Blog

Posted on

Turn your Job into a Career

  • Turn your Job into a Career

 

For many young people today, the biggest Career challenge seems to be getting onto the employment ladder in the first place.

 

We are often brought up with the limiting belief that the longer you stay in education the better employment prospects you will have. This is not always true, as many graduates who leave education and find it hard to secure employment, sometimes this is due to their grades or attitude and in many other cases because they picked the wrong subject!

 

  • The wrong subject

 

With university fee’s increasing, you don’t want to spend thousands of pounds on a course designed to secure you a career, which half way though you realise “it isn’t for me”

 

You can get good careers advice, but the key is to find your passion and then get paid for doing it – what is it that really gets your juices flowing? Helping people, complex sums, creating a masterpiece, performing to thousands? You need to ask yourself what will make me wake up every day and shout “yes I’m going to work”

 

We are all excited about different things, your passion is personal to you and I would add, Once you know your passion, it is easy to find the route to your career.

 

  • What if I get it wrong?

 

Einstein failed his exams and later became the figurehead of geniuses throughout history. Richard Branson was bankrupt and is now a successful billionaire. Elton John took a risk, walking out half way through a concert with his band as he knew that his real desire was to be a successful solo singer.

 

To have a successful career you first need to know what you are passionate about and then you can ask yourself “what is the best way for you to achieve your career goal?”

 

Apart from certain professions such as medicine and law, higher level education qualifications do not necessarily open the door to desirable employment opportunities.

 

I personally know several very successful business people, who quit university to pursue their dreams and they all had two things in common “passion” and the belief that they would “succeed”

 

  • Career Planning

 

Once you know your passion, you need to plan your career path, for some this will be through education, for others their path will be through apprenticeships and employment and for some they will do it by themselves.

 

It’s not about which career path you choose, it is about identifying each of the steps needed to be taken along the way and committing to your goal, as some days it will be harder to do this than others.

 

You need to plan the steps from the YOU now to the successful future YOU- How can you become successful? What do you need to learn? What experiences do you need? What resources will help you?

 

As an example someone choosing to work instead of attend college, may have a goal to own their own hairdressing business – for this they know they need learn about business, become a competent hairdresser and have financial backing.

 

To do this, they may first gain a hairdressing job, working at the bottom rung of the ladder cleaning up hair and making cups of tea. For some young people completing these “boring” task is an insult, thinking “this duty is beneath me- why should I do it?” Whereas the successful young person with a career plan, knows that one day they will have their own business, and everything they are doing, seeing and hearing is helping them to become a better future hairdresser and business professional and I would add, this is often seen by others as you having a “good attitude” which results in them offering you more responsibility and the chance to learn new hairdressing skills, further supporting your long term career goal.

 

  • What is a good attitude?

 

So what is a ‘Good attitude’?  The short answer is that it is a positive approach to the work situation. (As Jim Rohn says, the guy who whistles as he hauls out the trash is worth at least 10cents an hour more.) Show as a Pull quote. Employers say they are always looking for people who:

 

  • Are prepared to take that bit more responsibility
  • Look for better ways of doing their work
  • Look for extra work they can do a part of their existing job

 

While the official policy of most employers is to encourage talent and initiative to rise through the ranks, it usually doesn’t feel like that if you are working at the bottom of the hierarchy.

 

As the employee, you need to look at each task as a learning opportunity, asking “what am I learning from this experience?” “How can I use this experience to achieve my career goal?” “How can I make this task more exciting?” and “How can I be the best at this task?”

 

One you start asking these questions to all task, you will be quickly become known as a good worker, with a good attitude and when the opportunity arises to move up the career ladder you can take it, often with the positive support of your previous employers. 

If you enjoyed reading this article you will also enjoy reading:

Posted on

Check List for Job Application Forms

  • Check List for Job Application Forms

This article will teach you what you need to know to complete your job application form and will help you understand the job application form the employers prospective.

  • The Employers View Point

Employers receive hundreds of applications for everyone job and often employers cannot commit to much time to reading each individual application form in full.

