What recruiters are really looking for in your CV

What recruiters are really looking for in your CV by Michael Cheary Want to know what recruiters really want?Well, you’re in luck. We recently surveyed over 300 UK employers who shared their biggest application turn-offs and told us what they’re really looking for when they read your CV.Here’s what we found out:Most important feature of a CV:Aside from the obvious (i.e. qualifications and previous experience), for many recruiters, presentation should take precedence. In fact, nearly half of those surveyed told us that the most important consideration when reviewing a CV is that it’s presented in a logical order.Good formatting and appropriate length were also highlighted by most hiring managers as pre-requisites. So when you start writing your CV, don’t leave layout as an afterthought. It really is important. Even the most well-written CV can be let down by poor presentation.And if you’re wondering what the perfect format and length is for your CV, an overwhelming 91% of recruiters see a Word document of two to t hree pages as the right way to go.Top tip: When it comes to ordering, it’s all about relevance. For example, if you’re applying for a graduate role, state your education first. If specific experience is highlighted in the job description, ensure that this is featured on the first page of your CV.CV layout: dos and don’ts »Biggest turn-off:Over 50% of recruiters highlighted poor spelling and grammar as their number one application turn-off.In today’s competitive job market, spelling mistakes and grammatical errors are almost inexcusable and, more importantly, they are easily fixed. All it takes is to ask someone to proofread what you’ve written and you could be making your application twice as likely to succeed.And don’t rely on spellcheck. It won’t find every error that’s their*.Top tip: Re-read your CV. Read it again. And, more importantly, ask a friend or family member to read it. You may be skipping over an error or missing a mistake without even knowing it.Common grammar mistakes to avoid on your CV »Biggest pet-hate phrase:For many hiring managers, there’s nothing worse than a generic CV.With that in mind, you may want to pay particular attention when it comes to your hobbies and interests section: one in three recruiters states that the CV phrase that grates the most is: ‘I enjoy socialising with friends’.Let’s face it, we all enjoy socialising with friends.The same goes for Good team player/good working in a team or as an individual, with 28% of hiring managers surveyed identifying it as their own pet-peeve. When you’ve only got two or three pages to stand out, don’t waste valuable space by using the same stock sentences.Top tip: As well as tailoring every application to the job description, you should also quantify every statement you can and back it up with a real example. For instance, if the employer’s looking for someone who works well in a team, saying ‘demonstrated excellent team-working skills when doing x projec t’ is far more effective than the tired ‘good team player’ tag.How to: Write a CV »Importance of a cover letter:For some of us, cover letters are a point of contention.Whilst some jobseekers see it as a key way to provide insight into their experience and interests beyond their CV, others question how much value a cover letter really adds. Well, what if we told you that four out of ten recruiters not only think cover letters are important, but would disregard your application without one.So next time you’re wondering what’s the point of writing one, remember: any extra opportunity to sell yourself should be taken.Top tip: To maximise the impact of your cover letter, always try and tailor it to the position in question. Even if you haven’t been asked to include one, still do. For at least 40% of recruiters who receive your application, it could prove to be the difference.How to: Write a cover letter »Free cover letter template »What to do when they don’t call:Finally , 82% of recruiters said it reflects well on a candidate when they follow up on an application.Remember: most recruiters spend one to two minutes scanning a CV.  If no-one’s been in touch after a week or so, it could be time to take action and get in touch yourself.Even if you’ve been unsuccessful, some will give you a few minutes of valuable feedback which could just help you to succeed next time round.Wondering about the best way to follow up an application or interview? 65% indicated you should follow up via email.Top tip: If you haven’t heard back from an application or interview, be proactive. It may just give you the edge when it comes to the interviewer’s estimations.Why haven’t they called? The importance of asking for feedback »So there you have it. With a well-written Word document, two pages long, and presented in a logical fashion, with no grammatical errors, and a cover letter to match, you and your CV will have a much higher chance of success.Now all that†™s left is to clear out your busy social schedule before the interview (sorry, friends).*To avoid any confusion, reed.co.uk must point out that this spelling mistake is included purely for ironic purposes only.  Free CV review  Need more CV advice?It takes an employer just seven seconds to save or reject a job applicant’s CV. This means creating a succinct CV is absolutely vital if you want to land that all-important interview. To find out how to make your CV stand out from the crowd, buy James Reed’s new book: The 7 Second CV: How to Land the Interview.Still searching for your perfect position?  View all available jobs nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the CVs

