CV Building Guide

CV builder

2011-11-24T06:58:00.001-08:00

This a wonderful tool that i found today you may know it but if you don’t , I am sure you would enjoy it.

This is the link

remember, your cv is your image in front of employers the most important thing you have to put in consideration , consider your self as an employer , would you accept your self ? J

Introduction to Cover Letter

2011-11-20T15:45:00.000-08:00

A cover letter is a letter of introduction to an employer, which is used to formally submit a resume for employer review. The purposely of the cover letter is to identify your intent to "apply for" or "seek out" a specific position within a company. It also formally presents yourself as available for a job position or range of positions within a company.

Most importantly, the cover letter is an opportunity to quickly introd
uce yourself and grab the employers attention. Like the resume, it is another chance to market yourself to the hiring manager, promoting them to read your resume and ultimately grant a job interview.

A cover letter is a critical part of the job search process. It allows you the first opportunity to gain some interest from the employer. In our research, we have yet to find one career or resume writing professional that doesn't recommend sending a cover letter with every resume that you submit.

As you review the cover letter examples below, you will find that cover letters can be written in various styles and formats. Choosing a style or format may depend on a number of factors related to the utilization of the cover letter. For example, you may use a cover letter in different situations, such as:

Applying for a position in response to a job advertisement or online job posting
Submitting the cover letter after being referred from a colleague
Sending your resume cold to employer that you know hires people in your field and industry
Using a cover letter to introduce your resume for an internal position

Each of these styles generally includes different types of information. You will use a different introduction on each of them. In internal cover letters, it's wise to explain that you currently work for the organization. When submitting a cover letter for a referral you may want to explain who you are being referred from.

In the next post you will know how to format cover letter . . follow us

written by

Steven R. Covey

General Interview Strategies

2011-11-14T15:35:00.000-08:00

There are some interview strategies and this what we will discuss now:

- Be prepared to talk about yourself and your experiences

- Master the art of storytelling

- Provide specific and concrete examples of your results / accomplishments

- Remain positive, enthusiastic, poised, and confident throughout the interview process

- Remember an interview is a formal conversation--avoid filler words like “Um”, “Ah”, & “You know”

- Avoid indecisive phrases like: “I think,” “I guess,” “probably,” or “pretty good”

- Think before speaking

- Avoid long verbose answers--limit your response to 1-2 minutes

- If you do not hear or understand a question, ask them to repeat or clarify it for you

- General Interview Strategies

- Remain calm, relaxed, and be yourself

-
Try to focus on the message you are trying to convey, NOT how well you are doing!

- Don't swear or use slang words.

- Don't slouch in your seat or do anything else that makes you look disinterested.

- Don't smoke.

- Don’t lie.

- Don't be arrogant and assume you've got the job.

- Don't discuss controversial topics such as religion, politics and gender relations or personal ones.

- Don't read from notes or your CV.

- Don't criticize former employers or colleagues.

- Don't argue with the interviewer, no matter what.

Dressing for Success-Men

- Suit-Single or double breasted

- Polished shoes

- Long sleeve shirt.

- Conservative tie

- Belt.

- Dark socks, conservative leather shoes.

- Neatly groomed hair, beard, and mustache

- Avoid strong colognes, earrings, and body piercing

- Limit the aftershave.

- Neatly trimmed nails.

Dressing for Success-Women

- Pant or skirt suit

- The suit skirt should be long enough so you can sit down comfortably.

- Coordinated blouse.

- Professional hairstyle.

- Neatly manicured clean nails.

- Pumps with small to medium heels

- Light makeup, perfume, and jewelry (no dangling earrings or arms full of bracelets)

Wear neutral color hosiery.

Thank you letter samples

2011-11-03T15:51:00.000-07:00

Thank You letter 1:

7 Greenway Court
Eugene, OR 97401
503-555-0303

Mr. Archie Weatherby
California Investments, Inc.
25 Sacramento Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

Dear Mr. Weatherby
,

Thank you for taking the time to discuss the insurance broker position at California Investments, Inc., with me. After meeting with you and observing the company's operations, I am further convinced that my background and skills coincide well with your needs.

I really appreciate that you took so much time to acquaint me with the company. It is no wonder that California Investments retains its employees for so long. I feel I could learn a great deal from you and would certainly enjoy working with you.

In addition to my qualifications and experience, I will bring excellent work habits and judgment to this position. With the countless demands on your time, I am sure that you require people who can be trusted to carry out their responsibilities with minimal supervision.

