Living and working in Ireland

Overview

Job hunting advice from the experts

Hays places thousands of people in new jobs every year, so we have the expertise to advise you in all areas of your job search, whether it’s writing a CV, a cover letter or providing interview tips.

CV advice from the experts

Your CV or resume is potentially the first (and only) introduction an employer has to you as a prospective employee, so it’s absolutely essential you make it as valuable as possible. Keep your CV simple, concise and easy to read.

Having a good CV is essential for full-time jobs, part-time, internal, external, promotions, internships and work experience placements - wherever an employer or decision-maker is short-listing or interviewing or selecting applicants.

The basics of writing a CV

You must give careful attention to all elements of the document: its overall presentation and layout, grammar, spelling, and most importantly, content.  Because even if the content is very good, many employers won't even read it if any of the other elements are imperfect. We’ve heard of many examples where employers discard CVs as soon as they come across a spelling or grammar mistake. There are too many other good candidates out there to be careless.

To help you in this challenging market, we've distilled our experience from viewing thousands of CVs every day into these guidelines.

Presentation and layout

Your CV must look clean and well laid out, with an abundance of white space to enhance readability.  It should ideally be two pages long unless your industry has its own standards; for instance, if you are expected to include your publications or details of many projects.

Use a simple font like Arial, 10-12pt, and keep formatting like italics and underlining to a minimum. Bullets are extremely useful in CVs as they allow you to highlight key points succintly and keep the document looking tidy. Start each one with an action verb if you can ('created', 'managed', 'increased', 'improved' etc), rather than 'I'.

Spelling and punctuation must be perfect, so after you proofread and spell-check it, give it to a friend to check it over for readability and any errors you may have missed. Welcome constructive criticism.

Most companies prefer resumes submitted electronically, so create your resume in a common program such as MS Word so it can be open and read by recipients easily. If you are sending your CV to Hays avoid using a pdf.

Basic CV structure

Name, address and contact details

Make sure to use the phone number and email address that you use most often. You don’t want to disappoint an employer by failing to respond to their invitation to an interview in a timely fashion. However, make sure the e-mail address you use appears professional. hotstuff@hotmail.com is not appropriate.

Your nationality and working visa details

This is only relevant if you are on a working visa, so employers know in advance how long you will be living in the UK.
Personal summary

This is optional, but it’s a good opportunity to highlight in a sentence or two what you hope to achieve in your next position and what you feel you can offer to an employer. In marketing terms, this is the place for your ‘USP’, or unique sales proposition.

Skills summary

The reader of your CV may not have more than a few seconds to spend scanning applications, so including a skills section can capture their attention by making it immediately clear what you can offer. Highlight a brief bulleted list of the skills and experience that you possess that are relevant to the role, such as software packages you have worked on. Wherever possible, use the same adjectives as those used in the advertisement.

For instance, if the ad specifies someone who has ‘effective administrative abilities and excellent interpersonal skills’,  these should be addressed under your skills section in the same order, although not verbatim, as this will be too obvious.

Relevant experience

List your work experience in chronological order, beginning with the most recent. Include employer names, positions held and primary responsibilities. Also, where appropriate, include an indication of salary level achieved and reasons for leaving each position.

Do not leave gaps in your CV. If you took a year out, carried out an interim assignment, or travelled for six months, say so. If you do include gaps, potential employers can suspect the worst. Stating the years, rather than the months you started or finished a role can also send off alarm bells. Writing "2008 - 2009" could be interpreted as employment from December 2008 to January 2009 unless you say otherwise.

If you are a graduate, you may not have a great deal of work experience, although many graduates undertake day release or a year out in the industry. In this case, highlight the relevant skills that you gained in your course or on work experience. Again, list each position in reverse order, so that the most recent appears first.

Education and training

Use your common sense here. If you have an advanced degree, most people aren’t going to be concerned about your GCSEs. Make sure to also include any training courses that you have done that are relevant to the job that you are applying for.

Unless otherwise stated, you do not need to attach copies of certificates relating to educational and/or professional qualifications (including recent academic transcripts) or references from previous employers. You should instead bring these to a job interview.

Interests

These are optional, but should you choose to include a section on hobbies and interests, keep it very brief. Avoid saying anything that could be contentious (e.g. political or religious affiliations), and wherever possible, use the space to show how you can fit in with the company's organisational culture. For instance, if they have a company football team, it might be useful to indicate that you enjoy playing football.

References

Actual references are rarely included on CVs. It is usually fine to simply say 'References are available on request'.

 

Make your CV stand out from the crowd

We know what employers look for when they scan CVs and have assembled a few points to help yours find its way to the 'interview' pile.

The purpose of your CV is not to get you a job, but to be enticing enough for an employer to take you through to next step in the selection process. Here are a few tips to make your CV stand out:

A personal statement directly beneath your contact details gives employers a snapshot of your key skills and work ambitions and should catch their attention if it marries up with what they are looking for.

