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Author: Catherine Z Jones

Have you ever submitted a resume or CV to an employer and not received a call for an interview? It’s frustrating and leaves you wondering what you did wrong.

Remember that your resume/CV and cover letter are the first things that an employer will see - they are the first impression your potential employer has of you, so make them good.

Here are 10 top tips on writing a resume or CV. Follow these simple guidelines and you will improve your chances of getting a call inviting you to an interview.

Tips For Writing A Resume Or CV

Upon first glance is the resume or CV easy to read?

• Always use BLACK ink to print a resume.
• Use a standard font such as Arial or Times New Roman.
• The font size should be no smaller than 10, but no larger than 12

Use a good quality resume paper for your resume.

• Do not use your typical white paper.
• A good color choice in paper would be a light off-white or cream paper

Run spell-check and correct any grammatical, punctuation, or spelling errors!

• Have someone else read your resume if you do not have spell-check.

State previous job history in chronological order starting with most recent job first.

• State Company name.
• State your title.
• State length of employment.
• State responsibilities or duties.
• If there are any large gaps in between jobs, explain them.
• Concentrate on skills and achievement relevant to the position you are applying for.

Does your resume objective sell you? A good resume objective should state:

• The job you’re applying for.
• Why you’re the best candidate.
• What you can bring to the company.

Keep your resume as short as possible.

• If possible keep it to one page but not more than two pages.
• You can make a statement that further information is available upon request or refer to an appendix for less relevant information.

Be honest.

• Do not profess skills you do not have.
• Do not exaggerate lengths of employment to cover up gaps.

Make sure it’s relevant.

• Tailor your resume or CV to each job you’re applying for. Employers like to see you have singled their job out particularly.

Make sure to follow instructions.

• If an employer requests a resume via regular mail, email, faxed, etc. submit your resume as requested.

In your cover letter make sure you make mention of the specific job you are submitting a resume for.

• Keep your cover letter short and to the point.
• State the position for which you are applying for and where you saw it.
• Make a statement such as “I have” such and such experience.
• Make a statement such as “I can” do such and such for your company.
• Make a statement such as “I am” looking for a position that …
• Make a closing statement thanking the employer for their time and saying you look forward to hearing from them.

If you follow these simple guidelines when writing a resume or CV, you will present yourself in a favorable way. Employers are looking for employees that can stand out above the rest of the applicants that are vying for the same position. By catching their eye with a professional, relevant and interesting resume, and presenting the facts in a way that the employer does not have to search for them, you are showing the employer that you take pride in your work. This is what every employer wants.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/resumes-articles/10-top-tips-for-writing-a-resume-or-cv-471495.html

Author: Catherine Z Jones

Most interviewees focus only on what job interview questions they will be asked and what answers they should give.

Few give enough attention to what questions they should ask of their interviewers!

But you must have at least one good interview question to ask. Why?

Because if you have none, your interviewers may have one of the following negative thoughts:

They will think that you think you know everything about the job/company already when they know you don’t (how could you unless you’re doing the job already?).

They will think you’re not serious about choosing the right job since you will accept the position without asking any questions of it.

So always have at least one good interview question to ask your interviewer/s.

Here are some ideas if you’re stuck.

Questions about the Company

What can you tell me about the Company’s plans for the next 5 years?

What is the Company’s main focus this year?

What’s the best thing about working for the Company?

What does the Company pride itself on?

How would you describe the Company ethos?

Questions about the role

Apart from what we discussed, what other activities will I undertake in this role?

What plans do you have for this role, moving forward?

How many others do the same role as this?

Has the role changed since it first began?

Questions about training

Can you tell me how I’ll be trained? Will it be on-the-job for example?

How long do you expect it to be before I’m fully competent in the role?

Who will train me? Will it be a colleague doing the job already?

Questions about progression/development

What progression opportunities will there be for me if I’m successful in this role?

Does the Company promote development for its staff?

Have you benefited from progression in this Company?

Questions about performance measurement

How will my performance be measured in this role?

What rewards are there for those who out-perform their peers?

How often will I be appraised?

You may have noticed that some of these good interview questions are personal questions to the interviewer. Don’t be afraid to ask these. It shows that you see your interviewer/s as employees too and are interested in their experiences and opinions. This creates a friendly, warm environment which can only work in your favour.

Note: Don’t ask NO questions but don’t ask TOO many questions either. Your interviewers’ time is previous so only ask those questions which will affect your decision to accept the job if it were offered to you. Stick to a maximum of 5 questions, less if time appears short.

There’s more about good interview questions to ask here.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/interviews-articles/good-interview-questions-to-ask-at-interview-480526.html

Author: Catherine Z Jones

There are several different reasons why a company might choose to run phone interviews. While it does not give them the face to face contact that a conventional interview does, it allows them to get through many applicants relatively quickly.

If you find yourself facing a phone interview, you’ll find that you need to distinguish yourself to make sure that you get offered a second, usually traditional, face-to-face interview. Follow the phone interview tips below to make sure that you present yourself well.