I look forward, Mr. Weatherby, to hearing from you concerning your hiring decision. Again, thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

John Oakley

Thank you letter 2:

400C Hunter Ridge
Blacksburg, VA 24060
(540) 555-1111
boles@vt.edu

October 26, 2006

Ms. Glenna Wright
Human Resources Manager
Fashion Department Store
2000 Line Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030

Dear Ms. Wright:

I enjoyed interviewing with you during your recruiting visit to Virginia Tech on October 25. The management trainee program you outlined sounds both challenging and rewarding and I look forward to your decision concerning an on-site visit.

As mentioned during the interview, I will be graduating in December with a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising. Through my education and experience I’ve gained many skills, as well as an understanding of retailing concepts and dealing with the general public. I have worked seven years in the retail industry in various positions from Salesclerk to Assistant Department Manager. I think my education and work experience would complement Fashion’s management trainee program.

I have enclosed a copy of my college transcript and a list of references that you requested.

Thank you again for the opportunity to interview with Fashion Department Store. The interview served to reinforce my strong interest in becoming a part of your management team. I can be reached at (540) 555-1111 or by email at boles@vt.edu should you need additional information.

Sincerely,
Marianne Boles

Thank you letter 3:

Your Name
Your Address
Your Phone Number
Your Email

Date

Name
Title
Organization
Address
City, State, Zip Code

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk to me about the XXX position with XXX Company. I appreciate your time and consideration in interviewing me for this position.

After speaking with you and the group, I believe that I would be a perfect candidate for this position, offering the quick learning and adaptability that is needed for a diversified position.

In addition to my enthusiasm for performing well, I would bring the technical and analytical skills necessary to get the job done.

I am very interested in working for you and look forward to hearing from you once the final decisions are made regarding this position. Please feel free to contact me at anytime if further information is needed. My cell phone number is ###.

Thank you again for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Your Signature

Your Typed Name

written by

Steven R. Covey

Style and layout of cvs

2011-11-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

A way of presenting yourself in a CV is to write in a passive manner without using ‘I’ or your name

Example

Keen to pursue a career in Training and currently conducting sessions at your institute. A work experience placement in “How to motivate your trainees and help them pave their way towards the future”.

Bulleted lists sound objective and clear, and can steer you away from the temptation to write a mini essay about yourself
.

Before

— In this post, I volunteered to provide IT training to colleagues in my department and others. I also did the induction training for new members of the team.

After

— Volunteered to provide IT training to administration colleagues and inducted new members into the team.

Use Positive Language

Before

— My duties included serving customers at the cafe. I had to handle cash and keep the area tidy. I had to work under pressure.

After

developed customer service skills

handled large sums of money; responsible for cashing up and balancing shift takings

worked under pressure during holiday periods

initiated happy hour promotion, resulting in 30 per cent increase in sales

supervisory responsibility for new temporary staff

written by

Steven R. Covey

Cover Letter Format

2011-11-03T15:46:00.007-07:00

Your Contact Information
Name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Phone Number
Email Address

Date

Employer Contact Information (if you have it)
Name
Title
Company
Address
City, State, Zip Code

Salutation
Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name, (leave out if you don't have a contact)

Body of Cover Letter
The body of your cover letter lets the employer know what position you are applying for, why the employer should select you for an interview, and how you will follow-up.

First Paragraph
The first paragraph of your letter should include
information on why you are writing. Mention the position you are applying for and where you found the job listing. Include the name of a mutual contact, if you have one.

Middle Paragraph(s)
The next section of your cover letter should describe what you have to offer the employer. Mention specifically how your qualifications match the job you are applying for. Remember, you are interpreting your resume, not repeating it.

Final Paragraph
Conclude your cover letter by thanking the employer for considering you for the position. Include information on how you will follow-up.

Complimentary Close

Respectfully yours,

Signature

Handwritten Signature (for a mailed letter)

Typed Signature

Cover Letter Sample1:

April 14, 2006

Mr. William Jackson
Employment Manager
Acme Pharmaceutical Corporation
13764 Jefferson Parkway

Dear Mr. Jackson:

From your company's web site I learned about your need for a sales representative for the Maryland, and North Carolina areas. I am very interested in this position with Acme Pharmaceuticals, and believe that my education and employment background are appropriate for the position.

