Top CV Clichés and Why They Should Be Avoided

Top CV Clichés and Why They Should Be Avoided Are you motivated, a team player and hard working? Are you able to work on your own initiative? Of course you are and so are most of the people applying for the same job as you. If you really want to make an impact with a prospective employer you need to think about avoiding CV cliches and show some originality in your approach! Common clichés to avoid: Results oriented â€" as opposed to what? No one intentionally sets themselves up to fail; being focused on solving problems will be expected of you no matter what job you do. Highly motivated â€" again as opposed to lazy? Generally employers will assume that you’re motivated based on the fact that you are actively searching for your next job opportunity. It would be better to provide examples of how you’ve proven your motivation. Strong work ethic â€" again, you are there to work it’s expected. Excellent communication skills â€" this needs to be proved elsewhere on your CV. What did you communicate? Who did you communicate with? An excellent team-player who can also work well independently â€" this phrase is over-used. Employers want to see evidence that you can work collaboratively and autonomously! Curriculum Vitae â€" if youre applying for a job, it should be obvious to the recipient that youre sending them your CV. Move away from using a self-explanatory title and own your CV by putting your name as the title after all, it is all about you! Imagine reading the same page in a book (and not a very good book) over and over again. You would start to get bored, perhaps nod off and vow never to read that page again. The same scenario can be applied to a prospective employer who is looking over a mountain of CVs. When these clichés are used time and time again without any substance it can be hard to work out which candidates stand out. Don’t bore the reader. Your aim is to make them sit up, pay attention and read on! Drawing attention to your CV for the right reasons: The main purpose of your CV is to draw attention to your skills and to reinforce your employability. If you cannot get your CV noticed you will not be invited to interview. It really is that simple. Avoid vague or damaging clichés: Avoid ambiguity when writing your CV. Using words such as ‘approximately’ suggests that you didn’t pay attention to how much or how many of something you achieved. Use ‘more than’ or ‘over’ to accentuate what you did and to make your achievement sound more impressive. ‘Assisted’ is another term you should be careful with. Employers want to know what you worked on that required your leadership or initiative. Use ‘cooperated with’ and go on to detail the position of responsibility that you held, who you worked with and the results that you achieved together. Never ever say that you ‘attempted’ to do something because this suggests that you failed. An employer will not want to know about failures no matter how hard you tried to succeed. Make all achievements sound powerful and complete! Should you tailor your CV to the job description? Applicants are always advised to tailor their CVs to the job description but this can often be a counterproductive exercise as employers who write the job descriptions tend to use a lot of clichés! “We’re looking for a smart, ambitious and driven individual. The ideal candidate should be highly motivated and have the ability to work well independently as well as within a team…” As such applicants should not only look to avoid vague or damaging clichés, but they should also steer clear of replicating the job description in their CV. Speak your own language and you’ll stand out against the crowd who will be indistinguishable from one another if theyve all copied keywords from the job description. Use a thesaurus to find similar words and use examples so instead of saying “I am a highly motivated individual” you could say “I’ve proven my appetite for a career in marketing, through my engagement in a number of extracurricular activities from accomplishing a variety of successful work-based placements to producing work for live clients during my spare time”. Putting it all together: So, before you start to write or update your CV, think about your wording and how impressive your CV would look to somebody who doesn’t know you. Grab a thesaurus, get some input from a third party and make your CV as unique and intriguing as you can whilst sticking to the facts. Author: This post is by  nrl.co.uk.

Are there still options to find an internship for this summer University of Manchester Careers Blog