Due to this some employers will first request a CV to shift through suitable applicants asking successful applicants to complete an application form

Employers use the application form to assess qualities and skills, experiences, qualifications and to gain an idea of your motivation through a series of targeted questions. Successful applicants will then be invited to a job interview.

 

  • Employers Mistakes

All too often employers will use a standard application form download from the internet rather then spending the time to write their own application form questions targeted to their specific vacancy.

This can result in job hunters not having an opportunity on the application form to highlight the skills and experiences require for the job position.

  • How to Start Your Application Form

You first need to read and understand the job specification as this document highlights the essential criteria the employer requires, also spend time researching the company to get a fell for the workforce and company mission.

By matching your work experience to the company values, mission and job specification you will more likely to secure that all important job interview.

 

 

Remember the job application form is a chance for you to promote your relevant skills, qualities and experiences clearly, ensuring you are considered for the position.

  • Personal Details and Education

All application forms will ask you for your personal details including your contact details, NI number and martial status, as well as asking you to complete the form in Black ink, which means you need these things to hand before you start your application, as getting up and down constantly will break your rhythm which can lead to a poorly filled out application form.  

You will also need a list of your education, qualifications and training certificates including dates achieved and governing bodies. If there is little space on this section add a separate sheet and record on the application form “please see attached sheet A1”

For non-UK qualifications, state their UK equivalency.

  • Employment History

List your jobs in reverse chronological order. Include your job title and the name of the organisation        

Summaries your responsibilities and achievements as the profile section on the application form is the section where you can add more detail and really sell yourself (matching what is required on the job specification)

  • Interests and Hobbies

Relate your extracurricular activities to the skills required; try to demonstrate relevant required skills than just listing hobbies and achievements.

  • References

 

You will need your referees name, address, telephone number and e-mail address   

Ideally one of your referees should be work-related and one should be an academic at university. But in most cases employers will state what type of referee they require.             

Tell your referee every time you use them so they are prepared to give a reference when requested to; share your career aspirations and achievements with your referees so they can really sell you against the job specification

  • Personal Profile

The personal profile section is the key to securing job interviews, you need to record your achievements, skills, qualities and experience on this section.

This section should be between 1 and 2 A4 pages long unless stated differently on the application form.

Start by highlighting your key selling point, as this will capture the interviewer’s eye and show your worth from the offset. Next record examples for each required skill using past real life work examples, explaining what you did to achieve results.

End with a summary of your employment history as a whole and add what you can bring to their organization

Re-write the profile 3 more times editing terminology and wording so the profile stands out from the other applicants

  • Extra Tips

 

  • Make a rough draft to check your text fits into the text boxes
  • For online forms, print the form and check your work before sending it out.
  • If required ask someone to check for spelling mistakes
  • Keep a copy of your application form (and the job advert) to prepare for your job interview
  • Be concise and avoid jargon
  • Prepare and send your application within the required timescales

If you enjoyed reading this article you will also enjoy reading:

 

Posted on

How to get your talent noticed?

  • How to get your talent noticed?                                            

 

 

I met thousands of people who say they have a great talent but can’t get noticed, singers who want to be pop stars, artist who want recognition and even job hunters who desperately want a job in a career they are an expert in.

 

  • How good are you…really?

 

The question is how good you are, will your voice sell records? Will thousands of people want to view your paintings? What value can you offer an employer? If you are really that good, if you have a talent or skill that out-surpasses others than I agree you should get recognised or win that job.

 

  • What is your talent worth?

 

If you are an amazing singer, artist or career professional how much money will you be able to earn if you were given that all important one chance? Thousands? Millions? or Billions? 

 

Think about the next 5, 10 or 15 years if you were given once change in front of a music producer, a gallery owner or an MD, how would the next 5, 10 or 15 years change for the better?

 

If you are serious about your talent and career, you would have already tried knocking on the doors of galleries, sending your song to producers or e-mailing your CV to hundreds of employers without success, this is not to say you don’t have the talent but it does confirm that your current approach does not work.

