6 Ways to Recognise a Great CV in Two Minutes

6 Ways to Recognise a Great CV in Two Minutes In a sea of mediocre-to-good applications, it’s important to be able to recognise the great CVs quickly. A great CV is one that compels you to call them immediately, or at the very least, leave you in no doubt that you should be putting them in the “yes” pile. Since the average recruiter can spend as little as ten seconds screening CVs, it’s important to be able to make decisions quickly. Below are six practical tips to enable you to separate the great CVs from the dross in as little time as possible. 1. Check formatting A good candidate will be aware that their CV is the first part of them to be introduced to the company, and so will have put effort into making it as clear and readable as possible. Before even looking at the content, the first thing about a great CV that should grab you is how clear and well-formatted it is. The name and contact details should be top (no need for searching through for the phone number to call them for interview), there shouldn’t be dense blocks of text that obfuscate key details, and their employment history should be in reverse chronological order. The font should be professional and easy on the eye, and without even scrolling down, check the number of pages anything over three is likely to contain a lot of filler, while a good candidate will know how to articulate themselves more concisely. If you’re happy that the CV is well put together and professional to the initial eye, begin reading. 2. Location, location, location In recruitment, one of the main reasons for a candidate turning down a role, or accepting a counteroffer is location and commute time. It’s imperative to ensure that the move will make sense for the candidate in the long term, and won’t leave as soon as something with a shorter drive to work presents itself, so start your selection process by checking the candidate’s address if they’ve included it. Unfortunately, many job hunters go on an application spree and submit CVs to any a role that seems broadly in their space, so save yourself time (and the candidate heartbreak) by limiting your initial selections to candidates within a commutable radius of your company. A good candidate will understand though, and so a great CV will show their geographic suitability clearly. 3. Check their last two role titles If their second-most and most recent roles aren’t relevant to the role you’re recruiting for, there’s really no point in reading further as any suitable experience beyond that time will be too long ago for it to matter. The most recent roles on a great CV should be the richest in content too, going into the most detail about responsibilities (and more importantly, achievements), so a quick scan through these will usually be enough to decide whether they’re going into the “interview” or “reject” pile. 4. Continuity and tenure A good rule of thumb in recruitment is that gaps of over six months in employment are often a warning sign. A great CV won’t have any appreciable career gaps (and ones that do will note the reason; for instance traveling or maternity leave). Similarly, having more than two or three jobs in a 12-month period can often be a red flag that you’re not looking at a long-term prospect, so a great CV will show a good average length of tenure. 5. Education Many roles now require a minimum level of education, and on a strong well-appointed CV, the candidates’ educational background should be clearly laid out to enable you to check this. A great CV will clearly show their educational background including college or university, qualification and year. If the education section is missing, you can usually infer that either there isn’t much to list, or the candidate didn’t have the awareness to include it neither of which bodes well for a strong contender. 6. Attention to detail You don’t need to read the entire document to recognise a good CV. A quick scan to the trained eye will turn up multiple spelling mistakes and poor sentence construction in only a paragraph or two. If these are immediately obvious, chances are that the rest of the CV won’t be impressive either so save yourself some time and stop there and then. A great CV will have been checked and re-checked for errors and will suggest that there’s a person with excellent attention to detail behind it. While it’s impossible to really tell what a candidate is like from a short, formal document there are multiple clues that point to a great CV, and thus a great candidate. Learning what to look for within the few minutes you available have to screen means you can quickly identify a “great” CV. About the author: Lee Tonge  established The CV Store in 2001 and become recognised as one of the UK’s leading CV writing ‘experts’ and is often called upon by some of the world’s most well-known recruiters for CV advice.

