First and lasting impressions at interview

First and lasting impressions at interview Recently I have had feedback from 2  separate clients about 2 candidates that didn’t get any further than first stage interview. This was of course 90% due to their performance in the actual interview situation, but one of the more standout comments fed back, was that on both occasions,[…]

Writing a stand-out cover letter

Cover letters – the source of so much angst! (1) What makes a good cover letter? (2) How do I address the recipient? (3) Who actually is the recipient? (4) Does the addressee actually bother reading a cover letter at all?! ….the questions are endless Let’s deal with what actually constitutes a good cover letter[…]

Do I acknowledge the recruiter’s overtures if I am not looking for a role?

To be “head hunted” used to be a real badge of honour.  Nowadays it’s more of an irritant to be contacted by recruiters, who with the advances in technology, can find you through so many social channels, which don’t usually involve a call to your current workplace, as they did in yesteryear!  – So count[…]

Why you should make sure you classify yourself correctly on LinkedIn

Going back to a theme of a week or so ago, in the blog “Why aren’t recruiters looking for you?” – It is important to have an understanding of some of the ways in which recruiters will search for candidates. I’ll take a simple example – I’m looking for a Sales Manager with experience in[…]

Writing a compelling profile for your CV

WRITING A COMPELLING PROFILE FOR YOUR CV The main reason for writing a profile is to aid the reader to quickly understand, who you are, what you do and what you want to do. Think of it as maybe what you might say if you were meeting the reader of the CV in person “I’d[…]

4000 weeks – a sobering thought?

Friday 3rd April – 4000 weeks? What exactly does that mean? – It’s an indication of how many weeks the average person in this part of the world has on this planet! Quite stark when it’s illustrated like that isn’t it? Life is really too short to be stuck in a work environment which isn’t[…]

Why aren’t recruiters looking for you?

Wednesday 1st April – Why aren’t recruiters looking for you? Most of us do our LinkedIn profile once and then forget about it until we move jobs. However, more & more these days, a lot of job opportunities never see the light of day – as in, they’re never publicly advertised, so how on earth[…]

Trying to find a new role in your target country while in your country of origin

Wednesday 8th April –  TRYING TO FIND A ROLE IN YOUR TARGET COUNTRY WHILE IN YOUR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN I feel compelled to write about this, as since Good Friday I have had 7 separate enquiries from candidates looking to secure a role in the country I am based in, from their current location. I[…]

Black holes – sending CVs to on-line job boards!

Ever wondered why you don’t even get a courtesy of a reply from some of the larger companies? Or – you think your experience is exactly what the company is looking for, but you do not even get called for a telephone interview? Answer: The larger companies have what are known as “applicant tracking systems”,[…]