Is your CV sabotaging your career

Is your CV sabotaging your career by Amber Rolfe Not being invited for interviews? It’s not you, it’s your CV…Your CV is the first thing recruiters see when they’re searching for candidates. And although it may seem as simple as writing down your work experience, qualifications and skills and simply sending it off, there might be more you can do to make yourself standout.We’ve already covered what not to do on your CV, but here are a few more CV faux-pas that could be sabotaging your career:You’re not providing context If you’re struggling to include all your experience in your CV, it can be tempting to try and keep things brief.But although stand-alone bullet points of your duties and descriptions of your skills might seem easy to understand from your point of view â€" without the right context, will they really mean anything?For example, skills in customer service are beneficial for many careers â€" but not backing them up with how they benefited the business won’t demonstrate what impact hi ring you could have. And that’s the bottom line.It’s all about quantifying your skills, and proving your suitability with tangible examples.Top tip: Read your CV objectively, and ask yourself if it would make sense to someone who didn’t know you, or get a friend or family member to provide an unbiased second opinion. You’re complicating things A good CV is simple, to the point, and easy to read.So whether it’s by writing in long paragraphs, elaborating too much, or including your whole life story â€" making it difficult to read is a sure-fire way to deter recruiters.To avoid information overload, use the job description â€" and only include what matters in terms of the role and necessary skills.If your key attributes and experience are clear and well-formatted, a recruiter will be better able to ascertain whether you’re a good match. And if they want to learn about something in more detail, that’s what your cover letter (and, hopefully, the interview) is for.Remember: your CV is not a document with an unlimited word count.Top tip: For the most effective CV, keep it short and concise. Two pages is more than enough to give an employer an accurate summary of your skills and experience. How to keep your CV short and sweet  You’re hiding something      Although it’s possible to go overboard with the wrong details on your CV, it’s equally easy to forget to include the right ones.And contact information isn’t the only thing you need to double-check at least twice. Although it might seem less significant than the rest of your CV, you should always make sure your employment history has honest start and end dates â€" or at the very least, months and years.Otherwise, you could be at risk of recruiters thinking you’re hiding gaps in your work history.Making your dates clear also helps to avoid any interview silences, not to mention awkward conversations when they get around to checking your references.Top tip: Use your cover letter to explain any career gaps. You’ll be able to put a positive spin on your break, as well as give honest reasoning as to why you took it. How to explain a gap in your CVYour focus is off So maybe you took on a great internship seven years ago, in an industry you’re no longer looking to work in. That’s great, but it might not need to be the main focus on your CV.In fact, depending on your recent experience, you may not even need to mention it at all. Knowing what skills and experience are most beneficial for the jobs you’re applying for is the best way to prove your suitability.Whether it’s shown by formatting, the amount of description you provide for a job and its duties, or what key skills and work history you choose to reference, ensuring your CV is tailored to the job correctly is absolutely vital.Failing to do so might mean employers can’t see how qualified you are â€" all because they’d have to wade through irrelevant information to get there.Top tip: Formatting your CV with you r strengths first can make all the difference when it comes to emphasising certain skills and experience. You’re not refreshing your CVEnsuring your CV up-to-date is essential â€" and it means more than just adding your new job titles to keep things fresh.Whether it’s updating the formatting and layout, improving the quality of your writing, or simply changing the font*, making small improvements every time you apply for a job could make all the difference when it comes to standing out.For example, a layout you chose when you first created your CV might not look as contemporary five years down the line.Additionally, if you’re looking to change careers â€" a CV refresh is even more important. Every industry requires different skills and expertise, so always ensure your CV accurately reflects what you’re looking for.Top tip: Never see your CV as a finished document. It can always be changed, updated, and edited â€" and doing this as often as possible is the best way to ensure it’s the best it can be. Five ways to refresh your CVFinal thoughts Job searching can be a long and difficult process â€" and when you’re concentrating on finding the right role, writing a great cover letter, and interview preparation, it can be easy to let your CV slip through the cracks.But in any job search â€" your CV matters.Remember: you might be fully qualified for a role, but not representing your skills accurately on your CV could be what’s really costing you the job.  Need more CV advice?It takes an employer just seven seconds to save or reject a job applicant’s CV. This means creating a succinct CV is absolutely vital if you want to land that all-important interview. To find out how to make your CV stand out from the crowd, buy James Reed’s new book: The 7 Second CV: How to Land the Interview.*Comic Sans is not your friend.  Still searching for your perfect position? View all available jobs nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSi gn up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the CVs