A quick guide to assessment centres

A quick guide to assessment centres Well Christmas is nearly here and with it the chance to relax and switch offunless youre waiting to hear the outcome of applications and first round interviews, in which case the time off may be better spent preparing for the next round of the selection process: the assessment centre. Theres plenty of useful online info to  demystify the process  and help you prepare for  assessment centres, but what about hearing from someone whos been through one? And come out the other side with an offer. Over to Jim Zhang, 3rd year MORSE student and careers rep for the Statistics dept I completed an assessment centre for a summer internship at an Investment Bank and received an offer. This was my experience, but as ever its probably worth adding a health warning. This advice worked for me, but read it at your own discretion. The day was broken down into four main parts: Company presentation Trading/Investment Game Lunch Interviews with relevant employers You have to hit the minimum ‘standards’ in each section. This is vital; employers are looking for well rounded individuals. You have the chance to secure the job; do not think of the day as a competition to beat other candidates. Company presentation If a company gives a presentation, make sure you pay attention! This is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the company so that you have more ammunition to express why you want to work for them. If you don’t have the best memory and that means taking notes, then do it. In the interviews later on in the day, I was asked what I remembered from the company and to describe the particular culture of the company. This day is learning experience so stay sharp. If you have equipped yourself with the right attitude, this section should be interesting! Group exercises Group exercises are a bit hit and miss for recruiters, some love them some hate them as candidates can be ‘fake’. Nevertheless, if you find yourself in one then the key thing here is to maintain a cooperative attitude. This means you should NOT at any circumstance be aggressive or attack anyone else’s opinions. Subtlety and professionalism is key here. Also, always be on the lookout to take the initiative when it comes to organising the group. Leaders stand out. Winning is not everything when it comes to group exercises, involvement is crucial. Lunch Lunch is no time for rest. Try and engage with other students. You could be working with these guys in the summer/graduate programme so start building relationships! Sometimes, such as in my case, there may be employers around to chat to during lunch. Take this chance to learn more about the company and connect with them. Interviews Interview advice is standard. Assessment centre interviews are often much more technical, but this again is just the minimum requirement. The technical aspects should not be the hurdle which you fall at. If HR has done their job right, everyone at the assessment centre should be technically aware and able to work in a team etc. What is most important is building a connection with your interviewers and showing that you are able to learn and work with them. This is what separates who gets offers and those who don’t. I would say good luck but I dont think luck is the most relevant factor; the offer is there for the taking if you are prepared!

