Career Coach CV/Resume Writer by Rob Ridout

Great article on top skills  This list is great and as an experienced headhunter, I feel these skills are very important for anybody who is serious about considering growing their skill base especially when considering a move into a more senior role.  https://www.careers24.com/career-advice/career-growth/21-skills-you-need-to-earn-big-bucks-20160913? utm_source=Careers24&utm_medium=Content For a free assessment on your CV - robert@cvforlife.co.za or visit my website www.yourcvforlife.com Rob assists his clients as a career coach and CV/Resume writer. His business CVforLife based in Johannesburg offers  career coaching services and career counselling as well as CV and resume writing services .  #CareerCoach#CVwriter#ExecutiveCVwriter#Resumewriter#LinkedInwriter#Employability

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...

The best cover letter I ever received and I read a lot of cover letters, was from a PA who wrote a brief article on herself in the format of a newspaper article. You just had to read it and had to meet this person. I’m not a big fan of the cover letter but a good cover letter such as this one can be a real eye-catcher. Cover letters are always going to be problematic, too many people try using the cover letter to say what they should actually say in the interview. And it seldom works.  Let’s first look at the purpose of the cover letter. This brief and I emphasis brief form of introduction should cover who you are and why you are seeking employment. The entire role of the cover letter is to invite the reader to explore your CV further. Almost like a good marketing bi-line attached to a brand that gently encourages the tired eyes of the HR manager to want to explore further. The challenge that you have when designing your cover letter is most certainly the huge amount of CV’s...

I am constantly asked questions about the interview and its many variations and complexities. This all too common topic has become a major fear factor for most candidates moving through the recruitment process. Actually, the interview is simply one party trying to understand if the other party can do the job or has the potential to do the job and most importantly is not enhancing the truth in any way.  An oversimplification I know.  In the defense of the interviewer, this screening process is a critical part of ensuring that the incorrect candidate is not hired. The candidate, however, moves into the interview process blissfully unaware of the interrogation that is about to follow and many times not well informed of the key issues around the company corporate culture and hidden key details that have not been included in the specification such as why the previous candidate left.  When I coach my clients I place massive emphasis on telling a story when you intervi...

Avoiding the Recruiter   by Rob Ridout You finally come across a role that looks like the exact fit. You scroll down to the bottom of the page and there it is the recruiter’s email address. Your heart sinks. Most candidates at this point either don’t apply or apply and give up on ever getting a response. There is, however, another option to giving up on the recruiter. I have never met a candidate who thought about getting around the recruiter and going straight to the hiring company.  For an article on becoming a more proactive job seeker follow this link.  https://www.yourcvforlife.com/blogger/post/6563766512731420083 So lets set the scene. Companies do not want to pay recruitment fees! No debate, it’s a grudge purchase. It would be astonishing to me that any line manager or HR manager decline a candidate on the basis that they avoided the recruiter. Now, this is important, the closer you get to the actual hiring manager with your CV the bet...

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...