Career Services from Measurability

CV Writing Service in Ireland 

When you have identified your career direction the next logical step is to write a CV. Most jobseekers will have an old CV but others are starting from scratch. I would probably say that most jobseekers should start from scratch as 95% of CV’s I review are seriously flawed. Generally speaking jobseekers do not get CV’s or the basics behind good CV writing. Rather than point out the flaws I have identified some scenarios that many jobseekers fall into.

CV writing service – “The ME CV”

When writing your CV did you consider the employer?

It is amazing how many jobseekers fail to consider the recruiter when writing a CV. This will mean that a CV lacks focus and will contain vast amounts of information that is not relevant. Understand the client and what they want before you can truly write a focused CV that makes an impact.

CV writing service – “The patched up CV”

Did you write a CV early in your career and then each time you entered the job market just stick on details of your last role?

This is quite common. Many jobseekers prepared a CV early on in their career and just add on additional employment details every time they re-enter the job market. The problem with this CV is that it is often clear how it was formed. A big “tell” is the fact that quite often different formats and fonts are used with the add on details

CV writing service – “The general CV”

Do you have one CV that you send to every job without amending?

Cardinal sin!! Ok if you are a sales rep and you are applying for sales jobs you can argue that one CV will suit all jobs. However within sales employers still have different requirements. But more importantly certain information may be more relevant to certain recruiters such as previous industry experience or even some of your hobbies & interests. Tailor your CV for each job.

If you need help with your CV contact us. We offer a CV service nationwide in counties Cork, Galway, Mayo, Donegal, Kerry, Tipperary, Tyrone, Clare, Antrim, Limerick, Roscommon, Down, Wexford, Meath, Londonderry, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Offaly, Cavan, Westmeath, Waterford, Sligo, Laois, Kildare, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Monaghan, Armagh, Longford, Dublin, Carlow and Louth.

Psychometric Testing can help organisations in many ways such as staff development and succession planning. The most popular use of psychometric testing in Ireland is to help organisations assess, select and hire the right staff. Testing is increasing in popularity with most top companies in Ireland using psychometric tools. Surveys have indicated that 80% of the FTSE 100 companies use some form of psychometric assessment or testing.

Psychometric Testing explained

Psychometric Testing is the area of study concerned with measurement of “psychological” aspects of an individual such as abilities, personality skills or knowledge. The type of testing used by companies will vary and depend on the role or the company in question. The most popular tools used by organisations include;

Ability Tests – There is a wide range of ability tests and the most common used are verbal and numerical tests. These tools measure an individual’s current ability and future potential. Ability tests can be access online or onsite in a normal test environment.

Personality Questionnaires – Questionnaires provide an indication of an individual’s preferred behavioural style at work, information on how An individual will fit into a certain work environment, how they work with other’s and how they will cope with different requirements of a job. Personality Questionnaires are administered online.

The benefits of Psychometric Testing

There are many benefits of using psychometric testing.

Traditional recruitment tools simply do not work – It has been proven that CV’s and traditional interviews do not help organisations get the right people and research proves this point. Most CV’s contain lies and most interviews are a glorified chat relying on the skill of the interviewer who is normally not skilled. Research has indicated that a combination of competency interview and objective assessment (psychometric testing) is the most accurate approach in predicting suitability for a job.

Save Time – Psychometric Assessment is often the solution when organisations are faced with high volume applications and recruitment. Organisations can make selection decisions based of objective information.

Saves Money – Using testing will save you money. It will reduce the chances of making a wrong hire which will lead to reduced turnover and improved performance. If you have ever hired the wrong person you will accept that this can cost the company up to three times salary.

Fairness & Objectivity – The whole recruitment process is becoming a legal minefield. Psychometric testing is a fair and objective way to recruit. It helps eliminate subjectivity and will support your recruitment decisions if challenged.

Psychometric Assessment & Testing Service in Ireland

Measurability is a key partner of SHL in Ireland. We offer an extensive range of psychometric testing tools including ability tests, aptitude tests and personality questionnaires (OPQ32). We have the technology to offer online testing. We support a wide variety of companies across Ireland from all industry sectors. Read a list of our clients and what they said about our services. Contact us or email info@measurability.ie if you would like any more information about psychometric testing.

Job Interview Preparation – Is it important?

Absolutely YES!!! Most jobseekers neglect preparation before interview and fail as a result. Quite often jobseekers who prepare for interviews lack the knowledge or direction on how to prepare properly. Remember the saying “fail to prepare, prepare to fail”. This is very true when we talk about interviews

What is important – Interview Preparation?

Understand the employer – This is the key to interview preparation. You need to know the employer and what they want. Only then can you focus your interview preparation.

Identify how you meet the job requirements – Hey this is what the employer will want to know at interview. You should also prepare examples and achievement to back this up.

Know your CV – The first question I ask individuals is when did you do you Leaving and most fumble to get an answer. This is just to prove a point. If you do not know yourself how do you expect the employer to know you.

