Welcome to the August '05 edition of Great Tips for Jobseekers!

There's a song that went something like "Summertime, and jobseeking ain't easy"! Many people wind down job search activity at this time of year. We're telling you that now's a great time to go to work on getting a new job.

Do let your friends know about "Great Tips for Jobseekers!" and they will also be able to ensure an advantage in the job market!

In this Issue

• Don't Stop for the Summer
• What Recruiters Want
• CV: Including References

Don't Stop for the Summer

While your competitors for a great new job are relaxing on a beach, assuming the world of recruitment has shut down for the holidays, you can gain an advantage by researching hard and digging a little deeper.

Those vacancies that were around just before the holiday are still there. You just need to find them and get your application in. A bit of research will strengthen the application further.

It's true things do slow down a little - recruiters and hiring managers also have holidays - but that only means that responses are slower. It's not a good reason to stop altogether.

If you're researching new career areas, now is a fantastic time to do some networking. Those people who are around may be just that little bit less busy. Meetings may be cancelled so there'll be more room in diaries. Take advantage by getting some of that time to ask those all important questions that will help you to understand if the career you have in mind is right for you.

What Recruiters Want

Ever wondered why recruiters only seem to suggest jobs for you that are exactly like the one you are currently or have recently been doing? This happens even when you have told them you want a change of direction.

The reason is simple, and it's not really something to blame the recruiter for.

When an employer looks to fill a vacancy, one thing they will do is ask if the role requires past experience. If not, and there are no CV's on file that are suitable, the next step may be to approach a recruitment agency. If so, the request is straightforward: "Here is the brief - send us people that match this experience".

The recruiter is therefore, in all likelihood, looking for people with past experience, and therefore will look to place you in a job that reflects your past experience.

Rather than be frustrated with recruiters, moving from one to the next without joy, look for other ways to make your career change, such as networking or direct approaches.

CV: Including References

I still see plenty of CV's with references added at the bottom. Not only is this a waste of good space but it is also totally unnecessary.

References should only be sought by a potential offer after an offer has been made. You will usually see stated clearly on an offer letter the proviso that the offer is subject to receipt of successful references. It is only after an offer has been made that you need to supply references.

When you do, you will often be asked for two references, one from a personal contact (not a family member) and one work related. Sometimes you are asked for two work related references.

Your last employer is often the favoured reference and it is for this reason that you should not give it in advance particularly if you are still working at the company. In this case you may reasonably ask that the reference is not taken up until after you have joined the new employer. For the first period of the employment you are on probation and it is reasonable that if satisfactory references are not received the employer terminates the relationship.

It is not uncommon for the employer to seek two separate references from your employer. The formal reference will be a written document and tends to cover basic information such as attendance record, verification of leaving salary and your appraisal record. The information provided is factual and therefore non-controversial. There have been cases where a former employee has sued the organisation as a result of a poor reference.

In order to circumvent this and discover the truth behind your performance it is possible that a quiet phone call will be made to your last manager. If the report is unfavourable you may find that during that probationary period you are watched carefully for evidence of a repeat pattern of behaviour.