A Career Coach’s Guide to Finding a Job

Having worked for many years as a recruitment consultant and now as a Learning and Career Coach at Pitman Training, I have learned a few tricks to help candidates find their perfect role. In this article I share my top tips to help you find a job.

 

Top Tip Number One – Put Your CV on as Many Websites as Possible

To optimise your chances of getting found by employers and recruitment consultants, upload your CV to as many websites as possible. Refresh your profile every week to two weeks to keep it near the top of the list. This means your CV will be one of the first recruiters see when they log onto the site and do a search. Recruiters will also often receive notifications when a new CV is uploaded or refreshed.

You can also register for job alerts so that you will be notified of any new positions that become available.

Top Tip Number Two – CV Writing

Personal Details

Head the CV with your name, telephone number and e-mail address. Put your town or city rather than the full address.

Summary

Highlight the main points of your CV. Include things such as your highest qualification, the number of year’s experience and main skills.

Employment History

List your employment history, starting with the most recent first. State the company worked for, dates of employment, job title, duties and major achievements.

Education

Write your qualifications, starting with the most recent first. State the institution, qualification obtained, date of qualification and grade. If you’re a Pitman Training student, remember to add any training completed with us.

Hobbies and Interests

Only include hobbies and interests if they are relevant. Write a short paragraph about what you do in your spare time and any organisations or clubs you may belong to. This is also where you can include any side gigs.

General

Use a font that’s easy on the eye such as Calibri. Do not use capital letters.  

Top Tip Number Three – Interview Techniques

General

  1. Always turn up 5 – 10 minutes early. Plan your journey in advance to ensure you arrive relaxed and in plenty of time.
  2. Always make sure you look smart. Ensure that your shoes and nails are clean and tidy.
  3. Smile. This is important for both telephone and face-to-face interviews. A smile will make you appear more confident and relaxed. It will also help to put the interviewer at ease.
  4. Turn off your phone.

Preparation

  1. Look at the company website.
  2. Make sure you know your CV and be ready to discuss previous career moves. Be confident about your achievements.
  3. Think about questions you might be asked and practice your responses. (See examples of interview questions). 
  4. Think about questions you’d like to ask. (See examples). It is good to make a note of some questions and take them with you to the interview.

The interview

  1. Always answer with as much detail as possible. Avoid simple yes or no answers.
  2. Try to use examples to illustrate your responses.
  3. Use positive language. Don’t be negative, especially about current, or previous employers.
  4. Don’t talk about salary unless the interviewer brings it up.
  5. Even if you are unsure about the position, always remain positive throughout the interview. There will be time to discuss any reservations you have later.
  6. At the end of the interview thank the interviewer for their time and reaffirm your interest in the position. Ask them how they feel you got on, what the next step is and whether there is anything else that they need to know to take things forward.

Following Up

After the interview send an email to the hiring manager thanking them for their time. It’s also an opportunity to reaffirm your interest in the role.

Typical interview questions

  1. Tell me about yourself.
  2. Why are you currently looking for a position?
  3. What do you know about the company?
  4. Why would you like to work for this company?
  5. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
  6. Tell me about major achievements in your career.
  7. How would your colleagues describe you?
  8. How would your friends describe you?
  9. What are you looking for in your next role?
  10. Describe a difficult situation that you have experienced in your career so far and how you managed it.
  11. Where do you see yourself in five year’s time?
  12. What are your ambitions?

Questions to Ask

  1. What is the reason for the vacancy?
  2. How would you describe the company culture?
  3. What is your competitive advantage?
  4. What procedures do you have in place for appraising employees?
  5. What are the prospects for promotion?
  6. What kind of training will I receive?
  7. What is the team structure and who will I be reporting to?

Top Tip Number Four – Positive Mental Attitude

Visualise

Think about how you want the interview to go and imagine the interview happening exactly like that. Picture yourself being offered the job with the perfect salary and terms and conditions. Envisage yourself as if you are inside your body, as well as if you are observing yourself.

Affirmations

Decide what you want and regularly affirm it. For example “I have the perfect job, with the ideal salary and it comes to me quickly, easily and effortlessly.” 

At Pitman Training we are passionate about helping you with your career progression and assisting you to find a job. We offer training to arm you with the required skills for your desired career path. Our diploma students can attend our weekly career coaching webinars at no extra cost.

Written by Samantha Brook

Learning and Career Coach at Pitman Training