|
Owen Jobling provides some useful advice.
Before you take your next career step, be sure you know where you're heading. Map out your career and personal goals, and make sure the two complement, rather than conflict with each other. Even though business continuity job-seekers are in a candidate-driven market, financial expectations must still be set realistically. Look at opportunities based on the position and complete financial package rather than the base salary.
Where do you start?
- Speak to industry-specific agencies (meet with them face-to-face and find out what positions are available).
- Get advice from colleagues who are working in an environment which you desire and find out what key factors they think led to them getting that job.
- Check Internet job boards for positions (Continuity Central’s job listings at are a good starting point).
- Discreetly submit your CV to job boards which accept them.
- Contact industry relevant institutes or bodies: the BCI, DRII etc
- Go to events and forums.
- Be proactive in your approach.
CV / Resume construction
It is essential to provide prospective employers with a clean CV to ensure you get past the first hurdle!
The basics:
-Contact information
-Summary statement
-Professional experience - The body of the position description has two parts:
a) Description of your responsibilities; and b) Your accomplishments
-Education and professional training
-Technical skills or specialist products used
-Other (languages, institutes etc…)
-References (x2 professional)
Do you really know your CV/Resume? You would be surprised how many applicants do not know their own CV/Resume when asked a question under interview conditions.
Try to keep the document down to 2-3 pages, keep it up-to date and do not overkill the information. Would you really want to read an applicant’s 10-pager?
Interviewing
Interviews are the make or break of the job search; again preparation is essential.
If you are working with an agency use them as a tester for the type of questions you should expect to be asked and run your answer by them.
Have a check list: location, time and date, interviewers, job spec, your CV/Resume, full company name, and some background info and agency contact details.
Arrive 5 minutes early and ensure you are wearing the appropriate attire as this supports your image as a person who takes the interview process seriously. Always check if you are unsure about the office dress code.
Before you walk into any interview, you should know as much about the company, the position and the interviewer(s) as you possibly can. If you found the position through an agency, they should be able to provide you with the necessary information needed. If not, search the web or go to the library. In today’s world of easily accessible information there’s no excuse for lack of research and preparation!
If you feel that the interview went well and you would like to take the next step, express your interest to the interviewer and turn the tables a bit.
Expect all sorts of questions. There are many interview questions that can be posed and various methods now used: panel, psychometric testing, core skills testing, competency based questioning, case studies, presentations, written tests and more…
Aside from technical, and core position activity related questions you should expect some of the basics:
-How can you relate your experience(s) to the job on offer?
-What do you know about our products/services?
-What have you contributed to your current employer or project?
-What has been your biggest professional disappointment?
-What are your career objectives?
-In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
-What qualities should a successful applicant possess?
Be prepared to be quizzed on your salary expectations and prove you’re earning.
Equally, have key questions prepared to ask the interviewer. If the job seems perfect and you are lost for questions to ask, have a couple up your sleeve based on your career and personal goals which you mapped out prior to the interview.
Pitfalls: lying, slating your previous boss, being too confident or nervous, making a weak first impression, not preparing!
Be honest and start thinking along the lines of using previous examples, relating what experience you have and what you can offer to the position, giving honest answers,
It works both ways. Draw back to your original career and personal goals and use this as the basis for structuring your questions!
Follow up
When you get out of the interview and are in a position to jot some notes down, immediately write down key issues uncovered in the interview. Think of the qualifications the employer is looking for and match your strengths to them. Call the recruiter or your contact ASAP! Follow-up is now critical. A ‘thank you’ letter or e-mail should be written no later than 24 hours after the interview.
Offer negotiation
Finally, after a long job search, you have one employer's offer and possibly are waiting to hear from others. After interviewing you should now have a good idea whether this is the company, environment and position for you. If not go back to the recruiter or arrange another meeting with the client and air all questions and concerns you have.
Do:
- Set your expectations clearly from the outset
- Research the salary you expect
- Demonstrate your strengths and achievements and their value in the market
- Discuss the salary if the offer is inadequate (can you obtain over allowances; travel, car, bonuses, more holiday)
- Look at the long term gains.
Don’t:
-Discuss the salary until the employer does
-Price yourself out of the job
-Play off one offer against another
-Focus on base salary alone (what does the full package offer?)
Author: Owen Jobling, RCS Corporate, Business Resilience Recruitment Specialists o.jobling@rcs-corp.co.uk www.redcatsolutions.co.uk
•Date: 10th August 2007• Region: World •Type: Article •Topic: BC jobs
Rate this article or make a comment - click here |
