Who can look for a job?

Anyone can look for a job.  No one is bound to stay with a company.  Recently I met a lady who was very anxious because she handed in her resignation and her employer said she would not accept it.  It really is not up to the employer if you want to resign.  If your employer offers you’re a counter offer to stay, be careful to get it in writing.  Verbal promises are easily made in the heat of the moment, and seldom delivered on in the end.

Be careful of telling your employer that you are looking for another job, though, or they may start looking for your replacement!

 

Giving notice when you resign.

It is a myth that you can leave a job immediately, or decide how long you want to give your employer.  The basic condition of employment lays it down as follows:-

• In the first 24 hour there is no notice
• In the first six months you have to give a weeks notice
• In the first six- twelve months you have to give two weeks notice
• After the first year you have to give four weeks notice
• If you have a signed  contract that states longer than the above, then you have to abide by the contract
• If mutually agreed, you can leave sooner
• If your employer asks you to leave immediately, and you do not want to, they must pay you your notice period even though you are not working
• Legally, you cannot take annual leave during your notice period- a company would have to pay you out your leave after you finish working your notice period

It is your responsibility to adhere to the above notice period.  A future employer will respect you for honouring it.  In the future, you will need a reference from this company, whether you want it or not, so do not burn bridges!

 

References

It is your right to ask for a written reference, and always advisable, because when you need it, the person who you worked for may have left the company, or the company closed, and then it is too late.  The company can legally refuse to give you a reference, but legally they have to give you a certificate of service.  This certificate will state that they employed you, the dates, your position, your salary and your reason for leaving (optional).  You can insist on this, and again, it is advisable.

 

Payouts

When you resign, regardless of why you resign and what your notice period is, the company has to pay you:-

• Your salary for the days you worked
• Your notice period (work or not, as agreed)
• Any leave days owning and not taken
• If retrenched, one week for every years service, or agreed package if better than this

The employer cannot deduct any money from your final payout unless you have given them written permission.

 

UIF

A company has to contribute towards UIF, even if you are temping for them.  If you resign you cannot claim UIF, but if you have been dismissed, contract terminated, retrenched, etc, you are eligible to claim UIF.

 

Letter of Offer

Before resigning your current job, it is advisable to get an offer in writing.  Even if it is just an email from the company stating the position, salary, benefits and start date.  A contract of employment will follow when you have accepted the position, often the day you start.  When receiving the offer, ask in writing if there are any restraints of trade that may be of concern to you.

 

Contract of Employment

A lot of companies do not give out contracts of employment, even though they should.  Once you are employed and doing the job, the urgency of HR if forgotten.  The Basic Conditions of employment Act (BCEA) is there to protect you in this case.  The BCEA is just that- the lowest a company can go in terms and leave, sick leave, notice periods etc.  If you do not have a contract of employment, your conditions of employment are as stated in the Act.

What is a COUNTER OFFER?

A counter-offer is an offer from your current employer to rival the one you have received from your future employer, to convince you to stay. Counter-offers can take many forms. A straight increase in salary – usually to meet or beat your new offer – additional company benefits, a sought-after promotion or new job title, additional responsibility, a change in role, more involvement in exciting projects. Or any combination of the above.  Basically a counter offer will be what ever your employer has to offer to prevent you from leaving their employment.  How much they offer depends on how desperate they are to keep you!

Resigning is hard to do!

Anyone who has had to resign from a company that they have been with for some time, or were they have made friends, will know that as much as you may have wanted to leave, when it comes to the crunch, it is not always that easy!  Not only is it hard to say good bye to friends and memories, but change is scary and most of us fear the unknown.

Given the fact that resigning is generally unknown territory, counter-offers can be confusing. Being put under pressure to stay, and having your reasons for leaving challenged and undermined certainly doesn’t make it easy. Even though you worked hard to get the new role and have been really looking forward to it, you find yourself thinking: maybe I do owe something to my current employer. Maybe things weren’t that bad.  At least if I stay here I won’t be the first to be retrenched, as I would be at the new company (Last in, First out!)

Counter-offers are more common than you think. Statistics on how many times it happens are hard to find. However, one thing that I did find when researching counter offers is that most people (72%- 86%) who accept a counter-offer have subsequently left their job anyway within twelve months. In fact, a great many are gone within three to six months.

When we receive a counter offer, we like to look on the positive side and feel flattered.  They offered us a counter offer as a sign of our unrivalled importance and value to our employer.  They offered us the counter offer because they have suddenly seen how hard we work, how good we are at what we do, that they have a career path in mind for us and know how the company will suffer when we go.

