By Elizabeth Benu,
Pressure in job is almost inevitable but what would you say when the HR Manager asks “How do you handle pressure?” in an interview?
If you went blank or are not sure how to handle the question here are tips from Patrick Matere, a HR Manager at Sovereign Hotel
What does this question seek to find out from the candidate?
“It is meant to interrogate the candidate’s ability in handling difficult situations at work and how they would manage to beat tight deadlines. It also seeks to establish whether or not one appreciates on-the-job stress. Apart from this, it evaluates a candidate’s attitude towards on the job stress and how to balance between pressure and performance,” he says.
He also adds that it seeks to find out if a candidate has techniques to manage pressure and to bring out the behavioral competence required to remain focused and successfully accomplish a task on time.
What should be in the candidates mind before they answer this question?
Mr. Matere says that the candidate should draw challenging work scenarios that exhibit ability and acquired experience to manage job pressure.
“The answer evaluates one’s behavioral competence. One should think, “Have I ever been under pressure?” How did I handle it?” Still, one should be careful not to make the interviewer feel like they cannot work without pressure,” he remarks.
Mr. Matere also advises that one should make the answer short and precise, keep it professional and stick to work related situations.
“However, if one can be able to precisely correlate personal pressure to sterling performance at work, then it’s okay,” he adds.
As HR professional what would be your perfect answer to this question?
“Make the interviewer recognize that you appreciate pressure. Use this opportunity to show how you stay focused on the goal and not the pressure,” he says
He exemplifies a perfect answer as “I handle pressure by remaining proactive and responding to situations with a creative solution rather than allow myself to procrastinate as a result of pressure. All in all when I am under pressure, I focus on deliverables and get the job done…….
The worst answer to this question as Mr. Matere indicates would be to tell the interviewer that “I cannot work under pressure” or “I don’t like pressure.”
He is also quick to add that a candidate cannot leave this question unanswered. Why?
“If a candidate fails to answer this question, the interviewer quickly concludes that this kind of an employee “closes their eyes at the sight of a problem” and hopes that the problem will have gone by the time they open their eyes forgetting that “hope” is not a strategy,” he notes.
His parting shot: “Attitude is everything! Pressure, if well perceived, helps us to keep up to standards, be creative and innovate more, which is crucial to competitiveness and excellence.
With this kind of attitude, you will be able to manage even interview pressure and get that desired job by not overlooking this question,” he concludes.
Best CV Formats
By Elizabeth Benu
“Is there a type of CV format that Nigerian employers prefer to see during job applications,” asks Kathy Kanini in an email.
Judging from the many formats you have seen or think there are which one will get the employers attention? If you are seriously looking for a format that is easy to scan and easy to highlight important data Nigerian employers want to see, then read on
As Melody Mwendwa, a professional CV writer at Corporate Staffing Services confirms, there are three types of CV formats. The good news is that there is a format for everyone no matter your qualifications and experience.
List of Best CV formats preferred by Nigerian employers
The Chronological CV
This format highlights your work experience in the order of the most current experience listed at the top. It has the following sections: career objectives, professional experience and accomplishments, education and additional skills.
A chronological CV format is good for candidates who are experienced.
However, if you are switching careers or are an entry level candidate, do not use this format. Instead showcase your skills in the professional experience section.
The functional CV
This format on the other hand, lays more focus on your marketable or transferable skills. If you have less work experience i.e. a recent graduate or entry level job seekers or you are changing careers or have gaps in your employment history; this is the ideal CV for you.
It is written in the following order: objective, accomplishments, skills, employment history, education and referees.
A functional CV is useful to people with gaps in their employment history, are re-entering the work force, have frequently changed jobs and /or are looking to change careers.
The combination CV
It is a blend of the two above that focuses on your strongest skills and links those skills to your past job history. This is perfect for the recent graduates, career switchers and professionals with extensive experience.
It is divided in the following sections: objective, profile summary, accomplishments, experience, education and references.