When writing your skills section, try to use adjectives that are similar to those used in the job advertisement. If they require someone with ‘effective leadership and administrative abilities that possesses excellent interpersonal skills’, state that you have these. Don't copy the text verbatim, however, as this will be apparent, and obviously be truthful at all times on your CV.

Remember that employers are interested in the outcome or impact of your actions, not just a list of the tasks themselves.

When listing achievements, keep in mind that what really convinces employers is data. If you can illustrate your achievements with facts and figures, then make sure to do. Consider the differing impacts of the following two statements:
-  Consistently exceeded sales targets in last year
-  Exceeded sales targets in last four quarters by x%, x%, x and x%, resulting in overall annual increase in turnover of £x

* Even if you struggle to recall or quantify your work achievements, it's worth spending some time thinking about it as it's important. Did you have a positive effect on productivity, efficiency, the speed of a process or response, customer complaints, waste, accidents, reporting, absences or any other aspect of an organisation’s functioning? Then include it.

* Above all, remember that you are trying to sell yourself. Using phrases like ‘was involved in’ and ‘assisted’ implies that you were more of a bystander than an instigator. Use strong action verbs and take credit where credit is due. It should always be ‘I’ not ‘we’.

Try to get help from someone creative and enthusiastic to assist you in interpreting and writing very positive phrases and descriptions about you for your CV.

Remember that you must also tailor your CV as employers will expect and appreciate this. Take the time to get it just right and your CV is bound to stand out from the crowd.

Customise your CV

The market for all jobs is currently so competitive you want to give your self an edge wherever you can. Customising your CV is essential

At Hays we can tell when a CV is standard and hasn’t been customised, as it will include information that is redundant for the job in question. It can be very difficult at times to say all that you would like to say in your CV, so wasting space will harm your application.

Sending out a standard CV can imply two things; one, that you are applying for many jobs, ‘spraying and praying’ which implies desperation; and two, that you aren’t interested in the job enough to want to take time to highlight the skills and experience that fit that job.

This is more common in the early part of your career as you might not have settled on your career path and will have varied experience or very little work experience at all, meaning customisation is even more important. Equally if you are changing careers, you need to look at your experience to date and highlight what key attributes will appeal to your prospective employer.

Match the job description

Read the job description properly and really understand it.; Think about what the words mean in terms of day-to-day activity and how you can make your CV show that you can handle these tasks and responsibilities.

Sometimes the ad may not paint a full picture of what’s involved in the job. Search online for profiles or adverts of jobs similar to the one for which you are applying to help you understand of what's required in the position. Then demonstrate this where you can in your CV.

When writing your skills section, use adjectives similar to those used in the job advertisement. If they require someone with ‘good strategic appreciation and vision; able to build and implement sophisticated plans’, you should state that you have these in roughly the same order – although do not use the exact same words as this is too obvious.

If the opportunity easily presents itself, it may help to pepper your CV with some technical terminology – but not too much – so that the employer knows that you understand the industry. However don't compromise the overall need for plain language in your CV. Never use a long word where a short one will do.

Make sure to research the organisation itself to find out about its reputation and company culture. Are they a 'work hard and play hard' company? Then include any information about yourself that shows you will fit in with them. For example you may find out they have a football team so include football in your interests or you may find the company does a lot of work for nominated charities, highlight the charitable work you have done in the past.

Writing a cover letter

Cover letters are not as common in today’s market as they used to be. The popularity of job boards nowadays have made the cover letter seem less important. However, there is a facility on most job boards to allow you to do the equivalent of a cover letter and you must not underestimate the value of this.

Your cover letter is the first thing a recruiter will see, so it is essential that you introduce your CV in the best way possible. It is a chance to capture the attention of the reader and demonstrate the qualities that set you apart from other applicants.

They are basically an advert for your CV and as such need to grab the reader's attention and make them want to read on. This is usually done by highlighting your "Unique Selling Points" - ie. the qualities that set you apart. It should be written so that the reader cannot possibly pass it over without opening the CV itself.

Your covering letter should complement your resume by highlighting the most relevant aspects relating to the position. Make a draft, then when you are satisfied that it reads well and will get the reader interested, get a second opinion by asking a friend to review it. If you are not sure of the qualities or competencies required, try to work out what they are likely to be or consider a similar position you have seen in operation elsewhere.

The key to making an impact when you are typing your letter is to customise it as much as possible to the job for which you are applying.

The four stages of writing

1. First paragraph

Explain why you are writing; make sure it entices them to read on. If you're replying to an advert, say where and when you saw the advert and if there is a reference number, quote it.