5 Phone Interview Tips

1. Double check the day and time.

Simple we know, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t remember it. Even if the phone interview is taking place in your own home, you’ll find that it is still important to be there in plenty of time and be ready. If the interview is early, you don’t want to sound like you are just rolling out of bed. Remember to make sure that you are ready and waiting to pick up whenever they call, so figure out where you are going to be and when.

2. Dress up

It might sound a little silly to put yourself in a suit or other business attire when you are not leaving the house at all, but you will find that if you do this you can remain a good deal more mindful about your situation than if you were simply wearing your sweats or your pajamas. When you dress sharp, there is a good chance that you will feel sharp too, so take the time to make sure you take advantage of this mental trick.

3. Keep things quiet

If you are in a situation where you live with other adults and children, make sure that you have a secure area in which to speak to your prospective new employers. Shut yourself up in a room and make sure that someone is keeping the kids quiet, or request that your roommates keep things quiet on entering and leaving while you are talking on the phone. Remember that the quieter the room is, the better your ability to concentrate is going to be.

4. Gather everything you need

Before the phone interview, get everything ready. You’ll want your resume, CV or job application form and any portfolio samples that you think might be relevant. Remember to keep a pencil and some paper nearby in case you need to make notes, and make sure that you leave yourself some reminders about things that you want to bring up. Keep everything organized so you don’t have to search frantically when you want to refer to something.

5. Thinking about call quality

Whatever you do, don’t eat or chew gun during your phone interview, although you might want to keep some water nearby to make sure that you can wet your throat. Unless you have excellent reception, you may wish to conduct your phone interview on a landline. Similarly, keep in mind the fact that you need to turn off things like call waiting to make sure that you can speak uninterrupted.

Follow these 5 phone interview tips and your phone interview will run more smoothly.

Here’s more phone interview tips including example phone interview questions.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/interviews-articles/phone-interview-tips-five-great-tips-for-an-excellent-phone-interview-485658.html

Author: Catherine Z Jones

As they say, first impressions count.

What you say in the opening lines of your resume or CV can determine whether an interviewer reads the whole CV or resume or only skims through the information.

You see most interviewers only spend 10-15 seconds on each resume or CV and reject between 84-92% within this time. So you must make a good impression and make it quickly to stand a chance of winning an interview.

The most effective way to do this is to write a good CV or resume objective.

A lot of people think the following example is acceptable as a resume objective:

“A senior management position within a leading multinational firm”.

We see this sort of statement a lot – a simple description of the role the person is seeking when sending out their resume. This person figures that their resume ‘objective’ is, after all, to win a senior position within a leading multinational firm so why not just say so!

But as interviewers this tells us nothing about why you want the job and why you’re suitable. In most cases we already know you want this job because you’re replying to the advert so this line adds nothing and is simply taking up good space and making no impression (and even a bad impression).

Instead, make your CV or resume objective work for you. Use it to highlight to the interviewer that you’re the ideal candidate so that they are interested enough to read the rest of your resume or CV.

You CV or resume objective should be between 3 and 5 sentences and include some or all of the following:

- The job you are applying for, particularly

- Why you want the job

- Why you are a suitable candidate including what benefit you bring to the role

Here are 2 good examples:

“I am a talented salesperson with 8 years experience in personal insurance sales and believe I’d be ideal for your Senior Sales Advisor position. I’m very keen to broaden my sales experience and make a greater contribution to a growing business. Already I am beating my annual sales targets by 12-26% and am confident I can use my skills and knowledge to make a real difference to your Company’s sales results.”

“As a results-driven Team Leader with a track record for delivering projects under budget and ahead of schedule, I was thrilled to see your advert for Project Team Coordinator. I believe I can use my proven management methods to make a significant contribution to your project success and will benefit personally through exposure to more complex and varied tasks. My resume outlines my achievements so far and I’d be happy to explain these further at interview”.

Can you see that these resume objective examples are so much more engaging, relevant and informative? Why waste the opportunity to make such a great impression so early on?

Here are more resume objective examples together with general advice on writing great CVs and resumes.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/resumes-articles/resume-objective-dont-underestimate-the-power-of-a-good-resume-objective-488127.html

Author: Catherine Z Jones

Did you know that your interviewers will form an impression of you within 3 seconds of meeting you and that if this is a poor impression, it’s hard to shift, even if what you say is good?

If this is the case, and research says it is, you must make the right first impression. What interview clothes you are wearing is key to this. As they say, “you never get a second chance at a first impression” and in the case of a job interview, this might mean no 2nd chance at your dream job!

So make it count. Here’s how:

Dress professionally and conservatively for every job interview, even if you know the working environment in casual and modern. It is okay to be overdressed but never ok to be underdressed.

This means ironing your interview clothes properly. You might be asked, not invited, to remove your jacket and regret only ironing the collar of your shirt/blouse.

Pay attention also to your general appearance.

Your hair should be clean and tidy. If it needs cutting, do this a few days before the job interview so you’re comfortable with how it looks on the day.

