The Workthing+ blog

You can find a job on Twitter

People tend to look at me with disbelief when I tell them that if it weren’t for Twitter and more specifically, the advent of social media, I wouldn’t have my current job.

I began accessing Twitter through an iPhone application, which located users who were in close proximity to you and showed you their tweets. This was important because it allowed me to connect with people in my area and discuss relevant topics.

Fast-forward a year and a half later to mid-June, and I was in full swing of my first internship and had started to wonder how I was going to obtain full employment when I graduated in December.

I knew that I was interested in recruiting, so I started researching how to break into the field. I remembered that one of the people I followed had something in her profile about being a recruiter and having to deal with all things workforce-related. What better way to get answers than asking a recruiter!

Register for our next FREE online career workshop on CVs

Your CV is the first thing a prospective employer sees and is vital in positioning you as the perfect candidate. But where do you start and what is the recruiter really looking for? 

To find out, don’t miss our next online career workshop and hear from our expert about how to: 

• Create an interview-winning CV;
• Write a cover letter that helps you stand out;
• Customise your CV for every application.

The workshop is from 1pm next Wednesday. Don't forget to submit your question to our panel when you register.

Waffle-free CV #wfcv competition winner Rizwan Imtiazi

MBA; 14 years in Procurement: reduced opex by 27% & vendorbase by 40%; 9 years’ management; 4 years’ consultancy: FTSE 250 clients #wfcv

Rizwan Imtiazi

Why I entered the competition

"I am constantly updating, honing and improving my CV with each experience I have during my job search, and with each new tip or piece of advice I pick up. So when I saw the competition preamble about waffle-free CVs, I was compelled to examine my own and see how I could minimise unnecessary information. I needed to reduce the word content of my formal CV as it had started to creep well on to the third page.
 
"The problem is of course that we always try to make the CV a story of our professional lives. We want to include everything in it so that we don't miss out on a potential opportunity because we excluded something. So, I considered the competition as a way to practise reducing irrelevant information from my CV."

Waffle-free CV #wfcv competition: And the winner is...

Thanks to everyone who entered my waffle-free CV #wfcv competition. It’s been a runaway success, with an unprecedented number of entries from people in all professions, at all levels and from a wide range of industries.

And now I’d like to announce what you’ve all been waiting for...the winning entry!

Winner

• MBA; 14 years in Procurement: reduced opex by 27% & vendorbase by 40%; 9 years’ management; 4 years’ consultancy: FTSE 250 clients #wfcv

This micro-CV really tells the reader a lot in a very short space. It's succinct, there's no waffle, and it gives a very clear indication of this person's background. In particular, the judges felt that this entry qualified the person's achievements by indicating specific measures of success.

FREE online workshop - Mature jobseekers: how to use your experience to your advantage

Do you feel your years of experience are holding you back in your job search?

If so, don’t miss our next online career workshop where we’ll give practical advice on how to succeed in your job search including:

• Structuring your CV;
• The types of roles to consider;
• Keeping up-to-date with technology;
• Key interview tips.

Waffle-free CV #wfcv competition: The good, the bad and the ugly

My waffle-free CV competition has only been going for a few days, but so far there’s been a fantastic response.

Entries have ranged from concise, micro-CVs that put across real achievements within a very small space, to full 5-page CVs documents that have completely ignored the rules of the competition.

Remember, I want you to create your CV in 135 characters or less (including spaces). Here are some examples of excellent waffle-free CVs that deserve to win these people new jobs:

Issue 14 - Do you understand how recruitment consultants work?

I was looking over the debate raging on the Workthing+ blog – with some controversial opinions on which recruitment agents to trust. As I have said before, recruitment consultants are paid by employers, who hire them as agents to fill vacancies, so their allegiance is to employers, not to you.

Make your money work for you

Angela Eagle, Minister for Pensions, sets out the reasons why saving what you can when in work is the foundation for a more secure future when you retire.




Planning and saving for later life might not be top of your agenda, especially if you’re looking for work in the current economic climate. However, we are all living longer and most of us are likely to spend over 20 years in retirement, which is why thinking about your long-term financial future now, is essential. There might be many calls on your money and retirement might seem a long way off, but saving for the future is vital.

Win a Flip UltraHD Video – tweet your CV in 140 characters or less

We hate CV waffle ... people have 2 pages to sell themselves to a potential employer ... and then waste time and space by including waffle like:

• "Motivated self-starter". No recruiter will ever search a CV database for this or similar variants. If it goes without saying, don’t say it!
• “Able to work alone or as a member of team”. If you have nothing better to put on your 2-page CV than this, then you should be worried.
• And “good timekeeper”, “dynamic and enthusiastic”, “enjoy spending time with my young family” and many more. 
• As a general rule: less adjectives, more facts.

To demonstrate the point, we want to prove that anyone can produce a CV in 140 characters or less (the Twitter posting limit).

So – the challenge is to create your own short CV and tweet it or email it to me, and I’ll let you know exactly what I think. View them as they come in @WorkthingPlus.

