There, I feel so much better now for having got that off my chest!

I see 100s of CVs over the course of a year and I can honestly say I don’t care less what they look like – it’s the content that matters.

Don’t get me wrong, I cannot abide spelling errors and poor punctuation or grammar will irk me but it will not deter me completely if your background and experience is right for my role.  However, I will say that the spelling and grammar check is there for a reason so guys, please use it.

If you’re a candidate I am interested in and I am going to present your details to my client, I will make your CV look very different from your original version anyway.  Our corporate branding is very important to us, so all Avocet CVs look the same, with uniform cover sheets, typeface, spacing and headings. And our clients like that – they tell us so.

Here are my top DOs and DON’Ts of CV submissions to recruitment agencies:

Please include your telephone number.  I am genuinely surprised by the number of CVs that contain email addresses only.  The first thing I will want to do is talk to you.  Yes, talk – remember the arcane art of conversation? I will never, ever submit a candidate without having spoken to them and I would venture that no decent recruitment consultant ever would.

I do not want to read your LinkedIn endorsements or see Xing profile; nor do I want to look at your web page where I can view endless URLs and even see photos of you on your mate’s stag weekend.  Honestly, think about it; are photos of you traipsing around Amsterdam dressed as a nurse/fairy/vicar likely to persuade me that you are that not-to-be-missed candidate? In a word: no.  Don’t get me wrong, all these things – well apart from the drunken fancy dress antics – are a great complement to your CV and I will look at all these things AFTER we have had at least one long chat but they really aren’t replacement activities.

Ignore the “CV must be no longer than 2 pages” rule.  Who started that one anyway? If you’ve been working 20+ years then I would suggest that condensing all your skills and experience into two pages, alongside you education and contact details is nigh on impossible.  A colleague of mine is fond of saying “include as much about your experience as possible. We can always take something out but we can’t add things in” – and he’s right.  Tell your recruiter as much as you can about you and let him/her be the judicious editor in deciding what information to present to the client.  Your recruiter knows what the hiring client wants to see and will ensure it’s in there.  I have never disregarded a CV for being too long – it gives me more to work with.

Unless you’re a TV presenter or DJ, what you did decades ago doesn’t matter.  Despite the discarding of the two page rule, experience gained 30 years ago is no longer of great import, nor is your Grade 1 CSE in metalwork, no matter how much your mum still uses her teapot stand. As you move through your CV, it’s sensible to say less about each role i.e. your jobs in the dim and distant past should be just a summary of where, when and what you did, thus keeping things succinct.  I slashed edited a 16 page CV last week and almost lost the will to live.

Explain any gaps – whether it’s studying, parental leave or contemplating your navel on a Thai beach, account for it.  We’ll only ask about it otherwise.

Have a sensible email address.  If necessary, create one for job applications. Being GarytheP*ssHead@gmail.com will ensure you go straight to the top of the “No” pile.

Ensure it’s a workable Word version of your CV.  Your recruiter will need to edit the contents, even if it’s only to remove your personal details, and we can’t if it’s in pdf format, is password protected or read-only.

Don’t be tempted to include too many graphics, tables or logos.  Not only do they take up valuable space but they can also be very difficult to strip out.  Recruitment agencies frequently have to work with supplier recruitment portals and all too often, this means uploading a plain, word format CV in a style that has been dictated to us by the hiring client.  Please don’t make us spend hours removing endless columns or converting tables to text to comply with this.

Include your home address.  If you’re super secretive about such matters, just the town where you live.  It really does matter and will save us contacting you about a role in London if you live in Lossiemouth.

List as many of your current/recent skills as you can.  As a technical recruiter, a list of applications you support or languages you develop in is vital.  Equally, when we’re searching for you online, be it through job boards or LinkedIn, we search for specific keywords. If it’s not there, you won’t be found.

Keep your CV updated. Obvious really, so nothing more to say.

No miniscule fonts please – recruitment isn’t just a youngster’s game.  I’m halfway into my fifth decade now and small print just annoys me now as, unlike with my Kindle, I can’t hold my laptop at arm’s length at an odd angle and squint!  Make it easy to read please and that means keeping your font consistent.  Too many differing fonts and I begin to wonder if it’s a copy and paste job of several CVs and that makes me think you don’t care enough.

Don’t make unsupported statements – if you describe yourself as a “solutions driven leader” then please back this up with an example.  Anyone can describe themselves in a positive light but it only carries real weight in context and supported by a work based example.

Avoid reverse chronological order – first of all, I want to know what you’ve been doing recently, not how you started your career.

