1. How to stand out from the crowd Prepared and presented by: Landry Takeu & Stephanie Raymond ICHEC Business School_ Brussels_ March 29/2010
2. Current job market How to stand out from the crowd Finding the job that is right for you = targeted approach Power of the network – who do you know? The CV, motivational letter The interview Conclusion
8. USP – Unique Selling Point When a company is determining how to advertise their products to consumers, they focus on its unique selling points - the things which make the product different from any other. The same principle applies to you when you are applying for a new job. What is the one reason that an employer should hire you above all other candidates? What can you bring that is unique or added value to the position/company? What skills and experience do you have that will meet their needs? source: http://content.monster.co.uk
9. Finding the job that is right for you = targeted approach Focus on the things you love to do. What have you dreamed of doing in the past? What do you naturally enjoy doing? Jot down what comes to mind, no matter how improbable it seems. Look for clues everywhere. Take note of projects or topics that stir your compassion or excite your imagination. Reflect on stories of people you admire. Ask yourself why certain activities make you happy, and pay attention to times when you are really enjoying yourself. Be patient. Remember that your search may take some time and you might have to go down a few different roads before finding the right career path. Time and introspection will help you identify the activities you most enjoy and that bring you true satisfaction. Targeted approach to job searching
10. Evaluate your strengths and skills Transferable Skills are applicable to any situation – remember to have examples for all of the skills that you list on your CV! management and leadership experience creativity communication (both written and oral) research and program planning public speaking Problem solving and mediation managing your time effectively computer literacy foreign language fluency
11. Power of the network Power of the network – who do you know? Networking is the art of building alliances. It's not contacting everyone you know when you are looking for a new job and asking if they know of any job openings. Networking starts long before a job search, and you probably don't even realize you are doing it.
12. Applying – CV and motivational letter In this case, if you don’t use your network…. You need a way to “stand out of the stack” !!
13. CV and motivational letter – Some advice… Motivational letter and CV should ALWAYS be customized Do your research, know the company Find common links with what they are looking for and what you can offer!
14. Education & Qualifications· Educated to higher level education or equivalent Experience - Essential· Experience in writing project applications and in participation in multi - partner projects· At least 1 year work experience in organisation and coordination· Fluent in English· Experience in a variety of IT applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and databases Experience - Desirable· Experience in other non-governmental organisation· Good organisational/coordinating skills· Precision, thoroughness and attention to detail· Good verbal and written communication skills in English· Preferable good verbal and written communication skills in French· Personal Attributes· Empathy with the aims and objectives of the Group· Able to work on own initiative and as part of a team· Able to work under pressure and to deadlines· Ability to communicate with pan – European partners· Stress resistant· Meticulous, with good attention to detail· Flexible, Enthusiastic and cheerful manner· Good sense of humour Have Examples for every skill you list on your CV/Motivation letter … and be ready even for those that you have not listed but are listed in the job description
15. CV and motivational letter – Common mistakes It's easy to make mistakes on your CV and very difficult to repair the damage once an employer gets it. Spelling and grammar Writing a lot, but not saying anything No tailoring Highlighting duties Instead of achievements Breaking the two-page rule Leaving out information Using clichés Being vague Poor design Incorrect personal details source: http://content.monster.co.uk
17. The Interview What are the employers looking for during a job interview ? 1. Will you fit in? You may look good on paper , but will people get on with you and want you in the same office/store/department? This is where your appearance, way of speaking or your attitude to the work may let you down. 2. Can you do what you say you can do? ( tests, e.g. typing or shorthand or give a short presentation. This is a common way for an employer to check out your skills.) 3. Can you do what is needed? (If the job involves public speaking or answering the telephone for example, your voice may be too faint or hesitant to be heard.) 4. Do you really want the job? 5. Can they give you what you want? You may ask about career prospects, travel, training or other factors that you want from the job. Source: http://www.greatmanagement.org/
18. Act like you are already on the payroll… http://blogs.bnet.com/career-advice/?p=193
19. Some advice to keep in mind throughout the process Be patient Be convincing Be confident Be knowledgeable Know what you want Know yourself, what you have to offer
Ask the class for some ideas, what do they think? What are their USP = Unique selling points?
