The biggest complaint that we receive from Job Seekers is “I keep sending my CV and I never get short listed!”  Some job seekers keep quiet about their frustration, never email us, or ask for feedback.  For those proactive and positive job seekers that do email us and ask for feedback on how to improve their application, this is what we tell them.

 

Firstly, please believe us- if you are the best person for the job, then we want to interview you, send you to our client and get you the job!  This is our business, and we have nothing to gain my turning the best person for the job away!  Often the reason that you are not being short listed is a simple one… and the most common mistake is life… communication.  And you communicate with us, when applying for jobs, through your CV.

 

Here are the top five mistakes made when applying for jobs, which will prevent you from being interviewed:-

1. Is your CV up to date?     It’s all about attention to detail.  If my client wants someone immediately, and your CV says you are still employed… how am I to know that you actually left that company last month?  If my client needs someone who has their driver’s licence, and you got yours last month, but you have not updated your CV, how am I to know?  The same goes for the area’s that you live in.  If you are going to take the time and effort to apply for jobs, take a few extra minutes and have a look at your CV and make sure nothing has changed!

2. “If it’s not on your CV, you never did it.” CV’s should be concise and to the point, with facts listed in point form.  This does not mean that they have to be one page or two page- that was the requirement in the days that you faxed your CV.  If I need someone with buying experience, and I look at your CV, and nowhere on it does it mention this experience, how am I to know you have the experience?  (It is especially important to make sure that your CV is put on search engines like PNet, Careers24 and CareerJunction in details, because when recruiters use these portals they use “keywords” that will only pick up those CV’s that have been put on in detail.)

3. The last point about your CV when applying for jobs, is that it is the most important tool that you have in your job search. It’s your sales brochure selling you for the job.  If you cannot take the time to make sure that it is neatly saved as a PDF or MS Word Document, and the best that you can to is a fuzzy fax machine- scanned document or photos saved each as an individual page, sometimes at too low a resolution to read, then you have to accept that this is the first impression of your work ethic that you are making.

4. “Take a chance, but don’t be a chancer.” What’s the difference?  Taking a chance is good.  You never know what will happen until you do!  It’s about applying for a job that you meet MOST of the requirements for, or that you may be just a little too junior for.  Being a “chancer” is bad- it’s the person who just sends their CV off regardless.  In one email they will apply to be the financial director, the receptionist and the boilermaker… and then get upset because they never get short listed.  I know that you can learn, if just given a chance, but would you go to a dentist that would like to “learn” on your sore tooth?  Or take your cell phone to some who know nothing about cell phones, but will try their hardest to fix it?  If this is your approach to job seeking, that’s great!  But then be sure to keep perspective and not get upset when you have applied for so many jobs, and not been successful.

5. Finally, fill out the application forms. There is a reason that the company is asking this information…. Even if you are tired of giving it.

 

These are the most common reasons, but there are lost more too- like emailing the wrong address, not stating that you are actually applying for a specific job or simply not being professional and using “SMS text” to write your covering letter.  Have a look at the newsletters on our website www.2r.co.za for more hints and tips on how to prepare your CV, how to write a covering letter and even a template CV.

 

Don’t be opinionated.Go into every interview believing that you have something to learn.“Everyone you meet knows something you don’t.”

Smile.Take a deep breathe.It’s just a conversation at the end of the day with someone who is interested in you.

Go with the flow.Thoughts and questions will come into your mind- let them go.Too many interviewers stop listening when a great question comes into mind, and hang onto that question/ answer, waiting to ask it.

If you do not know, say you don’t know.Talk should not be cheap.

Never equate your experience to theirs.It’s never the same.

Don’t repeat yourself- it’s boring!

Don’t focus too much on the titles, focus on the duties.Give quantities and amounts so that they can gain a clear picture of what you did and your responisbilities.

Listen.Buddha said- If your mouth of open you are not listening.Steven Covey- Too many people listen with the intent to reply, not the intent to understand..

