Writing Your First Professional CV It takes at least two days to write a superb new application, addressing the issues

and organising the information so that you sell yourself. The biggest error most people make is throwing away a great chance by rushing a mediocre CV out at the last minute. Regard your CV and application letter as work in progress and give it a polish every couple of months. You never know when you will be asked for it. people return to the same agencies that had previously refused them, this time with a great application that gets them noticed. The difference between managing your career and just letting it happen can be more than the cost of your home over the course of a lifetime. You need to take this task seriously right from the start. You do not need to be headlining the trivial details of your life like your address and what primary school you went to. You do not need to tell someone that the document is a CV. For each occupation and each level of each occupation and for changes of career and country there are key things you need to be saying that recruiters want to hear. If you already know enough then spend some time listing these key things before you ever start writing your application. If you need more information, then start collecting it, start finding out what buzzwords, concepts and competencies that will carry conviction. If you follow a boring format or copy out your job definition it will be dull as ditchwater to recruiters who have to read lots of applications every day. You need to reach these people where they get interested. The story of your career needs to build up expectations that you are worth meeting. You need to tell them the context in which your achievements have taken place and let them know what value you offer for the future. Enter the page content here. Do not pepper your CV with titles like PROFILE, CAREER OBJECTIVE and SKILLS unless you want to appear like someone who has slavishly followed a template. You can have an introduction to your CV but there's no need to label it. All you really need is a few sensible headings such as PROFESSIONAL, CAREER and PERSONAL - under which you can group your skills/qualifications, narrative of achievements and necessary details. Bulleted paragraphs are a great way to save space and add impact but they need to be congruent. They need to relate to the one before and the one after in an intelligent way. Lists of superlative claims with no substantiating evidence cannot be understood in context and cut no ice with anyone. The medium is in the message. If they have reached the third paragraph of your letter and glanced at your CV, you have already shown them that you can communicate. There is no need to tell them you are a GOOD COMMUNICATOR, a SELF-STARTER or a GREAT TEAM PLAYER in so many words. It needs to be implicit in your account of yourself, not stuffed under their nose as a grandiose claim. People who do that look naive; people who get good jobs come across as mature enough to know how to say things that matter about the real issues involved. People cannot help but be impressed by talented design and clever typesetting. Your choice of fonts and

styles, however, is somewhat limited by the restrictions of email and online CV Builders. You need to find out what these restrictions are by studying the word processing program you are using and asking yourself: how can I be sure that my fonts and format arrive on the reader's computer the same way they left here? If you want to make a subtle and sophisticated impression you need to start finding out about the technicalities by actually reading the help files and manuals you have so far taken for granted. Your letter needs to sing, summarise, promise, capture the spirit of what's best about you. Safe, boring, over-length, repetitive letters that regurgitate your CV or try to match every single minor point in the job definition will have one damaging effect on the reader - they will think you are not very bright. Professional writers throw away more stuff than they publish; put it all down and then reduce it until you fit two pages. If necessary group your entire EARLY CAREER under a separate heading and just give each job a line or two. Place the focus on the last 5-10 years and the highest levels of activity and achievement. Cut the minor roles and competencies which are already implied by the big stuff you do. Write your brief and powerful introduction last; when you know what you need to say to summarise your offering, and don't bother giving it a heading anyone can see what it is.

Interview 10 Questions That Wont Get You The Job A headhunters advice to freshers attending the first interview of their careers. AS an executive recruiter with twenty-two years of experience, interviewing freshers to determine if they are suitable for my clients organisation is literally a part of my daily routine. Typically, a prospective employer will ask if you have any queries. Heres a rundown of those that usually dont go down too well with the client, often due to which candidates are not selected. 1. Can you tell me something about your company? The employer is instantly put off! An aspiring candidate is supposed to visit the company website and understand its business model, products, services, history etc. Please read the section About Us where companies provide their history, products, the geographies they serve etc. Also visit the Press section of the company, where you have information

about latest product releases, what customers say about their products and any awards they have won, recently.