Professional Resume Writing Tips

Professional Resume Writing TipsExpert resume writing tips are very important if you want to have a more attractive and more appealing professional resume. For those who have not heard of expert resume writing, this is because professional resume writing, although it has been around for some time, still remains one of the most expensive forms of professional document writing. However, it can also be one of the most effective methods of professional resume writing, with all the benefits that it offers.A good resume needs to be professionally written in order to be impressive and convincing. Some people even do expert resume writing for free, with the help of online resources, although this is not really necessary because online resources offer only practical and effective ideas that can also be found in the expert guide books. They are not going to give you detailed and comprehensive professional resume writing tips that are relevant to your field, because these books will always be a imed at professionals.When you go to professional resume writing companies, they can give you a number of tips that will help you make the most of your professional resume. These tips will be useful and specific to the content of your professional resume, so there is no risk involved. You will be offered, for example, to add a section on your previous job history. This should be an interesting and worthy section and it should highlight your skills, accomplishments and experiences in your career.If you want to emphasize your strengths and to make them stand out, then you will need to highlight your achievements in terms of the projects and departments that you worked on. You should also consider highlighting the areas where you were considered incompetent. This will make your resume look more professional, more clear and more impressive.The appropriate way to write a section like this is to discuss your top-most achievements, achievements that you considered most important in the cou rse of your career. Even the sections that follow it will carry some kind of emphasis, as will your future plans, which should include some key details about your hobbies and interests. Remember that the purpose of professional resume writing is to make your resume look more professional, more clear and more impressive.It is a fact that when it comes to writing a professional resume, there are numerous parts that you need to take into account, not just the things that potential employers look for, but also other things like who you are personally and what motivates you. You should remember that your professional resume needs to come across as professional, not only in the important sections but also in the small details.You also need to add your sense of humor, something that will be useful in terms of making your professional resume look attractive. It will also show that you have some sense of humor, something that can help you enhance your professional resume and it will also mak e you more interesting to potential employers. You should also consider sending your resume to more than one professional resume writing company, since they will be able to give you some suggestions for improvement, helping you to make the most of your professional resume.Professional resume writing tips are quite effective, especially when it comes to making your professional resume seem better and more impressive. You will be amazed by how quickly your professional resume will become more professional. You will also get some ideas that can help you improve your professional resume, something that you should remember when looking for professional resume writing tips.

Four Things Employers Really Want from a Candidate

Four Things Employers Really Want from a Candidate In order to get the job that you really want, you have to be able to give employers what they’re looking for. If you don’t, then you can’t be surprised when you don’t get called up for an interview. Demonstrating what makes you different can be a challenge. But here are four key things that every employer wants from a job candidate like you. Potential What you can do right now is often less important than the potential you show. When you prove to employers that you have the potential to grow and get better in your career, they will see this as a positive. Many employers like the idea of hiring people with raw talent and then molding them over time. This allows them to guide you in the direction they want you to go in. This is why experience doesn’t always matter so much to employers. If you have the ability and potential to do what the employer wants from you, you could be in with a good shot of getting the job. Even without masses of experience. A Desire for Development Potential is not worth much if you’re not able to show a willingness to develop and learn new things though. You will have to be open to new ideas and new experiences if you want to appeal to employers. It’s a good idea to have a CPD to show that you want to develop over time. These are documents that are compiled to show the skills and experiences that you have amassed over time. As your career grows and progresses, you can add new things to this. And you can show it off to potential employers to show your commitment to developing your skills and abilities. Passion for Your Career Commitment is a big deal for many employers. If there is a job that you want, and it’s highly desirable, then your commitment to your career will be taken into account. Employers want to give jobs to the people who really want them most and are willing to show passion. Having that passion for your chosen career and the job that you’re applying for could be the difference between getting it and not getting it. One way in which you can show how serious you are about getting the job is by researching it. Do some research on the company that you’re applying to work for. Then you’ll be able to answer all the questions thrown at you during the interview. Real Skills Finally, employers want to know that you have the skills to do the job. So, first of all, read the job description and specification very carefully. Only by doing this will you be able to understand what they want. If you think that you do have the skills that they are looking for them, you have to demonstrate them in your application. You can do this be demonstrating real world examples when you have had to demonstrate the kinds of skills they’re looking for. You should always be honest when you are doing this, but you want to paint your experiences and skills in the best light too. Image Source; Image Source