Keep it brief.There is no need to talk forever- it’s just an interview, not a therapy session!

But at the end of the day, the most important thing is to be honest, sincere and POSITIVE. 

People like positive people.  Please want to surround themselves with positiive people.

 

I know that one of the questions that really frustrates job seekers, is “What is your dream job?”, or “What job are you wanting?” because it is not always easy to sum up in a phrase.  Goal setting and dreaming big are important- “if you don’t know where you are going, how will you ever get there??”.  I recently read “Hero” by Rhonda Byrnes who wrote the international best seller “The Secret” and she has some brilliant thoughts on setting goals, and how to achieve your dream job, which I thought that I would share with you, as a lot of you go back to work for the first time in 2014, or actively start looking for a job again, this week.

 

“You have to be clear.  Clarity is what gives you power.  Take the time to get clear on what you want and then you will start taking a step towards it.  But if you don’t know what you want then you will allow life to dictate the terms to you.  I’ve never allowed life to dictate terms to me. “

Layne Beachley Hero

The first step to achieving your dream job, is to start doing what you do now, better than you have ever done it before.  Give your current job 110%- even if your current job is not what you ultimately want to do.  The positive energy that you will give off, will make you attract bigger, better things.  People will notice your hard work and excellent attitude- even if it’s not your boss.  Success today, is not about how much money you have or what your status is.  Success today is about how well you do something.  So do it well, and you will be a success today and can be proud of what you have accomplished.

 

The next step is to start dreaming.  They can be big dreams or they can be little dreams- it really does not matter.  It is about the process of opening your mind up to possibilities.  Some people are comfortable with dreaming big- jumping in the deep end and saying that they want to be a Sales Director- and they have a confidence in themselves to achieve the goal!  Most of us are more comfortable with little dreams- today, I want to solve a problem at work, learn a new skills, study a course or learn a craft.  Once you have some dreams, start spending some time thinking about them.  You have the internet at your finger tips and magazines and books on a huge variety of topics.  Join blogs and start cutting out articles and information and putting it on a notice board.

“…write out what you want to achieve and have it in front of you when you wake up in the morning.  One way or another, if you’re focused on it, the mind leads in that direction.  Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it will achieve.  The more you have something on your mind, the more it is going to happen.”

John Paul Dejoria

 

The final step is to “Follow your Bliss”.  “Your Bliss” is how you feel when you do something that you love, that makes you happy.  Sinking into a hot bath after a long day, that first cup of coffee in the morning, listening to a powerful piece of music…. Bliss!  It is the thread that connects you to your dreams.  Even though you may not know what your dreams are, or your dream job, when you are passionate about what you do, the “Bliss” you feel will take you to your dream job.  How many truly successful people do you know, who started with a hobby or something that they were passionate about, and then landed up making it their career?  Each day, take a moment to experience this “Bliss”- even if it is just a quiet moment, or a good cup of coffee, and soon the ways that you can experience this feeling will grow.  Maybe you will notice this feeling when cooking dinner, and discover that this is where you want your career to be.  Or you will notice it while watching a brilliant movie, and you will decide to blog about it, and suddenly someone will read what you have written and you will get a job reviewing movies.  It is not your place to ask how… just to follow your heart!  Nick Woodman was a surfer who was so passionate about surfing that he wanted to share his experience with others, so he created a camera he could wear while surfing so that others could see what he saw.  How was he to know that this passion would become the GoPro camera, and he would become a billionaire?!

“Money and security are very important to everyone.  Personal satisfaction and passion for a particular thing you do is more important.  That is why it is important to dream.”

GM Rao

The average person spends 250 days a year at work- that’s more than two thirds of the year.  Its important to do whatever you do with passion, to the best of your ability.

