CV Tips
Writing a professional Curriculum Vitae (CV) that stands out from the rest is no easy task! Research suggests that Recruiters only spend an average of six seconds reviewing a resume – that is a very small window to make a lasting impression. A badly written or unprofessional CV can hinder you from landing your dream job! Below are some key tips to remember when writing your CV. Do: Include your contact details i.e. contact number AND email address Tailor your CV to the specific role you are applying for Use a professional CV format / template with legible font Write a personal statement which summarises your skills and strengths Don’t: Send a CV with any spelling or grammar mistakes on it – make sure you proofread you CV before sending it out Use multiple colours or pictures on your CV as this can be distracting Have a CV that is longer than 2-3 pages (keep it concise) Use abbreviations or jargon not specific to the role If you are starting to prepare your CV and would like some more tips? Please contact us for a chat - we are only too happy to help.
This blog post is being published during the COVID-19 outbreak in New Zealand. The current COVID-19 situation means working from home is the new norm for an unknown period. To ease the transition, we’ve put together five suggestions to make working from home better. Making Working from Home Better 1. Dress for Work It’s tempting to roll out of bed and straight to your new ‘working from home’ desk. But wearing work clothes is going to help mentally shift you into work mode. Get dressed for work, and once your working day is finished, get changed out of your work clothes. It’s going to feel great! 2. Prepare Your Day + Chunk Time The night before, plan your day and set boundaries for the day. Provided your employer is happy with it, there is the opportunity to make the day work better for you. Schedule in exercise, lunch in the sun, and a micro break in the afternoon. There is also the opportunity to chunk time. Chunk activities together with the same purpose i.e. Emails/Research/Meetings/Sales. This makes it easier to control your flow of work, and makes sure you’re able to handle interruptions when they come, and get back on task when you engage again. 3. Turn Off Notifications Interruptions = getting sucked into an unproductive vortex. Turn off notifications, and then set a reminder to check emails three times a day; start of the day. Just before lunch, and once more just before you finish your scheduled working day. Don’t get sucked into the email vortex that kills many hours for even the most productive of remote workers. The same applies for social media and phone notifications. 4. Move Your Body It’s important for mental health to move (and it’s been proven to boost immunity). Currently it’s ok to get out into nature and go for walks – that’s an option following physical distancing guidelines. Alternatively, there are hundreds of free yoga and workout videos available online to tap into. All this will help you be more productive, and also feel more balanced. 5. Set Up Online Events Set up virtual team lunches and Friday night drinks (BYO of course). Set up the camera and share general office chit chat during shared event times. Don’t forget to get together for the birthday cake (online of course) and keep human connection high. Do you have any other tips for working from home? The one eighty team have been working from home for a while now in preparation for the Level Four NZ Government imposed lock down which means we are fully set up to be able to engage and chat with you should you have any hiring or career points to discuss – we’d love to hear from you. Please feel free to contact us.
This blog post is being published during the COVID-19 outbreak. In consideration of the COVID-19 outbreak; at one eighty recruitment we are staying proactive and supportive to enable clients and candidates to continue to connect in the job market with health and safety in mind. One of the most important parts of finding a new job is having a great interview. Employers and recruiters are potentially opting for video interviews during this time on platforms such as Skype or Zoom. What is shocking is the amount of times these interviews can go south, because candidates are not prepared for this type of interview. So, without further ado, here are some tips to prepare for a remote/video interview: Top Tips for Skype and Video Interviews 1. Double Check Interview Time A lot of these video interviews happen across time zones, so you want to ensure that you have the correct time. Whether you’ve scheduled the interview with the employer directly, or with a recruiter – ALWAYS double check your time. 2. Test Technology The first thing to do when preparing for a Skype or video interview is make sure you’re comfortable and ready to use your technology (computer, mic, webcam, etc.) It’s not going to go well if you hop on a Skype call and the interviewer can’t hear you because your mic is muted. So make sure to test everything out before your Skype or video interview to make sure you’re comfortable with the technology and the settings are correct. You can do a “test run” with a friend or family member to be sure. If there are any technical issues, you want to know that before the interview. 3. Pick the Best Location. The last thing you want during your Skype interview or video interview is to have a family member or pet come running across the screen. So find a quiet, distraction-free room where you can shut the door and have relative silence, and nothing moving in the background. This could be a private meeting room, somewhere at home or a quiet, local café. 4. Do Your Homework This step is very important. You want to convey the message that you are interested, and that you are taking this opportunity seriously. Research is extremely important. If you have your interviewers name, check out their LinkedIn Profile. Check out the Company Website, LinkedIn Profile and any recent articles or news on them. Also do your homework when it comes to the position – go over the job description that was supplied. Read over your CV and see what aspects of your work overlaps with the job description, these are your strengths. Focus on the required skills and brush up on these technologies. If you made notes during your call with your recruiter go over those. 5. Dress for Success Dress appropriately for your interview in relation to what type of position you are interviewing for. In my opinion you can never go wrong with a power suit (or your equivalent of this). It not only looks great, but it makes the person wearing it feel confident and strong. If you don’t have a power suit, wear something professional, clean cut and comfortable 6. Prepare Questions and Answers Always remember that as much as an employer is interviewing you to see if you are a good match, you are also interviewing them for the same. Have questions prepared, we normally suggest about five or six. These questions could be related to the technical side of things, or career progression and educational allowances, think big. This will show your interest in the company 7. Don't Forget to Breathe, and Sleep Seeing as you have already prepared everything, take a moment, relax and get a good night of sleep. If you are into meditation, have a session when you wake in the morning to clear your mind and get you ready for the big moment. 8. Turn Off All Notifications The client may not be in the same room with you, but it will be easy to sense or see if your attention is diverted. This can come across as unprofessional, or disinterested. Turn your notifications off and put your phone on silent mode. Better yet – just turn your phone off. Where to from here? We wish you all the best with your Skype or video interview. Whether you are on the move, or just thinking about moving in the foreseeable future, we are always more than happy to help with a chat. Please feel free to contact us.