Are there still options to find an internship for this summer University of Manchester Careers Blog Do you want to find some work experience or an internship for this summer, but unsure if you have left it too late or unsure how to find the right role? If this sounds familiar, then here are some ideas to help you get started and explore options you may have not thought of. Although some of the bigger companies have advertised their summer internships schemes in the autumn there are still options for finding work experience or an internship. It is important to consider how flexible you are in how you are searching for jobs. Sometimes a really good opportunity can be missed if you have limited your job search to a selection of companies or one area of work. Ask yourself the following questions, which could help you explore other types of companies, areas of work or locations and find those opportunities still available: **Would  I be prepared to apply to a smaller company instead of a big corporate for work experience? At this time of year, there are smaller companies advertising summer opportunities. Check out CareersLink on a regular weekly basis and also join the internships Facebook group or Work Experience Twitter Research the sector to find companies to approach with a speculative application Think about people you know in your network of contacts is there anyone working in an area or role that interests you? Consider the benefits of working in a smaller company with my previous blog on the big corporate versus the SME **Would  I apply to a less well known company within the area that you are interested? Even if you don’t recognise the company they may still be providing a valuable work experience. Look beyond the company name or title of the role and check out the skills and experience that will be needed and that you can develop. Google the company and find out more about them. Research the company through sector related websites, are they mentioned at all? **Would I be prepared to find an internship in a related area or sector? As examples consider the following: If you are interested in accountancy or investment banking, have you considered the wider finance or business sectors? If you are interested in one branch of engineering, what about related engineering disciplines? If you are interested in marketing then have you also looked at PR or the media? **Would I consider finding an internship abroad within the sector I’m interested? Check out CareersLink for opportunities, there are vacancies advertised globally. This is updated every week so don’t miss out. Search Going Global through CareersLink for information about a country of interest and possible places to search for jobs Research contacts and information from our Working Abroad pages as a starting point. Look at some of the companies within the sector that interests you, do they have schemes that apply elsewhere in the world. Are there still opportunities available outside the UK? **Would I consider a work experience outide my sector of interest but gives opportunity to build skills for my future career? All work experience can be useful to build up different skills and experience and can transfer to other roles. Look at our information on our website about How to develop skills and also our Employability Audit that you can download. A quick checklist of ideas of how to source internships and work experience: Always check out CareersLink as your first place and keep checking as new roles are placed every week. Search under the ‘placements and internships’ option on the drop down menu. Check out online TARGETjobs, RateMyPlacement, Gradcracker.com (engineering, science technology) Research and explore the industry sector including professional bodies, industry journals and specialist recruitment sites to find out about companies and opportunities. Look for employer related events on CareersLink under the ‘Events’ tab option. Register and make a profile on LinkedIN. Check out any contacts, companies and individual groups within the sector of interest that you could link to and find out more? Ask your family and friends and explore friends of friends even if they don’t work in the location you want or ideal company. Think out of the box. Check out the information on our website for applying for work experience and summer internships, download our Internships, placements and work experience starting point guide, as well as joining our Internships Facebook group or Work Experience Twitter to help keep up to date with useful help, support and opportunities. All Undergraduate Undergraduate-highlighted Internships job hunting summer internships work experience

Why Have Zappos Stopped Posting Jobs and Will It Work

Why Have Zappos Stopped Posting Jobs and Will It Work Zappos, the online shoe retailer, has been making a lot of waves lately. They announced that they’ll no longer be posting their job openings, opting instead to actively search for prospective candidates for open positions and build candidate pipelines for future use. The amount of press the announcement has garnered for the company is impressive, but is it deserved? What Zappos is doing is essentially the exact opposite of companies who post jobs that don’t exist. So why are they doing it? And will it really work? You dont need to post every job: First of all, not every open job needs to be posted in order to be filled. Here’s some breaking news â€" if Mick Jagger leaves the Rolling Stones, the remaining members will NOT post an ad for a new singer. Why? Because they don’t need to. Their brand is reputable and established enough to find the talent they need without an ad (not that they would try to replace Mick, but you get the point). One must realize that the actions taken to fill an open position at Zappos will differ greatly from that of the small mom and pop neighborhood business, or any business without Zappos’ visibility and reputation for that matter. Considering the number of candidates Zappos’ recruiting team deals with on a weekly basis, establishing a pipeline of candidates for their integral roles should not be a problem. Its sometimes not necessary to advertise: Second, being that Zappos is an online shoe and clothing store, the majority of their positions are customer service and call center jobs. Is it really necessary to advertise customer service and call center jobs in order to fill them? There’s never a shortage of customer service job seekers, and anyone looking for a customer service position would presumably much rather work for a reputable company like Zappos than at a shoe store in the mall. Even if the company hadn’t eliminated their job postings, what are the chances they would have advertised any of their C-level positions should they come available? Add to the fact that the company resides in the bustling city of Las Vegas, and the plan suddenly becomes clear. Why waste time and money posting ads for jobs and shuffling through thousands of applications when candidates for the jobs that would have been advertised are readily available? There are pros AND cons: For job seekers, I see pros and cons to the practice. On the up side, it should make for easier upward mobility within the company. Granted, there will still be competition for positions in the form of resumes collected through the pipeline and by the corporate recruiting team, but eliminating resumes from job postings thins the competition for current employees looking to move up the corporate ladder. On the down side, for those who don’t currently work for Zappos but are seeking a job with the company, there’s now another hurdle to clear. We all know the frustration of applying for a job and not receiving a response. For job seekers looking to join Zappos, there’s now the added task of finding out what jobs are available, and whom to send resumes to. What may prove advantageous to the employer will prove the opposite for job seekers with no inside track to the company. Zappos is planning on implementing a system by which candidates can become “corporate insiders” by joining their talent community â€" essentially a database of job seekers. But this puts all the power in the hands of the company, with job seekers not knowing when jobs are available, if they’re available, or which available jobs they may be contacted for an interview. Conclusion: Lastly, let’s not overlook the fabulous attention this revelation has captured for Zappos, which brings the company even more of the clout they need to never have to post another job ad. Zappos has become the neighborhood kid who publicly declares he will no longer do things the way all the other kids are doing them, whether or not anyone cares. With or without the announcement, the end result is still the same. But if a tree falls in the forest, does it really make a sound if it doesn’t first proudly announce that it has decided to no longer stand?

