There is some good news for the over 50s.  A pilot project in East Devon is being rolled out to aid them with a business idea to go self-employed. The scheme is being funded by Job Centre Plus and run by Outset (a business start-up support programme) through ten three hour workshops.  The sessions –which will commence imminently until March 2012 – aim to help job seekers test their business ideas, undertake and present results for market research and produce the first year profit and loss forecasts (Midweek Herald 2012).

If self-employment is not an option for you, come to our career management workshops, get professional CV writing advice or one-to-one career advice

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UK unemployment figures indicate that unemployment is at its highest since 1984 with the public sector losing thousands of jobs and the private sector unable to make up the loss (Guardian, 2011). What’s more figures for  the total number of unemployed for the three months leading up to October 2011 were 2.64m according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This all sounds rather bleak, however the employment minister, Chris Grayling assures us that the labour market is “stabilising” (Guardian, 2011).

But there is a silver lining in all this gloom, as in the midst of rising unemployment a new trend is taking place, with more and more people taking to self employment as a way out. In an article in the Telegraph entitled “Resurgent self-employment soars to 75-year high” (Telegraph, 2011) it is noted that the UK is witnessing a rebirth in self-employment on a scale that has not been observed since the 1930s.

One of the main factors contributing to this trend of entrepreneurial spirit has been the enduring nature of the economic downturn (Telegraph, 2011) and no small measure of resilience amongst those determined not to buy-in to the doom and gloom.

It’s important to remain positive during your jobs search so come to our career management workshops, get professional CV writing advice or one-to-one career advice

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Most job applicants write list-based CVs, which means they won’t stand out in any way, shape or form. I can tell you from first-hand experience that it really becomes repetitive reading list-based CV after list-based CV, and you can always tell when a job seeker hasn’t made an effort. Personally, I used to put such CVs straight at the bottom of my long list, or just permanently archive them (if you know what I mean!). Most people involved in CV sifting are far more ruthless than I am too, and are likely to confine a ‘duties and skills list’ CV to the bin without a second thought.

What they really want, more than anything, is to see and understand the positive results and outcomes from the work you’ve put in. This is because results-orientated people who can demonstrate they have achieved something are likely to help a business progress and develop while creating a positive working climate. So, if you remember to talk about your achievements, you stand a far better chance of grabbing the employer’s attention.

Need help with CV writing?  Contact us today on our CV Helpline 0845 8 620 312.

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Professional curriculum vitae writers don’t use photos on CVs because they want the reader to be compelled by what’s written on them. So it follows that when you’re constructing a LinkedIn profile – which is much like writing a CV – you should concentrate on selling the content of your career, achievements and skills.

If you’ve added a picture to your LinkedIn profile, you should seriously consider removing it, especially if you’re job hunting. Why? Because pictures can become a distraction and are another means by which employers may judge you instead of focusing on what you have to offer on a professional level.

We’re all human and, from time to time, we all make snap judgements and subconscious decisions based on what we see rather than digging a little deeper and finding out what’s beneath the surface. And I know from experience that people can be downright discriminatory when it comes to getting the ‘right’ person for their business. Comments such as ‘Oooh, she looks nice’ or ‘That hairstyle makes him look old’ and the odd ‘That’s a boring suit’ often crop up in conversation.

So my advice to you is make sure your profile is up to scratch so that you fix employers’ focus firmly on your career history and achievements. Leave something to the imagination – then, when you get invited for an interview, wow them with the aesthetics.

We know exactly how to write a resume or CV that will drastically improve your interview prospects.  What’s more, all our CVs are professionally proofread by our friends at Full-Proof.co.uk. Give yourself a competitive advantage and contact us today!

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The best way to approach recruitment agencies is to make sure your CV is on point and then have a look at their job listings to see if any match your aspirations and skill set.  Be realistic, otherwise you might give the impression that you are unfocussed or under-ambitious.  Remember – you really need to instil confidence in them so that they are happy to introduce you to their clients.

Once you’ve found something that is suitable, write a covering e-mail that highlights the skills, attributes and qualities you possess which match the job you are applying for.  Avoid – at all costs – sending an e-mail which begins “Dear Sir” or “Dear Madam” because it’s impersonal and will take longer for the company administrator to trace the recipient.  Have a look on the ‘About Us’ page of the company website and you might find the name you’re looking for.  At the very least, you will find the name of someone to correspond with.