 

Security is important, so I am not suggesting that you resign your job today and follow your dreams, if you don’t have the means to.  I am suggesting that every day, you spend a little time looking for things are work and in your personal life, that make you happy, that make you feel the “Bliss”.  Then build on this.  Maybe incorporate it into your current job, or start doing it afterhours.  Nurture and grow the things that make you feel good, and they will grow, and in time, they will be so big, they will be your job, and then you will have your dream job.  Focus on the positive things in your life.

 

“I didn’t set out to be rich.  The fun and the challenge in life were what I wanted, and still do…. But I have found that, if I have fun, the money will come.”

Sir Richard Branson

 

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.  And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.  If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle.”

Steve Jobs Co Founder of Apple Inc.

 

Let’s make 2016 the year that we either find our dream jobs, or the year that we work so hard in our current jobs, that we make them our dream jobs!!

10 VERY SMALL, BUT VERY SIGNIFICANT ACTS THAT COULD STAND BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR NEXT JOB.

Showing up late, forgetting a copy of your resume, having a bad hair day…these are all reasons you might not feel as confident as you’d like to when you’re in your next job interview, but they’re not immediate disqualifiers. According to employers, the top most detrimental blunders candidates make in interviews are often the most common.

Have you made any of these mistakes? Here are the top 10 things NOT to do in your next job interview:

1. Appear disinterested
Fifty-five percent of hiring managers say this is a big deal-breaker in an interview, and we can’t blame them for saying this is the No. 1 thing you should not do in an interview. If you’re this bored in an interview, how will you act on the job? Employers want somebody who will bring energy and focus to their team, and will engage with the job. Acting disinterested, or failing to show enthusiasm for the opportunity, only signals to employers that you’re not interested in this job—and they’ll find a candidate instead who is.

2. Dress inappropriately
Wearing clothes that are too tight or too loose, too dressy or too casual, or wearing brands and logos in professional settings is a bad sign, according to 53 percent of hiring managers. But before you accuse your interviewer of playing fashion police instead of interviewing you about your skills, remember why they even care about your appearance: They’re evaluating your judgment and how you’d appear to customers. Do you show you can fit in with company culture? Are you there to bring professionalism to the organization? Dress the part.

3. Appear arrogant
This turn-off bothers 53 percent of hiring managers, who would rather hear about your accomplishments in the context of how you helped the organization, compared to a list of bragging rights. Frame your big wins in the company’s overall success: your impressive sales numbers attributed to the company’s biggest year in earnings, for example.

4. Talk negatively about current or previous employers
Half of hiring managers (50 percent) said this is a red flag when meeting with potential hires. No surprise there. Why would they want to be your new employer when your old employer is taking all the blame for your career’s negatives? If there’s bad blood between you and an old employer or workplace, simply state a difference in personalities or work culture, and emphasize that this organization and you are a much better fit for both your strengths and weaknesses.

5. Answer a cell phone or text during the interview
About equally as rude as speaking negatively about old employers is checking or using your phone, according to 49 percent of hiring managers surveyed. This is a simple fix. Do NOT use your phone at all during the interview, as it’s rude and discourteous to your interviewer’s time. Turn it off (or on silent if you must have it on) before you enter the building or get on the phone or webcam for your in-person or digital interview. Either way, you should not be using your phone at all during an interview.

6. Appear uninformed about the company or role
You may think you can fake it till you make it, but 39 percent of hiring managers will disagree with your strategy if you appear uninformed about the company or the role you’re interviewing for. Before your interview, research every aspect: who you’ll be interviewing with, what the role’s responsibilities are, any major news about the organization and a background knowledge of its industry.

7. Avoid providing specific examples
Thirty-three percent of hiring managers say this is a problem, since they want to hear exactly how you demonstrate your qualities of being a “hard-working, energetic, driven team-player.” Did you implement a new employee engagement perk or group? Did you earn recognition or awards for your achievements? Get specific when you are explaining your strengths and achievements.

