Now the holidays are coming to an end it’s a good time to assess your career and employment options for the future.
September is traditionally one of the busiest months in the recruitment calendar so it’s worthwhile taking a step back and getting ready for your next job hunt.
Certainly there’s never been a better time to look for a new job.
The economy is doing well, the Central Bank recently predicted a 3 per cent rise this year in the numbers at work – an increase of more than 60,000 people – bringing total employment up to 2.1 million, the highest level since 2008.
The only dark cloud on the horizon is Brexit, it’s an entirely unknown quantity in respect of the long term effects, but one thing is sure and it’s that there will be plenty of changes ahead.
It is why I always advise people to have a career plan in place or at the very least, a well prepared, professional and informative CV in your drawer, ready to go at moments notice.
The best time to prepare a good CV is when you don’t need one. Do it when there is no hurry or pressure to produce it quickly.
Your CV is your calling card as well as your ‘brochure,’ so it must look good, be informative and sell you at a glance. There is an old but very true saying; You only get one chance to make a first impression. And that applies whether that first opportunity is face to face or from a piece of paper – Your CV.
At every step your image and the impressions you impart must build starting with a CV, then a phone conversation, then a meeting and goodness know how many formal interviews after that.
Be fully prepared well in advance;
- Have a logical and reasonably ambitious career plan in your mind. A realistic plan that you can explain showing the logic of your thinking.
- Have a well-crafted CV, keep it as short as you can make it. The more senior you are, the shorter it should get. If you’re at the top of your game, then it’s one page only. Make sure you have the tags and code included so employers can find you.
- Perfect your presentation and practice responses. All responses must be backed up by an example from the past with measurable results in money saved or earned, reduced time, increased margins, etc.
Remember, professional assistance is always available to help you with any or all of the topics mentioned.
Colm Cavey has over 24 years’ experience in helping people change careers and find the kind of job they want. Colm can review your CV, help you organise your job hunt and provide one to one interview and presentation coaching or all of those elements together in a full Career Change programme. To find out more about Colm you can contact him directly on 086-3017207 or via his company Professional Career Consulting