Failing that, pick up the phone and ring the agency to find out who is handling that particular job and provide a reference number, if asked.  Now, there is a good chance that the person who answers the phone might also be the person you’re looking for, so be prepared to answer questions and assure them that you are a good fit for the job.  If the person you are looking for is not available, get their name and direct email address and find out when they are free.  Then, drop them a line using a precise and succinct email – that’s relevant to the application – along with your excellent, professionally proofread CV.

Close the e-mail politely, saying that you look forward to talking with them soon and that you will give them a call to find out more about the agency and other opportunities that match your aspirations.

The message here is that you must be proactive and polite, and you must provide a great CV that showcases your relevant skills. If you are unsure of anything, feel free to drop me a line with any questions or leave a comment below.

If you need help to produce an interview-winning CV, we can certainly help mentor you through the process and eradicate typos and errors.

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When it comes to writing a CV, however, employers aren’t so lenient; in fact, I’ve spoken to many who say they will reject any CV that has spelling mistakes or typos, regardless of how good the applicant’s career history and qualifications.  And their reason for this?  Well, they believe there is no excuse for errors in a CV, and any mistakes indicate a lazy attitude to work and a lack of attention to detail.  You can hardly blame them – especially when there are a number of alternative, high-quality applicants to choose from.

If you are writing a CV, I would strongly recommend you ask your friends or colleagues to check for any glaring omissions and mistakes. Better still, you could hire the services of a proofreader to eradicate any errors completely.  I now use professional proofreaders to check all the CVs that I write and assess because I know that only the best will do.  Our CV Mentor service provides you with expert advice to help you strengthen content so that your skills and achievements stand out, and a professional proofreader who will give the document a thorough check.

So, words can literally hurt your chances of getting a job.  But there’s much more to consider because words can also set the tone of your application, and I’d suggest staying clear of those with a negative undertone.  There are also a couple of words you should avoid at all costs; for example, there’s no need to express that you are ‘unemployed’.  The employer is likely to assume you are either unemployed or looking for work anyway, so why highlight the fact? Also, never use the word ‘redundant’.  Again there is no need to highlight a negative aspect of your career that might arouse questions in the mind of the reader.

I’ve also seen CVs with a marital status section, and I can tell you that it’s a waste of space and totally unnecessary.  Why would any employer want to know you are ‘divorced’ when the overall aim of any CV is to get them to focus on your skills and achievements?  The ‘full clean driving licence’ statement is also a no-no because it suggests that at some point you had a misdemeanour or problem with your licence.

The message here is just to stick to the basics and let the reader know about the positive aspects of your career that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Get your CV assessed and proofread today and improve your interview prospects.

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But how do you decide which is best for you?  Well, one rule of thumb to consider when deciding on a format is that your CV should display and pinpoint the most relevant and important information in such a way that the employer can see it as soon as possible and therefore feel inspired to want to read on. And the best place to present this information is the ‘First Third’ of the first page of your CV.

Choose the skills-based format if you want to prioritise specific skills and achievements from a selection of roles in your Career History section. You have the flexibility to take excerpts from jobs as far back in your career history as you like –  just keep it relevant. It also gives you the opportunity to elevate and prioritise appropriate skills and achievements to the first third of the first page so you can immediately grab the reader’s attention.

On the other hand, if your most recent job is directly relevant to the job you are applying for, go for a chronological format so that your achievements and skills from that job stand out.  The Profile section is another key element of the first third and an important section of both the skills-based and chronological CV.  The reader is likely to look at it before any other section and make a quick evaluation, so remember to stick to two or three sentences and include a skill and/or achievement that you possess that relates directly to the application.

So, there you have it. Any decision on format is essentially based on displaying relevant content in the first third of your CV. Remember, writing your CV is by no means a ‘one-size-fits-all’ activity. You have to look at each application on a case-by-case basis and decide on the most appropriate format so that you can literally hit the reader with relevant information that will compel them to want to read beyond the first third and invite you for an interview.

