Careers and Jobs

Leading career expert Paul Mullan will be presenting a FREE presentation at 6.30pm on 25th March sponsored by the Dublin City Central Library. The topic – “Job Hunting – Creative ways to increase visibility & land more opportunities”. For more information and to book a place email businesslibrary@dublincity.ie.

For those of you who use Linkedin you can also access free tips, advice and discussions in “Measurability Careers & Jobs Club” Group on LinkedIn.

Happy Job Hunting

FREE Career Workshop for jobseekers.

There will be FREE Career Workshop for jobseekers on 30th September. The event is being run by the NRF and will have spaces for 100 lucky people. If you have some free time it may be worth a visit.

The workshop will run for 90 minutes and will cover:

• Writing a world class CV
• Where to find the next job
• Advice on dealing with recruitment agencies
• Improving interview skills and techniques
• Networking skills
• Negotiating salaries

The goal is to provide insight and support to candidates who are currently in a difficult job market. Free Jobseekers Workshop is targeted at all levels of candidate, from junior through to senior management.

Where & When?
September 30th from 6PM to 7.30PM at the Grand Canal Hotel, Dublin 4 and will be presented by NRF Committee member Peter Cosgrove.

Register
To register a candidate for the NRF Jobseekers Workshop or offer your services for the CV Clinic please contact the NRF office on 01-8161754 or email name and contact details to director@nrf.ie

I really cannot comment how valuable it will be. Certainly seem to be trying to cover quite a bit of information in a short space of time BUT all you need is one gem of information that could land you your next job. Remember even if the presentation is nothing new you still have the opportunity to mix and network.

Interested in a paid career service – CV writing or Interview Coaching?

In tough times people quite often turn to self help books for inspiration and support. This multimillion dollar industry is preying on the vulnerable and quite often churning out the same stuff under a new revolutionary formula. Most of the readers are looking for quick fix and easy solution BUT in reality there are no easy solutions. Ask any successful person and they will tell you this – “the harder I work the luckier I get”. I recall a book I read some years back which did make sense but on further analysis it was nothing different than that which my mother had drilled into me throughout my youth. Below I have outlined some her classic advice …. and it is not write a CV or prepare for Interviews …..

Nobody likes a misery guts – Sulking and complaining never won any friends. Are you complaining? Are you blaming? Has it assisted your job hunting? I understand that job hunting in a tough market is difficult particularly for those out of work. However negativity will not bring anything to the table. People don’t like to hear it will actually switch off or worse avoid you all together. More importantly negativity will drain your own energy. If you are out of work and struggling to find employment or if you are seeking a career change without success – complaining or blaming won’t assist in any way.

Smarten yourself up – When this was said to me it was about physical appearance but for the purpose of this piece I mean how you market yourself. Ensure that your CV and cover letter are sharp. Ensure that they make the right impact. CV Writing Service in Ireland.

You need to work harder – We have all heard the saying – “work smarter and not harder” In reality you should be doing both. You need to work smart and hard. You need plenty of activity but channeled in the right direction. If you are unsuccessful in your job search – have you explored all the available channels? A friend said to me recently that he had tried everything to get a job but he never asked me for help!! Proactive job search channels will help you access the hidden job market. My friend’s girlfriend got an administration job last month that was never advertised.

I don’t want you hanging around with him – Parents can always spot a bad egg and are skilled at identifying unsuitable associates. You need to use this strategy when job hunting in a tough market. You don’t need negativity when job hunting in a tough market. Spend less time talking to your negative friends and more time talking with the positive and bubbly element of you close network. Surround yourself with support BUT not those who fester negativity and doom and gloom.

Turn off that TV and do your homework – I was never a big TV person as a kid but I guess anything came above homework. The reason I say turn off the TV is because the current content will not inspire you. Most of the news in the papers and on the radio is negative. Reading and listening to this everyday will not inspire you. Remember bad news sells at the minute and the media is ensuring we get our fill of it.

I attended a seminar in Ballsbridge Court Hotel on Wednesday 23rd organised by PA assist and Osborne Recruitment. The seminar was titled “staying up in down times” and focused on motivational advice and personal marketing expertise to help jobseekers in a tough economic climate. This was a great evening with 3 key speakers – Kirishna De, James Sweetman and Brendan of Osborne Recruitment. Due to the nature of my work I am aware of many of the strategies but I still left with great tips and nuggets of information. Speaking to some of the other attendees they left the seminar burdened with positive energy and ideas.

The event commenced with a motivation and success presentation by James Sweetman. I have been aware of James but never met or heard him speak before. James outlined some excellent motivational strategies for jobseekers in difficult job market conditions. He encouraged individuals to cast off the shackles and move out of their comfort zones into uncharted waters. James touched on a number of key strategies I feel strongly about – Jack Canfields E+R=O and the importance of shutting out the bad news and negative people. James delivered the presentation with humour and laced with excellent motivational stories.

