Resources

CV Assistance

First impressions count and so your CV must immediately strike the right note with prospective employers. We offer candidates individual advice on how to write a ‘stand out' CV that will help get you invited to that important interview.

Some basic principles to follow:

Content

• Your CV should contain the following basic information:
• Personal details: name, address, contact details, date of birth and email.
• Career profile: skills, strengths, ambitions and career highlights - keep it short and snappy, no more than three or four lines.
• Employment history: start with your current or most recent position and work backwards.
• Education history: list these in chronological order but no need for school qualifications unless you have just graduated.
• Interests and achievements: include your main hobbies and interests to help build a ‘complete' picture of you as a person.
• References: state ‘available on request' and do not give details at this stage.

General Do's and Don'ts

• Ensure your CV is no longer than 3 pages - you have an average of 30 seconds to make an impression.
• It should be neat, easy-to-read, spell-checked and proof-read thoroughly.
• Don't leave any gaps - if you have taken career breaks then explain them.
• Don't under or oversell yourself - list your key achievements and justify them, focussing on your strengths.
• Technical candidates should list their technical skills, including experience of operating systems, programming languages, platforms and software languages.

Click here to view a CV that follows these guiding principles.

Interview Advice

The key to a successful interview is preparation. Follow the steps below to help make a winning impression:

1. Research

This is a vital part of any interview process. As a minimum visit the company website and find out about their recent activities. If you are able to mention any relevant examples in the interview this will give the impression of a proactive candidate taking the process seriously. The company website will also help you understand the company ethos.

2. Preparation

Be ready to sell yourself. Prepare a three-point marketing statement as to why your skills, ability and personality are suited to the role you are applying for. Combine a career summary with your exceptional achievements and also include any client-specific goals.

3. Time and Place

Make sure you know how to get to the interview location, confirm the start time in advance and arrive early.

4. Appearance

Be professional and neat. We recommend a suit regardless of dress code and don't smoke or chew gum.

5. CV

Take at least one spare copy of your CV with you - this can also be a useful prompt to talk around if needed.

6. Eye Contact

Try to maintain good eye contact throughout the interview. Sit still and don't fidget. This will help you seem confident even if you don't feel it.

7. Interaction

Listen carefully to the questions, think before replying and try to give concise, relevant answers. Interviews should be a two-way process though, so try to avoid one-word answers. It's important to get the balance right and also to show that your personality will fit well with their corporate culture and you will get along with other members of staff.

8. Questions

Be ready with three or four questions that you have prepared in advance (although avoid asking about things like salary and holiday entitlements at this stage). This will not only help to show your interest in the role but also gives the interviewer more of an opportunity to sell the company and job to you.