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Apply Now: Even if we don't want to say how much we're willing to pay you!

31/7/2014

 

Why don't employers and recruiters state the salary range in all job advertisements?

Job Vacancies,JobAdvertisements,Salaries,Equality,Why can't we have more transparency about salaries in job advertisements, instead of candidates wasting time and effort applying for jobs that aren't even paying within their desired salary range?
One of my pet hates when helping clients in their job search is the distinct lack of transparency regarding salaries.  Job advertisements invariably invite you to click the "Apply Now" button and you're expected to upload a targeted CV, cover letter and perhaps answer detailed competency questions - all before you even know whether the job is in your salary range.

Another of my pet hates is when employers ask you to specify your salary expectations.  Why?  Is it so that they can save money if your expectation is lower than theirs?

To compound it further, candidates then expend considerable effort preparing for interviews where they are still kept in the dark on salary level.  Certainly in the UK, it's not considered de rigueur to raise the important issue of salary during the first interview; it's something you discuss at second interview or, worse, you wait until they make an offer.  So you could go to a huge amount of time and effort only to learn, ultimately, that the salary is not even in your ball park.

In my opinion, this lack of transparency contributes to pay inequality - especially since there is a general consensus that women often underestimate their value and ask for less than men. 

So, instead of the government pushing for audits to establish disparities in remuneration, why don't they push for transparency in job advertisements with salary levels being disclosed at all levels?  If they could just do this simple thing, which would take no effort at all, it would save candidates, recruiters and employers from wasting time reviewing applications and conducting interviews when they're all on different pages anyway.

Salary transparency... let's have more of it please.

Barbara Patrick, Professional CV Writer and Career Coach
Compelling CVs, Berkshire, UK

To set up a call, please email: mail @ compellingcvs.co.uk

Always happy to talk.



Happy Birthday Facebook - 10 Years Old Today

4/2/2014

 
Facebook_Privacy_Settings,Online_Branding,Job_Applications,Interviews,Careers
Facebook is 10 Years Old Today
So Facebook is officially celebrating its 10th birthday - one whole decade - and what a journey it's had.  I've never been a fan of Facebook and although I'm really trying to love it, I simply can't.  It's just not for me.

However, I accept that it enjoys a massive following and plays an important role in many lives - especially those with family and friends spread around the world - sharing news and photographs and generally helping them stay in touch at the click of a mouse.  No more waiting for airmail letters!

Online Personal Branding

From a professional standpoint, Facebook can leave many job applicants vulnerable to unwelcome scrutiny from prospective and current employers, unless they lock down their privacy settings and tagging features.  Yes, I realise that it's none of their business and employers shouldn't be checking up on their staff and potential employees, but many of them do!  And the last thing you want them to stumble upon is indiscreet photos, bigoted posts, naughty jokes or bad language.  Have fun by all means, but keep it private.  When writing status updates ask yourself, "Would I want my employer to see this?"

Facebook Privacy Settings

Why not make today, Facebook's 10th birthday, the day that you lock down your Facebook privacy settings and disable tagging features.  And if you have time, perhaps you could disengage or "unfriend" the hundreds of "friends" you no longer know or even recognise.

Stay safe online and remember that once it's on the internet it's a free-for-all!

Barbara Patrick
Professional CV Writer and Coach
Compelling CVs Berkshire


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New Year; New Job... Take Control of your Career in the New Year

3/12/2013

 
Career_Change,Career_Progression,CV_rewrite,New_Job,JobSearch,Promotion,Career_Progression
New Year, New Job. Time for a Career Change?

Looking to Progress your Career?

The Christmas and Summer holidays are usually the time when people, having taken time out, realise that they don't enjoy their work and they're not looking forward to going back after the break.

So there's no better time than the Christmas break for evaluating where you are now and where you want to be next year.

If you're in a job that you're not enjoying, you feel undervalued or you're simply not using your skills and progressing, then it might be time to rev up your career plan.
This means you need to take stock of your current position, decide where you want to be, then create some goals and milestones to help you achieve your aim.