Is the Trend Your Friend

Is the Trend Your Friend The trend can indeed be your friend as a Forex trader.   Just make sure to be aware that the trend can end, and you need to make sure you are prepared for that inevitability.   When the trend ends it can be most unfriendly.   The trends in forex is often a crucial part of any Forex trading plan. When there is a strong trend, it will eliminate some of the issues with exact timing of trades because almost no matter when you enter if the market is going in a specific direction, you can make a profit if you watch for when the trend changes and time your exits accordingly.  Watching the Trend in Forex Trends in Forex can fall into three-time frames day, swing and position.   Each one of these trade lengths has their own trend.   The same charts with different time periods can show a trader the trend for that period.   The most commonly used charts for trading the trend are the Simple Moving Average and the Exponential Moving Average.   An uptrend will be evident with higher highs and higher lows.   A downtrend conversely will appear as lower highs and lower lows. It is important to first identify the trend before determining whether you should enter or exit a trade.   Once you can establish that there is a strong trend, then you will know when to enter and hopefully time your exit accordingly.   Determining that you are trading with the trend and not with the corrective waves in the trend is key to remaining friends with the trend.   Watching for the waves within the trend is essential to understanding how you can benefit from trading the trend. Matching your Forex trading strategy to market conditions seems straight forward.   The most common market condition that traders look to use is the trend and that is why trend trading is such a popular plan.   The future is always somewhat unclear in the Forex market but identifying a trend can clear that vision up a bit. The smartest way to trade with the trend is to look for the swings that inevitably are part of any trending market.   Buying on the low of the uptrend and selling on the high of the low trend is an obvious trading goal.   Watching the swings of the trending market can help you identify when those highs of a low trend are coming and when the lows of the uptrend happen.   The longer time charts will help you to decide the strength of the trend and determine where the swings or corrective waves are. There are different ways of strategizing trend trading.   Some use simple price action charts.   Others will use indicators like the RSI, Relative Strength Index to gauge the trend and its swings.   Either way, a general rule of thumb for trend trading is to enter longer positions when the market is in a upward trend and shorter positions when the market is trending downwards. Following this advice should keep you on friendly terms with the Forex trend.

Education vs Experience Which One is More Important - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Education vs Experience â€" Which One is More Important - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career As we hit “back to the school” season, many people may start to think whether college education is a must. College education is expensive but certainly important especially in some fields. However, graduating from college is not a guarantee of landing a job immediately. You also need experience in your desired field. So, which one is more important; education or experience? Is having experience enough for you to land your dream job without a bachelor’s degree? Or do you certainly require a bachelor’s degree with good academic grades? Keep reading below and decide yourself. A college with a good reputation can open you many doors: It is obvious that a college with a good reputation can provide you many opportunities. Good colleges have career fairs in which many employers attend. This enables you to find a job easier. Also, most colleges have alumni networks and this network can help you land a job. However, if you attend a college which no one has ever heard of, that won’t help you as much as you hope for because everybody can get four-year degrees nowadays. The important thing is how you stand out among this crowd. Similarly, if you decide not to go to college but instead, work full-time and just go to work from 9am to 5pm every day but don’t grow yourself personally, don’t add any new skills to yourself or don’t take any major responsibilities, then your experience doesn’t matter as much because you are not moving forward. Employers do not just want experience, they want relevant experience: You may not have a college degree but have five-six years of experience. However, is this relevant experience or did you hold different jobs in different fields? It all comes down to how your experience is related to the job you are looking to work for. You can work and study at the same time and this makes your degree and experience even more valuable because it shows that you are a very hard working person and disciplined at the same time because doing both of these at once require dedication and discipline. If you feel working full-time is too much for you while studying, you can try summer internships or co-ops. In this way, you can increase your experience and still get your four-year degree. Also, you can stand out among the crowd because you will have both.

How to Search your Connections Contacts on LinkedIn

How to Search your Connections Contacts on LinkedIn Have you ever wanted to be able to see your connections contacts? I mean, not just in a list format that you have to scroll through (tediously) but actually search them and also be told when your connections get a new contact which fits your criteria? Have you spotted that you can now search your contacts contacts? You may already view them via the contacts profile, but this screen is really limited and you have to scroll through the screens to see people. LinkedIn have launched something new recently. When you  hover  over  the image of the 2 people side by side next to a name of a contact in a search  result  youll see the  View all their connections button. Im  going  to call it the OMG I can view, search, save, connect with, have a jolly good tinker with their connections button. A gorgeous benefit (that you dont get when you  simply  view their  connections  from the profile page) is the ability to search them examples: Search your connections contacts for decision makers near to you Search your connections contacts for candidates near to you Search your connections contacts for people who work in  specific  companies Do I need to go on? And to top it off, you can even save the search results to notify you of any changes to the search results oh my! What a lovely feature! Have you had any success using this? Let us know in the comments below!

