Careers Advice, Friday Snippet, Planning, Recruitment, The CV Righter

If I had a crystal ball – looking forward to your next career move

Ever wondered what it would be like to be able to look into a crystal ball and see where you will be in 5 or 10 years time? I remember when I was at Uni fresh faced to the world and its offerings, worried about whether I was making the right moves with job applications and cautious about opportunities that seemed too good to be true. The truth is that we have an idea in our minds where we want to be in the future but do we really put together a plan of action.

I have spoken with a great deal of project professionals at varying levels of seniority and all said the same thing – you may have a plan but it is often the case that you deviate due to life or economical changes. However with a strong plan and determination you can succeed in your chosen path with a little effort. The issue tends to lay by those not being clear in articulating what it is they want and not knowing where to go to actually get it.

We offer a service which not only assists you in clearly defining your skill-set to employers, we also advise how and where to go to once you have a strong application. For those out there who really research and put the work in, they are yielding great results and the jobs you could only hope for as you continue using tried and tested (but bulging) resources.

Take time out to let someone who knows the industry well and has a great deal of experience in indentifying opportunities coupled with a wealth of experience in turning CVs into something which works. Having worked with HR staff and senior management in all industries from financial services, IT, engineering to healthcare and digital media to name a few we understand what it is that grabs the attention of employers for the right reason and we also understand how these roles come about so we can advise a backdoor approach which gets you ahead of the competition.

Drop us a line today with your CV and we’ll talk through how we can best help you and we will give you a free CV review to help you understand how your CV is coming across to others.

Careers Advice, Change, guest blogger, Job Hunting

How To Avoid A Career Plateau And Grab A Promotion

Guest Blogger Leave a comment

This recession has been going on for a while now and getting a job is tough, never mind trying to progress in a successful career. For this reason, many people are finding that making progress in a job is hard; but it’s certainly not impossible.

If you are ambitious, hard working and a little bit optimistic there are plenty of opportunities out there, and improving your job prospects in 2013 is easier than you might think. All you need to do is work smart and be a little bit strategic. Try a few of the tips below and you will find your career on the up in no time.

It’s All About Networking

Being the best at your job is not sufficient on its own – you also need to be the best connected. Networking is all about knowing the right people and being open to job opportunities when they arise. In fact, being well connected can often get you a job even when you don’t necessarily feel like you are the best qualified.

Networking can be done online, and you should of course set up a LinkedIn profile and connect with all of your peers and clients. But you should also make the effort to go to conferences; either with your company or on your own if necessary. Let your boss know that you are going to the main conferences and you might even find that he comes along with you.

going up

Training To Improve Yourself

Most people are put off taking further training courses because they can be very expensive. The truth is though, that education is one of the best long term investments you can make, particularly if everyone around you is reluctant to do likewise.

Taking a training course, or even hiring a personal tutor, will help you to be better at what you do. It will also show your superiors that you are dedicated to your profession and that you are willing to invest in yourself.

Do Some Volunteer Work

Anything that sets you apart from the crowd is a good thing and since most people don’t want to spend their time working for free, doing so might help to boost your career.

If you have all the right qualifications but you lack experience, then consider volunteering for work experience in a company you would like to work for. You never know who might be paying attention, and working for free demonstrates a great deal of determination and dedication.

Often, work experience will lead to a real job, but if not, it provides experience and sets you apart from the crowd at the same time.

Ask To Be Promoted

Whilst you are busy doing work experience, training and lots of networking, you should also make sure that your boss knows that you exist and that you have big ambitions. Be open and let your boss know that you want to succeed.

You don’t have to ask for a promotion right now, but let it be known that you want more responsibility and that you want to progress. Once again, this will set you apart and means that you will be the first person your boss thinks of when an opportunity comes along.

Whilst you’re at it, ask for feedback on your current performance and find out if there is any way that you could make yourself a better employee. Regularly assess yourself and ask for more feedback so that you are always getting better and more valuable.

Guest post curtesy of the guys over here at uk Tutors.

guest blogger, Personal Statement

Getting to university – interview and admissions advice

Guest Blogger Leave a comment

Securing your place at university is a challenge. Once you’ve got the grades, then there are application forms and even interviews to get through before you can celebrate. So here’s some advice to help guide you through this academic minefield.

Personal Statement

The personal statement is possibly one of the most important parts to your application – no pressure here then – so if you think it’s never read then think again. This is your chance to put into words why you ought to be at that university.