Research the company – Expect to be asked the question – “what do you know about us?” Research the company shows you are prepared BUT also interested.

Interview questions – There are a number of questions that you can be certain that you will be asked. Having said this if you get the above points right you will be fine.

Another important point about Interview Preparation.

Try getting as much information about the recruitment process as you can. This will help you save time and improve focus during preparation.

Do you need help with interview preparation?

We can help you. We are experts in the area. Paul Mullan is a leading Interview Coach in Ireland (Dublin, Meath, Kildare, Louth) helping professional at all levels of the organisation across industry sectors. Read about Paul, the Interview Coaching service and what other individuals had to say about the service.

CV Format – What is a chronological CV?

CV format is an important aspect of CV writing which is often overlooked by jobseekers. There are a number of CV formats that jobseekers can consider but the most popular CV format is chronological CV. Basically Chronological means that your work experience is arranged so that the most recent work project is first. The chronological CV is currently the most popular CV format with employers in Ireland.

CV Format – Advantages of the Chronological CV

There are a number of advantages of the chronological CV. It is a familiar format, recruiters in Ireland expect this format and they are comfortable reading this CV format. It is also very easy to read and highlights the recent work experience and education.

CV Format – The Disadvantages of the Chronological CV

There are a number of disadvantages of the chronological CV. It focuses on facts and dates and has little emphasis on abilities and competencies. It limits the jobseeker particularly if your most recent work experience is not relevant to employer. It also highlights gaps in employment or frequent changes in jobs.
 
CV Format – When to use a chronological CV.

A chronological CV is fine when your recent work experience and recent qualifications are relevant to the post you are applying for. It is an appropriate choice if you have no gaps in the CV or have not regularly switched jobs

You should avoid a chronological CV is you have switched jobs often or if you have a few gaps in the career history. You might also avoid this format if you are re-entering the workforce after a long period out of work. Finally avoid this CV if your most recent jobs are not relevant to the post you are applying for.

If you are struggling to write a CV perhaps we can help. Measurability designs CV for professionals across Ireland – Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford & Sligo. We are CV experts with a professional approach and vast experience in the Irish job market. Read more about our CV service.

Job hunting can be a frustrating business with many jobseekers falling at the first hurdle – unable to secure interviews. If you are struggling for to get called for interviews there can be a number of possible causes.

1. You are applying for jobs where you do not meet the requirements

There is a chance you are applying for jobs where you do not meet the experience, background or qualifications. HR and hiring managers will often put your CV on the PFO pile without further exploration. It is important to try different approaches and to get feedback. Some suggestions include phoning the client before you send your CV as this will tag your personality to the document. If rejected you can seek feedback to identify what you will need to do to achieve your goal or what other routes you can take. Rejection after rejection can be soul destroying so get creative.

2. You are not applying for jobs

I often receive phone calls from jobseekers seeking CV redesign. When I view the CV is often fine. Investigation often shines light to the fact that the jobseeker has been doing very little in the job market. If you don’t buy the ticket you can’t win the lotto. Job hunting takes time an effort. You must initiate action before you can get results.

3. Poor CV preparation

More often than not the CV is poor and not making an impact with the reader. I see some very bad CV’s that do not even get the basics right such as poor spelling and grammar, poor format, too much detail or lack of focus. Your CV is the 1st point of contact with the employer and perhaps your only contact if it does not make an impact. Spend some time creating a document that will do you justice and maximise your chances of meeting employers.

Measurability offer CV design services nationwide. We design CV’s that produce results and our customers agree. We also provide career coaching, career direction and interview coaching. If you need more information on any of our services feel free to contact us.

Are you having problems hiring the right staff? Made some bad hires, suffered the cost and do not want to do it again. Or are you recruiting a key role and cannot afford to make a mistake? If you are recruiting staff the psychometric assessment can assist you assessment and selection of candidates. Psychometrics provides objective information to help you make recruitment decisions. This information is often on skills and behaviours that are difficult to pick up on or assess with a traditional interview.

Who provides a psychometric service?

Measurability provides a psychometric assessment and testing service nationwide. Measurability offers a wide range of SHL assessment tools and we are a leading Irish SHL business partner. We have provided support in most counties including Dublin, Cork, Limerick. Galway and Waterford. The assessment solutions we have offered to date have been a combination of onsite assessments and online assessments. We have worked with companies for both recruitment and development projects. We have serviced and have clients in a variety of industries and sectors including, Manufacturing, IT, Public Service, Pharmaceutical, Retail, Leisure, Banking & Finance. You can view some of the companies we deal with and what they say about our service.

What types of psychometric assessments are available?

We offer the full suite of assessment tools. Ability tests and aptitude tests which can be accessed online or administered onsite. We offer a wide range of personality questionnaires including the leading OPQ32. We offer motivational questionnaires and competency based interview support. There are assessments available for all levels of your organisation from senior management to entry level.

If you require any additional information about psychometric assessment, cost or process. Or you would like to view some sample reports or perhaps avail of a discount trial. Contact us.