The first third is without doubt the most important area of your CV because it’s the first thing that the reader will see when they open an attachment.  Take it from me, recruiters can be ruthless when it comes to siphoning off poorly written CVs and they’ll take a few seconds to scan the first third and make a quick decision as to whether you’re right for the job or the archives. Don’t give them the opportunity to reject your CV in 15 seconds!

Please let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

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I certainly don’t believe people intentionally set out to write a poor CV as most job seekers have the best intentions when they apply for a job; however, I do think that many job seekers underestimate the importance and significance of their CV and just assume that if they list their skills and duties then that will be enough. After all, that’s what employers want to see, right?  Well, the straight answer is ‘No’, and it’s the last thing I want you to think!  I hope that if rapidcvwriting.com can help me convey one message, then it will be the extreme value of an original, well-written CV.

So, what is your CV worth?  I would go as far as to say that your CV has monetary value and one way to measure its worth is to think of it as being as valuable as the job you are applying for.  Let’s say the salary is £30,000. When you start to put your CV together, you really have to show the employer that your skills, experience etc warrant £30,000.  Recruiters and employers can easily pick out the CVs that they feel are worth the pay packet, so give it your all and secure the interview.

On the flip side, employers invest a lot of money in their recruitment campaigns and are essentially paying for CVs and applications.  They will adopt a strategic approach to sourcing targeted applicants and pay great care and attention to ensure that they get value for money, i.e. a ‘strong’ CV.  Online recruitment advertising rates can cost in excess of £500 per post and specialist inserts in the printed press can cost tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of pounds for a single insertion – so return on investment (which translates as quality CVs) is key.  They’ll certainly count the cost if they receive a poor response to their ads.

What is your CV ‘worth’ and how does it compare to other applicants vying for the same job?  We can tell you.  Check out our Assessment Service for expert advice on how to significantly improve your CV to win more interviews.

If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.  I recommend you subscribe to rapidcvwriting.com in order to stay up to date with what’s going on in the world of work and CVs.  Sign up to my email updates by leaving your name and email address below, subscribe to my rss or you can follow me on Twitter (@AlexWC1).

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Really inspirational stuff and what a touching interview! While watching, I couldn’t help but think that Ted’s moment of fame on YouTube actually personified all that is good about CV content.  Yes, his life was far from perfect, but he got a few things right when promoting his assets on camera.  So I thought it’d be a fun and useful way to help you remember a couple of points when writing your CV and when making contact with prospective employers, either in writing or otherwise.

So what exactly do I mean when I refer to CV content?  In a nutshell, I’m talking about:

Using a positive tone to ensure you portray yourself as an enthusiastic and engaging applicant; choosing appropriate, correctly spelt words and keywords and tailoring them to the application;  selling your skills, USPs (unique selling points) and achievements in a prominent position on your CV. In other words…

Sell your skills and USPs when given the opportunity

Think of your CV as your billboard – and, in the same way that Ted used that shabby piece of card to highlight his ‘God-given gift’, put some of your relevant skills/USPs in an ultra visible position so  everyone can see them as soon as they begin reading!

Skills and USPs are more important than presentation

Who would have guessed that such a smooth-sounding voice could emerge from one so unkempt?  His presentation certainly belied his unique talent and got him noticed.  The same can be said of your CV because it’s the content – as opposed to how it looks – that is more likely to get you an interview and have a much greater influence on recruiters.  Don’t get me wrong, presenting your CV in the right way is important; but what’s written on those two pieces of A4 paper is much, much more significant.

Be enthusiastic and engage with the recruiter

For someone so down on his luck, I really think Ted made an effort to engage, and, when interviewed, he was willing to talk enthusiastically about his USP and life story, and all the while a smile on face!  You have to try to do the same when presenting your skills and career history on your CV.  You can do this by writing in a positive tone so that the reader is left with a positive impression.  I’d recommend writing your CV whilst in a good frame of mind, or get someone else to write it on your behalf.   I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to sound enthusiastic and positive on your CV because recruiters can detect any negativity and are unlikely to want to employ you.

CV content is an important aspect of writing your CV, so I’ll be covering this topic in more detail in the future.  If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.  I also recommend you subscribe to rapidcvwriting.com in order to stay up to date with what’s going on in the world of work and CVs.  Sign up to my email updates by leaving your name and email address below, subscribe to my rss, or you can follow me on Twitter (@AlexWC1).

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