Why the combination CV format is most preferred by Nigerian employers
“Nigerian employers prefer the combined format because it gives all details to your career and any skills that the employer might find impressive that would have otherwise been omitted in the other formats were used,” says Ms. Mwendwa.
The success of your job application boils down to how you package yourself: through your words and general appearance of your CV.
By Elizabeth Benu,
Interviews can be quite a handful, especially if you have not prepared well. To help in your interview preparation, here is a list of questions to always expect and their answers.
Questions to always expect in an interview and their answers
1. What Is Your Greatest Strength?
As explained by several HR Professionals, strengths can be personal or technical. Personal in the sense that they differ from person to person and can include friendliness and flexibility. On the other hand, technical strengths are those gained from working and can include writing skills and operations of a switchboard.
Ideal Answer:
“My job as a receptionist requires me to see clients from morning to evening ensuring equal attention to all no matter the time of the day or my mood. Through this responsibility, patience is my greatest strength as it ensure the clients leave feeling happy.”
2. What Is Your Greatest Weakness?
Many candidates confirm that they have a problem answering this question. In such a question it is advisable to identify your weakness and show the human resource manager how you are overcoming your weaknesses.
Sample Answer:
“My greatest weakness is my inability to prioritize tasks at work. I have always had a problem finishing all my work before I leave for home. To minimize this I have come up with a policy to write down my tasks for the day in order of importance and finish them one by one as opposed to all of them at once. I have also learnt to postpone email response till later in the day.”
3. Why do you want to leave or have left your current job?
Reasons such as growth, development and seeking a new challenge are some of the lies many candidates tell human resource managers.
“Come up with a better answer and tie it to the job description. Be it a responsibility or utilizing of a skill,” advices Perminus Wainaina, Lead Recruitment Manager at Corporate Staffing Services
Sample Answer
“Currently I have interacted with customers via emails and phone calls. However a face to face interaction with customers is what this new opportunity offers. This is ideal for me since I can now get feedback and offer better service.”
Questions to always expect in any job interview
4. Tell me about yourself is a question to always expect in interviews
“It sets the tone of the interview. Perform well, and you have the interviewer impressed. Get it wrong and it’s downhill all the way and very fast,” says Mr. Wainaina
The right answer includes the following: an introduction of yourself and a few personal details, your educational background, your work experience and why you are interested in the position.
Sample answer
“My name is John Mueni and I am 25 years old. I hold a bachelor of Commerce (Accounting option) and currently pursuing a CPA Section 3. My previous experience as an Accounts Assistant at ABC Company has equipped me with bank reconciliation skills and experience with Quickbooks which will come in handy for this vacancy. I am interested in this position because it requires someone with knowledge in Business tax and bookkeeping which was also part of my responsibilities”
5. Why are you the best person for this position? Why should we hire you?
This is a question meant to sell yourself. Think about your most impressive skills that relate to the job you are interviewing for and use that to communicate what sets you apart from other candidates.
Sample Answer:
“My vast experience in sales and marketing set me apart from other candidates. As a sales Manager I was tasked with improving sales and achieving set targets for the month. During one of the lowest months in the company I come up with a sales strategy on the best ways to sell our products and it resulted in a 20% increase in sales during a low month.”
6. What will you be doing in 5 years time?
“I want to be a manager by then.” This is a vague answer that does not impress a human resource manager. Let your goals be specific, measurable, attainable and realistic while showing your commitment to the job.
Sample:
“I plan on taking up more responsibilities outside my Communications Assistant job and move towards becoming a successful Brand Manager in this company. I also plan to undertake a professional Marketing course from the Marketing Society of Nigeria to increase my skills set.”
Don’t let the thought of attending interviews scare you. With these samples you are good to go.
By Selipha Kihagi
When starting on your new job, the first day can either go well or really bad. It will all depend on the things you choose to do or not do. Managers, bosses and coworkers vary in character and while you might want to impress all of them, that is purely impossible. Some will like you for being nice and others will hate you for it. So, to avoid this kind of situation, how about being the mysterious one.
