Career Coach CV/Resume Writer by Rob Ridout

         Should you include photos in your CV? Great article on this topic.                 https://novoresume.com/career-blog/including-photo-on-resume     LOOKING FOR A HIGH IMPACT CV AND LINKEDIN PROFILE WITH PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS ★   CVforLife specialises in writing and designing bespoke CV designs. We are the only CV writing business in South Africa that includes a professional photo with all our packages. We use this photo in both your CV and LinkedIn profiles.   ★Contact us today for a free assessment and quote.   Carike ✉ carike@cvforlife.co.za ☏ +27 10 0355013   ✔ We are offering special packages for retrenched individuals   We also offer ✔ Career coaching ✔ Interview coaching ✔ International CV https://www.yourcvforlife.com/      

https://www.forbes.com/sites/josephliu/2018/04/30/personal-brand-work/#6293d50e7232

Over the course of my 24 years as a headhunter, I’ve interviewed hundreds of candidates and also forwarded many candidates for many interviews with a diverse client base. I do believe that in South Africa we suffer from what I call the victim mentality”. From very early on in our careers we are told that there are massive amounts of unemployed people walking the streets. The fear of the dreaded interview or unemployment failure is embedded into us almost immediately without us even starting work. This constant flow of negative publicity is brought to us through all sorts of formats especially in the media and recruiters. Once we are in a position to start looking for work and starting to apply and then start with interviews there is an element of fear already in our minds especially when it comes to the actual face to face interview. I often meet and interview candidates who tell me at the beginning of the interview that hey do you not think they will find a job and even wors...

One of the vital aspects of any move is your ability to successfully interpret the job specification and for many, this elusive document carries with it information that provides no insight into the vacant role. However, there is a part of the job specification that is always left out and is actually vitally important - who was the incumbent in the role and why did they leave.  (that's if the role is not a new)  I all cases the name of the person is never provided and the reason for that person leaving is also very seldom provided. But why is this an important bit of information that is left out of the process especially for the job seeker? Here are some ways to unearth this key piece of information.  Interview research  When moving into the interview process knowing the background of the incumbent who left the position can provide an absolutely vital piece of the puzzle. This small bit of info can give you a head start in the interview p...

Global recession, increasing unemployment, bailout packages, a sign of the times or an opportunity to establish a new career direction.  Tough times often create an opportunity to move into new industry sectors and a completely new career direction. Often or not it’s the job interview that stands in your way to get that perfect job. Most people who put themselves on the market, however, do very little preparation when going for job interviews and in South Africa, the interview is what actually counts. So how do you turn this hurdle into an opportunity? Simple – preparation and keeping a cool head.  Here are some of my tips for getting through that dreaded job interview. Review your CV thoroughly. Make sure that you know exactly what company you worked for, when and what you did at that company. Try also predicting what potential questions can be raised from your CV, especially about your move motivators and any potential negative attributes your CV may carry. Always be r...

Managing your interview time - emphasis on managing! by Rob Ridout Interviews article by Rob Ridout CV writer I get it! You don’t like interviews. Going to an interview can be almost like going on a blind date. Not quite sure what to expect and always in need of a plan B just in case the wheels come off - which it usually does. But most of us will go through our interviews with what we think is a perfect plan. However, once we are face to face with the interviewer, the gremlins start to emerge.  So lets highlight in my mind one of the most critical aspects of your interview - managing your time. When your recruiter or  HR manager arrange your interview, you will be allocated a time frame. This interview time is generally between 40 - 60 minutes depending on the level of the role. You may also get information about your interviewer as well as a specification. Although these other aspects are important, I want to focus just on managing your time.  Ef...

Attitude! The key to the right career move.  by Rob Ridout Rob Ridout - CVforLife career coaching CV writer The job market remains a massive black hole for most individuals. So before you are even in the job market, you are tied down with this dark cloud of pessimism, lined with the possibility of a long drawn out process of bleeding through the eyes. Really?  You are going to be moving jobs a few more times in your career lifespan so get your attitude right before it gets the better of you. So there are some basics that I try to teach all my clients when they enter the market.  These principles are critical to your entire employment process. However, some are more efficiently used at the initial part of entering the job market and then other principles focus on the actual engagement process such as interviews all that nasty stuff.  Become the opportunist  Go and read one of my previous articles on this critical subject.  http...