Don't merely update your old CV...  Rewriting your CV usually gets better results

Carrying forward old and irrelevant job history usually won't bring success.  Instead, take a blank sheet of paper and start brainstorming about where you are today in terms of knowledge and skills, and where you where to be.

Working from scratch, list all your hard and soft skills.  Then list your achievements and the value you have delivered in previous roles.  This could include increased efficiencies, profits, sales, brand awareness, functionality, etc.  If you're short on ideas, browse LinkedIn for job vacancies and member profiles, which will help give you some inspiration about skills, terminology and how to present your achievements.  You're not just trying to create a list of duties; you want to create a list of value-added achievements.  Employers need to know what makes you better than the other candidates; why they should employ you.

Be honest with yourself.  It's no good saying you've got excellent interpersonal skills if no-one in your office enjoys working with you or if you don't enjoy working as part of a team. 
If you're a square peg, you'll never fit into a round hole, however much you kid yourself.

This process will almost always identify skills gaps.  These could be technical or perhaps lack of knowledge about team leadership or business methods.  Whatever gaps you identify, try to plug them.  Research the internet for training courses - many of which are free or very cheap - then sign up.  Don't overdo it and take too much on at once.  Bite-sized training over a period of time
will deliver better results.

A word of warning...

Don't quit until you've got all your ducks in a row.  You're always more employable when you're in work.  So stay focussed on your existing job while you get your career move in place, and make sure you leave on good terms and with a glowing references and testimonials.

Will next year be the year in which your career soars?

We're always happy to chat and we're around over much of the Christmas break, so give us a call if you need help.

Barbara Patrick,
Career Coach
Compelling CVs, Reading, Berkshire


Read more Compelling CVs' blogs

Outplacement Support | Easing the Pain of Job Losses | Staff Redundancies

12/11/2013

 

Whatever you read in the newspapers, the recession is far from over...

Outplacement_Support,Reading,Berkshire,Redundancy,Careers,CV_Writing,Job_Search,Unemployment,Job_LossesOutplacement Support: Supporting Staff through the Redundancy Process
Whether you're a business owner or a manager, it's never easy to have to let your staff go.  It's even more difficult if they've been loyal and hardworking members of your team and you've grown to like and respect them.  They may even have become family friends.

But there is something you CAN do to ease the situation and to help them prepare for their job search in what is currently an extremely difficult job market... 

You can provide them with Outplacement Support.

What is Outplacement Support?

Outplacement Support isn't a new concept; it's been around for a long time.  City outplacement firms can charge around £4,000 per employee and, until fairly recently, this service was reserved for the elite... the senior executives who, ironically, probably need support the least.

More recently, Outplacement Support is being offered to mid-level staff by many of the bigger corporates (who have bigger budgets) to reduce the impact of redundancy and to help outplaced staff prepare for the transition into the job market.

Outplacement Support can be provided in many forms including:
  • CV Writing Services or Training
  • LinkedIn Profiles and Training
  • Interview Skills Training
  • Personal Presentation and Personal Branding
  • Career Coaching and
  • Job Seeking Support

The Problems Facing Outplaced / Redundant Staff

Staff will undoubtedly be anxious about losing their jobs.  They may be angry or shocked at the prospect of being out of work, they may think it's a personal (as opposed to a business) decision and their self-esteem may hit an all-time low.

They may feel aggrieved because they perceive the "survivors" as being less experienced or less competent and therefore feel that they have been unfairly singled out for redundancy.

They'll very likely be extremely worried about how they can meet their financial commitments and support their families.

If they've been in work or in the same job for some time, they may be completely out of touch with today's job market and not know how to go about updating their CVs, write cover letters or cope with the online recruitment revolution.

Whilst employees may be highly adept within their existing role, they may have developed skills gaps which will further hinder their progress in the job market. 

The last thing you want is for your former employees to feel overwhelmed and worthless which could result in depression and poor health.

How much does Outplacement Support cost? Is it expensive?

