CAPÍTULO 5. EXPERIMENTOS REALIZADOS Y ANÁLISIS DE
5.2. PRUEBAS RECONOCIMIENTO DE DIBUJOS
Taking the Next Step
In this Chapter:
In this Chapter:
preparing for the recruiter’s response preparing for the recruiter’s response preparing for your interview
preparing for your interview pre
preparinparing forg for a joa job offerb offer revisiting your CV.
revisiting your CV.
Use your CV to help you prepare for the next step in Use your CV to help you prepare for the next step in y
your our job job searsearch ch – – meeting meeting the the recruitrecruiter.er.
As soon as you have sent your CV to the recruiter, you As soon as you have sent your CV to the recruiter, you need to start preparing for their response. Your CV has need to start preparing for their response. Your CV has created a professional image, and this must be backed up created a professional image, and this must be backed up by the impression that you give when the recruiter
by the impression that you give when the recruiter
contacts you. You also need to start preparing for your contacts you. You also need to start preparing for your interview, as you may be asked to attend at short notice, interview, as you may be asked to attend at short notice, and even for a possible job offer – the employer may and even for a possible job offer – the employer may need to check your qualifications and references quickly need to check your qualifications and references quickly if they decide to offer you the job.
if they decide to offer you the job.
Is this you?
Is this you?
?
? I have three children at home, and they may well I have three children at home, and they may well answer the phone to a recruiter calling to talk to me.
answer the phone to a recruiter calling to talk to me.
?
? How can I make sure that the interview goes my way? How can I make sure that the interview goes my way?
?
? Things didn’t work out for me in my last job. What Things didn’t work out for me in my last job. What do I do about a reference?
do I do about a reference?
Preparing for the recruiter’s response Preparing for the recruiter’s response
After the care that you have taken to project a After the care that you have taken to project a
professional image in your CV, don’t let yourself down professional image in your CV, don’t let yourself down by the impression given when the recruiter phones you by the impression given when the recruiter phones you at home, or by a slow response to their emails and
at home, or by a slow response to their emails and correspondence.
correspondence.
Make sure that your
Make sure that your answerphone answerphone message is message is
appropriately businesslike, and check for messages appropriately businesslike, and check for messages daily.
daily.
Make sure that everyone in your household Make sure that everyone in your household understands the important of taking down
understands the important of taking down phone phone messages
messages accurately and then passing them on. accurately and then passing them on.
If you have given out your
If you have given out your fax number or email fax number or email address
address, check your inbox every day., check your inbox every day.
Preparing for your interview Preparing for your interview
Build on the work which you have put into creating Build on the work which you have put into creating your
your CV CV to to make make sure sure that that you you give give a a great great interview:interview:
research the organisation/sector research the organisation/sector
practise selling your strongest points practise selling your strongest points
decide how you will tackle questions about your decide how you will tackle questions about your weaker areas.
weaker areas.
At a senior level you will have to demonstrate at your At a senior level you will have to demonstrate at your interview a real understanding of the
interview a real understanding of the organisation and organisation and sector
sector in which you are applying to work. Make sure in which you are applying to work. Make sure that you can talk knowledgeably about developments in that you can talk knowledgeably about developments in your
your specialist specialist field field and and also also the the organisation’s:organisation’s:
financial position financial position
products and services products and services culture
culture
likely future direction likely future direction
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats market position and competitors.
market position and competitors.
Think through how you can most effectively sell your Think through how you can most effectively sell your strongest points.
strongest points.
The interview is your chance to expand on your The interview is your chance to expand on your
achievements in the detail that you had to leave out of achievements in the detail that you had to leave out of the CV.
the CV.
Decide:
Decide:
how you are going to ensure that each point is how you are going to ensure that each point is covered in the discussion
covered in the discussion
what you want to tell the interviewer about each what you want to tell the interviewer about each point.
point.
Remember that the interviewer will often want to probe Remember that the interviewer will often want to probe
not just what you have achieved but how you achieved it.
not just what you have achieved but how you achieved it.