I have a strong academic background in biology and marketing, and think that I could apply my combination of knowledge and experience to the health industry. I will complete my master's degree in marketing in mid-May and will be available to begin employment in early June.

Enclosed is a copy of my resume, which more fully details my qualifications for the position.

Would be pleased and honored if you could give me a chance as an interview, so I could prove my self and my skills.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
John M. Edwards
552 Hunt Club Lane, #1
(540) 555-8082
lajohnson@vt.edu

FOLLOW-UP

2011-11-03T15:44:00.001-07:00

What happens between the first job interview and making the hiring decision will vary from company to company and position to position.

When closing the interview you probably asked for information about what happens next in the interview process. How do you conduct yourself in terms of this process? When and how should you follow up to keep the focus on your application but to avoid becoming annoying
.

If you know approximately the time frame for the hiring decision you will have a better idea of how soon to follow up. For example if they have told you they expect to make the decision within the next week you will need to follow up more quickly, after a couple of days. If it is a longer time frame or they have not given you a specific time frame it is usually best to wait about a week before making contact.

- Interview thank you e-mail

- Formal Interview thank you letter .

Whatever the time frame, you should not wait for the interviewer to contact you. You need to make contact to know what is happening and to keep yourself in contention for the job. Use this initial job interview follow up to highlight your enthusiasm for the position and to get more details about the status of the hiring decision.

During the follow up call you can thank them again for the interview and restate your interest in the position. Find out if you are still under consideration for the position. Ask if there is any further information they need. Find out when you can expect a final decision. You want to show the interviewer that you are interested in the job but avoid sounding desperate. Be polite and professional.

written by

Steven R. Covey

Personal planning

2011-11-03T15:42:00.001-07:00

After becoming aware of yourself, it's time to write your script of life, you can start by thinking about the values you believe in and then write your personal vision and mission statement that will become your constitution, the solid expression of your values. It becomes the criterion by which you measure everything else in your life
.

Vision: A statement of your dream, where you visualize yourself.

My vision is to become a marketing manager in 20 years in company x.

Mission: Why you are here, your purpose.

My mission is to live with integrity and to make a difference in the lives of others.

One of the major problems that arises when people work to become more effective in life is that they don't think broadly enough. They may get consumed by work and neglect personal health. In the name of professional success, they may neglect the most precious relationships in their lives so make sure to consider all aspects of your life when writing your script (personal plan).

Next step involves writing your goals

Make sure that your goals are SMART

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time Bound

Set Specific Goals
Your goal must be clear and well defined. Vague or generalized goals are not achievable because they don't provide sufficient direction. Remember, you need goals to show you the way. How useful would a map Egypt be if there were only governorate borders marked on it and you were trying to get from Suez to Aswan? Do you even know which governorate you are starting from let alone which one you're headed to? Make it as easy as you can to get where you want to go by defining precisely where it is you want to end up.

Set Measurable Goals
Include precise amounts, dates, etc in your goals so you can measure your degree of success. If your goal is simply defined as "To reduce expenses" how will you know when you are successful? In one month's time if you have a 1% reduction or in two year's time when you have a 10% reduction? Without a way to measure your success you miss out on the celebration that comes with knowing you actually achieved something.

Set Attainable Goals
Make sure that it's possible to achieve the goals you set. If you set a goal that you have no hope of achieving you will only demoralize yourself and erode your confidence.

However, resist the urge to set goals that are too easy. Accomplishing a goal that you didn't have to work very hard for can be an anticlimax at best, and can also make you fear setting future goals that carry a risk of non-achievement. By setting realistic yet challenging goals you hit the balance you need. These are the types of goals that require you to "raise the bar" and they bring the greatest personal satisfaction.

Set Relevant Goals

Goals should be relevant to the direction you want your life and career to take. By keeping goals aligned with this, you'll develop the focus you need to get ahead and do what you want. Set widely scattered and inconsistent goals, and you'll fritter your time - and your life - away.

Set Time-Bound Goals
Your goals must have a deadline. This again, is so that you know when to celebrate your success. When you are working on a deadline, your sense of urgency increases and achievement will come that much quicker.

Questions to ask your self

2011-11-03T15:41:00.000-07:00

The secret to a successful resume is to gear it toward the prospective employer’s needs.
Your resume is about convincing them you are the candidate they are looking for. Read the job posting carefully, determine what would make an exceptional candidate and use the following questions to organize your information.