New Content Marketing Strategies for Personal Brands - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

New Content Marketing Strategies for Personal Brands - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career In order to establish your brand as a trusted lead in your industry you need a well thought out content marketing strategy. Having the right target market dialed in with stand out blog posts is critical to gaining more subscribers and followers on social media. Content that converts into sales is original and appeals to the needs of your brand’s audience. As more readers are making decisions from their mobile devices you can prepare your strategy to be effective for the coming year. The right content marketing strategy takes consistency, knowledge, and time. Here are several ways your brand’s articles can be more successful in the new age of marketing online: Mix up your content Long or wordy articles no longer grab the attention of readers and search engines. In order to be seen your brand should be including high quality and relatable images, videos, and infographics. Appeal to your audience through contests, giveaways, live streaming events and webinars in order to build an interest in what you have to offer. Both Facebook and YouTube remain top social networks to share your content and attract subscribers to your blog. Focus on phrases, not keywords Organic content based on conversational style searches and questions is now the norm for blog posts. Not only has Google modified its algorithm to adapt, but readers have also been the main influence as they become more savvy in the type of information that peeks their attention. Advertise on social media There are now more opportunities for brands to make a small investment with a large return on website traffic and sales with social networks like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. Many of these platforms now offer business packages at an affordable rate, which can greatly increase your visibility. Connect with your current network Your email lists and connections online should be informed about your newest content, announcements, and special offers. Your brand could set this up as a campaign, or include something special such as a free eBook or report. As you build communication your loyal followers will trust and recommend your business, especially as you also interact with them on social media. Creating content for both computer and mobile audiences throughout the month on a consistent basis will keep your personal brand on top when it comes to creating more visibility. Track your progress each month on the number of interactions, subscribers, clicks, ect. through services like Google Analytics. The process may take time to build, but in the end will help your brand stay ahead of the game in a changing online marketplace.

What Tense to Use in Writing a Resume

What Tense to Use in Writing a ResumeWhat tense to use in writing a resume is an important topic that many people neglect. I'm sure you've come across that statement before, but have you ever given it any thought?Let's face it: When we're in front of a computer screen, we tend to overlook what tense to use in writing a resume. That's a problem because a resume needs to be written in a specific manner in order to effectively get a job.You see, when you are in the 'present' position on a resume, you must be careful to use the 'present' tense. This means that if you are reading this article now, then you should be using the present tense. No exceptions.If you are in the 'past' position, then you should be using the past tense. Writing in the past tense is a little bit more 'fluff' than you would find in a 'present' position. It also requires you to have a greater degree of accuracy in your writing, as you must be able to describe something that happened 'past the present.'What tense to use in writing a resume doesn't have anything to do with education. A well educated person who has received a PhD might want to use the 'prestigious' tense, or someone who has just received a college degree might use the 'graduate' one. As long as they have been awarded a college degree, that's what they should be writing in.When it's time to put your education on display for the world to see, you should be using the appropriate one. If you received your degree from a prestigious college or university, then you are writing a 'scholar' resume and should be using the appropriate one.If you're a student who earned a college degree, then you're writing a 'job seeker' resume and should be using the appropriate one. While it is acceptable to use the 'scholar'student' one, most employers require that you are using the 'resume' one.If you are considering learning how to write a resume, then I would suggest that you review the 'what tense to use in writing a resume' guidelines provided below . This will ensure that you'll be able to determine the proper way to write your resume, whether you're seeking a job in the medical field, a government agency, or a manufacturing company.

How to make your own luck - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

How to make your own luck - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Fast Company have an article on how to court lady luck. And interestingly, the article claims that the key is openness, and that lucky people are simply open to the fortunate events that occur around all of us. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Exploring the Career Ladder

Exploring the Career Ladder Exploring the Career Ladder Career ladders are gateways to opportunity. Every company has different career opportunities- whether it means moving up or making lateral transfers. Understanding what your next move might be at a company is critical to your career. So knowing what is available can help you develop a targeted plan on whether you will stay at the company with a specific career move in mind, or if it is time to look beyond your current employer. Assessing the landscape to know what your company’s career ladder puts you within reach of your desired targets means that you need to start paying attention to your peers. First, many companies provide an organization chart when you are getting on-boarded just so know you the reporting structure and overall hierarchy of the business. So take the time to look at this and understand what the company involves and what potential pathways might be open to you. Then, as you spend time at the business, build connections to your co-workers and if possible, gently probe them about what their job involves so you can get a better hang of what the expectations, demands, and skills are that are required to do this kind of work. Think of these conversations as your career ladder roadmap. This roadmap helps you understand the connectivity between your work and theirs, and can hlp you better understand the skills and expertise needed to transition to the next level or over to a few function area. The more you know about the types of opportunities available to you, then you can decide where your priorities are in terms of how you fill in your own skills and experience. Sometimes, just simply asking to learn more about what someone does and even taking on stretch assignments that expand you skill sets can help you better assess the career ladder at your current company. Most people don’t mind informational interviews to share some of their insights about their work. By sharing information about their jobs, you can gain a better sense of what the career ladder holds at the company.