compiling your cv

It is important that the information be laid out in a clear and logical way, so that employer's can access the information easily.


Contact Details
You should provide your full name. If you have a mobile phone you should always give this number, otherwise you could miss out on that all important position!


Education
Starting with the most recent, list the places in which you have studied. For GCSEs and A Levels you will need to state how many subjects you studied and the grades that were achieved.


Employment History
You will need to put these in order of most recent position first, including starting and leaving dates, the company that you worked for and your job title for each position. (For staff that have been working in temporary positions through agencies, should list the dates that were worked for each agency and then a description of the roles that you took on.) Include a concise description of the duties and responsibilities that were taken in each position, so that employers can see the kind of skills acquired.

Length
Your CV should usually be no longer than two sheets of A4 paper and kept to two separate pages. Make sure that the CV is kept as brief as possible, thus enabling you to expand further on your skills in the interview process. Avoid repeating yourself and most importantly, be honest!

Gaps

If there are gaps between employments, these should be explained so that your CV has a continuous flow.


Presentation 

Your CV should never be hand written and all spelling and grammar should be checked. If in doubt get a friend to proof read through it to ensure that it makes sense.

the interview

When you’ve been offered an interview this is the next step to getting a new job, whether it is a permanent or temporary post.

We have outlined a few things that will be helpful to you and that have proven to be successful for candidates in the past.

Preparation
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail!
An old saying but a very true one.
Always prepare for an interview, it is definitely time well spent. Do your research on the company that you are going to. It will enable you to understand what the company does and also that it is the right company for you. A popular interview question is: So what do you know about our company? If you have done your research you will be able to impress them. If you do not know anything about them then it may look like you are not interested in them at all.

Your CV
Make sure that you know what you wrote on your CV as most interviewers will use it as a prompt for their interview and if you are not able to answer questions against what you wrote, you may not look very credible. You must remember the roles that you have written and always give full answers - imagine that the interviewer has not seen your CV so has no information about you. If you don’t tell them then they won’t know.

Know the Job Description
Make sure that you have read and understood the job spec before you get there. If you have any queries then call us and we will clarify it with you. By doing this you will be able to relate your current responsibilities to that on the job description and this will make it easier for you to answer questions in the interview.

Questions: That you may be asked
It is a good idea to think of questions that you might be asked and to think about how you might answer them. Some popular questions are:

• Describe your strengths and weaknesses
• Describe something that you been responsible for solely
• Why we should offer you the job?

plan ahead

Before you get there - plan ahead.

Your Route
Make sure you know how to get there.

Your Timetable
If you are using public transport then make sure that you know the transport times and allow plenty of time for cancellations.

Your Dress Code
Make sure that you are ‘suited and booted’ for an interview. You can never be too smart and often under dressing or attending in casual attire gives the wrong impression about you.

...and finally!

Remember: You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression!

Introduction
Introduce yourself as soon as you can to the interviewer. Make sure you shake hands and that it is firm. Always look the interviewer in the eye and smile.

Personal
Make sure that you know the interviewers name and use it when you can in the conversation.

Fear
Don’t be afraid to ask for something to be clarified if you are unsure of something or ask for them to rephrase the question if you do not understand it. It is better to get the answer right having clarified the question than give the wrong answer and appear to not be listening.

Sell Yourself
Tell them why they should employ you and how your experience will suit their position. This is where your knowledge of the job description and company research will come in useful.

Positive
Always be positive and avoid making negative comments about yourself, ex colleagues and employers. It doesn’t make a good impression to the interviewer if they feel that you don’t get on with people - even if it wasn’t your fault. They are unable to get anyone else’s version.

Smile
A smile will hide your nerves and give the impression that you are confident, even if you are not. If you smile people will smile back at you and that sets a nice tone for the interview. Be confident, enthusiastic and honest. Don’t undersell yourself but at the same time don’t oversell your capabilities. When you get the job you want to feel comfortable that you can do the job based on your abilities and actual experience.

Finally
If you want the job, let them know. Don’t be afraid to tell them that you would love the job and would accept the position if offered. In our experience this has sometimes been the deciding influence between two similar candidates and the one that asked for the job got it!

We have compiled this list of helpful hints based on the common reasons why people don’t get offered the job.