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Showing posts from September, 2017

How To Choose Your Referees

Your referees are very important in the job seeking process. Most people focus on presenting their qualifications, skills and experience and spend little time deciding who should be their referees. But choosing a good referee can make all the difference. If you choose the wrong person, you might be rejected from jobs that were perfect for you. What do referees do? Referees provide extra information that lets a potential employee know about your work history, your skills and experience. This information reinforces what you have written on your CV by giving someone else’s word that your claims are accurate. However, your referee can also be asked to give an opinion on your character, commenting on factors such as your reliability and punctuality. Occasionally employers ask for a character reference only, but usually they want to hear about aspects of your work history and your character. Who can be your referee? The best people to be your referees are: former...

5 most important things employers look for in your CV

Imagine you’re a prospective employer. You have one vacancy, 50 CVs to read and only a few minutes till your next meeting. Where do you start and how do you figure out who to call for interview? Here are five critical questions a recruiter will ask him or herself – and how to make sure your CV can answer them. 1. Who is applying? The correct answer isn’t your name. An employer needs to know as much about you as possible, as quickly as possible – so make sure that you include a profile of yourself. Just ask John Lees , author of nine careers books including Knockout CV. “The opening 50 words of your CV matter. Don’t waste them on background information – write a short profile that sums up your work history, sector knowledge, skills, and know-how.” 2. How good are they really? Listing universal transferable skills isn’t the same thing as proving you have them. Especially if you’re using the same laboured descriptions as everyone else. “Avoid CV clichés (self-starter,...

Why it is important to have a cover letter

A cover letter is as important as the resume While we all know that a resume is important to the jobsearch process, it is not necessarily the most important document you will need to secure an interview. Many people believe that a strategically targeted cover letter is the most important weapon you need to fight this battle and to win it. There are two key reasons why. 1.     The cover letter allows you to target the job and the employer in a very specific way, leaving the resume to market your skills, qualities and experience as a part of the bigger picture. Your resume then needs less tweaking with each application because the letter, which must be different each time, does that for you. 2.     A great cover letter should not just repeat your resume in a shorter form, but should tell the employer what it is about the job that is attractive to you and why you want to work for that employer. You will also need to include the unique skills...

CV vs. Resume: The Difference and When to Use Which

CV vs. Resume:  Ever wondered why a Brit applies with a CV and an American with a resume? And why does an Aussie apply with both? There are a few differences between the two types of application documents and this article will straighten out your queries as well as tell you where in the world you are likely to use which document. Let me kick off the bonanza by introducing the contender in the blue corner… CV: A CV (Curriculum Vitæ, which means course of life in Latin) is an in-depth document that can be laid out over two or more pages and it contains a high level of detail about your achievements, a great deal more than just a career biography. The CV covers your education as well as any other accomplishments like publications, awards, honours etc. The document tends to be organised chronologically and should make it easy to get an overview of an individual’s full working career. A CV is static and doesn’t change for different positions, the difference would be in ...

Infographic Resume

How to Create an Awesome Infographic Resume: Step-By-Step Guide In a world where it is more difficult to land a job than ever before, and sometimes with hundreds of people applying for the same position, it is crucial for the applicant to stand out above their competition with a brilliant resume. It would also be good if they could do it in just a few seconds, because that’s how long it takes for the recruiters to decide whether or not they should be invited for an interview. Jennifer Roberts, who is a professional resume writer for Resumesplanet , highlights the importance of getting to know the company first: “Having a creative resume is great, but before you go out and create it, do some research about the company you are applying for a job with. They might prefer something more traditional, and not having a classical resume will get you eliminated very quickly. "On the other hand, if you are applying for a job in IT, video production, or design, producing a vi...

How to Write a CV (Curriculum Vitae)

wiki How to Write a CV (Curriculum Vitae) A company you want to apply to has asked you to send in a CV and you're thinking, "wait..what?" Don't worry! Curriculum Vitae (CV) means "course of life" in Latin, and that is just what it is. A CV is a concise document which summarizes your past, existing professional skills, proficiency and experiences. The purpose of this document is to demonstrate that you have the necessary skills (and some complementary ones) to do the job for which you are applying. Literally you are selling your talents, skills, proficiencies etc., Follow these steps to create a great CV. Part 1 Brainstorming for Your CV 1 Know what information a CV generally contains.  Most CVs include your personal information, your education and qualifications, your work experience, your interests and achievements, your skills, and references. Also experienced people tailor your resume to the job you are applying for. Use a modern but profes...
Hi guys, Welcome to our very first Post on writing CVs. According to wikipedia A  curriculum vitae  ( English:   / k ə ˈ r ɪ k j ʊ l ə m   ˈ v iː t aɪ , - ˈ w iː t aɪ , - ˈ v aɪ t iː / ) [1] [2]  (often shortened  CV  or  vita ) is a written overview of a person's experience and other qualifications for a job opportunity. It is akin to a  résumé  in North America. In some countries, a CV is typically the first item that a potential  employer  encounters regarding the job seeker and is typically used to screen applicants, often followed by an  interview . CVs may also be requested for applicants to postsecondary programs, scholarships, grants and bursaries. In the 2010s, some applicants provide an electronic text of their CV to employers using  email , an online  employment website  or using a job-oriented  social networking service '  website , such as  LinkedIn . (https://en.wikipedia....