By being mysterious, you leave room for people to get to know you first before deciding if they like you or hate you. To achieve this, avoid calling attention to yourself by not doing these 5 things.
4 Things To Never Do On Your First Day
1. Be too excited or too quiet
On your first day at work, you will need to find a balance. You might be super excited that you landed the job and maybe it is even in your dream company, but don’t go telling everyone how happy you are. If your co-workers and boss find out you are too excited, they might give you more responsibilities just because they know you will probably say yes. You do not want this.
In parallel to this, being too quiet may rub a few people the wrong way and they may start judging you too early. You do not want to be the shy new kid. Instead, focus on showing excitement by asking necessary questions, staying put in your job and keeping a happy face. Avoid, Avoid and avoid a gloomy face.
2. Coming to the office looking tired
Like point one above, your appearance and current state will tell a lot about you. If you went partying with your friends the previous night to celebrate the new job, chances are you will be overly tired the next day. Not to add being hangover. However much you may try to hide it, early mornings have a way of showing who went out last night and who stayed in to rest.
You can get away with afternoons but we all know 8am is the usual timing. Rest a lot and prepare what you are going to wear to work because your dressing will also matter and then plan to arrive early.
3. Talking too much about yourself
Talking about oneself is never a conversation starter and neither is it great in a conversation unless inquired. On your first day at work the last thing you want is a coworker labeling you a certain type of way. To achieve this, avoid sharing too much about yourself or your last job to your coworkers.
You might have really hated it or felt unappreciated, but this kind of information should be saved for later when you have become close with some of your colleagues. If coworkers or the boss asks too many personal questions, you can turn it around by inquiring more about the job.
4. Flirting with a co-worker
You may see a stud or very beautiful lady but do not start pursuing them yet. They are cute, yes, and you really like them but flirting on your first day will put you on the wrong side of your coworkers. Relationships at the office are already considered taboo by many; this might be changing but it still is a thing and flirting will only amplify your unwanted status.
The first day of work should be not be that hard to get through, just focus on creating a little mystery so people will want to know you.
By Selipha Kihagi
Ever been in a situation where you’ve been asked an interview question but don’t really know how to answer because you are not sure you understand? You get torn trying to figure out what answer you should give? More often than not, you can identify with this situation. So, what do you do and you are in a job interview?
Recruiters are different in nature, and so are employers. Some will appreciate when you politely ask them to clarify but some will take it as a downfall on your part, especially when you do it a couple of times. Also, some interviewers will ask a general question on purpose so they can assess how well or bad you handle it. For this reason, it is important that you are well prepared.
4 Ways To Handle An Interview Question You Don’t Understand
1. Don’t rush into giving the first answer that comes to mind
A recruiter may ask a general question to either assess your response or expecting you to provide a specific answer. Unless you are sure of what the question is about, don’t proceed to give an answer if you are doubtful. You may end up giving an answer that is far from what the interviewer is looking for and not all recruiters will point that out.
Most will be sure to assume that you are either very anxious or are not sure what you are talking about. Both of which will end up ruining your chances for the job.
2. Ask a clarifying question
Once you realize that you did not fully understand the question and answering might ruin all that, then it is time to ask a question that is geared towards clarifying what the interviewer wants to know. When asking, you must remember to be polite. Don’t be quick to say, “Sorry, I don’t understand the question” or “can you repeat that?” Some recruiters may take this the wrong way.
Instead, here is a way you can ask the interviewer to clarify a question. If the interviewer asks, “Tell me when you did something wrong in your job,” and you are not sure if it’s a project or general, you can say, “Before I give an answer that is unrelated, would you like me to hear about a general time that things didn’t go so well at work or about a specific project that didn’t go well?”
3. Never blame the interviewer
Most times when things don’t go the way we hope, we are quick to lay the blame on other people. In a job interview, it is important that you do not in any way blame the interviewer or recruiter. Avoid saying something like this; “Sorry but you are speaking too fast, can you repeat that?” or “That’s a general question, could you be more specific?” (Most times the general question is on purpose)
These responses may not sound offensive until you actually say them to a recruiter who has a problem being told exactly that. Taking the blame for a question you do not understand will be appreciated.
