Job hunting tips
We've put together some advice and thoughts on CV writing, interviews and ways to find your ideal job.
Questions for you to ask at an interview
Turn rejection into a positive thing
How to write a winning CV
Today's job markets are increasingly competitive, with some vacancies attracting hundreds of applications. Making sure that your CV stands out from the pack is the first and most important step to getting your foot in the door.
Faced with a pile of CVs, recruiters have little time to read each one in depth and will tend to glance over them initially, picking out key areas such as job titles and skills to see if your experience matches that required for the position.
As a general rule, only include the most relevant information and break it down into clearly headed sections, so that even at a quick glance, a potential employer can easily see your skills, experience, and qualifications.
Keep it short
No two people and therefore no two CVs are the same. And while the aim of your CV is to market yourself in the best possible way, it shouldn't mean that you have to write an essay to do it. A good guide to length is two sides of A4, but that's not to say that if you need more space you can't go over that length, and likewise, if you can say what you need to say in less. As a general rule, shorter is better.
Nothing but the truth
However tempting it may be to pad your CV out with waffle or embellish your skills and experience - don't. It wastes employers' time and it will come back to haunt you eventually.
Be what you are - an individual
You should be prepared to customise your CV for each job that you apply for if necessary. Demonstrating from the off that you have the relevant skills and knowledge will make for a better impression before you even get to interview stage. Don't rely on your charm and personality to win though once you get to an interview; if your skills and experience don't match the job, you won't even get that far.
Stand out
Above all, your CV needs to leave a lasting impression. So make it punchy and give it a bit of your personality. After all, your CV is your sales tool, so it shouldn't read like an academic essay. Use active, not passive verbs; this will give the reader a feeling that you are confident and professional.
CV checklist
In addition to making your CV stand out through positive language and concise text, you should always make sure that you provide the following general information:
Personal details
Name, address, e-mail, telephone number.
Education
Generally speaking, employers will be most interested in recent study, so list your qualifications and study in reverse chronological order, and summarise early education such as GCSEs, e.g 9 GCSEs
Work experience
List in reverse chronological order, including relevant voluntary and vocational work
Activities & interests
Use this area of your CV to promote your best personal qualities such as commitment and dedication. Talk about any clubs that you are a member of, charity work or committee representation; this will be more impressive to a potential employer than how many times a week you go to the pub
One last check
Once you've finished, make sure you read through and check for any spelling mistakes. And if possible, get someone who conducts interviews to have a look through as well.
Writing a covering letter
First impressions count whether in person or on paper. So when you send your CV, always include a covering letter addressed to a named contact. This is all part of your sales pitch, and enables you to highlight areas of your experience and personal qualities. A good covering letter can sometimes make the difference between getting an interview and getting a rejection letter.
You should use a covering letter to tell a potential employer what you've accomplished, give them a reason to read on and a reason to invite you for interview. While a covering letter is not enough to get you a job, it can help you get a foot in the door.
Written or typed?
Unless specifically asked for, avoid hand writing cover letters. A typed letter looks neat and professional and is easy to read.
What to say
You should structure your letter by introducing yourself and what you do. Then emphasise two or three of your strongest attributes and reasons that make you an ideal candidate for the job. Draw parallels with previous work experience without repeating word for word what is on your CV.
General tips
Keep it brief - quality not quantity is important. Aim to make your letter no more than four paragraphs. Remember, if you say everything about yourself, there'll be nothing left for you to say in an interview.
Details - be sure to mention the job you are applying for and where you saw it advertised.
Don't repeat yourself - use your covering letter to sell your skills that relate to the position you are applying for, not to copy exactly what is on your CV.
Start and end on a high - your letter should grab attention at the beginning and end on a high, giving the reader something to remember about you.
Presentation - keep paragraphs short and check for spelling mistakes before you send your letter off.
Sell your ambition - as well as portraying that you are qualified for the job, you should convey focused career goals.
Interview tips and techniques
All the hard work will be worth it when you're invited for interview. This is your big chance to show exactly why you're the person for the job, as well as giving you the opportunity to find out more about the company and get a feel for the type of environment you'd be working in and the people you'd be working with. It's as much a time for you to decide if the company's right for you as it is for them to find out if you're right for the company.
The key aspects of a successful interview are good presentation, of yourself and skills, and good listening skills. Know when to speak and when just to listen.
Here are a few of the most common interview mistakes and how to avoid them:
Be prepared!
