CV Tips |
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Did you know, C.V. stands for ‘curriculum vitae’, which is a Latin expression meaning ‘the course of my life’? A C.V. offers you an opportunity to showcase your skills and achievements, employment and education history and and any other relevant information that would make you the right person for the job.
A good website that can help guide you through creating a C.V. is Careers NZ website: https://www.careers.govt.nz/tools/C.V.-builder Things you should put in your C.V. are: Contact Details This should include your full name, address, phone number (include the number that people can best contact you on) and email address. Tip! Do you have a cellphone message that goes straight to the “beep” or says “Hello, Hello…? Are you there?” making people think that it’s you answering and not a recorded message? Is your email address ‘numba1playa’or ‘STonA4life’? You should have a clear identifying voicemail message and creating a ‘work appropriate’ email address for employers. Personal Profile A summary of who you are, and why you think you would be great for the job. Keep it only 2 or 3 sentences long. E.g.: “Motivated, reliable and committed, with a keen interest in learning and developing new skills. E.g. Organised, with great communication skills. Values working with people and strives to always provide a positive customer experience.” Key skills and qualities Bullet points your key skills and qualities. This is how employers to find out if you are a good fit for the job. For example:
These can be related to:
Education and training
It’s okay if you don't have much training at this stage. Employment History/Work Experience
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Interests and hobbies
Make a short ‘interests’ section. This is about showing an employer what you like to do outside of work. Have a think about what interests might be more appropriate than others to note down for the job you’re applying for. I.e. if you’re applying for a job in a bookstore, and have an interest in reading fantasy novels and biographies, note that down! If you’re applying for a job at an automotive store and enjoy working on cars and fine-tuning their performance, note that down! Referees
There are a number of websites that advertise new jobs – Seek and TradeMe are two that are frequently used by employers. These job ads will tell you the date when your C.V. and cover letter are due and who to send it to. Make sure that you get the due date and the person's name right. Imagine employing someone who can't even spell your name properly! Before you hand in your C.V., edit your C.V. and cover letter to match the same sorts of qualities and skills the employer wants to see (as long as you really believe you can actually demonstrate those skills/qualities). Do I need an intro to my C.V.? Yes! Many adverts will ask for a ‘cover letter’ to go with your C.V. This letter is a chance to make a good impression to your employer and get them interested in reading your C.V.. If your cover letter is boring, they may not even look at your C.V. The letter should:
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Job Interview Tips
So you sent in your CV, completed an application form and have now been contacted for an interview.......WOOHOO!!!! While job interviews can be really nerve-wracking, they are a necessary part of life – and the more interviews you have, the better you’ll get.
Preparing for your interview is an absolute MUST! Here are our tips:
Typical interview questions. Be prepared to answer questions like this
Employers may ask you to give examples of times when you've used particular skills, for example, problem solving, writing skills and team work. Some questions you might like to ask are:
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During the Interview
This is the chance you've been waiting for! You get to sell all your good points to an employer. Here are some things to remember during the interview:
After the Interview
Keep applying for other jobs while you wait to hear from the employer. If the employer doesn't contact you as agreed, phone back within a week. If you weren't successful this time, ask the employer for ideas and advice on how you could improve for your next interview. Turning down a Job Offer
You may have decided that after being offered a job that it is not the job for you - either because you have been offered a job from somewhere else, or it is not the right thing for you to do at this stage. Thank the organisation for the offer and politely turn it down. You may end up going back to them later for another job opportunity – so make sure that you leave the door open for yourself. If you didn't get the job
Just keep swimming!
If you didn’t get the job, don't give up! It’s normal to feel disappointed when you don’t get a job – especially if it was the one that you really wanted. Use what you learned from your experiences being interviewed and try to improve on your interview skills each time you have one. As they say - practice makes perfect! Remember to keep feeling confident about who you are and the skills and experience you have - there is a job out there for you! |
Job Hunting
How to search and apply for jobs
Finding a job – especially one that you enjoy – can be sometimes be pretty tough. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try though!
Check out our checklist below for finding and applying for jobs!• Is there somewhere you can use the internet regularly?
• Do you have a professional email address (e.g. maybe your full name, rather than St0Na4lyfe@email.com ...)
• Have you registered with job websites (e.g. Seek, Trade Me, Student Job Search)
• Have you registered with a recruitment agency?
• Do you check the local newspapers and community notice boards regularly?
• Have you been looking for vacancies in the windows of stores (with copies of your C.V. in hand)
• Have you asked the people you know, including family friends and on Facebook?
• Have you narrowed down exactly what kinds of jobs you are keen on (e.g. full-time, part-time, office work, etc.)?
• Have you started searching for appropriate jobs?
• Have you made a list of particular jobs (advertised now) and noted down the application due dates?
• Have you tailored your C.V. and written a cover letters for each of the jobs?
• Has someone given you feedback on the cover letters, spell-check and edit and our C.V.?
• Have you told your referees about your job applications so that they are ready for a call?
If you get the job
Your first time reading and signing an employment contract can be pretty daunting and confusing!
The Employment Relations Service provides some basic things you need to know as an employed young person. This includes what your rights are as an employee and what you are entitled to, in terms of pay, leave, working on holidays and much more. Click here for more info. You can check out their FAQ’s online, or call them with questions on 0800 20 90 20 during 8.30am – 5pm.
Youthlaw is another awesome option for legal guidance. Call on (09) 309 6967 or free call 010 and follow instructions. Click here to check out their website.
Finding a job – especially one that you enjoy – can be sometimes be pretty tough. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try though!
Check out our checklist below for finding and applying for jobs!• Is there somewhere you can use the internet regularly?
• Do you have a professional email address (e.g. maybe your full name, rather than St0Na4lyfe@email.com ...)
• Have you registered with job websites (e.g. Seek, Trade Me, Student Job Search)
• Have you registered with a recruitment agency?
• Do you check the local newspapers and community notice boards regularly?
• Have you been looking for vacancies in the windows of stores (with copies of your C.V. in hand)
• Have you asked the people you know, including family friends and on Facebook?
• Have you narrowed down exactly what kinds of jobs you are keen on (e.g. full-time, part-time, office work, etc.)?
• Have you started searching for appropriate jobs?
• Have you made a list of particular jobs (advertised now) and noted down the application due dates?
• Have you tailored your C.V. and written a cover letters for each of the jobs?
• Has someone given you feedback on the cover letters, spell-check and edit and our C.V.?
• Have you told your referees about your job applications so that they are ready for a call?
If you get the job
Your first time reading and signing an employment contract can be pretty daunting and confusing!
The Employment Relations Service provides some basic things you need to know as an employed young person. This includes what your rights are as an employee and what you are entitled to, in terms of pay, leave, working on holidays and much more. Click here for more info. You can check out their FAQ’s online, or call them with questions on 0800 20 90 20 during 8.30am – 5pm.
Youthlaw is another awesome option for legal guidance. Call on (09) 309 6967 or free call 010 and follow instructions. Click here to check out their website.