What are the most important qualifications the employer is looking for?

2
. What sort of person is the organisation looking for?

What makes you and your background stand out?
What are your strongest areas of experience, knowledge, expertise and skills?
What ’soft’ or ‘transferable’ skills or characteristics do you possess that make you a strong candidate? (Note things like: excellent writing skills, hard-working, ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously under tight deadlines, etc.)
What have been your greatest accomplishments?
What “buzz words” should be used on your resume that people in your field expect to hear?

8. What past experience do I have that demonstrate these skills/competencies?

9. Can you provide evidence to match the key competencies?

Your end goal is to convince the prospective employer that you are the best person
to fulfil the qualities that are most important to them. Develop convincing statements that demonstrate that you are the person they are looking for.

Types of Interviews

2011-11-03T15:37:00.001-07:00

One-to-one Interview
This is the most common type of Interview. In the One-to-one interview the candidate for employment meets directly with the interviewer.

Phone Interviews Are becoming increasingly popular among large corporations who are conducting a mass-hiring of employees. These interviews are conducted entirely over the phone and eliminate bias that may arise from a candidate’s appearance, mannerisms, or ethnicity. Often times, phone interview questions are structured and the question are behavioral in nature; to further eliminate bias.

When preparing for a phone interview you should follow all of the steps listed above including getting dressed for the interview. Studies have shown that people who dress professionally for a phone interview will perform better than those dressed casually.

Group interview
In the group interview style you will be interviewing simultaneously with two or three other candidates all vying for the same position. In this interview style one or more applicants may be asked the same question or the pool of applicants can be broken into teams to determine a solution to a problem posed by the interviewer. This style of interviewing is most common in the technology fields or any field where group cohesiveness is of extreme importance.

The best way to prepare for a group interview is to follow the steps listed above.

Panel Interview
A panel interview involves three or more members of the hiring organization meeting simultaneously with the person being considered for the position. This interview style is most common in academia or when hiring a senior level corporate executive. The term “search committee” is commonly used to describe a Panel Interview.

In preparing for a panel interview it is best to understand an organization from every point of view. For example, if you are going to be interviewed by an organization’s Customer Service Manager, Finance Manager, and Human Resources Manager; you should familiarize yourself with current information about the organizations customer service policies, finance policies, and HR policies.

Pre-interview preparation”

2011-11-03T15:30:00.000-07:00

Interviewing for a job is not easy. However, with good preparation before the interview, you can count on a successful interview. Here are some guidelines to follow:

Learn about the employer
	Find out something about the employer. What do they make? What services do they provide? On your interview, they may ask what you know about their company.

Wear professional clothing
	You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Make sure that your clothing is neat and presentable. Wear a minimal amount of jewellery. Go easy on the make-up and perfume/cologne as well.

Arrive Early
	Never be late for a job interview. It makes a bad impression. Know the exact location of the interview and allow yourself enough time to reach your destination. It is advisable to drive to your location ahead of time. Upon arrival, give your name to the receptionist.

Allow enough time for the interview
	Your interview may start late or run longer than expected. Make sure that your schedule is open.

Be patient when waiting for your interview
	Although you have an appointment for an interview, your interviewer may be running late. Remain calm, be polite, and wait quietly. Although you have an appointment for an interview, your interviewer may be running late. Remain calm, be polite, and wait quietly.

PRACTICE - PRACTICE - PRACTICE
	Rehearse some of the common questions employers will ask you. Recite your skills and abilities that make you qualified for the job.

Greeting & Introduction

Only 1 chance to make a good 1^st impression

Greet the receptionist or secretary with respect. A good greeting should go like this:

· Greeting: “Hello” or “Good Morning”

· Your name: “Mr. John”

· The reason you’re here: “ I have got an interview

· Time of the interview: “At 2:00”

private victory

2011-11-01T14:33:00.000-07:00

II] Communicating with yourself ''Private victory''

You can't have the fruits without the roots. Private victory precedes public victory. This means that you should understand yourself and communicate with it first effectively in order to communicate with others successfully.

And the first step in doing that is to become aware of yourself.

Proactive Vs. Reactive people

The most important ingredient we put into any communication or relationship is not what we say or what we do, but what we are.

So, the place to begin building any communication or relationship is inside ourselves, inside our circle of influence, our own character.

We need to understand that we are responsible for whom we would be and by responsible we mean response- able, our behavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions. We have the initiative and the responsibility to make things happen.