It can be expensive with city firms charging north of £4000.  However, it can be provided on a much smaller scale in 1-1 sessions or small workshops, or you can provide standalone CV writing services or interview skills.

Compelling CVs offers a "pick and mix" service so you can provide the level of Outplacement Support that your outgoing staff need and, importantly, you can keep control of the cost.

If you're thinking of making staff redundancies, I urge you to consider providing Outplacement Support.  Being made redundant is tough... but employers can ease the pain a little.

In our opinion, Outplacement Support not a luxury - it's a necessity.

Request a Copy of our Outplacement Brochure or email us to arrange a confidential chat.
Request Outplacement Brochure
by Barbara Patrick
Professional CV Writer and Career Consultant
Compelling CVs

Reading, Berkshire

Email: mail @ CompellingCVs.co.uk
Read more of our blogs...

LinkedIn Profile Headshot Photos Improve Engagement... Smile!

16/8/2013

 
LinkedIn_Profile_Writing,Headshot_Photo,Personal_Branding,Shy and Anonymous on LinkedIn?
If your LinkedIn headshot looks like this, you're missing a trick...

Many of us don't like photos of ourselves and we definitely feel averse to sharing our image with over 300m LinkedIn users.  But stop and think for a moment... 

  • Would YOU want to connect with a stranger who doesn't want you to see their face?
  • Would you trust this person?
  • Would you want to meet up with them?
  • Do business with them?
  • Employ them?
  • Or do you think they're hiding something in their desire to stay anonymous?

Conversely, could the person who looks presentable, smiling and approachable be the right fit for your company? Is it worth connecting and having the conversation at least?

People like to do business with people - REAL people.  And there's more chance that they'll want to engage with you if you have a headshot photo.

So, if you don't already have a headshot uploaded on your LinkedIn profile, take a few minutes to do it today.  It doesn't have to be professional quality - it just needs to be "professional" - ie not a holiday snap or a picture of your dog.

You can take a photo with a regular camera or smart phone.  Just make sure it's a headshot only - ideally against a plain wall.  Take lots of photos and then choose the best.  Make sure that you look clean and tidy - aka employable - and that you are smiling.  This is not a passport photo...  It's a photo that will encourage people to engage with you, to have you on their team or to do business with with you.  So, yes, smile.  Look approachable, friendly and positive.

A huge amount of recruitment is done via LinkedIn so be visible...  upload your headshot photo today.


by Barbara Patrick
Professional CV Writer, Career Coach and LinkedIn Profile Creator
Compelling CVs
Reading, Berkshire


Email me if you need help with your LinkedIn Profile or any other element of your job search...

Read more of our blogs here

Want more interviews? Start matching job vacancy advertisements

31/7/2013

 

Your CV is your personal sales brochure designed to gain interviews

CV writing,How to make your CV stand out above other applicants,keyword matchingHow to make your CV stand out above others
If you keep sending off the same CV for every job advertisement, you're unlikely to meet with success.

Read and analyse the job advertisement, see what key skills and experience they are seeking, and make sure that your CV is a good match - not just through interpretation but in exact words and phrases.

Although your CV still needs to make sense and read well, it needs to be specifically targetted to match each job vacancy advertisement.

If the job ad specifies Advanced Excel, make sure you include those exact words in your CV - remember you need to actually be advanced in Excel - no BS please...

If the advertisement specifies that they want someone with excellent organisational skills, then include those skills on your CV.

Prioritise your skills on your CV to match the priorities of the job advertisement.

Start off with one good CV.  Save this as the Master.  Then copy, edit and save each adaptation under a new file name.  This takes a little time  but it really pays dividends.

The same applies to cover letters.  These should "match" the job advertisement.  Don't just rehash your CV, address the advertisement - identify with their requirements - be the perfect match.  Tell them what excites you about the role, why you're interested, what you could bring to the role but make sure you're letter isn't all "me, me, me".  Talk about the company and how you think you would fit in and contribute to their goals.  It helps to check out their website and to read the advertisement fully before responding.

