Importance of English for an interview

English is immensely important wherever you are in the world. In countries where English is not a native or official language, over two-thirds of employers say that English is important for their business. English is the language of international business, so increasingly it is just as important for businesses in native and non-native English-speaking countries. In today’s world the competition in the professional world is increasing with each passing day. Therefore it has become immensely important for people to equip themselves with adequate skills and the knowledge of English language is one such skill. A person needs to be fluent in English while speaking and writing. English is utterly important to clear job interviews because majority of the interviews are conducted in English language only

Articulating your value in an English based interview is paramount.

Enhanced communication skills in English can result to not only an improved social life, but also better job opportunities in the future.

There is a wide range of English requirements in countries where English is not a native or official language. 7% of job tasks require native-level English and 49% requires advanced English, 33% requires intermediate English and 8% requires basic English. Your career is one of the most important parts of your life – and securing job interviews is a vital step towards getting your foot in the door. In an interview finding the right professional tone is always tricky, especially if you’re worried about how well you speak English. But you don’t need a complex vocabulary to show off your business English skills.

In job interviews, most interviewers conduct interviews in English. Interviewers quickly make judgments and give great importance to first impressions. Poor skills in the language can mean smaller chances of landing a job. On the other hand, being proficient in the language can help one leave a good first impression which means higher chances of getting the position one is applying for. English is the most commonly used language in the business world. Most job interviews are done in English. Most business contracts are written in English. Handling international business deals require effective skills in English. English is the preferred business language because it is an exact language. It allows a person to say what he or she wants to say without having to argue about the meaning. However, using incorrect tenses, prepositions, and the like will make one’s statement less accurate. So in order to have an increased competence in the professional world, one should have a very good grasp of the English language.

There are a number of things you can do in your daily life to make professional English a part of your routine. The more you practice, the better you will get — and the more opportunities you will have!

Check out our course on mastering your English here.

Is the Job Application Dead??

Hiring and developing great talent has always been one of the most important things a company can do.

Job boards and untargeted cold emails might work well for entry level positions, but if you want to get top tier talent through the door, you need a new approach – you need to focus on candidate engagement.

Here’s why:

Why The Application Isn’t Working

Job adverts make a fundamental assumption that a candidate is actually interested in applying to your company. This is great for active candidates who are job hunting, but what about everyone else? What about the candidates that sees one of your tweets? The people that come to your careers page hoping to learn more about your culture?

Prospects that heard from a friend your company was “doing some cool stuff”? Do you think they’re going to click that apply button? They might do, but it’s more likely that they’ll just leave your website and go back to checking out cat memes! A shocking 98% of people that visit your careers page leave without taking any action at all.

Why? Typically, the only action visitors can take is an application. The main problem with this is that the passive candidates that hit your site aren’t “ready-to-apply”.

Online, but the same

AKA, the seemingly sensible ‘one-step at a time’ approach that utilizes online resume templates. After all traditional resume formats typed up in word-processing software have long been the common standard. This type of change could be better if done gradually (for the bulk of candidates and recruiters alike). Using such tools job seekers can start with a structured template, and finish with an impressive looking resume.

Pros

• Easier to have a structure than starting with a  blank screen

• Simple to share and track communications

• Less risky approach, well-suited to more conventional industries and less creative jobseekers

Cons

• Doesn’t give employers any more information than a conventional resume

• Templates that are too structured limits the ability of the job seeker to show their creativity

• A resume created with a Word processor is already in an electronic format

I see this as a useful tool for jobseekers, but too small a step at addressing current concerns to become a new standard.

Creative/Videos

There have been those who suggest that applicants should be as free as possible and put together their own creative presentation, with limited guidelines. This approach was recently adopted by Union Square Ventures, who have been requesting applicants to submit links representing their web presence and short videos when applying for jobs at the venture capital firm. They say this process “nets better-quality candidates.” UK job seeker Graeme Anthony was looking for a PR job when he put together a compelling video that attracted big audiences. “It shows off my personality in a way a paper CV can’t,” he said.

