When I write a CV or Cover Letter for a client, I generally like to see the job description or the type of job for which they're applying.  This is usually provided in the form of URL links to vacancies posted on online job boards.

More often than not, the job posting gives some details of the skills required and the type of person they are seeking but the location might simply state "London" (big place) and quite often there is often no indication of salary.   So for a fairly senior "sounding" job role, the salary cold be £15k or £45k - or some other figure.  You're basically left in the dark.  This is particularly prevalent when agencies have posted the job vacancies.

So, armed with this appalling lack of information, you are expected to take a leap of faith, click "Apply Now" and upload your CV and personal details into the ethernet, quite often applying for a job that doesn't meet your salary expectations or that has an impossible commute.  Worse, you may never receive an acknowledgement or find out who the employer is, and we often hear that the job vacancy don't even exist!

Why can't there be a "Full Details" button that actually states:

• the size of company - number of employees
• the type of company - industry sector, private, public, international, family business, etc
• a clearer indication of location - eg Camden, Hammersmith as opposed to "London" - so you can properly consider the commuting time and cost
• details of salary range - so you don't waste your time
  

I acknowledge that this doesn't apply to all job postings, but I do come across it far too often.

Does the "Apply Now" button fill you with despair?  Having to divulge so much personal information based on so little knowledge...  it's tough out there...

If you're spending endless days trawling the internet for fresh job vacancies, or if you're hoping to work in a specific role or a specific company, why not set up some Google Alerts?  Then any new vacancies with your chosen key words will be automatically notified via your email inbox.

You will need to set up an individual alert for each word search but it's really simple to do and worth the effort.

First, go to http://www.google.com/alerts   You'll see a window like this.

Enter your search query.  Where there are several words that belong together, eg "Service Desk Manager" or "Technical Support Manager", put quotation marks around the search.  If you don't do this, you'll be alerted for the individual words "service", "desk" and "manager" and, as you can imagine, you'll be totally inundated with alerts.  So group words together using quotation marks.

Then use the + and - sign to fine-tune your search.  If you only want to receive alerts for Service Desk Manager roles in Berkshire, use the search terms  "Service Desk Manager" +Berkshire.

If you don't want to receive results from a specific site, eg Twitter, you can put "Service Desk Manager" +Berkshire -site:Twitter  into the search (although some vacancies are actually posted on Twitter so be careful that you don't exclude too much).

The "Results Type" option allows you to select the type of results you want to see - blogs, news, books, etc.  And you can also select frequency and number of alerts.

You'll need to play around with this a little until you start receiving relevant notifications.  If your search term is too general, you'll receive too many alerts.  So set up quite a few variations and eventually you'll be able to determine what works best for you.

If you find a particular alert is not working well, you can discontinue it immediately and set up a revised alert.

When you do receive high quality alerts, don't waste a second.  Quickly target your CV and cover letter to the job alert and apply as soon as possible.  But make sure that you proofcheck everything.  Don't submit error-riddled applications in haste.

Setting up Google Alerts is very straightforward, so try it now, see how it works and how it can help you to get ahead of the game in your job search.

Please share this article if you think it's been useful.  Thanks and good luck!

When you've finished editing, remember to reinstate your activity broadcasts so that your connections can see your general updates and comments - which you should be making at least several times a week.

Perhaps now would be a good time to let everyone know that you've updated your profile and invite them to check it out.

Happy networking!

There is an abundance of free CV templates (aka Resume Templates) available online and many companies who sell templated CVs.

We never use CV templates because every client is unique and "one size" CV templates aren't suitable. 

Rather like the story of Cinderella, where all the ladies were trying to force their foot into the tiny glass slipper so that the prince would choose them, it simply doesn't work.  It's far better that the slipper is designed to fit the foot!

We firmly believe that it is the CONTENT of a CV that is important.  Whilst a CV template may provide some useful headings, you are still left with the problem of creating the content.

Whereas "Education" may feature highly on one client's CV, it may hardly feature at all on another's. This is because a client may have many years' experience where their education is totally irrelevant to the role or industry they are applying to.

