Quick guide to cover letters

The cover letter is often completely overlooked by job applicants. For some reason, people think a good CV is enough. Sometimes maybe. But, especially with speculative job applications, it's important to have a really strong cover letter that sells you as an individual.

The very worst thing you can do is write "Dear Sir/Madam, please find enclosed my CV for consideration. Regards, Joe Smith". It's a waste of effort, time and paper. It says nothing other than "I have no imagination and no interest in your company or job"

The best cover letters have a few key attributes.

They are typically brief. Nobody wants to read a rambling soliloquy. Anything involving the need to turn a page isn't getting read.

Use exciting words. Keep it energetic. Make sure you sell your skills from the outset and use the limited space on a page to convince the reader that you are a perfect match for their business.

Know something useful. Demonstrate an insight into the recruiters needs. Show them that you understand their business challenges and that you've taken time and interest in them.

Close out with conviction. Instead of "I hope to hear from you", or "In anticipation," try something more positive and action oriented.

For expert advice, head on over to www.cvstrategies.co.uk for the best in application letter guidance.

CV Crime Scene Investigations #1: Hobbies

Welcome to the first instalment in our occasional feature, CV Crime Scene Investigations.

This week, we are profiling one of the worst cases of CV abuse we have seen in our careers, the hobbies and other interests section.

To be perfectly honest, we here at CV strategies don’t care much for this kind of detail and would usually recommend leaving this out altogether unless writing a skills based CV.

Why? Well, employers are seldom swayed by what people do in their spare time unless it’s truly remarkable and (or) salient to the job in some way. It’s a section that can often do more harm than good. But, if you are going to write a hobbies and interests section, here’s some tips to avoid turning your CV into a crime scene.

Keep it tidy: Don’t use a hundred words when ten will do.

Don’t be boring: Under no circumstances should you claim to enjoy ‘reading, eating out and socialising’ on your CV. It serves only to say that you couldn’t think of anything interesting to write. Most employers scan a CV in under 10 seconds. Do you really want their lasting impression to be that you like the same things everyone else likes?

Consider the implications: Perhaps the worst crime we’ve seen committed under the banner of hobbies was a graduate CV that stated the applicant was heavily into house music and night-clubbing. We read this as meaning the applicant would be out late nights at the weekend and tired during the week. How could this be construed by anyone as a positive message to an employer?

Think carefully about what message people will take from your statements. Come visit us for CV help

The art of the group exercise

Many interviews and graduate assessment centres these days conduct group exercises where 4 or more people are placed under observation and given a flip board and a task. The task is often something completely disconnected with the role being advertised, or indeed anybody’s background such as ‘draw up a plan to colonise Mars’. The purpose of the exercise is not to demonstrate how much you know about the subject, but rather to show how you work as part of a team.

For excellent resources on teamwork, take a look at Teamtechnology.

For the sake of this article, we’re going to assume you're being interviewed for a leadership role of some sort. The rest of what follows might not apply for other roles, but here’s just a few of the things the observers will be looking for

1. Contribution

It’s important you’re enthusiastic and contribute to the activity, but don’t dominate. Make suggestions, listen to others, and use positive body language. Don’t cross your arms, glare at people or snort in derision is a good start. Lean in to the table slightly, and use good eye contact with all your team mates.

2. Enabling others

There’s usually someone in the group that is too shy or quiet to speak. Often these people have the best ideas. Make sure you stop and ask that person for their opinion. Try bring them into the conversation. You will be seen as someone who listens and values the opinions of others.

3. Collaboration

Work with the team rather than against them. If you disagree with someone, you should make the point if you feel it’s important, but not get stuck in a rut over it. Time won’t allow it, and you will appear inflexible and too rigid in your thinking.

4. Innovation

If you have ideas, make sure they’re out there and considered. Leaders are usually free thinking and able to think of a variety of ways of addressing a task. Don’t be too possessive of your ideas though. If people don’t agree, don’t get defensive or aggressive. Roll with it.

5. Leadership

You don’t need to be the scribe or the time keeper. In fact, people who volunteer immediately for these roles are often not seen as leaders. However, you should have your wits about you and be aware of the time remaining. Refocus the group if they’re spending too long on an issue. If you are the scribe, make sure your notes reflect what’s being discussed and not your agenda.

Visit us for more on our assessment centre and interview preparation techniques

Job interview tips from the Dragons Den

We are huge fans of the BBC program Dragons Den. The Den is much like a traditional job interview. The prize is a little different, and it’s on TV, but there’s still some great learning we can take from the program into job interviews so here’s our top 5 lessons from The Den.

1. Be prepared

How many times have you seen people unable to get their facts and figures straight? We see a lot of this in interviews. Read back through your application letter and CV. Make sure you’re able to explain every comment or role in there. If you can’t substantiate the claim, it shouldn’t be there. Also, find out as much as you can about the interviewer and the company you’re applying to and be prepared to discuss it.

2. Don’t over rehearse

Don’t try and stick to a script. Remember seeing the countless applicants in The Den who have frozen because they tried to memorise a passage of text? Your brain doesn’t cope well with recalling text verbatim. What’s more, it tends to be useless as you seldom get the question worded in the way you expect. Instead, just go over the basic structure of your response to key questions and be prepared to think on your feet.

3. Don’t get defensive

Be open and honest. A defensive person is trying to hide something and will come across as dishonest. An interviewer is often looking for evidence that their candidate has high integrity and trustworthiness as much as for specific knowledge and experience. Don’t undermine yourself by folding your arms and giving off a negative vibe. In The Den, we often get to see people refusing to admit to mistakes and looking all the worse for it. Interviews are designed to apply pressure and may well get you feeling defensive. Just don’t let it show.

4. Don’t get aggressive

Cardinal sin for The Dragons is to be made to feel under attack. After all, they hold the money. Same for an interview. If you have a temper, you should be aware of it and consider ways of coping. Always remember that you’re trying to persuade the person across the desk to give you a job. Calmness under pressure is a virtue.

5. Listen to the question

Q: How will you make sure you deliver the profits this year?

A: Er. Well, we could make it into a pumpkin.

A genuine example from The Den of a person not listening to the question. Listen carefully, think, and then speak. Don’t jump in feet first. Don’t make the assumption you know what’s coming and cut off the interviewer. Let them finish, check for understanding if necessary and then answer the question that was asked of you.

If you like what you've seen here, why not head to our website to find out about our coaching on interview techniques. Also, for more information on The Den, have a look at this excellent resource which will tell you where all The Dragons Den contestants are now.