How to Write an Interview Winning CV

Clearly put your contact details at the top

If an employer is going to offer you an interview then they are going to need to know how to contact you. Before you start writing the main bulk of your CV, you are going to need to write your contact details. Make sure that the first section of your CV clearly shows your name and surname, date of birth, your address, your telephone number(s), your email address, and any other ways a company can contact you. This will ensure that an employer has many ways to contact you, improving your chances of them getting in touch with you.

Next, put a summary of your skills

Businesses are busy and they are likely to receive hundreds of applications for a single job. Often, they will not have the time to read every last detail on your CV. You can give yourself an advantage by putting a bullet point list of your skills after your contact details. Employers will like the fact that you have saved them time, and if your skills match what they're looking for, then they'll be much more likely to give your CV a proper look.

Put your career objectives

A potential employer is going to want to know what your aspirations are. Ultimately, they want to know that you're applying for the right job. You don't need to write your life story up until now. In fact, doing this will probably put them off of reading the rest. Instead, make a nice concise paragraph that explains what you want to achieve and what the job could do for you. It is wise to alter the objective section for each job if you're applying for several jobs that are slightly different to each other.

List your education

You're going to need to put your professional qualifications in here, dating right back to high school. It's not just your academic qualifications that need to go in here either. If you have other recognised achievements then they should also go in to this section.

Show your work experience

Any previous jobs you have had need to go in this section. If you have been working a long time then you should only put your last two or three jobs in this section. If you have any large gaps in your work history (a few months or more), then it can be worth highlighting why that is the case.

Highlight your personal interests

It is always worthwhile putting a paragraph about your hobbies and interests. This lets a potential employer know a little bit about you as a person and not just as a professional.

There you have it, a few key tips to writing a killer CV. Now, not all of us are great writers, so if you'd like help with your CV then EtcEtc are an online company that can help you with CV writing. They also post many new jobs in the South West of England.

http://www.etcetconline.com/

View the original article here

How A ‘Chama’ Can Help Improve Your Interview Skills.

By Juliah Karimi.

When someone hears of the word ‘chama’, I know the first thought that comes into your mind is of a group of women sitted in someone’s house gossiping and basically chattering about their husbands and at the end asking each other for a ‘kasmall kaloan’.

That is the old school of thought. There was definitely some good that came out from such groups if only you took a closer look. Consider this; your mother goes for a ‘chama’ and on coming back she tells you that this and such a firm are looking for and Information Technology trainee.

The lesson here is that, from that little meeting, a job was advertised although in a less formal manner.

My question is what can we learn from these informal groups and how can we advance our careers through these groups. Joining a ‘chama’ is not beneath you. A ‘chama’ is an avenue to not only develop your career but also learn some new skills in the process.

These are the groups that mould our leadership skills. Note that certain jobs require at least some form of leadership roles that you may have performed or may be performing. If your chosen career is accounting, why not take up a treasurer role to enhance your accounting skills and also applying those accounting procedures and principles you learned.

The same case applies for a Business Management graduate or professional. The managerial aspect in maybe being the chairman of the group would add a feather to your cap.

Too often I hear people say that the gossip in the ‘chama’ is what they want to avoid. If indeed the gossip is too much, then probably you are in the wrong ‘chama’ and you need to re-evaluate your options. Join a forward thinking group that would get you links to various people in your chosen career.

More often that not word of mouth of a certain multi national firm looking for creatives’ would be first circulated within the company and who better to be in the same group than the director of creatives in the firm. joining a group that comprises of creatives would not only enhance your skills and knowledge but you would learn new and innovative ways of handling situations and also brainstorm and get criticism in the ideas that you bring to the table

What else can we learn from the chama? Our communications skills are one thing. If you are a member of a chama and you could be struggling with how to express your self in interviews. Why not try and address the group members first. That way when that dream job finally materializes, not only will you have added skills but communicating those skills will be a walk in the park.

A marketer needs to have excellent marketing and customer realtions skills, if your chama mainly deals in selling eggs in the nearby, why not be the marketer and enhance those skills that you only learned about.

My main point is that the chama is not a gossip group as we all thought and not only can they be of help when we are searching for jobs but the skills we get from either the leadership or just the interaction with like minded individuals is enough to set us off in the right career path armed with all the necessary armor.

It not only applies to the 55 year old retired civil servant but to the 25 year old recent graduate looking to achieving those lifelong dreams.

