Career Services from Measurability

JOB HUNTING TIPS

1. Set daily job search activity targets

These targets will help increase your motivation and help provide more direction. Invest more of your time on proactive job search strategies. You should spend at least 60% of your time networking and targeting companies speculatively.

2. Write a strong CV

A strong CV makes a significant difference, especially when you’re targeting highly competitive advertised jobs. You must excite the reader!! Identify and insert key achievements into your CV content. Tailor your CV content for specific roles. Get a killer CV with Professional CV Writing Service.

3. Become more active on Linkedin

You must create an impactful Linkedin profile. Then invest time into driving viewers to your profile. It is important to customise your Linkedin profile URL. Add this link to your email signature, business cards, CV, cover letter and Twitter profile. Connect with more people, engage more in Linkedin groups and post regular Linkedin status updates.

4. Become the king of networking

Networking is the key to successful job search. You must target worm leads, including friends, old work colleagues and family. You must target cold leads, by attending events and meeting new people. Remember, connecting with people isn’t enough. You must work hard to stay on the radar through subtle reminders.

5. Embrace riskier job search strategies

It’s important to record and review your job search activity. If your job search strategies are working, then stick with them. If your job search strategies aren’t working, then change them. Start taking a few risks and inject more creativity into your job applications. Need inspiration? You’ll find many amazing examples of creativity online.

6. Learn to sell yourself

Learn to sell yourself effectively. To do this, you must understand your key achievements, the value you can bring to an organisation and your unique selling points. Learn to sell yourself with Interview Coaching.

Findajob and iReach Market Research have launched a Quarterly Job Tracker to study emerging trends for employment and jobs in Ireland. The first survey results were released September 2012. There were some interesting findings from the 2,000 responses (adults in Ireland aged 18+ to 65+). I have picked out some of the findings that caught my eye.

CV WRITING – The survey found that 60% of job seekers adapt their CV to their current job search. This means that 40% do nothing to their CV.

NOTE: You must tailor your CV for each job application. This effort will give you the best possible chance to land an interview.

JOB SEARCH - The survey found that 74% of Job Seekers use online recruitment sites, 14% using Newsprint and 5% word-of-mouth.

NOTE: 70% of jobs are not advertised. Failure to use proactive job search strategies will mean failure to access the hidden job market. Spend more time using proactive job search strategies – social media, real world networking and speculative applications.

SOCIAL MEDIA – The survey found that 38% actively build professional contacts through LinkedIn. Of these 50% wanted to establish themselves in a professional light through the network. 50% use it to keep in touch with other professionals and networks. Only 4% of job hunters would consider Linkedin to search for jobs.

NOTE: Social Media tools can enhance your job search. Utilise key tools like Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook. Linkedin is a key tool to support your job search. You must create an impactful Linkedin profile. You must also increase your activity on the site to increase your visibility.

Measurability is a leading Career & Outplacement consultancy. Key services include CV writing, interview preparation, job search coaching, Linkedin training and career coaching.

Key sections to include in your CV

1. PERSONAL DETAILS

Your personal details will be located at the top of your CV. You should include your name, address, phone number and email address. Ensure the data is clear and accurate. Double check email addresses and phone numbers. Review your email address and ensure it is professional.

2. PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

A professional summary, when delivered well, can excite the reader. Ideally, you should write four one line bullet points. You should amend your professional summary for each job application. It should communicate how you can add value and your suitability for the role. Deliver more impact by inserting some facts and achievements.

3. EDUCATION & TRAINING

Identify your key education and training. List this information in reverse chronological order, on the first page of your CV. Non-critical training can be listed under the “Additional Information” heading, on the second page of your CV. NB: If you don’t meet the minimum educational requirements, then move this section to the second page of your CV.

4. WORK HISTORY

List work experience in reverse chronological order. Include dates, company name and job title. Use bullet points to list duties and achievements. Deliver the content in short and snappy statements. There are exceptions to the reverse chronological rule, for example, if your most relevant work experience is earlier in your career. A “Relevant Work Experience” section allows you to bring this early career experience onto the first page.

5. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This section captures other information that may add weight to your application – other training, skills and achievements. Locate this section towards the end of the second page of your CV.

6. INTERESTS

Some job seekers question the importance of including this section in a CV. I think you should! Most employers will review this section. It provides you with an opportunity to highlight relevant interests. It provides you with an opportunity to showcase key achievements outside of work.

7. REFERENCES

You can list referees at the end of your CV. Employers generally aren’t too interested in references during the CV sifting stage, so most times it is enough to state “References available on request”.

CV Tips

How to create an impactful CV (part 3)

Some CV tips to help you create a strong CV. CV advice to help stand out in a crowded job market.

CV Writing Advice

How to create an impactful CV (part 3). Short video outlining key CV tips. CV advice from leading CV writer Paul Mullan.

CV Writing

How to create an impactful CV (part 2). Short video to help you build a stronger CV. Useful CV tips to help your CV stand out from the crowd. Useful CV advice to help you generate more interviews.

CV Writing(Part 1)

Here is a short video to help you write an strong CV. It examines the importance of creating impactful CV content! I hope you find the video useful.

Thanks Paul

Measurability provide a nationwide CV Writing Service – Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Down, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow.

Measurability has been hitting the headlines recently with particular focus on our Outplacement Services. There have been a range of newspapers seeking our views on the jobs market in Ireland with particular focus on Redundancy. I have commented in the Sunday Business Post and Irish Independent recently with particular focus on Employers and how the can effectively navigate redundancy. Also watch out for my regular Career Doctor posts in the Independent.

I regularly get requests for CV Examples and CV Templates from jobseekers in Ireland. Personally my advice is DON’T TAKE TEMPLATES OF THE INTERNET. Why? Because most of them are dated and used as a ploy to attract you to the webiste. Remember there is no such thing as a free lunch. Ideally I recomment that jobseekers pay for a professional CV service. (But I guess I would as it is my business)

I appreciate that not everyone can afford to have their CV written by a professional so I have looked online for some sites to recommend for CV Templates. To be honest they are not great but here goes CV Template Example 1 and CV Template Example 2.

In need of a professional CV service in Ireland.

There has been some great news in Limerick with the announcement that Cook Ireland will create 200 new jobs over the next five years as a result of a €25m investment. Cook Ireland currently employs 480 staff at Plassey Industrial Park in Castletroy and it is expanding its medical devices manufacturing and services facility. This expansion will establish Limerick as the only global plant manufacturing Cook’s new drug eluting stent.
On the negative side of things unemployment has reach an 11 year high in Ireland. This is a worrying downward slide as things across the globe do not seem to be getting any better in property, stock markets or credit.