2. Second paragraph

Briefly explain your job and, if applicable, qualifications (professional and/or academic). Don't give too much away or they may not want to go on and read your CV. Perhaps you could list a key achievement here. “I most recently worked at Company C, where I increased my sales by 30% year on year.” Take care that you don’t just repeat your CV.

3. Third paragraph

Now you should directly specify how your background makes you the ideal candidate for the role and why you want it. Say why they should employ you and why you would be a good employee. Pick out specific traits or skills mentioned in the job advert and explain how you’ve demonstrated these

4. Fourth paragraph

Lay down an action plan; say you would like the opportunity to meet them for an interview and you'll await their response, or that you will call in a few days to see if this is appropriate. You don't have to leave the ball in their court and if you do say you are going to call, then make sure you do.

Other points to keep in mind

• Make sure your letter is addressed to the right person at the right address, and that you spell everything correctly. Never use ‘sir’ or ‘madam’.
• Put all your contact details on the cover letter, including address, phone numbers, email address. If the prospective employer can't get hold of you, you won't get your interview.
• If you are posting your CV write or print your cover letter on good quality paper that matches the paper of your CV. Coloured paper should be avoided – for best results, stick to good quality, white or cream paper.
• Use bullet points where possible - it will be easier and quicker for the reader to scan. You should still include a proper introduction and ending to your letter, though - bullets should be framed by proper paragraphs.
• Make your letter bespoke, customised to the job. Pick out specific traits or skills mentioned in the job advert and demonstrate why you think you are suitable.
• Always always check for spelling mistakes, typos, strange grammar and bad punctuation, one mistake could mean your application is rejected before you’ve even got started.
• Ensure that your letter is short, succinct and to the point; there is no reason to duplicate the details shown in your CV.
• Don’t use long words simply to impress – if you are using words you wouldn't usually use, then don't bother, if you canuse a simpler word, then do it. Similarly, don't get someone else to write the letter for you.

Handling an interview

You might be the most qualified person for a job. You might have sailed through the selection process based on your excellent CV. However, personality and personal presentation can make or break the strongest candidates on paper.
Interviews are a necessary evil; they are a bit like exams. Some people enjoy the challenge but most dread them.  For shy, introverted types it can feel like an uphill struggle.
Subsequently, preparation is absolutely vital, the more you prepare, the more confident you will feel and the more you will succeed. It would be criminal after doing putting so much work in to get to this stage and fail for lack of preparation.

The most important thing to remember is that while it is a test, the interviewer does not want you to fail. Quite the opposite, they are investing a lot of time and effort in this process so they would love you to succeed. Try and think of it like any other business meeting and just be yourself, and then you’re halfway to being hired.

Before the interview

Get to know the company

One would assume you’ve done some research on the company already, otherwise, why would you be applying for the job? A lot of interviewers, though not all, will ask what you know about the company. It’s their way of examining how much interest you have in working for their company. This is one area where the internet has become a Godsend. Most large companies will have a detailed section on their website about the company, comprising of various subjects – history, profile, size, locations, structure, culture and share price, (if they are a limited company). You won’t need to be able to recite it all, just show an understanding. However, what will really impress is if you can talk about company information you have found away from their website, like press clippings, marketing or charitable work for example.

Get to know your CV

This may sound obvious but you’ll be surprised how many people in an interview can’t remember how long they spent in a particular company or the details of their career history. This is the document that got you this far and it’s what the interviewer wants to know more about.  If you have the ability to remember everything on your CV, fantastic, otherwise, take a highlighter to the key achievements, points that are relevant to this particular job and important dates and figures.

Anticipate questions

Interviews can take varying styles; some can seem like informal chats, while others are more structured. You need to be prepared for both. By preparing answers for questions beforehand, you’ll be on the front foot and it will give you an opportunity to examine your CV
the way that the interviewer will. Typical question areas would be as follows.

General Background
Often the first question is a request for a summary of your background. People applying for their first job should focus on extracurricular activities, education, and qualifications. It is quite acceptable to repeat major points you have outlined in your resume or letter of application.

Qualifications
A specific question often asked is "Why do you think you are qualified for this position?" Qualifications, in this context, mean all qualifications which could make you suitable for the position including educational, employment-related and personal. In most cases, this may be the question that will win or lose you the job, so your answer needs to be clear and memorable.

Experience
Here is where your research pays off. Your answer should include details about relevant employment, community or educational experience and a discussion of the nature of the industry, the organisation and the position itself.

Reasons for applying
If you are applying for your first, or one of your first jobs, your answer should describe what you find appealing about the position, how you prepared yourself for a career in the organisation and how you believe your present job equips you for the position in question.

Career Objectives
Be ready to discuss your long-term aspirations. Your best approach is one that indicates you have thought about your career in these terms and have taken some action towards realising your ambitions.

Crisis Management
In some organisations, employers give candidates questions designed to test their ability in situations or crises. You should try to find out the most common type of dilemma for employees in the job you are seeking and formulate an intelligent response.