4. Avoid asking too many clarifications
If you do not understand one or two interview questions, that is alright. When the questions you do not understand start being many, then you will be giving your interviewer a reason to bypass you for the job at hand. Make sure your listening skills during the job interview are top notch and that you have done your research well. This way you do not have to keep asking clarifying questions.
Not understanding an interview question is not a crime, don’t let anxiety get the better of you. Clarify what you must and ace that job interview.
By Selipha Kihagi
What Nigerian employers and recruiters are looking for in your CV is dependent on the job you are applying for. Whenever you are applying to a position you think you are qualified for, it is always important that you meet employers expectation.
It is the only way you can get selected for an interview to determine your further qualifications for the job. So, while your CV includes all your qualifications, how can you ensure that employers are impressed?
The trick is to go beyond the norm and ensure that the important things are easily spotted by employers at a glance. To help you out in establishing this, below are things you should emphasize to get noticed by an employer.
What Nigerian Employers Will Be Looking For
1. Your experience and educational qualifications
Like earlier mentioned in a number of articles on this site, Nigerian employers will give priority to a candidate that meets the experience required over the one with just an education. It will not matter that you have a Masters or various certificates if you do not have the experience. So to communicate that you actually are experience, make sure you put your previous positions and the period worked in bold. You can also include the actual time in brackets. For example; Accounts Assistant, Company Name, June 2013 – August 2014 (I year 2 months)
2. Professional Skills
Once the employer is confident you meet the general qualifications for the job, they will want to know what else you bring to the table. Do you have added skills that can make you a better candidate than other applicants? If you do, the employers will be more inclined to hear more about you. So, remember to include any skills that you think will be an added advantage. Carefully analyzing the job description will give you a baseline for what the employers really want.
3. Your Contact Information
It will not matter how qualified you are or if you included your contacts in the email itself, if your contact information is not provided in the CV then that will be a problem. When writing your CV document and customizing it to look presentable to Nigerian employers, always ensure you have included contact information. This includes a working phone number and email address. Do not lose out on an opportunity because you forgot to include information on how you can be reached.
4. General tidiness and organization skills
Suitably qualified or not, if your CV is disorganized and is giving the recruiter or employers a hard time, that job will not be coming your way. If an employer takes your CV from a batch or opens it in the email, it should make them to keep reading. What this means is, your CV should be well arranged and in good font. It should be neat to look at and information should be in the right places, otherwise employers will not take time to look at the CV further.
For you to get a job in the current job market, you will need to be a step ahead and think like an employer or recruiter.
By Selipha Kihagi
Job interview blunders can happen when you least expect them. You may have prepared well and even had extra time to relax so you exhume confidence but still end up messing up. Some job interview blunders can be avoided…yes…but there are some that you may have no control over. It could be that they skipped your mind or something just didn’t work out the way you planned it to.
Whatever the case, if you find yourself in such a situation, be sure not to freak out and end up making even bigger mistakes. Think about how you can handle a blunder you didn’t expect and still do well in the interview. You never know – you might impress the recruiter or employer so much they forget the blunders. To start you off, here are 5 interview blunders and what you can do.
Job Interview Blunders And How To Fix Them
1. You wake up later than planned
If there is one thing that might cause you so much anxiety in an interview, it’s waking up late. But you need not let this mishap distort your entire plans for the day. Start by analyzing the situation; will you be late to the interview? Can you lessen the time you use preparing so you are in time?
If you find out you will be late, call the office or recruiting manager to alert them that you will be running late. Remember to make an honest apology for any inconvenience caused. Then move on to do everything else as you planned it.
2. You arrive late to the interview
You may have miscalculated on the distance to the offices where you are scheduled for the interview, or maybe you ran into unexpected traffic jam (this is very common). The best solution to this would be to call immediately you realize you will be late. However, if you are not in a position to call or you forget to and are late, remember to use the first minutes apologizing.
