Tag: CV

Should you include personal interests and hobbies on your CV?

Should you include personal interests and hobbies on your CV? 

I often get asked about whether adding personal interests to a CV is the right thing to do, and as with many things in life, the short answer is: it depends.  

In this LinkedIn article, the writer argues that you should always include a bit of personal detail on your CV to make you more 3D. And while I agree it can be valuable, there’s more to think about before you add stand-up paddle boarding to your current CV.  

Here are some things to consider if you want to include personal interests and hobbies on your CV.  

Continue reading “Should you include personal interests and hobbies on your CV?”

Into my second year as a member of the British Association of CV Writers – the benchmark in high-quality UK CV writing

I am delighted to renew my membership of the British Association of CV Writers for the second year.   Continue reading “Into my second year as a member of the British Association of CV Writers – the benchmark in high-quality UK CV writing”

The tricky business of helping your teen get a part-time job

My 17-year old son recently got his first part-time job – working as a store assistant in an outdoor adventures shop.

His job search was a stressful time for both of us – him because he had quite a few interviews before he was successful, me because he didn’t want any of my advice despite the fact that I help people find jobs for a living!

Continue reading “The tricky business of helping your teen get a part-time job”

Should you have a visual CV?

Earlier this year visual CV creator Enhancv.com attracted attention when it created CEO of Yahoo Marissa Mayer’s one page CV.  As a visual person it really appealed to me and I have seen others like it but despite the appeal I would be cautious before creating one.

Like many things, CV trends have moved on at a fantastic pace and you might be tempted to create a beautiful visual CV which you hope will help you stand out. But there are pitfalls to watch out for. Continue reading “Should you have a visual CV?”

The 10 secrets of interview success

Fear of interviews is common, especially when you’re facing your first ever interview, your first after a knock like redundancy, or if it’s for a job or promotion you really want.

However, you can help reduce that fear, stand out from the crowd and increase your chance of success by practising these ten tips. Continue reading “The 10 secrets of interview success”

Five tips for researching your prospective employer

When it comes to progressing your career, finding the job you want online and clicking the ‘submit your CV’ link is the easy part. However, once this is done, or even before it’s done, smart candidates spend some time researching their prospective employer. Should their application get to the next stage, they are ready. This preparation time will pay off. Putting you in a stronger position to ask specific questions during the interview and selection process.

Here are a few tips to help you have the crucial facts to hand. Continue reading “Five tips for researching your prospective employer”

Common mistakes people make on CVs

Even getting shortlisted for a job is like climbing a mountain in the current job market so it’s best to be sure your CV doesn’t get discounted for common mistakes. Here are some errors to avoid, drawn from my experience of both writing CVs and recruiting for positions across a wide range of sectors and levels of roles. Continue reading “Common mistakes people make on CVs”