Be careful with hobbies and interests. I’m a firm believer in including these as it can say a lot about you and can demonstrate other qualities too.  Hobbies can also give you a “hook” with the client.  We don’t recruit in a vacuum and know our clients as people; if we know you’re mad keen on motorbikes, as is the hiring manager, we’ll make a point of mentioning it when we discuss your application – people buy people and we all like to work with folk we have something in common with.  However, make sure it’s true. If the hiring manager loves Japanese culture too and wants to chat about it, you’d better know what you’re talking about!  Finally, make your hobbies meaningful -  “socialising” tells me nothing about you.

Tell us about YOU and YOUR achievements – don’t make the mistake of only informing us about the environment you work in or detailing what the team did.  I want to know what you do, your role in the team and how you contributed to overall success.

Your CV is first and foremost a sales document and should represent you honestly and comprehensively.  Please remember that I am writing this from a recruitment consultant’s perspective and I know that the advice is very different when dealing with the employer directly.  If you are sending your CV to an agency make it detailed, comprehensive, easy to read and in the right order.  Don’t worry about making it look fancy or grab attention – we already have our client’s attention; we’ve been working on that for years.  You just give us the information and leave the rest to us and start planning how you’ll approach that interview.

That’s easy to answer.  I knew that there was still a place for true recruitment consultants i.e. those who truly partner their clients and don’t just throw out a number of CVs they’ve downloaded from a job site in the hope that one may fit the bill.  And I knew that I used to be one of those consultants and that I could be one again.  Equally, I knew another brilliant recruiter was desperate to do his own thing in his own way, as he too was highly disillusioned about the agency practices happening around him.  So I created Avocet SR within my business consultancy and in March 2012 I made our first placement.  It felt good! Yes, I could do this again and I would soon be joined by my colleague – we would take on the world.  My first blog on the new website read “I know that we will be the very best at what we do……..I’ve just got to convince everyone else now. Wish me luck.”

The truth is that we’ve already convinced quite a few people that we ‘know our onions’ and we’re in the process of showing many more folk.  Rarely have I felt so enthusiastic about the future of anything.  Avocet is thriving and we’re here to stay.

So why are employers choosing to work with us?  It’s because of who we know and we believe that people are always going to be at the heart of IT recruitment.

Between us, Avocet’s two recruiters have over 35 years’ experience; most of which has been spent working together, so we know that our skills complement well. Over those years, we’ve built up extensive personal networks.  More often than not, we know someone for the job – it’s not very often that we have to trawl the job boards.  Most of the time the best person for the job isn’t an active candidate; we go all out to get that person and don’t just send over the “best fit” CV we could find at the time.

That network also includes a dedicated LinkedIn group of almost 2,600 service delivery and technical support professionals – click here for group – we can spread our enquiries far and wide, but always through relevant channels.

We understand our clients and their business needs and we know the type of person they will want to hire.  The contacts we make may not even have heard of the hiring business and it’s our job to sell both the role and the business to the potential candidate.  An employer engaging with Avocet doesn’t have to rely on passive recruitment strategies but can be confident we are proactively targeting candidates and promoting their organisation.  This is crucial within a skills shortage when candidates have many employers vying for their attention.  Why would you work with someone who doesn’t really know you and exactly who you’re looking for?

We also know what we’re not very good at……….if any one comes to us with a role in a technical area in which we don’t have a very strong network, then we will say so.  Why waste both our time and that of the hiring manager – there’s simply no point. And yes, that does mean that we’ve turned work away.  We stick to what we know – helpdesk, service delivery, technical support and infrastructure.

However we work, I know that we’re getting it right.  Our successes to date and our feedback tells us that.  Some of the best feedback we have ever received was just two words and it came from a candidate.  He simply said “you’re different”.  We are and we pride ourselves on that.  Vive la Difference!

And the other recruiter who was joining me?  He’s been here six months now and he’s doing a superb job – employers and candidates alike value him and his services.  And me?  I value him hugely, not least of which is because I’m married to him!!

They say never to work with your spouse but that’s what we’ve almost always done and do you know what?  We’re very good at it!

The first twelve months have been challenging and fun and we’re sure there are both triumphs and disappointments ahead.  When your “commodity” is people it’s wise to expects a few bumps in the road.  Like any new business we’ve had a few hairy moments but we’ve learnt a lesson from everything we’ve done…..or perhaps haven’t done.

Happy Birthday Avocet Strategic Resourcing – it’s been a brilliant year and here’s to many, many more.

It was whilst remininscing on such matters that my thoughts did turn to career transitions – whether this is through choice or even following redundancy – and I realised that career advice is a vital part of the job search process.  It was also obvious that Avocet should be able to point folk in the right direction.