James was followed by Brendan Murphy of Osborne Recruitment. First thing that struck me about Brendan was his honesty. Brendan delivered an open and frank assessment to the job market followed by some of the key elements for marketing yourself during job applications and interviews. Even with the limited exposure to Brendan & Osborne I get the impression that working with his recruitment company would be a positive experience from an employer or a jobseeker perspective. Osborne Recruitment is a successful recruitment consultancy recruiting across a number of industry sectors.

Last but certainly not least Krishna De spoke about the use of online technology and social networking to market yourself, enhance networking and make yourself recession bullet proof. This was the session of personal interest for me and it did not disappoint – very informative and again well executed. I had a great interest in this section from a business development point of view BUT to enhance my knowledge to support my private career coaching and corporate outplacement clients. Krishna De is a leading personal branding consultant and social media marketing expert.

Overall I though the night was very worthwhile and plenty of new ideas but also reinforcement of existing ideas and strategies. As pointed out it is very easy to slip back into old habits and comfort zones.

Well done guys and gals!!

Lack of interview preparation and interview nerves are a thing of the past due to the launch of new Interview Coaching website www.interviewsolutions.ie. The new site was established by Paul Mullan founder of Measurability. Measurability is a Career, Outplacement and HR consultancy so the new site is an extension of the existing business.

Interview Solutions will tailor interview preparation programmes to suit individual requirements. It will help jobseekers with “what to say” and “how to say it” at interviews.

Paul and his team have vast experience in HR, Recruitment & Selection and Interviewing. Measurability is established as one of the leading Career & Outplacement consultancies in Ireland working with a wide range of private and corporate clients delivering exceptional results.

To find out more information visit Interview Coaching.

Interviewsolutions will also be developed to offer free advice for jobseekers who want to prepare on a budget. There are many interview preparation tips, interview questions and interview answers. This information will help your interview skills and interview techniques.

Career Coaching – Job Search Strategies from leading Career Consultant

There are many strategies to source new employment in any job Market. This article will outline some of the popular job search strategies and how to get the most out of these strategies. If you are searching for a new job then this article will help improve your efforts and results.

Online Job Boards – This is probably the most popular strategy for jobseekers to source new employment. The last decade has seen many job boards spring up as the popularity increases. The most popular job boards in Ireland include RecruitIreland, EmployIreland, IrishJobs and Monster. There are also niche job boards focusing on certain sectors including SalesJobs, AdminJobs.

How to get the best out of online job boards – Many of these sites make searching easy with job alert functions which will send you the latest relevant jobs. By all means use these tools but I recommend that you visit the site every 2/3 days anyway to do a manual search.

Newspaper Advertisements – Job advertisements in the local and national newspapers has witnessed a steady decline over the last few years with most newspapers increasing online presence with most owning the job boards. Having said this it is still important to review the national and regional papers. The most popular national newspapers include The Irish Independent on Thursday and The Irish Time on Friday.

How to get the best out of newspaper advertisements – There are no shortcuts when using newspapers and a job hunting strategy. I guess quantity is the important point here. If you are actively job hunting you need to look at the job advertisements whenever possible. Most people buy a paper each day but I would certainly recommend Irish Independent on a Thursday and Irish Times on a Friday.

Recruitment Agencies – Love them or hate them agencies play a very important function the job market placing thousands of jobseekers in new positions every year. There are approximately 400 recruitment agencies in Ireland recruiting staff across a variety of skills and industry sectors. Agencies range from the large household names to niche recruiters focusing on a particular sector or skill-set.

How to get the most out of recruitment agencies – The most important point when dealing with agencies is to identify the agencies that recruit for your skills. It can be confusing as there are 400 agencies in Ireland. Speak to friends, family or work colleagues to get recommendations. Alternatively another tip is to do a search on one of the outlined job boards and see what agencies are advertising similar jobs to those you would like. Once you have identified suitable agencies it is important to meet your recruitment consultant and build a relationship. You must also take a proactive approach and stay in touch BUT do not stalk your recruiter.

Networking – It is estimated that 50% of jobs are never advertised so if you are relying on job boards, newspapers and recruitment agencies you will not be accessing the “hidden job pool”. Networking is an excellent tool where you utilise your contacts in an effort to unearth and secure a new job.

How to get the most out of networking – Many jobseekers can find networking difficult and unnatural. It is a skill and can be learned. I recommend that you start with a familiar network such as friends, family and work colleagues as these are familiar names and faces. To extend this network you can attend work related or industry related networking opportunities. Remember

Speculative Applications – This strategy is normally at the bottom of the list because it involves the most work and feel like a waste of time. There is an element of luck but by initiating this activity you are actually creating your own luck. Speculative applications involve identify and targeting suitable companies or industry sectors that potentially require your skill-sets

How to get the most out of speculative applications – An important point with speculative applications is to start your search quite focused. Pick an ideal location and industry sector. Otherwise it can seem like a daunting task. When you approach companies try to speak with the relevant hiring manager before you email or post a CV. Remember try to target hiring or department managers directly and avoid HR.

Need a CAREER COACH or CAREER CONSULTANT? Contact Career Coach Ireland

A good CV is an essential ingredient to increase success when job hunting. Unfortunately many CV’s I review lack focus or sell the jobseeker. I have outlined a number of excellent articles below that will improve your CV preparation skills and your job hunting success. When you improve the quality of your CV you will increase the number of interview invitations you receive. This will bring you a step closer to landing your dream job.