As soon as your interview is scheduled, start preparing for it. Find out as much as you can about the company and the interview. Think about the questions you are likely to be asked and how you should answer them. And think about any questions you'd like to ask. Don't bring up the subject of money in a first interview, but do ask about training and career progression opportunities within the company. Asking questions shows that you are interested and well prepared: both pluses in an employer's eyes.
Be on time
On the day of your interview, leave plenty of time to get there, taking in to account anything that could go wrong such as train delays or heavy traffic. Plan your route in advance and if you're driving check out parking facilities. It's better to be early and give yourself time to relax and get in the right frame of mind for your interview than to arrive late and flustered. No one will remember your excuse for being late, only that you were. If you think you are going to be late, even if it's only a matter of minutes, ring ahead and let the company know. And if you are unavoidably late, apologise sincerely once and then let it drop.
Be smart
Just as your CV creates an impression, so does your personal appearance, so take some time to choose what to wear. Every company has its own culture of dress and standards of grooming which you'll soon pick up if you get the job. So avoid making too much of a statement with your appearance and as a general guide, dress smartly.
Be confident
If you're not confident of your own abilities to do the job and if you don't think you'd hire yourself if you were interviewing, then no one else will. If you've made it as far as an interview you and your potential employer obviously believe that you have the skills to do the job, so make sure that you reinforce their initial confidence in you. Interviews are always a little nerve wracking, so try and stay calm and focused, make regular eye contact and avoid fidgeting.
Be positive
The best way to approach an interview is with confidence, enthusiasm and an open mind. Be courteous and polite to everyone you meet. And if you decide during your interview that you don't think the company or job is right for you, maintain a professional attitude and be glad of the interview experience in preparation for the right job, which is just around the corner.
Listen up!
If you are nervous you may have a tendency to ramble, not giving the interviewer a chance to get a word in, or the opposite, you may be too nervous to speak, leaving long awkward silences for the interviewer to fill. To avoid this, pay attention, maintain eye contact and listen. Listen when someone else is speaking and watch their reaction when you speak so you know when to pause, change direction or sTop. And don't be worried about asking your interviewer to repeat or explain a question.
Body language
A job can be won or lost by making the slightest negative comment verbally or through the signals your body language sends out. Project a positive and confident attitude by smiling from time to time, making eye contact when someone is speaking to you and responding with enthusiasm.
Tough interview questions
No one can know exactly what they will be asked in an interview, but you can predict the type of questions that you may be asked and prepare for how you will answer them. By preparing answers to likely questions you'll be able to answer them confidently and this will prepare you for some that you may not anticipate. Here are some typical interview questions and tips on answering them:
'Tell me about yourself'
Keep your answer brief; your interviewer is looking to get a better idea of your personality and background, not your life story.
'What do you know about us?'
If you've done your homework, you'll be able to answer this confidently. Impress your interviewer with your knowledge of the company turnover, directorship, future plans, recent developments etc.
'Why are you looking for a new job?'
However frustrated you are in your current employment, avoid projecting a negative attitude, highlighting things like career progression and personal development as reasons for wanting to move jobs.
'Why do you want to work for us?'
Flattery will get you everywhere. Mention things such as aspirations and the chance to grow your career in an organisation that is respected and offers employees support and development opportunities. And this is where your initial research can really pay off.
'What additional personal qualities would you bring to the company?' or 'What have you got that someone else hasn't?'
Relate your past experiences, showing your experience and success in solving similar potential issues to those you may experience in the position you are applying for. List your relevant knowledge, skills, experience and personal qualities.
'What aspects of the position do you find most and least attractive?'
Be sure to list at least two attractive factors in detail and briefly mention only one minor factor that you find less attractive.
'What do you look for in a job?'
This should be simple - an opportunity to use your skills and have your performance recognised.
'Where do you see yourself in five years time?'
Be realistic. Don't oversell yourself, for example don't say that you want to be running the company if this is really unlikely to happen. Likewise, don't undersell yourself by suggesting that you'll be eternally happy to do the job that you're applying for as this shows a lack of ambition.
What questions should you ask?
Most interviews will end with your interviewer asking if you have any questions. This isn't always just a polite request - it can often be a key part of the interview. Your questions are an opportunity for you to show interest in the job and company. They demonstrate that you have been thinking about the role and what it might mean. It's also your chance to get a real understanding of the job so you can judge whether you would enjoy working for the company. After all you could be working with these people every working day so it makes sense to get as clear an idea as possible of what it will be like.