How to Keep Employees Satisfied as a Small Business Owner

How to Keep Employees Satisfied as a Small Business Owner Any small business owner will tell you it ain’t easy getting a business off the ground. There isn’t really a day off, plates are constantly spinning and you have to stay on top of everything. Eventually, though, you delegate and you can shift your focus to more essential things, but there are areas of business that are never off your mind. You’re always looking out for competition, coming up with marketing schemes, new deals, the quality you are putting out there for customers and their satisfaction with your service. An element of business that has been neglected for a long time and that is finally getting more attention is something you too may have been overlooking employee satisfaction. This article examines employee satisfaction as the cornerstone of a good business and ways to increase it. Millennial Dissatisfaction Those born between the late ‘70s and mid ‘90s are called millennials and they just so happen to be the least satisfied and engaged generation of workers. According to a Gallup poll, only 29% of millennials feel engaged at their work. The motivations of an entire generation are difficult to assess and discuss, but there are certain obvious factors contributing to their lack of engagement. One is the struggling economy, which is at odds with the sense of worth and ambition instilled in them by the previous generation and another prominent one is social media, which glamorizes the life of others and makes people feel like they’re underperforming in every way. The majority of millennials have entered the workforce and a small number are still in universities, getting their degrees. This general malaise is something that should concern business owners. Employee engagement has a direct effect on productivity and efficacy, so you cannot afford to ignore the problem. It is not only productivity that is at stake; happy employees have less absenteeism and there is higher retention. This means no waste in time and resources when having to train a new employee nor the stress of working in an environment with a high employee turnover. Things to Offer Naturally, what attracts each employee to a specific company and position will vary, along with their particular desires and expectations. The thing to keep in mind, though, is that salary amounts to about 70% of what makes the job worthwhile. The rest is a combination of benefits and the employee experience. Below is a list of the most common things employees will enquire about and look for in a job: Flexible work hours Advancement opportunities Training opportunities 401(k) Insurance Pension Stock options Traveling expenses reimbursement It is not only possible, but increasingly common for people to turn down jobs and leave their current positions for some which are lower paying, but offer certain other benefits that the employee values over simply the salary. You can find out what the employee wants from the  interview and, additionally, you should conduct short surveys on a regular basis to follow what those who are already working for you like, dislike and expect. This gives you information that will lead you in the right direction and makes your workers feel seen and heard, which is one of the key issues in improving employee satisfaction. Things to Avoid Sometimes it is hard to know exactly what to do and which route to take, and when it comes to your business, you definitely don’t want to be taking any chances. It is therefore quite useful to take into account what not to do and which strategies to steer clear of. Some moves are universally recognized as wholly unproductive and leading to resentment and, you guessed it, dissatisfaction in your workforce. The sure fire ways to create a terrible employee experience include: Over-glamorizing the position and what it entails Presenting the company as you would like to be, as opposed to how it is Changing policies and procedure with little notice Changing the pay and benefit structure Failing to recognize the good job an employee has done Since there is hardly any stigma in leaving a job anymore, many of your employees will not hesitate to go if you deceive them about what the job entails or if you make drastic changes that adversely affect them. On the other hand, it doesn’t take a whole lot to foster good relationships and make sure you have loyal and motivated workers who will sing your praises both at work and outside of it. Once you understand that your employees are the foundation of your enterprise, you will not hesitate to do everything you can to keep them engaged and feeling good about their job.