What you should actually be thinking, though, is that besides boosting your ego your employer may have other reasons for counter-offering you. These may include:

• Replacing an employee can be expensive and they may not have a budget to re-recruit new staff at that time of year
• They have realized that they do not have time for your to hand over and do not want to be left without someone in your position
• They want to have you cover while they find a replacement for you- maybe by training up someone in the department, restructuring or head hunting someone
• They want you to finish the project you are working on
• They don’t have the time to train someone new at the moment
• Losing staff might reflect badly on your boss

10 Reasons NOT to accept a counter offer

There is rarely a good reason to accept a counter-offer and stay where you are. You wanted to move, you’ve been through the recruitment process, you’ve been successful and you have scored a job that meets your criteria. Think about these factors:

• From the day of your resignation, your loyalty will always be in question
• This lack of loyalty is likely to be an obstacle to future promotions
• Your colleagues will look at you differently – after all, you don’t really want to be there do you?
• Your boss will probably start casting around for your replacement immediately – whether you stay or not
• Why are they offering you what you deserve now, rather than before your resignation?
• Has the real reason you resigned been adequately addressed?
• How guilty do you really feel? After all, shouldn’t you be putting yourself first? Would the company think twice about getting shot of you if the chips were down?
• What type of company do you work for if you have to threaten to resign before they give you what you are worth?
• Where would the money for the counter offer come from? Is it your next raise early? Be aware that all companies have strict wage and salary guidelines to follow.
• Your company will immediately begin looking for a new person at a lower salary price.
• You have now made your employer aware that you are unhappy, and your loyalty will always be in question. When promotion time comes around, your employer will remember your questionable loyalty.
• When times get tough, your employer will begin the retrenchment with you.
• The same circumstances that now cause you to consider a change will be repeated in the future, even if you accept a counter offer.
• Accepting a counter offer is an insult to your intelligence and to your pride knowing that you were bought.
• A well-managed company does not make counter offers. If they really had valued you, they would have made you the offer in a regularly scheduled review.

 

…. Basically, is you accept a counter offer, when all the promises are made and broken, when the additional money is taxed and spent, the same reasons that made you look for a job in the first place will still be there and the job that you turned down because of the counter offer, will be gone.

 

Don’t let an unexpected counter-offer stop you in your tracks. Take it in your stride, thank your employer for the opportunity and reaffirm your intention to leave. Stand your ground.

But if you decide to stay, be on your toes. Don’t be naïve. Just because you’ve accepted your counter offer doesn’t mean your resignation has been forgotten. You are going to have to work extremely hard to win back your employer’s trust. You’ll probably find you have to strive harder than your colleagues to prove your company loyalty and worthiness as a long-term prospect. Your new post-resignation life with your old company is not going to be easy. And accepting a counter offer is definitely not the safe option. Watch your back!

 

 

The 90/10 Rule basically states that 10% of what happens to us in life we have no control over- the other 90% is up to us.  When there is load shedding, the phone lines go down, the petrol price goes up and the company you work for goes into liquidation- you have no control over this 10% of your life.  But the rest of it- 90% of it- you have total control over!

You may be in a job at the moment that you hate!  Your boss yells and has no respect for his staff, the job is boring and poorly paid and it is so far from home that you are spending hours and a killing in petrol every month!  You have 90% control over the situation, so you:

* Sit at work complaining about the boss and amuse yourself with gossiping about other staff.  Get home from work exhausted every night and moan to your partner that life is so tough- because you don’t have enough money to do anything else but moan!  And what ever you do, don’t do a stitch more work than you are paid for!

* Or you could take control of the situation, try and be empathetic to you boss, put down your head and do the best you can.  You can look for a lift club to save on travelling costs and get a good, motivational or informative book to read while you are travelling in the lift clubs.  You can get your CV together and be proactive about getting it out to as many interviews as possible.

I know from experience, that when a candidate goes for an interview, and they are making the most of their situation they come across as positive and the kind of person you want to have working for you, as opposed to the one who puts their current manager and circumstances down a lot and leaves the interviewer wondering what their role was in the situation.

 

You may find yourself unemployed because you have been retrenched, dismissed or simply don’t have enough experience to get that first job-

* You can sit at home blaming everyone else for your problems- you are too experience, too junior, too white, too black, not black enough, too old, too young…. Or simply too negative.  You can apply for jobs, go for interviews, and never find a job because people will sense that you are negative and someone who is finding excuses not to get a job… and there will always be excuses.

* Or you can take control and think about what you want, set goals and start working towards those goals.  You can be prepared to take jobs that may not be perfect, and make the most of them.  You can look for all the reasons why positions are suitable, instead of why they are not.  You temp and value the experience you gain while doing this.  You can put yourself out there and impress, and people will be impressed!

 

10% of life you cannot control, but here are some of those things in the 90% section that you can make a difference in:

* The way your CV looks

* The number of jobs that you apply for.

