Archive for the ‘Interviews’ Category
Friday, January 8th, 2010
Meet the criteria before applying for a job
It is always worth reading the essential requirements for a job before applying.
All too often, CV’s are being sent to us by people totally unsuitable for the jobs they are applying for.
There are a number of reasons for this -
- Careless
- Rushed
- Poor attention to detail
- Desperate
This creates a bad impression from the outset which is not what you want to give the Recruiter who will be helping you to find your next job.
It also wastes alot of valuable time when a Recruiter gets hit with 20 unsuitable and careless CV submissions before he/she can get to the ones that are suitable.
This may also be the reason why job seekers can feel they are being ignored or not responded to as even the most fantastic Recruiter in the world - all of whom work for JBM!, will eventually lose patience with what are commonly knows as the ‘time wasters’
Applying for a job is a process which requires care, attention and time - never fall in to the trap of just sending your CV out to a multitude of jobs and sites as this will be spotted very quickly as it starts turning up at the same place more than once and will instantly give a bad impression of you
Please always ensure you meet the criteria on the job advert before applying and if you dont - dont apply
Tags: Candidates, essential criteria, Interview, job applications, job criteria, job seekers
Posted in Candidates, Interviews, Medical Jobs, Medical Recruitment, Recruitment Agencies, job seekers, recruitment practice | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
Help yourself-make sure your References are contactable
Referees and references should be considered as vital a part of your CV as your CV content and layout after all its little point in going to the trouble of producing a wonderfully laid out CV without having consideration of the reliability and effectiveness of your references.
One should always be assured that the referees you choose are happy to give you a reference to begin with as generally -in particular with large multinationals, they may have a policy of not providing more than a factual reference; ie the person worked here between said dates as a “fill in Job Title”
These references serve to provide little support for an applicant and can in some instances appear to be suspiciously vague or reserved as if the former employer is anxious not to incriminate themselves-which in some instances may be the case given that candidates are entitled to check references obtained or stored under the data protection act.
As a professional, it is in your interest to obtain reliable references- ideally in advance of departure from a current employer as your referee may move on-in which case your reference is lost or may lose its veracity as a person who worked indirectly with you may only be able to provide a standard rather than glowing reference. With this in mind it is worth your while to keep in contact with your referees. Professional Social Networks such as LinkedIn can be ideal for this as members will voluntarily update their own records and are easily found on this excellent website.
Written references are another form of reference insurance because at least you have a hard copy from your referee who may not be available when you require them due to holidays or work commitments that make them unavailable for immediate comment but will at least buy you time.
At the end of the day, references are a general assessment but the ultimate decision lies with the employer to decide to take on the candidate but if the reference concurs with the assessing employers opinions their decision making process will be moderately more assured than if they have to rely on dated, inaccurate or vague references which do more harm than good to your application.
Do your homework in advance and do not leave it until the job offer to look for your references- even if you think they will be easy to get. That may be so, but you should treat your references with as much consideration as your passport. Ensure you have a minimum of two; but better still three references, that you can call on or contact via e-mail or phone contact as you never know when you may need them and if you have them in advance your application has a far greater chance of success. Remember your references are up to you.
Tags: Be Prepared, Data Protection Act, employers, HR Procedures, Interview preparation, LinkedIn, Referee, Reference Check, Social Networks
Posted in CV tips, Candidates, Interviews | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
Be Prepared to Win
Prepare to win if you want to win at the interview. Preparation improves confidence and performance at interviews allowing far greater communication of your skills as you will much more relaxed and at ease.
Preparation takes a variety of forms.It involves actively reading up on the target company, their products and their strategy in business and if possible reading up on or talking to people already working for or who have previously worked for the target company. The more prepared you are the more organised you appear at interview and the more attractive you appear as a recruitment prospect.
Be sure of what you want to say when you are selling your skills as well as yourself. Ask yourself -why would a company hire me? What can I offer over every other candidate coming through the same interview as me? If you can convince yourself realistically that you are a good bet then you are half way there.
Be keen and enthusastic in your answers, so many candidates fail at interview for lack of interest even though technically they appear to meet all the clients criteria but they simply fail as they dont appear to want the job or to be hungry enough to want to get it.
Consider this; would you hire someone if they looked and responded as if they wished they were some where else?
If you want the job you have to be prepared to win and that means doing your homework in advance and not as the teacher walks through the door.