To that end, as part of our commitment to support our candidates through their job search, we have partnered with Careers Specialist, Michaela Partridge of Work’s A Dream, to provide additional career services that complement our existing activities

Michaela runs a series of fortnightly, free webinars which provide practical tips, advice and guidance  assisting  in career planning and job search.  To find out more about the webinars, follow the link below

 Click here for webinars

The next webinar is on Tuesday 29^th January and you can  Click to register

The subject is “How To Find The Right Career For You And Be Successful” and Michaela will share her valuable information with you:

• learn how to identify what’s important to you in your career.
• discover the best ways to decide what you are good at and what really want to do.
• learn how to set a clear vision and objectives for your career.
• the process of discovery will help you to choose a career path that is absolutely right for you.

Michaela also runs a free online career clinic each Thursday which is also available to you.  Questions may be emailed in relating to career goals and job search. Michaela  promises prompt responses to all questions emailed to her on a Thursday to WorksADream@fastmail.co.uk

I’m confident that Michaela gives sound , pragmatic advice following her 13 years in HR within IT and her knowledge and experience may contribute to you securing your next job sooner rather than later.

Michaela is also available on her office number of 01732 440441 or 07980 870824 or visit her website www.worksadream.com

All has been very busy in the Avocet Bunker over the last few weeks and  – strike me down for saying this  – the Christmas Break couldn’t have come at a worse time for us.  Momentum gathered – and then lost.  Still, we’re working hard to regain that.

Part of this process has been to manage the expectations of a young candidate who was interviewed by one of our clients in December but has now been a victim of the dreaded “hiring freeze” and the job that he would almost certainly have been offered is on hold until the powers-that-be decide whether they can afford to hire or not.  “Can you afford not to?” I scream (in my head) but still we await some positive news.  Meanwhile our young candidate is constantly questioning whether or not he did actually acquit himself at interview.  He did.

At every interview debrief we ask our candidates lots of questions as it helps us to build up a picture of the client’s expectations and also helps us to gauge potential success and interest from both parties.

In the course of my career I have interviewed a lot of folk– both as a recruiter and a hiring manager – and there are a number of things I would like to share with interviewees before they even set foot in the interviewer’s office.  Let’s call it “Karyn’s Guide to Pre Interview Preparation”; only because I think it sounds important and remember, Dear Reader, it’s been a long time since I’ve written anything meaningful.

1)  One of my favourite mantras is that ‘people buy people’; you must do everything you can to make your interviewer like you.  Of course don’t go as far as turning up with flowers/cream cakes/cuddly kittens – that would be weird and not at all likeable.  What you need to do is smile, make eye contact and be enthusiastic. If your interviewer doesn’t “click” with you, it’s highly unlikely that s/he will want to work with you.   Make a good impression and you’re heading for the short list.

Also worth noting is that you begin to create that crucial first impression the minute you walk in the door and greet the receptionist.  We have one client who asks his reception staff their opinion, so don’t slump in the comfy chair, listen to your iPod and tap your fingers along to Now 714; instead read any company information leaflets on display or been seen to read the broadsheets that are there (who else reads them anyway?!?) and appear alert, keen and friendly.

2)  Stand out from your peers!  All too often an interviewer will see several people over several days and often may not be able to recall each and every one without referring to notes.  Wouldn’t you like to be the candidate s/he recalls instantly?  In the past I have found myself remembering “Girl with the green glitter eyeshadow” or “Aftershave Boy”………I’ll never, ever forget “Bodybuilder Guy” (see previous blog on Dressing the Part for Interview).  The point is that I remembered these folk for all the wrong reasons.  It’s human nature to hone in on one thing about a person and use that as the one thing you recall them by – remember how the Friends’ neighbour became “Ugly Naked Guy”?  He could just have easily been “Guy in Opposite Apartment” or even “Guy with Great Drapes” (UK Readers: “Curtains”; I’m going international!) had he not been so obviously, well, naked! Don’t be obviously disinterested or inappropriately dressed.

Don’t give your interviewer anything negative to remember you by, whether it be an “ironic” tie or your chipped nail varnish.  Oh, and never, ever swear.  Even if your interviewer makes Gordon Ramsey sounds like he’s taken a vow of silence, do not reply in kind.

Make sure your interviewer remembers something amazing about you, such as the project brought in under budget or the massive sale you made or even the client who sent you a card to say “thank you”.  You must hand him on a plate the reason to remember you – don’t let him choose his own reason as it may not be the right reasons.

3)  It’s a sad fact that at times we humans all tend to concentrate on the negative.  I can honestly say that I remember dreadful film reviews or restaurant critiques far more than I do positive reports.  In other words, I especially remember negative sound bites – and so do interviewers.  Personally, I never think highly of candidates who complain about their current employers and colleagues.  To me it says this person thrives in victim and blame culture and that’s not something I, or any of my clients, want to hear.  Not only that but you’re probably on your best behaviour during the interview; if employed, you’ll possibly get worse and start whinging about your new job and team too.

