PRODUCTS:
CV Advice
Here at Thomas Munroe we have put together a step by step guide to the successful interview process. We've split the guide up into easy to handle sections which are listed below:
Working with your recruitment consultant
Thomas Munroe consultants spend every day interviewing, reading CVs, working with clients and making successful placements. Their unique view of the employment market and the wide range of candidates they work with have equipped them with a special set of skills when it comes to helping you make the right career move.
Getting into Shape
The most crucial part of your next career move is to be in at the interview. The key to getting the interview is an effective CV. At Thomas Munroe, we know the key triggers that make employers pick their interviewees. Our first task will be to rework your CV with you so that it will have maximum impact where it matters most. This will involve an in-depth conversation with your consultant in which the range of your strengths, experience and skills can be teased out. What may seem a normal and everyday skill on your part may be exactly what an employer is looking for, and we know how to make that connection.
Your Thomas Munroe consultant will use skills and experience to match carefully your profile to the current vacancies on our extensive database. You will then be able to choose which you would prefer to apply for based on the advice and knowledge of your consultant. You will be given an insight into the culture of the organisation as well as the opportunities that the particular role will present.
Do not expect the process to get you a new job in a week or two. Though that is not unknown, experience tells us that at least one to three months is a more realistic expectation. International placements can take longer. Interviews, relocation and working visas serve to stretch out the time frame.
Your Role
Our job is to get you into the interview room. Your role is to perform effectively in the interview. Your consultant already has an insight into your interview skills through your initial meeting. Coupled with our knowledge of the employer, your consultant is perfectly placed to coach you into the role of the interviewee. We’re with you, all the way.
After the interview, take the first practicable opportunity to call your consultant with feedback. If your feedback is positive, we’ll make sure that the employer knows. Bear in mind that employers will often contact us within an hour of the first interview and can be a little upset if you have not given feedback. There is also the opportunity to go over any misunderstandings or difficulties that may have occurred in the interview. Your consultant is perfectly placed to intercede on your behalf if that is appropriate.
When we have received any information from the employer about interview outcomes, your consultant will call. It may be that there will be a second interview to plan. On the other hand, you may not have been successful on that occasion, in which case your consultant will be there to help you get reflect on and get best value out of the experience as a preparation for the future.
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What Makes a Good CV?
A good CV is one which accurately displays your skills, abilities, aptitudes and experience. It does not understate or minimise what you are and what you can do. You will not get a job with the appropriate rewards or challenge if it does. Neither does it overstate the case and imply that you have experiences, knowledge or skills that you don’t. Getting caught out in a falsehood on your first day in a new job is not the way to go.
Presentation
- Use good quality white paper with a plain type face. Font size should be about 11. Don’t use mixed fonts or too many changes in font size.
- You want your CV to be read for what it contains. Adding graphics or borders detracts from the content. Keep it simple.
- Try to keep your CV to no more than three pages – two is even better!
Structure
- Put your full name at the top. Don’t use shortened names like Vicky or Billy instead of Victoria or William.
- The CV structure must be clear and easy to understand. You want to present yourself in a clear and concise manner.
- Bulleted lists can stop you from using over-elaborate language.
- Your personal history – education, qualifications and experience – should be in reverse chronological order. This means your present job is first on the list, not last.
- If you leave gaps in the time lines, the employer may think the worst – were you imprison? Mentally ill? Unemployed? Fill in the gaps.
- Hobbies and interests should be last and kept to a minimum.
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Researching employers
When you are up for interview, what can you do to increase your chance of being the successful candidate? The answer is to know as much about your potential employer as you can.
Why Bother?
You go to your interview armed with your skills, experience, character and abilities. But, then again, so do all of the other candidates. Knowing about how the company operates can make all the difference.
Time spent in research is not wasted. Knowing about how the company works will enable you to see how you can fit into it effectively. This makes your answers to questions in interviews more focused and the questions you ask more insightful. This will not be missed by a competent interviewer.
Job research
Researching for jobs will leave you with a wealth of information about the structure and culture of a range of employers. You will see how your way of working matches theirs and sharpen up your views in terms of career progression
You can find out about the career potential with a particular employer using available resources. Knowing the types of activities carried out, the range of jobs available and the financial stability of the company are important background knowledge.
A structured way to approach your research is to:
- Choose the industries which match your career path.
- Find the employers within those industries
- Research the employers and determine the key decision makers
Research for Interview
- Find out about the company. Is it stable, expanding or down-sizing?
- Who are the major competitors?
- What skills and experience are most valued?
- What have you got that they want?
Knowing some general facts about the company will give you confidence and enable you to ask questions with some depth. You can get information from AGM documentation about Profit and Loss, employee figures, product lines, markets and market share etc. The internet will provide all the information.
Introducing some information will indicate to the interviewer that you are serious about the company, your job and your future career.
Finding information
Most companies have a web site which is a valuable source of the information you need. You can also compare it with information from other employers in the same sphere, get careers advice and contact names and addresses.
Your Thomas Munroe consultant will give you a thorough briefing when you get to the interview stage. It will embrace a company profile as well as specifics about skills and abilities that are pertinent to the role.
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Networking
You can use people and employers that you already know to find job opportunities. This is called ‘networking’.
Networking can help you improve your job prospects by enabling you to:
- Find jobs that haven’t been advertised yet.
- Obtain a referral to another employer
- Practise your interview skills
- Gain a greater understanding of a position, organisation or industry
- Find the jobs that you wouldn’t want to do.
- Get more contacts and expand your network. – try to get two new contacts from each meeting.
Golden Rules
There are two golden rules you need to adhere to when you are looking to start networking:
- Don’t ask for a job. Ask for advice about job opportunities.
- Don’t go back to the same contact often or they’ll feel pressured. Build up your contact list to counteract this.
Use your own network to gather information about which companies and interests have roles which match your skills, abilities and background. Use the information to list as many business and personal contacts as you can.
There are two main activities involved here:
- From people that you know – relatives, friends, bosses and subordinates past and present, customers, suppliers, casual acquaintances – draw up a list of ten.
- Concentrate on people who know what is happening in their organisation and in the related industries in general.
- Draw up a list of ten companies which are relevant to your expertise and experience. Use reference books, the internet and trade magazines to identify potential contacts in those organisations.
Why Network?
At any one time only about one third of vacancies are advertised. You can only find out about them by using your network or by making speculative approaches to individual companies.
You are more likely to get a positive response if the person you contact is part of your network.