We have the power to choose a positive response to circumstances and projections. By working on ourselves instead of worrying about conditions, we are able to influence conditions.

Any time we think the problem is ''out there'', that thought is the problem. We empower what's out there to control us most people ''reactive people'' think that what's out there has to change before they can change.

The right and proactive approach is to change from inside-out: to be different and by being different- I can be more resourceful, I can be more diligent, I can be more creative, etc.

An excellent way to become self-aware is through understanding Steven covey's circle of influence and concern:

A Circle of Concern

encompasses the

wide range of concerns we have, such as

our health, our children, problems at work,

the amount of government borrowing, or

the threat of war.

A Circle of Influence

Encompasses

those concerns that we can do

something about. They are concerns that

we have some control over.

Proactive people focus on issues within

their circle of influence. They work on

things they can do something about. The

nature of their energy in doing this is

positive, enlarging and magnifying. They

increase their Circle of Influence

Reactive people tend to neglect

those issues that are under their

control and influence. Their focus is

elsewhere and their Circle of

Influence shrinks.

So in order to attain private victory; you must be proactive, being proactive is being responsible- response-able to control our lives and to powerfully influence our circumstances by working on be, on what we are.

Communication skills process

2011-11-01T14:25:00.000-07:00

Communication Skills Process

Problems with communication can pop-up at every stage of the communication process (which consists of the sender, encoding, the channel, decoding, the receiver, feedback and the context – see the diagram below). At each stage, there is the potential for misunderstanding and confusion.

To be an effective communicator and to get your point

across without misunderstanding and confusion, your goal should be to lessen the frequency of problems at each stage of this process, with clear, concise, accurate, well-planned communications. We follow the process through below:

Source...

As the source of the message, you need to be clear about why you're communicating, and what you want to communicate. You also need to be confident that the information you're communicating is useful and accurate

Message...

The message is the information that you want to communicate.

Encoding...

This is the process of transferring the information you want to communicate into a form that can be sent and correctly decoded at the other end. Your success in encoding depends partly on your ability to convey information clearly and simply, but also on your ability to anticipate and eliminate sources of confusion (for example, cultural issues, mistaken assumptions, and missing information.)

A key part of this is knowing your audience: Failure to understand who you are communicating with will result in delivering messages that are misunderstood.

Channel...

Messages are conveyed through channels, with verbal channels including face-to-face meetings, telephone and videoconferencing; and written channels including letters, emails, memos and reports.

Different channels have different strengths and weaknesses. For example, it's not particularly effective to give a long list of directions verbally, while you'll quickly cause problems if you give someone negative feedback using email.

Decoding...

Just as successful encoding is a skill, so is successful decoding (involving, for example, taking the time to read a message carefully, or listen actively to it.) Just as confusion can arise from errors in encoding, it can also arise from decoding errors. This is particularly the case if the decoder doesn't have enough knowledge to understand the message.

Receiver...

Your message is delivered to individual members of your audience. No doubt, you have in mind the actions or reactions you hope your message will get from this audience. Keep in mind, though, that each of these individuals enters into the communication process with ideas and feelings that will undoubtedly influence their understanding of your message, and their response. To be a successful communicator, you should consider these before delivering your message, and act appropriately.

To be continued . . .

Feedback...

Your audience will provide you with feedback, as verbal and nonverbal reactions to your communicated message. Pay close attention to this feedback, as it is the only thing that can give you confidence that your audience has understood your message. If you find that there has been a misunderstanding, at least you have the opportunity to send the message a second time.

Context...

The situation in which your message is delivered is the context. This may include the surrounding environment or broader culture (corporate culture, international cultures, and so on).

Distortions in Communications

Message Encoding

The effect of the skills, attitudes, and knowledge of the sender on the process of encoding the message

The social-cultural system of the sender

The Message

Symbols used to convey the message’s meaning

The content of the message itself

The choice of message format

Noise interfering with the message

The Channel

The sender’s choice of the appropriate channel or multiple channels for conveying the message

Receiver

The effect of skills, attitudes, and knowledge of the receiver on the process of decoding the message

The social-cultural system of the receiver

Feedback Loop

Communication channel distortions affecting the return message from receiver to sender

First impression

2011-11-01T14:22:00.000-07:00

The importance of first impressions:

Although it takes only 30 to 45 seconds to formulate a first impression, it often requires four or five additional encounters to change someone's first impression. Many times, once you've made a first impression, you will not have a second opportunity to change that impression. Therefore, it's important to make your best impression on the first try.