 

  • Getting noticed

 

The best way to get noticed is to put your money where your mouth is, to back up your talent! Remembers this technique is only for people with a real talent, if you know deep down that you’re not really that good – DO NOT FOLLOW THIS TECHNIQUE

 

 As you read this your first reaction will be to say “no way am I doing that” but remember if you are that good at your talent, this technique will get you noticed by the people that really matter and once you have been noticed the new contract will soon follow, and what comes with a new contract? Money!

 

Wait outside the office, studio gallery or wherever the person you need to meet works, approach them and offer them money (around £100-£200) to listen to your music, to view your painting for 5 minutes or to let you work for free for a week!

 

That’s right offer them money! This is one sure way to get noticed, first they will be shocked by the offer (£200 to listen to one track – wow) and wouldn’t want to turn it down as it will be the easiest £200 they have ever made.

 

Next if you are that good, they will hear your music, view your painting or get a feel for how you work and will want to take you on knowing that you are a really talented person

 

From your initial £200 you could quickly get to recognition you deserve and the financial benefits that often comes with having talent – sometime thinking out the box is the key to success

 

If you enjoyed reading this article you will also enjoy reading:

 

 

Posted on

CV Template Download

CV Template Download for Free

CV writing is a tricky business.

Not only do you have to target your CV to each position and write a covering letter, you also have to design your CV Template, so it is eye catching – remember employers only glance at a CV initially

Employers receive too many CVs to read in full, this is why appearance is key. To help you secure employment we have two CV templates for you to download for FREE.

CV Template

Do you have a job interview coming up? Did you know you can use hypnosis, nlp and psychology to secure job offers? Crazy I know, but these skills will give you the upper hand in a job interview.

If You Enjoyed Reading This Article You Will Also Enjoy Reading:

Posted on

Ten Stupid Ways to Fail Your Job Interview

Ten Stupid Ways to Fail Your Job Interview

After weeks of job hunting and searching through thousands of job vacancies, editing your CV for each individual job and writing targeted covering letters you finally land the all-important interview for your dream job. Don’t mess up your job interview by making these 10 stupid mistakes that will ensure you fail your job interview.

1. Farting During the Interview

We all get nervous during job interviews including celebrities and even the wife of ex-presidents. Hilary Clinton during an interview didn’t realise how sensitive her microphone was when she accidentally farted during her TV interview – we don’t know if this embarrassing mistake was due to a bad diet or bad nerves

2. Telling Big Fat Lies

Job hunters often stretch the truth during job interviews to gain the upper hand over other job applicants, but Callie Armstrong took it one step too far when she lied at about being Jewish and being able to speak Hebrew! It paid off though as she was not only offered a job but a year later married one of the Jewish graduates from the school where she secured work, which meant she had to convert to Judaism. But when did she tell the groom about the lie, before or after the wedding?

3. Agreeing with everything the interview says even the Lie’s on your CV

Jen from the IT Crowd got stuck after lying on her CV about her IT skills and was offered the IT management job. Explaining later during to the interviewer “I’ve got a lot of experience with the computer…thing, you know e-mails…, sending e-mails, receiving e-mails,…deleting e-mails, I could go on…”

4. Using an Over Creative Video CV

You need your CV or Resume to stand out from the crowd, but Barny from How I Met Your Mother took this a little to far as you see him flying airplanes, driving monster trucks and parachuting off cliffs to the soundtrack “I’m so Awesome”

5. Arriving to the Job Interview with a Cockatoo on Your Shoulder

Some job hunters really don’t understand the importance of the first impression, especially one guy who attended a job interview with a cockatoo on his shoulder. Robert Half completed a recent survey on outstanding interview mistakes and outrageous interview blunders

6. Wearing your PJ’s to the Interview

According to a recent survey of more than 670 HR managers, many job hunters don’t understand the importance of wearing smart attire during the interview, with some interviewees arriving at the interview dressed in their nightwear, thankfully this was PJs and slippers and not boxer shorts and socks

 