Good luck with your job search!  Get in touch if you need help.

by Barbara Patrick
Professional CV Writer and Career Coach
Compelling CVs, Reading, Berkshire

Professional CV writing, LinkedIn Profiles, Cover Letters, Job Search Skills, Interview Skills, Outplacement and more...

Our success is built on yours...

Work experience, paid or unpaid, can lead to permanent employment

29/7/2013

 
Work_experience,Internships,Volunteering,CV,skills,transferable_skillsjob_search,employability,careers,Berkshire,Work Experience Often Leads to Paid Employment
Last year, when my daughter was still at university, she took on 2 weeks unpaid work experience in digital marketing.  It wasn't the most exciting of jobs but she did it to the best of her ability.  Consequently, the company paid her to stay on longer.  (Incidentally, this work experience was obtained via a post on LinkedIn - a powerful platform for job seekers.)

This year, following completion of her degree, the same company offered her a permanent employment contract.  The work this year is more interesting, carries more responsibility and is giving her a good grounding in digital marketing, PPC and SEO.

Clear evidence that unpaid work experience can lead to paid employment!

All forms of work experience have value but it helps if you can gain "relevant" experience in the field that you ultimately wish to work in.  If you want to work in marketing, then try to get work experience in marketing.  Likewise, accounting and so forth.  Relevant experience will count for more. - not always but usually.

I'm not saying that car washing, leaflet dropping and other forms of casual work are worthless... they're not.  They demonstrate a sound work ethic which is highly sought after in the job market.  But if you can combine your work ethic with relevant experience, you will likely gain more relevant skills and knowledge and enjoy greater success.

Work experience can also include volunteering.  Whilst the latter is generally perceived as supporting worthwhile causes, most charities have accounting, marketing and administration functions so can still provide you with "relevant" skills.

Good luck!
 
Email me if you need help with your CV or any other aspect of your job search.

by Barbara Patrick
Professional CV Writer and Career Coach
Compelling CVs, Reading, Berkshire


Read more of our blogs

Professional CV writing, LinkedIn Profiles, Cover Letters, Job Search Skills, Interview Skills, Outplacement and more...

Our success is built on yours...

Could you condense your CV into a 140 character #twesume?

10/5/2013

 
#twesume, LinkedIn Profile,CV,Job Search,Recruitment,Compelling CVs,Reading,BerkshireResults for search of #twesume on Twitter
If you thought it was difficult condensing your CV into 2 pages, how about condensing it into 140 characters?  Impossible, you might think, but the recent phenomenon of #twesume might just be the answer you're seeking.

By posting your skills and availability on Twitter and including the hashtag #twesume, you may just attract employers and recruiters.  Basically, you post a short tweet about your availability and your skills, include a link to your LinkedIn profile or your online CV. You can even link it to a short video on YouTube or a short clip on Vine.  The options are endless.

You'll need to include the hashtag #twesume and, of course, you'll still need a strong CV and LinkedIn profile, but tweeting your resume certainly can't do any harm.

So log into Twitter today and check out #twesume. 

And don't forget to let us know if you'd like some help compiling your CV or LinkedIn profile.

Good luck in your job search!

by Barbara Patrick
Professional CV Writer and Career Coach
Compelling CVs

Reading, Berkshire


Career Planning: Why you shouldn't be too hasty to quit your job...

18/4/2013

 
Career Coach,Career Advisor,CV Writer,Interview Skills,Reading,BerkshireCareer Planning, CV Writing, Berkshire
I had a long conversation recently with a chap who isn't happy in his current role and intends to quit his job - even though he doesn't have a new job to go to.  I urged him not to.

And earlier this year I had a CV client who is a shining star but wasn't enjoying their job and quit, without having anything else lined up.  They're currently unemployed.

As anyone will tell you, jobs are no longer two-a-penny.  So, unless you're extremely lucky and you're in the right place at the right time, it could take you some time to find something else.  We all have financial obligations to meet and it would be reckless to make yourself unemployed before you have something better to go to.

Furthermore, being unemployed can often put you in a weaker position when negotiating your salary package for your new role, with employers offering you a lower package than you could normally command.