Tags: getting the job, Interview preparation, interview research
Posted in CV tips, Interviews, job seekers | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
Frame your answers by keeping STAR in mind at all times.
Remember to STAR in your interview if you want to get the next job you are interviewed for. What does STAR mean I hear you say? Well STAR means:-
Situation:- being able to give a sense of perspective or background to the job you were in.
Task:- Detail the tasks you were required to undertake.
Action:- Account for what you did personally- what was your impact and contribution to the job required.
Result:- Fairly evident this, what was the result or outcome of your personal contribution/ actions.
I’ve always found that candidates who keep this in mind at interviews and can provide a structured frame around their answers, by providing specific answers much more illuminating as to their abilities. Specific responses also tend to give a clearer indication as to whether candidates are knowledgable about the subject the interviewer requires answers to. They also give a clearer indication of the candidates confidence in being able to undertake the job duties required.
Evasive or vague answers to questions create at best a blurred image of the capabilities of the candidate and a perception that they are much less knowledgeable than they may actually be.
The STAR approach provides candidates with a very helpful frame to present their abilities in a much more constructive and positive format. In the current highly competitive Irish recruitment market you have to set yourself apart from the opposition and to be seen to be the best candidate at the interview-don’t limit yourself at an interview be a STAR!
Tags: action, best interview skills, Contribution, get the job, interview skills, Irish Recruitment Agency, Medical Jobs, recruitment, result, Science Jobs, situation, STAR, Star candidate, task
Posted in Interviews, Medical Recruitment, job seekers | No Comments »
Monday, October 26th, 2009
Psychometric Test
Psychometric testing has become an integral part of the recruitment process for many companies.
Want advice on how to do well in them? The only good advice is to be yourself and answer all questions truthfully.
Psychometric test are designed to find out your strengths, weaknesses, personality traits and any other factors that influence your suitability for the position. Some of them give very accurate results indeed.
The trap that many fall into when sitting a psychometric test is to try and give the answer that they think will be what is required for the job rather than how they actually feel or think.
A question could be something like:
You are shopping and on leaving the till you realise you have been given too much change. What do you do?
- Go back straight away and hand back the money
- It depends on the amount and if I am rushing or not
- No way am I giving it back, I get charged too much for everything, Finders Keepers.
- Donate some of the money to charity
- Donate all of the money to charity
If you are thinking about what you should do rather than what you would do you will answer “1, Go back straight away and hand back the money”.
The trouble with that is, if you are not the sort of person that would do that then it will show up in other questions. You are exceedingly unlikely to do well in a psychometric test in this way. You will come across as a Walter Mitty character rather than the person you really are.
Have some faith in yourself. Quite apart from anything else it takes the pressure off you when you are doing these tests. You can’t do any preparation for them that is worthwhile so try to look at it as fun. Also, try to get a copy of your results. They may give you an insight into yourself that will help you in the future.
Tags: Finders Keepers, Given too much change, Have some faith in yourself, Personality traits, Psychometric testing, Psychometric tests, Psychometric tests at interview, Psychometric tests in recruitment, testing for strengths, testing for weakness, Walter Mitty, What is a psychometric test?
Posted in Candidates, Interviews, Medical Recruitment, job seekers, medical sales, recruitment practice | No Comments »
Thursday, October 1st, 2009
Interview and CV preparation skills
It’s always nice to give something back to those who you work with. In the case of recruitment its nice to give something to those that recruiters most depend on to ensure their business’s continue to function;-ie the job seekers.
Many Irish recruitment agencies spend a lot of time taking CV’s but not giving enough feedback to those who are unsuccessful in their application but none the less have taken the time to respond to the advertisements that the agency has run. If they didn’t reply the agencies wouldn’t have the CV’s they require to support their clients requirements and by extension they would have nothing to offer to sell their recruiting services.
As recruiters work continually involves the professional assessment and presentation of CV’s and daily interviewing of candidates, they are uniquely qualified to present valuable insights and advice to candidates, and to enhance their candidates with the maximum possibility of achieving success in not only winning an interview, but also maximising their competitive potential against opposition at their individual interview.
The NRF has recently taken measures to address this and has set up workshops to educate those who require information on a variety of topics on areas such as CV and interview preparation. Jackie Brown Medical, an NRF award winning recruitment agency in particular, has provided it’s applicants with specialised tips and advice on a wide variety of professional topics to ensure and to enhance their job hunting prospects in today’s challenging employment market for medical professionals seeking work in the medical jobs recruitment market.
