Career Coach CV/Resume Writer by Rob Ridout

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...

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...

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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...

The Recruiter – your hired gun by Rob Ridout Article on dealing with recruiters - Rob Ridout Most people seem to think that the recruiter’s role is one that is owed to society, somebody who has been selected to represent every available candidate. This is a misconception. A recruiter is a business person who needs to pay the bills just like you. They have targets, bosses and goals to meet. And as such often suffer under immense pressure. Never forget this as it will ensure you less sleepless nights if you experience poor service delivery from your recruiter. Utilising the recruiter is of vital importance when achieving your goals as set out in your career engagement plan. Many people underestimate the importance of the recruiter and the importance of managing the recruiter in the right way. The recruiter is there to earn money, you are their ticket to that paycheque, so working with the recruiter ensures benefits for both. An experienced recruiter will make cer...

                                                                     What affect Artificial Intelligence on your job? The question on everyone's lips in 2018. With big players such as Apple moving aggressively into the AI space there is no doubt that AI will change the job landscape dramatically. This is an excellent article on jobs that are at risk of automation. Job Risk Article - Oxford Rob assists his clients as a career coach and CV/Resume writer. His business CVforLife is based in Johannesburg and offers career coaching services, career counseling as well as CV/resume/LinkedIn writing services. #CareerCoach#CVwriter#ExecutiveCVwriter#Resumewriter#LinkedInwriter#Employability Visit my website for all our CV/resume writing and LinkedIn writing. CVforLife website

As LinkedIn continues to grow its database of user information workforce trends start to emerge that could add massive value to way stakeholders in the employment sector conceptualise products and services. I found this article to be very insightful and the trends that Jeff speaks highlights will surely start to shape what LinkedIn will look like in the future. An excellent read.  At the eighth-annual  Talent Connect  in Nashville, LinkedIn CEO  Jeff Weiner  shared his view on the most important trends impacting the global workforce. “There are really three themes that are worth calling out,” Weiner said. “AI and automation, the skills gap, and the rise of independent work.” Those three trends will transform the way employers hire, develop and retain talent. And it’s important for all professionals and companies to prepare for these trends to maximize the potential of the global workforce, Weiner said. https://learning.linkedin.com/blog/future-sk...

Rob Ridout Career Coach CV Writer 2017 - The world changed. For talent around the world, the dream had come true...choice! In the dark ages, we found our jobs in print newspapers. Recruiters and companies advertised their roles in alphabetical order on uncoated paper. We waited patiently every week for these large publications to release their staffing inserts. The ultimate problem!  A single communicator (the recruiter) speaking to an audience who had no opportunity to speak back let alone ask questions. Just press the send button on the fax and hope for the best. That's right - the good old fax. (Another soon to be outlawed technology dinosaur)  This was the world where the headhunter reigned supreme, with the ability to find and sell their opportunities in a space where top talent indeed was “hard to find.” The golf course became the place to be seen - the ultimate hunting ground, the extended boardroom. Even the newspapers such as the Sunday times had ...