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How to get that job

On Sunday 23rd July, Parc made a presentation to job seekers on how to get the best out of a recruitment agency when landing that dream job. You can download the powerpoint presentation here;

How to co-operate effectively with a recruitment agency

Preparing a Curriculum Vitae

Constructing a first class CV is hard work but is crucial to your success and a well-produced finished article will be more than worth the effort.

There are many different ways to write a CV and you should not feel restricted to one particular method, instead experiment until you are confident the end result is more suitable to your needs. Most employers however expect a CV to be laid out according to some kind of established convention and the following format provides an excellent starting point.

Personal Details

	Address (with dates if more than one)
	Telephone number
	Email
	Date of Birth (not mandatory)
	Nationality

Skills

Employers are often influenced by specific skills you have acquired, for example level of competency in foreign languages, computing skills, languages and packages, driving and so on. Try to give specific details for example level of proficiency.

Career Summary

List each position in reverse chronological order including:

	Dates
	Name of Employer
	Job Title
	Specific responsibilities and duties

Education and Qualifications

Begin with professional qualifications and memberships followed by education from post graduate to further education and or leaving certificate in reverse chronological order including the following information:

	Institution attended
	Dates
	Subject
	Qualifications
	Class attained

Leisure Interests

Including interests adds personality to the CV and employers often look at these to evidence personal qualities they seek. Don't just list them, mention level of achievement and be specific.

	Sports
	Cultural or Creative
	Travel
	Community Activities

Tips on Content

	Language Use positive language and aim for a confident tone.
	The Facts As well as listing facts attempt to quantify your skills and achievements. By adding some comments or interpretation. This mat take the form of a short paragraph or as a series of bullet points. Above all it is important to be audience focused to ensure information given in the CV is as relevant as possible to the desired position.
	Space The amount of space you spend on a topic indicates the weight you want the employer to give it. Keep it simple, devote more space if the topic is important, if it isn't don't dwell on it. Aim to complete the CV in two pages.
	Dates Include the year you began and ended each position, ensure all years are accounted for. Employers may feel that you are hiding something if there are too many gaps.

Tips on Layout

	Your CV should be easy to read and convey the essential information in a clear neat format.
	Number pages in case they become detached, it is often advisable to ensure contact details are available on all pages.
	Use capitals and bold print to separate sections. Bold print and italics can be useful for highlighting important points. Underlining however is best avoided as it can give the CV an old fashioned look.
	To ensure uniformity use the tab key (rather than the space bar) to indent information. Placing dates on the left with the rest of the information indented a further inch or so is a clear and effective way of presenting information.
	Use only quality paper of around 80 - 100gm. White is usually better than coloured.
	Avoid use of tables, test boxes & colours

Final Check

	Check and re-check dates and spelling, ensure the CV follows a logical pattern presenting the information clearly and that the finished article is pleasing to the eye.
	Ensure the CV is tailored as far as possible to the position sought.
	Have someone proof read the CV to give and objective second opinion.

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