Your nails should be clean and neat. You’ll shake hands with your interviews and your hands will be on display the whole time in your job interview.

By all means wear jewellery but don’t overdo it.

The same goes for perfume or aftershave and make-up.

Clean and polish your shoes. Even if your suit is top notch, dirty, unpolished shoes are a no-no.

All job interviewers will tell you they are more interested in what you have to say than in how you look but all will agree that a poor appearance can ruin a good interview. Don’t let that interview be yours.

There’s more advice on preparing for an interview here including further advice on interview clothes.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/interviews-articles/interview-clothes-how-to-create-the-right-first-impression-at-interview-494885.html

Author: Catherine Z Jones

Even the most confident job interview candidates suffer from interview nerves, however mild, even if they don’t show it or admit to it.

But you can get your nerves under control and if you do, you’ll have a better job interview and improve your chances of getting picked for your dream job.

Here are 7 simple tips to help you manage your job interview nerves and deliver your best interview performance.

Top Tip: 1: Prepare properly for your job interview. This includes the following:

• Planning what interview clothes to wear
• Planning your interview arrival (giving plenty of time)
• Thinking about common interview questions and answers to give, including examples
• Planning some interview questions to ask

Some candidates prefer to ‘wing it’ at interview, in the belief that they give better answers ‘off the cuff’. But research shows that candidates who prepare well for their job interview feel that they do better than those who don’t and have a greater success rate.

In addition:

2. Try to have a good night’s sleep. Eat a little earlier and go to bed before your usual time. If you find it hard to nod off, listen to a relaxation CD or similar to help your relax.

3. Get up in plenty of time and have a good healthy breakfast, even if you don’t usually eat breakfast.

4. If your interview is in the afternoon, eat lunch about 90 minutes before the interview. This ensures your body is nourished but gives it a chance to digest too, so your energy is diverted to your brain, not your stomach.

5. As you wait to be called to interview, take some time to think of something that makes you happy such as a family vacation, a comic moment or Christmas. Dwell on the good feelings this gives you. This will increase your sense of well-being, reduce your interview nerves and raise your confident levels, allowing you to perform better in the job interview.

6. Do some breathing exercises too. Breathe in through your nose, hold for 2 seconds, then breathe out through your mouth. Repeat several times, with your eyes closed if possible.

7. Keep your job interview in perspective. You may feel like you life depends on getting this job but it rarely does. If you don’t get this job, there will be others and your experience in this job interview can only help you in the next. So keep a grip on reality and don’t let your thoughts turn to negative ones.

Follow these simple steps and you’ll feel in control of your job interview nerves, instead of them being in control of you.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/interviews-articles/interview-nerves-advice-on-getting-your-interview-nerves-under-control-505326.html

Author: Catherine Z Jones

Are you new to the job hunting scene? Do your hands get all sweaty when you go to pick up a pen to fill in job application forms? Do you start shaking like a leaf just at the thought of such a stressful event? If you fit this description, then this article is definitely for you!

First of all, if you have a resume or CV, all the information you need should be already there. If you lack a resume or CV, it may be time to create one.

When are job application forms used by an employer? They are commonly used for entry-level, part-time and blue collar positions in order to screen potential employees.

For other kinds of jobs, the application is simply the paperwork that the Human Resources department makes all its applicants fill out. Many times an employer will ask you to submit an application after they have interviewed you.

Here are a few tips on completing job application forms:

• Be prepared with all necessary information. Be sure to have your drivers’ license, resume, social security and names, addresses and telephone numbers of previous employers.
• Read and follow all instructions carefully. Review the entire application form before filling it out. You should think of this application as your first real test in following directions.
• Neatness counts! Be as legible and as neat as you can since the application form reflects you. If you have a typewriter available, consider typing it. If you are filling in the application by hand be sure to use only blue or black ink and use some “white-out” for little mistakes.
• If you are seeking a certain kind of job, tailor your answers to suit it. Focus your education and experience to the job you are applying for. You want to show your employer why you are more qualified for this position than any of the other applicants. Be sure to include background experience when appropriate.
• Don’t leave anything blank on your application. Employers give out job application forms because they want similar information from all applicants. If a question does not apply to you simply respond with an “n/a” or “not applicable”.
• Answer truthfully. You certainly do not want to put lies on your job application. Lies can be discovered and you can get fired for these.
• Stay away from any specific salary requirements. Employers will often use this question as a screening device. It would be better to say that you are “open” to the kind of salary you get or that it is “negotiable”.
• Provide references. Choose your references carefully. Make sure you ask a person if they are willing to be a reference for you. Most young job-seekers today have a nice mix of professional and character references.
• Proofread your job application before you submit it. After you finish your application, sit back, try to relax and proofread the application checking for all errors.

One final word. Your goal in completing an application is to get an interview. Take your time and do the very best that you can.

There’s more on completing job application forms here including job application guidelines on completing the free-format section on why do you want the job.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/resumes-articles/job-application-forms-a-jobseekers-guide-to-successfully-completing-job-applications-539362.html