Elements influencing first impressions:

Often impressions are based on abstract qualities such as:

· Appearance

Your appearance is comprised of several factors: the clothes you wear, your personal hygiene, your posture, and even your handshake all leave impressions on people you meet. When meeting people for the first time, it is best to do some research and find out about their environment. If you are entering a different country or culture, determine whether your attire

is appropriate. Learn how that culture views eye contact and discover what hand gestures are considered inappropriate to avoid them.

Do your best to duplicate the styles and characteristics of the people in your meeting environment so messages will not be cluttered by misperception.

· Knowledge

Although your intelligence will not be scored in a business meeting, it will be tested and judged based on your competence. Just as you would research different cultures in order to adapt to them beforehand, so too should you research the topic of your meeting before hand.

If you do not know the answer to a question, do not lie. Rather, admit that you do not know the answer and promise to find out. Then, make sure to follow through on that promise. Let the person know when you'll be able to provide her with an answer, and deliver it at that time.

· Social composure

Social composure comprises grace, charm and etiquette. Being graceful in a meeting or social activity involves being comfortable in your surroundings. Knowing that you are appropriately attired and are familiar with the customs and culture of your group will help put you at ease. Simply being friendly is the key to exhibiting charm. You can build rapport with your associates by listening to and sharing with them. Be sure your communication involves a two-way exchange of information. Displaying the proper etiquette for the environment will also lead you toward achieving a high level of social composure. Being polite to your associates will communicate a desire to build rapport.

Communicating to build rapport:

Rapport is a relationship of mutual trust. Without trust, communication is superficial at best and nonexistent at worst. You also need to establish your credibility to communicate effectively, which means you need to ensure that listeners respect and believe you.

There are three guidelines you should follow to build rapport:

· Adapt to the other person's communication style

By paying attention to conversation and body language, you should be able to determine the other person's primary communication style. Recognizing a person's communication style allows you to adapt your own communication style to his so that the two of you are compatible. The person to whom you have adapted will appreciate your insight and understanding.

· Find common ground with the other person

Common ground is often considered small talk in interactions with other people. This part of communication is meant to break down barriers and find a topic to which all people involved can relate.

· Focus on mutually beneficial goals

To establish rapport, you must identify mutually beneficial goals early in the conversation. For example, in a meeting to resolve a conflict regarding office space, it benefits all parties involved to recognize that an efficient arrangement of workstations is the mutual goal. By focusing on that point, differing opinions might be expressed, but the rapport will continue because the parties are working toward a common goal.

Listening

What is the difference between hearing and listening?

There are three levels of listening:

1. Hearing but not listening.

2. On & off.

3. Physically & emotionally involved.

Active listening

· Is the process of taking action to help someone say exactly what he or she really means.

· It employs paraphrasing messages & asking for confirmation of meaning.

· It minimizes the importance of the self & allows one to understand more fully another person’s perspective.

· A technique of asking open-ended questions to clarify & expand the meaning of another person’s message.

A] Open Ended Questions

Cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no", or with a specific piece of information & gives the person answering the question scope to give the information that seems to them to be appropriate. Open-ended questions are sometimes phrased as a statement which requires a response.

How was the instructor?

I think ……., but ………...; moreover ……….; however,………..!@%*!!?

B] Closed Ended Questions

A closed-ended question is a form of question which can normally be answered using a simple "yes" or "no", a specific simple piece of information, or a selection from multiple choices.

Examples include

How old are you?

32 years old.

I’ll be turning 12 by next August.

Why Do We Ask Questions?

· Get information

· Gain & maintain control

· Handle complaints

· Establishing trust

· Sarcasm

· Create emotional involvement

· Acknowledge or confirm a statement

· Gain Time

reference

• www.lit.ie/careers

Reasons why the resumes get rejected !!(part 2)

2011-10-30T14:50:00.001-07:00

10.What’s your USP- Focus on your abilities and not on your achievements. Try to give a detailed summary of your profile and then mention your qualification.

11.Previous track record- The companies do look for your previous set of responsibilities, the tenure of your jobs, had you been a job hopper or a stable employee. So try to put yourself into the shoes of the reviewer and then judge where your candidature stands.

