For many, interview success can often depend on the personal touches and using small things to stand out.

Here career coach Steve Nicholls gives us some examples.

“Prepared for that upcoming job interview? Suit pressed, shoes shined, answers rehearsed? While I am a massive advocate of properly rehearsing the answers to potential interview questions (there really is no excuse these days not to have prepared in this way), I would urge you to take into account another point, one which can make a major difference. It’s a classic example of small things can make big differences…

A good friend of mine recently attended a gruelling high level industry interview. You know, one of those processes that take an entire day (but perhaps feels longer!). This was for a post with a 6 figure package, and benefits to die for. The interview process involved presentations, panel interviews, tour of company premises (by the way, however well you may know the building where your interview is to be conducted, never refuse the invitation to have a guided tour. The information you will pick up during this more informal stage of the interview process can be invaluable during the interview itself, and is a prime opportunity to find out what issues staff are facing, things that need addressing etc.), and to top it all off my friend then gave a speech to the assembled staff – scary stuff (but all part of the process)! Continue reading “Talk to everyone! It could make the difference in a job interview!” »

Accurate writing is essential in business and never more so when you are applying for new jobs. Any recruiter faced with a number of CVs will almost certainly screen out those with typing mistakes and poor grammar.

We asked Mark Cochrane – experienced proofreader whose business is called Mr Proofread – for some advice for jobseekers keen to get their CVs noticed.

“There is no doubt that your initial job application is the key to get you through the door to an interview, but how can you be sure that your writing is the best it can be? The easiest answer to this is to get someone else to proofread it; this exposes your writing to a fresh set of eyes, and in the right hands can highlight all of your bad habits.

Why not try to develop your own proofreading tactics? Here are ten ways to fine tune your proofreading skills:

1. Take a break and change your shoes

Allow yourself some time to separate you (the writer) from you (the reader). Some people can achieve this with a quick trip to the kitchen to make a cup of tea or coffee after they have finished writing. It’s important to remember that the person reading your document may not know you, or your situation. When you put yourself in the shoes of a stranger reading your writing you may find parts that don’t deliver your point clearly enough. Identify these areas and develop them for improved clarity.

2. Read your work aloud

This is easier said than done; you must read it slowly and literally. As the writer we know what each sentence is trying to say, so we read it the way we think it is written rather than the way it is actually written on paper. Try to read every word literally and pay close attention to the meaning you are projecting with each sentence. Do this aloud and at a much slower pace than you would normally read. Continue reading “Ten Tips to Develop Your Proofreading Skills for a Better Job Application” »

There’s no getting away from it, your CV is a sales document. Instead of typing the words ‘Curriculum Vitae’ or ‘CV’ at the top, put in ‘Why You Should Hire Me…’ and see how you write it. There’s little point just creating a list of duties or responsibilities; you will not get hired solely because of what you have done, but more because of what you have achieved within those duties and responsibilities, and how you can successfully build upon them and deliver in your next role.

Your whole CV should be your mission statement, your ‘This Is Me’ moment. It may be the door opener, getting you an interview, but when you get in front of a hiring decision maker you need a strong CV to present to. Written well, it can set the tone for an interview, manage expectations and enable you to play to your strengths.

When you write your CV, think about these 4 questions:

What are my biggest achievements?

Forget the CV format; just close your eyes and think of the 5 or 6 biggest achievements that have really meant something to you. They can be things that made a difference, or really stretched you out of your comfort zone, changed the way that the company did something, or required a lot of influencing. Whatever they are, they’ve got to be quantifiable achievements that will give whoever reads your CV an insight into how effectively you operate. Continue reading “Four Questions to Think About When You Write Your CV” »

With more than 135,000,000 users LinkedIn is a powerful platform and has certainly become the network of choice for recruiters – both corporate and third party – and business people who want to network and improve their chances of attracting new business.

Google your name and the chances are that your LinkedIn profile will probably be in the top 5 results – in fact for many it will be one of the top 2 – which makes it a very important tool of job hunting.

Yet for too many jobseekers it remains a place to load a profile, or online CV, and wait to be found. However with the kind of visibility that your LinkedIn profile can get it is important to have maximum impact. First impressions are everything so skimping on details can make you seem less relevant.

If you haven’t updated your profile recently then it’s probably time to give it a makeover…here are six things every LinkedIn profile should have:

Profile Picture

If you don’t have a profile picture then upload one straight away! Profiles with pictures are looked at much more than those without. We’re not talking a Facebook style photo either – certainly no holiday or party snaps – but a simple head and shoulders shot, smiling and confident, that projects a professional yet approachable image.

It’s often said that a profile without a picture is akin to attending a networking event wearing a mask!

Is it 100% complete?

A full profile gets more noticed than a part completed one so make sure that you complete every section – too often Education, Specialities and Additional Information are overlooked.

Your top section (under your name) should tell readers something about you (not just job title) and your summary should be a succinct but full description of what you do and what you’re looking for. Continue reading “Are You Maximising Your LinkedIn Profile? 6 Things You Can Do Right Now!” »

We recently posted a blog on office bullying in which we shared some advice on how to handle tricky colleagues. The post was well received – this seems to be an issue that affects many people.

We want to help readers find out more about where they stand so we’ve put some questions to our legal advisor – employment lawyer Philip Landau. Here’s what Philip has to say…

What signs should someone look out for?

In the current economic climate, it is perhaps unsurprising that managers are driving work forces harder, and being more critical about results, leading to employees feeling under increasing pressure. This cuts across all sectors but perhaps more typically occurs in highly pressurised sales roles.

Being driven to work harder does not necessarily amount to bullying. But in an age where bullying is on the rise and surveys have shown one in 10 employees will experience bullying and harassment at some point in their careers, you need to look out for the signs and some may not be obvious. You may find yourself being side-lined at office get-togethers between other staff, left out of meetings, unfairly criticised about your work performance and being belittled over a long period of time. All such action typically falls within the bullying pattern. Continue reading “Where do you stand if you think you’re being bullied?” »