Empower Your Employment

If you missed our recent ‘Empower your employment’ event don’t worry, we captured all that valuable information from our team of recruitment experts and have served it up in this month’s Tru Talent blog. 

Is this Blog for You?

Whether you’re changing your vocation, returning to work after an extended leave, a recent graduate or you’re looking to advance your career this blog holds the key insights you’ll need to equip yourself with the essential skills and confidence to navigate the modern job market.

We’ll Focus On These 4 Pillars:

• CV Writing Mastery

• Job Seeker Direction

• Interview Prep Excellence

• Networking and Connecting

CV Writing Mastery

Your CV is often the first impression you'll make on a potential employer, it's important to make it count. Whether you've been out of the workforce for a while or simply want to revamp your existing CV, here's how to create a compelling CV that showcases your strengths, accomplishments, and unique qualities.

Start with a Strong Summary: Begin your CV with a concise, powerful summary that encapsulates your professional identity. Highlight your key skills and unique attributes.

Showcase Achievements: It’s important to list your previous job responsibilities, but adding a focus on your accomplishments will set your CV apart from the rest. Use quantifiable results where possible to demonstrate the impact you've made. Did you increase sales by a certain percentage? Lead a successful project or team? Highlight it!

Address Employment Gaps Positively: If you've been out of the workforce, don't shy away from it. Mention any volunteer work, freelance projects, or courses you've taken to keep your skills sharp during your break.

Tailor for Each Job: Customise your CV for each position you apply for. Ensure you highlight the skills, experience, and qualifications you have with those listed in the job description to show just how well-suited you are.

Use ‘Keywords’: Many Hiring Managers will use some form of software to help highlight the skills, attributes, experience, and qualifications they are looking for when reviewing CVs, these are called ‘keywords’. Ensure you add 'keywords' listed in the job description to your CV where truthful and appropriate.  

Proofreading and Formatting: Typos and errors can be very off-putting. Proofread your CV meticulously. Keep your CV clean and easy to read with bullet points, headings, and consistent formatting.

Job Seeker Direction

Feeling uncertain about your career path is more common than you may think, especially in today's ever-evolving job market. With the right strategies you can identify your strengths, interests, and values, and align them with potential job opportunities, this will lead you to greater clarity and direction for your next step ahead.

Self-Exploration: Begin by reflecting on your passions and skills. What activities energise you? What are you naturally good at? Delve deep into your interests to uncover your core strengths.

Seek Guidance: You can talk to our expert team of recruitment specialists, mentors, career advisors, or trusted friends and family members. Their insights can provide valuable perspectives and help you develop a clearer picture of your unique talents and skills and in what industry these could be utilised most. 

Skill Enhancement: Consider acquiring new skills or certifications to broaden your skillset and open up new career possibilities.

Online Presence: Craft a strong online presence. LinkedIn, in particular, can be a powerful tool for showcasing your skills, interests, and professional journey. Share articles, engage in discussions, and connect with industry leaders. Learn more about how to powerfully utilise LinkedIn by reading our previous blog '10 tips for building your personal brand and growing your network on LinkedIn'.  

Internships and Volunteering: Gain hands-on experience through internships or volunteer work. This can help you test the waters and gain clarity about your preferred career direction before you jump in.

Seek Feedback: Request feedback from trusted friends, colleagues, and supervisors to better understand your strengths and areas you can develop.

Align with Values: Ensure your chosen path aligns with your values and long-term aspirations.

Remember, career paths are rarely linear, and it's okay to pivot. The key is to continually seek self-discovery, refine your skills, and leverage your online presence to showcase your authentic self. With determination and the right strategies, you can gain clarity and find a fulfilling career path that aligns with your aspirations and values.

Interview Prep Excellence

Stepping into an interview room with poise and confidence will give a great first impression to your interviewer. A large amount of your success will come down to the preparation you have done beforehand. Remember, you can’t ever be over-prepared for an interview. Here’s a comprehensive guide to ensure you shine:

Research Thoroughly: Perform in-depth research on the company, its history, culture, and recent news and achievements. Know the job description and its requirements inside and out and be sure to know how your skills and experience match what they are looking for.

Practice Interview Questions: Prepare and rehearse common interview questions with a friend, family member, or career coach. Feedback can help you refine your responses and boost confidence. Request a few ‘curve-ball’ questions too, this will help you prepare for the unseen and help you think on your feet whenever you might need to. 

STAR Technique: When answering behavioural interview questions such as ‘Tell me about a time you overcame a particularly hard challenge in the workplace’, use the STAR method to structure your responses - Situation, Task, Action, and Result. This helps you provide concise and detailed answers.

Highlight Achievements: Discuss your accomplishments and quantify them whenever possible. Numbers and metrics will add weight to your achievements.

Questions to Ask: Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer. Inquire about the team dynamics, the company's vision, or recent projects. It demonstrates your genuine interest in the company.

Mirror the Company's Values: Showcase alignment with the company's values and mission. Explain how your values resonate with theirs.

Body Language: Maintain good eye contact, offer a firm handshake, and sit up straight. Your non-verbal behaviour says a lot too.

Be Authentic: Don't exaggerate or pretend. Authenticity builds trust and rapport with your interviewer.

Follow Up: Send a thank-you email the day after the interview expressing your gratitude and reiterating your interest. This is really important.

Network and Connect

Engage Actively: Where possible attend networking events, seminars, and conferences to meet like-minded professionals. Show genuine interest in the work and ideas of the people you meet. One of the best ways to portray yourself as an interesting person is to be actively interested in others.

Online Presence: Optimise your LinkedIn profile and other online connections. Connect with peers, colleagues, and industry leaders. Share insightful content and engage in meaningful discussions to establish your expertise.

Offer Value: Be generous with your knowledge and resources. Provide assistance when you can. Offering value builds trust and respect with other professionals.

Follow-Up: After an initial connection remember to follow up with a personalised message or email, this goes a long way to build authentic relationships. 

Give First: Building a powerful network is a give-and-take process. Be willing to help others first before asking for what you need. Reciprocal relationships are the bedrock of successful networking.

The team here at Tru Talent really hope this blog has given you what you need to powerfully move forward in the next step of your career. We love to hear your success stories, so please share them with us at info@tru-talent.co.uk.

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As always, we’re only a call or email away, so drop us a message if we can support you with any of your recruitment needs.