Welcome to the Career Coach

How good is your CV?

Is it doing it’s job and getting you interviews?

If the answer is no maybe it is time to give your CV a serious makeover.

Here are some points to consider while you give your CV that makeover:

1.      Who you are and what personal traits you have. What qualifications and key skills you have to offer the employer.

2. Put a profile at the beginning your CV. I think this can be a great way to grab your reader’s attention and I often refer to the profile as your sign post. It will highlight your unique selling points, your level of experience and your desire for the job you are applying to.

3. What separates you from everyone else? What have been your achievements in previous jobs and what are your unique selling points? 9 times out of 10 the CVs I read state the job worked, the company, the amount of time they were in the position and their duties and responsibilities. The duties and responsibilities could be taken directly from the job description and tells the reader nothing about you. However add in some key achievements that you made and suddenly your CV becomes more interesting.

4. Start with your most recent work experience first. Don’t let the newspaper boy job be the first thing an employer sees when looking at your cv. Start with your most current job and work backwards. The same should apply to your education.

5. Read your CV and ask yourself this question. Does my CV portray the type of role I am looking for? Cover letters are often lost as a CV gets printed off and passed around a busy office, so your CV must clearly convey what you are looking for and why you are suitable for the role you are applying for. I recently helped someone looking for a Sales role and the bulk of his CV talked about his Accounting experience. With some light CV surgery we were able to highlight his sales experience more and play down his accounting experience. 4 interviews later he is in a Sales job he loves.

6. Make your CV as easy to follow as possible. Many employers will spend as little as 30 seconds screening a CV. So if is not clear and easy to follow it may end up in the rejection pile. So make your CV punchy and easy to follow. Get friends and family to look over it for 30 – 60 seconds and see if it grabs their attention.

Networking Tips for Job Seekers

Networking is a necessity for a job seeker in today’s challenging marketplace. Over 50% of all jobs in Ireland are now being filled through networking and recommendations.

A mentor of mine recently made a comment which made me sit up and take note. “Greg he said…your business looks great…..your service looks great…but who knows you are out there?” I have not stopped networking since! So an employer will never find you unless they know you exist.


Here are 10 tips that I hope will assist you with your Networking efforts:

1. Know your network- I was amazed at the number of people that I had connections with already when I started networking. Spend some time to write down all the contacts that you have that could potentially assist you with your job search. Examples- friends on Facebook, college friends, secondary school contacts, members of your local sports club, neighbours, family friends, family and ex work colleagues etc. It was only when I wrote these contacts down that I realised how big my network was. Keep adding to your network weekly and be creative– bus stops, train stations, hotel lobbies, and airport lounges can all be good places to make good contacts. I recently got a new client referred to me from my local Spar cashier.

2. Know yourself and your objectives – It is impossible to tell others who you are and what you do if you are not sure yourself. Decide on how best to describe your “business self” and clearly state what type of role you are seeking. Try to design a 90 second message (often referred to as an elevator pitch) and practice it regularly. This will ease the nerves and ensure a clear message is conveyed when meeting a new contact.

3. Be Positive – The majority of job seekers are lacking confidence and have a pessimistic attitude towards their prospects in the job market. Seize the opportunity to be positive and upbeat when networking. You will shine above your competition.

4. Go to the right Events – Ask yourself “Who do I want to meet and who are the people that can help me find employment?” Then find out what events they attend. Ask existing contacts if they have any advice or even better if they know the people you want to meet and can introduce you.

5. Prepare before the networking event – If possible study the guest list prior to the event and decide on who you want to meet. Practice your elevator pitch.

6. Dress to impress - First impressions last. Make yours count.

7. Bring Business Cards – Every job seeker should carry business cards. The cards should state your name contact details and area of expertise. This will ensure you never miss out on a valuable connection.

8. Don’t network with friends – You are more likely to make meaningful contacts if you go to events alone. The temptation to find a corner and talk to your friends may be too much.

9. Listen - The best way to build a relationship with people is to show a genuine interest in them and what they do. They are far more likely to be interested in you if you are interested in them. Also, the information they tell you may be invaluable.

10. Follow up and stay in contact with contacts – Always follow up with your new contacts. Many people will send an email the day after a meeting. Make an effort to stay in regular contact with your network and meet up with them face to face whenever possible.

Landing your Ideal Job - Interview Preparation Tips

I have talked to a lot of Job seekers over the past month and I have been amazed at how poorly many of them have been preparing for their interviews.
In the current climate it hard enough to get to interview stage for a position, so when we do we need to impress the socks off the interviewers!
We need to go into the interview confident, positive and prepared.


Here are some key points you should consider prior to interview.

Do you know where you are going and how to get there?
I would suggest that you go out to the company a day before the interview, so you know exactly how to get there. I used to walk into the reception area to get a feel of the organisation prior to the interview.

Do you know the names and titles of who you are meeting?
Have you where possible researched those individuals? Use the internet or even your personal network to get as much information on your interviewers.

Have you researched the company?
Again the internet is a super place for learning about an organisation. However in addition to that – Do you know of any working or that has worked in the Company that you could talk to prior to your interview. You should know exactly what the company does, who their competitors are and what the company’s values are

Do you fully understand the Job Description or do I have a detailed job description?
Always make sure you clarify any grey areas prior to interview. It will keep you from getting thrown at interview stage.

Did you write your CV?
Many people are getting their cv done up by Agencies or even CV services. Often the end result is that the CV is not written in your words and reads like a foreign document. So know your cv and make sure it represents you and not someone else.

Many interviews today are competency based interviews.
Practice answering competency based questions. Eg. Tell me a time you dealt with an awkward customer.
Do “Mock” Interviews with friends or family prior to the interview and ask for constructive feedback.

I strongly believe good preparation will help quash nerves at interviews and ensure that you maximise your chances of excelling at your next interview. And who knows your next interview might be the last one you have to prepare for in a long time. Good Luck!!

Should you be interested in formal interview preparation, please contact Careers Coach on 087 2039855 or by email - careercoach@iwantanewjob.ie