What do you do when you don’t have any experience to list on your CV?

I was chatting to a senior manager recently, who was in the process of interviewing for a graduate trainee program, and he pleaded with me to make sure that my sons have hobbies and interests now, so that one day a future employer could have something to chat to them about in an interview!
When you are starting out in the workplace; no one expects you to have an elaborate career history and amazing qualifications. They are largely interviewing you because something about your application sparked their interest, and they want to see if you have the work ethic and attitude for them to invest their time in training you.
In the absence of work experience, listing your hobbies and interests will give the interviewer something to chat to you about. It also steers the conversation to something that you enjoy and are passionate about, and makes answering interview questions that much easier!

Are you Procrastinating or are you overwhelmed?

“Procrastination is not a form of laziness at all. It’s a coping mechanism for stress.”
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The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage
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We all have that family member who has been unemployed, are in a dire situation, and yet they are not doing anything to help themselves. They are constantly shuffling papers, starting new projects, waiting for this or that to happen first. It’s frustrating to watch, but have you ever thought that maybe they are just completely overwhelmed by the situation and don’t know where to start?
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Maybe what they need from you, is not to do it for them, but to break the job seeking process into steps for them. To help them just start, just do one thing.
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“If you have the courage to start, you have the courage to succeed.”
― Mel Robbins

The Path of Least Resistance

Energy moves down the path of least resistance, be it water in a river or electricity through a circuit. Your life is the same way – it moves down the path of least resistance.  Recruiters also take the path of least resistance when dealing with advert response.

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What this means practically to you as the job seeker, is that if you make processing your application harder for the recruiter, than the other applicants, they will deal with your application last.  If the job advert asks for a CV of a certain number of pages, a cover page or questions answered, follow the instructions.  The two minutes that it takes you, will put your application ahead of everyone else.  The ten minutes it will take for the recruiter to search their emails for the copy of your CV that you sent last week/ month, or to email you back for the missing information or to send your CV in a format that is readable… may just mean your application is dealt with last.

Talent is overrated

“Most people learn how to do their jobs in the first year, and then they never get any better. They just coast in their jobs. But the only direction you can coast is downhill.
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The average person does only an average job, and as a result, he earns an average income and worries about money all his life. He does not realize that there is often only a thin veil that separates the average person from the excellent person. The fact is that if you are not getting better, you are getting worse. No one stays in the same place for long.”
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The only thing that separates the average person from the exceptional person, is continuous learning. Listening to podcasts, reading, doing courses.
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Part Four: Your future employer is going to cyber-stalk you.

Before you are employed- possibly before you are even interviewed- your future employer is going to stalk you on the internet.  I know this, because it’s the first thing that I would do, and most of my clients do as well 😊!  And its perfectly fair and ethical to “invade your privacy” and make judgements on what is on your social media accounts… because you made it public!

You have the power to decide what people see and do not see on your social media profiles, by changing your privacy settings and thinking before you post.  By looking at little details such as your display name, account name, email address, statuses, and profile pictures.  Your WhatsApp Profile picture may be my first visual impression of you.

Take a moment to scroll through your account and look at your posts through the eyes of a future employer.

And while we are on the topic of digital accounts- do you have a LinkedIn Profile?  If not, it is time to get one.  Think of LinkedIn as the professional Facebook for the business world.  Next week I will post a few hints and tips of putting together a professional LinkedIn profile.

Part Three: Tertiary Education sells you on Dreams

It’s sad, but true.  Tertiary education is a business like any other.  They must sell you on studying qualifications through them, with the promise of amazing careers, dream jobs and huge salaries.  The truth is, that a lot of the Student Advisors are students themselves and have no idea what the business world has to offer.

You study for years, excel in your exams, enter the employment market, only to find that the jobs and salaries are not what you expected.  Business on the other hand is less interested in your qualifications, and more interested in who you are and the value you can add to their business.  And without practical experience behind the theory that you learnt, they will have to invest more in you initially, than the value you will add.

The reality is, that when entering the job market, you need to see what the market is paying, and the value of the experience that you will gain.

The good news is, that while you may not necessarily be the next Marketing Intern for Unilever, or Account Manager for an Advertising Agency, with hard work and a little time, you will achieve those great things.  And there will come a day when you and another applicant apply for a job or promotion, and you will get it, because of the qualifications you studied.