Please feel free to visit our website to read our testimonials and to review our advice center topics if you are looking for a winning CV or tips on how to get the best out of agencies and interviews. Its worth your while and our pleasure to help. After all, its nice to give something back.
Tags: beating the competition at interview, Candidates, CV, CV advice, CV preparation, Interview advice, interviewing, Irish agency, Irish Recruitment Agencies, Jackie Brown Medical, job hunting, maximum possibility of achieving success at interview, Medical Jobs, medical jobs recruitment, NRF Award Winner, Winning cv, winning the interview
Posted in CV tips, Candidates, Interviews, Jackie Brown Medical, Medical Jobs, job seekers | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
Prepare to win the interview and the job
A maxim oft quoted in management texts and tutorials which is as succinct as it is true to life. It is a consideration that all those attending an interview must keep at the forefront of their mind whether they are applying for a technician or senior manager’s role. The applicant must at all times be aware that the purpose of the interview is not an opportunity for a chat- it’s to get the job!
Preparation then involves at the very least consideration of your appearance followed swiftly by transport, communication and research; - all of which will boost your confidence and improve your state of mind when the big day comes.
Ensure you are dressed for the interview; another maxim well known and often forgotten is dress to impress. Today as time is short and applicants are plenty, always be aware that you will have one chance to make a good impression and you must appear to be at least as professional as your appearance.
Dressing casually will signal to the interviewer you are neither serious about the role on offer, or the interviewer who has decided to give you valuable time out of their day to meet and interview you. A poor first impression immediately drops you down the competition ladder. Take time over your appearance and if possible have a dry run the night before, check shoes are polished, shirts, blouses and suits are clean and pressed, ready for immediate use in the morning. You’ll be grateful you did when you see the opposition sitting across from you in reception in a crumpled suit or at worse, a T- Shirt.
Getting to the interview is as important as the interview and its worth checking your car is fuelled and at reduced risk of failing on the motorway twenty minutes from your interviewer.
Phone numbers are vital; always make sure you have your recruiter and interviewer’s telephone contact numbers- main switch and mobile. In deference to the interviewee, your interviewer may have their phone switched off and may not know you are frantically trying to tell them you cant reach them.
Research should similarly not be underestimated or undervalued as part of your preparation. Read the company website, call for extra information, flyers, and magazines, and ask to speak to the press officer if they have one. The better informed you are, the keener you will appear and the more informed your questions will be. Employers want keen employees- lack of knowledge in the age of the internet can only be interpreted as lack of interest.
For further information, please visit our advice center.
Tags: Advice, competition, data, Fail to Prepare, first impressions count, get the job, informed, Internet, Interview, Interview preparation, interview skills, interviewer, Jackie Brown, job, Magazine, Manager, Mobile, Phone Number, preparation, Prepare to fail, Press Officer, Recruit, recruiter, Suit, switch, T-Shirt, Techncian, telephone contact numbers, Transport, Website
Posted in Interviews, Medical Products, Uncategorized, job seekers, medical sales | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
The importance of Time Keeping
Time and good time keeping is crucial! In todays employment market where being on time and meeting people who have even less time than you is a trait not to be underestimated or undervalued. Your next prospective employer may decide on meeting you again at second interview purely on the basis of your ability to meet at the agreed interview time. If you can’t do that what else can you not do?
Stephen Hawking wrote a Brief History of Time; if you get your time keeping wrong in todays employment climate your career prospects could be even briefer.
Why not visit our interview tips page.
Tags: acceptance, address, advantage at work, agreed start, alarm, assets. crucial aspects, basis and ability, benefits of being on time, call and confirm, career prospects, climate, clock, computer, confirmation, coordinate, date and time, deadlines, decision to employ, details confirmed, diary management, employee, employer, first impressions, first interview, good traits, history, hour, impressions, Interview, Jobs, listen to start details, location, make a note, market, meeting, offer, organisation, outlook, phone, preparation, prepare, pressure, prospective employers, reminder, safety, schedule, schedules, second interview, start date and time, stephen hawking, timekeeping, tips, underestimate, watch, work
Posted in Candidates, Health, Humour, Interviews, job seekers | No Comments »