12.Photo, document size- Unless and until you have been asked to provide your photograph and other details like blood group, height, weight, eyesight, don’t add these details. Moreover, keep the size of your resume under 400KB, as large file sizes are not appreciated.

Summary:

13. Too much/too little information

14. Irrelevant Information

15. Poor presentation

16. Spelling mistakes

17. Not targeted to position

18. No personality or enthusiasm

If you are a job seeker, your resume is the most important piece of written work you will ever create. Make it good or don’t be surprised when that rejection letter arrives in your email or mail box.

Be careful!

These examples of common pitfalls were found in different candidates’ CVs

• I have a desire to work with commuters

• Hi, I want 2 get a job with U

• I hate filling in application forms so much that I’ll give you details at the interview

• Lurnt Word Perfect computor and spreadsheet pogroms

• I am a concious individual

Reasons why the resumes get rejected !!

2011-10-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

Reasons why the resumes get rejected!!

Eligibility – Always check before applying for any job whether you are eligible for it or not. Sometimes one may get disqualified for being over/under qualified. Read thoroughly whether you are fitting into the requirements of the organization or not. There is no good in being ambitious without being eligible.

Relevancy – Sometimes the profile offered by other company looks familiar with what you are doing currently but it’s not the case always. Do check if the job you are applying for is relevant and whether your experience is of any use for them or not.

Incomplete information- Many times the candidatures get rejected because of gap in conveying your dossier and in the understanding of the recruiter. Herewith I am attaching some snapshots from resumes of candidates who have been disqualified because of the given errors in their resumes:

Note: the specialization area in PGDM, year and percentage of passing is not mentioned in the text. How would a recruiter screen the application with incomplete information if he needs a person from a specific background!!

How would a recruiter come to know that in which year and with what % the person has cleared these exams or it’s just a fake education record!!

Typing, spelling errors- No matter how hard you look and check over your work, there always seems to be something that you have missed. Errors such as these can make you appear unprofessional and as someone who is careless. Therefore, you should always get somebody else to check your resume for grammatical errors.

Company’s preferences- Preferences on the basis of age, gender, marital status, location, expected salary, family background do exist everywhere. Though quite a few things are unethical but we can’t poke our nose in any company’s hiring process. So not all the things are under our control.
Your sets of Expectations- Always do a thorough homework and then apply for any job. Don’t give unrealistic expectation in your cover letter, expected CTC and job profile you are chasing for. Be rational, informed and updated about your profile.
Educational Background- Some organizations prefer to chose candidates who have got the education in the similar field in which their organization is working. For e,g- IT companies prefer to hire HR executive who have done BE/B.tech and then MBA/ PGDM in HR. If a company is prefer to hire candidates from a selected place, with specific set of skills and you are not coming under their preferences then don’t feel belittled.

Look out for other options.

Presentation of information- If the potential employer is not able to follow your resume and locate relevant information they will most likely not bother to try any harder to find the information and instead just give up. The best size for your resume is two pages of A4. You should only make resume longer if it is specifically required from you to provide the potential employer with additional or more detailed information. So put your work experience at the start of your resume, not personal or educational details, unless you have only just left education.

Covering letter/ note’s description- If your covering letter is one third or half of your resume, you may lose chances of getting shortlisted and why would a recruiter spend 10 mins in reading the information.

To be continued . . . . .

Create your winning cv

2011-10-30T14:45:00.001-07:00

Let me give you some points to create your winning CV:

Strong opening statement

This is the first thing an employer looks at on your CV, make it relevant to your expertise. More so, make it relevant to the position you are applying for. Avoid general statements, tailor your statement to include the most important skills you have, and your strongest qualifications. If you are confident of your skills, write them in a compelling manner in this statement.

Employers look for Skills

If a company has advertised for a software developer opening, they will be looking at your experience relevant to software development. Highlight your experience and skills relevant to the job. As a general rule your experience should be at the top of your CV after your statement. If you are a fresh graduate, list your graduate project in a professional manner.

Customize your CV for the Job

Remember one golden rule for a prosperous career, customize yourself to the Job, get the right attitude, the right skills for the job. Similar is the case of your CV, if you are really longing for a job in a particular company, then make the extra effort of know more about the company, their skill and education requirements and customize your CV according to their required skills. If you have relevant experience, then that experience should come at the top, right after your mission statement.

Write what you can do

To put it straight, do not write anything you are not capable of. An employer will look at your skills and might ask you questions about those skills in the interview. Your CV is a question paper for the employer, they will probably ask about everything listed there.

