Hints and tips on CVs, interview skills and jobhunting. Going for a New Job?
Jo Ellen has been offering some form of Careers advice for
past 15 years. She used to run career development workshops, and now does one-to-one sessions called Career Action. A couple of years ago Jo Ellen had a Careers Advice column in Cosmopolitan Magazine. Lots of queries she got were on Interview Techniques and how to get perfect job. Here are some of her thoughts after years of helping people get where they want to go:
Interview rules
You hear all sorts of rules about job interviews: people decide about you in first 10 seconds; you have to make a good first impression; always ask insightful questions; learn as much as you can about company; they'll probably ask questions designed to trip you up, so have some quick answers at ready.
Not bad, as far as rules go: some of them make perfect sense. But getting job you want isn't about following rules. It's about presenting yourself in most authentic way that takes care of you and interviewers at same time.
So many people chuck their chances away: they don't take enough care and preparation so that whole process is enjoyable, stimulating and informative for both parties.
Your first opportunity: getting nterview
If you want job, chances are so do about a million other eager people, so your application has to stand out from crowd. British CVs are usually dull and boring, and people create them as historical documents, rather than as marketing tools. You can boost your chances of getting an interview by making your CV look and 'sound' special.
Use good paper, design a personal logo, fiddle with layout to make it easy on eyes. Edit it ruthlessly. People always put in too much detail. Highlight bits that relate to job you're going for. They don't need to know you went to St Mary's School when you were 12! Put 'who you are now' at beginning of your CV, and leave education and qualifications for end.
If you don't have what you think are right educational qualifications, don't worry. Just leave them off. If you include enough interesting and intriguing material about who you are now, what you didn't do is far less important.
I recommend a short paragraph at beginning that says something about your personal qualities and your business skills. A short statement about what you're seeking can also go down a treat.
As we know, a job for life is so rare nowadays, that eclectic, unusual and even inconsistent CVs are OK as long as they're presented well.
Even if you think your current job stinks, look at good points as though you were looking at it from outside in. Most jobs appear much better from outside than they do from inside (only you know real truth); so pump up goodies and soft-pedal baddies!
So that worked. You've got Interview; now what?
Here's key and most important thing to remember before you go through door. Unless they are simply going through motions because they've already appointed someone, they want it to be you.