Tell you interviewer why you want his job – not all the reasons you hate the one you’re leaving.

4)  Impress your interviewer by asking lots of questions – and make them relevant to show that you’ve been thinking about the role and where you may be able to add value.  Ask your interviewer how you’ll be evaluated; what the expectations will be over your first few months or what makes someone outstanding in the organisation and you’ll be 90% of the way to convincing him/her that you mean business!

Asking questions also shows that you are truly interested in the role.  Double whammy!

 There are, however, questions not to ask – don’t ask about lunch hours, holidays or sick pay.  It’s a huge warning sign that you’ll be a clock-watcher and may prove not to be very flexible or even reliable.

Bring something extra to the table.  The vast majority of candidates will have done their homework on the company interviewing them.  It’s expected and candidates who don’t do that will fail.  Winning candidates are those who impress the interviewer with the fact they will hit the ground running or can demonstrate a specific and valuable skill or experience.  If you’ve done a similar role/project before let your interviewer know about your part in it  – concentrate on saying “I” and not “we”; your interviewer is interested in you, not your previous team mates.

5)  As the interview draws to a close, you should have a pretty good idea about whether or not you think the role is for you.  If you’re unsure, ask for more information.  If you ask questions, you appear interested and that’s a good thing.

If you want the job, tell your interviewer.  A simple: “I’m really interested in this role because I have solid experience of X, Y and Z and know that I could add A and B to the team” surmises things brilliantly and lets your interviewer know that you want the job and importantly, why you want the job.

Ask about the interview process – timescales, number of interviews etc.  Are you getting the message here?  Successful candidates ask pertinent questions at pertinent times.

6)  Make sure you follow up.  If your interview is through an agency, feedback to your consultant and tell them as much as you can and tell them why you want the job.  A consultant who works closely with the client will have influence and will fight your corner.

If you are dealing directly with the potential employer, send them an email saying you enjoyed your meeting and are happy to answer any follow up questions.  Even better, if you can send through some follow up information, that’s even more impressive.  I had one candidate applying for a project co-ordinator role who blew her interviewer away when she followed up by sending him through a copy of her most recent project plan after it had been discussed at interview.  Et voila – the job was hers!

The golden rule is be natural.  The employer-employee dynamic is the same as any other relationship and needs to be based on genuine interactions.

Remember, 80% of applicants are rejected at CV stage so you’ve done well to get the interview.  Good luck – that job is yours for the taking!

Know your Business.

Even if your job is to sit in a corner and code all day, you have to stick your head above the parapet every now and again and learn to understand the business you are working in.  By doing this you can understand how your role fits in with the rest of the business and may even be able to use your technical knowledge to help improve things.  Adding value can make you invaluable.

Widen your Skill Base

Similar to above – besides being the recognised expert in your own area, broaden your knowledge basis.  You never know, if “Cisco Dave” is on his annual trip to Torremolinos, you may be able to offer some sensible help, or at least know where to look for the answers. You’ll not only be seen as great team player but you’ll be the first in line for further training. Keep on top of new technologies and learn all about the early-adopters and their experiences and it’s very likely you’ll be invited to the table when your business is considering these technologies.

Watch the Pennies

If you can see there’s a way to save money – perhaps in licensing (a favourite area of overspend) or by increasing virtualisation or even improving the website’s SEO, then tell someone.  As a manager, there’s nothing more frustrating than hearing mumblings of  “I thought of that ages ago.”  Don’t make your line manager ask, “why didn’t you say something earlier?” – mention it now.  No one ever received a reprimand for ideas on improving the bottom line.

 Adapt to Survive

If you can see that your company’s future IT functions may lay in the Cloud you may fear that your networking and/or troubleshooting capabilities will not be in as great a demand.  Realistically, that may be so; however, you business will still need people to manage the services, work with users and solve problems.  Be that (wo)man.

Choose your Friends Carefully

Make sure your best friends at work are also keen to get on in their careers.  Getting a reputation for hanging out with the long-lunchers and the “shut-down-at-5.23-to-leave-at-5.30” brigade is, quite simply, not wise.  Find yourself a trusted mentor within the organisation; someone who understands that ambition isn’t to be smirked at.  As an adult, it’s really ok to be too school for cool.

Become a Doyen(ne) of Data

Increasingly we’re all drowning in data – sometimes we can’t see the wood for the trees. Being someone on the IT team with a reputation for managing, storing and analysing data can make you everyone’s best friend.  We all love the guy or girl who tells you where to find the info needed to make all the difference to a killer presentation.  Even better when the IT guy knows why you want the data and even suggests other useful reports (see point above about knowing and understanding the business you work in)

Don’t be an Idiot!

