JOB SEEKERS HELP
Resume Tips
Successful Résumés
Keep to a single page, if possible. Use positive
words.
Consider giving a synopsis of your achievements and
experience to date
after your personal details. Make this succinct and
punchy to create a positive
first image. Two or three sentences will suffice.
Spell check and ensure that it is in the correct
language version.
List your Achievements, as well as, your
Key
Responsibilities.
Research different styles of résumés. Investing a
few dollars in a
professional résumé CD writing package is money wisely
invested.
Use a quality paper to present your résumé. Remember
it is
YOU that
you are really presenting.
Do not use an obscure font, which is difficult to
read, or too many fonts
that cause the résumé to appear “too busy”. Simple
professional layouts also
transmit more successfully electronically.
The Worst Résumés
Too long and rambling.
Not current or too generic. Take time to adapt your
résumé or the
synopsis of your achievements to the specific job you are
applying to.
Incorrect spelling.
If you are required to send your résumé by mail do
not use cheap paper
or a
photocopy of your résumé.
No nominated references.
Unexplained gaps. Write positively about what you
used the time for if
your employment history has been broken.
Interview Tips
Homework - Research the school, school district and
surrounding
community. This can be by a variety of methods including
looking up the
school on their website if they have one.
Information - Request promotional literature. Take
advantage of the
opportunity for an informal discussion if it is offered.
Know Where You Are Going - Request a location map,
if necessary.
Check out your route if traveling by car or the
timetables for buses or trains.
Do not be late to an interview.
First Two Minutes - Appearance always matters. The
first two minutes
on first meeting you are critical. Make sure that you
look the part, that you
make eye contact, and offer a firm handshake.
Preparation - Prepare some suitable questions that
you want to ask
your interviewers in advance of the interview so that you
won’t dry up when
you are asked if there is any further information the you
require. Remember
that it is just as important that the job meets your
needs and aspirations, as
it is that you fit their criteria. It is both a fit and
a match.
Competency or Job Description Based Interviews - If
the interview is
structured around a competency-based framework, ensure
that you can talk
confidently about any competences you have supplied and
think of another
example for each. Be prepared for the interviewer asking
you “what
if” questions. It is important that you have
sold
yourself, your abilities
and success through the competencies you have chosen to
present. It is
often equally important to the interviewer to know what
you would have done
if the situation had not gone exactly according to plan,
particularly of there is
a big budget at stake.
Answer the Question - Ensure that you hone into
what the interviewer is
looking for. If it is a job where you will be working as
part of a team, ensure
that you show how you contribute to successful team
working. Equally, if it is
a high level strategic position, ensure that you tailor
your answers to show
your leadership abilities and helicopter vision.
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