8. Ask generic questions (or none at all)
Similar to being ignorant to what the organization or role does, asking generic questions (or none at all) signals to the interviewer you probably don’t understand or aren’t interested in the job—which is a problem according to 32 percent of hiring managers. Demonstrate your knowledge by asking specific questions about on-the-job duties, as well as any questions you may have about the organization or style of management.

9. Provide too much personal information
Oversharing is something to avoid, according to 20 percent of hiring managers. You don’t need to go into detail about personal hobbies or family anecdotes in an interview. Simply be yourself and let your personality and confidence speak for themselves.

10. Ask the hiring manager personal questions
About as bad as oversharing is over-asking, according to 17 percent of hiring managers. Asking the hiring manager personal questions doesn’t establish a connection between you two—it just makes your interviewer uncomfortable and show you don’t have a good sense of business manners. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and professionalism.

Avoiding these 10 pitfalls can put you on a much more successful trajectory towards having a successful interview and potential job offer.

Are you a victim or do you fight for what you want and learn from your mistakes?  Do you roll over and give up when your job application is unsuccessful?

 

Recently we have been advertising a lot of positions, dealing with large volumes of applications, and to be honest- going through all the email applications by the deadline has been a mammoth task!!  With so many emails coming through, the number of email “complaints” also increases.  (Complaints against the employment situation and how hard it is to find a job).  A lot of these complaints have the following in common:-

1. There is a definite tone in the email that the writer feels that they are a victim and that they will never find a job!!
2. The emails are completely unprofessional- send from a cell phone, no salutation or signature, no punctuation.  (“why do I neva get da interview”)
3. Or the emails are argumentative- accusing me of sending out these adverts for the fun of it (why would I do this!!!!!!) and never calling anyone in for interviews.

What these emails have in common, most of the time (but not all the time), is that when I search my CV for their email address to see what they have been applying for and why we have over looked them (because we take these “complaints” seriously), is that either we have received no emails previously, or these people have been applying for jobs regardless of if they have the skills and experience, and setting themselves up for failure.  What the vast majority of these emails have in common, is also that they are shifting the blame onto me, and not actually wanting a solution!

 

What I tell all of them is this:-

I cannot respond to a general comment, but the next time you apply for a position, and you really feel that you were absolutely perfect, and you are not short listed, email the original application you sent me again, and ask for feedback.  It may be a simple reason like you had not listed the required experience on your CV, or I did not receive your application, or I misunderstood what you were saying, or you simply slipped through the cracks!  I am human and I make mistakes- if you feel you are the best person- fight for your application!! And if you are not the best candidate, at least you will have a good reason why, and not be sitting at home feeling helpless.

 

I am one of those people that love my job!  I love interviewing candidates and finding them their dream jobs.  I love meeting with clients and finding their ideal solution to a staffing needs.  So many of my clients and candidates are amazing people, and have become friends.  But the part of my job I find the most tedious, of going through literally hundreds of emails.  So rest assured- I do not send the emails out “for the fun of it”.  I send them out because I need to find the best possible person for the job!  And if you are that person, I want to meet with you, and my client wants to employ you!

 

If you learn from each unsuccessful application, at some point you will perfect your application, and will be successful.  You will learn and grow, and the job seeking process will be empowering, rather than break your confidence.  The things you learn while looking for a job, will stay with you forever.

 

Whether you are applying to our vacancy alerts, jobs on line, to companies directly, or via referrals- fight for your application.  Be professional- don’t hound the recruiter too soon, don’t be pushy and aggressive, don’t flood their in box with follow up emails the next day- but do ask for feedback and  advice.  Show them that you are professional and serious about your application- not just one of the many who randomly sent in their CV.

 

And like I ask you to ask for feedback and advice, I too am asking you for feedback and advice.  You are the professional job seeker.  You know what it feels like to get the rejection (or no feedback) from recruiters.  RESOURCE recruitment prides itself on providing a personal, personnel service to job seekers.  It’s not always easy with so many job seekers, and just a few recruiters, but we always try and do our best and respond to your emails.  If there is a way that we can better our service to you, please, we want to hear from you!  You welcome to email me and just have a moan, but I would really like to from you if you have suggestions that we can put into action!