Establishing contact is important, organising events through your ‘chama’ can be beneficial. The contacts from these events can act as a link not only within but outside the group. Most importantly, go and join a group, ensure you have skills, knowledge and possibly hold a leadership position in that group. I hope a light bulb just went on in your head.

A warning though, if you decide to join the group, get like minded individuals and possible the larger the better with a variety of fields to represent the group.

Juliah is HR Officer at Corporate Staffing Services. Reach Her at Juliah@staff-kenya.com Website. www.staff-kenya.com

Related posts:

How To Rise From That Small Job To The Big One.

To Receive daily jobs In Kenya in your inbox,please subscribe here below.

View the original article here

Free Interview Advice For Customer Service Jobs.

Consider this, you have been called for a customer service job interview or a position requiring someone with good customer service skills either because you are good at it or you have it well highlighted in your CV and cover letter, so how will you present yourself in the interview?

Most of us tend to think that customer service is all about, answering client’s questions and handling their complaints. So you walk right to the interview room and there you are, you voice suddenly goes down, you barely keep an eye contact with the interviewer and all you can say to support your customer skills is “I am good with people” how? Being talkative and social is beside the point.

Customer service jobs require maturity, an engaging mind, good listening skills and ability to identify customer’s needs and assist as appropriate.

Juzi juzi I happened to go to the bank to make a transaction so when my turn came ,I presented myself at the counter and guess what, the lady Teller barely looked up to acknowledge my presence and goes on to work on her computer for about five minutes before she finally looked up with capital attitude and waited for me to speak…well, I simply said Hi, gave her my bank slip and forgave her for what I may never understand .

She might have had a bad day, a quarrel with her supervisor or just in low moods which can happen to anyone but did I have to suffer her wrath? I mean, she must know customer service that’s why she’s at the front counter in the first place.
A Customer Service Representative says the right things and transacts the business not only with efficiency but also with an air of difference and like everyone else, customer service Officers/Representatives ought to treat clients you with courtesy and respect and be show the same in return.

On the other hand, if a customer service provider shows a sincere willingness to serve and makes an earnest attempt to get it right but misses a few of the key skills, you’ll still appreciate their efforts and in most cases, feel satisfied.
Customer service-whether that means selling clothes or fixing electronics is an intrinsically rewarding profession.

The people who understand this fact are the ones who excel and who help to distinguish their company from its competitors. If you have served customers before you know how crazy it can get, because it means dealing with people of all backgrounds, some rude, some polite others just stubborn but at the end of the day, your job should matter more.

Your boss is certainly aware of the things you have to go through that even he himself wouldn’t know how to handle therefore they are relying on you entirely to project the company’s image in the best way possible out there.
Professions that deal directly with clients can be very successful.

How many times have you referred your friends to a certain boutique, restaurant and even estate kiosk because the people in charge are very friendly and helpful to customers? If you are in sales for example, the only way to close a deal is by saying the right words to your prospects and even when they were not for the idea to buy your products or services, your approach does the magic.

Every time you apply for a job that requires customer service skill, be assured that the interviewers will focus more in finding this skill in you than on the papers you’ll present to them. Better still, customer service does not focus more on the academic qualifications. If you are good at it but lack the papers, consider using the skill itself to your advantage.

Related posts:

FREE FREE. Job Search, CV, Interview Skills Seminar.Executive Customer Retention Mombasa Jobs.How A ‘Chama’ Can Help Improve Your Interview Skills.How To Rise From That Small Job To The Big One.

To Receive daily jobs In Kenya in your inbox,please subscribe here below.

FREE FREE. Job Search, CV, Interview Skills Seminar.

Are you sick and tired of sending out CV for jobs you know you’re perfect for, but you get no response from employers?

Have you tried networking for job leads and found that it’s NOT working?

Are you worried you might have to take a lower-paying job if you don’t find work soon?

Then we have a solution and its FREE.

This coming Saturday, from 10Am to 1.Pm come and learn from seasoned HR managers for FREE on what it takes to make a successful job search in Kenya.

What will this seminar teach you?

First of all you learn how to prepare and go for an interview. What type of questions may come your away and the best way to answer those questions. We’ll also teach you how to answer questions if you have been laid off.

We will speak to you about how to write an effective CV and cover letter so that you can stand out from the rest. You will also learn how to get the correct references and from whom.

