Zenith People

It's a Personnel thing…

Likelihood is that your CV will end up on the desk of a very busy HR or Personnel Officer and if it doesn’t hit the right note I'm afraid it will probably end up at the bottom of a very big pile.

I'm also afraid that we can't give you all the answers or a 'right or wrong' way to do it. It should be a personal thing and that means that your CV will be as different as the next persons.

What we can offer is a few pointers as to what we like to see on a CV.

Think about it…

Don't just rush in and print off loads of the same CV and fire at random. If you are applying for a specific job that has been advertised then have a think about what they are asking for. You can usually tweak elements of your CV to emphasise the skills that an employer is asking for.

Printer syndrome…

We have identified a new disease. Its symptoms are coloured paper, unnecessary borders and clip art. Its effects are that your CV will, yes stand out, but is likely be taken much less seriously. It's content we want, so please stick to white, good quality paper with an easy to read font. Most employers want to find the information presented under clear headings, so think about how you will set it out before you start.

Be content with your contents

All we are looking for are all the details that we need to know so we can establish whether you meet the basic criteria for the job. When you get your face to face interview this is your opportunity to elaborate about your 30 metre swimming badge and other achievements. All we need is:

Personal Details: How do we contact you? Name, address, phone number, mobile, email, work number - all are really useful to contact you quickly to organise that first interview. Save the space for the relevant info! Most employers aren’t really concerned (and certainly shouldn’t discriminate) if you have family or how old you are. And unless you are applying for a job working abroad, we aren’t really bothered if you have a current passport or not!

Work experience: Unless you are a school leaver with no experience, this section of your CV will be the most important to most employers. It should list the most recent experience first as this will probably be the most relevant or responsible. List your Employer and Job Title and when describing the role keep it straightforward using positive language. We recommend short sentences, which are clearly laid out (and we LOVE bullet points!) Listing achievements are fine if they are to the point and highlight relevant skills required for the role you are applying for.

Education: School leavers this will be your main part but it’s important for other applicants too. List brief details of Qualifications and/or memberships to professional bodies.

Skills and Training: If they are relevant to the role and are specific skills such as languages or IT skills they should be listed again in a simple style.

References: If you get the job it is likely that your new employer will issue your contract subject to satisfactory references. It is usual for you to provide names of two people (one of whom should be a recent former employer) who they can contact for a reference. Academic and character references are usually acceptable but in all cases make sure check with your named referees that they are happy to be contacted!

Hobbies: This is probably the most personal and probably the least relevant thing on your CV. It is optional and we advise you to be careful with what you put if you decide to include this section - think about what kind of image you want to portray to your potential employer.

And finally

Make sure the spelling is correct. It's not a good start if your covering letter is addressed to a specific person and you have spelt their name wrong!

Little white lies may be tempting but if you get caught out it won’t be pleasant.

Don't be vague with dates of employment - employers will want to know exactly how long you worked for a company and if you are not clear they will think the worst.

If your CV is about as heavy as you, you have to look at your content; what is truly relevant? Most Employers will drift off after two to three pages - they are not looking for a novel so keep it to the point.

Be On Time

There are two ends of the scale here. The obvious one surely is that being late for an interview doesn’t create the best first impression. We advise you to check out the location the day before, plan your route and if you have time, do a dummy run so that you know exactly how long it'll take, what the traffic is like etc. If you are running late due to unforeseen circumstances always ring ahead and let your contact know.

You may be surprised to hear that being really early for an interview is also slightly off-putting. If you do get there unexpectedly early why not take a moment to compose yourself by waiting in your car or walking around the block.

In our opinion you should aim to get there about 5-10 minutes before your interview time.

Suited And Booted

There is nothing truer than the expression "first impressions count". Whenever possible you should wear your best interview clobber. In our opinion you will be taken much more seriously if you arrive in a business suit. Handshakes are important too - a good, firm one is advised. A friendly disposition always helps so try to smile!

Be Prepared

Check when you make the appointment what you might need to bring along with you - and then make sure you remember it!

Sell Yourself

Tricky one this as you want to get the balance right. At the end of the day no one wants to sit and listen to a relentless show off BUT you are there to show that you have all the credentials for the role and you need to sell yourself in order to do that. You may have put together a brief CV which merely outlines your skills and experience - this is your chance to expand on that giving examples where you can. However, the most important thing to remember is…

Listen! Listen! Listen!

Hopefully, your interviewer will have put some thought into the questions they ask you. They will no doubt have a planned structure and will ask specific questions designed to find out everything they need to know about you to ascertain if you are right for the job. In order to make the best impression, listen to the questions and give relevant answers that involve as much of your experience as possible.

And finally… don’t be afraid to ask questions. This is also a chance for your to find out if the role is right for you!