2. Will you do a reference check? Most companies use the services of a third party agency to conduct a reference check. The moment you pop this question, a red flag is hoisted, as the interviewer may think you have something to hide.

3. What is your leave policy? Dont ask this question. It looks like you like to relax. While most companies talk of work-life balance, few practise them.

4. Do you work on Saturdays? Avoid this question, as the employer gets a suspicion about your intentions to work hard.

5. When will I get my increment? This question makes you appear greedy. Avoid it at this stage of the interview process. The employer thinks that you are looking at money all the time and hence will change jobs if offered a marginally higher salary.

6. Do you have any other jobs available in your company? You may be offered a job, which you think is below your aspirations. If you feel that the job is below your ability, say so directly at the interview. You could say, May I know the career progression for this position?

7. How soon can I transfer to another role? You may have been offered a sales role and you may be interested in a marketing/brand management role. Asking this question has no meaning as you are literally saying to the employer I dont like this job. Remember, most employers will keep you for a reasonable time in the offered role and depending upon your performance transfer you to a different role.

8. You tell me about the best way (bus or train) to reach the office from my residence? Dont ask this question! You can easily find out the answer talking to people in the neighbourhood and at the bus or train station.

9. Are there opportunities for promotion? Please dont raise this question during the interview. Once you join the company and prove yourself, then you can raise this issue with your boss. In todays job market, your priority should be to first get the job. Its better to look for promotion after that.

10. When do I start? Since you are not sure that you have been offered, dont ask this question. The employer gets the feeling that you are overconfident and brash, and may not suit them. A better way for job seekers to show their interest is to be direct. They should tell the interviewer they are very interested in being considered further for the position and offer to provide whatever additional information the company might need.

Avoid these subjects Caste, religion and politics. You never know the sensitivity of the person interviewing you. Hence, you should not raise this in any interview. Hiring and firing policy of the company. The employer may get the impression that you are not sure of yourself, and hence this query about the firing policy.

Nonverbal Communication: Escape the Pitfalls It begins even before you say your first word in an interview. As the interviewer walks toward you to shake hands, an opinion is already being formed. And as you sit waiting to spew out your answers to questions you've prepared for, you are already being judged by your appearance, posture, smile or your nervous look. Look back at speakers or teachers you've listened to. Which ones stand out as memorable - the ones who were more animated and entertaining or the ones who just gave out information? This is not to say you have to entertain the interviewer -- no jokes required -- but it does mean the

conversation should be animated and interactive. If you say you are excited about the prospect of working for this company but don't show any enthusiasm, your message will probably fall flat. So smile, gesture once in a while, show some energy and breathe life into the interview experience.

And don't underestimate the value of a smile. In addition to the enthusiasm it expresses to the interviewer, smiling often makes you feel better about yourself. Nonverbal Messages: * The Handshake: It's your first encounter with the interviewer. She holds out her hand and receives a limp, damp hand in return -- not a very good beginning. Your handshake should be firm -- not bone-crushing -- and your hand should be dry and warm. Try running cold water on your hands when you first arrive at the interview site. Run warm water if your hands tend to be cold. The insides of your wrists are especially sensitive to temperature control. * Your Posture: Stand and sit erect. We're not talking ramrod posture, but show some energy and enthusiasm. A slouching posture looks tired and uncaring. Check yourself out in a mirror or on videotape. * Eye Contact: Look the interviewer in the eye. You don't want to stare at her like you're trying to look into her soul, but be sure to make sure your eyes meet frequently. Avoid constantly looking around the room while you are talking, because that can convey nervousness or a lack of confidence with what is being discussed. * Don't Fidget: There is nothing worse than people playing with their hair, clicking pen tops, tapping feet or unconsciously touching parts of the body. Preparing what you have to say is important, but practicing how you will say it is imperative. The nonverbal message can speak louder than the verbal message you're sending.