So, it's time to take the plunge and you are looking for a new job? We asked Mike Westbury for recommendations of the first three things to action before embarking on a new job hunt. Check out the video below. As mentioned in point #1 of the video, at one eighty recruitment we've had hundreds of chats to help people articulate point #1 so please do reach out for a chat if we can help. Looking For A New Job? 1. Work out what you want Work out what you want in a job. Take some time to write down what you are hoping to achieve by changing jobs, is it a career change, a progression, lifestyle? It helps to have thought about these things before looking for a new job to ensure you are fulfilled in your new job. 2. Rewrite your CV. Rewrite your CV for the job you want, rather than the job you want. What are the skill sets, attributes and qualities required to be able to successfully do the job you wish to obtain? We have some CV writing resources here, or alternatively we are always happy to chat and assist with tips. 3. Connect. Connect with people and places where you want to work. Connect with people who are going to help you get to where you want to be. Perhaps even ask those people for a coffee and casual chat. The more you connect and get to know about your desired role, company or career, the better set you are to achieve your goals. Where to from here? Whether you are on the move, or just thinking about moving in the foreseeable future, we are always more than happy to help with a chat over a coffee or over the phone. Please feel free to contact us.
Market, Salaries and tips on attracting the best candidates in 2019! The job market for 2019 is looking great with many firms in Wellington hiring now or looking to increase their headcount by March. This means finding the right candidate is still challenging and employers need to ensure their employer brand is a strong as ever. Salaries have been steady in the Wellington region over the last 6 months. Salaries did however increase 28.6% over the last 5 years. Candidates are looking for work/life balance, career progression and some variety in project work. Of course, salaries are always an important part of the decision making process. Please see below for salary information based on some of the roles one eighty have recruited in the past 6 months. How do your salaries compare? Architectural Designer $ 85 000 - $90 000 Revit/BIM tech $ 80 000 – $90 000 Senior Architect – $100 000 – $110 000 Revit/BIM Specialist - $65 - $80 per hour Project Architect – $85 000 – $100 000 Recently registered NZ Architect – $78 000 – $88 000 Senior Architectural Technician - $65 000 - $80 000 Intermediate Architectural Technician - $60 000 - $65 000 Architectural designer - $55 000 - $65 000 Attracting the best candidates in 2019 It’s well known that we have a shortage of experienced architectural candidates in Wellington and so the ball is firmly in the candidate’s court right now when it comes to choosing an employer. As a business your brand is a very important piece of your talent attraction strategy and is often the first impression a candidate gets of you. I have no doubt you have worked hard on your brand and spent time and money on getting the right message out to the market. Recruitment consultants work on your behalf and are often the first impression a candidate gets of your business. One of the ways you can control your brand in the job market is by working smarter with recruitment consultants. Why is it important? Controlling your brand in the market allows you to attract top talent and be their first choice. If you are working with too many consultants, you can give off the impression that you are desperate to fill the position. The message potential employees are receiving about your business can be different from different consultants depending on how well the consultant knows your business. It is really important that you trust your consultant and are confident they know enough about your business to excite the right candidates and fairly represent you. What can you do as a client to best manage your brand if you are using a recruitment consultant? Spend the time to meet your consultant in person regularly, ideally in your place of work. So much can be picked up about your business just by the consultant spending time in it. Talk your consultant through your company culture, values, what do you do as a team? What kind of person works well with the current team? What kind of person hasn’t worked well in the past? Ask your consultant questions about how your business fits with candidate’s expectations. Create an action plan with your consultant, generally if you are the one driving this you are working with the wrong consultant. Why would you work with one recruitment consultant exclusively? Personally, when a client works with me exclusively on a role I put all my time and energy into finding a great candidate for them. I will work day and night to make sure I find a great candidate for the role because it’s my personal brand at stake! By working with one consultant you have one consistent message going out to candidates in the job market, top candidates want a clear and succinct explanation about the role, the business and the team they will be working with. Working with one consultant ensures that you will get the message right. Having one point of contact for a role saves a huge amount of time and you do not have to be concerned with which candidate is working with which recruitment consultant. Start by trialing it with one role and enjoy some excellent service and results!