Do not look like a job hopper

Employers do not like candidates who have not stayed on a job for more than six months, it is even true for professions with high turnover rates. You should not hop jobs often to protect your CV in the first place, in case you have hopped jobs, you should be able to justify it.

Proof Read and Format

Spelling mistakes and poor formatting are great employer turnoffs. You will look totally unprofessional if there are spelling mistakes in your CV, or it is poorly formatted. An employer will justifiably think that if you cannot even write a correct CV then how come you will be able to perform the duties!

Bottom line is, pay attention to your CV, take your time out to write it with your best effort. If you can find professional help to write it for you, it would be best.

To do and Not to do with your cv

2011-10-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

CV format

Do use:

Bold to highlight headings and subheadings.

Font sizes to distinguish between headings and other text.

An 11 or 12 point font size.

A font style that is easy to read.

- Serif fonts are easier to read on paper.

- Times New Roman is a good standard example, but Bookman or Garamond is effective alternatives.

Tables to align columns of writing (If needed).

Don't use:

• Too much bold or nothing will stand out.

• Too many variations in font size. It confuses the reader's eye.

• Headings entirely in capitals. They are difficult to read.

• Bold and underlining together. They serve the same purpose and bold is generally preferable.

• Background images, they distract attention and make the text harder to read.

Getting started

2011-10-30T14:43:00.000-07:00

· Purpose of a CV is to get an interview

Your CV is a very important document; with it rest your hopes and dreams for the future - that next step up the career ladder, a better position, more money, new challenges, etc. Your CV therefore has to represent the best you have to offer if you do not want to miss out on that job you saw which was 'perfect' for you. So, it’s a main purpose is to get you an interview; where you can step out and prove yourself, your background and experience

CV must be tailored to the job

There is a perfect CV for each individual job. Your CV should make a convincing display that you have read the job advert, understood what it is that an employer is looking for and that you can offer the skills and experience to do the job. It should achieve this with a minimum of fuss. Depending on which survey you believe CVs get between 15 seconds and 5 minutes to sell you as a candidate.

· CV must tell the employer what skills you have that match their requirements

When presenting a CV as part of a job application it must be tailored to emphasise the match between those qualities that you have and what the employer is looking for. Your "standard" CV is a reference document that you must amend for each specific application.

Introduction

2011-10-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

The aim of this enjoyable blog is to give intensive training and practice for you "Master Class" in personal CV writing, covering all aspects of producing a professional CV , cover letters, interview skills and follow up .

This high quality intensive event will benefit individuals seeking employment, career progression and/or a change of direction. By the end of the event, participants will be able to represent themselves positively & competitively when applying in writing for jobs and/or progression opportunities, thus improving their chance of securing interviews.

Items to include in your CV

2011-10-30T14:30:00.000-07:00

At first we will start with items to include and not to include in your CV

1-Items to include in your CV:

Name, address,
phone number, & email

Education

Licenses & certificates

Skills & accomplishments

Work history

Job objective

2-Items NOT to include in your CV:

Age

Marital status

Height, weight, etc.

Race

Religion

Reasons for termination

Photos

Create your own Standard CV

In order to create your own effective standard CV, it should include certain important elements. These elements will help you create a bigger picture about your personality, background, skills and experience; which will help the employer to decide whether you match the job requirements or not!

A standard CV should include the following:

· Personal Details

Name, Address, Tel No, Email address

· Objective:

It’s your statement of purpose for applying to this company.

Focus your objective

Be specific

Target particular positions

Education

Start with most recent

Dates, Name of college, Course Title, results (if impressive)

Relevant coursework

Provide details of research projects (if available)

Work Experience

Start with most recent or relevant

Separate relevant and other experience

Provide job title and name of organisation

Highlight responsibilities and achievements

Include unpaid work

Honours and activities

Identify key competencies required for position

Provide relevant evidence from previous experience

Skills profile

- Computing – be specific, name packages

- Languages – what level

- Personal skills, such as: (leadership skills, communication skills, time management skills… etc)

- Driving License

Referees

- Normally 2 referees required: one academic, one work

- Seek permission in advance and provide information

- Include a reference category statement in your CV

“References available upon request.”

Got accepted??!!! so what is then??

2011-10-15T14:53:00.000-07:00

In comming discussions we are going to learn how to deal with interviews and what are its basics and secrets so follow us :)