Job Search - Pill #6 - Interview time!

Welcome to the 6th tip in your Job Search strategy. Here we are, you sent out your CV and you have been called for a first interview. First of all

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Secondly: Relax and don’t panic! It is true: an interview is an important step toward a great career. You will be assessed on various measures during your interview and a lot depends on how you go through your interview to make that lasting impression. I know, I know … there is a lot here to panic about but I can share with you some secrets that will make you shine and even have a lot of fun!

1. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare: It’s important to be well prepared for an interview. Interviewers are able to detect when a candidate is not prepared…and as a result, you may not come across in the best light … First impressions last! Research the company website and try to find out how you can contribute to the organization and frame questions to ask the interviewer. Any job interview is a two ways process – you are not the only one being interviewed but also the company is!
2. Be optimistic and honest. Don’t be negative towards your current or previous employers; don’t pass the blame of failures to someone else. Employers want to know your attitude towards things, and it should be positive. Let them know what you gained from any negative experiences you might have had. Be self-aware of your development areas in a mature and professional way.
3. Think about what skill-set you have that matches the job description – both soft and technical skills and be prepared to bring examples from your previous roles/experiences.
4. Put forward your experiences and skills enthusiastically in a lucid manner. Think clearly and then answer the question in a concise way (not more than 30 seconds per question – yes, you read it correctly – not more than 30 seconds – after that you can be sure the interviewer’s attention is already lost!). It is OK to have some seconds to think before you reply to gather your thoughts.
5. Lastly: a thank-you letter/email to the employer is the last secret and step towards your dream job. Employers look at it is a confirmation of your enthusiasm and interest in their organization.
   
   So relax, have fun and you will be shining!

Good Luck!

Giulia

Job Search - Pill #5 - The red fine line of a CV in the bin

What do you think really makes you CV stand out? Every recruiter spends an average of 8 second per CV – how can you turn those 8 seconds in your dream job coming to reality? If you google “CV” you will have thousands and thousands of tips on how to build the best CV. Bottom line, you CV should be clear, concise and informative at the same time and, most importantly, it should foster curiosity in the reader to call you for an interview.

Your CV is the first “knock-knock” at the company’s door and your aim is to get asked, “Who’s there”? This is the time when you want to take out the list of “Core strengths, competencies and achievements” that you prepared previously as well as your Personal Brand work. You want to make sure every single entry in the CV reflects your strengths, competencies and achievements in a way, which is consistent with your personal Brand.

When preparing your CV there are two separate aspects to consider, deeply interconnected with each other: the CV structure and the CV content.

CV structure

• Besides the summary of your work and education history, roles, experiences and achievements, include a quick overview of yourself (maximum 5 lines) to summarise your expertise, experience, competencies and strengths. Be concise and catchy!
• Keep the CV to two pages maximum
• Avoid long sentences and use bullet points where possible
• Make sure it is well formatted and the layout is clear
• Use standard fonts (size 10 or 12) and avoid colourful characters/papers/backgrounds.
• Read your CV, re-read it again and again. Ask someone else to read it for you. You might have the best experience but a single typo can very easily jeopardize your credibility
• Unless specifically requested otherwise, your resume should be sent as a Word Attachment.

CV content

• Simplicity and clarity: You always know what it is you are trying to communicate but will your read have that clarity as well?
• Celebrate your successes & include metrics: Highlight your accomplishments. The CV is not a job spec, it is not a list of what you do. It is a reflection of what you have accomplished and what your successes have been so that the reader will start having an idea of how you can replicate those successes in their organisations. Make sure you include some metrics.
• Choose powerful words: Use concise and action oriented words to highlight your achievements (for example: accomplished, achieved, completed, created, developed, directed, established, founded, generated, launched, led, managed, organised, performed, redesigned, simplified, succeeded. )
• Select key words: Browse recent online job postings to identify words and phrases that are relevant to hiring managers.
  
  Good luck with pulling your CV together or with refreshing it. And let me know how I can help you further!
  
  Giulia

Job Search - Pill #4 - The Brand called You!

Welcome back to the 4th appointment in our Job Search journey! Just to recap, so far we have been speaking about: Focus, Research and Strengths & Achievements.
And here we are talking about Branding … which brand?

YOURS!

What ever career you currently have or you want to pursue remember that at the same time you held another key role – the Marketing director of a company called Me Ltd. Always bear in mind that in your job search you are selling the best product ever and the product you most have to believe in: YOURSELF!
Make sure you communicate your brand in every single thing that you do (CV and Interviews – more to come here in the next blog entries – stay tuned!) what you say, how you say it).

How do you want people to remember you?

People remember what is Unique (from Latin “unus” - forming the only one of its kind) and Different (from Latin “diversus” – distinct, differing from all others).
What makes you stand out?
What makes you a unique and different professional in our international job search?
Every single one of you, fellow International-aholics, has a chance to build a brand that will be remembered - every single one of you has skills, experience, competencies that will make you stand out. You just have to communicate them!

Good luck and keep on letting me know your thoughts!

Giulia