(A final note- I am not for a second saying that studying is unnecessary or irrelevant.  As a recruiter, if a CV passes my desk of a graduate, I immediately assume that they are intelligent and have work ethic, simply because they completed a qualification.  That alone will open doors for you!)

Part Two: Who wants this job- you or your mom?

Every recruiter’s pet peeve- when a girlfriend, boyfriend, best friend, wife; or in this case- parent, phones on behalf of their child to find out about jobs.

When you are starting your career, there is not a lot on your CV to “sell” you.  Most of the time when we book in a school leaver or graduate with no experience for an interview, it is because they impressed us with their communication.

If you are not the one communicating with us, how will we get to know you? How will you form connections/ network? How are we supposed to know that you are confident enough to speak to people on the phone or construct a professional email?

(A side note to the parent: I know you care.  I know that it’s easier for you to just get it done.  I know you are at work to access to your employers’ phones and internet.  I am a parent too. But you undermine your children when you phone for them.  Respect them enough to let them do this themselves.)

What they didn’t tell you about looking for a job in school- Part one: Looking for a Job starts with Job Portals

Gone are the days of looking for a job in the local newspapers.  Today you look for employment opportunities digitally.  And the number one place is on Job Portals. A job portal, also known as a career portal or employment website, is a modern name for an online job board that helps applicants find jobs and aids employers in their quest to locate ideal candidates.

Internationally Indeed and Monster are popular, but in South Africa, you want to get your CV on Careers24, Career Junction and PNet, among others.  You can also search for jobs on Gumtree, Job Mail and various social media groups, especially on Facebook.

Its important that you include as much detail as possible when uploading your CV onto these websites.  Prospective employers will search this data base of CV’s using “key words” and if those words are not on your CV, you CV will not show up on the search.  ALL experience is important, when you have limited experience.  Include the subjects that you studied, and all the computer packages that you have worked on.

It can be tedious uploading all the information on the forms as well as your CV, but be as detailed as possible.  I promise- you will be grateful for the initial effort later!

Profile Pictures on CV’s

The latest trend in recruitment seems to be putting a photo of yourself on your CV.  The majority of the population hate having their photos taken, are naturally critical of themselves, and generally object to this.  I have to admit, if I was in your shoes, I would too!  But the reality is, that employers want these photos, so this may help you to understand why, and what your ideal photo should look like.

 

 

WHY PUT A PHOTO ON YOUR CV?

I cannot speak for every recruiter, and certainly I am sure that there are those people that are asking for photos for the wrong reasons.  RESOURCE recruitment does not ask for a photo when you apply for a job through us, but we take one at the interview, which we put on your CV that we will send to our clients.

Many people are visual, and it helped us remember the candidate, a year or two down the line.  Clients then started requesting photos.  When they are interviewing several people in one day, it helps to look back on the CV and photo, to recall and reflect on the interviews.  Clients will also phone us three months down the line, and say, “Remember we interviewed that lady for the sales position, and she was not suitable.  Well another position has opened up, that she would be perfect for!  She was the one with the really cool afro.”  A glance at a photo, and they know they have the right person.

 

But probably the most important reason for putting a photo on your CV is that it makes your CV personal.  It makes a piece of paper, a person.  The candidates getting short listed, are the ones with pictures on their CV, it is not because of their good looks!  A few years ago we placed a senior bookkeeper.  All the applicants happened to be between 55 and 59 years of age.  One of the applicants did not want a photo taken for their CV (which we respect).  When the client short listed candidates for interviews, he asked to see all the candidates except the one without a photo.  When I asked him why he did not want to see her, he replied, “I don’t know.  I don’t get a good feeling about her CV.  Let’s see the others first.”

 

THE DO’S AND DON’T’S OF PROFILE PICTURES

Here are a few common mistakes to watch out for when putting a profile picture on your CV.  Always remember the aim- to market yourself as a professional, not to win admirers and friends.

Blurry or Too Small

Ideally your photo should be 200 x 200 pixels or larger. Anything smaller and you’re guaranteed to end up with a fuzzy or teeny tiny image If possible chose a square head shot, as it will work with other social media accounts.

Too Close or Too Far Away

Stick with a standard head shot for your profile pic. Prospective employers won’t be able to identify you from a picture too far away.