For example, if your CV shows that you doubled sales For example, if your CV shows that you doubled sales within your area within three years, the interviewer will within your area within three years, the interviewer will want to know how you went about this. Did you reach want to know how you went about this. Did you reach these figures through developing positive and sustainable these figures through developing positive and sustainable relationships with customers – or through aggressive
relationships with customers – or through aggressive hard sell to people who will never order again? Did you hard sell to people who will never order again? Did you manage to maintain harmonious relations with the
manage to maintain harmonious relations with the production department throughout – or did you land production department throughout – or did you land them with orders that they couldn’t fill?
them with orders that they couldn’t fill?
Revisit your strong points just before the interview.
Revisit your strong points just before the interview.
This will remind you of the points that you want to talk This will remind you of the points that you want to talk about in the interview – and looking at all your past
about in the interview – and looking at all your past achievements will be a great confidence booster.
achievements will be a great confidence booster.
You will also need to take a look at the weak points in You will also need to take a look at the weak points in y
your our CV CV which which an an interviewinterviewer er will will want want to to prprobe.obe.
It is a lot harder to hide weaknesses in an interview It is a lot harder to hide weaknesses in an interview than it is in a CV.
than it is in a CV.
Think through how you will answer questions in these Think through how you will answer questions in these areas to show that:
areas to show that:
an apparent weakness could be turned to an an apparent weakness could be turned to an advantage, and/or
advantage, and/or y
you ou havhave e compensacompensating ting strstrengths, engths, and/orand/or y
you ou will will ooververcome come the the wweakness, eakness, and/orand/or
y
you ou will will minimise minimise the the efeffect fect thathat t the the weaweakness kness has has onon the firm.
the firm.
For example, if you are applying for an overseas For example, if you are applying for an overseas
assignment but you have never worked abroad before, assignment but you have never worked abroad before, y
you ou coucould ld tell tell the the interviewinterviewer er aboabout ut the the year year yyoou u spentspent studying abroad as part of your degree course and the studying abroad as part of your degree course and the many short business trips abroad that you have made.
many short business trips abroad that you have made.
You might decide to
You might decide to tackle the issue yourself tackle the issue yourself before the before the interviewer asks any questions. This is a valuable tactic interviewer asks any questions. This is a valuable tactic where you know that an employer may make unfounded where you know that an employer may make unfounded assumptions about you (for example, if you are
assumptions about you (for example, if you are
concerned that they may incorrectly be assuming that concerned that they may incorrectly be assuming that y
your our family family ccircircumstumstances ances wowould uld make make it it difdifficult ficult forfor y
you ou to to relocate).relocate).
Finally, print
Finally, print two copies of your CV two copies of your CV to take to the to take to the interview. One is for you, and the other for the
interview. One is for you, and the other for the
interviewer – just in case their copy has gone astray.
interviewer – just in case their copy has gone astray.
Preparing for a job offer Preparing for a job offer
Prepare as soon as possible for a job offer. The recruiter Prepare as soon as possible for a job offer. The recruiter is likely to make an initial exploration of your
is likely to make an initial exploration of your salary salary aspirations
aspirations during your interview, and you may even during your interview, and you may even get an on-the-spot job offer. To prevent any delays, it is get an on-the-spot job offer. To prevent any delays, it is also worthwhile:
also worthwhile:
ensuring that you have lined up all the background ensuring that you have lined up all the background documentation
documentation that a recruiter may ask for if they that a recruiter may ask for if they offer you a job
offer you a job
establishing your source of
establishing your source of references references..
Many recruiters will not finalise a job offer until they Many recruiters will not finalise a job offer until they have seen proof of your qualifications and checked out have seen proof of your qualifications and checked out y
your our references.references.
Set your targets for pay negotiations
Set your targets for pay negotiations. Work out your. Work out your current total salary package, taking into account all the current total salary package, taking into account all the benefits that you receive, including bonus, car or car benefits that you receive, including bonus, car or car allowance, shares offers, perks, holidays etc. Try to set a allowance, shares offers, perks, holidays etc. Try to set a cash value for each so that you can fairly weigh up what cash value for each so that you can fairly weigh up what the recruiter is offering you. What is the minimum that the recruiter is offering you. What is the minimum that y
you ou are are prepared prepared to to aaccept, ccept, and and whawhat t is is yyoour ur realisticrealistic target? How are you going to persuade the recruiter that target? How are you going to persuade the recruiter that y
you ou are are worth worth the the target target amoamount?unt?