Pros

• Provides employers with a greater understanding of a candidate’s personality and style, as well as a more thorough story of what they have achieved during their career

• Candidates can choose a domain for their presentation, and utilize inbound marketing techniques so their target audience will find it

• Candidates can truly stand-out: no two applications can be the same

Cons

• For once-off low-volume applications geared towards a creative market, this can be a lot of fun. But what about everyone else?

• This style of application is difficult to manage within a company’s existing HR processes and systems. Companies who are hiring more than ten people may find managing and reviewing these entries simply too complicated

• Reviewing such presentations can be time consuming. HR professionals are already pulled in several directions, with not enough time in the day to complete daily tasks, let alone when they need to review 500 videos or creative websites

• They lack data that is important in determining a candidate’s fit for the job

• For non-creative job seekers, these are too difficult to put together

• Rarely relevant to positions outside technology, design, sales, marketing and PR

This may indeed become more common in certain industries, but will need to be a component of an integrated approach for the mainstream.

Infographic

As I mentioned in my last post, given that many enjoy reviewing data visually, we are increasingly being surrounded by infographics. Predictably, ideas have been proposed to replace resumes with graphics. This is one of the more visually pleasing options available.

Pros

• Can be exciting to put together, and allows creative skills to flare – for the right candidate

• Ability to portray a different side to a job seeker’s skill-set

• The end  result can look fantastic in contrast to current conventions

Cons

• The style can be confusing for resume reviewers, and could take too long to review in a volume situation

• Whilst they are sometimes superb introductions, they lack the necessary data behind them

• More attention will inevitably be given to the design rather than the data it represents

• Again, job seekers who aren’t creatively minded will find this concept difficult and frustrating

I see value in these for recruiters in being able to easily digest and review information, but surely these should remain the powerful book cover to the rest of the candidates’ information.

Social networks

With the web becoming more social by the day, where better to develop an online presence than using a social network, where users can easily interact with current and potential employers. As Allison Cheston correctly points out “networking is still the number one way people find careers.”  Further, these networks now offer features for users to easily apply for job opportunities.

Pros

• Powerful tool to develop relationships with potential employers

• Profiles are search-engine optimized, so users can be found easily

• Easy to update, as it is important to maintain these even when not necessarily looking for a job

Cons

• You only get one profile, and therefore it is very difficult to customize it for a particular position

• The information in such a profile is more at the introductory and narrative level; perfect for developing a network, but not detailed enough to get a job

• These networks often have a one design fits-all for the profiles, which doesn’t allow a candidate to show enough of their personality and style

• These are less useful for jobseekers earlier in their careers without a substantial business network

Online social networks have already changed the recruiting process. However, I see the use of these as complementary tools to the more general standard approach.

All of these approaches have creative products that are allowing jobseekers to change the way they apply for job opportunities. And sure, each of these has significant value and gaining traction in different industries and job types.

But what it takes to become the new “common ticket” is a combination of the above, with the flexibility for each industry to set their own standards within a designated framework. Here, I wanted to take products out of the equation, as this discussion is about something much larger – the themes. Within the next few years, a combination of the above will rapidly increase adoption, and we will start to see the end to the resume as we know it.

There are too many issues with the current passport to a new job, and too much innovation available, to prevent its evolution. Be ready for it.

Cover Letters: Yes, They are Dinosaurs, But They are Still Requested!

They say that the resume and cover letter are going the way of the dinosaurs and that digital portfolios are the way of the future. I agree! Once millennials advance in their careers to occupy the ranks of hiring managers, personal websites, LinkedIn profiles, and overall Internet presences (including social media channels…but you already knew to keep your spring break Instas to yourself — right?) along with the tailored questionnaire that many ATS’s* offers will likely constitute the whole of a job application.

For now, though, it’s important to have your resume and cover letter game on lock. Plenty of great resume templates exist around the web, so let’s talk the bane of every job seeker’s existence: cover letters

Cover Letters

Every job seeker’s nightmare

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. You CANNOT use the same exact same cover letter to apply for every job. The good news (!!) is that you can create a template that’s easy to replicate and creates the illusion of a super-tailored piece of writing every time. Plus, it can be fun!