No matter how good you are at your job, act like an eejit and you’ll always be given a wide berth.  Personality counts.  Research shows that managers prefer positive people who work hard, even more so than the highly skilled worker that everyone finds hard to work with. Don’t be uber-negative or a general pain in the proverbial; don’t be that trouble maker that makes the manager look for a reason to let him go.

When the Going Gets Tough…..

I have only one thing to say here.  Take on a project that’s already going well and the expected outcome is that it continues to go well; if it fails you’ll forever be the guy who b*llsed it all up. BUT take on something that’s not working and turn it round, even just making small progress – then you’re wearing your underpants over your trousers before you know it.  Result!

Raise your Profile

Not everyone has a client facing role and we all know that it’s easier to achieve promotion at work if  the “Mr Obnoxious But Spends A Lot” client rates you.  If you have an internal facing role, make sure you are known across as many departments or sections as possible: build your internal network and make yourself more valuable

Don’t Make Yourself Indispensable

There’s a difference between invaluable and indispensable.  The former makes you precious to the business and will see managers desperate to retain you, the latter welds you to your current role.  Don’t be the person who can’t be promoted because no one else can step in and do what you do. Share your expertise and delegate.  This also has the advantage of freeing you up to look at further challenges and also makes you a great team player.

There you go…….lots of positive behaviours that will support your career aspirations.  I’ve just re-read everything I’ve written and realised the same could be said of most careers – not just those within technology.  Tell your non-IT friends……

There are several reasons for this: time pressures for the hiring manager; uncertainty that the candidate quite fits the bill; location; telephone communication is a significant part of the role – or even that it’s now a recognised part of the interview process and applies to all candidates across the board.

As a recruiter, I make a significant number of my decisions about a candidate’s potential during my initial telephone approach but I believe this is very different from the structured telephone interview that many of our clients are choosing to employ for reasons of practicality, expediency and process.  When I call, you are not likely to be expecting me, you may not be able to talk and you will not have prepared anything; however, I expect that and make allowances.

When it’s a potential employer conducting a telephone interview, it is imperative that you prepare and prepare well.  The one thing you should never do is to treat a telephone interview as anything less important than a face to face interview – mess up your telephone interview and you won’t get an opportunity to tell your story face to face.  The key to success is preparation and considering the potential question you may be asked.

Before we look at that, it’s important to think about what the interviewer may be listening out for.  In my experience – based on feedback from employers and my own time spent in the process – the (telephone) interviewer conducts the interview to:

*  Assess communication and language skills

*  Gauge confidence

*  Determine how you may cope with tough questions

*  Assess how you project yourself & affirm your point – without the benefit of body language & non-verbal signals. 

*  Ask initial questions about qualifications and suitability for the role; explore your CV in a little more depth

*  Gauge your energy levels and enthusiasm – it’s surprising how much does, or doesn’t, come across on the phone   and an experienced `phone interviewer can hear straight away if a candidate doesn’t have that vital “oomph” that the role may need

Finally, if this is a role that involves a lot of telephone work, especially from a customer service or support perspective, no matter how good you are at all the other facets of your role, you won’t get past first base if you don’t pass muster on the `phone.

In order to prepare for a telephone interview, I recommend that you do your background research as you would with a face to face interview.  You never know when you’ll hear the “what do you know about our company?” question and trust me, awkward silences are extremely eloquent over the `phone……….. please do your homework.

 So, what questions are you likely to be asked?  Consider these:

*  All the general “housekeeping” questions around salary and notice.  Ensure you quote the same figures as you gave your recruiter – them not matching makes you and your recruitment consultant look unprofessional and we won’t thank you for it!

*  What are your current duties?

*  Why do you want to leave?

*  Tell me about your previous role and why did you leave there?

*  Can you give me an example of when you have used……..

*  Explain who you report to/escalate any issues to?

*  What do you believe you main skills/strengths to be?

Before I start warming to my theme too much and list “My Favourite 1001 Interview Questions – 2012 edit.” the point I am trying to make is that you should treat a telephone interview with as much anticipation, trepidation and excitement (insert noun of choice; we all approach these things differently) as you would a face to face interview. 

As already alluded to, the awkward thing about telephone interviews is that you can’t judge reactions in the same way as when you are face to face.  It’s harder to engage the interviewer in a two-way conversation if s/he has a list of questions and a row of tick boxes.  And the traditional ice breaker questions around journeys and finding venues just don’t happen.  As you don’t get the feedback or body language information that help in the face to face situation, I suggest using questions such as “is that what you needed to know?” or “do you want me to go into more detail?” to judge the reaction to your answers.