Recruiters and employers will not take lateness kindly, especially when you don’t take the time to call in advance. But with an honest apology that does not lay blame on the company, your lateness will be forgotten.
3. Your phone rings during the interview
This is a popular blunder among job candidates and one that recruiters and employers despise. It is seen as rude and lacking in consideration and preparedness. In the case this happens, make sure you are quick to apologize first before reaching out to put it on silent mode. Then after, apologize for not switching it off before going in.
Don’t excuse yourself to answer the call unless it is something very important – something beyond having the job. If you excuse yourself, remember to apologize for it and put it on silent or off.
4. You blunder on an important interview question
You may have done all the background research and preparation but still end up messing up; may be because of being anxious. If you go blank or give an answer that does not explain what you are being asked or that puts you in risk, fix it by apologizing for the situation then proceed to give a better answer.
It is okay if you take a moment to compose yourself. If you do not understand the question, kindly ask for clarification. You can refer to this article for more on how to clarify interview questions.
5. You wake up feeling sick
Sickness cannot be controlled, at least most times. If your body chooses the same day you have an interview to get sick, there is not much you can do to avert the situation. But being sick on your interview day may also count as a blunder. Remember calling in sick on a Monday morning can be seen as a hangover escape.
However, if you are seriously sick and no quick medicine can change that, make the phone call as soon as you realize you can’t make it. Explain your situation and, again, apologize. Then proceed to reschedule the interview for when you know you’ll be better.
Some job interview blunders cannot be avoided, but they can be fixed with an honest apology.
There’s a stat kicking around that says 50% of recruiters don’t read resumes.
Actually, 100% of recruiters don’t initially read resumes. Instead, they skim them. They take six seconds to glance at it. If they don’t see something they like, they don’t bother to read the whole thing. That’s the truth.
Bad Cover Letters Can Still Cost You The Job
Even worse, if recruiters see something they don’t like while skimming your cover letter, it can get you put in the “no” pile. Sadly, there are plenty of mistakes job seekers are making that get their cover letter (and, their candidacy), tossed from the pile.
Here’s a great example of an epic fail of a cover letter:
To WHOM it may concern,
I am applying to your ____ position as cited online at the job board, ______.com.
As you will see from my resume, I am a highly competent, organized, and independent leader, with exceptional people skills. My training is extensive and I exceed all of your qualifications as listed.
I am confident once you review my resume you will see I am a perfect fit for your job. I look forward to meeting with you to discuss my outstanding qualifications.
The above is boring, self-important, subjective, and offers no value to the recruiter. Is this really the first impression you want to give?
Cover Letter Test: Would You Say It To Their Face?
I always tell job seekers, “If you don’t think you could walk up to the hiring manager and read the cover letter to him or her without sounding silly, then your cover letter is bad. It’s their first experience with your personal brand. Make it authentic and worth their time.
Cover Letters = An Opportunity to Get them at ‘HELLO’
When A) formatted properly, and B) contain the right content, you can actually get a recruiter to pay attention and read your cover letter. To do that, you need to know what mistakes to avoid – and, what they really want to know.
I’m not going to tell you the answer now because you need to learn more about the mistakes you’re making first. To do that, I suggest you check out this free webinar on cover letter blunders. Invest a little time and you’ll know exactly what you are doing wrong. Then, you can get down to the business of building cover letters that make the phone ring.
By Selipha Kihagi
“I went for an interview three weeks ago and the interviewer told me they would get back to me in two weeks time. Two weeks later without contact, I decided to call and was asked to be patient for a response. As I write to you, I am yet to hear from the company. What does this mean?” Clara writes in an email.
Job applications are tough in themselves and so is the interview process. Recruiters will invite a number of suitably qualified candidates for a position (based on their CVs) to the interview, but will only end up picking one. This means that the remaining number of candidates will not get the jobs and recruiters have to disappoint them with the bad news…or not.
