CV 4 Jobs

Most businesses and processes have changed drastically in Ireland in the last decade – Recruitment, Careers and HR is no different and in actual fact may have changed more than most.

I was thinking about when I moved back to Ireland about 12 years ago. I joined one of the bigger recruitment consultancies in Ireland at the time. My how things have changed!! There were two PC’s in the office and one of those was for show – it didn’t actually work. The other was to receive CV’s from the very few high tech individuals who had email which was very few I may add. CV’s were faxed to the employer and the queue for the fax was as bad as the M50 today. Online Jobboards – you must be kidding. 99% of jobs were sourced through the local and national media. Online interviews and job fairs – next you will be telling me that people have landed on the moon.

So you can see how much thing have changed in the job market in a short space of time.

CV – Online CV or Video CV

It looks like the traditional CV could be changing. Online CV’s or Video CV’s get mixed reviews BUT I think when done right they can make an impact. They enable you to give that little bit more information to the employer that a piece of paper cannot. Video CV’s allow you to get your personality across and bring you to life. This is difficult with a paper CV. Have a look at this online CV. I cam across this site through another blog and this CV impressed me.

If you need a CV service or Interview Coaching check out these links. A professional can help you get the edge and make an impact in a competitive job market.

Professional CV writing is a key service I provide for jobseekers in Ireland. I have reviewed written CV’s across most skill-sets, business functions and roles. There is one common problem with most jobseekers on the CV writing topic, whether they are Executive, Professional, Graduate or Technical. They all ignore the person reading the CV – the recruiter or employer.

CV Preparation – The job specification has the answers

Ask any salesman if they had access to the buyer’s requirements before the sales meeting would it assist with securing the sale. Yes – would be the unanimous answer. This information would impact the marketing information they would send to the client and the approach at the sales meeting. A job specification is just the same. An employer is telling you what they want. So why do so many people miss this huge opportunity? It certainly puzzles me!!

Incorporating the job specification into your CV

I guess one reason is that most jobseekers are lazy. They write a CV about them. This is normally a general document – one hat to fit on all jobs. Is this you? If it is you are probably missing out on key interviews as a result. You must analyse the job specification and identify what is key for the client. Ensure that you highlight related experience and achievements on your CV. Make it easy for the employer. I agree it does take time but you will get the results. Job focused CV’s work.

CV Service in Ireland- Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Down, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

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The cost of CV Services & Interview Coaching in Ireland

We are not great shoppers in Ireland. RIP OFF REPUBLIC!! Many say it is our own fault as we are lazy. I certainly do not shop around when I am on the market for good or services. I guess most jobseekers are the same. They need CV Services & Interview Coaching Services and go with the 1st professional they call. You could be lucky (and call me) or you could be unlucky. Price is certainly not the most important thing when seeking CV & Interview services but we all have a budget.

I had a funny feeling that I was not charging enough for my services so I embarked on a bit of market research. Let me share with you what some providers are offering in Ireland. I will provide the information I have to date and add to this as I am still awaiting additional info.

Interview Coaching – Cost!!

a) 150.00 for 1.0 hours (= hourly rate 150.00)
b) 175.00 for 1.5 hours (= hourly rate 116.00)
c) 290.00 for 2.5 hours (= hourly rate 116.00)
d) 145.00 for 1.5 hours (= hourly rate 96.00)

CV Writing Service – Cost!!

CV services are a bit misleading because you don’t know what you are getting. I refer you to this article on CV services and checking them out. For example I could knock a CV out in about an hour. It would cost very little and get you very little results. Here are some of the prices I found.

a) 175.00
b) 115.00
c) 269.00

Please post a comment if you have been charged a different rate or any other CV on Interview Coaching experience you had.

CV Writing & Interview Services in Ireland – Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Down, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

An impact CV is a key ingredient for success in the job market. Unfortunately most CV’s I review do not sell the owner and lack impact. Below I have outlined a number of excellent articles that can help you improve your CV preparation skills. Improve the quality of your CV and you will increase interview invitations. This will help you land your dream job.

Common CV mistakes – Avoid!!

As stated most CV’s I review are flawed. They fall down in many areas but there are common mistakes I see every day. Here are a couple of articles which will outline some of the most common CV mistakes you should avoid. Read CV Advice – mistakes and CV Preparation – mistakes.

CV preparation – CV Layout & CV Format

CV layout and CV format are very important for an impact CV. CV Format & CV Layout outlines some of the basic CV format and CV layout points to consider. Take these on board when writing your CV.

How many pages? – CV Writing

A common question I am asked by jobseekers is “how many pages for a CV?” CV Advice will answer this question.

CV Writing & Interview Coaching

Do you need professional CV writing support? Measurability CV Service offers a professional CV advice to jobseekers across Ireland. Need Interview coaching?

A CV is a key tool for job hunting and it is a key requirement when applying for most jobs. It is essential to have an impact CV and this will improve your performance on the job market. I have worked with all types of jobseekers and all types of CV’s in my time tweaking some and transforming others from frogs into princesses. However a professional can only do so much with your CV without blatant lies.

So what do you do when your CV is not getting you interviews?

Hide the CV!!

Quite often I meet individuals who are totally different than the image their CV gives with positive attitude and personality that cannot be caught on paper. The problem is that they keep relying on their CV’s and struggle in the job market. What do they do? Normally keep sending CV’s and become deflated with the rejection.

If your CV is not working try calling the employer directly. Have your sales pitch ready and use the opportunity to get you point across. Remember you are your CV and not the piece of paper. You will get knock backs from some clients when you call BUT others will entertain you. Good luck.

For more CV advice check out this post.