 

So, the next time you are rejected, or don’t get a response to an application- are you going to give up and moan about the job situation in South Africa, or are you going to take the challenge, and ask yourself, “what can I learn from this?”

 

 

When we were kids, we were taught, “don’t lie, because you will get caught out”, yet as adults, a lot of us forget this, especially when we go for interviews.  In today’s times, there is so much fraud and corruption, that any employer with much sense, will do extensive reference checks, criminal checks, ITC checks and possibly even psychometric and pre employment polygraph tests.  So, with so many checks, what makes job seekers think that they can beat the system?!

 

Generally speaking, if we all loved our previous jobs, then we would never have left them.  So when employers phone previous employers for a reference, they take this into account, especially if you have explained your reasons for leaving in the interview.

When you attend an interview for a position, normally reference checks have not yet been done.  This is your opportunity to explain your reasons for leaving- and being asked why you left a previous employer is a question that you are guaranteed (so best prepare and look at our previous newsletter on this topic).  You have one opportunity to give your side of the story.  Don’t lie and pretend that you left for a different reason, because if we catch you out on the lie, we are not going to phone you back and give you another chance at being honest!

 

Hint and tips at dealing with “Reason for Leaving”:-

o   Don’t bad mouth previous employers. Employers empathise with other employers, and will wonder what your responsibility was.

o   Leave emotion out of it.  So many people come for an interview, and they are so emotional about what has happened in their last position, that it consumes them… and the interview.  Too much of the interview time is spent listening to the feud, and not enough time is spent on why you are suitable for the position you have applied for.

o   Don’t jump into the negative stuff.  Focus on the positive things in your CV and sell yourself, then when they love you, then tell them the negative stuff.  Candidates are often so scared and nervous of the negative things, that as soon as they sit down, they are telling them to the interviewer- and again, the interview becomes about these problems, and not about why you are suitable for the job.

o   Have your facts at hand, and explain yourself in detail.  If the interviewer fully understands what has happened, and it makes sense, they will put it aside and an employment agent will be able to explain it to their client before you even arrive for an interview.  But if the interviewer gets half truths, it won’t make sense to them, and they will wonder what you are not telling them.

o   Be humble and take responsibility for what you did wrong.  In every situation we have some responsibility.  Own it.

o   Tell the truth.  If you lie on one small aspect of your CV and you are caught, your entire CV is discredited.

o   Remember, the person interviewing you does it for a living.  They are experienced and trained to pick up when you are not telling the truth.

It may be helpful to know how we do our reference checks:-

o   Firstly, no reputable agency will phone a current employer, unless you have specifically given then permission, as this will put your job in jeopardy.

o   We will call the two most recent previous employers.

o   We will not phone the person that you listed on your CV- we will call the offices, or someone we know in the company, and ask who you reported to, and we will speak to this person or the HR department

o   We seldom will take written references, because if they were bad, you would not show them to us.

o   We have a standard format that we follow, that has competency based questions (i.e. they are based on facts, not emotion.  E.g. Did they arrive at work on time?  Were they able to meet deadlines?  NOT Did you like them?)

o   If we are aware that there was a particular issue, we are sensitive to this fact, and will take it into account.  (e.g. you may have told us that you did not leave on good terms because you went to the companies opposition.  When the employer is bitter and tells us that you are not loyal, we understand where this is coming from.)

o   If we feel that the referee is not telling us something, or there is a certain tone to the reference, we will ask more questions on that area and try and get to the truth.

o   If they disclose that you were dismissed, or did not work the dates you stated or did not do the duties that you said you did, we will not phone you to explain yourself.

o   If there is a minor difference with what you have told us, and the referee says, then we will get a second reference and ask you to clarify yourself.

o   We want you to get a good reference and to get the job, and we will fight for this, but if you don’t help us with the truth, then we often get references that we don’t like.