A decision on whom to hire and not hire will almost always be made during the interview, but no recruiter wants to tell a job seeker to their face that they will not get the job. Unless of course you had a really bad attitude that couldn’t go unmentioned.
Not wanting to crush the job seeker’s feelings at face value, recruiters end up coating the truth with a few lies and half-truths.
Here are some lies that recruiters tell
1. We will let you know in 2 weeks if you got the job
If the recruiter or interviewer is certain that you are the right person for the job, they will offer you the job either during the interview or as soon as possible. This is because they know you are applying to other jobs and could get another offer – no employer wants to risk this.
So, like Clara’s situation, chances are they picked somebody else for the position or you are their plan B. Make a phone call to the recruiting manager to confirm and if they ask you to wait, don’t keep your job search on hold. Keep searching for other opportunities.
2. We will consider you for open positions in the future
While this could be true at the time the recruiter says it, if you did not leave a long standing impression during the interview you should not expect the recruiter to call you. With numerous applications to consider and candidates to interview, recruiters may not remember you for a similar position in the next month.
To make sure you are considered, keep tabs with the company for their open jobs and when you see one, contact the recruitment manager and remind them to consider you. But always make a fresh application, your CV may not be found in the employer’s database.
3. We really like you for the position but are not done with the interviews
As mentioned in point number 1, this is usually more of a stalling tactic. If you are told this during the interview or when you call for a follow up, don’t stay by the phone waiting for when they are done with interviews. At this point, the employer will probably have made an offer to another candidate and are waiting for their response.
When you hear this, avoid keeping your job search on hold because you have high hopes that you’ll get the job. Instead, keep making other applications until you get an offer letter.
Recruiters may say various things to candidates because they do not want to hurt your feelings or as a tactic to their advantage. So, until you have received an offer letter in your email or been asked to report to work – in those very words – don’t assume you got the job.
It is commonplace to hear people refer to the current times as the ‘digital age’. For many, this is usually a good thing because it presupposition of advancement.
However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
According to Muthoni Ndegwa, a Client Relations Manager at Corporate Staffing Services, job seekers tend to overuse the internet. They have become robots who can do nothing without it.
“Employers are looking for people who can think on the go and make on the spot decisions. This is most people fall short during interviews,”she says.
The following could be the reasons why the internet is keeping you from your job.
Reasons The Internet Is Keeping You Unemployed
1. You have become lazy
The only time you apply for a job is when it comes to your inbox or when you see it online while you are surfing the internet. Did you know that you could actually get job adverts from the newspapers and by networking?
To get a job, sometimes it requires you to get out of the house and hustle the way people used to do in earlier times.
2. You have become complacent
Are you the kind of a person who believes everything you get online? This could be the reason you are not getting that all important call. If all your research for the interview relies on the information that you get online, it is time for that reality check.
Did you know that the internet, information is actually uploaded by people. Did you know that people are prone to mistakes? Good, now, do your own research outside the internet and discover the hidden knowledge in books and networking.
3. You have forgotten the basics
Can you write a cover letter without having to copy and paste it from the internet? You have forgotten the basics. Although most applications nowadays are done online, there are those where you will be required to spontaneously write something.
You need to remind yourself of the very basic things, e.g. handwriting a cover letter or an application. In the job market, you should always be prepared for anything. Do not confine your thinking. Wise job seekers will always think outside the box.
Although the internet is a wonderful tool for research, you should teach yourself to use it sparingly. Avoid over reliance as it hampers your ability to think for yourself. Stimulate your mind by going beyond the ordinary and maybe reading a book or two instead.
You’ve submitted your job application for consideration in a particular job. You are now waiting for that call to invite you for an interview. 2 weeks after the deadline, nothing comes. Then it’s a month and it’s clear you were not among the shortlisted candidates.
What could have been wrong? You ask. Well, your CV must have raised a red flag making the recruiter choose a different candidate over you. Even when you believe you are well qualified for a particular job, your CV could give the recruiter or employer a bad perception of you.
For example, if there are many applicants and your CV has some important information missing or you include information that tells the recruiter a different story about you, then chances are you will not be getting the call.
