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Interview Experts
Would you like to increase your chances of a job offer by 400% without any stress?
Going for interview is a stressful experience at the best of times. It is even worse when the market is suffering from its worst downturn in many years.
However – you can increase your chances of a job offer by 400% with a Double DVD, CD, and Bonus Pack, which includes the following:
• Interview Techniques DVD WATCH SAMPLE
• Top Answers to Tough Questions DVD (new!!) WATCH SAMPLE
• Free Bonuses SEE HERE
• Free Audio CD – listen to tips in the car / on iPod.
• Watch online while you wait for the pack to arrive
• Described by the Daily Mail as “The Perfect Interview”
The price is £29 however we have negotiated the price to £14.50 + P&P for the whole lot! To get the discount – put ‘OFFER’ in the coupon box at checkout.
Orders before 3pm are dispatched the very same day.
Best Wishes & Good Luck!
How much success can you deal with? http://ping.fm/Gqtyd – come and find out on 8th Set in Haywards Heath
Writing your CV
These days you should write your CV in the first person (i.e. I have), rather than the third person (i.e. he/she has). However, you do not need to use “I” in a CV because its use is implied.
Do mention things you are good at, but do not go over the top. You can oversell yourself. Don’t mention things that you are bad at or say negative things about yourself in your CV.
Make sure that the CV you write conjures up the right image of you and your skills, capabilities and achievements. If you do not match the picture you have painted with your CV at the interview, then your application will not be taken further.
Be careful when you use abbreviations – they can be misunderstood.
If you are not happy with your CV or you only seem to get rejection letters then please get a professional CV writing service to write it for you, or ask for advice from Assessment4Potential.
It could save you a lot of time, lead to you getting less rejection letters and hopefully you should get an interview that much more quickly.
What Should You Leave Out?
Photos -: the only people who need to include these are models, actors, actresses and possibly air cabin crew.
Any sort of failure : exams, marriages, businesses, etc, reasons for leaving each job.
Salary information : this can only be used to reject your application. If an advertisement specifically requests this information you can always include in your cover letter.
Fancy patterns/borders : these detract from your presentation. Title pages, binders and folders are usually unnecessary and can be off-putting (though if you are doing a special presentation, enclosing your CV in a binder may look more impressive).
Do not include a list of publications if you are a scientist, unless they are asked for.
Leave out age : (put in date of birth instead), weight, height, health, or any other personal information that is irrelevant to your application.
Do not use poor quality photocopies of your CV – they make it look as though you are sending off your CV to lots of companies and that you may not be too bothered who you work for.
What information will you need?
Introduction : You should gather together all of the information required below. You will probably not use all of this information in your CV but it will provide you with useful reference material when it comes to preparing for interviews.
Personal Details : Your full name, address, home telephone number, date of birth, marital status (put only single or married down on your CV, if you are divorced then put single, if you are separated you are still married – never list any sort of failure on a CV) and nationality (you may want to include this if you are applying for jobs abroad).
Education / Qualifications : List your qualifications and educational history, for example list your professional qualifications, membership of professional associations and professional ID numbers. If you recently completed a college or university degree or diploma, etc, then you may want to list the courses you studied if the subject you studied was relevant to your target job.
Training Courses : List any work related training courses that you attended, including company courses and any you attended on your own initiative. If you obtained a qualification on any course please list it. You only need to list the important courses you attended; no one really cares if you went on a time management course as everyone gets sent on these courses.
Work Experience : If you have been working for a number of years you probably do not need to include any part-time jobs, vacation jobs, voluntary work or unpaid work experience. Charity work could be included in your interests however you might want to include these jobs if they covered a period of unemployment, or a time when you were not working for any other reason, or you feel that some of the experience you gained will be useful in your next job.
You should normally concentrate on your two most recent jobs (unless you were only there for a short time), because employers are usually most interested in these. Start with your most recent or last job and work backwards.
For each position (treat internal promotion as a new job and record the dates separately) list your job title (e.g. Manager, Supervisor, etc), the job title of the person you reported to (e.g. Director, Manager, etc) and when you started and finished in each job.
Give the name of the company and include a brief description of the service they provide (using the terms they would use to describe themselves).