* The way that you make these applications* That you arrive for interviews scheduled

* That you are well presented for these interviews

* That you answer the questions positively and portray a proactive motivated person

* That you give positions the correct consideration and are not arrogant and think positions are below you

* That you give your best in your current position and be grateful that you have a job at all and an income and an opportunity to prove yourself!

 

Make sure that the 90% of your life that you can influence- you make the best decisions and actions for you!

 

 

When I am short listing CV’s for a position, I don’t want to know “the soft facts”- that you like running or playing the piano on the weekend or that you think you are a “hardworking and loyal employee” who “thrives under pressure”.  I look past all of this and look for the facts.  I want to know the impartial information that can be measured, that I can make sound decisions on.  And I have to admit, when I look for the information and it is not there, I either assume that it is not there because it does not exist, or by the time I get round to asking for the information, the position has been filled.  Once I have short listed candidates on the measurable facts, then I call them in for interviews, and it is at this point that I “get to know the candidate” and ask competency based questions to determine if the person “can work under pressure” and is a “loyal employee”.

 

So, how do you quantify your CV to make it more marketable and stronger?  Here are a few tips to help:

1. Put dates on your CV. It makes a big difference if you have been at a company for 6 days or 6 years and which position you are currently/ last in.  Did you start as a cashier and work your way up to store manager, or were you a store manager that has been demoted to cashier.  Don’t assume the person reading your CV knows you.
2. Put figures in brackets where possible to show significance. g. Switchboard (10 incoming lines); or Weekly payroll (200 employees paid weekly); creditors reconciliations (50 accounts) and Typing (65 words per minute).
3. If they ask for your salary expectations- put it down. Don’t waste your time or anyone else’s.
4. Put your notice period down- and don’t say immediate if it is not immediate!
5. Put reasons for leaving

A few other tips when preparing your CV are:-

1. Avoid the clip art pictures and rather add a professional picture of yourself. Does your CV look like a school project showing every IT trick you know, or a professional document?
2. If you are requested to send a two page CV, rather take out the white spaces, make the font slightly smaller (not smaller than 10), and change the layout. Don’t keep the open spaces and take out the information!  You would be surprised how much information you can get into two pages.
3. List your duties at previous jobs in point form- not long sentences and stories that are hard to extract facts from.
4. Take the time to type out your CV, rather than scan a faxed copy that looks unprofessional. Your CV speaks for you at this stage of applying for a job and is your chance to make a good impression!
5. Put telephonic references for the companies that you have worked at previously. People will generally phone these people, rather than look for others, so to a certain extent you can get prospective employers to phone people who will give you a good references.

Hope the above tips help you to make your CV better and more powerful a tool in looking for your dream job!

 

 

Interviews will differ from one company to the next, but generally they follow the same format.  Knowing what to expect before you arrive will help you feel a lot more confident, not get thrown by questions that you don’t know facts for and in coming across prepared and professional.

 BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

Before you even get the interview, you want to be making a good impression.

• If you phone someone to make an appointment, make sure you have a pen and paper handy! You are asking for an interview, show a little confidence that you will actually be offered it!
• When taking down the details, make sure that you make note of who you will be seeing, their position in the company and the telephone number (in case you get lost or stuck in traffic en route). Ask how many people will interview you, and their positions in the company.
• Ask if there is a website address that you can research the company, and a job description that you can familiarise yourself with the vacancy.
• Ask if there will be any tests or assessments that you will be required to do.
• If you are taking time off work, ask how long the interview will take.

WHEN YOU ARRIVE FOR THE INTERVIEW

Your interview starts when you arrive in the reception area and start making an impression.

• Arrive on time and if you are running late, or may run late, phone and let them know.
• Do not take family and friends into the company with you- let them drop you and go to a coffee shop while you are at the interview.
• Switch your cell phone off before entering the building
• Fill out all applications forms you are given.

THE INTERVIEW

Like all things in life, an interview has a beginning, middle and an end!

• The Beginning:- In this section they will put you at ease and make small talk. They will ask you how you found the offices, discuss the weather and make other small talk.  Breathe and enjoy this moment to get your confidence up.
• The middle:- is split into two sections- your CV and general questions.
  • They will start by going through your CV and asking about where you stay, how you will get to work, how soon you can start, your knowledge of computer packages, your studies and then your career history. Assess your CV beforehand and see if there are any aspects that an employer may be concerned about and prepare answers.  Are the offices far away from where you live?  Are they asking for a qualification that you may not have yet? Next they will look at the jobs you have done, and always, why you have left them.  Make sure that you have the dates that you worked for the various companies and make sure that you know the facts about the various jobs.  Most important- make sure that the reasons you left jobs are put forward in a way that sells you.  Remember, an employer will always empathise with another employer, and “see the other side of the story”, unless you can quantify and give examples of any wrong doing.  (see previous newsletters on our blog that covers this in more detail.)
  • Next are the general questions like me cover each week on our blog and face book. These questions will either relate to competencies like your ability to work to deadlines, deal with pressure, delegate and communicate- depending on the job.  Or they will be general questions about your strengths, weaknesses, your family, future goals.
• The final section is generally about the job, and for any general questions. Take note about the job and ask questions.  If you have done your research, you may be able to show off a little of the knowledge that you have gained about the company.  Make sure that the questions you ask are about what you can do for the company, instead of what they can do for you.  Once you have sold them on you for the job, then you can start negotiating.  They are more likely to negotiate when they have make up their minds that you are perfect for the job, and less likely to even put you on the short list when they think that all you are interested in is getting the salary and taking annual leave.