Resume Writing on Committees and Subcommittees of Congress

Resume Writing on Committees and Subcommittees of CongressThe skill of resume writing on committees and subcommittees of congress is important. It is important because there are people who can be in a number of positions of power within any organization and some people will have more opportunity than others. For those who are able to stand out among the competition, they will be granted positions of authority.Resume writing on committees and subcommittees of congress is important because they can help a person to achieve their goals. They are usually comprised of high-ranking politicians and members of the upper echelon of society. They have information that is difficult to obtain on your own and have access to information that many people may not have.It is important for people to understand that the skill of resume writing on committees and subcommittees of congress is important. This is because it is easy to distinguish between career opportunities and the chances of someone being granted power by a company. By reading resumes on committees and subcommittees of congress, a person can learn that there are often opportunities given to those who have a little experience and hard work behind them.Many people find that they have the talent needed to make themselves a strong candidate. It is important for a person to understand that the skills needed to make yourself an effective candidate should be put into practice. Being a good candidate requires hard work, but when it is done correctly, then you can become a successful candidate.Resume writing on committees and subcommittees of congress can help a person to achieve his or her goal. There is a lot of information available on how to prepare and what information is best to include in a resume. It is important for a person to understand that no matter what kind of person they are, there is always a place for them within a company or organization.In order to be effective, there has to be a balance between what is r elevant and what is not, as well as how important that person is to the organization. When a person understands this, they will be able to make the most of the work that they have been given. Because there are so many people who are in positions of power in the company, it is important to know that when you use this skill, you will be a big influence.A lot of people consider the ability to write a resume to be a very important part of their job. Many people do not realize that there are many other professionals who write resumes. This is a job that requires more knowledge and skill than many people realize.Those who wish to be effective professionals have to be aware of the fact that this is an important skill that should be considered. As a person begins to learn this skill, they will begin to learn the importance of every word that they use in their resume. With all of the preparation that needs to be done in order to prepare a resume, it is important for a person to understand th at there are many professionals who write resumes.

Help a Charity and Help Your Job Search

Help a Charity and Help Your Job Search 13 Flares 13 Flares Working for a non-profit can be a great career move  because the industry is expanding rapidly and should continue to grow well into the future. Non-profit organizations include charities, research organizations, religious groups, public safety testing committees, and animal cruelty societies, so you will not run out of options should you choose this path. Working with a non-profit provides you with the ability to work in an industry that you are passionate about, whether it is helping those less fortunate or creating a safe haven for animals, while taking an active role in bettering your community. Youre out of work.  Your job search is exhausting.  Youve tried live networking.  Nothing is working and youre not having any luck reaching HR or any influential employees at the company youd like to work for. Its time for a new approach. Why Charity Work Will Lead to A  Job Before I even begin to talk about how it could possibly lead to a new job, Ill just point out that its just frickin good for you to volunteer!  Youre probably feeling extremely shitty right now.  Rejection after rejection is frustrating, and feeling like a bum doesnt help either.  Going out to help your favorite charity will give you a heart warming feeling that money and job security used to bring.  Youll also be able to witness others who are much less fortunate than you are, and maybe put things into perspective. Most companies love to share details about their charity work.  Simply find out where your favorite company or two are volunteering, and then sign up with that charity.  Research exactly when company employees will be on site and schedule your hours around those times. The problem with networking events is that EVERYONE wants something.  This person over here wants business contacts.  The blond lady over there is looking for a new marketing gig.  The guy over there is pitching his new business in hopes to land a few clients.  It doesnt always foster an environment that allows for bonding, friendship, and finally, employment referrals. In my experience, volunteering for charity work is normally fun, engaging, and is used by many organizations as a team building experience.  Ive volunteered at homeless shelters, and performed countless hours of yard work at different centers for the less fortunate.  Youre usually right there next to other volunteers, working together on the assigned project. Key points to your plan. If youre successful at planning your volunteer hours around the time company employees are there, youll be able to form bonds pretty quickly, and hopefully a friendship.  At some point (way after bonding has occurred), ask about their work and their company.  Act surprised when they tell you what you already knew.  Theyll ask about you, and then thats your cue.  Bring up your situation and see if theyd be willing to pass in your resume to HR. The worst thing that could happen is you dont make a connection and your resume is never passed on.  Hey, but at least you helped out a good cause and did something other than stare at job postings all day.  And remember, if it doesnt work the first time, there are plenty of other volunteering opportunities for you where you just might make the right connection.

