Halloween is the second most celebrated holiday after Christmas in the UK and here at JR Personnel we are definitely not going to miss out, that’s why we’ve decided to take a look at some of those CV horror stories that make recruiters and future employers tremble in their boots! Read below to find out if your CV is a Trick or a Treat!
Recruiters and employers will, on average, spend 5-7 seconds looking at a CV – scary thought hey? So how can you make sure your CV stands out from the crowd and make those first impressions count?
- A personal statement – always try to include a brief introduction to yourself at the top of your CV but make sure to avoid generic terms like “hard-working”, “organised”, “good time keeper” and draw more on specific skills you may have picked up from previous jobs, education or life experiences, include your ambitions and detail the types of roles you’re applying for and why it interests you. Keep it short and sweet!
- Make sure your CV is relevant to the position you’re applying for! This may mean having variations of your CV for different sectors or industries but definitely worth it, employers will be looking to match aspects of your CV to the job you’ve applied for so if a key element of a job is providing excellent customer service, make sure it’s on your CV!
- Layout and Order! Make sure your CV flows well and ideally that it’s no longer than two A4 pages, use bullet points when describing job roles and duties rather than long paragraphs and list your employment history in order with your most recent position at the top!
- Bad Grammar is truly terrifying – double check, triple check, quadruple check your spelling and grammar, get somebody else to check it for you, those zig-zag red or blue lines on Microsoft Word mean that something is incorrect!
Hopefully these top tips will make your CV a Halloween treat to read but if you want any further guidance feel free to get in touch with one of our recruiters here at JR Personnel on 01509 211211 or email [email protected]
Happy Halloween!
Half way through October already and what a month it has been so far!
We started the month with our shores being battered by wind and rain as we felt the effects of Hurricane Lorenzo – letting us know that autumn has well and truly arrived and we will end the month with Brexit, deal or no deal on the 31st October…or will we?
If you’re looking for some inspiration in these uncertain times a good place to start is with the Rugby being battled out in Japan, each team is united with a common goal, focused upon their aim, with national pride and patriotism urging them on to work together as a team.
It’s a shame we cannot rely on our leaders to provide us with a show of unity and solidarity in the Nation’s time of need but rest assured, here at JR Personnel, we always unite well as a team to ensure our clients and candidates alike get the best possible service, and we are having a successful October to date with permanent and temporary jobs aplenty despite the Brexit uncertainty.
And, with time edging ever closer to the festive season we are already getting enquiries with regards to Christmas and New Year temporary cover, so if you need any additional office staff please contact us on 01509 211 211 or [email protected] and we will be happy to help.
Get to know us: Natasha Ridewood – Director and Permanent Recruiter at JR Personnel
Here at JR Personnel we pride ourselves on our personal approach to recruitment; whether you’re registering with us as a candidate or speaking to us as a client we like to make sure we get to know you and vice versa.
We will be running a series of blogs with interviews from members of the team here at JR Personnel so if you’re already a registered candidate or client or thinking about using our agency for the first time, you can have an insight into who it is working on your behalf.
See below from our esteemed Director and Manager, Permanent Recruiter and office-dog-handler Natasha:
What is your position at JR Personnel?
“Director and Permanent Recruiter”
How long have you worked at JR Personnel?
“Over 13 years! Time has flown!”
What do you enjoy most about your role?
“Changing people’s careers and lives – helping them achieve their goals.
I also love working with the JR team as we have such a cracking bunch of personalities.”
What do you see as a big challenge in recruitment and how do you resolve this issue for candidates/clients?
“With so much competition out there, attracting the right talent is crucial but by being a family agency who take prides in our level of service, we combat this by getting many recommendations and people coming back to us – both candidates and clients alike.”
Professional & educational background?
“Degree in French and a Member of the Institute of Recruitment Professionals.”
Unusual fact or story?
“I volunteer at a Dogs Home so help rehome rescue dogs into new families.”
Greatest Achievement either personal or professional?
“Set a world record by walking across Great Bear Lake in NW Canada – temperatures dipped to – 50 degrees! If anyone has seen Ice Road Truckers the lake is often featured. We were on skis and pulled sledges - we walked 119 miles over the frozen water and could not shower for 10 whole and very long days!!”