Step 1: Figure out to whom you’re writing. When I ask you to figure out your audience, I’m suggesting that you not only take your best guess at the individual who might actually read your cover letter (by browsing the company website and/or LinkedIn for the head of recruitment or potential hiring manager) but also that you get a sense of who your audience is more broadly. You’ll want to adjust your tone to mirror the job description; it can be just as jarring to receive a stuffy, formal letter at a laidback startup as it can to receive a conversational note at a place where etiquette demands a sober tone.

Step 2: Write an opening sentence. So you’ve addressed a specific person and decided how you’re going to communicate. Now, you’ll state the position to which you’re applying and mention how you heard about it. Something like, “I’m writing with enthusiasm regarding the Marketing Associate position at Compass. I found the posting on AngelList and was immediately intrigued,” will do the trick. If you’ve decided to adopt a casual tone, a version like, “I’m reaching out to express my excitement about the Marketing Associate position at Compass. I’d like to think it was fate that brought this opportunity to my attention, but I found the posting on AngelList.”

Step 3: Mention some specifics to show you what this company is all about. The next step is to show that you have the work ethic, savvy, and enthusiasm it takes to write a truly tailored cover letter. This will entail some background research; if you do it right, browsing the website (the About, Team, and Press sections can be particularly useful) for a few minutes is sufficient to sound impressively knowledgeable. You just mentioned in your opening sentence that you’re pumped about the opportunity, so tell the reader why this company is where you want to be.

Here’s an example by ImpressiveCV of a brief, yet effective few sentences to do so:

One way to avoid the potential for your cover letter to become a dry block of text (other than to make it personal and specific) is to break up the formatting. The bulk of the content will be your explanation of your qualifications, so why not keep it clear and powerful by pulling out 3 core competencies of yours that most closely relate to the demands of the role. By keeping it personal and to-the-point, you’ve minimized the risk of the hiring manager merely skimming the letter, but it’s powerful to restate the most powerful parts of your “why me” argument nonetheless. Think of a synonym or word that captures the gist of each of your three competency bullet points. Then, figure out how to summarize the goals of the position. From there, simply put ’em together and tell your reader that your shining qualities will help you hit it out of the park as the newest member of their team.Now end it with an appropriate closing and your name, and — voila! — you’ve written a pretty badass cover letter!!

How to tailor your ATS resume

If you are a job seeker you would constantly be hearing “you must tailor your resume to every job application.” So, how doe one actually do this?

You’re probably wondering- Is it really necessary? It might be tempting to skip it, because yes- it takes time.

But it really will make a huge difference in the number of companies that call you back and invite you to interview I’m talking about an exponential increase in callbacks… not a slight increase. I’ve tried both ways for my clients, trust me.

Tailor your resume every single time

Don’t let your CV get lost in the pile of paperwork

What is CV tailoring?

Much like when you buy an item of clothing and then decide to make some alterations, tailoring your CV does not mean that you re-write the entire CV from scratch Rather, you amend, and shape it so that it fits better. Likewise, CV tailoring will allow you to use one or two main CV templates and make a few simple but powerful alterations so that it suits the purpose for each of the related roles that you are applying for.

In the same way that one size does not fit all when it comes to clothing, one size of CV does not fit all recruiters or jobs. Submitting job applications can be a numbers game (in that you may need to submit many before you succeed), but there are some powerful tools you can absorb into your arsenal so that you give your application the most chance of leading to an interview. One way of doing this is tailoring your impressiveCV, because:

• It helps target your application

• It assists the recruiter in seeing that you have the skills/training/qualities for the role

• Most importantly, it shows an attention to detail and that you have taken the time to review the job description and “answer” to its demands in your CV

Do not underestimate the power of tailoring your impressiveCV.

