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Archive for the ‘CV tips’ Category

You cannot submit a CV without a Personal Profile

Friday, July 23rd, 2010
Your CV Personal Profile is essential

Your CV Personal Profile is essential

Your Personal Profile on your CV is essential in today’s jobs market - you cannot submit your CV for a job without one.

When a potential employer receives an average of 50 CV’s today for 1 job, your Personal Profile can be the determining factor as to whether he/she will look at your CV in more detail, or not.

Employers use them as a guide to you!

Your Personal Profile is your one chance to highlight yourself and point out why you should be seriously considered for the job.

Your Personal Profile is your introduction to you - your chance to sell yourself, your chance to shine and stand out from the crowd.

Without one, the CV has no introduction and simply becomes a black and white list of your life.

Your Personal Profile should be one paragraph, approx 5 sentences outlining where you have come from and where you are going.

It can be used to sell yourself to a particular job and altered accordingly.

It can be used to rule out the competition.

It can be used to highlight your biggest achievements or used as a Sales ‘brag list’

These days, you cannot afford to have a CV without a Personal Profile at the top of it which takes minutes to draft but can alter your career path

A CV without a Personal Profile is like buying a new computer with no instructions!

So remember, you must have a Personal Profile on the top of your CV - do not send your CV anywhere without one.

First impressions last

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
CV is your first impression

CV is your first impression

First impressions last and it is rare you get the second chance to get it right.

In this day and age, CV slip ups are simply not allowed.

There is no excuse for a careless or poorly presented Curriculum Vitae - (CV)

If you are serious about your next job, you must be serious about your CV.

Your CV can make the difference between you getting an interview or not.

 

 

One of the most common errors we are seeing on CV’s are spelling mistakes - simple spelling mistakes.

This gives the impression of a job seeker who is rushed, careless and does not have good attention to detail.

Your CV should be your show piece - it is your one document of your life and experience of utmost importance when changing or seeking a new job.

Your CV is a direct reflection of you

I say nowadays as we are in an age of very advanced technology, there is software available to do your CV for you - there is a basic spell check - grammar check and a multitude of sources of reference on the internet to perfect your CV - therefore there is absolutely NO excuse for spelling mistakes on a CV.

We have one here within our website specific to CV guidelines and layout -

http://www.jackiebrownmedical.ie/advice/resources.php?url=advice

Those who take care, time and pride in their CV, recognising it’s significance will be the ones who are called for interview - your CV is a future employers or a Recruitment Agents first impression of you, so remember -

FIRST IMPRESSIONS LAST

Other peoples’ opinions can be dangerous

Friday, June 18th, 2010
Other people's opinions

Other people's opinions

Other people’s opinions can be dangerous - always check it out before making a decision based on them.

We have had 2 recent episodes where our job seekers had been told by other people negative things about the Company they were applying to for a job and nearly pulled out as a result.

This is where word of mouth can be dangerous.

Check out the facts yourself first before making such a critical decision regarding your career and life balance.

Both cases were unfounded and it transpired that these were ex Medical Sales Reps who had left both Companies on a bad note and were both spreading negative feedback about these Companies down the Medical Sales Grapevine.

If you are a job seeker, you need to be very thorough in your methods and your research.

It is okay to hear negative things about the Company you are considering, but check it out - try to get a balanced non biaised opinion.

We are very thorough as Recruitment Consultants within the Medical Industry and will know whether rumours or word of mouth is true or not as we know our Client Companies very well and can therefore advise.

However, it is still imperative you seek out both sides of story and DO NOT let one person’s opinion dictate your career path.

Track your CV

Monday, June 14th, 2010
Check!

Check!

Are you applying for jobs on the internet? Make sure you track your CV and know exactly where you send it. It is good CV management to know who you have applied to so you do not duplicate your applications.

Take a look at our advice section on ”A Guide to Using Recruitment Agencies”.

The best advice we can give you is to start a checklist on each and every company and agency you send your CV to. Recruitment Agencies should always tell you where they would like to send your CV and leave the decision with you. From here you can goto your checklist and see if you have already submitted your details to that same company.

We have a special excel spreadsheet you can download to make sure you don’t forget who you send you CV to.

If you are using multiple agencies or applying to multiple positions around the country then this document is a must!

Your Best Foot Forward

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010
Be the Best

Be the Best

When reviewing or re-doing your CV, stop and rethink it. You need to think of your CV as your representative on first look! Put your best foot forward with your CV.

  • Do not tweek your CV to the job, rather include the relevant details in each position you have held and that should speak for itself.
  • Pur your jobs in chronological order and not in terms of relevancy to the job you are applying for. i.e. in date order not your Nursing jobs first then your Medical Sales jobs.

It is easier to read a CV when put in chronological order. If your CV has all the relevant duties worked per job, then it will speak for itself and your best foot will be put forward to potential employers.

So rethink when revising your CV - simply make sure all the details are up to date and it will speak for itself!

Nail that Interview

Friday, May 7th, 2010
Nail it!

Nail it!

When coming to the end of your interview, it is vital that you come out of there knowing exactly where you stand. Nail that interview!

  • See it as closing a sale
  • What happens now?
  • Where do I stand?
  • Will there be a second interview?
  • Will you call me or do I call you?
  • When will I hear feedback?

“Close the sale” to put it in Salesman terms!

There is nothing worse than walking out of an interview, getting into your car and thinking “what now?”. Instead of being unsure as to whether you impressed your interviewer, or whether you gave them all the information they needed to hear, simply ask them at the end of the interview.

Believe it or not, it is seen as assertive!

Nail that Interview!

It’s All in the Details

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010
Details Details Details

Details Details Details

Whether you are applying for a Medical Sales job, a Nursing Job or a job in the Medical Device industry, your CV says everything about you from first glance. Whether you get that second glance depends on the contents of your CV. It’s all in the details you have provided.

Where as once upon a time, your title in the medical company you worked for and the dates you worked there were all self explanatory, these days a little more fine tuning is required in the details of your CV.

For example, if you are a Nurse, it is no longer acceptable to simply give the name of the hospitals you have worked in and your title of “Staff Nurse” and hope for the best. You need those extra details of not just the hospital, but the type of ward, the specific duties you carried out on a daily basis. Whether you are Orthopaedics or Cosmetics… it is all in the details.

Similarly, if you are working in the Kitting Department of a Medical Device company, you cannot just assume that your next potential employer will automatically know what your current job entails:

  • Do you deal with QA? How so?
  • Do you have regular contact with R&D? In what capacity?
  • Do you have detailed involvement with Product Development? Explain the details.
  • Have you named or detailed the specific projects you have worked on?

It is a very difficult mission, and although a bit daunting it will be worth it in the end. It is those extra details in this day and age that could get you that second glance.. possibly the job!

Format your CV

Monday, April 12th, 2010
Tidy it Up

Tidy it Up

Please format your CV!

A few key points to note before sending your CV out:

  • Font - is it clear and concise
  • Font Size - trust me, 12 is big enough!
  • Bold/ Italics - Bold is best for titles, the rest in plain text. I find that Italics can be a bit hard on the eye
  • Use the tab button for spacing!
  •  Do not forget the dates, the company name and your job title

So whether you are a Nurse, a Medical Sales Rep, a Chief Medical Scientist or a Radiographer, it helps those reading it to format your CV!


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