CV Helpful Hints

"He who gets hired may not be the best person for the job. He's merely the one who knows the most about how to get hired,"a wise man once said.

But you've applied for every online job you've seen and haven't heard a peep. And it's not your CV - it's great! I mean, you used an internet template which was pre-loaded on your Microsoft programme, it must be good, right?

If you really thought it was good you would've stopped reading and you're still here. So read on for our helpful tips to bag that dream job.

A great CV paints a picture of who you are as an individual. It says to a prospective employer who you are, what you have achieved and the experiences that equip you for success in their business.

As well as academic achievement, a prospective employer will be keen to see experiences that indicate your ability to manage your time effectively, work as part of a team, demonstrate self-confidence and exhibit leadership attributes. Playing sport, involvement in community/volunteer work are all key indicators.

A carefully constructed CV will help you advance to the next hiring stage - the interview. Prospective employers and recruiters will seldom spend more than 30 seconds initially sorting through applications. Make sure yours stands out.

Here are a few helpful hints:

• No more than two pages, three if you really must but never more
• Bullet points are great to highlight the most important areas
• Keep it brief, factual and to the point. Eliminate all unnecessary content
• Type it. Don't write it and use a standard easy-to-read font. Size 10-12 is fine
• Be specific as to why you want the position and why you are the ideal candidate. Always be positive. Never use negative words or phrases
• Be 100 percent truthful and don't exaggerate
• Don't include current salary details in your CV. If you currently earn more or less than the role you are applying for you may not make the next stage
• Let your referees know you're applying. Just good manners really, and besides they may have moved and you'll need to update their contact details
• Spelling and grammar. Check it, check it and check it again.


Caution: Before you send any job application

Background check the advertiser. If it's a New Zealand recruitment agency it should be genuine. But an advertiser that provides no company name or physical contact details should be checked out. Be very cautious before responding to an email address only. Especially if it's a free account such as 'hotmail' or 'yahoo'. A legitimate company will be running their email on a domain address eg. jobapplications@thejobagency.co.nz .You could be sending your personal information to a bogus advertiser. Identity theft is an unfortunate reality. See our section on Safe Job searching.


After you've emailed your CV and cover letter

Follow up. Follow up. Follow up.
The game is more than just the job application - it's what you do next that can make the difference.

The smart and mostly successful job applicants will do some or all of the following:

• Post a hard copy of their application and CV as well as emailing
• Follow up with a polite phone call several days later to check see if their information arrived. Beware with this though, don't allow yourself to be interviewed on the phone. At this stage you want an interview.
• Some will also pay a personal visit but only to obtain an interview