So next time you go for an interview- use the time to sell yourself, and then to give your side of the story.  Be humble, take responsibility and disclose everything!

Common mistakes that people make when looking for a job:

• Apply for positions on the dates requested, and as soon as possible.  Applying for positions after hours, or a week after the advert was placed will seldom yield good results.
• Phone yourself.  It makes a very bad impression when friends and family phone for you.
• Be prepared when you phone.  Know what position you are applying for, when you are available to go for interviews and have a pen and paper handy to write down the details.
• Don’t phone and ask the advertiser to call you back on your cell phone.
• Don’t ask the employer to interview you after hours.  If you cannot see them in business hours, chances are you cannot see their client in business hours.  They too have families and a life.  If they offer to see you after hours- great!
• Make sure you are dressed to impress and have a neat CV.  First impressions count.  Often you will only have 30 minutes to impress an employment agency, and then will want them to submit your CV to their best clients on the strength of your first impression.  Job seekers can also easily become too relaxed after they have been for numerous interviews.
• Be five minutes early for the interview- not 30 minutes early or an hour late.  If you are running a few minutes’ late, phone and let them know.
• Fill out applications in full if requested to.  They have a reason for asking you to do this.
• Don’t take friends and relatives into reception with you, and don’t have loud, personal conversations on your cell phone.
• Switch off your cell phone, and if you forget and it rings- cancel the call rather than answer it.
• Think before answering the questions- this is not a time to be flippant or sarcastic.
• Ask questions and offer relevant information.
• Don’t talk down past and present employers.
• Don’t lie.
• Don’t leave original copies of your CV and certificates with the interviewer.
• At the end of the interview, thank the interviewer for their time and ask when you will hear from them again.
• Remember your manners.

NETTIQUETTE (or email etiquette to others!)

Haaaaaallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllloooooooooooo Darling, sweetie, hun, love

(well im just checking if you’ll got my cv that I sent to you’ll) . 

This news letter is all about email etiquette, “Netiquette” and I have started the email off in obviously some of the most unprofessional ways ever.

Thanks to email, information moves with the speed of light. Because it is easy to use, many people dash off, rambling messages that fall somewhere between a friendly chat and carefully chosen words using perfectly correct grammar.

More and more people have internet access on their cell phones and send off emails directly from them.  The temptation with this is that a lot of people send an email in “sms text”, and the recipient receives a very unprofessional email, unaware of where it was sent from.

Email and the Internet have changed the way we read. Eighty percent of email and Internet users  scan for meaning. Here are a few tips to consider before you push “SEND” on how to impress your future boss, client, employment consultant etc.

·         Change the font! Courier new is old fashioned and hard on the eye, Arial, Verdana or Tahoma are a lot easier to read and feel more personal.

·         Write a subject line that will impact the reader! Make me want to open your email because I can get up to 100 emails a day!

·         Be concise.  Write short, important sentences. Write the way you speak but always be polite.

·         Try to keep the message to just one screen so that we don’t have to scroll down the page.

·         When emailing, all you see is a computer screen – no facial expressions, no voice on the phone.  So always check your message for the tone and possible misinterpretations

·         Email is a permanent record.  Don’t send anything with potential legal implications or risk of copyright or licensing infringement.

·         Always edit and proof for correctness. Respect your reader’s time: missing caps and punctuations, misspellings and mistakes in grammar and word usage distract your reader. The written word represents you and your organization.

·         If asking questions, itemize your inquiries with numbers or letters. This will make it easier for the recipient to provide itemized responses.

·         Before sending an angry message, go have a cup of coffee and reconsider.

·         Don’t use email shorthand. Not everyone knows what ROTFL means i.e.: rolling on the floor laughing!

·         And lastly, there is no need for pretty back grounds, coloured fonts, sparkling letters- remember you are trying to impress!

