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Tips and Advice...

The right job in the right organisation can make a big difference to your whole life. Work that is satisfying, challenging and rewarding will enhance your confidence, well-being and self-esteem. Suddenly, the whole world seems a better place.

But finding that job, and then landing it, are hurdles that shouldn't be underestimated. The employment market is an intensely competitive place.

There are three things that can give you a competitive edge:

  • A clear awareness of your talents, abilities and experience and their values in the market place. Of course, you also need to be honest with yourself and about your weaknesses.
  • An understanding of your potential 'buyers' - the kinds of personalities and skills their organisation need in order to function successfully.
  • Good self-presentation

That's where an experienced specialist recruitment consultancy like CLA can help you. We make it our daily business to know the media industry from top to bottom.

All our consultants began their careers in it. If we think you've got what it takes, our consultants will spend time with you to find the best match to your skills, experience and aspirations.

We'll only put you forward for positions that we honestly believe are right for you and for our clients. We'll always be totally honest with you and realistic about your strengths and weaknesses. You'll never be coerced into applying for an position you don't feel completely happy about. We're not just interested in your next job - we're interested in your career.

Why not let CLA give you a competitive edge. You've nothing to lose and it might change your life.

Please don't…Send us unsolicited CV's. Register on our Jobs Online page and review our current vacancies. If we think we can help we will be in touch quickly.

Please do…call us. Ask to speak to the consultant who specialises in the business sector you are interested in. If they are not available, leave your name, any numbers where you can be contacted, and any information about the best time to reach you. We will call you - but please - register first via the Jobs Online section of this site.

How to write a CV

 

A CV is a sales tool that will enable  you to get an interview with the organisation that is recruiting.  To that end, you must make it easy for the interviewer to read. It is accepted that everybody has a different view of how a cv should be written, but  there are a few basic rules that must be adhered to .

  • Lay out your details on no more than two pages of A4 size .
  • Your name, address, contact details should appear at the top followed by your nationality, education qualifications, marital status, children if any.
  • Include a short paragraph outlining your transferable skills, your key competencies, in short a summary of what you can offer.
  • Do not include your date of birth, your children’s dates of birth or the dates of your education.
  • Under the heading of Employment History, start with your current or most recent job. The essential information required is company name, dates of employment and job title. It is important then to break down your history at each company with  bullet points for EXPLANATION (what the company does, its main business), RESPONSIBILITIES (what you  actually did at the company and finally ACHIEVEMENTS (list hard information here if you can, rather than generalisations like “significantly improved revenue”)
  • List all previous jobs back to education, ensuring all gaps are accounted for and explaining your reasons why you left their employ. Do not use the fact  that you were  headhunted; this is the process by which you left, not the reason.
  • Lastly, under a heading marked ‘Personal,’ give relevant information such as car owner/driver, fluency in other pertinent languages, your interests, hobbies, sporting achievements
  • A CV must be clearly understood by a potential employer.  Do not, therefore, use jargon or acronyms; you might understand them but not all the readers of your CV will.
  • Avoid using the words I, me and my.  A CV should be written in the third person.
  • Apply the question, “So What “ to everything you have written.  This will ensure you don’t include superfluous facts.

Preparing for an Interview

 

Before we take you on as a candidate, we'll interview you ourselves. This often means a fairly informal meeting at our office or at some hospitable venue nearby.

If all goes well, you'll soon be meeting potential employers - usually under slightly more formal circumstances. A little preparation is essential. It's in our interests as much as yours that you make the right impression, so our consultants will work with you to hone your interview skills.

As a start, here are CLA's top 10 pointers…

  • An informative and concise CV of no more than two A4 pages is essential. It should contain vital information such as your name, address and marital status. Explain the responsibilities of your current position and your achievements. Summarise your hobbies and interests.
  • Do as much homework as possible on the company that's interviewing you. It is virtually impossible to over prepare - but don't get obsessive about telling the interviewer all you know.
  • Don't be too quick to scoff at the idea of the "interview suit". Look smart. Interviewers will only notice if you are not reasonably well turned out.
  • There's no harm in taking any information such as news reports or magazine features that might be useful during the interview.
  • Be on time. Make sure you know exactly where to go and whom you are seeing.
  • Start with a firm (but not bone-crushing) handshake. Make good eye contact with your interviewer, but don't stare them out.
  • Listen carefully to each question, then answer succinctly - don't be tempted to give more information than is required. By all means refer to anything you've brought along, but only if it's relevant to the question and to your response.
  • Avoid putting your hands in front of your mouth while you are speaking. Be lively, enthusiastic and natural. Don't be afraid of showing a sense of humour, providing it's appropriate to the circumstances.
  • Accentuate the positive - eliminate the negative. Never put yourself down, or criticise your present employer or the company interviewing you.
  • And finally - if you want the job, be bold - ask for it.

 

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