Personal Statements and CV’s
Personal statement.
When writing your personal statement it’s so important to get it right first time, it’s the first thing a person sees before reading your CV. That person could be the one who is hiring you. It could be the difference between recruiting you or rejecting you.
Be precise and straight to the point, but informative. Keep it between 100 and 200 words.
Structure your statement by answering main key questions like, what can you bring to the role? And what your career goals are?
Explain what you would be able to bring to the company and what you could offer them that no one else can and why? Be specific but avoid clichés the person reading it sees hundreds of statements a day and you want yours to stand out.
Read it to friends and family and ask their opinion, it’s important that it flows when it’s being read aloud.
CVs
A good CV is vital when you are looking for work, you could be up against hundreds of candidates so you need to make it stand out and make it as unique as possible.
Make sure it has a clear layout and is easy to read. Employers spend about 20-30 seconds scanning your CV. The recruiter wants to find the information they are looking for straight away without hunting for information.
Customise your CV to suit every job you are applying for, this sounds time consuming but making the effort will increase your chances of an interview.
Making mistakes is very easy but very difficult to correct once the CV has been sent. Always check spelling and grammar and make sure your dates match up and that you have provided the right email address and telephone number.
When you are putting together your CV its hard remembering to update it with information about new projects or courses, to avoid this happening read through it every couple of weeks with your diary and include any new information that you feel might be relevant or important.
Interviewing Tips & Helpful Questions
Interviewing Tips.
Preparation is vital this can be the key to a successful interview. Plan your travel route allowing for any unexpected changes or delays. Make sure you know exactly where you are going and always have the number of the company or the agency with you in case something unavoidable happens.
First impressions are so important, you shouldn’t be judged before you have even spoken but unfortunately often you are. Make sure you dress appropriately for the position you are applying for and that you are clean and tidy and have a welcoming smile.
Walk with confidence and deliver a firm handshake this shows professionalism and confidence, but don’t overdo it and appear arrogant or try to break their hand.
Sit up straight and maintain eye contact. Lean forward to show the interviewer that you are interested in what they are saying and that you are listening. Make sure that when you are looking at them, you blink and don’t stare, it can be very easy to look too intense or frightening.
Research the company thoroughly that you are visiting. You will always be asked questions about it. It will help you understand how the company is structured, the history, culture and their values. Find something interesting about them, that you can talk about with confidence.
Make sure you’re listening to their questions, do not interrupt them or talk over them, this shows good listening skills and patience. Answer their questions with detailed relevant responses not just yes or no. If you don’t understand the question ask them to repeat it, they might word it differently or you might understand it a second time. Never try and answer a question if you weren’t sure what it was.
When the interview is over thank the interviewer for their time and let them know you are interested in the position by saying you look forward to hearing from them soon or asking them when you can be expected to be hearing from them?
Helpful Questions.
- Can you tell me more about the company? Everyone loves talking about their company, but make sure when you ask this question you haven’t already been talking about it at length.
- How has this position been created? Or is this an existing role or a new role? These questions will often lead to a wider discussion either about who you will be replacing, the existing person or about why they have created a new role.
- What can you tell me about the team I will be working with? It’s good to get an idea of the other people in the team and what their specific roles are and how they compare to yours.
- What would my typical day be? And what responsibilities would I have? This is a way the interviewer can tell you what is expected of you and what your general responsibilities would be.
- Do you offer any training programmes or courses? This is a good way of finding out about your development & how much the company are prepared to invest in you.
- What are the company’s plans for the future? Asking this question show’s that you are interested in the company as a whole and that you are planning to be with the organisation long term.
- What would you look for in the ideal candidate? This question will hopefully be everything that represents you or what you have been telling the interviewer about your experience. It will also help you especially if you are going to be interviewed by another employee or asked back for a second interview.
- When will you be making your decision? Or when will I be hearing from you? These questions show that you are interested in the position and that you are keen to hear their feedback or answer.