5 Major Changes to Working Life in 2016

5 Major Changes to Working Life in 2016 5 Major Changes to Working Life in 2016 Sometimes changes at work can be something that comes over time, a gradual alteration in the way that we all work, perhaps as technology changes the work environment in subtle ways. Other times it can be a more abrupt and sudden change something that seems to come out of nowhere and suddenly becomes a major change to our working lives. So what changes have affected us in 2016 so far, and what looks set to continue that change as the year progresses?Flexible workingPerhaps one of the major changes to working life in 2016 has been the steady growth of flexible working, both the desire for it coming from workers and the realisation of benefits from it for employers. Once upon a time flexible working meant that you never knew what your shift was going to be from one week to another, or that your employer could ‘ask’ you to work different hours to your previously agreed ones. But the modern concept is flexible working is much more, well, flexible! One of the biggest areas of growt h in flexible working has been the ability to work from home. Cloud systems and high speed internet connections to domestic properties have meant that working from home for a company as a remote worker using a personal laptop or desktop computer is no longer a problem. Many companies are seeing the benefits to staff working from home, enabling them to work the hours that suits them and leading to greater productivity as a result. Gone are the days where the working hours had to be just nine to five in a company office, and involved extra time with commuting to and from the office each day.Mobile technology is another progressive area that has helped the flexible working revolution take off, meaning staff can work on location, with clients at their premises, and at different company offices as well as from home. In fact, some businesses no longer have offices in the traditional sense and allow their employees to work independently from a variety of locations. This can save money as w ell as increase productivity.The cloudWe mentioned the cloud and how it is instrumental in the ability for businesses to work in a flexible manner. Cloud services are also saving businesses money â€" no longer is the big, awkward permanent server required on site at the company premises, along with expensive maintenance calls and lots of additional security needed on site. By utilising cloud storage, businesses can now use their old server space for other functions or even downsize their property to something more cost-effective for their needs, while getting the very best, most secure storage for all their data.The cloud also helps working groups to increase their productivity through the sharing of ideas in an instant and through more effective collaboration with other team members. For businesses where working together works best, this doesn’t necessarily mean everyone needs to live in the same town â€" or even the same country â€" because cloud services can connect them all to gether regardless of their location.Social mediaSocial media is one of those technological changes that has washed over quietly and gently in some respects for some workers, but quite suddenly with a big impact for others. Utilising social media in everything from understanding their customers to researching potential candidates is now normal practice for most modern businesses around the world. In fact, most savvy and up to date businesses dedicate time and resources exclusively to their social media presence, reaching out and meeting their customers where they like to be the most and creating that personal touch that is the big thing in successful marketing strategies today.The changing face of workersA number of changes to the workforce in the average business has become more prominent this year. Firstly, there is the rise of the so-called millennials, the next generation of workers with a very different outlook on their working life than their previous generation. Secondly, ther e is the growth of freelancers, self-employed people who work for a company on a specific project or for a certain time frame then on completion will move off to other ventures for different clients.The millennials and the challenges they bring is a change to the workforce that will last for some time to come. These younger workers have grown up not expecting to simply walk into a job, even after university, due to high youth unemployment levels and the lack of a stable job market. They also have a big focus on the work life balance they want to achieve as well as working for a company that is trying to do something, not merely just make money.Freelancers have been around for a long time in one form or another but cloud services, flexible working and the growth of people wanting to be self-employed has seen them come to the fore this year more than ever before. Need a blog writing but no-one within the organisation has the skills to do it? Hire a freelancer. Need a new marketing str ategy or a new technology implemented? Get a freelancer in for that specific project. The cost savings for businesses long term as well as the chance to access the best new talent makes freelancers an ideal option.New technologyPerhaps the greatest change is the one we don’t know about yet â€" the latest new technology that will revolutionise our workplace. With cloud tech, smartphones, tablets, remote working and even high speed internet connections, new technology has already changed our working lives. So we wait to see what the next new revolutionary product or idea will be and how we will once more have to change our working lives to accommodate it. With giant corporations such as Apple, Google, Facebook, and Amazon now worth over $1 Trillion on the world market, yet managing to successfully run their operations with just over 150,000 jobs combined, maybe the future will be a time to reassess the world of work and our places within it. previous article Subtle Resume Freeb ie The Intelligent Applicant next article Crafty and Casual â€" A Smart Resume Template for Free you might also like6 Online Gigs You Can Do During Coronavirus Outbreak (To Offset Your Lost Income)

Tips For Maintaining Your Career and Motherhood

Tips For Maintaining Your Career and Motherhood It isn’t always easy to have a successful career.  Even though success is exciting and the end goal, it comes with its challenges.  When it comes down to it there is an enormous amount of pressure on you to maintain your success.  When you add on these challenges with also having a huge role to play at home as a mother, the results can be feeling like you are constantly on the clock and not really be succeeding at either since your energy is so spread thin. It isn’t impossible to split a balance between your mother life and work life.  All it takes is knowing a few tricks to see you through and you can make sure that you can successfully the best mom, while simultaneously being the best at what you do at work.  Here is how. Schedule Quality Time With Your Kids Make sure that the same way that you schedule going to work each day, you schedule time with your children.  This means setting a time each week when you can do something fun together that you both enjoy.  If you have multiple kids you want to split individual time with each.  Sometimes children can act out if they feel they aren’t being given enough attention. Take Time For Yourself If you don’t take a minute to take care of yourself between running around at work and running around at home you are going to feel worn thin quickly.  Rather than allowing yourself to burn at both ends, take the time to do something that makes you feel good. This could be anything from spending time with friends to enjoying a coffee alone, to taking a nap.  Without remembering self-care, we can’t properly take care of anyone else. Don’t Take The Office Home With You When you arrive at the office you don’t start talking to your coworkers about how you have to remember to take out the trash, fix the stairway banister, or fertilize the grass.  So why go home and start talking about all of the things you have to do in the office?  Your family may love you and want to listen to you, but it really just detracts from your special time together. You can keep your conversation about work general such as “I’ve been really busy.” or, “We’ve had some challenges.”  But dragging your family into the work drama rather than living in the moment and enjoying the moment with them is really just robbing yourself of precious moments. Minimize Stress Try to do activities that are stress reducing.  Such as running, going to the spa, or even meditating in the privacy of your own home.  Anything that makes you feel less stressed out is something you should actively try to do. Image Source