The Group Shot

Remember, this picture is supposed to represent your professional brand – no one else’s. Don’t make recruiters guess which person you are in the photo. Use an image that shows you and only you.

The Crop

Cropping yourself out of the group shot doesn’t work either. While it may be your favorite picture, no one wants to see half of your loved one’s face or your best friend’s hair on your shoulder.

Too Serious

Opt for photos where you’re looking at the camera and smiling. You want to appear friendly and approachable.

Goofy Expressions

Remember, this image is supposed to represent your professional brand. When you look at your profile photo, does it send the same message as your resume?  This includes NO pouty lips!!

No props, baby pics and pets.

Save these cute pics with your toddler or puppy for your personal social-media channels such as Facebook or Instagram. Make sure that you are not holding alcohol or cigarettes, and that you don’t have any props in the picture indicating that you are off to do something, such as a motor bike helmet or fishing rod.  Stick to a photo of yourself for your professional profiles.

No Selfies

This is a professional photo of you.  Ask someone to take it, rather that have your hand shooting out the corner of the photo.

Backgrounds Count

Before you put a photo of you in a nightclub, or most commonly a bathroom, think about the impression this makes.  Either a neutral background is good, or alternatively at your desk or in a professional setting is always good.

Dress to impress

Dress in appropriate work clothes.  No evening dresses, wedding gowns, bikini tops, topless men or sky diving suites if you want to be taken seriously.

 

It’s totally up to you if you put a picture on your CV or not, but if you are going to, make sure that like all things when looking for a new job, it markets you the way you want to be viewed by prospective employees.

 

 

If you are Applying for more than one Type of Job, Have More than one CV.

Looking for a employment is a sales job.  It’s all about marketing your CV to potential employers, looking for opportunities, building your brand.  Whether you fancy yourself as a sales rep or not- tough- now is the time to learn how to sell.

 

And the first thing that you have to do, is get your brochure (CV) professionally and appropriately drawn up!

 

If you decide that you are a secretary and would happily be a secretary, but would equally like the idea of getting into Events/ PRO or Sales Coordination position, because you have already done a bit of this, then you need to have a cv that sells you for each line of work.   Similarly, you may be a draughtsman who is keen to also try mechanical engineering or technical sales.

 

The first page of your CV will remain the same for all the jobs you apply for.  This will contain your personal information, contact details and ideally a professional photograph of you.

 

The second page will contain your computer skills and education.  Here you will list the skills most relevant to the job you are apply for first, and in more detail than the less relevant qualifications.  It’s often a matter of just switching the order around.  But the person reading your CV will assign the most importance to the skills they read first and that dominates the page.  For example- you are a draughtsman applying for a technical sales position as well.  When you apply for the draughtsman jobs, the Dale Carnegie course is not really that relevant and would be at the bottom of the skills section, if there at all.  But if you are applying for a technical sales job, putting this first, immediately gives the impression you have people skills.

 

The next section is the career history.  Always start with the most recent job first, and put dates and duties.  But the duties that are relevant to the position you are applying for, should appear first, and in more detail.  A good example is that you are an Office Administrator/ General Accounts Clerk.  You want to apply for a debtor’s position.  You need to take your debtors duties and put them as the first duties under that place of employment.  You may have just written “Debtors” as one of many points.  Now you need to elaborate.  What is the size of your debtor’s book and how many accounts do you handle?  Do you do invoicing and statements? Do you phone for money? Do you allocate payments off the bank statement? Do you deal with debtors queries?  If the first 5 points listed under duties are debtors, even though after that are a bunch of other unrelated duties, you have still made the impression that you are a debtor’s clerk!

 

Finally, if you don’t have a lot of skills and experience in the area that you are applying, but it is your passion and you know a lot about it through your hobbies and research, then add this in.  If at all possible, include it under the career section and give examples of your work.  Maybe you designed a website in your own time to market your wife’s business?  Or you do your husbands bookkeeping in the evenings?  Or you won a quilting competition and you want to get into the textile industry.

 

When I look at your CV, and you are applying for a particular position, your CV needs to give the overall impression that you are suitable for that position.

 

But… never lie and misrepresent yourself.  You can promote and emphasise why you are suitable, but don’t ever lie.  One lie will discredit your whole CV.

 

Finally, The Golden Rule:- “If it’s not on your CV, you never did it.”