 One thing you should never do is treat is the interview with any less respect than actually meeting your client face to face.  Get this wrong and you may never get to meet your client.  It’s as simple as that.

I asked the same question of a friend the other day and we both agreed that not hearing back from people was pretty high up there too.  And then I read figures published by the Prince’s Trust that more than a third of young people have not received a response to any of their job applications in the past year. The same article went on to say that older applicants had the same experience too.

As the recipient of many job applications – and, in my defense, the responder to the vast majority – I thought it would be useful to outline some reasons why you may not have heard back from the recruiter after you’ve hit send and sent your CV into the ether to help you snare the job of your dreams.

As the Prince’s Trust youngsters have found, it’s a demoralising experience and will make an applicant think badly of the hiring business.

In today’s economic climate with 8% UK unemployment figures*, it’s tough to find a job, no one would dispute that.  Nor would anyone deny that recruiters, whether working in agencies or in house, are being sent more CVs than ever; however applicants don’t care about that, they just want to know about their own application, so let’s look at reason why you may not hear from the recruiter.

Are you really qualified?   It’s all very well applying for that £35,000 role with car and own phone – but do you have the 5 years’ experience it calls for?  If you’ve only just graduated and have only your gap year experience, then don’t apply.  You will not hear back as the recruiter is busy speaking to the people who do have the right qualifications.  Avoid disappointment – don’t apply for what you can’t do.

Yours is the 300^th CV received.   Looking for a job is a full time job.  Be quick off the mark.  Do your research, learn your markets.  Monitor the websites of the companies you would like to work in; learn which recruitment agencies specialise in the job you want and then visit their sites daily and follow them on Twitter or check their Facebook pages.  Ignore the social media at your peril (more of that later).  Jump on any suitable role you see as early as possible – it does matter if your CV is one of the last to arrive. Sorry, but unless your skills are in very short supply, it really does matter.  All that stuff about the early bird – it’s true.

Your CV and/or covering letter doesn’t match the role you are applying for.   Try to use the same language as the advert or job description in your application. There are two reasons for this – firstly, it demonstrates commonality and shows that you have the right background and secondly because (and I have to say this because it’s true) some recruiters or in house talent matching software programmes rely on keyword searches for their first read of the CV.  If you haven’t used the same words, then you won’t get through this part of the screening process. Re-jig your CV, so that the order of your relevant skills and experience matches that of the job description. In other words, tailor your CV for each application. Yes, this takes time (see point above about this being a full time job).

Your CV is just too fancy.   Before you all shout at me that surely it’s good to stand out, yes it is, to a point, but that keyword software I mentioned or a recruiter’s keyword search tool doesn’t even consider formatting. Also, nine times out of ten, all your lovely formatting, photos and tables will only set the recruiter’s teeth on edge as s/he will have to undo it all to put it into a standard format to present to the hiring manager.  That takes time and effort, and remember we’re busy because we’re getting hundreds of CVs…….I’ve said this before in a previous blog, never give a recruiter any reason NOT to choose you.

Your online presence doesn’t match your CV.   The savvy job hunter has a LinkedIn page that a recruiter will look at – make sure your CV isn’t massively different. I realise this sounds like I’m contradicting my “tailor your CV” message: I’m not.  I mean tell the truth – ensure your employers, time worked there and qualifications etc. all match.  You would be surprised how often I’ve looked at a favoured applicant online to see on his LinkedIn profile that his age doesn’t match or that his qualifications differ madly.  It may be an honest mistake but it makes me call into question how honest this person may be?  This is becoming a mantra now……. never give a recruiter any reason NOT to choose you.

All of the above are very common reasons why you may not get a response from either an recruitment agency or an internal recruiter.  I’m not making excuses on behalf of recruiters everywhere  - as an industry we have a dreadful reputation and I spend a lot of time trying to counter this in my actions and my service levels – but I am offering explanations why your CV may not be top of the pile.

By avoiding these pitfalls and by complementing your job hunting efforts with online activity – see my previous blog on social media for job hunters – you will be putting yourself in a better position to get a response, even if it is negative.  I can 100% say that if I feel my applicant has made an effort with the CV and covering letter, I will always reply, even if it is just a gentle let down because making the extra effort tells me you are a good candidate – if not for now, then for later.  Please don’t take it personally – it’s business.

* Office for National Statistics (ONS). Aug 2012

M:        “Are you at home?”

KW:     “Yes mum.”

M:        “Aren’t you working today?”

KW:     (patiently) “Yes I am mum.”

M:        “But you’re at home?”

KW:     (less patiently) Yes, I am at home mum. BUT I am working.  I do work full time, you know.”

M:        “I meant you’re not with a client today.”