Set out your main responsibilities, achievements, duties and skills that could be transferred to another employer. Include your level of responsibility if any, e.g. ‘responsibility for departmental budget of £100K and managed 10 staff’. In particular list any achievements you had in each position, including increases in sales/productivity and cost savings made. Quantify your achievements if possible. ‘Increased sales by £100K’ is more interesting and positive than just saying ‘Increased sales’.
You should try to include some achievements such as meeting deadlines, budgets, etc, and any information that may be relevant to your next job.
Major Achievements : When you are listing your achievements in this section, only list 3 to 6 of your most important work achievements; your other achievements can be described under the “work experience” section.
You should only list achievements that are relevant to your next job and indicate how you achieved them.
This section is very important, as an employer will only invite you for an interview if they can see a benefit in doing so. Your achievements may sell you to an employer and make them choose you for an interview rather than someone else. For this reason it is vital that you think carefully about your achievements.
Other Experience : List any computer skills you have, including the make and type of equipment you are familiar with, the software and operating system used, e.g. IBM compatible PC, Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Office 97. If you have foreign language skills that may be relevant for any jobs that you are applying for please list them and indicate whether your skills are spoken, written, business or technical. Please also indicate your level of fluency: fluent, good working knowledge, etc.
You should only list these skills if they are relevant to the jobs you are applying for as no one really wants to hear about a French language course you did at school a long time ago. If relevant to your next job please include your typing or shorthand speeds. Interests / Hobbies : List your interests, hobbies and any sports you play. List any positions of responsibility you hold or have held in any club or organisation and say what your responsibilities and achievements were.
References : You do not normally need to list referees on a CV, but it is a good idea to think about whom you could ask now.
Summary : List your major skills, strengths, personal qualities and achievements. Be specific, e.g. good team player, excellent written skills, versatile, able to motivate others, etc. Look at your staff appraisals or at your references.
For a professional CV contact Lynn.
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Lynn Tulip Career Management Consultant M. 07801 689801 S. margot121 W. http://www.assessment4potential.com |
Four steps for interview success
Whether you are entering the job market for the first time or looking to change your current position, here are four quick but basic tips that will help you when you go for any job interview.
1. Research
One of the best and probably the most important tips in job interview preparation is RESEARCH. You will need to investigate not only the role you’re applying for but also the company or organisation itself. Remember that most companies now have great websites that can provide you with information that will impress your job interviewer. A little extra knowledge can go a long way when you are not the only applicant for a job.
It goes without saying of course, that the other part of research is the exploration you do on yourself. Understanding your own strengths, abilities and aspirations is key for a confident application. You need to be well prepared to answer questions about how you will apply and transfer your existing skills, knowledge and experience into the role you are applying for.
The more you know about what could be asked, and what will be expected in the position you are applying for, the more at ease you will be during the job interview. If you know someone who does the same type of work, pick his or her brain to learn what to expect.
2. Dress For Success
You only have a few seconds to make a good impression, and one of the best ways is to dress well and appropriately. It is a fact that “Clothes Maketh the Man (or Woman)”. So, if it is corporate job you’ve applied for, you need to dress as if you are already in the position.
If it means being booted and suited for the occasion, then so be it. If you are going to a corporate job interview casual clothes will probably not be appropriate. If you can afford it, buy a new outfit, get your hair done or styled. This can also be a big confidence builder, which helps you project a positive attitude to the job interviewer.
If the job interview is at a more casual level, just be sure to present a clean, put-together appearance. Many times the main thing a job interviewer remembers most is how you looked.
If you do not have the funds to buy an outfit, many times a friend or relative can supply what you need to feel more comfortable at your job interview.
3. Practice Sessions
Holding practice sessions before an important job interview can be a real confidence booster. If you don’t have anyone to help you, try practicing in front of a mirror. Most people do not realise how their mannerisms may impact other people’s impressions. If you have a close friend or family member that can be objective then enlist their help. You have to be open to any ideas they may have, if given in a constructive way.
4. CVs
Having extra copies of your CV available when attending a job interview can be a wise decision. Don’t assume that the interviewer has a copy just because you sent one.
