23 September 2011
th November Blog
The Youth Of Today
Less than a decade ago I left school fresh faced and full of hope for all the new adventures to come as a working woman. A little over eager and disillusioned perhaps but don't judge too harshly, I didn't have the dreary job prospects of today's youth. At the time all I had to do was write my name on my CV, send it along with a generic cover letter to a couple of job advert
and hey presto! By the following day I was employed. Oh how times changed.
This weeks statistical revelations sparked some interesting debates in the Inspired CVs office. Exactly why are our youth struggling to find employment? Well, I suppose if you want to ask that question where better to do it than in a career services office full of recruitment experts!
Our company director David Chalmers believes an emphasis has to be placed on what help and resources are available to the unemployed when seeking work. Career services in universities and schools are all too often lacking in experienced industry professionals who can give relevant, honest and clear cut advice to those who really need it. As a recruitment expert with fifteen years in his field, David knows the expectations employers have when CVs land on their desks and the interview pit falls that are often made. "Even candidates who have sought advice from their local careers services centre very rarely get it right" he tells me. "The quality of 'expert' advice young job seekers are being provided with has to rise if tangible results are to be seen in the unemployment figures."
One of the other major reasons young candidates miss out on roles is the increasing number of seasoned professionals who are applying for entry level positions due to redundancy. It's an employers market unfortunately and that means they are looking for value for their buck. Why hire a novice who on the face of it only has a restricted variety of skills to offer when you can have an old hand at the job for half their usual price?
So, if you are one of the 1.02 million young job seekers out there, this is our free advice to you:
1. Demonstrate behavioural competencies in your CV and application
Dress smartly for your interview, conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times, don't submit your application from a childish email address and above all else; take the time and effort to show you care. Showing an employer that you care through your actions will speak volumes.
2. Make sure your CV sells you and ALL of the skills you have
Even if you have no work experience make sure you highlight all of the transferable skills and good attributes of your character that you have developed in other areas of your life. Don't hide these on the second page where they can't be seen.
3. Proof read!!
CVs and cover letters with mistakes and typos give off a clear impression of sloppiness no matter how outstanding the content is. Make sure to double check for spelling mistakes and grammar horror stories and then once you're convinced it's perfect; get a friend to check it too. With hundreds competing for the same job you can't afford to lose points on careless mistakes.
4. Write more than one CV
Every job you apply for should have a tailored CV that relates specifically to the job role, the company or organisation you want to hire you, and the person conducting the interview. You should also have a general CV which covers all of your key experience and skills but is ambiguous enough to catch the attention for any suitable job an employer may have. Send this out prospectively to all the companies that you would like to work for.
5. Keep it concise
Remember your CV only has seven seconds to work its magic so don't bore the reader with useless information at the top. Let them see what it is they need to know about you straight away to ensure they keep on reading. Avoid unnecessary spacing and gaps, and try condensing job descriptions with bullet points.
Laura McGeoch
Inspired CVs