Likewise, "Hobbies and Interests" may be totally irrelevant and omitted from one client's CV but included in another where they bring transferable skills such as leadership.

After content, keywords (to match Applicant Tracking Software Systems) and relevance are important too.  CV templates can't assist with these either, except by suggesting useful headings.

Because our clients all have different experiences, achievements, skills and personalities, we build their CVs from scratch, focussing on their individual strengths. This is much easier to achieve through avoiding the use of CV templates.

Ultimately, our CVs are beautifully formatted and you would be forgiven for thinking that we use CV templates; we do not.  What we do use is a particular "style" and "layout" that works extremely well for our clients, as our client testimonials bear out.

In today's madly competitive job market, it's a great achievement to secure an interview, but sadly you've only just cleared the first hurdle.  Now you have to shine at the interview and perhaps at 2nd and 3rd stage interviews, depending on the role and how thorough the recruitment process is.

If you asked for our 3 top tips for interview success the answer would be very simple...  Prepare, Prepare, Prepare!

Interviews are a two-way process.  Not only is the employer assessing you, but you are assessing them too!  So use the interview to glean as much information as possible.

• Read the company's website and their annual report.
• Read up on their marketplace and competition.
• Read the job description thoroughly.
• Use this information to generate informed conversation and to prepare some interesting questions to ask at interview.
• Stay off the alcohol the night before, and have a good night's sleep.
• Make sure you know EXACTLY where you are going for the interview.  Allow plenty of time.  Don't arrive late, but don't arrive too early either.
• Take a copy of your CV with you and don't be afraid to refer to it if you need to check dates, etc. It's worth taking a spare for the interviewer too.
• Take the job description and any other information with you. Read it en route and make a note of any questions you would like to ask.
• You may be asked to produce ID - passport or driver's licence.
  
• If you've been asked for any other documentation (qualification certificates, etc), remember to take them with you in a clean folder.
  
• Don't be afraid to take notes during the interview.
• Don't be negative about your present or past employers.
  
• If you are a smoker, don't smoke before-hand, however nervous you may feel. All business premises are non-smoking nowadays, and you will carry the smell of cigarettes into the interview with you - not attractive.
• Make sure you are presentable.  That includes hair, teeth, shoes, fingernails.  People notice the smallest things and you don't want to be remembered as the candidate with dirty fingernails.
• Turn off your mobile phone before you enter the business premises, and don't turn it back on again until you are well out of earshot.
• Stand up when you greet the interviewer and give a firm hand shake - not too limp and not too bone-crunching either.
• If you're offered a drink, stick to water.  Avoid coffee and biscuits - less potential for making a mess.
  
• Position yourself comfortably on the chair, not on the edge. Sit up straight and stay focussed.  Make lots of eye contact, but not so much that you freak out the interviewer! 
  
• Make sure you answer the actual questions.  Listen carefully, consider the question and then answer it directly and concisely.  Try not to answer "yes" or "no".  Expand a little, but don't waffle.  If you don't know the answer, don't lie; perhaps admit that you haven't come across that before but you'd be interested in learning more about it.
• Try to establish a rapport with the interviewer but don't be over-familiar; keep it professional.
• Be nice to the receptionist and/or secretary. They play a very important role within the company and could become your greatest ally.

We could give you many more interview tips but at the end of the day, the interview is a sales pitch.  You are selling yourself.  If the interviewer doesn't like what they see and hear, they won't buy.  It's as simple as that.

Interview preparation is key so remember our three top tips...  Prepare, Prepare, Prepare.

Good luck!

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If you've read through our site you'll already know the importance of making an instant impression with your CV.  Recruiters spend very little time reading your CV (if they read it at all).  They need to pick up key points - fast - and that means scanning for keywords.

The Ladders recently undertook an eye tracking survey to see just how much time recruiters spent looking at your CV, and also detecting "hot" areas on the CVs.

After you've read it, you might want to get in touch with us for help with your CV and/or LinkedIn profile.  Our CV writing service includes the incorporation of key words to match the job description and person specification, together with clear formatting to make your CV attractive and easy to read.