TEST AND ASSESSMENTS

The golden rule today of going for interviews, is to tell the truth at all times.  There are so many people out there misrepresenting themselves that you can bet that they will do a check or test to catch you out!  The tests you can expect these days are computer tests, typing tests, driving tests, telephonic references (with people you may not have put on your CV), credit checks, industrial psychologist assessments, criminal checks and pre employment polygraphs.  So, tell the truth upfront, because after you have failed the tests, it is too late to tell a different story!

 

FOLLOW UP

Leave the interview on a confident note, in control.  Thank the interviewer for their time.  Ask them when you can follow up with them on the success of the interview.

Go through the interview procedure and try and research all the possible information that you will need and questions that they will ask you.  You will be amazed at how much more confident you feel!

 

 

It is said that an interviewer makes a judgment about the applicant in the first five minutes of the interview, and spends the rest of the time justifying the judgment to themselves. It is vital that you prepare for interviews, and preparing your presentation is no exception.

The following are a few tips on how to present yourself for interviews:

• It’s always better to overdress than to under-dress. If you under dress the interviewer may think that you do not care about the job. Interviewers will assume that your appearance in the interview is your best.
• A conservative approach is generally best
• Hair: Keep hair neat and cut regularly, if appropriate. Try and keep it natural looking and away from your face. Needless to say, wash your hair before an interview and make sure it is properly dried.
• Make-up and jewellery- don’t overdo it. Apart from ladies ears, body piercing and tattoos should not be visible. Don’t put on too much perfume or aftershave- what you enjoy, someone else may find offensive.
• Nails should be the same length, clean and neat. No nail polish for ladies is better than chipped nail polish or nail polish that is too bright or clashes with the outfit.
• Men should wear a solid coloured suite, white shirt and tie. If you do not feel comfortable in a blazer, try still wear the tie. Third choice is to wear an open necked shirt and fourth choice a collared T Shirt or golf shirt. T Shirts, jeans and shorts shouldn’t even be a consideration!
• Ladies should also wear a solid coloured suite with clean lines. When deciding what colour to wear, try and think of what colours men wear- navy, black, grey, beige. This is the basis of “power dressing”. You can then soften the outfit with your choice of blouse or scarf. If you cannot afford a suite, a pair of trousers or a knee/ ankle length skirt in the above colours with a simple blouse or jersey can look equally as elegant.
• Shoes must be clean and conservative. Ladies should not wear high heals if they are tall or not used to wearing high heals. Men should wear socks that match their outfit and shoes- not white socks.

Finally,
Make sure you try on the outfit BEFORE the day of the interview
Your clothes are your image, check the mirror and see what others see
If it is too tight or too loose- don’t wear it!!!
Your CV and portfolio is part of your image. Make sure it is well presented and your handbag or briefcase is clean. Don’t take your CV along on CD or disk
It is easy to get lazy about your presentation at interviews when you are going for lots of interviews. Every interview counts, especially those with employment agencies. The employment agency will make notes on your appearance and this will determine what sort of companies they forward your CV to.

 

 

Remember when you go for an interview, is that this is your chance to make a lasting first impression.  You can’t afford to blow even one interview because you were unprofessional and did not follow the correct etiquette!  I often find that the more interviews job seekers go for, the more complacent they get.  Job seekers can be unsuccessful for an interview, before they even answer the first question.  Here are a few pointers that you need to remember:-

