Recruiter seeks student or graduate for meaningful internship
Posted: April 18, 2012 Filed under: Application forms, CVs, Internships, Job hunting, Work experience 1 Comment »
Find your perfect job match
Recruiters want to feel special. They don’t want to think that they are just the latest in a line of organisations that you have shortlisted as a potential foot onto the career ladder. So, if you are busy hunting potential summer internships/jobs to apply for, remember that it’s absolutely vital that you tailor your cover letter and CV to fit each individual application. Do this, and the interviews will follow.
Here are our top tips for keeping recruiters happy, and for improving your chances of finding your perfect job match.
Always research the company (and the role) you are applying to – demonstrate in both your cover letter and CV that you have spent time getting to know the organisation and that you have the specific requirements they are seeking in their ideal candidate. We know this takes time and effort, but it really can make the difference between an interview and a rejection letter.
Don’t write to ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ (or, far worse, to ‘Dear Human Resources’ or ‘To Whom It May Concern’) if the name of the recruiter is given in the job ad – always address the recruiter by name where possible.
Don’t include vague aspirations on your CV such as: ‘After I graduate I would perhaps like to go into journalism or PR’; if you are applying for a journalism position, tailor your cover letter accordingly, otherwise you will look unfocused and aimless.
Avoid using clichéd expressions like: ‘I would relish the opportunity to…’; ‘this opportunity excites me’; ‘I would excel at any role I am given’… these stock phrases don’t really mean anything, and recruiters will have heard them all before. Give specific examples of what you would excel in, or what fires your interest, in the context of the role you are applying for.
Do use genuine, active verbs to emphasise your desire for the job or placement. If you would love to work for the organisation you are applying to, then say so. Make them feel wanted. Explain why, and exactly how you match the criteria set out in the job description.
Do be clear and concise; always limit the length of your CV to strictly two pages of A4. Recruiters haven’t got the time or inclination to wade through reams of waffle.
Do get someone to proofread both your covering letter and CV before you send it.
If you want an audience, put on a CV clinic
Posted: October 12, 2011 Filed under: CVs, Job applications and CVs Leave a comment »
Where there's a CV clinic, there's a queue
In difficult times and in happy times, students everywhere flock to attend workshops and clinics devoted to improving their CVs. In careers services and at careers fairs, queues form when there’s a bit of CV checking going on. Online, on careers sites like gradireland.com, the pages with CV hints and tips receive loads of visitors. And in bookshops, helpful tomes on the perfect CV fly off the shelves.
This is despite the fact that many employers, and all large employers, don’t actually want or need a CV as the relentless move to online application systems gathers pace. So is this obsession with CVs a comfort blanket for anxious students? A mystical belief that if they improve their CV, doors will open?
Well, yes and no. It’s possible to sail through working life without ever needing a CV (lucky you) but there are several important reasons why everybody should have one.
Firstly, the process of compiling a CV is a simple, helpful way to get the facts and achievements of your life down on paper so you can complete application forms more easily and prepare for interviews. Secondly, if you’re applying for smaller, specialist or local organisations, then you will usually need one. Finally, if advertised jobs dry up, you’ll need to undertake a networking or creative job-hunting strategy where you try and meet people who may be able to help you or suggest who else to see.
And one eternal truth to leave you with – a rubbish CV is a complete waste of time and, believe me, it’s very easy to spot. I think it’s time you booked an appointment….
The dos and don’ts of covering letters
Posted: March 31, 2011 Filed under: Application forms, CVs, General, Internships, Job applications and CVs Leave a comment »
At this time of year many students and soon-to-be graduates will be thinking about applying for jobs and summer internships. We’ve recently blogged about CV writing, but it’s just as important to get your covering letter right. (Some busy recruiters won’t bother looking at your CV if your covering letter is full of mistakes). In the spirit of research we’ve looked over some of the letters gradireland has received in the past to shortlist some tips on the dos – and don’ts – of covering letters.
- When applying by email (the norm nowadays) attach the CV AND covering letter to the email, and make clear in the subject line that it’s a job application. (This may sound blindingly obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t get this right.)
- Where possible, always address the recruiter by name. This will normally be given on the advert, but if it isn’t, give the company a call to get the right contact details. ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ usually looks lazy.
- If you’re unsure of the best way to address the recruiter once you’ve got their name, err on the side of polite formality: ‘Dear Mr/Ms Bloggs’ or ‘Dear Joe Bloggs’ is better than simply: ‘Mr Bloggs’; but avoid addressing them by their first name only. If the recruiter writes back and greets you informally then you can respond in kind, but always take your cue from them.
- Keep the content simple and don’t feel you have to write an essay. Clear and concise always beats long and flowery. Covering letters shouldn’t be more than a page long, and keep your CV at two pages maximum.
- Don’t just list all the experience you’ve ever had: instead, choose considered examples that correspond with the requirements given in the ad.
- Avoid adjectival clichés such as ‘challenging’ and ‘rewarding’ (yawn). Similarly, steer clear of annoying jargon like ‘leverage’, ‘implement’ and ‘solution’ (unless they are used in the ad)!
- Back up your skills with concise examples of how you’ve demonstrated them.
- Sign off correctly: it’s always ‘Yours sincerely’ if you’ve addressed the person by name; ‘Yours faithfully’ if you’ve written to ‘Sir/Madam’.