Competency-based interviews

Competency based interviewing (CBI) is based on the premise that past performance is the best way to predict future performance, so employers use the interview to gather evidence that a candidate has the ability, skills and motivation to match the ‘competencies’ outlined in the job and person specifications. Employers will establish a competency framework that divides the job into key criteria and generate a hierarchy of prioritisation to separate the ‘essential’ from the ‘desirable’. As the use of CBI is on the rise as it is now widely recognised as providing the best indication of a candidate’s suitability for a role, it's worthwhile to understand how these interviews work.

In contrast to traditional interviews, which focus primarily on the information contained in the CV (e.g. work history and education), CBI goes much deeper into the dynamics of specific attributes needed to succeed. You will accumulate points based on a scoring system against each competency, which are tallied up at the end of the interview and often further evaluated at second interview / assessment centre stage. Instead of simply describing your responsibilities and experience, you will be expected to give concrete examples of what you have done that illustrate each of the competencies they ask about. Because of this, it's imperative to do ample prior preparation.

Competencies vary from role to role but certain key areas such as teamwork, leadership, planning, organisation, communication, commercial awareness and problem-solving often come up. They might get their 'evidence' of your competencies by asking you, for example, to:

•Tell me about a project you generated on your own
•Give an example of when you improved the efficiency of your team
•Describe a situation when you had to convince colleagues of a particular course of action

So prepare the most effective responses to questions around these areas.

Questions to ask the interviewer(s)

• You must have questions prepared for this, otherwise it can imply a lack of interest in the job. Here are some suggestions:
• What would my core responsibilities be?
• What training or induction is given?
• How much interaction would I have with other departments, or with clients and suppliers?
• What scope is there for taking on extra work, or being involved in any other aspects of the company?
• What plans do you have for expansion - how would these impact on my role?
• Where are the opportunities to progress within the company?
• Why is the position available?

Practise out loud

Answer your questions out loud or ask someone to pretend to be your interviewer, you’ll be surprised how different something sounds when you say it out loud as opposed to in your head and this will allow you to adjust your answer.

Preparations away from the CV

Now you’ve got your game plan sorted all you need to do is arrive at least 10 minutes early for your interview. Have you thought about how you are going to do that?

How far away is the interview? Will you be taking the car or public transport? What time of day is the interview, will traffic be lighter or heavier? If you can, I would recommend doing the journey to the company beforehand, unless you know the journey intimately already. Doing this will ease your anxiety on the day.

Decide what you are going to wear well in advance of the interview, then make sure the items of clothing are washed/dry cleaned and ironed before the day. Wear your smartest outfit, as long as it is comfortable. If you think any of your clothing looks shabby buy a replacement it could be huge investment.

You may need to bring documentation for proof of qualifications or you might want to bring examples of your success to date. Try and gather this information days in advance in case you can’t find it and need replacements.

On the day

Bring your documentation, a copy of your CV, directions and the address of the company and your interviewer’s name (in case you forget it).

As mentioned above, arrive at reception ten minutes before the interview. If you misjudged the traffic and arrive 30 minutes early, take a walk in the locality. 30 minutes is too early to arrive and can distract the interviewer.

Greet everyone you see on the company property with a smile and be courteous, you could be meeting your future colleague or superior!

If you feel nervous while you wait to meet your interviewer, breathe in through your nose so that your stomach expands, hold for at least 5 seconds and then breathe out. That will relax you.

When the interviewer approaches you, greet them with a firm handshake, look them in the eye and smile. There’s a good chance you will engage in small talk on the way to the interview room. This can lead to a temptation to be funny. It’s best not to attempt this as you do not know what their reaction will be. Safe small talk about the weather, the journey or the office will suffice.

So all your hard work and preparation has led to this - your moment of truth. Be confident, be friendly but most importantly, be yourself. Sometimes it can be easy to miss the questions being asked by the interviewer due to nerves, so try and concentrate on the question, then feel free to take a few moments to prepare what you are going to say. Look the interviewer in the eye when you answer. Always say ‘me’ instead of ‘we’, the interviewer is only interested in what you achieved. And talking of achievements give quantifiable answers – ‘I beat my sales target by 20%’ or ‘I grew my team from three to eight people’. Figures substantiate answers.

Body language and other forms of non-verbal communication are important elements in the way an interviewee performs. Appearing relaxed and trying to act naturally is easier said than done but good appearance is mostly a matter of assuming a position that you are comfortable with. Sit up straight instead of slouching, lean forward slightly and always maintain good eye contact with the interviewer or panel. But most of all show enthusisasm.

When the interview is complete, it is reasonable to ask what the next step in the process is, if you are not told. Then it’s just a case of waiting to see if you are through to the next stage or ideally offered the job.