Whether you are fresh out of University and this is your first foray into the job market, or an experienced professional looking for the next move, there are a few basic recruitment tips to remember whichever company you decide to apply to.
Where and how to apply?
It can be tempting to apply to as many organisations as possible when looking for jobs. Mailing many copies of your CV to a list of the biggest recruiters is not unheard of – it’s also not a good idea! A targeted and structured approach will have a far more positive result.
Making a good application involves much more than updating your existing CV with your latest qualification. Applications need to present more than just a picture of your life to date. They need to demonstrate that your career aspirations are suited to the job, show that you know what the employer is looking for and that you can market your relevant skills and experiences accordingly.
This means prioritising the information, removing old sections, planning an effective layout, presenting an accurate document and sending it with a covering letter that shows a real understanding of why you are attracted to that organisation in particular. Doing this well, for over a 100 applications, is no mean feat.
Increasingly, companies use online application forms to select applicants. Ensure that you answer all questions in detail and that you include ALL the information that you are asked for, such as salary expectations, preferred location, etc. – they are asked for a reason!
Print off the application form first in order to practice before completing online.
If you are making a graduate application then extra curricular activities, charity work and society memberships are all key to making your application successful so ensure that you include all of these details along with any internships or work experience.
Spice up your CV
The most important elements of a CV are, in order of priority:
- Accuracy of information
- Spelling
- Grammar
- Detailed work history
- Layout
- Document length
You can make in instant impression by:
- Keeping your CV short - no more than two pages, any longer could be detrimental
- Lay out information using clear section headings to make it easier to navigate
- Use bullet points to describe things like duties, responsibilities and achievements
CV Format:
- This is up to you, as long as it is easily understood.
- The content is relatively standard from one CV to the next and should include: personal details, profile/summary, educational details, work history, leisure interests, and additional information. The amount of space you allocate to these areas in your CV suggests the importance you want employers to attach to them.
Work history:
- Concentrate on providing just enough information for the reader to gain an accurate picture of your role. Avoid complicated verbose detail – simple and straightforward explanations will suffice and are easier to read.
- Be specific about what you have done e.g. managed two staff, responsible for a budget of, completed a project about etc.
Style:
- The tone and content should be professional – this means no jokes, including amusing email addresses! If your email address is less than professional, set up a new one for job applications.
The key to any interview is preparation. This is the one time to make a good impression on your potential employer and some general research and basic preparation can make all the difference. Being prepared will mean you are relaxed during the interview and make you come across more confident.
10 top tips on getting through the interview process:
- Read all the information you received about the interview carefully, noting the nature of the interview, whether you need to prepare anything in advance and how long will it last.
- Find out the exact location of your interview. Consider how you will travel to your interview, taking into account rush hour and any transport delays. DO NOT BE LATE!
- Dress to impress!! Unless stated otherwise or you are in any doubt, always wear a suit. Try not to wear high fashion items and dress conservatively. Make sure all of your clothes are clean and your shoes are polished.
- Make sure you take the correct items with you. Take any correspondence you have received from the company with instructions about who to ask for and where to go once you get there.
- Research the company you are being interviewed by. Think about what attracted you to this company and research some information about its size, the products/services it offers and its competitors.
- Keep up to date. You may be asked a question about current affairs so watch the news and read a good newspaper the week before your interview.
- Know your CV. Don't get caught out by not being able to answer questions about something you have written on your CV. Read through it before the interview and be ready to explain everything on your CV in more depth.
- Be polite to everyone once you get there, you never know who may be walking past reception when you arrive.
- Remain calm and confident throughout the interview and maintain eye contact. If this is something you struggle with, practice with a friend or family member beforehand.
- Have some questions ready to ask the interviewer, it may be a good idea to research them before you go and write them out. Questions regarding progression and training are often a good place to start.
What to expect in an interview
Competency Questions
Experience provides the best predictor of whether a person can do a job and therefore a technique like the STAR technique is normally used when asking a candidate a competency question.
Interviewers will be looking for you to give an example of what YOUR responsibilities were in the situation that you are describing.
S Situation T Task A Action R Result
e.g. Can you give me an example from your most recent role when you have had to work to a deadline?
Interviewers may probe into your answer to ensure they get enough depth to the question:
S Why did you have this deadline?
T What was your specific role in the task?
A What did you do to ensure you met the deadline?
R What was the end result?
Motivational Questions
Motivational questions are used to find out what makes the candidate tick and to see if the role suits your chosen career path, aspirations, industry etc.Typical motivational questions would be:
Why are you interested in this position?
What do you find frustrating in your current role?
What type of management style gets the most out of you at work?
Doing your research....
The best way to do this is to write a list of your strengths and weaknesses. This will give you an idea of what to use as examples to the questions. You can practice before you come for your interview by thinking of specific examples where you have been challenged or demonstrated a certain skill.
Here are a few things to consider:
- Passion and motivation
- Communication skills
- What interests you about the position?
- What do you know about the firm/division?
- Career aspirations
- Organisational and prioritising ability
- Honesty & reliability
- Business awareness/ company knowledge
- Pro-activeness rather than re-activeness
Assessment centres
Assessment centres provide recruiters with the ideal opportunity to see how you would cope with a number of different situations designed to replicate the tasks and demands of the job.
Exercises or simulations which have been designed to replicate the tasks and demands of the job for which a candidate is being considered. These exercises or simulations will have been designed in such a way that a candidate can undertake them both singly and together and they will be observed by assessors while they are doing the exercises.
They can last up to a couple of days so try to be yourself – keeping up a façade for more than a couple of hours will be almost impossible. Remain confident and calm throughout and prepare by practicing with your friends and family.
There are many different elements of an assessment centre including psychometric tests, presentations, group exercises and social events.
Group Exercise
Assessors will not just be looking to see what you have to contribute, but how you do it. Be aware of you other group members and try to involve quiet individuals, whilst putting your points forward constructively, yet firmly.
Presentations
These will often be something you have to put together on the day, however more often than not assessors will be looking at your presentation style rather than the content. This is something you can practice beforehand. Become accustomed to speaking in front of others and practice speaking clearly, slowly and confidently. Avoid reading off your notes with your eyes down and try to make eye contact with your audience by periodically looking up and scanning the room.
Social Event
This is so potential employers can see how you interact with people socially. Whilst the assessors may say they are not testing you anymore, they will still be watching to see how to approach this activity. Avoid too many free drinks and potentially offensive opinions, remain confident but not over the top!
Just be yourself and remain good-natured and focused throughout the day and remember that to get to the assessment centre stage in itself is a big achievement.
