CV Tips

Why Are Interviews Used?

Why Are Interviews Used Job interviews are used as they provide the employer with information that is difficult to obtain by other means. For example the employer can see if the candidate is neatly dressed, well spoken, pleasant and outgoing. It also gives the potential employer the opportunity to see you respond in a pressurized enjoinment such as a job interview.
 
The employer can ask question that are impossible to put on a standard application form. Interviews give the employer a much clearer idea of how interested you are in the job, how ambitious you are. They give an opportunity to the interviewe to ask questions and to help sell themselves to the company. If gives you an opportunity to help highlight skills and abilities you have that the interviewer may have missed.

Contact us today at info@cvexpert.ie for more advice on interviews and CV writing.
 

Preperation for Interviews

Is Preparation For Interviewing Necessary?

The short answer is YES !

There are several problems with preparing for an interview. Firstly it is usually difficult to find out in advance how long the interview will be, or what format will be used. It is also difficult to foresee exactly what question will be used. However close inspection of the job advertisement and the job description should help to guide you. Nevertheless it would be wrong to assume from this that preparation is impossible. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In fact, there are six main steps you should undertake when preparing for an interview. Each of these steps require careful though and planning. They are as follows:

You have to get yourself into the right frame of mind for the interview. You need to believe in your abilities and skills and that you genuinely have qualities to offer the company.

You can find out more about the areas the interviewer is likely to cover.

You can anticipate likely questions.

You can prepare your own questions.

You can prepare aspects of self-presentation such as personal appearance, dress, folio etc.

You can know the contents of your CV inside out. You must have an answer for and a reason for everything you write on your CV.

Contact us today via email info@cvexpert.ie

Job Announcement

With the continued recovery comes more good news for Irish employers and employees. This week saw the announcement of a further 400 jobs in the Limerick region by Northern Trust, bring the total number employed in Limerick to over 1400 colleagues. This is in no small part due to the help and assistance that has been provided by the IDA along with the diligence and hard work of the colleagues working there.

Should you wish to apply for a position in this company or one and feel your CV could be with a bit of a tweak, contact us today at info@cvexpert.ie

Economic Recovery

2016 saw a strong performance for the Irish economy with GDP growth increasing to 4.2% and the unemployment rate decreasing from 8.5% to 7.3% during the year, the lowest it has been in eight years. These positive indicators resulted in strong upward trends in domestic consumption and general investment. Basically there are more jobs out there than ever before.


With this increased opportunity comes more competition also, less people are leaving and more are returning home to find employment and take advantage of these positions.
Having a strong CV has never been more crucial to getting you to the interview.

Contact us today via email on info@cvexpert.ie or visit us at www.cvexpert.ie

Things That Could Be Ruining Your Interview

When you get to your dream interview there are some surprising things that could be preventing you from getting the job.  We are all aware of the usual problems, such as being late or the perceived weak handshake, but here are some of the more interesting ones you may not be aware of:

  1. Arriving too early.
  2. Not eating before and interview. The last thing anyone wants to hear is your bodily functions.
  3. Wearing orange. This colour is commonly seen as the most unprofessional of all colours.
  4. Not following up with a thank you email or call. Doing this can make a huge difference and set you apart from other candidates.

If you would like any assistance on creating / reviewing your CV, please contact us today via email at info@cvexpert.ie

 

 

Mulitnationals - Fancy Working Abroad?

It is interesting to note that over 1,150 overseas companies have chosen Ireland as their strategic location in Europe.  What better way to fulfil your wish of working abroad then getting hired right here at home. Build your profile with the company while here and be the first in line to get that big chance abroad.

Key to this is a great CV.  Need help writing your? Contact us at info@cvexpert.ie

 

Free Sample CV / Resume

For anyone who has never had a CV / Resume it can be quite daunting where to begin. To follow please find a free basic sample CV / Resume. The information contained in this sample is the very basic that should be contained. You would be surprised the number of CV / Resumes that do not include contact numbers.