KW;     “No, I’m really busy though and have tons to do”

M:        “So, when are you next working?”

Aaaargh!  At this point it dawned on me that my mum doesn’t really understand the concept of working from home and that even though I don’t always physically site myself elsewhere, I do actually put in a full working week.

This isn’t a recent thing (i.e. something for her to appreciate since I set up Avocet last year), she has actually been asking me the self same questions for the last four and a half years!  Even as a full time employee, I was fortunate enough to work from home and firmly believe it has made me a more productive and contented worker.

UK employees are working from home more and more.  A BBC report in 2011 showed that 1.3m UK workers are full time  homeworkers and a further 3.7m use home as a base.  BT has been a pioneer in homeworking with 15,000 of its 92,000 employees working from home – BT says that its homeworkers save it an average of £6,000 a year each, are 20% more productive and take fewer sick days.

And this trend is set to continue with self-employed home-workers being the fastest growing part of the UK workforce. Over the last ten years (Q4 2001 to Q4 2011) their number rose by 28.16%. The total number of all homeworkers (both self employed and employees working at/from home) rose by 24.1%. They now account for 13.1% of the workforce – 3.83 million people.*

That’s almost 4 million people who will have to ensure that they don’t blur the line between work and home life.  This figure doesn’t include workers who don’t have anything formal in place but will occasionally work from home.  This will be happening a lot over the next few weeks as the Olympics gets underway.  In fact Government Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond, has called for London based employees to work from home during the games in an effort to ease congestion.

One thing I do know about working from home is that is very tempting to do MORE hours than your office based counterparts as your work is always there……….I used to share my office with the laundry bin and often a load of washing was neglected as I logged on to my lap top “just in case”.  Running the vacuum cleaner around the room would take an hour as I went through my emails on a Saturday morning and my going to bed was often delayed during the week by my opening up Outlook one more time. Again, “just in case”…….

So, as the divide between home and work is becoming increasingly blurred for many of us, how do you achieve a sensible work/life balance and avoid the temptation to work all hours and always be available.

1.   Make it clear when you will be available for work related conversations – clients and colleagues alike will then know when to contact you and friends and family are less likely to interrupt you during this time (Yes, I will be showing my mother this blog!)

2.   If possible, create a separate physical space for your office.  I now have this luxury in the form of a dedicated office but in the “laundry bin era” of my homeworking career, I was careful to ensure as far as possible that my working area was not cluttered with the trappings of my domestic life such as clothes hanging up or the irnong board being left up.  Even mark out the territory:  clearly display your business’ logo where you (and your family) can see it.  It reminds everyone what the space is for.

3.   Dress the part.  It may seem silly to put on your lippy when the only person you’ll see all day is the postman, but it does make a difference to how you feel about yourself.  Who doesn’t feel more professional when they are dressed smartly?  It doesn’t have to be sharp suits or killer heels all day – just something that you wouldn’t wear at the weekend to nip to B&Q or Sainsbury’s.

4.   Develop routines – these help to transition from your home to work life and back again. It can be as simple as always eating breakfast before you begin work and making sure you go for a walk at the end of your working hours.  Just as a commute tops and tails the working day of an office worker, homeworkers should establish their own beginning and end of the day routines

5.  Take regular time out.  Unlike an office worker, the home worker does not have colleagues to interact with, nor are they as likely to take a set lunch hour, so “me time” is essential.  Set aside time each week when you do not work and use this time to re-energise and connect with people. Everyone needs a break from their work no matter how much they enjoy it.

Following these few rules above ensures that the lines between work and home are clearly defined and a better work/life balance is struck.  Empirical evidence bears out the fact that home workers are more productive but burn out may also be an issue as it’s sometimes hard to switch off.  Follow the guidelines above to stop this happening and to ensure you get time for work, for family and for you.

Now, where’s my mother’s number……..?

Except that it isn’t like that anymore.  Candidates don’t come rolling in as readily now, as most of the time the good candidates aren’t looking at job boards; they’re working and when they’re not working, they’re on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest and a myriad of other sites that I could mention but I won’t because it annoys my inner Luddite and even she has to acknowledge that I – and the vast majority of my recruiter colleagues worldwide – have embraced fully the vast arena of Social Media.

So now the first thing I do when I get in a new requirement is that I get my little fingers flying (I’m pretty fast for a two fingers typist, I’ll have you know!) all over my laptop and I start to research the markets online and see who is out there and then make overtures to connect with these potential candidates and more often than not, my invitation is accepted.  After all in 2012 it’s completely normal to have a network of 000s on line.

Social networking has changed the face of job hunting too – with LinkedIn and Twitter, job seekers also have ways of directly communicating with prospective employers.  So, both recruiters and job seekers are actively seeking each other out via the social networks.