Employers can receive hundreds of applications for each vacancy, so it is important that you make your application stand out and get short listed for an interview. "Seasoned project manager who excels at identifying and solving problems" Add strength to your skills However, that is simply a feature. Now a benefit needs to be added to this USP. Sticking to the project manager example, calculate how much money you have generated or saved your organisation during your employment. In this scenario, you may have saved your employer money while working on product implementation. Your USP thus becomes: "Seasoned project manager who excels at identifying and solving problems and has saved my employer more than £300,000 while completing in excess of £1 million worth of projects during the past 3 years." Now the employer can see that they will get return on their investment if they hire you.
Once you have a general idea of your career path, take some time to figure out what skills you have and what skills you need. Remember, you’re not completely starting from scratch—you already have some skills to start. These skills are called transferable skills, and they can be applied to almost any field. Some examples include:On slide…Don’t limit yourself to experiences only at work. When you are thinking about your skills, consider all types of activities including volunteering, hobbies and life experiences.It can be a tremendous confidence booster to realize all of the skills you’ve developed.Brainstorm with trusted friends, colleagues or mentors. They might remind you of transferable skills you might have forgotten, and help you think of how you might want to articulate these skills in the future.You can also use free online career tests, skills tests – just search!
Ask the class about ways that they network, what kind of activities do they take part in?Classmates, clubs, associations, meetings, events etc.
A sample JD with “transferable skills” – give some examples of how to include those points in your CV and motivational letterNext slide – one last tip…
• Spelling and grammar Even in roles where writing is not necessarily a key skill, poor writing shows a lack of care which no Manager will want in their team. Never trust a computer’s spell checker and always get someone else to read through your CV to spot any errors that you may have overlooked. Grammar can be tweaked by reading a piece out loud – if it doesn’t sound correct, then it probably won’t read very well. • Writing lots, but saying nothing Why use 20 words when 5 would do? Employers aren’t looking for you to explain everything you’ve ever done, just a few of the key elements that will persuade them you can do the job. Grab their attention with bullet points rather than long sprawling sentences. • No tailoring Whenever you try to develop a one-size-fits-all CV to apply for lots of vacancies, you almost always end up with something employers will ignore. Each employer is looking for a CV and cover letter that applies to their role and as all roles are different, you should make small adaptations so that it matches their specific requirements. Show that you understand what it is they want you to do. • Highlighting duties Instead of achievements Rather than copying the responsibilities from your old job descriptions, try and find ways to show what you actually achieved whilst you were there. Not all roles have KPIs that are quantifiable, but no company would have employed you to just sit there – you must have had some impact in the business. Think of time-saving activities, new procedures, successful campaigns and increased sales, giving percentage increases wherever possible. • Breaking the two-page rule 2 pages of A4 is more than enough room to persuade your potential employer that you’re worth contacting for an interview. They’re busy people and don’t have time to read five or six pages of your career history. Use lots of white space to make it easy to read, make all your sections stand out clearly and only include information that will get you the job. Less is often more. • Leaving out information Whether it’s by choice or just forgetfulness, some people leave previous jobs off their CV meaning a gap in employment. It’s better to not let your employer guess what you were up to as they will always think the worst. Even if you weren’t working, there may have been transferable skills you picked up that will help your chances. • Using clichés “Good communicator”, “Works well in a team”, “Committed” – without any hard evidence of these you might as well write “Blah, blah, blah”. If you’ve worded the achievements in the rest of your CV well, the fact that you have these skills will already be evident. If you feel you must use these phrases, at least try to link it to something you’ve done such as “Used my communication skills to build and retain a substantial client base.” • Being vague Using fluffy lines like "Seeking a challenging position that offers professional growth." doesn’t really give your reader anything to go on. Give them something specific that focuses on their company’s needs as well as your own. "I’m looking for a challenging entry-level Marketing position that allows me to contribute my skills and experience to fundraising for a Charity." • Poor design Unless you’re going for a design role, layout should always be second stage to the content of your CV. If your CV is wall-to-wall text featuring five different fonts styles and sizes you’ll give the reader a headache. Black and white text on a clean design is all you need, so don’t overdo it. Show your CV to several other people before sending it out to check they don’t turn their heads in disgust. • Incorrect personal details Not getting any calls despite your perfect CV? There may be a very simple reason for that – you’ve written down the wrong phone number! This is less of a problem now email is the common form of communication, but check your .com isn’t a .co.uk and your address isn’t the flat you used to live in. On the subject of emails, if you have a ‘jokey’ address such as ‘eatingpies@myhouse.co.uk’, be sure to use a more professional one on your CV.
1- You may look good on paper (i.e. your resume), but will people get on with you and want you in the same office/store/department? This is where your appearance, way of speaking or your attitude to the work may let you down.