Given two candidates with similar or equal credentials, experience, skills, and training, recruiters will invariably prefer the CV that clearly demonstrates a faithful response to the needs of the role in question. Recruiters are short on time and often just scan CVs to check for key bullet points that show you are qualified for the role.
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For recruiters that utilise “sifting software,” those programs are doing the reading on their behalf, and sift out the undesirable candidates— all the more reason to tailor your CV, as a computer program cannot “join the dots” together and see that you can do the job if your CV is not tailored to spell it out loud and clear.

So how do you do it?

1. Read the job description carefully. Ensure you are a good fit

2. Pick out keywords and phrases. Have a look at www.jobscan.com to assist you with key words

3. Make your experience fit. Use examples to showcase

4. Put your most relevant experience first. ...

5. Research the company and its key phrases and words

6. Tailor your CV to the job description for the best chance of success

Cross your t’s and dot your i’s. Seriously. Many job ads include a line stating that a candidate should exhibit excellent communication skills. While there are many interpretations as to what this may mean, it may actually be a simple yes/no rating that could stop your application dead in its tracks. How picky do search committee members get? That depends, of course. It’s true that not everyone was an English major in college, but the broad assumption is that materials should be virtually free of grammatical errors and demonstrate a degree of writing proficiency -- with a clear sense of organization and some variety in sentence structure and words.

Take the time to read and reread your application materials; consider asking a close friend to proofread as a favor. Despite your accolades, some raters may push you to the bottom of the pile if your writing reads more like a hastily sent text than a polished, professional piece.

Director and Executive CV Writing

As a C-Level, senior executive, or a mid-level manager looking to enter the world of senior leadership, your years of experience, education, and personal development may seem difficult to fit into a 3-page CV. So what should you include, what should you leave out, and how should it be formatted to ensure it stands out in the pile of resumes the recruiter is likely looking at?

The first, and most important tip is to have someone else look at it. Working on one’s own CV usually results in one of two outcomes; either the CV is too humble, not making enough of your years of achievements and hard work, or it is too over-the-top with industry jargon, which a recruitment professional may not be able to adequately compare with competing CV’s. I’m sure it’s no surprise that I would recommend using a professional service such as impressiveCV to help with this, but this recommendation is more than just a plug for business.

Professional CV writing and career consultancy services offer something that your colleagues, family members, and friends usually can’t, we do market research with recruitment agencies, and we keep up-to-date with both local and global trends in best-practice application preparation. This may not sound important, however just the smallest faux-par in a CV can send it straight to bottom of the pile. Some examples include the use of a photo in a CV, while this is a common practice in Middle Eastern recruitment, particularly for senior level-employees, but in Australia it is not recommended.

Another example is the perspective of the writing, many, if not all job seekers are aware that that it is considered poor- form to write your CV in the first person (using ‘I’, ‘my’, etc), but unfortunately all too often we see self-prepared resumes that have taken this what not to do information, and created a CV in the third-person perspective, for example “Stacey is known for…”. This is considered equally poor form in the recruitment industry, and may again be the one thing that sees you miss out on a role against a similarly experienced candidate. For your reference, CV’s should be written in a style called ‘the passive voice’, with no forms of personal pronoun at all, if you’re not confident in writing this way, please seek professional assistance from impressiveCV.

Personal branding is another hugely important factor for senior staff, but how do you get it into your CV? Start by identifying your brand; what is your leadership style, what do you value professionally?

Think of your personal brand as an individual version of a company’s Mission and Values statements. Identify your own mission and values, and embed that theme throughout the CV, you can do this in your elevator pitch, a sub-heading under your name, and as a theme throughout your achievements within the document. Find examples of ways you have lived up to this brand throughout your career and highlight them within your CV. Additionally, ensure your LinkedIn profile and any other online presences follow the same brand. A true brand needs to be consistent. For more information or assistance with creating your personal brand click here.

Finally, know the company. I can’t stress this enough know the company you are applying to work for. Know their history, know their values and mission, know their development plans. Take the time to research all media on them, and read their 5 year plan start-to-finish.