How to Write a Resume For Attorneys

How to Write a Resume For AttorneysResume writing services for attorneys are fast becoming the most sought after service in the legal field, and with good reason. With the demand for attorneys being at an all time high, not only are employers seeking and hiring more people, but their need for these specialists is also expanding.Many attorneys have gone to school for special expertise, either in law enforcement or the business field. Now, thanks to the internet, these attorneys have the opportunity to market themselves in a new and different way. With the internet, these people can communicate with potential clients via email and instant message, and even social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace.Resume writing services for attorneys, if well planned, can help to make the difference between success and failure. These professionals will review your documents, which will give them a thorough and comprehensive overview of your career. If this process is done properly, they will be able to present you with your top choice of potential positions, in order from highest salary to the lowest salary.When considering how to prepare a resume for any job or career, it is best to first look at the various career fields and choose the one that best suits you. If this isn't possible, your job can be to carefully outline the skills that are essential in your job. This is necessary because the job descriptions for each specific field will differ, so you must highlight the most important aspects that you possess in order to get a good job and be hired.After you have chosen a career field, you should then list out all of the relevant experiences you have had in the field. You should list any awards and accolades you may have received along with your education and work experience. Your resume writing services for attorneys will know exactly how to format a resume for attorneys, and with the right keywords, they will be able to direct you towards the most relevant deta ils to which you should give extra attention.Many people begin their careers without much preparation and simply rely on search engines, word processors, and Internet forums to find numerous examples of resumes. These methods can be time consuming and frustrating for those who are new to the process. If you decide to take the time to practice and write a resume for attorneys, this will allow you to hone your writing skills, making it easier to present yourself and your career.Creating a resume for attorneys can also help to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Once you know exactly what type of person you are, you can begin to plan out your entire resume from cover to cover. Remember, your future employer has already seen thousands of these documents before, so you will want to present yourself in the best light possible, which you can do by writing clearly and concisely.You should always remember to add in any final touches to your resume that the professional you hire can custo mize for you. Resumes for attorneys are meant to be creative and compelling, and with enough planning and preparation, you will be able to present yourself in the best light possible. With a little effort, your resume for attorneys can be the finishing touch to the resume and job search process.

Managing Change A Success Story - Hire Imaging

Managing Change A Success Story - Hire Imaging Rafa Garces To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself.” ~ Henri Bergson Change is a constant in our lives. As Tom Hanks so pithily affirms in the movie, Forest Gump, “Change happens.” I work with clients who are near or at retirement. I hear stories of planning for changeâ€"even wanting it, and then when it happens, it feels like an uneasy bombshell. The loss of a job, planned or not, and the follow-up retirement, welcome or forced, ranks as one of the highest-stress changes in life. It’s natural for people to resist retirement change. It interrupts their schedule, pushes them out of their comfort zone, and can make them feel they’ve lost their identity and control. Some of my clients’ most-stated reasons for resisting retirement change? Fear of the unknown (“What do I do next? I’ve done this for so long.”) Not feeling ready (“I’m not ready for downsizing; I need more time.”) Stuck in the past (“I miss my old job; I wish I were still there.”) Risk averse / Worried what others think (“I’m not great on the Internet; I won’t fit in.”) In overcoming this resistance and moving forward, what’s worked? Pinpointing and acknowledging the obstacles in their way. Facing the barriers preventing them from taking action. Working hard on developing and following a realistic plan of action. Marty had an interesting launch into retirement. An Operations VP with a Fortune 500 retailer, he began his career in the stock room and rose through the ranks. When his company downsized, Marty took early retirement. A huge life change. After 34 years working for the same company, still wanting to work, he had to restructure his life. He had lost much of his social life, as it was also connected to his old employment. He first tried to keep busy job hunting. He was repeatedly told that he was overqualified.  He felt that at age 58, doors were closing too early. He tried consulting for a year, and decided it wasn’t a fit. He drove taxi for a friend’s company, and tried to start a small business with another fellow retiree. Things fell through. This was a tough time for Marty; he felt defeated and pessimistic. A friend invited him to Florida. Marty figured he had nothing else going. Subletting their apartment for six months, he and his wife set off for tropical warmth. While there, he met the friend’s neighbor, who owned a bagel shop. Marty worked there awhile for something to do. He became inspired and within a year, opened his own back home. It was slow at first, but his prior retail operations expertise combined with the excitement of this brand new adventure (one that was his own business baby) made it work! That was six years ago. He loves his life! Lessons learned from Marty? His sudden change in employment motivated him to try new places and explore different options. He took risks; but also did not jump in erratically (sublet his apartment so he could return to Minneapolis). He experimented before making major moves. He rediscovered his strengths, his joys and a new career at 58 years young! He planned to make the future his present. His strategic approach to change and retirement produced delightful results! You see things; and say, ‘why?’ But I dream things that never were; and say ‘why not?’” ~ George Bernard Shaw

