Career history: Focus on the most recent, most senior and most relevant aspects in your career. Don’t waste space on minor skills and repetitions from the past.
Your CV is a tool to sell your skills, more importantly what you can offer a potential employer.
Showcase assets that make you a strong candidate: this can be knowledge, experience, results, and opinions about your performance, character or working methods.
Highlight your achievements and key project experience.
Check for mistakes. Nothing worse than typos and errors on a CV.
Leave the employer wanting more. Details are important, but don’t give away too much and leave plenty for the employer to ask in the interview. This way you can set up the questions they are going to ask and give yourself time to prepare some strong answers.
Do your research. Preparation is key!
If there is a job spec, then go through thoroughly and try to match your career as well as you can with the desired requirements.
Look at the employer’s website and learn about the company and the market. Think about what you can bring to the table and how you can fit in.
Make a list of possible questions they can ask and ensure you’re ready to reply to their responses. Think about a few more testing questions, such as how they differentiate themselves from their competitors or what they think the hardest part of the job is. Show that you’ve really thought about them and the job.
Be on time. Being late can really affect your chances. Research how to get to the location. Look at all travel options.
First impressions count. Smile. Dress professionally and appropriately for the company. If you’re not sure of the dress code, ask us at JaK.
Be honest. The employer wants to see the real you!
Talk about achievements. Interviewers like to know how you felt about a particular success. Some will ask for specific examples of achievements that you’re particularly proud of; how you solved problems; how you learned, and improved from difficult situations.
Don’t talk too much, communication works both ways.
Be enthusiastic and positive.
Don’t criticise previous employers.
Focus on positive achievements and views.