One of the popular questions I am asked by clients is “where are you based?” I guess most of them do not realise that 99% of CV design is completed without any face to face contact between career expert and the client as the process is completed by phone and email. I never recommend meeting as I find this adds unnecessary time to the process. It would be different for career coaching or interview coaching where 99% of this I complete face to face.

Important questions to ask a CV expert

Experience – Very few clients ask me about my experience and knowledge. OK this is outlined in my profile and many clients see my career advice in the Irish Independent, Sunday Tribune and websites like RecruitIreland. Having said this I think it is still important to ask the question.

Track Record – A few references would be nice.

Approach to CV design – Get the career expert to discuss their views on CV’s to get a feel for their knowledge and approach. There are many “grey men in grey suits” designing CV’s from standard templates with little impact.

Price – It is important to shop around but like any other service the lowest is not always the best

If you want more information about our CV writing service why not visit out website.

Jobseekers can fail interviews for many reasons. I received a phone call from a jobseeker I had previously help with CV design. Their problem had now moved another step down the line. They were able to locate the jobs and get the interview but unfortunately failing at interview. My initial response was to enquire what feedback they were getting from the employers. There was a mixed response which can be normal as may employers feel they do jobseekers a favour by letting them down politely greatly reducing the opportunity to improve. Two bit of feedback stood out. The individual said one employer said that he came across as desperate to leave his current job. Another employer said that he didn’t seem interested in the job.

Interview preparation – hiding desperation.

Quite often a jobseeker can be desperate to leave a job BUT employers will look on this negatively as the question will always be there – does this individual want to join us or just get away from the current role. The likelihood is that most employers will shy away from these individuals as could be perceived that negativity is your driving factor and you would take any job. If you are desperate you must ensure that you do not portray this to the employer.

Interview preparation – playing it cool

Many jobseekers use a play it cool strategy when job hunting. They will not show desire to join a company for fear that they may seem desperate or that it may affect salary and package negotiation. Playing it too cool though can give the impression of lack of interest.

Conclusion

There are responses that can help you get the balance right ensuring that you do not fall into the above pitfalls at interview. Interview preparation will hone these skills so ensure you spend the time. Interview coaching can help you iron out the problems and improve your success.

Most jobseekers take a reactive approach to job hunting. What I mean is that they send a CV to a few recruitment agencies or set up job posts with an online job board and sit back and wait for the interviews to roll in. This is great if it is working for you but what if you are not getting the results you want. There are 3 responses you can take;

1. Keep doing what you are doing – don’t be surprised when you keep getting the same results though!!
2. Change your approach when dealing with agencies or search the job boards differently.
3. Try a more proactive approach to job hunting.

Proactive job search strategies can help.

There are two popular strategies networking and speculative CV’s.

Speculative CV’s can take up a lot of time and seem a thankless task BUT when you do strike gold it can erase all these feelings and memories. A few tips about sending speculative CV’s include;

Targeted Approach – try to focus and not just approach this sporadically. Target a geography region or an industry sector. Ideally a preferred region or sector. Also record all your activity and responses.

Avoid HR Departments – Sending speculative CV’s to HR can be a waste of time. Although most recruitment will go through the department quite often there is an information time lag between them and the function you want to join. For example the Marketing Manager may know that an executive has just given notice or that it has been agreed with the MD to increase headcount and not have passed this information to HR yet.

Focused cover letter – A general letter with not title will lose impact. Find out the name of the department manager and address it to him/her directly.

Follow Up – Try following up with the manager you have targeted with a call. Have short sales pitch prepared.

Measurability offer expert career coaching services including career assessment, career direction, cv writing and interview coaching,

I have been working with jobseekers for years as an employer, a recruitment specialist, HR consultant and a career coach – profile. I guess I know as much as anyone in the market (if not more) about CV’s, Interviews and careers. In my time I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly but particularly when it comes to CV’s. I offer specialist advice to Irish jobseeker helping them achieve career goals through career planning and direction, CV writing and interview preparation.

CV Writing Service

I work with individuals from Graduate to Executive across a variety of skill sets and industry sectors. The ultimate goal being to help improve application to interview ratio with an impact CV. I design Cover Letters and offer expert advice on job search strategies in the Irish Market.

Typical CV Writing Process -How it works?

- Email a copy of current CV and job specification.
- CV reviewed and phone confirmation of price and time
- Initial reformat of CV and review
- Phone conversation to discuss work history and content.
- Initial draft received
- Discussion, review and amendment.
- Final Draft
- Other services – full CV design, cover letters & expert advice on job search strategies

Benefits & Cost

You will have a CV that will improve your interview ratio BUT more importantly through the process you will gain an important understanding of CV design to enable future amendments and changes when required. The COST will depend on a number of factors BUT you will get an exact price before any work commences.

As you can see from the CV writing process you will be very involved and you will have many opportunities for review before the final document. You may also note that we do not need to meet and most of my clients are from around the country. I can provide references if required and I do have some on my website. Please note that other services I provide include career direction and interview preparation.