The question is how can you use this to your advantage as a job seeker?  Quite simply, you have to make it easy for recruiters to find you.

The way to achieve this is to join online communities and begin to make your “voice” heard amongst the chatter through what you say in forums and comments you make on blogs; have an opinion and get it out there.

Whereas previously candidates could only post a CV on a job board, you now have the opportunity to build up your own online community via your LinkedIn profile – join groups, make comments, begin active discussions.  Think about it, when you’re looking at a LinkedIn Group, aren’t you drawn to the profile of the “Top Influencer”?  I know I am.

On Twitter and Facebook, follow or like the businesses, recruiters or market influencers you are interested in and join in discussions – every comment you make is your very own micro-blog and is a chance for you to tell the online community something about you, your talents and skills.  It’s not a quick fix and it won’t happen immediately but the more you promote yourself  and your key skills/qualifications through online communities, the more likely it is recruiters will notice you and, even if we don’t have something immediately, we do keep an eye on interesting people and even start to think where we could fit you in.  Find the recruiters online who specialise in your industry; follow the key players in your market and understand their online conversations.

You could also consider writing a blog, as this is an ideal platform on which to display your knowledge and industry understanding.

There are some important things to bear in mind:

*  Make sure your LinkedIn profile is succinct and contains relevant keywords

*  Ensure your profile highlights occasions when you have had significant successes and added real value

*  Ask for recommendations

*  Use a number of social media sites and be consistent in the things you say

*  Use your own network to find others online to network with

*  Follow those on Twitter who you would like to follow you, or who have the followers that you would like to have

*  Ensure your profile photo looks professional – not your latest holiday photos clutching fishbowls cocktails or your pet dog looking cute.

*  On that subject, take down any potentially embarrassing photos of yourself and ask your friends not to tag you in the same

Quite simply, engage with recruiters and employers online.  It’s not being pushy and we Brits have to learn what our Trans-Atlantic cousins have known for some time:  it’s the bird who makes the most noise that gets fed first.  Be proud of who you are and what you do – start jumping up and down and telling everyone about it.

And don’t give up.  Finding a job is a full time job.

Follow me on Twitter @AvocetKaryn

Back to my feedback horror stories.  The first was when I sent a talented Developer off to an asset management company which had, unusually at the time, a female Head of IT.  Twenty minutes into the scheduled interview time, I had a very flustered Head of IT on the phone telling me that she’d had to suspend the interview and could she reschedule.  I asked if the candidate hadn’t turned up or had an emergency arisen, only to be very confused by her reply of “I just couldn’t interview him.  I didn’t know where to look – it was very distracting”.  I finally got to the bottom (ahem) of the matter and discovered my candidate had gone to interview straight from the gym in alarmingly small, tight shorts and a vest that displayed his “guns” to the best advantage.  He returned the next day suitably attired, got the job and had his contract renewed several times.

The second incident concerns not what my candidate was wearing but rather what he was carrying……..feedback post interview was fairly positive although the my chap was rejected and that was entirely because he took  a carrier bag into the interview with him!  Let me explain why this, admittedly not the most heinous of crimes, let my candidate down.  Quite simply because it was enough for the hiring manager to consider that he wasn’t quite “polished” enough for the role and when forced to choose between two similar candidates, he decided to take on the candidate who took the black briefcase.

Ok, so these are extreme examples but do serve to prove the point that appearances do matter when you’re being interviewed for a job.

We’re all sensible enough to know that business attire i.e. a smart suit, or skirt/trousers and blouse in the case of the ladies, is required and, in my experience, most candidates comply but there are other things to consider too.  With that in mind, here’s my list of absolute NOs for ladies and gents.

Ladies:

*  Not too much makeup and subtle perfume

*  Remove your facial piercings (although discrete nose studs are acceptable)

*  If you wear high heels, make sure that a) you can walk in them and b) they wouldn’t be better suited to Saturday night at the local Ritzy

*  Not too much jewellery

*  Nail polish should be clear or a conservative colour

Gents:

*  Ties should be conservative

*  Socks should not declare you as “World’s Best Dad” or a fan of Duff Beer

*  Keep you hair neat and facial hair trimmed

*  Remove earrings and rings, other than a wedding ring

*  If your recruiter tells you the dress code is “smart casual”, this does NOT mean sportswear in any way shape or form

If you look professional, you will feel professional. Remember, 80% of applicants are rejected on their CV alone, so if you get an interview you’re most of the way there.   Never give anyone the opportunity NOT to hire you because you’ve got the “wrong” tie on or because you were a little over zealous with your Rive Gauche.  It’s just not worth taking the risk and you can wear anything you like out of office hours……except maybe those Homer Simpson socks…..