7. Giving Joke Answers to Serious Questions

Some interviewers want to stand out from the crowd, instead of asking about your experience, qualifications or what can you bring to the organisation? They will ask dumb questions such as “if you were a cookie what cookie would you be?” don’t get caught out by thinking this is a joke question responding with a joke answer such as a “A smart cookie” read more about dumb interview questions and answers on the link below

8. Not Thinking About your Interview Answers

I love hearing funny responses to interview questions, some interviewees are so nervous during the Q&A section of the interview that they respond to interview questions with the first thought that pops into their head; one guy was asked “why do you want to work here” and responded with “because I fancy the girl in reception” another applicant in a sales interview was asked how he would handle a difficult client? He told the interviewer he had the perfect solution – wrestle his clients to the ground instead of trying to work out any differences.

9. Don’t Go To an Interview Drunk

No matter what you do wrong to prepare for an interview don’t go out drinking until 5 in the morning before your job interview as “the speakman” can confirm that no matter how many cups of coffee you drink you will still feel absolutely hammered. This unlucky guy not only had to attend a face to face interview while drunk, but had to complete a number of IQ and maths test that lasted all day. With an oncoming hangover, the interviewee was secretly hoping he would fail each stage of the interview process so he could grab a quick taxi home and straight to bed, but luckily or unluckily he passed each stage of the interview process even though his breath smelt of kebab and his stomach felt like it was ready to explode

10. Don’t get Arrested During the Job Interview

One sure way to guarantee you don’t receive a job offer during a job interview is when you get arrested for murder between answering questions. An unnamed girl accused of murdering two young men, was wanted by police who could not locate her, but they knew that the girl had a job interview due and waited for the girl to attend the job interview before arresting her – to the surprise of the interviewees

You can fail your job interview in many stupid ways with most popular way being, interviewees not practicing the interview questions. You can now learn the Killer Answers to Tricky Questions.

If you enjoyed reading this article you will also enjoy reading:

Posted on

How to Prepare your Interview Answers

How to Prepare your Interview Answers

 

 

To pass more job interviews you need to start preparing which means a little work before your job interview will go along way. By following this quick procedure will help you gain more job offers making more money.

 

  • First think about the position you are applying for and ask yourself “what skills and qualities does the employer require me to have?” and make a big list. You now have a list of the employer’s essential criteria.

 

Record your list of essential criteria here

 ____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

  • Next take each skill or quality and break down, as an example “Communication Skills – how do you communicate?” –  e-mail, face to face, telephone, fax, body language, sign language, etc. make this list as big as possible, there are no wrong answers be creative add anything you associate to communication (or your essential criteria)

 

Communication e-mail, face to face
   
   
   

 

 

  • Now you have a giant list of criteria and a breakdown of those particular criteria you can now move onto the third stage – paragraphs. All you need to do here is put the breakdown of the criteria into a paragraph (and this doesn’t need to perfect yet)

 

 Let’s use the communication example – remember at this stage the paragraph doesn’t need to read well as we are still in the ideas stage. “I communicate with everyday, over the phone and face to face. When talking over the phone I use my voice tone to build rapport and ask regular questions to ensure the other person is taking onboard what I am saying. When talking to people face to face, I use my body language to increase likeness and watch the other people’s body language and face gestures to check they agree with what I am saying”

 

You are probably thinking of several different sentences you can use for the essential criteria required for your job position.

 

  • The final stage is to add real life examples to your explanation, using real life examples show’s the employer two things; one you understand what their essential criteria is  and more importantly you have implemented in previous roles (which is often taken for you can do that part of the job)

 

Your real life examples need to be related to the position you are applying for. In sales jobs communication skills and rapport building are key essential criteria, so you can edit your above profile using real life sales (or any position) experience

 

“In my previous sales position I was always on the monthly top 10 sales executive’s board often at the top, this is because I understand the importance of communicating with people over the phone. I would often use my voice tone to build rapport with customers and ask customers questions throughout the sales pitch to ensure they were listening to me…..”

 

I would add that you need to re-write your interview answer 3 times to ensure it really sell’s you

 

Finally after each interview have a think about which answer worked well and which answers need improving as passing interviews means you need to understand how to sell yourself through well formed interview answers.

