CV 4 Jobs

Measurability have launched two new websites to expand their CV & Interview Service to jobseekers in Ireland.

The first site www.cvsolutions.ie offers a professional CV writing service nationwide. CVSOLUTIONS delivers high quality CV’s to jobseekers across a range of levels, roles and industry sectors. You can also find excellent CV tips and advice on the site (although this is still being developed).

If you need help with a CV visit www.cvsolutions.ie now.

The second site www.interviewsolutions.ie offers professional interview coaching to jobseekers. INTERVIEWSOLUTIONS delivers a high quality interview preparation service tailoring programmes to meet individual needs. Again you will find some free interview tips and advice on the site.

If you need help preparing for interview visit www.interviewsolutions.ie now.

Excellent workshop in Dublin on Saturday 25th April. The chance to work with two of Ireland leading Career Experts – Paul Mullan & Jane Downes. The workshop will focus on Job Search Strategies, Impact CV’s and Interview Skills. This is a MUST ATTEND for anyon out of work or changing careers. As we are all aware the job market is highly competitive in Ireland – fewer jobs and more cometition for them. You must stand out at every stage – finding the jobs, targeting the jobs and performing at interview.

The workshop will help jobseekers in three key areas –

Finding Jobs – effective job hunting

Targeting Jobs – Make your CV stand out

Landing job offers – Performance at interview.

If you would like more information or to book a place please email paul@measurability.ie (please quote the site you found the workshop details on). Full workshop details below

This powerful workshop is led by two of Irelands leading “on the ground” Career Experts – Jane Downes of Clearview Coaching Group & Paul Mullan of Measurability. It will enable the opportunity to access expert opinion and advice in three key areas;

• Job Search Strategies – How to access the hidden job market.
• CV’s & Cover Letters – How to market yourself & get more interviews
• Essential Interviewing Skills – How to sell yourself & get more job offers

Workshop & Booking Details

Date: Sat 25th April 2009
Venue: Bewleys Hotel Dublin Airport
Address Baskin Lane Cloghran, Dublin
Workshops: 2 separate workshops – morning and afternoon
Time: 10.00 – 1.00pm & 2.00pm – 5.00pm
Cost: €120

Each workshop is limited to 15 places so book now to avoid disappointment – email paul@measurability.ie or via booking for contact us

There is a wide variety of interviews jobseekers can face. You have the traditional interview, panel interview, competency based interview, internal interviews and of course the phone interview.

From experience many jobseekers cut corners with a phone interview as most seem to be relaxed about the thought of answering questions away from the glaring eyes of the interviewer.

It is important to prepare for phone interviews and below is a few phone interview tips.

1. Ensure that you use polite and proper phone manners.

2. Have your CV beside you for references

3. Ensure that there will be no disturbance or disruptions during the call.

4. Pause after each question and do not rush to answer the question, think it over first of all and take your time to answer it.

5. Have a pen a paper to take any notes that might assist you.

6. Focus on the hard facts with examples. Phone interviews can be short and to the point. You need to ensure that you get your message across.

7. At the end of the interview ask about feedback or the next stage of the process.

Some additional information that may help – interview tips skills, interview questions and answers and how to handle competency based interviews.

I have just finished running two successful CV & Interview Workshops over the last week. One was for a group of individuals who had just lost their jobs and the other for a group of students seeking work placement. What struck me was the amount of misinformation feed to jobseekers about CV’s and Interviews. Some of this information is so out of date it is unreal. More worryingly is the source of this information.

Jobseekers beware!! There are many career experts and wannabes in the market place offering so-called expertise. Unfortunately most of their knowledge has been taken for a lecture hall or text book. It is not real world and many of these experts have not experienced real world recruitment or job hunting.

CV Services and Interview Coaching services should be treated like any other service – purchase with care!! I suggest you seek referrals or recommendations from friends or family. If this is not possible check the service out online etc …..