• If you are making an appointment for an interview, make sure you have a pen and paper handy to take down all the details! Make sure than you take this with you when you leave for the interview in case you get lost, and so you know who to ask for when you get there.
• Print a map, and if you have never been to the area, or you will be in a hurry, try finding the interview venue the day before. If you cannot make two trips, then make sure you leave early and give yourself plenty of time to find the venue.
• Make sure that you are on time for the interview. 15 minutes early is always best…. Not one hour early! If you are running late, phone and let them know.
• Your interview starts when you walk into the offices! The receptionist will be watching you, as will any staff passing by.
• Switch OFF your cell phone when you arrive- especially smart phones that have vibrations and flashing lights that can distract you and the interviewer. NEVER answer a cell phone in an interview or check a message!
• When you arrive at the interview, leave all friends, partners, children and family members outside. Bringing them all into the reception area gives the interview an unprofessional impression and makes everyone uncomfortable. No mommy’s and daddy’s coming in to speak on your behalf!
• Dress to impress! We will cover this next week. This is the best that you will dress when employed in the job, because when you have the job you won’t be wanting to make the impression you are making today.  No shorts, jeans, slops, etc.
• Fill out any forms that they ask for- don’t be too superior to do some administration.
• Remember your manners! Greet people, stand when someone enter the room, be polite and accommodating.
• Remember your place! You are in an interview, not a personal chit- chat! Think before you speak!  Think about the effect that your words will have.  I cannot count the number of people that ruin an interview because they say something completely inappropriate, such as, when applying for a sales job: “I hate sales and don’t enjoy dealing with people”, when applying for a driving job, “I enjoy sitting behind a desk”.  A lot of interviewers will try to put you at ease so that you let your guard down and divulge all this information!
• Never lie- always be honest- but you don’t need to tell them things that have no bearing on the job and your ability to do the job. The fact that you take anti depressants, your parents hate your girlfriend because she has a drug problem, your boyfriend has just been arrested and you have a tattoo some place private- is no concern of the job seeker- but that is what they will remember!
• Don’t ever bring race, religion, age or any other sensitive topics into the interview- you don’t know what that interviewer believes and you don’t want to lose the position because you come across as being racist or having a chip on your shoulder.
• Never talk down previous employers or companies.
• Take along a folder with your CV, so that your CV does not get creased and look old and tatty. Make sure that you have all the supporting documents that you may need.
• Thank the interviewer for the interview, and ask when you can expect to hear something.
• Never ask what you will get from the job, at a first interview. Sell yourself- then when they are impressed by you, you can discuss salaries, working hours and benefits, at the final interview.
• If you are going for an interview with a company- research them first so that you have an idea what they do and who they are.
• If you are going for an interview with an employment agency- be just as professional as if you were going to a company- if not more so. They will forward you for jobs based on the impression that you make!
• Being prepared, having the facts about the job and being on time will go a long way to stopping nerves getting the best of you.

The attention to detail when going for an interview, and having the correct etiquette is just as important in the interview, as the answers to the questions.  People remember the overall impression- not just the facts and answers.

 

 

If you have a profile on LinkedIn, then please follow our LinkedIn company page, and share our vacancies with your connections. (http://www.linkedin.com/company/resource-recruitment-durban- )  If you are not on LinkedIn… then you need to be!

I have been in recruitment for over 15 years now, and it always amazes me how fast the industry changes.  15 years ago, we faxed or hand delivered CV’s and we advertised position every weekend in the Sunday Paper- Monday mornings the phones rang off the hook with people telephonically applying for jobs.  I cannot remember the last time I advertised a position in print, and Monday mornings are about catching up on emails, and sometimes we are at our busiest and the phones are not ringing at all!

Employers are using Social Media to research job applicants, before they even interview- and you don’t even know it!

Over the past year, the biggest development that I have seen in recruitment, is clients using social media daily to research job applicants…. And most of the time, you don’t even know it.  We have sent out previous emails on setting your privacy settings on Facebook, so that only your friends can see your photos and comments, while leaving your professional and educational information public.  If you have not done this, and a potential employer looks at your public profile, what would they think of you?

Point potential employers to the Social Media Account you want them to view.

People use three main forms of social media to check up on you- Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.  They will keep looking at accounts, until the find one that gives them enough information on you to form an impression.  People are also lazy, and will use the easiest method to get information on you.  So, if you provide a link to the profile that you want them to view, and you provide them with the information that they crave, then to a certain extent you can control the impression they get of you.  Facebook and Instagram should have privacy settings and should be mainly for your personal life (although this is possibly the most powerful networking tool in South Africa and should not be neglected when looking for a job); and LinkedIn should be your professional social media account.

A few hints and tips when setting up your LinkedIn profile:-

Photo– this is a professional, head and shoulders photo, looking directly at the camera and smiling.  No party photos, pouty lips, alcohol, revealing clothes, etc

Summary– this is a chance for you to “talk” to people viewing your profile.  Keep it easy to read, friendly and informative.  Make sure you check spelling and grammar- people will judge you on this.

Career History– put as much detail as possible.  You can even try and copy and paste information from your CV onto LinkedIn.  This is for two reasons, firstly, people may validate your CV against LinkedIn and secondly, if someone is “searching” for a particular skill, they will use keywords, and you want these keywords to appear in your CV.  (For example, I may want someone who has worked on Syspro, or who has worked with ISO22000.  This will not be your job title, but if you have put the detail on your profile, it will come up as a keyword.)