Your Name Qualifications MBA BA etc
Contact Details (including Town and County)
Phone:    Mobile: 
Email: name@name.com    Linkedin: linkedin.com/username

PROFILE
It is important to get this part of your CV / Resume right. Often it is the first thing an employer will read and it should set the tone for the rest of your CV / Resume. This is your chance to highlight the value you can bring to the role and showcase your core competencies and skills. Be sure to mention the skills you have that the employer has specified in the job description.  Your profile should be 8 to 10 lines long and do not use bullet points. 


CAREER HISTORY
Start with your most recent employment first and work backwards. Make the description of your jobs strong by using active verbs.  Remember to emphasise the key skills that are relevant to the role for which you are submitting your CV. Choose your words carefully to reinforce the experience that you showcase to the employer.
  
Title Held, Name of Company      12/12/2012    
•    Insert further details of your key duties and responsibilities.  Remember to use active verbs including sold, solved etc.
•    Insert further details of your key duties and responsibilities.  Remember to use active verbs including sold, solved etc..
•    Insert further details of your key duties and responsibilities.  Remember to use active verbs including sold, solved etc..

Key achievements
•    This section should include a list of 4-8 achievements and should be presented in bullet point format.
•    Use this section to highlight any achievements you may have had in a voluntary capacity. 
•    You should include outstanding academic qualifications, results etc. 
•    You should include details of group presentations that you have led, presented etc. 
•     If you have employment experience then you should provide examples of your achievements, you need to show employers that you have solved problems similar to theirs and that you achieved the results for which they are looking.

Title Held, Name of Company      12/12/2010    
•    Insert further details of your key duties and responsibilities.  Remember to use active verbs including sold, solved etc..
•    Insert further details of your key duties and responsibilities.  Remember to use active verbs including sold, solved etc..

Key achievements
(As above)

Title Held, Name of Company      12/12/2008    
•    Insert further details of your key duties and responsibilities.  Remember to use active verbs including sold, solved etc..
•    Insert further details of your key duties and responsibilities.  Remember to use active verbs including sold, solved etc..

Key achievements
(As above)

EDUCATION & TRAINING    
List qualifications gained                                
University name    12/12/2008

List any qualifications gained
University name    12/12/2008

List qualifications gained (do not include Leaving Cert results if you have a Degree qualification)
School name    12/12/2006

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Insert details of memberships 

IT SKILLS & LANGUAGES
•    Include details of all IT skills and software knowledge you have to offer potential employers. Example: IT Skills: Wordpress, AutoCad, Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Explorer.
•    List languages and competency level – conversational, fluent, mother tongue etc.
INTERESTS
Include brief details of interests. If you can use your interests to emphasise your skills then so all the better for example team captain or chairperson of a local group.  

If you are interested in making the best of your CV / Resume contact CV expert today by emailing info@cvexpert.ie

 

Personal Detail's and CV Writing

When beginning to create your CV it can be confusing what personal information to include.  In many downloadable CV templates it will contain a section for your photo, your age, sex and martial status. 

Is any of this appropriate? 

Employment laws, particularly relating to equality and discrimination (age, gender, etc) have implications for interviewing and selection. 

Consequently the applicant has more freedom today to withhold certain personal information on a CV about age or date of birth, marital status, children or dependent s. It's entirely a matter of personal opinion and judgement whether to include such information. 

There is no law which compels or prevents the inclusion or withholding within your CV of personal information that is subject to equality and discrimination legislation. 

However, the reality is that while there are laws in most countries against discrimination, identifying and proving such discrimination is virtually impossible at the application stage. So the only initial defence is to withhold the information - or to make it a selling point. 

The dilemma for the applicant therefore is whether to be open and up-front about personal information that (you fear) could put off an employer - regardless of the legality of such a reaction - or to withhold the relevant personal information in the hope of being short-listed for interview and overcoming any prejudices at that stage.

However all (most) employer's now days are keenly aware of their responsibilities in relation to employment law and indeed go to length's to ensure that their entire application process is fair and just. A simple notable example of this is that you never see an advert placed for a "Barman" or "Fireman".All positions are not advertised as "Barperson" or "Member of the fire services".

If you need any assistance in creating your CV or perhaps updating your CV, Cover Letter or LinkedIn profile to ensure it makes the maximum impact contact CVExperts today - Email info@cvexpert.ie or call 087 438 7025