If you want to experience any success with your job hunt, then you have to make sure that you get your CV right. Your CV is essentially your chance to convince your employer that you are right for the role and that they should choose you over the other applicants that they have. First impressions are everything here, so take your time and go through your CV to make sure that it is the best that it can be.

Age and Date of Birth

Your age doesn’t impact your ability to do the job. For this reason, it doesn’t need to be on your CV. Any employer should be measuring your ability based on your years of experience, and not how old you are. In the UK, it is actually illegal for any employer to discriminate against candidates based on their age alone, therefore you really don’t need it to be on your CV.

Marital Status

This is very similar to your age. Your marital status, and even the amount of children you have has no place on your CV. These are actually protected characteristics thanks to the Equality Act 2010, so if you have information like this on your CV then take it off right away.

Being out of Work

Not many people are lucky enough to have a smooth career trajectory. You’ll probably have a few bumps here and there, and this is normal. Your reason for being out of work really doesn’t have a place on your CV though, for a few reasons. To start with, your CV is a document which showcases your most relevant skills and even your abilities too. You don’t want to waste precious space by listing why you were out of work, as this could convince your potential employer that you’re not actually great for the job after all.

Secondly, some personal circumstances may fall under the Equality Act of 2010. This can include being pregnant or even being on maternity leave. If you were caring for someone or if you were wrapped up with a personal situation then don’t list it. It’s your private information, and you have the right to keep it that way.

Photo

In some countries, it is customary for you to have a headshot. In the UK, it’s not required. The last thing that you need is age discrimination on your CV.

Your Address

Listing your address on your CV was once a requirement. In this day and age, you only need to put down your town and country. If you feel as though where you live is going to negatively impact your choices, then don’t be afraid to miss it out entirely.

CV as the Title

So many people make the mistake of putting “CV” or “Curriculum Vitae” at the top of their resume. This is outdated, and not required. Put your name instead.

Work Experience that’s Not Relevant

It’s so important that you tailor your CV to the job. Don’t be afraid to cut out any irrelevant details, as this will help you to refine your CV while also helping you to cater it more towards the position itself.

Being able to nail an upcoming job interview will often mean the difference between you landing that dream job, and having to settle with the position that you have now. Making a strong first impression really is crucial, but luckily for you, interview skills can be both practised and learnt.

Why Interview Preparation is Essential

The more you can prepare yourself for an interview, the better. Here’s why. Confidence will really work in your favour when going for a job. The more confident you are, the more at ease you’ll be and the quicker you’ll be with your responses. If you prepare ahead of time, then you’ll also show the employer that you are committed to the position and that you are willing to work for it.

What Recruiters Look for

Recruiters know that the interview process won’t really give you the chance to showcase your personality. They also know that sometimes, your confidence will be knocked a little too. That’s why they tend to watch your body language, as this will show how well you convey your words. If you want to help yourself here then sit up straight, smile and always make eye-contact. It’s also a good idea for you to project professionalism, by wearing the right clothing for the position you are going for.

The Week Before

The week before your interview is due to take place, you need to do your research. Set a Google Alert as this will help you to stay up to date with the local company developments. You might also want to review their social media presence too, so you can find out who their target market is and the way that the company themselves have impacted the industry as a whole. If you want to take things to that next level, then research the interviewer too. What’s their title? What interests do they have? If you know a bit about them then this will help you to create valuable talking points that will really help you.

Practice Questions

Find a list of industry-appropriate questions and test yourself. This will help you to prepare for what lies ahead and it will also give you the chance to really be on the ball when the big day comes along. It also helps to refresh your resume, as your interviewer will most likely ask you questions about its contents and even about your previous positions.

On the Day

The day of the interview has finally come around. It’s full steam ahead from now on and the nerves are probably setting in. If you’re feeling jittery, then it helps to soothe your nerves by exercising, and by also trying to take things slow. You might also want to try and arrive early, so you don’t walk into the interview feeling frazzled and out of sorts.  Before you go in, give yourself a quick refresher and take a deep breath. Another thing that you can do to try and help is to visualise yourself nailing the interview, then focus on making it happen.

If you know that you have a competency-based interview coming up then there’s a high chance that you’re a little nervous. You may feel as though you don’t know how to answer the questions, or even that you just don’t feel as though you’re going to pass with flying colours. Either way, we’ve compiled some top tips that will help you to ace your next interview.

Find out what your Employer is Looking For

The first thing that you need to do is figure out the competencies that your employer is looking for. There are a few ways that you can do this, such as reading the job description and looking for keywords or even scanning for any information that seems to be emphasised. When you’ve done that, look online for any other descriptions that list the skillset required. It also helps to do some research so you can find out if there are any skills that your potential company is lacking. This will give you the chance to build your skills around that. As a final step, try and ask the person who arranged the interview if they can provide you with any extra information regarding the employer’s requirements.

Identify Examples

If you know what your employer is looking for, try and find an example from your work history that fits the bill. You also need to prepare examples that are positive and that show off your previous successes. This won’t be easy, and it’s something that a lot of candidates struggle with, but you will be at a huge advantage if you are able to do this well.

Tell a Story

It’s so important that you tell a story when you are giving your answer. Break your answer down in sections and then make sure that each part is useful, tailored and full of information. Make sure that you sound natural when you say it and also keep a positive tone throughout. It’s important that you try and emphasise how you contributed to the overall successful outcome in the story that you tell too, so your potential employer can get an all-round idea of your skills.

Pick the Right Story

Listen carefully to what your potential employer is asking before you start to answer. This will help you to make sure that you answer the questions properly. You may also need to adapt the focus of your story sometimes and you may also need to give an example too. If you are uncertain about how to answer a question, then it helps to seek some clarification before you begin. You may end up surprising them and there is nothing at all wrong with this. Sometimes you may even be asked a follow-up question too, so make sure that you understand the scope and be prepared to elaborate to see if you can score some more points. This will show that you are competent, and it will also help you to boost your chances of securing the job.

Interview Questions You Should be Asking your Potential Employer

It can be tough to know what questions you need to be asking when you apply for a job, but by taking the below points into account, you can be sure to get the best experience.

Can you Elaborate on the Day to Day Responsibilities?

This is your chance to find out what you are going to be doing specifically, and it also gives you the chance to get some insight into the position itself too. Job descriptions tend to describe just a few of the tasks that you will be responsible for, so it helps to see the full picture.

What Characteristics would Someone Need to Succeed in this Position?

This is a sure-fire way for you to find out if a role is suitable for you. It also helps you to find out if your personality is a good fit too. If you’re not a good fit, then don’t beat yourself up over it. Instead, refocus yourself, and move on knowing that you made the right decision.

What are some of the Challenges that People have had in this Role?

During your interview, you’ll need to get a clear idea of what the job is like as well as finding out the challenges and rewards too. Every job should be challenging to say the least, but it does help to get the interviewer’s perspective on it so that you can be aware going into the position.

How would my Performance be Measured?

Everyone wants to have goals that are clear and very structured. Asking this question will help you to get the insight you need and it will also help you to identify any areas for your own professional development. This will also help you to get to where you want to be in the company, much more efficiently.