Sunday, 20th May 2012

The Cover Letter
CV Help
Interview Guidelines


The Cover Letter

The golden rule for a cover letter is to remember this: do not re-iterate your CV. The information contained in your CV will be evidence of your skills, so, concentrate on the specifications of the advertisement and mention that you possess these skills. A badly written or long winded letter will invariably end up in the bin, along with its accompanying CV, without even being read fully. So try these tips;

  • Always contain the letter in one A4 sheet of paper
  • Write your cover letter using information from the first page of your CV. But don't merely repeat what is in the CV, give it a human touch
  • Include your own address / contact details at the top of the letter and maybe when the best time to contact you is
  • Write the name, correct title and position of the person dealing with the application and never shorten first names
  • Make sure you include the reference number of the vacancy if it appeared in the job advert
  • Remember to mention where you saw the vacancy advertised
  • Use crisp, concise language, even though you write in the first person. For example, I
  • Begin to explain your main selling point early on. A Recruiter will not spend time searching for your best points
  • Sound upbeat and enthusiastic about working for the company. A good positive attitude is an attractive trait but don't gush, this will just come across as 'sucking up'.
  • Print your letter on quality paper, unless the employer requested that you handwrite the document


CV Help



Your CV is your first opportunity to shine and stand out from the rest; it must highlight all your skills, qualifications, experience, and indeed anything that will sell yourself to the reader, to convince them that you are the candidate they want.

This information has been designed to give you some advice on preparing your CV. There is no such thing as a perfect CV, and people will always choose different styles and layouts for their CV, however the following may provide you with some handy hints to target your CV, to ensure that yours stays at the top of the pile, rather than the bottom of the bin!

PRESENTATION
Spread your CV out, as it comes across as more attractive to read. If it is too closely packed it does not come across as easy to read.

The average length for a CV should be 2 sides of A4. One side doesn't give enough opportunity to sell yourself, yet employers do not want to read 7 or 8 pages about your life experiences!

Don't use bright colours or a very small typeface, as your CV may be faxed to a client upon request. Small typefaces often become blurred when faxed or photocopied, and colours will not show. A Recruiter does not have time to spend deciphering CV's so will only read CV's that are clear to read.

PLANNING
Before getting anything down on paper, bear in mind your CV should be targeted to the right industries. Think of the job that you are applying for and adjust your CV accordingly - emphasise aspects of your life that are particularly important for the role - experience, skills and so on. Remember that there is no such thing as an all-purpose CV, and an employer can spot a mass produced CV a mile off! This will come across as lazy and does not put you in a good light.

 

Try to consider the personal attributes the employer may look for - commitment, team-work, initiative etc, and use examples of where and when you may have demonstrated these skills.

INFORMATION TO INCLUDE
Start with your basic details - full name, address, contact telephone numbers, email addresses, date of birth and so on.

You should then follow with the main body of your CV. The order in which you place this may vary according to the importance you place on each of them. For example, a college leaver may wish to emphasise their qualifications by detailing them first. On the other hand, a person with many years working experience will want to put their current position first to catch the attention of the reader immediately.

PERSONAL PROFILE
A personal profile at the start of the CV can be useful in explaining your career aims to the reader, but this should not be too long or sound too pompous or contrived. This section is not essential, but you may find it beneficial to include a few sentences explaining the position you are seeking and the kind of company you would ideally like to work for. This is also an opportunity to show your personality in a subtle way.

EDUCATION
Reverse chronological order is standard here and enables the reader to focus on your most recent and important achievements. The detail you provide will depend upon what is likely to be considered important by the reader. For example, someone with a degree would be better off allocating more space to these details than their GCSE achievements. Professional qualifications should include the type and level attained and the University attended.

EXPERIENCE
When describing different positions undertaken, you should include the company name, position or job title, job description (duties and responsibilities), reason for leaving (if applicable) and salary (if desired). Try and list at least your last three positions. If you have any gaps in your work history, explain them, so that the reader can see what you were doing during that time - i.e. travelling, further education and so on.

INTERESTS
This section should be enough to help the employer understand more about you as a person. Try not to just list these - tell the reader why you do them and what you get out of them. Bear in mind to keep it professional though, a Recruiter does not want to hear about you dancing on the bar last night!

OTHER
Any additional skills or qualifications should be described here, such as the holding of a driving licence, language skills and so on.

REFERENCES
These tell the reader that you are confident that there are people who will speak highly of you!! The names and addresses of two references should be provided, either work, personal or academic references. When including a work reference, try to make this your most recent employer. If you find you do not have space for this, you may at least like to state that references are available upon request. Remember to always get your referees' permission before naming them on your CV.

Remember that the above points are only guidelines. You should use the space you have available carefully, and according to the importance of the information for the particular position. Decide what is going to impress and give it the most space on your CV.

COVERING LETTER
A covering letter should be included whenever you send a copy of your CV to a potential employer. This enables you to target your CV even more, and adds a more human and personal touch. The idea of a covering letter is to draw attention to the important sections of your CV.

Again, there are many different styles that can be used for a covering letter, and as with your CV it is crucial not to send out a standard covering letter to everyone - vary the content according to who you are sending the letter to. Like the Personal Profile section in your CV it is an opportunity for you to give your application a more human touch.

PRESENTATION & STYLE
One side of A4 is more than enough for a covering letter - any more than this and the reader will become bored and may switch off. Be brief and to the point.