There are no short- cuts if you want to ace the application and interview process for a senior executive or C-level position. If you don’t know the organisation inside and out, past and future, but another candidate does, you can all but wave the job goodbye.

This is an area that even professional and highly experienced boutique Executive CV firms such as impressiveCV are not able to help you with, because we can’t sit the interview for you. We can help you source the information you’ll need, and we can incorporate it into your CV and other application documentation (ideally aligning it with your personal brand), but at interview it is up to you to know and understand the company, what they need, and how you fit that need. More information on Senior level interviews can be found here.

Final tips if you are planning to do your CV without professional assistance:

• The top half of the first page is the first impression. Use this space effectively. Highlight all of the most important information; your name and contact details, brand statement/elevator pitch, core competencies/areas of excellence, and most significant career achievements. Always use measurables ($, %, etc) and show personal growth and contribution to company growth wherever possible.

• Use white space and design effects to highlight items of most importance. In the most senior roles, use of Applicant Tracking System software is rare, so you can afford to get a little bit creative in your design, with career timelines or infographics. These should be used appropriately, and even if you are a design professional, I strongly recommend having a recruitment or CV writing professional review the work (many will do this at no cost) to ensure it still meets industry standards.

• Be concise. Keep the CV to 3-4 pages at an absolute maximum (ideally 2 pages if you can). Write with purpose and avoid all unnecessary or doubled-up information. If you had some of the same responsibilities in two different roles, only include them once; if you have highlighted an achievement in a specific achievements section, then ensure the achievement notes the employer/role, and remove that achievement from the professional experience section. Remove or reduce to a timeline graphic all employment more than 15 years old, and include only qualification title, education institution, and year of completion for items in the education section.

TOP 5 TIPS FOR SENIOR LEVEL INTERVIEWS

Going for senior-level interviews can be quite a daunting task. In our current world, talking only about your experience in an interview for leadership roles is no longer ideal. You need to back the experience up with a whole lot of other credibilities such as your leadership skills, management style, and prove your words.

How can you prepare for the interview if the right opportunity arises?

CHECK AND UPDATE YOUR SKILLS

For one to get an interview for a senior-level position, he must have been one of the top candidates. How does one become a top candidate for a particular post? By having the right skills. As each job requires a certain level of qualification, before you are interviewed for a leadership role, make sure you are a qualified candidate with the necessary qualifications for that position. Are you looking forward to working in a senior-level position? Then, ensure that you are the best candidate now or before the interview. This mainly relates to the development of management skills, conflicts, problem-solving and feedback skills.

DO 100% RESEARCH ON THE COMPANY.

Applicants for all job posts are expected to be informed of all positions related to the company prior to the interview. When it comes to senior-level positions, this research is necessary. Due diligence is needed, not just a glance through the company's website.

Read up on the company, ask questions from a few employees and understand it better. Why work for an organization if you don't know much about it? How happy can you be about the job if you don't know if it fits your personality?

Learn and PRACTICE TO SELL YOURSELF!!

Whether or not you have an outstanding reputation in your industry, you must sell yourself in an interview. Show your interest in the organization and emphasize why you would be the perfect person for this position. Make use of storytelling. As more and more recruiters adopt competency-based interviews, you will undoubtedly be asked to reflect on the experience in your interview. Have some killers up the sleeve that emphasize your core skills, express yourself coherently and use the ERR technique (Example, Result and Retrospective) to answer.

 GET READY TO "DIG DEEP"

Employers tend to "dig deep"for a leadership role during an interview. That means asking questions like "tell me when you failed"or "what's your biggest challenge?"And "How do you deal with someone you disagree with?"

This tactic enables managers and employers to review your reactions and determine your confidence. Make sure you prepare well for these questions as your answers can either make or mar your interview. When in doubt, pivot to the requirements of the job. How do you see yourself performing and leading other smart, competent people?

