candidate toolbox
preparation
cv writing
interview tips
managing your next move
Candidate toolbox
Looking for a new opportunity, be it in the same industry or a complete career change can be a stressful time. Here at neom we believe in getting to know our candidates. Understanding skillset, aspirations, culture fit are all important drivers, along with personal goals, growth and development. These values are identified throughout our registration process, which is what helps the search for your next role key to making both parties happy.
Here are some Hints and Tips in helping you along with the process:
Preparation
So you have decided to pursue your search for your next role – what do you need to get clear?
- Understand the process with recruiters - ensure you have the valid documentation to present as a right to work
- If you have a burning desire to work for NASA … do your research and understand why?
- You are really in a spin and do not know what you really want to do .. dig deep into what your strengths are and how you would like to use them ?
- Speak to friends and colleagues, read job specs online
- Understand what salary bandings are paying for the jobs you are searching and ensure you are managing your own expectation
- Show commitment to the recruiter or client - do your homework!
- Understand your travel restrictions and parking costs before committing to work in a certain City or Business Park for example
- If you are happy to work shifts - can you definitely get there by public transport on the very early/late shift?
- If you see a role advertised do as much as possible to understand their business, their growth, vision, mission statement and why you are the best fit for the role
- Ask as many questions as you need about the role from the recruiter - if they don’t know the answer, they will find out for you
- CV Writing
- Education & Experience
- Personal
- Q&A
CV Writing
- Attention to Detail
- Getting the right look - font, colour, size - larger for headings
- Quite often a CV in Word is easier for others to read rather than a PDF
- Spelling and grammatical errors will be picked up in Word
- Keep it simple - no lifestory - use bullet points
- Complex tables/bright colours/graphics not necessary
- Don’t distract away from the core content
- Focus on the information
- Don’t stress about it being 2 pages long - if you need a little more and the info is important keep it in there
Education
Education and qualifications are an important feature on your cv – this is normally placed after your work experience. However, should your work experience be limited, place before and showcase where you have been over x amount of years and what qualifications have you gained.
Ensure dates, Governing Bodies and Institutions are made clear and don’t forget to include work experience whilst studying.
Experience
- Your experience should include Past Position, Dates from and To with the most recent to the top
- Condense years and years of experience, unless crucial for the role you are applying for
- Question whether the experience is relevant
- Bullet points are a great way of making easy reading for the client
- Avoid story telling paragrahs
- Avoid jargon or catch phrases relevant to that particular company
Achievements
- Achievements are added at the end of the position, highlighting the added value
- Accomplishments - be proud of taking further training, extra courses this is an opportunity to showcase your capability and willingness to upskill yourself
Achievements
- This is an interesting part of your cv it gives an insight to your personality, involvement outside of work which can speak volumes.
- Avoid slang and remember your CV is a professional document
References
Available on request is advisable (this will prevent your previous managers being badgered by recruiters)
Ensure dates, Governing Bodies and Institutions are made clear and don’t forget to include work experience whilst studying.
Q & A 's
- Should I adapt my cv to the role I am applying for?
- Absolutely, for every single job role you are applying for highlight the most relevant skills, tailoring your cv will help the employer understand immediately your transferable skills
- What should a “Profile” look like and what should it include?
- It is an introduction as to why you a good match for the role
- The first part should be a snapshot of your appropriate skills and qualification and secondly your character, personality, your versatility and enthusiasm
- Avoid cheesy examples and an overload of cliche statements
Interview Tips
- Fully understand the role you have applied for and why you are the best candidate for the role
- Do your homework online - understand the culture, what the company do, how the role fits with the business. Their story and what they are proud of.
- Make sure you have plenty of time (and some) to get to the interview. There is nothing worse than panicking, knowing that you going to be late and starting the interview on the backfoot feeling unorganised and embarrassed. If you are early - you can wait in the car or go for a coffee - reflecting over your questions and prep.
- It’s an obvious one but turn your phone off before you go into reception. Even on silent but still on vibrate can cause a massive distraction. Just because the client hasn’t arrived in reception, the receptionist can see your every move!
- When parking in the clients parking area you will more than likely be on camera. Avoid have a last minute cigarette or disposing of chewing gum out of the window.
- Look and feel good in what you are wearing. If you wouldn’t wear what you have on to a wedding or funeral - it’s not right! Once you have the role - it may be casual dress code, but as they say - you only get one chance to make a first impression.
- You have an offer
- How to choose
Managing your next move
- You have an offer and need to hand your notice in - when is the best time to do this? Handing your notice in to your line manager is always the best thing to do but sometimes not possible - they may be absent from the business, off sick or on annual leave. Consider the following options:-
- Understand the pay date for the new company and how this will work with your outgoings
- Are you able to start earlier with holidays still to take?
- If you going to work for a competitor you may be asked to leave immediately and put on garden leave.
- Do you need a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check before you start your new role, if so how long could this take? And can you start in the role before it comes through? - A recruiter should advise you on this
- Ensure the timing of a reference request is always after you have handed your notice in. A simple slip of timing could make all the difference if your last few days/weeks in your currently employment just by making sure you told your manager at the earliest opportunity.
- Having an offer in writing before resignation is always reassuring but if you are concerned about how long it will take, speak to your recruiter.
Fantastic news .. you have an offer (or 2)
- Deciding which role to take sometimes isn’t easy
- Chemistry and “Right Fit” are hugely important but so is how the client will integrate you into the business.
- Training, Expectations, Salary, Benefits are all important but so is Support, Teamwork, Guidance, Progression and knowing how that will happen might not always feel obvious from the start.
- Suggesting meeting up with the client or the team for a coffee can really add value and in fairness the client should be suggesting this if there is a gap in you starting.