We shall also train you on how to present your skills to the company you are applying to during the interview stage. Depending on the type of education and work experience you have we shall tell you how to highlight your skills and present yourself as a package to the company.

Who should attend?

The people to benefit from this seminar will be individuals who have never worked before and don’t know anything about how to go about making a CV and basically looking for a job. People who want to change employers after many years and are not aware of current trends can also attend. And finally, People who have been fired from their previous jobs and don’t know how to get it across to employers can also gain a lot of valuable knowledge.

Date: Saturday 12th March 2011.
Time: 10.30AM -1.00PM
Venue. YMCA State House Road. Right up from the St Paul Chapel. University Way Round About Next to Main Campus Hostels
Cost: FREE, FREE….Unless you want to buy a soda or tea and some books for yourself.
Booking. We only have spaces for  50 candidates. Send your CV and contact details to Juliah Karimi Email: Juliah@staff-kenya.com to book  a seat.

Carry your latest CV and writing materials.

Organized by Corporate Staffing Services. www.staff-kenya.com. Recruitment and HR Professionals.

Related posts:

How A ‘Chama’ Can Help Improve Your Interview Skills.How To Rise From That Small Job To The Big One.The HR Manager We Love To Hate!

To Receive daily jobs In Kenya in your inbox,please subscribe here below.

View the original article here

How A ‘Chama’ Can Help Improve Your Interview Skills.

By Juliah Karimi.

When someone hears of the word ‘chama’, I know the first thought that comes into your mind is of a group of women sitted in someone’s house gossiping and basically chattering about their husbands and at the end asking each other for a ‘kasmall kaloan’.

That is the old school of thought. There was definitely some good that came out from such groups if only you took a closer look. Consider this; your mother goes for a ‘chama’ and on coming back she tells you that this and such a firm are looking for and Information Technology trainee.

The lesson here is that, from that little meeting, a job was advertised although in a less formal manner.

My question is what can we learn from these informal groups and how can we advance our careers through these groups. Joining a ‘chama’ is not beneath you. A ‘chama’ is an avenue to not only develop your career but also learn some new skills in the process.

These are the groups that mould our leadership skills. Note that certain jobs require at least some form of leadership roles that you may have performed or may be performing. If your chosen career is accounting, why not take up a treasurer role to enhance your accounting skills and also applying those accounting procedures and principles you learned.

The same case applies for a Business Management graduate or professional. The managerial aspect in maybe being the chairman of the group would add a feather to your cap.

Too often I hear people say that the gossip in the ‘chama’ is what they want to avoid. If indeed the gossip is too much, then probably you are in the wrong ‘chama’ and you need to re-evaluate your options. Join a forward thinking group that would get you links to various people in your chosen career.

More often that not word of mouth of a certain multi national firm looking for creatives’ would be first circulated within the company and who better to be in the same group than the director of creatives in the firm. joining a group that comprises of creatives would not only enhance your skills and knowledge but you would learn new and innovative ways of handling situations and also brainstorm and get criticism in the ideas that you bring to the table

What else can we learn from the chama? Our communications skills are one thing. If you are a member of a chama and you could be struggling with how to express your self in interviews. Why not try and address the group members first. That way when that dream job finally materializes, not only will you have added skills but communicating those skills will be a walk in the park.

A marketer needs to have excellent marketing and customer realtions skills, if your chama mainly deals in selling eggs in the nearby, why not be the marketer and enhance those skills that you only learned about.

My main point is that the chama is not a gossip group as we all thought and not only can they be of help when we are searching for jobs but the skills we get from either the leadership or just the interaction with like minded individuals is enough to set us off in the right career path armed with all the necessary armor.

It not only applies to the 55 year old retired civil servant but to the 25 year old recent graduate looking to achieving those lifelong dreams.

Establishing contact is important, organising events through your ‘chama’ can be beneficial. The contacts from these events can act as a link not only within but outside the group. Most importantly, go and join a group, ensure you have skills, knowledge and possibly hold a leadership position in that group. I hope a light bulb just went on in your head.

A warning though, if you decide to join the group, get like minded individuals and possible the larger the better with a variety of fields to represent the group.

Juliah is HR Officer at Corporate Staffing Services. Reach Her at Juliah@staff-kenya.com Website. www.staff-kenya.com

Related posts:

How To Rise From That Small Job To The Big One.

To Receive daily jobs In Kenya in your inbox,please subscribe here below.