 

If you want to pass more interviews read Tricky Questions, Killer Answers by Employment King

 

If you enjoyed reading this article you will also enjoy reading:

 

Posted on

Five jobs that make the Unemployment Line look more attractive

Many of us can relate to that Monday Morning feeling, snoozing the alarm repeatedly, fabricating possible excuses as to why we can’t make it into the office today. However, you should count yourself lucky and spare a thought as you catch your commuter train, with your Grande-Skinny-Latte-to-go in hand – for those working in jobs where the pain/pleasure balance is weighted down on the pain side of the scales.

Five jobs that make the Unemployment Line look more attractive…

  • 1. Clinical Trial Participant

A noble role in which volunteers offer up their bodies to science for the greater medical good..and an undisclosed fee *plus reimbursed transport costs… A seemingly perfect money making opportunity, pop a few pills and sit tight playing X-Box, whilst being monitored by men in white coats. But what are the costs for those not lucky enough to pick the placebo pill?

Mohammed Abdalla, 28, had jumped at the chance of a £2,000 fee for being a guinea pig, planning to use the money to make his family in Egypt financially secure. Things started to go wrong in the trial for a drug to treat Leukemia & Arthritis as Mohammed’s head started to balloon in size. Perhaps he should have heeded the scientist’s warnings as the told of the damage the drug could do to human flesh. No comfort to the man now likened by his own girlfriend to Elephant Man.


 

 

  • Source
     
  • 2. Morbid Make-Up Artist

Top ranking make-up artists can expect to earn up to £3,000 per day for fashion shows, enjoying working with a range of glamorous models, performers and presenters, in a number of colourful setting including film & television sets, theatres, photographic shoots and a little more exotically on the coroner’s slab.

While working as a make-up artist to the deceased as opposed to the living may help you steer clear of client disagreements over make-up choices it can throw up a series of problems aside from the obvious morbidity of the role – specialist thermogenic makeup needs to be used as regular make-up crumbles on dead skin in the absence of body heat to break it down. Not to mention the emptying of bowels, bladder and vomiting of the corpses – grim.

 

  • 3. Unlucky Factory Operative

Glamour, glitz, luxury, high pay, relaxed hours of work – about as far away as you can get from the typical perception of factory work – from working in a refrigerated environment day in day out as part of a team to produce…watercress (Yes, that sprinkling of grass like vegetation you sometimes see on supermarket cafe salads?) – or working as a Quality Controller in a chicken factory to separate the drumsticks from the thighs.

Chicken factory talent must not be sneered at, as abilities can thrive in the most unusual of places – Chicken Factory X Factor  – No, not there.

The ability to survive in the workplace as your body is dragged through a five inch gap in a steel processing machine and to live to tell the tale – now that shows resilience and dedication to an organisation where he is now unbelievably planning to become a Site Supervisor.

 

 

  • 4. Crab Fishing

An industry which averages on average claims one fatality a week and labour that leaves a stench on fish on you at the end of your working day? Sounds like a dream..working brutal 21 hour long shifts in Alaska, the freezing and stormy conditions meaning that injuries are common as well as the risk of falling overboard.

So what is the allure for these crab fishers? The hours? The risk of death? The potted shrimp to take home to the wife? Perhaps the earning potential as they are able to rake in up over an average annual salary of $100,000 over less than a week during the Alaskan crabbing season.



 

  • 5. Cow Head Stroker

Animal care roles frequently top the list of desired careers for little girls and boys throughout the country as they tell Mummy and Daddy of their aspirations to become a Vet or to work in Pet Shop. A relatively unknown career in this field is that of the worker who is entrusted with the task of holding and tenderly stroking a cow’s head as they are artificially inseminated with bull sperm.

Interestingly enough, young boys in Africa can be seen here in a similar role as they are entrusted to blow up a cow’s bottom to encourage them to lactate – yes it is exactly as it sounds.

 

 

 

If you enjoyed this article you will also enjoy reading:

Posted on

101 Life Coaching Questions

  • 101 Coaching Questions

The secret to successful life coaching is the questions you ask as a life coach or are asked by your coach, to help you coach yourself we have written 101 coaching questions.

