1. Research, research and research

With the web providing as much information as you can get, doing research on not only the company interviewing, but also the details on the staff, potential employers are looking to feel comfortable that you can take this position easily and as such like to hear you have a good understanding of them and their industry.

2. Look the part

Appearance does matter! Not having a suit or smart dress is not a good enough excuse, beg and borrow with friends and family to make sure you look the part. Making sure you look after yourself on route is also important, don’t step out of a car with a crumpled suit jacket or dress.

3. Be yourself

They say that you will be assessed within 8 seconds, so don’t try and put on a show, the interviewer will see straight through it. A company is just not looking to employ a skill set, but a person, so let your character shine through.

4. Don’t be late

Nothing says you are not really bothered then poor time keeping, make sure you check the directions and that you can find your meeting place easily, if in any doubt a quick call to the company for advise on parking, closest train station or how easy is the building to find will help you make sure you get there and on time.

Leave with plenty of time to make your journey and with time to spare, if a disaster happens and you are going to be late, then contact the company and explain the situation, they may be willing to allow you to continue your journey or arrange to re-schedule.

5. Watch you body language

Make sure you are aware of your own body language when in an interview, don’t sit back in your chair, fold your arms or fiddle with a pen or paper, the interviewer wants to know they have your attention.

Many people think that CV writing is just a matter of filling in a set of rigid sections such as profile, work experience, skills etc. Indeed, many people approach CV writing in the same manner that they approach filling in application forms.

And a lot of CV is effectively just say I did this, and I did that.

Indeed, many people write CVs in a very matter-of-fact way; listing jobs and summarising responsibilities.

Whilst this is by no means the worst approach to take, it isn’t the most effective either.

The most effective CVs go beyond just stating the obvious. The most effective CVs actually sell the candidate, and sell him/her to the maximum. Significantly, it isn’t just a matter of selling the candidate haphazardly any old how. It is important to sell the candidate in the right way. Amongst other things structure and focus is important, and you need to sell your skills in a pertinent and proactive manner. It also helps if you can do this concisely.

That said, selling yourself powerfully yet concisely is far easier said than done, and most people struggle with this. That is one reason why many people end up with CVs which are too long, too cluttered and not enticing to read.

As mentioned, there is a lot more to effective CV writing than meets the eye – too much to include in a small article such as this. However, if you want the most effective CV, you should not only consider the above, but amongst other things, you should also remember to write with the employer in mind. Another thing worth considering is that you may not be the best person to write your CV, not everyone is, and if you do need professional help then a professional CV consultants should be able to help boost jobs in the job market.

Your CV can be your greatest asset when you are job-hunting, but only if it is well-written and stands out over and above that of your competitors. Consequently, you should certainly not underestimate the value of your CV. On the contrary, you should do whatever it takes to get it up to the best possible standard.

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This article is copyrighted and has been taken from extracts of a CV book written by Paul Hichens, Senior Consultant at CVconsultants.co.uk

This article cannot be copied or distributed without the permission of the author.