Staying Positive At Your First Post-College Job

Staying Positive At Your First Post-College Job Upon leaving college, I reverted back to an old job at a Grocery Store and pondered what I was doing with my life. It didn’t take too long before I applied at a marketing job some friends of mine were working at and I was able to start my post-college career. I knew I had to finally start going somewhere instead of reverting to lazy old habits and being stuck in a job I hated.Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comSomething that nobody told me, and I had to realize for myself, is that negativity is everywhere. My first job in my field was nowhere near as stressful, annoying, or smelly as my grocery store job. Yet I still found myself internally complaining a lot.I’m not saying that every job can be great if you want it to be. I’m saying, change your mindset to focus on being the best worker you can be, and to have the best experience you can make for yourself.evalYour first post-college job is important. While it may be just a “first job” for your career, it’s also the first career s tep you will take. Of all things, you don’t want to screw it up.So here’s a few ways you can stay positive at your first career job, even when it seems to be crashing down over your head.1. Take Coworker Complaints with a Grain of SaltevalEvery company has those employees that view it as their task to complain about business as usual. You’ll know who I’m talking about when I say nothing is ever their fault or happenstance. It always falls on someone in charge or another co-worker.These people might be really good at their jobs, but they feel burned, and expressing their frustrations constantly makes themselves feel better than everyone.They most likely have many valid complaints as well. No company is perfect. However, when these complaints come up, question them, and honestly ask if it’s something worth stressing or fighting over. Also, be patient â€" things may change if you give them time.Take everything as a grain of salt and if the thing being complained about isn’t a big deal or a problem, subtract it from your brain and continue working as usual.2. Use it as a Learning ExperienceMost people do not make their first post-grad jobs permanent, and if you don’t want to you don’t have to. Something you need to do, however, is learn from your work. If the whole point of your first job is to experience, then it would make no sense for you to come and go only for the paycheck â€" that’s a path to stagnancy and probably a potential firing.evalGet all you can out of where you are. Learn the most about your industry or job field as you possibly can, because actual experience is the thing that gets you to a job you do want to be at permanently. Trying to learn makes your bosses like you more as well â€" they will see that you’re a good employee and your reputation will hopefully precede you in the business.3. Appreciate it for What it isIt’s okay to enjoy things, even if they’re not what you want them to be forever. So enjoy your job. It’s where you are right now and even if it’s not your final destination, you’re allowed to appreciate it for what it is.I think that people get so caught up with where they’re not that they miss the steps it takes to get there. It’s a little ridiculous to spend most of your day miserable by choice.If you can’t at least be thankful for the little things at your job, then you probably won’t know a good thing when it happens. So appreciate your job for what it is â€" a means to money, an experience bank, a resume builder, and something to do.4. Take Care of YourselfevalI know from starting my current job at 7 a.m. each morning that a lack of sleep hurts your experience at your job as well as your productivity. Even writing this has been hard due to going to bed late last night. You have to take good care of yourself, or else nothing will be fun, especially when real stress rolls around.Don’t use things like drinking as a way to cope with stress at work, either. Do healthy thi ngs to combat stress: work out, exercise, spend time with family, read, and most of all, get the right amount of sleep. Remember, if you’re not taking care of your own body, your body can’t take care of business. So get rest, stay healthy, and be productive.Have you had to overcome negativity at your workplace? I think everyone has. I’d love to hear how it affects you personally. Let me know via Twitter @robolitious.

