Interview/CV tips?

Question

I'm job hunting at the min, and am revising my CV and looking for more interview techniques/tactics.

Anyone got any good tips or hints they'd like to share? I'm not really looking for CV builder websites and the like, just any good answers to classic interview questions people have got from experience etc.

Wish me luck!

I'm from the UK

Answer 1

Hi,

I'm from India, but the rules for an interview are universal. Remember the 3 Cs when attending an interview - Calm, Composed and Confident.

A good CV makes a good first impression as it reveals your written skills and your ability to structure and organize. Ensure that your CV is professional, limit it to a maximum of 2 pages (unless you are in the scientific or engineering field and you need to elaborate), keep it crisp, the formatting should be consistent, no spelling errors or grammatical mistakes. Your achievements should be highlighted, all the more if it is relevant to the job. Dont sound cliched in the statements. If you are in sales or marketing, bring out the metrics and avoid ambiguity - for eg. Achieved 33% increase in sales over previous quarter, and crossed the 10 million $ mark.

Now when you attend an interview, ensure that you are dressed well, professional. White/Sky blue shirt with dark blue/black trousers are a safe bet. Dont appear like a clown. Firm handshakes also signify confidence, but dont grip it too tight either! Sit erect (but not like a ramrod), dont fidget or twitch (signs of nervousness), look the employer in the eye, manage a smile. When asked to elaborate on your achievements, get to the point and highlight the key attributes of your professional career.

I guess this should be enough of a reckoner, hope it has helped you get a better perspective.

All the best!

Answer 2

Most job sites have a builder included, so take your pick, or you could just do it yourself. Microsoft Office has a built in Resume template. The number of people I see using this is amazing.

First, start with your name AND SPELL IT RIGHT. The number of people who miss-spell their name on this document of all!!

Next, a brief (1-2 lines) summary of you:
"Organised, Hard Working, IT literate individual looking to join a forward thinking, customer focused company"
Remember, edit it to fit the situation.

Work history; In reverse order starting with now or most recent. Include Employer name, Location (Not full address), dates you were there, and some of your most relevant duties. Don't include salary, and you don't need reason of leaving.

Education History continuing in reverse order, listing dates, places, subjects & awards.

You should add Skills and qualities. You could add Hobbies and Interests if it is relevant to the position (i.e. a hobby of Art would help in an art supplies shop)

Leave your references out: An employer cannot contact your refs until ready to make an offer
Lastly, dress it up:
choose the best place to put your contact details if you want them
Proof read it
Don't put a photo on unless it is modeling, acting or similar
Get someone elses opinion

That should help with your CV, at least.

Lastly, I offer free advice online to anyone who asks. My contact details are on my info page

Answer 3

Whether your CV or your answers to interview questions, the most important thing to do is to 'connect the dots' for the reader/interviewer between THEIR business issues and what YOU have to offer to help them out. You do this by giving examples of your skills in action, solving similar problems. You'll rarely connect with an interviewer if you simply state your strengths and experience. Make it easy for them! tell them how you understand their business challenges and have experience with those types of challenges. For example, if asked "what is your greatest asset that you'd bring to this position", some would answer something like "I am very detail oriented and enjoy managing projects" you could say "I'm very detail oriented and enjoy managing projects. While at XYZ company, I spearheaded a cost management project which involved coordination of resources across finance, marketing, and sales. As a result, we cut expenses by 10% in the first quarter." By doing this, you paint a mental picture for them of YOU solving problems. Of course, it should involve research ahead of time to know what kind of challenges they want addressed! For the infamous 'weakness' question, or any question that involves an area you're lacking, try wrapping your negatives with positives. The answer I've used is "While I've enjoyed great success as a sales rep, I know that I have the tendency to put off doing the necessary paperwork. I realize how important getting the documentation done is for other members of the team, so I actually calendar time in each week to take care of it. That way I never get behind, and I'm able to provide the other team members with the information they need." This type of answer tells the interview that you're 'aware' of your areas for improvement and that you do something about it. Of course, never use a weakness that is a showstopper for the particular job. Finally, never never use a cover letter as your sole means of 'customizing' your resume. Too often, the cover letter is discarded after the first reader, and the resume/CV is then distributed to others. Your resume/CV must always be customized for each particular opportunity, to 'connect the dots' for the reader. Oh yeah, one more thing. monster and other job board sites have lots of sample questions and answers.