Think about what you enjoy at work: is it the work itself, the people, the company culture? You may like a structured workload or be happy with a variable and flexible one. What sort of boss do you like? What sort of person would be your worst kind of manager? Your questions should enable you to decide whether the job, the company and the people are going to be ones that you will enjoy working for.
Here are some ideas for questions you could ask, though you should think about the role and the company to make them relevant to your situation:
- What would be a typical day's work for this role?
- What are the key tasks for this role and how will success be measured?
- How would you describe your company's culture?
- What are the objectives of the department and the business?
- How would you describe yourself as a boss?
- What do you enjoy about working here?
- What's your policy on training and development - how do you support or encourage staff to develop their skills?
- Tell me more about the company - what would you say are its key strengths?
- Tell me more about the department I'd be working in.
- Would this position involve meeting and working with other departments?
- Do you have a formal appraisal system? How does this work?
If relevant you could ask about any projects you'd be working on or whether you would have a budget or staff to manage.
In general try to avoid questions which suggest you are only thinking "What's in it for me?". Details such as salary, bonus schemes, holidays, pensions and health care should all have been described to you up front. If they haven't, you could say "I haven't received any details of these, can you tell me about the terms and conditions?".
Quite often the questions you have thought about beforehand get answered during the course of the interview. Don't worry if that's the case; say that your questions have already been covered and mention a couple to illustrate the kind of thing you would have asked.
Every interview can be positive
It's unlikely you'll be offered every job that you get an interview for, but try not to be disheartened if your interview doesn't end in an offer. The most positive thing you can do is to identify why.
There may be a simple reason, which you may be told; this could be that someone who has more relevant skills and experience has been offered the job. But in the absence of any feedback from the company, you may have to rely on your instincts. If you really can't think why you have not been successful, a quick polite phone call to the interviewer for some feedback may be useful.
Whatever the outcome or reasons for your application not being taken further, the most important thing is to learn from it and move on. Put it down to experience, even if you're not offered the job, all interview experience is valuable; it will just mean that you're better prepared when the right job does come along.
Finding your ideal job
Although the market is more competitive these days, there are also more jobs to choose from and more places in which to look for them. Don't rely on one or two publications or agents to look for jobs. The more places you look and get your details placed, the more opportunities will be available to you.
Here are a few tips for successful job hunting:
Network - build up a list of key contacts including friends, former colleagues and managers and keep in regular contact with them. If they hear of anything that may suit you, this can be a good way to get a foot in the door.
Be direct - in addition to responding to adverts, write directly to companies that you would like to work for, even if they are not currently recruiting. Always try and address the letter to the most appropriate person, a quick phone call to the company will provide this information if you don't already have it - and follow up each letter with a phone call.
Focus - don't just write to any company, do some research and write to those that are experiencing growth, or that your experience and skill set is particularly matched to. Make a list of the companies you have worked for, then list their competitors, this will be a good place to start.
Don't expect too much - if you're looking for that first step on the career ladder, be open minded about salary expectations, experience is what counts most.
Be prompt - respond to advertisements promptly, ideally on the same day. Follow up your application with a phone call to check that it has been received and so that you have made personal contact and shown that you are keen.
Temporary work - be prepared to take a temporary job if it comes your way, it will still give you valuable experience and an income while you continue searching for your ideal permanent job. And often temporary jobs turn into permanent ones.
Big fish in a small pond - don't restrict your search to big organisations, working for a smaller company can have a number of advantages, you may be able to take on more responsibility earlier on and there will be less competition for career progression internally.
Make the most of the internet - the internet is playing an increasingly important role in job-hunting for all industries and positions. It's a useful tool for researching companies, finding out about industry sectors, searching for and applying for jobs.
There are a number of websites dedicated to recruitment, and numbers are growing all the time. Most are well listed with the major search engines.
Accounting Technician. Each month the magazine has job adverts specifically for accounting technician roles. You can also search the magazine's jobs database online.
Turn rejection into a positive thing
It's unlikely you'll be offered every job that you get an interview for; try not to be disheartened if your interview doesn't end in an offer. The most positive thing you can do is to identify why.
There may be a simple reason, which you may be told; this could be that someone who has more relevant skills and experience has been offered the job.
In the absence of any feedback from the company though, you may have to rely on your instincts.
If you really can't think why you have not been successful, a quick polite phone call to the interviewer for some feedback may be useful.
Whatever the outcome or reasons for your application not being taken further, the most important thing is to learn from it and move on.
Put it down to experience, even if you're not offered the job, all interview experience is valuable; it will just mean that you're better prepared when the right job does come along.