When reading each question, take the time to wait for your unconscious mind to answer the questions, giving you the answers you need. To really move forward with your life download a FREE extract from Employment King’s online coaching course (limited time only)

Opening the Session

  • What has changed since deciding to make the decision to change your life, career, future, health, relationships?
  • What has been your biggest achievement since we last met?
  • What has gone really well for you for this week?
  • How have you progressed – what did you do differently?
  • What is great about your life this week?
  • How have you grown this week?
  • What did you accomplish this week?
  • What happen last week for you to want to make a change this week?
  • Who else will benefit from what you have learnt and how you have changed?
  • How many positive states have you been in this week?
  • What motivated you to complete last week’s actions and tasks?

Goal Setting

  • What do you want to achieve in your life?
  • By what date do you want to achieve your goals?
  • What is important to you right now?
  • What dreams and fantasies do you have?
  • What would you like to achieve from today’s session?
  • What needs to happen for you to have the best possible session today?
  • If anything was possible what would you want?
  • Describe you at your best or you on your best day.
  • What do you want to happen today, next week, next month and next year?
  • What are you key goals – what outcomes will they bring?
  • How long have you been thinking about this goal or change?

You too can use a life coach to achieve your goals

Building on Success

  • What is working well right now, what keeps you motivated?
  • What can you do more of that will help you move forward?
  • Where are you when you are acting at your best?
  • What do you say to yourself when you are feeling successful?
  • How can you ensure next week is as successful as this week or even more so?
  • If you are aware of the problem, do you know the solution?
  • How would you like it to be known?
  • What’s in the way of your success?
  • What’s stopping you moving forward, how can you overcome this?
  • Have you ever experienced something like this before?
  • What does success mean to you?
  • Are you focused on your goal a 100%?
  • How will you know when you have reached your goal?
  • Is your goal designed to gain pleasure or to avoid pain?
  • Is your goal giving you energy or draining your energy?
  • What will really make the biggest difference in your life?

Options

  • What would work best for you?
  • What options do you have for moving forward?
  • What else could you do?
  • If anything was possible what would be your ideal course of action?
  • Will this choice move you forward or keep you stuck in a rut?
  • How have you handled this situation successfully in the past?
  • Who do you know who has been in a similar situation, what would they do?
  • If you were advising a friend or family member with the same goal/barrier what would you suggest?
  • If you did know what to do what would the answer be?
  • Who else is affected by you, your barriers and your goals?
  • What does your intuition tell you about this?
  • Have you solved problems like this before? What did you do?
  • What is really important to you? Make a list
  • What item on your lift has the most importance?
  • What rules do you have for yourself, which are getting in the way?
  • If you changed your belief about this, what would be possible?
  • Is this a decision or a dream?

Taking the Next Step

  • If you did know the answer what would it be?
  • What question should I be asking you?
  • On a scale of 1 -10 what progress have you made so far in achieving your goal?
  • On a scale of 1 – 10 how motivated are you to carrying out this action to achieve your goal?
  • What can you do to move one more number up the scale?
  • What number on the scale do you want to be at?
  • How will you know when you have reached this number?
  • How can you learn from this problem so it never happens again?

Jumping Barriers

  • What are you not facing up to?
  • What are you pretending not to know?
  • If you did know the answer what would it be?
  • What is the real issue?
  • What would people you know be saying to you right now?
  • What is really important to you?
  • What’s the worst that can happen, and can you handle that?
  • What’s stopping you from taking action? – What can you do to overcome this?
  • Have you set goals before – at what part in the process did you give up? What will you do different this time?
  • Who wouldn’t like it if you succeeded?
  • How can you solve this problem so it never comes back?
  • If you weren’t so scared, what would you do differently?
  • Which step could you take that would make the biggest difference, right now?