Make sure that you have to hand copies of all the Make sure that you have to hand copies of all the documents
documents that you will need to send to the recruiter if that you will need to send to the recruiter if you
you are are offered offered the the job. job. Information Information that that you you are are likely likely to have to show the employer includes:
to have to show the employer includes:
Copies of your
Copies of your qualification certificates. qualification certificates.
Proof that you have the
Proof that you have the right to live and work in this right to live and work in this country
country (note: current UK Home Office guidelines (note: current UK Home Office guidelines mean that some companies ask all new recruits to mean that some companies ask all new recruits to prove they have the right to work in Britain.
prove they have the right to work in Britain.
If you are looking for work abroad or applying for a If you are looking for work abroad or applying for a post in an industry where security is crucial, your post in an industry where security is crucial, your birth certificate
birth certificate and an and an up-to-date passport up-to-date passport ..
Proofs that you have completed any
Proofs that you have completed any safety training safety training mandatory in your industry.
mandatory in your industry.
You will need to be able to provide the recruiter with You will need to be able to provide the recruiter with references
references from at least two people. from at least two people.
Decide now who you will ask to give you a reference, Decide now who you will ask to give you a reference, and whether this might give rise to any problems that and whether this might give rise to any problems that y
you ou cocould uld defuse defuse nonoww..
References for senior posts should always be from people References for senior posts should always be from people who have known you at work and should include your who have known you at work and should include your last manager. Wherever possible, check beforehand that last manager. Wherever possible, check beforehand that the person you have named is happy to provide you with the person you have named is happy to provide you with a reference – although for obvious reasons it will not be a reference – although for obvious reasons it will not be possible to do this where the referee is your current
possible to do this where the referee is your current
manager. Recruiters will only contact your referees when manager. Recruiters will only contact your referees when they have made or are on the point of making you a
they have made or are on the point of making you a firm job offer, and will let you know before they do so.
firm job offer, and will let you know before they do so.
This gives you a chance to give some advance warning to This gives you a chance to give some advance warning to y
your our referee. referee. GivGive e yyour our referees referees a a copy copy of of yyour our CV CV toto assist them when the time comes for them to provide assist them when the time comes for them to provide the reference.
the reference.
If you are going to have
If you are going to have problems with getting a good problems with getting a good reference
reference from a previous employer, make provision for from a previous employer, make provision for this now. Even if you did not leave your last employer this now. Even if you did not leave your last employer on good terms, speak to them now to see if they would on good terms, speak to them now to see if they would be prepared to give you an acceptable reference.
be prepared to give you an acceptable reference.
Firms are usually unwilling to give a bad reference and Firms are usually unwilling to give a bad reference and most will be prepared to at least give a new employer a most will be prepared to at least give a new employer a carefully noncommittal account of you.
carefully noncommittal account of you.
If you are in the process of negotiating your departure If you are in the process of negotiating your departure from the firm, provision of a reference is an essential from the firm, provision of a reference is an essential point in the discussions. If an employer
point in the discussions. If an employer refuses to give refuses to give you
you an an acceptable acceptable referencereference, you will need to prepare a, you will need to prepare a good explanation for the recruiter of why you have a good explanation for the recruiter of why you have a problem with that employer and be able to offer two problem with that employer and be able to offer two very good alternative references.
very good alternative references.
Revisiting your CV Revisiting your CV
As you make applications and go to interviews, you will As you make applications and go to interviews, you will get a better idea of what works in your CV and what can get a better idea of what works in your CV and what can be improved. Some recruiters may even give you direct be improved. Some recruiters may even give you direct feedback. Use this information to
feedback. Use this information to improve your CV improve your CV andand therefore your chances of getting the post that you want.
therefore your chances of getting the post that you want.
Once you are in your new job,
Once you are in your new job, carry on improving your carry on improving your CV
CV. Developing your career is an ongoing process. Think . Developing your career is an ongoing process. Think about whether there is anything that you could do now about whether there is anything that you could do now that would be a real addition to your CV the next time that would be a real addition to your CV the next time y
yoou u are are loolooking king for for workwork. . Is Is thethere re any any strstrong ong point point thathatt y
yoou u cocould uld devdevelop elop furthfurther? er? If If thethere re a a wweakneakness ess thathat t yyoouu should work on? Do you need to build up a better
should work on? Do you need to build up a better
should work on? Do you need to build up a better