Tips to Prepare for Group Discussions GROUP DISCUSSIONS (GD) is one of the standard selection tools at some organizations. While your academic record and scores in the entrance test qualify you for an interview call, your final selection depends largely on your performance in the last mile. There are two things - What the moderators/ interviewers are looking for, and how students should prepare for success. We will also bust some myths while we address these questions. Lets look into the situation: A group of students is assigned a topic for discussion for 1520 minutes. The panel is looking for an

effective combination of knowledge and skills in the candidates. Knowledge comprises some understanding of the topic assigned, and also a good level of awareness of the world around us. Now what helps the students the most is the right preparation the only way to prepare is to read more, develop a keen interest in current affairs and seek opportunities to discuss these in groups. Knowledge gives the content in a discussion without good content you cannot score well. Now, there are some myths weighing on students minds as they sit for the preparation: MYTH: Candidates perform well because they are smooth talkers.

REALITY: Candidates perform well because they talk sense and there is sufficient meat in what they say. Recruiters seek a variety of skills in the aspirants. These comprise analytical skills, communication skills, team skills, ability to handle stress, decision-making skills etc. Lets talk about the first three. Management is an applied discipline students need to use their analytical skills to apply theory effectively to solve day-to-day problems. The panel wishes to see whether the candidate is able to think clearly about a situation, dig into his treasure of knowledge and apply it usefully in the short time he has to make his point. Preparation - students can train themselves to think analytically it is an attitude that one can develop as opposed to not think at all. Make it a habit to get to the why and how of issues dont take things at face value think about them before you form an opinion.

MYTH:

Academic

brilliance

equals

analytical

skills.

REALITY: Students with lower academic achievements sometimes demonstrate better capability to relate their learning to practical situations. Communication skills are perhaps the most critical attribute of the modern manager. These include listening and articulation skills. Moderators look for the candidates keenness and ability to listen to others mature managers are very good listeners because every time you listen, you learn. Preparation - train yourself to be a good listener develop the patience to listen attentively. Acknowledge that everyone has something valuable to say. When speaking in a GD, your job is to articulate your point of view in a way that is easy for others to comprehend. Preparation - inculcate the good habit of structuring your thoughts and presenting them logically. Writing essays on a variety of topics is good practice developing thought structure. MYTH: Good communication is about speaking a lot, speaking in a stylish accent and using big words. REALITY: Good communication is about listening, speaking at the appropriate time, using easy-tounderstand English and getting your point across in as simple a manner as possible.

The GD is the first test of how good your team skills are. Do you listen to others? How do you handle points of view different from yours? Are you able to get across your point of view without appearing to be trying too hard? Do you cross the line from being assertive to being aggressive? If you are a good team player, the other members of the group will tend to connect with you. This will be evident to a moderator even amidst the chaos that marks a typical GD. Preparation learn to respect others for what they are. Learn to be open-minded and recognize the fact that people think differently about issues. Seek opportunities to discuss topics of mutual interest in diverse groups. MYTH: People who dominate a discussion and reduce others to submission do well in GDs. REALITY: Candidates who work with the group, accommodate diverse viewpoints and assert themselves without aggression score high.

In short, the GD panel is testing whether you know the topic well, are able to present your point of view in a logical manner, are interested in understanding what others feel about the same subject and are able to conduct yourself with grace in a group situation.

QUICK TAKE
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Train your mind to think analytically Your GD arguments should have meat Respect other peoples views Listening is important. Practise patience Writing essays can improve thought structure

STUDENTS HOWLERS!
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Starting with the phrase Myself XYZ theres no better way to put the panel off. Getting into details about siblings and cousins especially the ones who seem to have done well. We wish to know about you, not about your extended family. Citing making friends or meeting new people as their hobby. Wonder how one pursues a hobby like meeting new people! Saying things like I studied this in my first year as an excuse for not knowing some basic stuff related to their subject of study. The panel members studied this about 20 years back they still remember it! I will get to learn how to manage people as an answer to the question What do you expect to learn in your business management education? An MBA is a technical course that teaches you

the fundamentals of a number of functions of running a business.