Here Are 3 CV Red Flags That Might Work Against You
1.You left out information that was key for the job
When you come across a job advert that details key requirements to include a specific number of years of experience needed in a similar role, then make sure you highlight that. Some job seekers leave out information on how long they held a particular position, which is never a good thing.
Justus Ng’etich, a Recruitment Manager at Corporate Staffing Services says that when applications are many and you have to look through each CV, not including the time period and position you held could ruin your chances for the job.
Contacts are also very important; do not give recruiters a reason not to call you.
2. The unemployment gap is visible
Not to discourage you from applying to jobs if you’ve been out of the job market, but recruiters will always be concerned if you’ve been out of the job. Most times it might not be the deciding factor, but if an employer is strict on someone with recent experience, then your chances will probably be very slim.
To counter this, you can leverage the cover letter or email body to work to your advantage. Mention something you’ve been doing to keep you up to date with what is happening in your profession. Employers want people who are current on matters.
3. Evidence of a demotion in your CV
If you held a senior position but your rank later dropped in recent positions, then that is a clear red flag. Some recruiters may want to know why that was and invite you to an interview for that reason, while others will prefer to choose someone who has been consistent.
I know of a lady who suffered a demotion and had to do away with the senior position from altogether because she couldn’t get a job. This does not mean you lie about your qualifications; it is about knowing what will work and what will not.
If you are not so sure how to go about a CV issue, it is best if you consult with a career coach.
Applying to jobs is always a process and requires job seekers to be alert from the very start. Most job adverts will always have a “How to Apply” section, which demands that every candidate follow the instructions laid out. Those who are keen to follow given instructions fall among the lucky few, while those who are quick to just send their CVs put themselves up for disappointment.
Sometimes you find job seekers sending scanned copies of their CV for a job, or others send transcript copies and certificates to a job that only required the CV. Recruiters who are sensitive to details will not invite you for an interview if you make such mistakes – you already can’t follow instructions anyway.
So, which is the best way to submit your CV for a job?
The most important step towards going for a job you really want is submitting your recently updated CV to the right party – not just anyone – the right person. You may feel the need to send your CV to anyone just because you come across their email address, don’t! Even unsolicited CVs require you to have a strategy, a target and endgame.
4 Ways You Can Successfully Submit Your CV for A Job
1. Send your CV to the email address provided in the job advert
Instructions on how to apply for a job varies across employers. Most employers will provide an email address where you can send your CVs while others will require you to apply through their company website.
If an email address is provided, ensure that you input it as it is in the advert. Remember even the smallest of mistakes – even a full stop – will make your email bounce. To be on the safe side, instead of writing it out a new, copy the address provided in the ad then paste it directly in your email.
Email addresses do not have a full stop at the end, so in case the one you are using has, know it’s a mistake from the employer’s side and omit it.
2. Upload your CV on the company’s website
Some employers handle their recruitment process completely online and exclusively through their company website. Ensure you read through the how to apply section to ensure that you do not make small mistakes. These companies may provide an email address for enquiries and another one for applications or give a link, be careful not to confuse the two.
Applying through a company website may be a long process but is never a hard task; all you will need is to follow the instructions given. Don’t look for shortcuts, you won’t find any.
3. Email your updated CV to potential employers
Sometimes you need not wait for a job advertisement to make an application. If you are not finding open jobs in your field on the various career websites or recruitment company websites, go straight to the companies you want to work for.
Everybody today has Google, or Yahoo if you’re repelled by crowds, use them to search companies you want to work for and upload your CV to their database. Of if you have contacts of the hiring managers, kindly ask them if you can send your CV to them.
4. Government jobs want a hard copy CV
Most government jobs will require that you send your CV in hardcopy to a given address, alongside a compulsory job application form. Be on the lookout for this whenever you come across such a job. Hardly will just sending your CV to an email address get you a government job, don’t be cheated.
Getting a job or not is partly dependent on your strategy and your ability to follow instructions, do just that!