Happy job hunting

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

Below are some useful articles to support your interview preparation.

Preparation for Job Interviews in Ireland describes important areas to cover as part of interview preparation. You must also research the employer and interview preparation tells you how.

Preparing for Competency Interviews / Behavioural Interviews

Competency Based Interviews tells you how.

Interview mistakes and how to fight back

Interview mistakes highlights common interview mistakes. Read interview preparation advice about how to turn an interview around.

Closing interviews effectively

Interview Coaching will tell you how.

Professional Interview Coaching and CV Writing Services

Need professional interview coaching then visit Interview Coaching. Need CV support?

Lets face it interviews can be a difficult experience with nerves, lack of confidence or rustiness breaking the best of us. Interviews can be conquered and you can improve you performance and results. HOW? It’s all about your INTERVIEW PREPARATION. As Roy Keane famously said – “Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail”

Most jobseekers requesting interview support are obsessed with interview questions and rightly so as interviews consist of a series of questions. The problem with only focusing on questions is that many jobseekers prepare text book answers which lack impact or crumble when the questions they prepare are not asked. I guess it is a bit like exams where some students gamble by only preparing for 1 or 2 exam questions. There is much more to interview preparation that practicing a few questions BUT for the purpose of this post I will address a few popular interview questions and answers.

Why did you leave (are you leaving) your current role?

Describe when are you most motivated in your current job?

How would your last boss describe you?

What can you do for us that other candidates can’t?

If you want to work in Carlow and you have IT / software development skills read this post.

Excellent opportunities to work with Umun in Ireland.

Interviews can be challenging events which can through up a wide variety of possibilities. There are many different types of interview that you can face such as traditional interviews, competency based interviews or behavioural interviews, panel interviews and phone interviews. But what about the different types of interviewer. Below are different types of interviewer that you may face at interview and how to handle them.

The different types of Interviewers

“Buddy” Interviewer – They will smile and joke and get you to relax at interview. They can fall into two categories – just a poor interviewer who wants to be liked OR a skilled interviewer trying to get you to relax and reveal more information. You need to be friendly with this interviewer but don’t drop your guard.

“Inquisitor” Interviewer – This interviewer has a poker face and never cracks a smile. Normally throws a stream of tough questions. Try to remain calm and project confidence. Don’t be put off by the tough exterior as all interviewees will get this treatment. This type of interviewer believes that the real you will come out under pressure.

“Laser Beam” Interviewer – These interviewers have one topic and will focus on this area. The best approach is to try to satisfy their request for information on this issue. This will normally satisfy their agenda.

This article was provided by an interview expert in Ireland offering interview coaching across Dublin, Meath, Louth and Kildare.

If you would like to read about three additional types of interview visit this post.

Interview Tips, Skills & Techniques

I came across an interesting employer survey by law firm in the UK called Peninsula. The survey asked employers t identify what they disliked most about jobseekers. Well here is what the survey found.

These are the top 10 reasons why jobseekers do not land their dream job:

1. 26% of those surveyed disliked candidates with improper dress.

2. 19% of those surveyed said lateness was their greatest frustration. The survey also revealed that 1 in 7 jobseekers arrive late to interviews.

3. 15% of employers dislike candidates too focused on money and salary.

4. 11% of employers surveyed disliked jobseekers that were cynical towards colleagues past or future.

5. 9% of employers rated a limp handshake as a major NO.

6. 7% surveyed were not impresses by jobseekers that lacked direction and career ambition.

7. 5% indicated that poor eye contact was a key hate.

8. 4% said lack of research into the company put them off jobseekers.

9. 3% said poor verbal communications and mumbling was a reason to reject jobseekers.

10. 1% of employers surveyed disliked the know-all

An interesting point about the above findings is how much is non-verbal – improper dress, lateness, handshake, eye contact, research into the company. Interviewees are warned it is often not what you say that dictates interview performance.