Have a pencil or pen to take notes that may help you add topics to your resume. If you learn from the questions that are asked, but not answered in your CV, it will be beneficial in your future job interviews.
Sometimes the simple steps are overlooked when preparing for a job interview. Do you have a pen? Do you know the location well enough to arrive on time?
Practice makes perfect, contact Lynn for some support and advice.
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Lynn Tulip Career Management Consultant M. 07801 689801 S. margot121 W. http://www.assessment4potential.com |
Career Success – 5 Basic Skills
What basic skills do you need for overall career success?
What are the key factors that recruiters and employers are looking for in potential employees?
How does the interviewer separate the applicant with five years experience from the applicant with one month’s experience sixty times?
In addition, for each position the employer may be looking for different specific career skills and experience.
There are however,similar skill sets and attitudes that employers look for in all applicants from engineer to janitor. What skills are continually in demand?
1. Underpinning Basics
Simply put: basic educational skills learned by the end of secondary school. How well do applicants read, write and do basic maths?
Move the skills up a notch to include basic keyboarding skills, basic computer knowledge and other modern tools: fax, copy machine, basic work processing and you have the bedrock basic skills required for success in almost any employment situation.
2. Team and Interpersonal Skills
How well does the applicant speak? Do they answer questions in a positive manner? Do they get to the point? Can they demonstrate good customer service skills?
Although not everyone needs to be outgoing; can the applicant communicate well with co-workers, other team members, management and customers?
Working well with others is a critical skill for job success.
3. Ongoing Job Search Achievement
A successful job search is a process that requires a high level of dedication. If you’re waiting for your ship to come in after only sending out two applications in two months your chances of success is severely diminished compared to the applicant who sends out 2, 5 and even 10 applications a day.
Employers seek employees who are not only positive and show enthusiasm and but also have knowledge of the industry and companies they make contact with.
You will be evaluated,positively or negatively, on how you are approaching the job search. Even with fewer skills, with this positive attitude, you have a better chance in getting the job over a lacklustre candidate with better skills.
This approach is equally applicable for new positions or internal moves or promotions at your present place of employment.
4. Job Performance
Employers are constantly adding and subtracting employees and operations depending upon the marketplace. A safe job today may be axed six months from now. How do you manage to somewhat insulate yourself from these fluctuations?
Beyond the numbers, it all comes down to performance. By demonstrating your worth, taking the initiative and otherwise developing into a valuable employee you have less chance of being downsized than those with average performance.
This first-class performance will also lead to other successes as you move up the career ladder.
5. Career and Job Development
Start with career development. This is a planning skill. Setting career goals both short and long term and reaching them will be of great assistance in climbing your career ladder. A key ingredient to career development is learning new skills, updating established skills and applying new concepts.
This is accomplished by job or professional development in taking classes, self-study programmes, attending seminars and otherwise being open to new opportunities to grow your career. This is only done if you are committed to be a lifelong student. People who demonstrate this trait are keeping themselves marketable as employers are always looking for people who have the up to date training and skills to handle new challenges.
Where do you fit? Do you need help in polishing up you writing skills? Are you having a problem conducting meetings or making presentations? Have you assessed your career lately?
For support on successful career skills, contact Lynn.
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Lynn Tulip Career Management Consultant M. 07801 689801 S. margot121 W. http://www.assessment4potential.com/ |
Testing, Testing
Profiling
Whether you are a believer or a doubter, we would like to assure you that psychometric tools are VERY well researched and over the years have been proved to really work – when used properly. When used as assessment tools they should complement and support other programmes and exercises. They should never be used in isolation.
Psychometric testing is based on either Aptitude (testing skills such as verbal and numerical reasoning and logical thinking) and Personality testing.
Selecting the right test for the right job is an important activity. Many organisations make a mistake of ‘one size fits all’ – this does not work with psychometrics. Talk to Assessment4Potential. and as accredited users, will guide you through the maze and recommend the right tool for the right project.
We use tests for the following activities:
- Career counseling
- Executive Coaching
- Management Development
- Recruitment (certain restrictions apply)
- Team Building
Alternative applications
Psychometric ability & personality tests are valuable but not total solutions. We can also help you with a range of profiling tools that are not classed as psychometric ‘tests’ but which do provide valuable information. These include:
- 360 degree feedback tools
- Learning Styles Inventory
- Belbin & other team role profiles
- Culture surveys
- Leadership profiles etc.