What is Life like Working as a Solicitor - How2Become

What is Life like Working as a Solicitor - How2Become First, lets look at the Top 10 Reasons to Become a Solicitor:1. Salary â€" Starting with the obvious, one of the largest benefits to becoming a solicitor is the salary you can make. Few other careers will start you out with a salary comparable to that of a solicitor.2. Fulfilment â€" As a solicitor, you will get the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of your clients on a daily basis. Not only can you make a difference with your clients, but you have the chance to make a difference in the lives of people everywhere because one case can set the precedence for many future cases.3. Advancement â€" After obtaining your degree and getting your license to practice law, you have the opportunity to work your way up to the top at a private practice, where you can eventually become a partner in the firm. You will also have the opportunity to possibly become a judge or an educator.4. Education â€" Even if you don’t go back to school for official advanced training, as a solicitor you will constantly be learning. While working on cases, you will be researching past cases as well as learning about obscure laws. There will always be learning opportunities.5. Variety â€" Not only do you have a wide variety of specialised areas of practice to choose from, but your daily tasks will vary from day-to-day. Your work life will be changing constantly, making each day different.6. Job Security and Growth â€" As long as you do your job well and are a good employee of your firm, your job is secure. No matter the state of the economy, people will always need lawyers.7. Knowledge of the Law â€" Not only is your knowledge of the law a benefit to your clients, but it can be a great benefit to yourself as well. Whether creating a will, dealing with a car accident or buying real estate, your knowledge of the law will come in handy. Aside from that, you will find that as a solicitor, your friends and family will come to you for advice about legal or business issues.8. Networking †" While working as a solicitor, you will meet people from all walks of life. While working with clients you will begin to network, expanding your business but also expanding perks in other parts of your life. You may find that you need suggestions for a great restaurant to take your spouse to for your anniversary, and it just so happens that your client has a relative who owns the newest hot spot in town.9. Mobility â€" Being a solicitor you will have the ability to work as a solicitor anywhere inside your license to work area. You can work in the city at a large firm for years and then decide to become a lawyer in a small, rural area.10. Ability to Run a Business â€" After gaining the appropriate experience working at a firm, you will have the knowledge and the ability to open your own law firm which gives you the ability to set your own hours, take only the cases that interest you the most and will be putting money into your own pockets instead of the partners who own the law firm where you work.So, what is life like once you have graduated?Once you have completed your studies and your training, you are ready to step into the world of law with both feet.You may have been offered a position where you did your training contract, or they may have not had a place for you and you will need to secure employment elsewhere. Whatever the case may be, here is a short summary of how you can and will progress through the roles of a solicitor, should you put your best effort forward:The Associates Life Once you qualify and secure employment, you will most expectedly be an assistant or associate solicitor. Simply stated, you are an employee of the firm and will most likely be working under the supervision of a senior associate or partner, making a fixed salary.Depending on what type of firm you work with, the areas of work in which you practise, the partners that supervise you and your own skills, your duties will vary. Generally speaking, you will need to work hard, taki ng responsibility for your own clients without regular supervision.Continuing Your Professional Development All solicitors are required by The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to update their knowledge and skills on a constant basis. When your training contract ends, your formally assessed training does not.Under the continuing professional development (CPD) programme, newly qualified solicitors (NQs) must complete one hour of continuing training each month of their first year. After that, solicitors must take 16 hours of continuing educational courses per year.There are many ways to earn CPD credit, including researching, mentoring, writing on law and attending Law Society-accredited courses. Every solicitor must take Stage One of the SRA management course to fulfil their CPD requirement.PartnershipPartnership is the ultimate goal for almost every solicitor. You can become a full partner, in which you own a portion of the firm and share in the profits, or you can become a sala ried partner where you do not share in the profits.How long it will take you to become partner will depend on you and the firm for which you work. In general, you can expect it to take eight or more years to get a partnership with a large commercial firm and possibly less at a smaller firm.Is Being A Solicitor Right For You? As you can see by the above list, there are a lot of responsibilities that go along with becoming a solicitor. If you are normally the type of person to shy away from paperwork and research, this may not be an appropriate position for you.Aside from the many demands that are placed on you as a solicitor, you must also think about the amount of schooling and training that is involved as well as the cost that goes along with that. While being a solicitor is a rewarding career for the right person, it does come at a cost.If you are considering becoming a solicitor because you feel it would be easy money, you may want to rethink your decision. Being a solicitor come s with a lot of responsibility and the workload can be overwhelming to those who are only in it for the money or the title.While a lot of people find the work to be rewarding, others find the responsibilities to be more than they had bargained for.Some conditions to consider when making the decision to become a solicitor are:• Long working hours: 12 hour days are not uncommon, especially during busy periods. Starting early and working late can happen frequently. Weekend hours may be required on occasion and large City firms can work these extended hours on a regular basis.• Travel: While the position is mostly office based, you may need to travel to meet clients, attend court, and overnight stays are occasionally necessary. You may also be expected to work overseas, advising local clients on EU law.• Stress: This can be a very stressful position due to the long hours and workload/responsibilities.We hope we have given you ample information to be able to get an insight into a s olicitors job description, work life balance and the pros and cons of the career. This entry was posted in Career Advice. Bookmark the permalink. Richard Magistrate Eligibility CriteriaParamedic Eligibility Criteria