What You Need To Know Before Starting Your Job Search - CareerAlley

What You Need To Know Before Starting Your Job Search - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. There is something both exciting and frustrating about starting a job search. You are starting a new chapter of your life, but when you are dealing with a tough economy it might be hard to land that job that you want. Heck, in todays economy it might even be hard for some individuals to land a job period Without the right training and education it can make your quest all that much harder. Not only does education and training matter, but there are a number of other factors that can affect your search. This is why you need to be prepared for what lies ahead and this small guide is going to help you do just that. The vast majority of jobs today probably wont make it out of the job boards so the look of your resume will not be as significant as the content Tweet This A Strong Resume Is Needed The very first thing you need to know is that you are going to need a strong resume. Sure, your resume might have looked good two or three years ago, but that does not necessarily mean that it is going to look good today. In fact, most people that are headed back into the workforce as shocked to learn that the standards for resumes change all the time. You also need to keep in mind that the vast majority of jobs today probably wont make it out of the job boards so the look of your resume will not be as significant as the content. However, just because it is going to be an online resume type of deal that doesnt mean that colors and bold fonts wont increase your overall chances of landing your dream job. Be Mindful Of Keywords You dont have to be a professional web designer in todays time to know a little something about SEO. In fact, there is a good chance that just about everyone has heard of SEO. You might not know exactly how it works, but you know just how important it is for a website to rank within the top results. Well, would you be surprised to learn that employees use similar tactics and algorithms when they are scanning resumes? If an advice column tells you that your resume needs to include certain keywords, you better make sure that it includes those keywords. This could be the difference between getting discovered and remaining undiscovered. Before you start looking for your dream job, there is one question you need to ask yourself; what is it that you really want to do? You really need to think about this long and hard. Your own conclusion is what provides you with a starting point. Your college major may give you a platform for identifying your career goals. But provided its feasible, it is perfectly normal if you wish to pursue a field that has nothing to do with you major. Perhaps you spent four years of your life doing something that you did not really like. But why make the same mistake all over again? Find Your Dream Job Be Prepared For Quick Interviews It might take time to create a resume and send out an interview, but if you are fortunate enough to land a callback then you best be prepared right away. This is even true if you are applying for a job out of state. Thanks to all the technology available today employers like to conduct over the phone and Skype type interviews. Do not let the callback catch you off guard because you only get one chance to make a first impression. There are a number of helpful guides online that can supply you with the most commonly asked interview questions. Studying up on the guides might not be a sure thing, but it will help better prepare you for what lies ahead. Highlight Your Accomplishments Most people tend to forget that when they are applying for a nursing or heating and air job that their potential employers know their job description. Sending in your resume with a generic description of your previous job duties or a basic list of responsibilities isnt going to get you far or make you stand out. Such tactics arent going to distinguish you from the other 200 individuals applying for the job. This is why you need to get straight to the point and start listing your most impressive accomplishments. There is nothing wrong with bragging on yourself. You need to look and feel confident! Always Be Inquisitive Once you got your resume updated and sent out, you will probably start receiving some calls. Due to the fact that the interviews are going to be schedule quick, you will need to be prepared like aforementioned. That being said being prepared for the most basic questions that the interviewer might ask wont be enough. You need to show your interest in the company by asking your own questions. When the interviewer asks if you have any questions, you need to have a list prepared. Even if there really isnt any more information that needs to be covered asking these question will make you seem more inquisitive and interested in the job. What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to identify and land your dream job. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search

Business Writing 101 Resume Writing Tips

Business Writing 101 Resume Writing TipsBusiness writing 101 resume writing tips can be easily found online. If you are really interested in making a great resume and landing your dream job, then follow the simple steps here.If you are having a difficult time coming up with a great resume and that is the one you are using to apply for a job that will allow you to work from home, there are some steps you can take to make the process easier. These tips can help you get more qualified and it should not be hard. The first step is to review your resume before sending it off to potential employers.Take the time to analyze all of the information contained in your resume. You can see if there are any areas that need to be changed or highlighted. Reviewing your writing is important. You want to make sure you have proofread all of the information you write on your resume.Keep in mind that this is your first step in getting a job. If you find an error or an area that needs to be changed, make t he necessary changes. However, you do not want to rush through this step. You want to leave enough time for your resume to be read and analyzed by a human being.By taking the time to prepare your resume, you will want to find a human element to review it for errors or omissions. The human element is necessary because there may be a mistake in the information on your resume.After you review your resume, you can go back and start writing. It is important to pay attention to every word you write. If you find a typo or grammatical error, you can delete it and move on to another section of your resume.You should also pay attention to your rewrite section. This is where you can quickly change the information or the content you already have in place. You can change the information and rewrite sections of your resume as you go.This is something a small business owner should always remember. Remembering to review your resume and rewriting the information you have as you go is essential to th e success of a small business. If you take the time to do it properly, you will find that it will be easier to write a great resume that will land you that dream job that you have been dreaming about.