Playing the recruitment game
Janice Chalmers
You have to think the way the recruiters think if you want to nail that job. Career coach WorkingCareers shares the rules of the recruitment game and some hot tips on how to play it
Recruiters sift negatively
They look for reasons not to see you.
What to do: Pick out the key skills they require from the job ad, and give evidence of using these skills in your CV. Use a functional CV if your history is not in line with their requirements. (What's a functional CV?)
Your CV is a sales document, not a legal document
You don't have to put everything you've done since birth in it.
What to do: Pick out only the most relevant skills and achievements and describe what you did in your previous jobs, together with the results.
Applying on spec is about quality, not quantity
Sending 100 copies of a letter to 100 nameless people, in 100 different companies, is not really applying on speculation.
What to do: Aim your CV at a prospective line manager, and not an unnamed person in the HR department (unless you want a job in HR). To find the right name, contact the receptionist and ask who heads the department, or scour the trade press to see who's who. Make your approach stand out by doing some research beforehand and including this in your cover letter.
Cold calling is just a question of being prepared
It is not just about picking up the phone and asking for a job. The more prepared you are, the more confident you'll be.
What to do:
Know who you're going to ring. If possible, it's best to have written to them beforehand with your CV, saying you will follow up at a given time
Set yourself not one, but up to three aims for the phone call. Why? It's the law of probability. The person you're calling is not likely to refuse all of your requests. Good objectives for a cold call are a meeting, a lead and some help or advice
Never ever ask for a job - it will make the person you are calling defensive, less likely to open up to you and you may miss an opportunity by being too specific. The very best approach to cold calling is to look upon it as asking for help and advice
There are just seven types of interview question
You may not know the exact question interviewers will ask you, but you can know the kinds of information an interviewer looks for. Interviewers are more interested in how you answer a question than in the detail you give.
What to do: The interviewer is not trying to catch you out. For example, if you are asked about your weaknesses, they are exploring whether you are self-aware and also whether you are prepared to learn or improve on your weaknesses.
Top tip:
Avoid giving weaknesses critical to the job. Another useful tactic is to use a strength that sounds like a weakness, like "I take on too much work".
Ready to face the interviewers now? Search for your ideal job here.
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If you would like some personal help with your search for a new job, click here to view the services the company offers.
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| Why cold call?
Just 30% of jobs are filled through replies to job ads. That means 70% are filled through speculative applications and networking.
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