Issue 13 - Shhh...Insider Information from The Career Insider

Q.   

I work in a creative role, and was advised to make a video CV, because they show creativity and originality. I don’t know how to make a video CV, and am worried it won’t look professional. Do you know how to go about this?

P.F., London

Hot sectors: December 2009

Most people use the festive break as an opportunity to regroup and refocus on what they really want before putting 100 per cent into finding a job in the New Year.

During December, the number of managers and executives appointed into work was slow across most sectors. However, there was certainly still some activity, reflecting the upward swing in the job market highlighted in November’s Management Moves report.

This month’s report shows that there were still certain sectors that made some significant hires:

Online Career Workshop - How to successfully plan your career path

Thanks to everyone who attended our workshop today and special thanks to Laura and Emma for all of their help and advice. 

Many of you submitted questions that we didn't have time to answer so we will endeavour to provide you with some more answers on the blog tomorrow...watch this space!

In the meantime please feel free to give us your feedback by leaving a comment below.

If you missed the workshop and would like to view the recording please click here. 

Looking for a job? Make sure you are professionally represented online

A recent study by Harris Interactive shows that over 45% of employers use social networks in order to screen potential candidates. The reason for that is simple: it is both easier and faster to Google a candidate’s name than it is to start calling for references. In most cases, the information found within seconds online exceeds what can be derived from a phone conversation with a former employer. The same study also shows that over one third of the decision makers were influenced by what they had found online when deciding to pass on a candidate.

In a world where being called for a face-to-face interview depends on a review of a candidate’s Google CV, presenting yourself professionally on the web is an absolute necessity. Unless you have the exact same name as a well-known celebrity, it is entirely possible to rank on the first page of Google for your name. It does not take very long or cost a lot of money, it only requires dedication and a bit of planning.

Issue 12 - Executive jobsearch myths

Q.    Executive jobsearch myths

I'm being made redundant and considering uploading my CV to executive jobsites to help my career search, but a colleague has advised me that executive recruiters avoid CVs on these websites like the plague.

P.J., Staffs

How your CV can help you change careers

 

Making a major career change can be very tough, particularly in the current job market. Due to the large number of jobseekers, employers can afford to insist on only seeing candidates with previous experience in the same role.

However, if you are really set on making a major career change, it can be done. You might also feel that you have no other option, as being in a job that no longer gives you any satisfaction can be soul destroying. Of course the opposite is certainly true if you are fortunate to be doing a job that you love.

You won’t be able to start your job search without having a CV that is going to convince a potential employer to invite you for an interview despite your lack of previous experience.

So here are my Top Ten CV Tips to help you change careers:

Issue 11 - New Year's Career Resolutions

There’s a common event in the office at this time of year – no, I’m not referring to those Christmas party embarrassments – I’m talking about annual reviews and appraisals. It’s likely you’ll have sat down with your manager to discuss your performance, your salary, and your future at the company. Even if you held back the truth or are intending to abandon ship in the New Year, now’s the time to be honest with yourself.

For this reason, I advise adopting the time-honoured tradition of New Year’s Resolutions. Get on with these now, and you’ll be well-positioned to steer your career in the direction you want in 2010:

Happy Christmas from Workthing+ ... and here's to 2010

In many ways, 2009 has been one of the most challenging years in recent memory for jobseekers. Jobs just haven’t been available in the same numbers that we’ve been used to for the past 10 years.

Earlier this year, we launched Workthing+ in response to the fact that jobseekers were conscious they needed to do even more to stand out. It’s proved to be a huge success, with thousands of members, fantastic feedback, and hundreds of attendees at our online career workshops.

Even though the market has been tough, there are some sectors where employers are finding it really difficult to find good candidates. People in work have simply been less willing to move jobs than in more normal times. As soon as we see real confidence returning to the employment market (hopefully in the second half of 2010), there will be a release of that pent-up demand; a wave of people moving roles and creating vacancies in their wake.

Hot sectors: November 2009

November signalled one of the most positive upturns in the job market for many months. The REC/KPMG Report on Jobs for November displayed a growth in both permanent and temporary appointments, pointing towards a brighter outlook for 2010.

Whether you’re a manager or executive wishing to target opportunities in your sector or whether you’re looking to explore new avenues, you’ll need to be aware of how the market is behaving. This month’s Management Moves report demonstrates some steady findings:

Advice from Jobcentre Plus – Preparing for an interview

Securing an interview is the crucial first step towards getting a job, but performing in the interview itself is a different ball game. To be invited for an interview you’ve obviously managed to impress the prospective employer on paper, but then you’ll want to do the same in person.

It’s natural to be nervous about interviews, but doing as much preparation as possible beforehand will give you the best possible chance of performing on the day. It’s amazing how many people overlook the most basic interview rules:

FREE online workshop - How to turn interviews into job offers

Are you getting interviews but not offers?

Don’t miss our next online career workshop where we’ll offer practical advice on how to succeed at job interviews, including:

• preparation and research tips;
• advice on what questions to expect; and
• how to handle tricky questions and salary negotiation.