Question 1

How long should my CV be?

Accepted Answer

Your CV is the key to the door – get this wrong and you don’t get the interview!
So, my best advice is to download my free CV template and guidance, and Watch my video on creating an “Attention Grabbing CV”
 
These are free and will get you started on your job search journey.

Question 2

What makes a CV stand out?

Accepted Answer

Simple, clear, uncluttered facts. 
 
The first page of your CV should be your “Advert” – it should contain everything the employer needs to see and understand to want to interview you! All of your technical skills, soft skills, experience and qualifications should jump out and align with the job you have applied for. 
Your CV must be aligned with every role you apply for – use the Job Specification/Description or Job Advert to find words and language that you can align your CV to. 
 
Watch my video on creating an “Attention Grabbing CV”

Question 3

What personal information/data should my CV contain?

Accepted Answer

Only, your full name, phone number, email address, city of residence

Question 4

What should not be on a CV?

Accepted Answer

Do Not, put these on your CV;
 
Residential address, religion, sex, race/ethnicity, political affiliations, opinion, sporting affiliations, or anything else that is not related to your skills, qualifications, experience.

Question 5

Do I need a Social Media presence?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it is important to have at least a LinkedIn profile – this will allow companies and recruitment agencies to find you – rather than you apply for advertised roles. Less and less roles are being actively advertised these days as recruiters (internal and external) use LinkedIn, their own databases and CV libraries to find the candidates they need.  So, a social media presence is essential theses days as is ensuring that your CV is optimised to be found by ATS. 
 
You can find out more on both Optimising your LI profile and your CV for ATS by watching the related videos or signing up for the Online Course.

Question 6

Do I need to wear a suit to interview?

Accepted Answer

This really depends on the type of role you are applying for and to be honest the culture and a dress code of the company. This can vary extensively these days.  So, if you are at all unsure what the appropriate attire would be for an interview then you should check beforehand.  First impressions are a very important aspect for being successful in interview – and that starts with your attire. If you can’t get a good steer before the interview always opt for overdressed rather than under.

Question 7

How many hours per day should I spend looking for a new job?

Accepted Answer

If you are unemployed you should spend the entire working day looking for a new role.  There is so much that you can do to improve your chances of getting employed.  The more focussed, committed, and tenacious you are the faster you will be hired.  
 
You need and Action Plan – this is taught on the Online Cousre
 
If you are in a job and looking for a new role, then you should decide whole heartedly that you want to make that move and dedicate as much time as you can outside of your job looking for  a new one.  The sooner you land that new role the sooner you can refocus on your career development.  Long job searches put you in limbo!

Question 8

What Social Media accounts should I have?

Accepted Answer

As a minimum you should have a detailed LinkedIn profile this is as important as your CV – it is in fact your online CV and presence and allows recruiters to find you.

Question 9

How do I get noticed on LinkedIn?

Accepted Answer

You must ensure that your profile highlights you experience, technical skills, personal skills, qualifications and is importantly optimised to ensure that you are found by recruiters. It is also important to have recommendations as these act as social proof or corroboration that what you say on your profile is fact.

Question 10

How do I optimise my LinkedIn profile?

Accepted Answer

Optimising your LinkedIn profile is taught in the Online Course  – this really could make the difference.

Question 11

Is networking important?

Accepted Answer

More people find new jobs through people they know than through any other single method i.e more than Agencies, more than direct company advertising, more than jobs boards.
 
It is imperative that you use your networks, to massively increase you chances of finding that next role.  Networking covers every aspect of our lives, we have networks from our previous jobs, seminars/conferences we have attended, church, our schooling, college/university, our children’s schooling, spots, our neighbours and wider community, etc etc.  
 
Reaching out to your networks and letting them know that you are looking means you have many more people (who care about you in some way) all subliminally looking for you. 
This should be part of your daily job search routine.

Question 12

Which recruitment agencies are best?

Accepted Answer

This really depends on the type of role you are looking for and the sector and function you are in.  There are large multi-sector and functional agencies such as Hayes or Robert Walters that can help most people to very specialist agencies – such as my own search firm “Symes Collins” – that specialise in a very specific function i.e. Compliance & Risk. 
 
So, you need to do some online research to ascertain which agencies are most likely to have jobs you are looking for.

Question 13

Should I have a plan?

Accepted Answer

Hell yes, if you haven’t got a plan stan – well then you are just blowing in the breeze! 
 
Developing a daily, weekly and monthly recruitment plan will ensure that you are covering all aspects of the recruitment journey.  
 
Like all things, if you have a good recipe you will get a good cake – so if you have a good recruitment plan (recipe) you will get the best results. 
 
In my Online Job Search Plan – I will teach you how to get started and push through. 
This is all though in the Online Course

Question 14

How do I prepare for the interview?

Accepted Answer

This really is a very long topic that requires very careful and thorough preparation for – you only get one shot at each interview.  So you need to turn up ready to own it! 
 
This is taught in my Live Workshop.

FREE WEBINAR "EXECUTIVE CAREER ACCELERATOR" REGISTER HERE

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gary@garycollinscoaching.com

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