Career Coach CV/Resume Writer by Rob Ridout

Article on best countries to work in.  Great article on the best countries to work in. I am especially finding a lot more of my clients enquiring about Canada. Email me if you need your CV prepared for an overseas role. robert@cvforlife.co.za https://www.thebalancecareers.com/best-countries-to-work-in-4134402

Will you be interviewed by a robot in 2018 Fixing the interview process and diversifying their workforce are top of mind at companies looking to add staff this year, according to LinkedIn’s Global Recruiting Trends. And some of them are turning to robots and chatbots to help. LinkedIn’s new report  surveyed 8,800+ recruiters and hiring managers on how these trends would impact hiring in 2018. Those polled indicated that  AI is gaining steam because it’s a timesaver (67%), removes human bias (43%), and delivers the best candidate matches (31%) . More than half of survey respondents also found AI to be most effective for sourcing candidates (58%), screening (56%), and nurturing candidates (55%). Case studies outlined in the report show how companies like U.K.-based Vodaphone are tapping that power for interviewing over 50,000 candidates for its call center and customer service roles, which start with video interviews. Once candidates record themselve...

Resume VS Detail CV - the ultimate showdown!  by Rob Ridout www.yourcvforlife.com So what is the difference, you ask. Actually, it's simple. The resume is a one or two pager and the detailed CV is the old school four to six pager. Yes, six pages. So that was an easy answer but when to use what document is a slightly more complicated issue. But of course not impossible to understand.  Here are some of my guidelines.  When applying for any role read the advertisement carefully. Most recruiters and especially HR managers will request either a Resume or Detail CV.  As with most advertised roles, there is usually an overwhelming response from applicants; the HR manager will ask for a resume rather than a Detail CV as to ensure that they spend less time screening and more time shortlisting. Remembering again that most HR practitioners loath recruitment and try around spending to much time on this very mundane task.  “Loading” your resume ...

It is always amazing to me that when I call my candidates after their interviews, I am greeted with some form of puzzled feedback. Even after preparing my candidates before their interview one never quite knows what will be said at an actual meeting. Due to the short interview time frame, the interviewer will only need one or two reasons to discount a candidate. Often these interview killers are simple and easily solvable issues that could have been avoided altogether.  Many times interviews killers are essential questions that just need to be asked at another time in the interview or phrased differently. There is also a list of questions that you just never need to ask. To read another great article on interview tips visit this link on my blog.  https://yourcvforlife.blogspot.com/2017/12/interview-tips-your-story-by-rob-ridout.html These are just a few questions that kill an interview immediately;  (You will know that your interview is dead in the wat...

Recruiters perspective on the interview Great Article http://firstround.com/review/the-best-interview-questions-weve-ever-published/

                                             Skype - getting it right! by Rob Ridout Skype can be a nightmare for many people, looking at the screen not knowing what your interviewer is thinking is just too much for many people. Here are some practical tips on how  to rule in your Skype interview.   Create Your Set.  You want to make sure you angle your computer correctly and sit with a proper basic background behind you. Try to avoid interviews in your bedroom or with big art behind the walls. Pick a quiet place to interview without an elaborate backdrop so that you can be the focal point on the screen. Test your technology Do a technical check before your online interview begins to make sure that your internet connection is stable enough to avoid dropouts and poor sound and picture quality. Consider setting up a dedicated external lape...

Read a great article on stupid interview questions... https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2014/03/13/10-stupid-interview-questions-and-how-to-answer-them/#43775a2e29dc

Read my latest article in the FINWEEK! https://www.fin24.com/Finweek/Featured/attitude-is-key-to-making-the-right-career-move-20180214

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...

Career Coaching CV writing Resume writing LinkedIn writing www.yourcvforlife.com

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...