 

In particular, when applying for position via email, always remember to write what position you are applying for.  Most HR departments and employment agencies deal with several positions at one time, as well as get general CV’s forwarded to them.  Make sure that covering letters are short and to the point.  Ensure that attachments are not too big, and saved in a format that the average internet user can open.  And finally, as useful as the internet and email is, sometimes a phone call to follow up can go a long way!

There is no doubt that at this stage in the year, and this point in our international economy, jobs are a little harder to come by and there are more people out there completing for the job you have your eye on.

 

So, how do you cope with the competition and how do you cope with the inevitable rejection when it comes your way?

 

Competition

Competition is good.  It makes us put more effort into a process and show what we are really made of!  If you want to beat the competition, keep the following points in mind:

• Show attention to detail.  All the little things add up like a neat CV, being on time, being well presented, remembering your manners, etc
• Show you are interested and eager.  When you are offered an interview, make every effort to get to the interview as soon as possible, before someone else does.  If additional information is requested from you in the interview, like a referee’s phone number or a job description, get back to the interviewer ASAP with the details and show you are eager.
• Be professional at all times.  If you are running late, cannot make an interview or don’t want to accept a position, be professional and discuss your concerns with the employer upfront.  This is not a time to play games and make enemies. It’s a small world, and you never know when you will run into that person that you stood up!
• Remember- when looking for a job, you are selling yourself as the best possible person for the job!  Make sure your brochure (CV) says everything that there is to say about you; your packaging is appealing (your presentation) and the salesman (you) who is selling the product is punctual, friendly and wants the sale (job).  If not, they will give it to the next sales person who goes the extra mile!
• Make sure that as many people as possible have your CV.  The more people who see your CV, the interviews you will get, the more offers you will get.  Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
• Basically, give the job seeking process 100%, and WOW your future employer!!

 

Rejection

Rejection is not always bad.  Sure we all want the first job that we apply for, and want to feel valued and welcomed, but in reality this is not always possible.  Rejection often happens for a reason- sometimes a job is just not meant for you and there is a better one out there.  Things have a way of unfolding the way that they are meant to, and as long as you keep positive and actively looking for a job, there is the perfect job out there for everyone!  When rejection does come your way, keep the following things in mind:

• Firstly, don’t take things personally.  There are numerous people applying for the same job, and often after the employer spends less than an hour, on average, with each candidate, they have to make a decision.  It is often not about how good you are as a candidate, but how good the competition is.
• Don’t set yourself up for failure and then blame everyone else.  The biggest ways that candidates discredit themselves with our Vacancy Alert Data Base is by applying for every job that goes out, whether they are remotely suitable or not.  They may be an office administrator but they are applying for bookkeeping, sales, management and IT positions, and in industries that they know nothing about.  They are rejected time and time again, and then come back to us a year down the line completely disheartened by the rejection.
• Don’t look for excuses why you do not have a job, look for reason why you are going to find that perfect job!  See the positive in situations.  It is always the person who cries the loudest that there are no jobs out there, who is the one who does not arrive for interviews!
• Keep professional at all times- it is often tempting to get angry and demand answers.  No one wants to employ someone like this, as it gives the impression that you would be a difficult employee, and confirms their decision not to employ you anyway.
• Ask for constructive criticism and again, don’t take it personally.  Ask the interview if it was a simply a matter of the other candidate was better, and if so how.  Or is there something you did in the interview that ruined your chances.  You never know- you may have unknowingly make  discriminatory remark, commented about personal problems, gave the impression that you were unreliable… a hundred different reasons.  Armed with the information of what you have don’t wrong, you can do better next time.
• Interviews take practice!  The more interviews you go for, the more relaxed you feel and the better you get at them.  (but don’t get bored, complacent and come across uninterested if you have been for too many).
• The really great candidates that I see, generally blow things with their lack of professionalism after I have “sold” them to the client as being a fantastic candidate.  They either don’t arrive for interviews with the client, walk out on temp assignments, accept positions and then accept counter offers and play games.  In all these cases, I write the candidates off.  There is a professional way to turn down a job offer, end a temp assignment and negotiate an offer of employment.