Application for Recruitment and Selection
As a first step it can assist companies, large or small, to understand some of the key personality traits of their existing high-performing employees. Armed with this information you can then decide to target potential candidates with those traits in future recruitment campaigns.
It may be that you can’t decide between two or three excellent candidates and would like some external support to build a deeper understanding of the individuals.
Benefits of Psychometric Testing (Profiling)
- Deeper knowledge of the individual
- Confirmation of gut feelings you may have had from face-to-face interactions
- Ability to benchmark candidates against each other, especially in aptitude testing in an objective manner
Personnel Today revealed that Four-fifths believe recruitment benefits from psychometric tests. The results of a survey amongst CEOs, managing directors and company owners also listed:
§ 82% respondents cite staff as the company’s single most valuable asset
§ 46% respondents spend 1-3 months a year seeking replacement staff
§ 78% respondents believe that recruitment practices benefit from the use of psychometric profiling.
Psychometric testing helps employers to assess people, in a way which gives results that are objective, systematic, reliable and valid. The Psychometric Testing Pocketbook offers insight into how these tests can improve recruitment, selection, promotion and assist organisational development. The book takes a practical approach and is aimed at the non-specialist reader. It explains the process of test selection and demonstrates, with the aid of case studies, how some of the more popular tests can be applied to achieve workplace solutions. In better understanding the unique characteristics of its individuals, organisations are equipped to undertake a range of actions, including building effective teams, implementing change and identifying future leaders. This pocketbook not only benefits employers, but also provides employees with an understanding of what is involved in completing such tests and how the results can focus career counselling and development plans
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Lynn Tulip Career Management Consultant M. 07801 689801 S. margot121 W. http://www.assessment4potential.com |
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I’m a Celebrity – Get me a 2nd Career!
The celebrity trend for pursuing new skills and interests is set to inspire the public to start the new year off on a positive note, according to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).
The LSC says that an increasing number of celebrities are actively seeking new skills and launching second careers in a bid to safeguard against the ever-present threat of diminishing celebrity status. It hopes this trend will inspire the wider public to acquire new skills in search of their dreams.
“Celebrities including Helena Christensen, Joss Stone, Wayne Rooney and Mischa Barton are all keeping their options open by acquiring new skills to secure their futures in an ever-fickle celebrity world where fame may only last 15 minutes,” said a spokesperson for the LSC.
Topping the list of celebrity second careers is catering & hospitality, it says, with numerous celebrities, including Robbie Williams, Jay-Z and Jennifer Lopez, opening restaurants or training as chefs. Would-be chefs looking to follow in these star-studded footsteps can find a range of catering courses at their nearest college.
Number two on the list of most popular celebrity second career choices is in the world of fashion and beauty, with numerous stars dipping their toe into fashion design, including Kate Moss (Topshop) and Lily Allen (New Look). Wannabe Lily Allens can brush up on their own fashion knowledge by taking a course in fashion or accessory design at their local college.
“The new paths that these and other celebrities are currently pursuing prove how learning a new skill can keep career options open – and you may be able to get free funding for your A-list career,” said the LSC spokesperson.
More and more Hollywood A-list actors are favouring a move behind-the-scenes, it says, with stars including Drew Barrymore, Brad Pitt and George Clooney all involved with film production – the third most popular choice for celebrities pursuing a second career.
According to the LSC: “Celebrities are also growing frustrated with how unfulfilling fame can be, as highlighted by Joss Stone’s dramatic plans to leave show business altogether to train in midwifery. The star has said that she is afraid that she will “sit on [her] deathbed and say ‘I was just a singer’”.
“Furthermore, a new crowd of celebrity figures are actually going back to college to brush up on their basic skills in preparation for their future careers. Only this year, Wayne Rooney went back to school to achieve his Maths GCSE, whilst the already hugely successful actress Mischa Barton opted to enrol at RADA last summer to make sure she is at the top of her game.”
“There are lots of great courses and learning options available for those that want to get a star-studded career of their own. There has never been a better time to learn new, or build on existing, skills in this country and you may be eligible for free learning.”