3 ways your company can manage more projects

?3 ways your company can manage more projects At one point or another all companies seek growth, but that mission can be stifled too easily by staffing, time, and other constraints. Successfully tackling additional projects means having the right team in place at the right time. Scaling up quickly might seem intimidating, but there are some strategic ways to do it without burning out your team or breaking the bank. Sandesh Joshi, president and co-founder of global outsourcing company Indovance Inc., a business that manages outsourced projects in architectural design, mechanical and civil engineering and publishing, sees businesses facing this challenge daily. He has seen numerous success stories that result from companies taking a strategic approach to tackling more work, and here he shares some effective techniques: 1. Streamline the process Productivity is one of the buzz words a business leader never gets out of his or her head. Historically, productivity was thought of as being efficient and managing schedules to perfection, but in today’s competitive global marketplace, productivity goes well beyond time management. In order to stay profitable and grow, companies must create new strategies that allow them to take on additional projects, increase sales, or expand the scope of current assignments. Increasing output from your existing team is obviously the most cost-effective way to equip a company to take on more work, but it’s much easier said than done. Creating systems that streamline day-to-day processes is a great way to minimize efforts repeatedly being put into the same type of projects. It could be as simple as designating one team member to draft a timeline for a campaign, rather than multiple people, so the team can spend more time on collaboration. The most important thing to remember is not everything can or should be streamlined. Start with identifying what can be and let your team be part of the process. Change can be hard to embrace for some employees, but if they’re involved, it becomes much easier. Additionally, consistently re-evaluating your team’s skillsets is vital, as some employees may be able to knock out certain tasks quicker than others â€" and that could change week to week. It’s crucial to know the current individual strengths of every person you employ so you can reallocate job roles as needed and truly leverage those abilities to help reach â€" and surpass â€" your bottom-line goals. 2. Think outside the box When it’s time to look outside your existing team for help, for a short-term or specialty project, for example, one of the quickest yet most cost effective strategies is outsourcing external assistance. This can help eliminate or bridge immediate workload needs instead of creating gaps from a long hiring process. It’s also a very successful tactic for jobs that are short-term or require very defined skills. Hiring external help is becoming a more prevalent business practice thanks to an ever-growing competitive landscape, but it is still fairly new to some companies. Fortunately, a wide variety of services can be outsourced ranging from marketing, accounting, human resources, customer support, engineering, and more. Most recently, computer-aided design has become one of the most outsourced services in the world across multiple industries. The most obvious benefit of outsourcing is the ability to add additional bandwidth in a short period of time, allowing you to scale up and down whenever appropriate. Keep in mind, an external team can start helping immediately, supporting or eliminating the time it takes to hire internally. Another valuable incentive for companies is cost efficiency: your company can save money by eliminating the need to recruit, conduct on-the-job training, or cover overhead costs. With the right partner, outsourced work can be equal to or even higher quality than that of work completed internally because the outside team is able to focus on the specific task at hand. 3. Keep everyone in the loop No matter which route you take to tackle additional projects, communication with your employees is vital to the overall long-term success of the company. Some people are naturally resistant to change and may have concerns about job security and added work arising when projects are outsourced or workload is shifted to increase productivity. However, studies show with early communication and transparency, your internal team will be more likely to accept and even welcome the change or addition. The biggest selling point in doing so is pointing out the benefits to them personally, such as reduced pressures. Be sure not to overlook employee morale, as it drastically impacts productivity and the success of any project. Making sure communication is clear during any major change will ensure a smooth transition for everyone involved. Join Dana Manciagli’s Job Search Master Class right now and immediately access the most comprehensive job search system currently available!