Tell the reader what drives you to study this subject. Perhaps there’s a specific field that interests you? And what skills or experience have you had that the course could build on? And for essay tips on structure, then check out tools and advice available online.

References

References are an important part of any application. For those going with your UCAS form, it’s important whoever is writing yours knows you. If it’s a teacher who has no idea who you are then be proactive and schedule in some time to talk about your university application. In particular, explain to them about why you want to study that subject.

Now, depending on your course, it could be that the application process includes that other stress-inducing obstacle: the interview. So if this is you, then here are some tips for this stage of the process.

Prepare

Don’t just turn up and think that’s enough. If you’ve been asked along for an interview, it doesn’t mean your place at the university is secure. You’re going to have to impress the interviewer and stand out from all the other applicants they’re seeing that day. Part of this comes down to decent preparation.

UCAS and Prospectus

Go through your UCAS form and remind yourself of what you included, specifically what you noted in your personal statement. Reread the prospectus and familiarise yourself with the university as some take pride in a specific element or area of academic work.

News

Has the university been in the press recently? Check to see if there has been any research or even activities on campus that have been reported. This question could be thrown at you and if you know what the interview is talking about it shows that your interest is high.

And while you’re at it, read up what’s in the news. What’s topical? It doesn’t necessarily have to be student or university related but it will show that you’re an informed citizen.

Questions

Consider the questions that could come up, and write your answers. There’s no way to knowing exactly what you’ll be asked but you still prepare. It could be that you’ll be asked why you chose to study a certain subject. And is there a specific point you want to make? Perhaps you have experience in the field you wish to highlight?

It’s About You

The interview is a chance to get a sense of you so there’s every chance that you will be asked beyond your academic achievements. This could be as seemingly conversational as talking about the last book that you read, or it could be much more intense like giving your opinion of the work the university does. Whatever is thrown at you, it’s important not to panic. Take a breath and consider the question before answering. Hold eye contact and remember to smile and be enthusiastic. Universities are looking for people who are interested in their chosen subject and aren’t just there because they feel they have to be.

Now, it could be that you don’t know the answer. Don’t panic. You’re not expected to know everything on a subject. Try asking the interviewer to explain what they mean might help. Or just be honest and say you don’t know.

And finally, it’s worth preparing a few questions to ask your interviewer. Asking questions shows that you’re keen and interested.

Sarah MacLennan freelances for a variety of different websites and frequently writes for UKEssays.com. Since it was set up in 2003, it has helped students from all over the globe with essay writing, offering expert guidance and useful tools.

12 days of Christmas, No, Planning, Seasons Greetings

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…

Nicola Caswell-Thorp Leave a comment

On the 12^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…

…12 Drummers Drumming! In our final 12 days of Christmas piece we are going for: on the 12^th day of Christmas The CV Righter gave to me a 12 stage plan, 11 ways to keep motivated, 10 years in detail, 9 pages too long, 8 mistakes of applications, 7 deadly sins of job hunting, 6 Key Achievements, 5 Golden Rules, 4 calling cards, 3 networks, 2 referees and a killer CV.

It seemed only fitting to round up the series with a 12 stage plan of finding that next role:

Check your CV – get it professionally reviewed, plenty of organisations will do this for free including The CV Righter.
Make appropriate updates – listen to the feedback given and make sure you address these in your CV.
Make a list – what do you want to achieve? More money, a new challenge, career progression.
Research – look at the roles out there which match your skill-set and start to really understand where your applications will progressed.
Networks – make contact with your networks and let them know you are looking for a new opportunity.
Get your CV out there – place your CV on job websites and register with agencies. Make sure you refresh regularly so you are not going to the bottom of the pile.
Decide who you want to work with – having made a decision about which agencies and job boards work for you, keep to a short list of these and keep in regular contact.
Be clever – set up “jobs by email” and google alerts so you can let the technology do the trawling for you.
Research employers – understand all there is to know about the companies you wish to work for and keep an eye on activity. You may get ahead of all your competitors by anticipating new roles due to changes in the organisation such as new product launches, partnering with other businesses and mergers etc.
Join in professionally related discussions – LinkedIn and Twitter often have lots of discussions; you can get yourself noticed and hear about new roles through such networks.
Review – keep an eye on your applications and see what works and what doesn’t, you may need to revisit point 1 if you are not harvesting interviews.
Keep organised – a simple spreadsheet covering all your applications and endeavours to keep track of everything is a good way to help generate new ideas and see trends for the right jobs for you with specific agencies and job boards.