Complete the profile completely– make sure that all the sections that you can complete, you complete.  You are painting an honest picture for future employers, clients and associates to see.  Make yourself look as impressive as possible!  Here is your opportunity to boast about your volunteer work, interests and awards!

Start using it as a tool.  You don’t only need a profile to get a new job, you also need a profile because you want to network and make your current and next job a success.  Follow influential and inspiring people, your competitors and potential clients, and build a data base to network with.

Keep it current.  It is not enough to build a wonderful profile, like all the right pages and then never go on it again!  You need to go onto LinkedIn every morning ideally, but 2-3 times a week at least.  Remind yourself that it is a professional, business profile and comment, share and post accordingly.

Commit to it.  If you are not a frequent LinkedIn user, then you need to make a commitment to the account for three months.  As with all new technology, until you find your way around it, it can feel awkward and time consuming.

How to search for a job on LinkedIn

Once you have got your profile sorted, then you can start searching for a job.  Go to the search bar on top; this is where you will type in your search terms. For example, type in “technical sales,” you will get a list of related jobs, groups, and people doing similar work. If you are connected to them, it will prompt you to message them, and if you are not connected to them, it will prompt you to connect.

The dropdown box next to the search bar (or once you are in “search,” the menu at the top left) allows you to customize your search by people, jobs, companies, groups, and inbox. Click “jobs” and you can further hone in by location, connections, industry, job function, and experience level.

 Some interesting Social Media stats:

• 4 Million Job Seekers Have Used Social Networks to Find a Job
• 73% of companies successfully hired a candidate with social media
• 93% of companies use LinkedIn for recruiting, 66% use Facebook, and 54% use Twitter.

(www.jobcast.net)

• 5 out of 10 job seekers use social media to find a job, but a greater percentage of recruiters use it to find suitable applicants, 7 out of 10.

(www.adecco.com)

 

 

The most important part of looking for a job, without a doubt, is your CV!   Did you know that your CV has 30 seconds to catch Managements attention! You are your CV and you have to make that first impression on paper last forever!

Firstly, a few general comments before we begin:

1. Unless specifically asked- forget the two page CV! In all my years of recruitment, I have never been asked for less information on a CV, only more. Ten years ago, when companies asked for faxed CV’s, they asked for two page CV’s, to limit the cost of ink and paper as they were received, and the time the fax machine would be busy receiving them. Time has moved on, and few companies even give a fax number on their adverts. Unless the advert specifically states something different- a five page CV is generally appropriate, and rather pay attention to the size of the files you are attaching to emails. This can become a problem if you are scanning each page of your CV in separately, along with reference letters and certificates.

   2. Follow instructions on adverts and fill in application forms completely. I know a number of companies that place specific requests on their adverts, as “chancers” generally don’t follow them, just randomly send CV’s, and it is also a test to see if a person can follow instructions. If they ask for a 500 word covering letter explaining why you would be suitable for the job, send such a covering letter. If they ask for certain experience to be listed in your CV- list it.

   3. A CV is a professional document, and should appear as such. Sometimes, less is more when it comes to presentation. Font should be easy to read, not typed in capital letters only, have the correct grammar and punctuation, be spell checked, and simple headings and borders should be used.

   4. Personally, I like a photo on a CV. It adds a personal touch and makes your CV more memorable.

   5. Finally, your CV is there to sell you. It should have every fact that you need to get the interview. The personal reviewing your CV, is doing so to determine if you are suitable to interview. To do this, they need all the facts in an easy to read format, and they don’t need to have dialogue and essays about who you are and what you want- dialogue is for the interview!

   Working with the basis of a five page CV, this is a guideline of what you could include:-

 

PAGE ONE: PERSONAL INFORMATION
Make sure that you CV has all the relevant personal information and contact details, such as:-
Name, Surname, Calling Name, ID Number, Residential Area, Postal Address, phone number, email address, Languages Spoken, If you have a drivers licence and car, how soon you can start and possibly what geographical area you can work in.

PAGE TWO- SKILLS AND EDUCATION
Computer Skills: List all the computer packages that you have worked on.
School Education: List you highest level of school education, the school and subjects if you have completed school in the last five years. If you studied accounting or possibly mechanic or technical drawing, this may just score you extra points.

Tertiary Education: List the qualifications you have, dates obtained and training institution with the most recent first. Unless it is essential to the position you are applying to, don’t list all the subjects you studied- this can take pages.

Other courses:- such as first aid, forklift license and health and safety, that are relevant to the jobs you are seeking should also be included.
Achievements may also be listed under the sections above, but ask yourself first, “Is this worth boasting about?” I once had a job seeker state under school achievements that she had raised R19.55 for Save the Babies Fund- is this really her greatest achievement? If you finished school over 5-10 years ago, don’t list all the sports that you played- just provincial or national achievements.