Answer 4

I think I have a different outlook on this than most of the dress nice, spell everything correctly types. It works for me, and may not work for you, but here's a few of the techniques I use. First, I don't have a resume or a Curriculum Vitae, and haven't had one for over 8 years. I own my own business and have interviewed hundreds of people myself, but I like to job search for fun.

I look at getting a job like a business. I'm selling myself. This is pretty vague, but that's the idea I keep in mind.

The first step is to figure out what you want to do and who you want to work for. You must seriously consider this, and know who the company is. You may think you want to work for a company, until you study them and realize they don't fit you. As they don't fit you, you won't fit them either. Research the company and its personality, know who you have to talk to and their personality. This is something you should do whether you have a specific industry you want to work in with a specialized degree or whether you just want a job. If you must do a random job search, pick the jobs that you really want. Then research those companies and find the one or ones that fit you and that meet your requirements.

Once you've decided this, you have to figure out what I call "the point of entry". Every job and company has their own point of entry. What it is they require for you to even be considered. Most of these tips that people suggest are blanket point of entry suggestions, that are the basics for most companies. Dress nice, education, ability, experience, attitude, personality, ethics, etc. The problem with this is that not all companies are the same. While you may hit a few of the basics, you don't know the details.

Find out what the point of entry requirements are, and model yourself to those. You can also find short cuts, alternatives, workarounds, etc, for the different points of entry, but that's an entirely different conversation. You can, but it's not recommended, to try to be fake about these things. It's better to adjust yourself to the particular company, but not to create a completely different you. As you won't be happy in the end, and fake people always smell fake.

The next step is approach. A resume doesn't get you a job, it probably won't even get you an interview. A resume is just a piece of paper, and it's purpose is to be nondiscrimating and boring. That's not real life. While you're researching a company, you should be looking for angles, so that you can find your in. This would also be a completely different conversation, as the angles are limitless and change for each situation. If you're looking carefully, you should be able to determine what angle will give you a realistic chance of getting an interview. This can be as simple as an email to dating the owners daughter (not that I'm recommending this). Like I said, the angles are limitless and are always different. While a resume may get you an interview, it brings you in cold, while using different techniques, if used properly, should have already introduced you in some manner. The more complete the better. This gives you an advantage of not just being another guy in a suit.

The most important thing to avoid in an interview is an interview. What you want is a conversation. Try to avoid the white room with the table. Take control of the interview before it happens, and get them to walk around with you, or whatever it takes that gets you out of that setting. You want to be on the same level as the interviewer, and not be seen as an interviewee, but a person. Even if you get to the white room, you must set a precedence that you are both equals, and talk to them on an equal level. Ask them questions and solve problems. Depending on your personality, you can talk to them about whatever it takes to associate with them, while keeping with the topic at hand. If they're asking you interview questions, you haven't done your job right. During the interview, you should be studying the person and the company further, so that you can find your close. Once again, I'll go with the word angle, find the angle that will close the deal. Whether that's at the end of the interview or later. Solve the problem that they need, or better yet, find something you can solve they haven't even thought of. It may not even be problem solving, it may be going to a football game with the interviewer. Every close will be different and you'll have to figure out what will give you a realistic option to get the job.

I could add tons more, but there's some ideas.

Answer 5

I'm someone who interviews and do you know one of the answers that most impressed me was a guy whohad gone to college,he failed the final exam but he lookes at it as he had passed everything up to the last one.He was so positive (I gave him a job by the way)

Answer 6

Hi, Iam Lana from AZERBAIJAN. I am in the same situation as you are. Now iam searching for good resume tips and try to find out something. There are 10 typical resume errors. But the best way is to compare them and find out one the best. I try to search for resumes in googe images and to find good sites . I really wish you luck-you wish me too)).

Answer 7

always write a covering letter saying why you need the job etc!

Answer 8

1) Be yourself
2) Be yourself
3) Be yourself and
4) Always be yourself.

Answer 9

Don't be yourself, you'll lose... nothing offensive to you but you have the be the one they are looking for.

if you have university education: www.careerjournal.com
if you have lower education www.monsterboard.co.uk

Answer 10

monster and yahoo jobs always have good tips.