 

Don’t let anyone fool you- there are jobs out there- you just need to keep up the recruitment process and make sure that you stand out above the rest.

 

And above all, remember:- THERE IS THE PERFECT JOB FOR EVERY CANDIDATE, AND THE PERFECT CANDIDATE FOR EVERY JOB!!!!

Take a step back, and look at your CV’s, your interview style and your job applications as if you were looking at yourself through the eyes of the company recruiting you.

Here are a few things to consider:-

1. Is the CV that you are sending out selling?
2. Is it the most professional first impression that you can make?  Is it a scanned or “fax to email” copy that is blurred, upside down and has written notes down the margin- or is it a simple, Adobe or MS Word document that you have done spell check on and will show you to be the professional you are?  You have no idea how the time taken to type your CV up and save it can make all the difference.
3. Does you CV have the information to sell you?  Imagine that you were looking to employ a technician to fix your cell phone and TV.  If the brochure that the technician gives you tells you all their personal details, what they like to do on the weekend, that they studied a cooking course and enjoy long walks on the beach- would you employ them. You are not applying to a dating service- you are looking for a professional to fix your TV!  You want to know how many years technical experience they have, what their technical qualifications were and exactly what they have done.  The technical information will be why you employ them for the job- the personal details are just nice to know.  Does you CV give the technical details, or is a dating service application?
4. The biggest thing missing from CV’s is dates!  So many people leave them off and they are so important.  Always put your most recent job first, the dates that you worked at a company and what you did.  This is the “technical information” that someone will employ you off.
5. Remember- if it’s not on your CV, you never did it!  Your CV is your first impression and sums you up in a few pages.  It is what decides if you are worth interviewing or not.  In an interview, you can show then who you are.

 Covering letters and emails.

1. Don’t use abbreviations and SMS text when sending your CV- even if you are sending it from a blackberry.
2. Mention the position that you are applying for- most employment agencies and HR departments are dealing with several at the same time and often will assume that you are just sending it in general, and you won’t be considered for the actual position you are applying for.
3. Emotional blackmail will always count against you.  I am not going to give you a job because your family is all starving and I resent you trying to make me feel guilty, when I don’t even know you.  Tell me your story when I interview you, because I care, and I will do my best to help you- but don’t try emotional blackmail as a stranger to get an interview.
4. Rather keep covering emails to a simple one line, unless you actually have something specific you want to mention in the letter.  You can sell yourself out of the job if you are not careful, and do not know exactly what the company are looking for.

 Application forms.

Everyone hates application forms- on the internet, our emails and when you arrive at the company.  There are reasons for these, and ignoring them will not win you any points.  The employer needs the information for a reason, and often it is to determine your suitability.  Trust me when I say the time spent on application forms is worth it.  After the interview, they will keep going back to the application form…. and maybe your CV.

 

1. Are you prepared for your interviews?
2. Dress appropriately for an interview.  The interviewer will assume that you are dressed your best for an interview, and from here on you will dress down.  They will assume that you are stressing to make a good first impression.
3. Going in a work uniform is fine, but excuse yourself and explain when you arrive.
4. Jeans and a T Shirt just shows a complete lack on respect.
5. Be on time, have your CV with you, know your dates and references details.
6. Look up the company on the internet if you can.
7. Think of potential questions that you will be asked, and need to ask.
8. Being prepared is half way to not being nervous.  But if you are extremely nervous- there is nothing wrong with telling the interviewer.  Nerves can make you seem sullen, too introverted or too immature- telling them will hopefully mean the interviewer will be more gentle, put you at ease and take it into account when considering you for the interview.

When you are looking for a job, it is the little things that count.  It is the attention to detail that will put you ahead of the rest.  Make that extra effort, and see what happens!

 

Always look at yourself through the eyes of the employer, and ask yourself:- Would I employ this person?