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

An interview is not only about answering questions. You ought to ask questions, especially when interviewing for a senior-level position. When you ask questions during an interview, you can not only decide if the opportunity is right for you, but you can also prove that you are a thoughtful and passionate candidate who deserves the job. Higher-level positions may require deeper problem solving and leadership, even as an individual employee. By answering the questions you ask during the interview, with reflection and insight, you can tell the interviewer that you have everything you need to function at the expected level.

Expect to spend several hours of in-depth research on the target company and its competitors. Remember that networking is more important than ever as it provides behind-the-scenes information and potentially open access to unpublished leadership positions. Prepare to answer difficult questions about your professional career and personal values. Learn about your leadership style and give examples to help the interviewers make the right decision.

Finally, remember that these tips are useful for professionals at all levels of careers - especially those who are developing beyond their current position. Preparing for leadership intelligence lasts a lifetime, and it's never too early to learn more about your leadership style and storytelling. If the opportunity arises, you will be glad to make this investment soon!

 Do you need some help preparing for an interview? Drop me an email to Impressive CV at info@impressivecv.com

Are you a new mum returning to the workforce?

Returning to work after maternity leave is a daunting task for every woman.

Some are lucky enough to return to their former positions while others may have gone on an extended leave. Hence, the need to join the Labour market once again. Lots of women experience what I'll call the return-to-work syndrome. A lot of us experience fear, worry, loss of confidence, shame, and trepidation while returning to work. All these come from the fact that we are not up-to-date with today's relevant work skills, worried that their old skills, if still relevant, have become rusty due to long periods of inactivity, low pay, and many other factors. Below are tips to get started again.

It feels like you're hitting a brick wall. Worry less.

YOUR MINDSET

There are a lot of things you need to keep in mind while rejoining the workforce.

1. Be prepared both mentally and physically

Are you ready for this? Motherhood is pretty much a challenging task. Being a working mother is even more challenging. Well, that doesn't mean that it is something you cannot do. Prepare yourself both for work and the job search.

2. Don’t aim for the top straight away

The labor market is currently congested. Being with a child makes it harder to be hired even. Well, that doesn't mean you won't be hired. Hence you should bear in mind that you may not return to the same level you were before motherhood. If you have not gotten time to learn some new skills during the leave, you may have to take up a role that you are not used to. Well, you should start from somewhere and gradually climb your career ladder. You will get them with time.

3. Think about the new skills you've gained while raising a child

Skills such as negotiation responsibility and balanced multitasking skills will look good on your resume.

4. Finally: Be confident.

Try as much as you can to not get frustrated. Endeavour to remain positive always. Take a deep breath and smile. You've got this.

Notify your network

The first best step in all job searches is informing your network. They may not have an opportunity, but they may know someone who does and, in some cases, even recommend you to them. Let your family, friends, LinkedIn network, former colleagues, and even acquaintances know that you are ready for work and, while at that, get your resume ready.

Update your CV

This can be said to be the best thing to do. Your old resume/CV might be outdated by now already, even though it got you that great job before motherhood. Update your resume with the latest skills and keep the old ones there as well. Impressivecv.com is your place to go to to get your resume or CV impressive and get to your most recent job.

  Take classes

There are many advancements in the world, and many must have happened while you are out of work. Hence, you should take more courses. Brush up your old skills and add new ones. It may be hard for you to attend classes, but there are many online classes that you should be taking. While some are free, others are not. Whichever one works for you, try and take it as it is essential to keep up-to-date on the latest industry's best practices.

Create a pitch

When you start looking for a job, you should be able to speak to everyone you meet or get to know again, why you are back at work, and what you hope to find in a job. Practice your 30-second pitch to make it natural. Do not hide the fact that you have been on a long break and project a positive attitude towards your situation.

Finding a job is rarely easy and an even greater challenge for professionals who have not been in the field for a long time.

It may take some time to find a suitable position when you return to work after a long break. When you get discouraged, think about all of your positive points: education, experience, general skills, and determination. With time, patience, and perseverance, the perfect work will come your way.

Feeling a little overwhelmed or lost in preparing your CV to seek employment again? Drop me an email at info@impressivecv.com. It would be a pleasure to assist you!