Tips & Advice
CV
- Its all about preparation – making sure you get the right response from your CV.
- Keep the layout simple and easy to read – avoiding any fancy fonts and coloured paper.
- Provide clear contact details including an email address.
- Give a brief history of your education and qualifications – especially any relevant to the job you want.
- Keep it short – use bullet points and short sentences to put across your key skills, highlighting your successes and areas where you have made a contribution to the company.
- Make your CV relevant to the type of work you are looking for.
- Put your most recent job first and then work backwards.
- Don’t leave gaps between jobs – make sure you give details if you have had a career break or taken time off travelling.
- Check your spelling – then check again! Ask a friend to read your CV through for you.
For more useful tips and advice please follow the link to
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation website.
INTERVIEW
- Once again, preparation is the key to success!.
- Research the company - this will give you some background information and might prove useful during the interview.
- Read through the job description – prepare yourself, think of how your experience and knowledge relates to what they are looking for.
- Dress appropriately – you should always look professional and smart.
- Shake hands with your interviewer, maintain eye contact and be friendly to everyone you meet at the company.
- Show your interest in the company, prepare questions to ask and be prepared to answer theirs.
- Know where you are going, who to ask for and if needed where car parks are located. Leave yourself plenty of time!.
- Don’t criticise past employers or colleagues.
- At the end of the interview ask what the next steps are – and if you are particularly interested let the interviewer know.
For more useful tips and advice please follow the link to
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation website.
INTERVIEW
Download our Interview 10 point plan (pdf)
Download our Answering Tough Interview Questions (pdf)
- Dress appropriately – a plain black suit and white shirt never fails if you get stuck!
- Turn all negatives into positives. Make your weakness into your strength wherever possible. If you’ve ‘failed’ at something, explain how you learnt from the experience.
- Don’t criticise past employers or colleagues, and don’t put yourself down.
- Make eye contact with the interviewer whenever possible, and show interest.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions where appropriate.
- Before you leave the interview ask what the next steps would be for the successful candidate. Find out the time line, and what the process might be.
- If you’re particularly interested in the role let the interviewer know.
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