I was asked an interesting question today – “Is there any difference in CV Layout, CV Format or CV Templates for the various counties in the South of Ireland?” I will quickly answer this question and then give some general information on CV Templates, CV Formats and CV Layout in Ireland.

Answer – There are 26 counties in Republic of Ireland and from experience the same CV principles apply to all 26. In fact the same principles will apply to most countries. Can anyone name the 26 counties? Answer at the bottom of the post BUT I am sure you all got it.

CV Template in Ireland

There are many CV templates used in Ireland varying from simple to fancy. Personally I sway towards simple. Whatever CV Template you use it should contain the following – Personal Details, Education & Training, Work Experience and Hobbies & Interests. The order of these will depend on the role and your background. Other topics can include Value Statements, Key Skills, Additional Information and References.

CV Format in Ireland

The most popular format in Ireland in Chronological CV. Most recruiters expect this type of CV and can access information easily. There are other formats that can be used in certain situations. This post will provide more information on CV Format.

CV Layout in Ireland

CV Layout is equally important in a CV. Ensure that you have a focused CV and this will ultimately dictate your Layout. Do you want to know how to focus your CV?

Here are list of counties promised – Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Roscommon, Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow, Clare, Cork, Kerry Limerick, Tipperary & Waterford

Cover Letter Tips — CV Writing Tips & Help

CV Format is very vital when you are writing a CV for the Irish job market or any job market. If you ignore this element you will miss out on possible interviews. As outlined in a previous post there is a variety of popular formats but I advise jobseekers to take a fluid approach to CV format and not restrict to set formats.

CV Format – The Functional CV

Functional CV’s are common in the job market but not as popular as the chronological CV. Rather that list your work experience you would dissect your experience into functional exposure – like sales experience or IT experience. This type of CV is beneficial if you have gaps in employment or if you have changed jobs frequently after short periods of time. Functional CV’s are also beneficial if your recent work experience is not relevant to the role that you are applying for. The problem with Functional CV’s is that they can generate suspicion from the recruiter. It can also frustrate recruiters in that it is difficult to identify what you actually worked at. Having said this, these CV’s are necessary if you have some of the above outlined issues.

CV Format is only one ingredient for CV success.

As outlined in previous posts there is much more to CV writing than selecting a CV format. There are many areas to pay attention to including the basics like spelling & grammar but also key areas like CV layout and content. CV4jobs has free many posts with free advice on CV writing so feel free to browse the other posts for information to help you design a good CV. Read this useful article.

CV Services for jobseekers in Ireland

You will find many professional CV services in Ireland that can help you improve your application to interview ratio. Measurability offers professional CV services for professionals nationwide. Visit www.measurability.ie for more information about the CV Format and other services.

You invest time into writing your CV and now feel you have a document that will make an impact and get you interviews. A strong CV will help but it is only part of the process for securing interviews. You have to distribute your CV. Easy you might say but you would be surprised how many individuals I meet who can’t seem to find jobs and manage their job search ineffectively. Below are some of the key channels to explore.

Recruitment Agencies

This is a popular resource for jobseekers as it takes the hard work out of finding a job. Send your CV off to an agency and sit back and wait for the interviews. There are some important points to remember when dealing with agencies. You need to find the right agencies for your skills so you must research the market. A tip to find suitable agencies is to see what agencies are advertising for your skills on the job boards and or you can ask for recommendations from friends or work colleagues. You must also try to meet the recruiter and build a relationship. A final point is to take the initiative and keep in touch with your recruiter(s). They may not have a job for you immediately and you cannot assume that they will call when they get a suitable job. Agencies house thousands of CV’s and recruiters vary in ability.

Job boards

CV databases are an increasingly popular tool offered by job boards in Ireland. You submit your CV to the job board database and the job board will offer this database to employers as part of their service. This is still in its infancy in Ireland and I question how many recruiters or employers actually put the effort in to searching the databases. If you want a good database try this job board.

Sending out speculative CV’s

It has been many moons since I heard of a jobseeker walking the local industrial estates and distributing CV’s. With the market tightening in Ireland this practice may return. If you cannot find suitable jobs online, with agencies or in the papers then go and look for them. This is a time consuming approach BUT an option all the same.

If you need help with CV distribution or you want professional advice on job search strategies in Ireland why not seek help from an expert. Help jobseekers nationwide – Dublin, Meath, Louth, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Sligo and all other counties.

I hope you find the FREE CV advice on this site useful.

For those new to the site it has information on CV writing, CV format, CV layout, CV mistakes, CV lies and much much more.

A CV is a key ingredient for success in the job market and you must get it right to make an impact and get the opportunity to interview.

If want more advice or a professional CV service visit this site.

Why do CV’s get rejected?

There are many reasons why a CV can be rejected by the employer and this post will examine some of those reasons.

CV has poor visual layout

Employers need to be able to find information quickly. You may use the correct wording, grammar and language but if it is difficult to find the information the employer will move onto the next CV. You should have plenty of “white space” on your CV, you should have clear headers and ideally use bullet points. Use white paper and uniform font and font size.

CV that is too long

I normally suggest that individuals try to keep a CV to two pages, unless a client requests that you provide a longer CV. If you find it difficult keeping your CV to two pages you are obviously writing the CV for you and you have not understood what the client is looking for. Remember employers only want to read information that is relevant for them and their recruitment needs.

CV that gives a poor first impression

Like most things in life first impressions count – this is also true for CV’s. You have a 20-30 second window to make an impact. Fail to deliver and fail to get an interview. An employer may have a pile of CV’s to review. Place the information that matters on the first page. Do not leave it to chance that an employer will read to the end of your CV

If you need help with preparing an impact CV why not seek the help of a professional.