PAGE THREE- FIVE: CAREER HISTORY
This is the most important section.
• Make sure that each position has the name of the company, the dates you worked there, your position, duties and reason for leaving.
• Your most recent job should be first, working back to the oldest.
• Short temp assignments can be listed to explain gaps in employment, but not in too much detail. Long term assignments can be list like permanent jobs.
• Make sure that you list all your duties in detail, but in point form. The fewer words that you use, the more chance that they will be read. Remember, if it is not on your CV, you never did it! I often get job seekers complaining that they are never short listed for job, and when we investigate, we find that they never mentioned those skills on their CV, so we assumed that they never had them!
• Don’t tell a story. CV’s are about getting the facts across, to get you the interview. Few people short listing literally hundreds of CV’s, will take the time to read a long explanation and story- and most of the time- there are no useful facts about what you actually did in the job in the background story.
• List the last few jobs, or last ten years of work experience in detail, and then abbreviate it. What you did 30 years ago is interesting to note, but not in great detail.
• If you are on the job market for less than five years, then list all the jobs you have had. A school leaver should list waitering, promotions, work experience and clubs at school. Someone who has been working five years or more, should have greater achievements to list.
• Don’t include reference details on people you don’t want contacted, like your current employer who is unaware you are looking for a job.
If you did not email us last month for a free copy of our CV template, and would still like a copy, feel free to email us on info@2r.co.za and we will happily send you one.

 

Interview Question Tips…

Can you delegate work?  Job seekers will instinctively answer, “YES!” in an attempt to impress.  This is how interviewers will ask the questions in a not so direct way:-

 

Delegation

The ability to effectively organize work, including decision-making, through others so that the end result is achieved

 

1. Can you trust others to do the work effectively or do you feel that you have to do things yourself to get it done? Can you give me an example from your work history that reinforces this viewpoint?
2. Can you give me an example of a time when you should have delegated, but due to the fact that you did not, you ended up with unsatisfactory work?
3. Can you give me an example of a time when you delegated too much and you ended up with unsatisfactory work as a result?
4. Can you give me an example where you decided to take a chance by delegating work to someone and you were pleasantly surprised by the result?
5. You mentioned earlier in the interview that you have been working overtime. Can you explain why it has not been possible to delegate the work to a subordinate?
6. When you went away on your last business trip, what did you do to ensure that the things that needed to be done at the office were done?

 

 

Covering letters should catch the recruiters eye…. Not drone on and put them to sleep!

Now that you have completed last weeks assignments- you know what you want, what your strengths and weaknesses are and what salary you want, you are ready to start applying for jobs, so you will need a covering letter!

You will write covering letters for two occasions:-

1. Applying for job adverts
2. Marketing your CV to companies that you do not know if they have a vacancy or not.

In the above cases, a covering letter is NOT an opportunity to:-

• Drone on about how wonderful you are.
• It’s not an extension of your CV
• It’s not you CV
• And it’s not a chance to try guilt the recruiter into employing you!

Here’s a few pointers on how to write a covering letter:

1. Make it Quick!Long letters will not get read. You have 2 seconds to grab their attention- if you are successful, another 2 and so on.  Try and keep it to ½ a page– maybe 3-4 paragraphs.
2. Get Personal!(And not about yourself!) Address the letter to the right person- you stand a good chance to get it read by the right person.  Address is “To whom it may concern” and any admin clerk could read it.  A little bit of homework to find out who to address you application to could make all the difference!
3. Clarify what you want.If you are applying for a particular position- state which position it is.  Most recruiters are dealing with several positions and don’t have the time to contact you to ask what you are sending your CV for.  If you can’t be bothered to say why you are emailing your CV, why should they bother to ask?  The first thing that I look at in an email, is what is this email for?  Once I know, I know what we are communicating about.
4. Grammar, punctuation and formatting.This is crucial! In today’s times of SMS, BBM, Twitter- people forget that a business letter is a business letter, and there is no excuse for abbreviations and sms format letters.  Yesterday we posted a letter from a recruiter who took 899 applications down to a handful on the covering letter- tomorrow we will post a few examples of the covering letters he received- totally unprofessional!  Sit back and look at your letter- is it neatly laid out and appealing to the eye?  Get someone to proof read it for you.  You have no idea how important simple, correct English is at this level! Keep paragraphs to 2-3 lines each- remember this is not another version of your CV- it’s a short letter to get your CV read by the right person.  At most you can mention your best three points for the position you are applying for, in point form, a few words per point.
5. Put a heading under the salutation.  Something simple that will grab their attention.  Make it bold, centred and underlines if you want.  Try “Accountant- BCom graduate, available immediately and willing to prove themselves”, or “Matriculating- received two distinctions, computer literate, drivers licence, wanting a position in which to prove themselves through excellent work ethic”
6. Show intent. Follow up  Ask in the covering letter when you can expect feedback, and state that you will follow up… and follow up.  If you really believe that you are the best person for the job, and not randomly sending your CV to hundreds of adverts, then you should fight to have your CV considered!  So many times people email us after a year of never having their CV’s considered, disgruntled and feeling that we are victimising them…. Only to discover they have been sending their CV’s to the wrong address, or their work server has been blocking incoming or outgoing emails from us… and if they has just followed up…..
7. Contact details. Don’t forget to put them on your letter!  Your letter should be signed from your full name, with your telephone number, email address and any other contact details you wish to share.
8. Cover Letter Templates. Don’t use them!  Be original!  There is a stunning Dale Carnegie covering letter.  In his book, it really makes a point how to win the reader’s attention.  But when it is sent to me, word for word by a job seekers who obviously does not give Mr Carnegie credit- it comes across as insincere and plagiarism. And when I get a letter that starts, “To whom it may concern.  I have always admired your company and wanted to work for such a dynamic institution”… well…. RESOURCE recruitment appreciates you sentiments, but we are not looking for staff right now, our clients are, and you don’t know who they are.  Keep it simple and sincere.