If you're not happy in your current role, you'll need a career plan.
  • Assess your current situation.  What is it that's irritating you?  Could anything be done to rectify it?  If it's a grievance with a colleague or boss, could it be addressed via your employer's grievance procedure? (All UK employers should have one)
  • If it can't be sorted, try not to be emotional or to make knee-jerk decisions.  Your head must rule your heart.  Grit your teeth and continue to do what you're paid to do to the best of your ability.  At some stage you'll probably need a reference from your current employer, so bear that in mind.
  • Try to stay cheerful. Don't let your mood or negativity come to the fore as it will affect your colleagues, create bad feelings around you and make the workplace unpleasant for everyone.
  • Try to engage in pleasurable activities outside of work and perhaps during your lunch breaks. Reflecting on these during working hours will help keep you sane.
  • Get your ducks in a row.  Decide on the type of role you want to apply for and start searching the market.
  • Update your CV and LinkedIn Profile so you're ready to roll when you see the job of your dreams.  We'd be happy to help you with this.
  • Don't jump out of the frying pan into the fire!  In your frustration, you may want to accept any old job just to get out of your current situation.  If you do this, you'll be back to square one in the very near future, so take your time and try to hold out for the right role.
  • Don't confide your feelings to anyone at work and that includes clients and advisors.
  • When it's time to move on, give full notice and stay committed to the job during your notice period.
  • Always leave on good terms effecting a full handover to your successor and training them if necessary.
Give us a call if you want to have an informal chat about your future career.


Barbara Patrick
Professional CV Writer and Career Coach
Compelling CVs

Reading, Berkshire

Compelling CVs exhibited at Bracknell Careers Fair February 2013

24/2/2013

 
I exhibited at Bracknell Careers Fair last week. It was hosted by Bracknell & Wokingham College and organised by Bracknell Job Centre.  The event was very well organised and promoted, and the college facilities were excellent.  I'd never been to the College before and I was really impressed.

Whilst I was hopeful that the event would be well attended, I was totally unprepared for the influx of visitors that rushed into the exhibition hall when the doors opened at 10am.  It almost seemed like the Harrods Sale with customers rushing in to grab the best bargains. Amazing.

From just a few minutes after 10am until after the exhibition officially ended at 4pm, I had a constant stream of job seekers all wanting their CVs reviewed.  Visitors waited patiently in the queue which at times was 8-10 deep.  It was relentless and way exceeded what I'd been expecting.

While the Government constantly talk about people who don't want to work, the people I spoke to all desperately wanted to get into work and they welcomed any advice I could give.  They came from a range of ages, backgrounds and disciplines, from school leavers to executives, and they all had a story to tell.  I just wish I'd had more time to spend with each of them.

Out of all the CVs I reviewed, however, only a small handful were reasonably well prepared.  So there's clearly a need out there for more education on employability and job seeking skills. 

I'm working on it!

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    Barbara Patrick, Career, Job Search and Employability Coach, and Professional CV writer at Compelling CVs in Berkshire, UK

    Thank you for visiting my website and welcome to my blog.

    Barbara Patrick, Career Coach, CV Writer, Interview Skills Training, LinkedIn Training and Profile Writing, Berkshire, UK
    Barbara Patrick, Career and Personal Development Coach, CV Writer, LinkedIn Profile Writer and Trainer, Interview Skills, Job Search and Employability Skills Trainer
    If you have any questions or if you'd like me to write about a specific subject, please get in touch.
    My success is built on my clients' successes, so I do my utmost to help every client achieve their goals - however great or small.


    Contact me:

    mail  @ CompellingCVs.co.uk

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Career Coaching, Interview Skills Coaching, LinkedIn Profiles and Training, CV Writing
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Based in Reading, Berkshire, Compelling CVs offers: Career Coaching | Interview Skills Coaching | Job Search Skills Training | LinkedIn Profile Writing, Optimisation and Training | Outplacement and Redundancy Support | Job Applications | CV Writing | Cover Letters | Everything you need to help you with your Job Search