CV preparation – number of pages?

A common question I am asked by jobseekers is “how many pages for a CV?” This is not the most important consideration for CV design but CV Advice will answer the question.

CV Mistakes to avoid

Here are a couple of articles which will outline some of the most common CV mistakes you should avoid. As stated most CV’s I review are flawed and contain many mistakes. CV Preparation – mistakes and CV Advice – mistakes highlighting important mistakes to avoid.

CV Format & CV Layout

CV layout & CV format are very important considerations when writing your CV. CV Format & CV Layout outlines basic tips and advice on CV format and CV layout. You should take this advice on board when writing your CV.

Need professional CV writing services? Measurability offers professional CV services to jobseekers across Ireland. Interview coaching?

I often wonder why Sales professionals are not better at CV writing as they normally have excellent written communication skills and they have a vast experience in the functions of Sales and Marketing. I do come across some good Sales CV’s but on the whole many of them fall short. So what are the common problems with Sales CV’s?

Sales CV’s that lack focus

Many CV’s I read do not take the reader into consideration. When I explain to a sales professional that CV’s and Interviews are no different to their day to day jobs the penny often drops. When writing a professional sales CV you must understand the customer (employer) and pitch your marketing material (CV) to outline how you meet their needs.

Sales CV’s that undersell

Again many sales CV’s I read do not sell the jobseeker. They lack impact and therefore do not stand out in the crowd. When writing a professional sales CV you must sell yourself. You must tell the recruiter what you did BUT you must also tell the reader how you did it. Professional Sales CV’s must incorporate achievements and tell a story otherwise they are just a to-do list.

Sales CV Writing Services in Ireland

There are many Sales CV writing services with vast experience writing professional sales CV’s for the Irish jobs market. These professionals can help all Sales professionals at all types of Sales roles including IT Sales, Area Sales Retail Sales, Sales Director, Financial Sales, Medical Sales, Sales Manager, Technical Sales, Insurance Sales, Sales Representative, Advertising Sales, Pharmaceutical Sales, Sales Territory Manager, Field Sales Executive, New Business Executive, Junior Sales, Graduate Sales Executive, Telesales, Regional Sales Manager and Area Sales Manager. These professionals work with jobseekers across Ireland including Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Sligo and all other counties.

Do you want additional information about acquiring a professional Sales CV?

We have posted quite a few CV and Interview articles on this site about CV writing, CV Templates, CV Format, CV Layout and Interview Preparation. What I have decided to do is pull the more popular articles onto one post to save you some time.

CV Service – CV Format & CV Layout – Golden Opportunity

I cannot emphasis enough the importance of a CV when job hunting. Get it wrong and you will miss out on important interviews. Most jobseekers have below standard CV’s and do not understand the basics of CV design. This is an opportunity for you. Get your CV right and you will increase the number of interview invites. Get your CV right and you will have employer’s eager with anticipation to meet you.

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For many more CV articles check out this site CV4Jobs.ie full of CV advice and help with CV Format, CV Layout & CV Templates.

Interview Preparation

When your CV does the job you are only half way there. Interviews are often more feared than death. Proper understanding and interview preparation can help your confidence and performance at interview. Here are some articles to help with your interview preparation.

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Career Coaching, CV writing or Interview Coaching services in Ireland

If you are looking for a CV service in Ireland or Career Coaching or Interview Coaching we have some services to help you. Service nationwide including counties – Cork, Galway, Mayo, Donegal, Kerry, Tipperary, Tyrone, Clare, Antrim, Limerick, Roscommon, Down, Wexford, Meath, Londonderry, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Offaly, Cavan, Westmeath, Waterford, Sligo, Laois, Kildare, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Monaghan, Armagh, Longford, Dublin, Carlow and Louth.

Best of luck with your job hunting.

You have all heard of the saying “you get what you pay for”. This is true when dealing with the topic of CV and CV writing. Some of the most popular keywords searched on Google are CV & FREE. We all want the best jobs and best salaries yet we are obviously not prepared to invest in our CV. Would you go to a butcher for a hernia operation? With free CV advice you have to ask yourself two questions.

(1) How much value is the free information?

From experience you will get the basic information – standard script. Is it worthwhile or any value? Well, it will help you write a CV with basic information on format, layout and content BUT the CV won’t make an impact and sell you in a tight market. I can tell you from experience most CV’s I review are sub-standard. The problem is that many jobseekers have been getting away with poor quality CV’s because of skill shortages in most sectors. As things tighten in these markets these poor CV’s will be found out.

(2) Why am I getting these free CV tips and advice?

Free is a tool to attract you to the site to sell something else. I had the experience recently where I took the option of availing of a free book from a popular life coach. Basically I was hounded for about 3 months after trying to sell me other books and seminars.

If you want a professional CV there are many CV service providers in the market including Measurability. Like anything else in life shop around, get references, samples of work before you make a decision.

Happy CV writing!!