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Welcome to "Great Tips for Jobseekers!" Issue four
This newsletter is for people who wish to increase their ability
to "get that job"! If you know someone who might find it
interesting please send it on to them so they can subscribe also!
In this issue
* CV: Your Contact Details
* Evaluating a Recruitment Advertisement
* Know Your Weaknesses?
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CV: Your Contact Details
Does your CV provide all your contact details? Often people will
include address, home `phone, mobile, email and even IM (internet
messaging) details. Yet these might not always be appropriate. Only
give details for methods you would like the recruiter or HR manager
to use. If you are not comfortable being contacted on your mobile
phone out of the blue for a brief, informal interview, then don't
offer that number, unless you are prepared to tell them you don't
want to talk at that time.
Do you have an email address that is mainly used by friends and is
therefore unprofessional? Do you really want to invite prospective
employers to email you on hotstuff@anyisp.com? If not, either don't give it, or get
a new address!
Evaluating a Recruitment Advertisement
Recruitment ads are a valuable source of information for your
application and for the subsequent interview. The ad will probably
indicate to you the problem the employer hopes you will solve. Your
job is to understand that problem from what they are asking for.
Analyse the text carefully, and separate out into three sections, the
essential requirements, the "nice to haves" and any other statements
about the company and their direction. The last part, although not
always explicit, sometimes tells you plenty about the "problem".
If you can't tick at least 90% of the essential requirements you are
probably going to struggle to make the interview stage. If you can,
and you can tick a good proportion of the "nice to haves" then go for
it!
We'll look at drafting a cover letter in a future edition of "Great
Tips for Jobseekers!"
Know Your Weaknesses
This question at interviews often strikes fear in the candidate, but
there's no reason for this. We all have weaknesses and the purpose
of the question is simply to find out how well you know yourself.
So, when asked what your weaknesses are, give a straight answer
demonstrating something that you really work hard to improve. If
you're struggling to think of a weakness, consider your strengths and
what happens when you overdo them. I call it your "strength gone
toxic". Enthusiasm can lead to pushiness, perfectionism can lead to
inaction, etc. Your job is to recognise the weakness and explain to
the interviewer how you overcome it.
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Are you thinking about a career or job change? Workjoy provides a
comprehensive service of tailored, 1:1 advice sessions to help you
address the issues that are stopping you from making that move.
Consultations can take place face to face or by telephone or IM.
Contact Nick Gendler nick@workjoy.co.uk
for a free, initial chat to discuss your needs.
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Thank you for reading "Great Tips for Jobseekers!" Please send us
your comments and questions. We're particularly interested in any
areas of job search that you're keen to know something about and if
it's likely to be of general interest we'll write a piece for the
newsletter.
If you are not a subscriber of "Great Tips for Jobseekers!" and wish
to receive it in future please follow this link:
www.workjoy.co.uk/10.0.html
ŠNick Gendler, Workjoy Ltd, 2004
Feel free to use this material and pass it on to others as long as
you acknowledge the source. Failure to do so will constitute a
breach of copyright.
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