments »
25
Jun/10
If tuition fees double, as has been suggested – from the current cap of £3,225 to a possible £7,000 – approximately 55% of young people in England and Wales claim they would forego attending university, according to a survey by the Sutton Trust educational charity.
Universities Minister, David Willetts, commented that students should see fees as “an obligation to pay higher income tax”, and that the cost of degree courses was a “burden on the taxpayer that had to be tackled”.
The number of places at universities has already been cut, and 70% of colleges plan on reducing the amount of courses on offer – leaving a possible 200,000 applicants without a place at further education in September 2010. Willetts suggested instead that students pursue occupational and practical courses.
The latest forecast, by Chris Morecroft, chairman of the Association of Colleges’ higher education group, is that the number of undergraduates will fall by 20% over the next five years, with more students opting for part time or online degree courses.
With more and more jobs becoming reliant on a degree, where does this leave graduates, or the multitude of students in limbo, when looking for a job? More emphasis on experience, life skills, organisation and initiative will be required to make a difference, with a well-crafted CV and excellent interview technique. The innovation of a Video Enhanced CV could be a winning solution to a difficult and saturated job market, showing forward-thinking, technological expertise and conscientiousness.
AccendoCV offers all aspects of career management, CV writing, Video CV and CV website creation and interview coaching.
Tags: CV website, CV Writing, graduate jobs, interview technique, Job hunting, job search, university fees, university places, Video CV, Video Enhanced CV
Posted in News | 1 Comment »
15
Jun/10
There’s no time like the present to take that step into a new career! We all face crossroads in our business life, whether it’s being unhappy with a certain job, difficulty working with colleagues, a desire for change or financial problems, we needn’t feel trapped or stuck where we are working.
Of course, making a career change is a daunting prospect, but there is help to be had, in the form of career counselling. Accendo’s Career Counselling provides access to senior executives, human resource directors, MDs, company secretaries, CIOs and FDs. They have invaluable personal knowledge of managing business change and the processes involved and will help you work through the challenges and identify new opportunities.
It could be as simple as rewriting your CV for a fresh new start, perhaps recording a Video Enhanced CV to give you an edge over competitors in your new chosen field, assisting with interview preparation and writing a professional cover letter.
In the current financial climate, we are all concerned about job security, but there is no need to settle for less than we deserve. Accendo can assist in all aspects of career management, helping you find, and achieve the career you want.
Tags: career counselling, CV Writing, interview preparation, Job hunting, Video CV
Posted in CV Tips, career counselling | No Comments »
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