For more information on how to chose a 2nd career, contact Lynn.
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Lynn Tulip Career Management Consultant M. 07801 689801 S. margot121 W. http://www.assessment4potential.com |
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Some facts and figures about selection and recruitment
- Two out of three new hires will disappoint in the first year
- Two out of three employees would rather work somewhere else
- 95% of applicants will “exaggerate” to get a job
- Most hiring decisions are made in haste – during the first five minutes of an interview, with a large part of the decision resting on the applicants appearance
- One out of three businesses will be sued this year over an employment issue
- Turnover costs thousands of pounds for every departing employee
- Eighty percent of employee turnover is avoidable
For more information on how Pyschometric tools can help change these, contact Lynn.
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Lynn Tulip Career Management Consultant M. 07801 689801 S. margot121 W. http://www.assessment4potential.com |
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Get a fashionable job
If you are considering a career change, having a look at trends can help you find something both interesting and lucrative. This technique can be applied to both employment and self-employment.
How many people wish they had predicted the boom in running in the late 70s, followed by the surge in interest in fitness in the 80s? And how many of those who jumped on the bandwagon early became very rich as a result?
Amongst the headlines on the UK TV, was the disturbing prediction that if things don’t change, by 2050, 50% of adults in the UK will be obese. And the government is failing to reach its targets as far as prevention is concerned. This means that half of today’s children and those who will be born in the next 20 years or so will be obese – if steps aren’t taken to prevent this.
What does this mean in terms of careers? Apart from the need for specialist medical professionals, there will be many opportunities for those interested in health, fitness and nutrition. And particularly those who specialize in educating children and their parents. A trend like this isn’t going to go away overnight and so even young people attracted by a career in fitness, health or nutrition could find a niche in which their skills will be in demand for their entire working lives.
Personal development is another area which has increased in popularity recently and there is no sign of a let-up. Consider the popularity of the film The Secret and its many spin offs. If you have any secret which will enable people to improve their lives, you can find a way to sell it. And just what is a “secret”? Simply put, it’s insider knowledge, and if you have sound knowledge in any area which can enable people to achieve their goals, you have the potential to develop a lucrative career.
Other current trends concern the environment – consider the emphasis on recycling and climate change. With advances in technology, there are many ways in which people can find employment or business opportunities by providing information about current issues and so it isn’t always necessary to be directly employed in the field.
If you are thinking about a career change, you can become aware of what is going on by checking out the news, but you may have to look no further than your own current interests. We can help you work with your interests to find that perfect job.
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Lynn Tulip Career Management Consultant M. 07801 689801 S. margot121 W. http://www.assessment4potential.com |
Discover the Real YOU!
A New Year and a one time **free** offer especially for you – personality profiling with the new PURE system.
Do you want to know how you can you improve your relationships, develop great communication skills and understand people better?
Using the PURE System, you can identify your personality type and recognise your strengths and weaknesses and those of the people around you. This will help you improve your communication skills both at home and in the workplace, deal with problems and conflict more successfully [and acknowledge your own weaknesses so that you can avoid irritating other people unnecessarily!]
We all have personality [we would be lost without it!] and everyone is unique and different yet there are always some people you get on with better than others, some you can work with without any problems and others that can drive you mad just by their actions.
How do you get to understand more about yourself and others?
It’s easy. Personality tests (psychometrics) are helpful for managing people and for understanding yourself. And you should also consider using personality and aptitude tests if you are recruiting or developing people. We can help you at work, at home and with families and friends.
While personality tests are very useful in showing you how you act and react to certain situations and also at showing you how you feel about yourself, taken once they can only ever really tell you how you feel about yourself at the moment in time in which you took the test. Understanding different personality types in business is essential for recruiting, negotiating, selling, customer care, employer-employee relationships and even choosing career paths.
For one month only, you can have the opportunity to take the PURE Personality Types Diagnostic Test completely **FREE**. Contact me, requesting the access codes to PURE in the ‘Enquiry Box’
*Prices range from £10.00 from 1st February 2008
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Lynn Tulip Career Management Consultant M. 07801 689801 S. margot121 W. http://www.assessment4potential.com |