So, to recap:

• Address your letter to the right person
• Write the title of the position in the subject line of the email “Application for position of….”
• Write an eye catching heading.
• Write 2-3 paragraphs, or 3-4 lines each, stating the reason for your email/ CV submission and listing your three best attributes for the position
• End the letter saying that you will follow up… and follow up.
• Sign the letter off with your contact detail
• And always check your spelling, grammar, formatting and professional image.

 

Below is an example of how 899 applications for a job, can be reduced to a handful, without the CV even being opened!  It shows how important a covering letter and email etiquette can be, to making a professional first impression.  If you ever wondered how potential employers short list positions, here is an example.

I received this letter from an employer out there, who saw our on line course and wanted to contribute job seekers.

Dear Kirsten,

I am an engineer looking for a trainee. I pushed hard to create this position and the application process has been a disaster. This has made the company think twice about getting trainees in to do their practical experience.

My e-mail address was inadvertently put on as the responding e-mail address.

The advert went to one Technikon to limit the response. We would normally get 6 – 10 people responding. I underestimated the social networking capability from people that read it and passed it on.

Here is a list of problems that you may wish to add to your document.

1. It went viral and I am getting responses from all over.
2. My mail box was blocked with the volume.
3. One of the criteria was accuracy. I received blank e-mails with no attachments.
4. I received lots from phones with no salutation, no writing and no formal ending.
5. I received e-mails up to 18MB.
6. I received a set of 6 e-mails. Each one a photograph from a Blackberry of the pages of the CV.
7. Titles incorrect. If you can’t get that part right then the need for accuracy is not important to you so neither are you to me.
8. Apply for positions not advertised. It was for electrical and respondents were instrumentation, mechanical, civil and even musicians.
9. Some people sent every day for the 5 day period that it was open for.
10. Some people sent in and then decided to send again adding information.
11. Some people sent different formats of the same information with different titles in the subject line of the e-mail. If you didn’t get it right the first time your accuracy is not at the level I require.

My selection criteria.

Delete if

1. No subject title in the e-mail. No idea about business etiquette. Here I deleted 58
2. Greater than 2MB. No idea of computers and compression. No idea how your e-mail of 18MB messes up things. This dropped 180 of 899.
3. Anyone applying for a position other than advertised. Logical. Lost about another 30.
4. Anyone sending in more than one e-mail. If you think that a company has excessive time to keep reading and or printing your e-mail. Reduced by another 345.
5. Spelling mistakes in the subject line of the e-mail. Accuracy! Don’t know. Just deleted them.
6. Anyone greeting me in the subject line of the e-mail. You don’t know me and I’m not interested in e-mails that could be a scam. Greetings Mr. Engineer. 2 deleted.
7. Any e-mail where FW: or Re: appears in the subject line of the e-mail. If someone can’t send it directly to me rather than through a 3^rd person, I’m not interested. 60 FW: and 6 RE:

Here I deleted at least 681.  Sad but as an engineer I’m not equipped to even respond to the people individually. I don’t expect many companies are. I will put up a letter on the notice board thanking those that responded and if they did not receive a response, then they were unsuccessful.

If you ever get the chance to address students (I can arrange if you require) about writing a CV, I am willing to assist in any way. It is a huge shame that once having completed your studies and passing, you cannot get employment. You may even be the best person for the job but if you can’t sell yourself, no one will employ you. Maybe Marketing 101 should be offered to everyone!

Thanking you again for your continued input to assisting the job market.

 

Regards

 

1. Skinner

 

(Please note that this is an old position that he advertised, and we are not looking for in service students.)