Handwritten covering letters are fine if you have good handwriting, however a printed letter is usually preferable and looks more professional

INFORMATION TO INCLUDE
Firstly, explain where you saw the advert for the position, and the position you are applying for, if appropriate.

Follow on by explaining why you want the job and why you feel you are suitable. Much of this information will already be included in your CV, and remember the letter should complement the CV, not reiterate it. Highlight important points detailed in your CV, but try not to use the same phrases. Personalise your letter by mentioning the company and show that you have done your research and know something about them. Try to include why you would like to work for that particular company.

Finish the covering letter by looking to the future - explain that you look forward to hearing from them, or hope to hear from them soon.

 

Interview Guidelines

Attending an interview can be a daunting task for anyone. We at Agenda have designed these guidelines to make the interview process as painless as possible. Often it is difficult to create the impression you would like in an interview as nerves and pressure can create an unnatural and awkward atmosphere. The only way to avoid this sort of scenario is to prepare for your interview thoroughly, so that you feel calm and relaxed on the day. This information offers you a series of suggestions that may just get you through it, and help you perform to the best of your ability and help you feel more relaxed during your interview. Remember, although the interviewer wants to know how you would fit into the position, they are not there to trip you up.

PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW
Firstly, think about the requirements of the job and employer. Think of the skills and personal attributes they require. These could be:

  • Commitment
  • Reliability
  • Motivation and drive
  • Problem solving
  • Time management
  • Communication and interpersonal skills
  • Team work
  • Initiative
  • Flexibility
  • Self-management
  • Willingness to learn
  • Self-confidence

Think about when you may have demonstrated these skills in the past - at work, school/university or in a social environment. For example you may have demonstrated team work skills on the football pitch, or time management when meeting particular deadlines at work. Be able to provide details of these, and think about why and how they might be relevant for the position you are interested in. This gives you the opportunity to demonstrate to the recruiter how you would deal with certain situations that may arise.

Some employers may prefer to ask less direct questions and may try to analyse your answers to try and find out what kind of person you are. These sorts of questions can vary immensely, but could be on the lines of "Who would you want to stranded on a desert island with?", or "Which book you have read has had most influence on your life?". These are not trick questions, merely a subtle way of finding out your personality without you giving an answer you think they may want to hear.

However, many employers may stick with more traditional interview questions, like why you are interested in the position, why they should employ you and what your strengths and weaknesses are. Nearly all employers will also ask you why you want to leave your current position. Have an answer prepared, but be careful not to make negative remarks about your current employer. Making negative remarks can make you xome across as having 'sour grapes' and that is not a trait employers like in employees.

Before you go...

  • Reread your CV or application form to refresh your memory.
  • Take along a clean copy of your CV, and any samples of your work you may have.
  • Dress smartly even if the organisation with whom you have an interview wears casual clothes. Wear polished shoes and ensure your shirt/blouse is ironed!
  • Make sure you arrange your transportation, and plan your intended route in advance. Bear in mind the fact that trains can be delayed, cars break down and so on. Agenda may be able to provide you with directions, but you may find a map or A-Z useful. Always take an earlier train or bus than normal in case of delays. In the event of an extended delay, make sure you have a contact number of the company you are being interviewed at to let them know.
  • Ensure you know the name of the person who is interviewing you, and how to pronounce it.

BEFORE & DURING THE INTERVIEW
Arrive at your interview a few minutes early. Try not to be too early - just a few minutes early is about right. If you are running late, always call ahead to let them know and give an estimated time of arrival. ALWAYS be well presented, make sure you look smart as first impressions are really important. You have a limited time to make an impression so your first one is the most important and a messy or unclean appearance is certainly not a good first impression.

Any company questionnaire/application form the company require you to complete should be done neatly, including as much relevant detail as possible. If you have a copy of your CV with you when handing back the questionnaire, offer them a copy of your CV as well.

Always shake the interviewer's hand firmly. But don't squeeze their hand too hard hard, you don't want to come across as being agressive. Always ensure that you look the interviewer in the eye during a conversation.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The first few minutes are crucial. Try to appear relaxed - wait to be asked to sit down. Once seated, sit up straight but don't sit too rigid, this will come across in your body language and make you look tense.

During the interview look alert and interested in what the interviewer is saying. Make the interviewer aware of your strongest points and what benefits can be reaped by the organisation recruiting you.
Be clear about the type of work you are seeking and why you would be good at it.

Be able to explain what attracts you about a particular type of work. Ask pertinent questions relating to the position available and the organisation. Also try and ascertain why the position is available. These sorts of questions could be prepared in advance.

Do not smoke even if you are offered a cigarette and the interviewer smokes. Try and answer all questions with an explanation and not just yes and no.

If you feel the interview is going well and feel confident ask the interviewer about salary, bonuses, holidays and so on. Know your salary value in the marketplace - the interviewer may ask you about your salary expectations. Be realistic with your salary expectations but don't sell yourself short in the hope it helps secure the position. Research the salaries of similar jobs.

Watch how the interviewer reacts to your answers - this will tell you if they are bored, interested, confused and so on. It can be hard not to waffle on when you're nervous and you don't want to give one word answers but try to keep it concise and to the point.

Think carefully about questions before answering - if you can't answer, say so. Don't get flustered trying to think of something to say. A long pause is better than waffle. And the interviewer will appreciate an honest answer.

Smile and be confident and enthusiastic.