Motivation

  • How do you know when you’re really motivated?
  • What is really important to you right now?
  • What would you like people to say about you?
  • When things were going well for you what was happening?
  • When did you last feel energize-what was happening, where were you, who were you with?
  • Which of your core values does this goal meet?
  • What do you believe about yourself? What new belief would most help you?
  • What will you have to give up in order to make room for your new goals?
  • How would your life be transformed if you changed this right now?
  • If you don’t change this, what will it cost you in the long run?
  • What will you add to your plan to achieve your new goals?
  • Are your personal standards high enough to reach your goals?
  • What did you learn in the process?
  • How will achieving your goal benefit you and other people?

NLP Life coaching can you to the motivation to move forward

Action’s

  • What goal is most important to you?
  • What steps and actions are you going to take now?
  • What is your best way forward?
  • What’s the first step you need to take to reach your goal?
  • Which step/option most excites you?
  • How are you going to achieve all your goals?
  • When exactly will you start?
  • Who can help you?
  • What might stop you achieving your goals? What can you do to overcome this?
  • What is the best outcome you can imagine from achieving your goals?
  • What is your strategy to achieving your goals?

If you enjoyed reading this article you will also enjoy reading:

 

Posted on

7 Town Planner Interview Questions

Town Planner Interview 

A town planner is a professional role, with an average annual earnings of £30,000-£45,000.

The duties do very depending on the organsiation you work for, but in the main you will be involved in the management and development of cities, towns, villages and the countryside.

The job interview questions will be designed to check if you have the competencies to balance the conflicting demands of the job role, to find planning solutions to problems and to use town planning technologies.

This industry is very competitive and competition will be strong. Preparation, therefore, is key to job interview success. Being able to predict the interview questions will help you to form and practice your interview answers.

Town Planner Interview Questions

Give me an example of when used communications effectively

What is knowledge on planning policies and procedures?

What does the Government localism agenda mean for planning? 

What was the most recent published planning policy?

What does the revoking of regional spatial strategies mean for the ability of the UK to meet house building targets?

What would you do if the IT systems crashed 30 minutes before an important client deadline?

What is your commitment your professional development?

Posted on

CV Hints and Tips

On average employers can receive between 200-300 CVs for every advertised job – That’s a lot of competition, so  you need to ensure your CV sticks out above the rest.

Due to the large amount of CVs employers receive, they tend to spend around 30 seconds “skimming” through your CV, quickly making a decision to put your CV in the successful applicants or none successful applicants pile.

If your CV has made it to the successful pile the employer will then re-read each CV in more detail deciding which applicants (5 candidates per position on average) to interview.

The following tips and hints will give you the upper hand on other candidates, some of the tips may seem obvious, but you would be amazed about the amount of job searchers who don’t gain interviews due to small errors:

Always send a covering letter-this will make your CV look more professional:

  • Keep the covering letter on one page

  • Highlight the key skills needed for the job you are applying for

  • Add information about the company you are applying to, as this will individualise your application

  • Ensure your CV looks neat and tidy; no creased corners or coffee stains

Tailor your CV to every job you apply for:

  • Read the job specification and add/change your personal profile and job duties to match those of the position you are applying for

  • Ensure the essential skills, qualities, experiences and qualifications needed for the job role are added to your CV

  • Delete any information from your CV that is not relevant to the job you are applying for

  • If you are applying for several different job roles, use a tailored CV for each job role

Once you are employed, keep your CV up to date, as this will save time in the long term:

    • Change your contact details if you move address or gain a new phone number/e-mail address

    • Add any new training and qualifications that you gain

    • Record any achievements in your current position as you achieve them

Speculative Application

You don’t have to wait for jobs to be advertised, speculative applications are often a quick and easy way to apply for work, and many people don’t use this technique to apply for work.

Go on www.yell.com to find specific companies to which you would like to apply. Once you have the company address send out your CV and a Speculative Covering Letter (see attached Covering Letter PDF) research has shown there is a 40-45% success rate in doing this. My own personal experience has shown that there is a 30% success rate – even if this figure was 20% I would recommend Speculative applications as they require minimal effort, little time and I can personally vouch for their success as I have gained several jobs through this method.

If You enjoyed reading this article you will also enjoy: