axis career building guidelines

7/28/2019 Axis Career Building Guidelines

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CV Guidelines


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Human Capital Ltdwww.axishrd.com | [email protected] | [email protected]

This material is provided for your personal use at no cost to you. Any disclosure, copying, or distribution of thisdocument without proper citation, or for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited. For more information or

for permission to use this material, please contact Axis Human Capital Ltd.at [email protected]

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Guidelines for Creating a Simple, Well-Written CV or Resume

Im a g ine tha t you a re a n em p loye r w ith 2 op en p osit ion s to f ill. Af te r a d vert ising t he

p osit ion , you rec eive 200 CVs for the 2 p osit ion s, and yo u ha ve to sc ree n a ll CVs in o rd erto b e fa ir, and to b e a b le to se lec t a p p lic ants to in terv iew . Th ink of som e o f the th ing stha t w ill ca use you to d isc a rd som e CVs, or thing s tha t w ill ra ise you r interest in oth er CVs.Wo uld yo u l ike to inve st yo ur t im e in g oing throug h 200 typo -filled , c olour fu l, disorga nizedand gram ma t ic a l ly inc o rrec t CVs? Prob ab ly no t . Rea d on to f ind ou t a bo u t the d os andd on ts of C V w rit ing .

Remember that your CV or resume usually gives the first impression of you as a personand as a potential employee, and so it must speak very well of you. See it as youropportunity to market your personal brand and make you an attractive, first choice pickfor any job position. Since you are not physically there with potential recruiters toelaborate on anything, your CV must be clear and contain all the necessary information.

It must be well-organized, to-the-point, and easy to read, and must be clean and freefrom any kind of grammatical or typographical errors. The decision to interview you isusually based on the overall first impression given by your CV or Resume. Your CV orResume is needed to get your foot in the door it should impress and persuade thereader that you are a potential right-fit for the job, and should lead to an interview andultimately, to a new job and career.

In th is d oc um ent , p lea se ta ke no te o f the fo l low ing top ic s:

The difference between a CV and a ResumeComponents of a CVVisual Layout of a CV

Components of a CVThe Dos of CV writingThe Donts of CV WritingOther J ob Search Strategies and ToolsInterviewing Skills

The Difference between a Resume and a CV

The term resume comes from the French word for summary rsum. The resumethen, is a brief summary about your [relevant] bac kground past jobs, educationalbackground and relevant skills etc. that you bring to the job. Resumes/CVs on their owndont get jobs - they get you interviews, and its your performance at interviews that gets

you the job! Especially for jobs outside of ac ademia, resumes are preferred, while C Vsare more common for academic positions. For non-academic positions, resumes arewidely used in the USA, while CVs are more commonly used for both academic andnon-academic positions in European and African countries including Ghana. CV stylesdiffer from one country/region to the other, and in academia, it also may differ from onediscipline to another. Be sensitive to what is appropriate wherever you find yourself. It isalso prudent to have multiple (2 or 3) versions of your CV, each with a particularemphasis for industry, for academia, for certain types of jobs, etc..


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The abbreviation CV stands for Curriculum Vita, which comes from two Latin words currereand vita. Curreremeans to run as in, to run a course. Vitameans life, andtogether, curriculum vita means the c o urse o f life. The CV is typically morecomprehensive, and covers your relevant experience over the course of your life.Curriculum Vita or Curriculum Vitae is singular, while Curricula Vitae is plural. The C V [abiographical sketch] is also referred to simply as a Vita.

*** When sending application documents to Axis, CVs are preferred, so long as they arewell-written and follow the guidelines below. The lists of Dos and Donts of CV writingprovided in this section are by no means exhaustive. Please be sure to proofread andrevise your CV using these guidelines before submitting them to Axis.

Components of a CV

Your CV should generally consist of the following sec tions

Identifying informationo Start with your name, and not Curriculum Vita

Bold your name so that it stands out and is easier to remember. Keepit simple and professional there should be no nicknames on your CV,and if your name is long, dont write it in full your first and last nameand perhaps one middle name are enough.

o Try to fit your mailing address, phone & email on one or two lines, and saveroom for other relevant information. Do not make it a distraction from more

important information. If youre using MS Word, it is helpful to put it in as aheader for the first page only.

***See the Dos and Donts sec tion of this document for notes on what kind of emailaddresses are appropriate for a CV.***

***Very Important Note!***

In Ghana, it is very common to include your demographic details such as age, maritalstatus, ethnicity, health status, religion and other identifying information on your CV. Axisdoesnotrecommend doing so. Please submit CVs withoutdemographic details. Thinkof it this way your demographic information can always be inferred from the years

you graduated from school, your name, your affiliations et cetera, and so there is noneed to put emphasis on them by putting them on your CV.

Regrettably, explicitly presenting such information can highlight things about you thatsomeunfair recruiters may use in making discriminatory decisions about you age,ethnicity etc. When sending your CV toAxis, please be sure to follow the guidelinesprovided in this document.


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Introduction - an objective/summary (optional)o A stated objective or summary is optionaluse it only ifits to your

advantage. Typically, objectives say what yo uare looking for, and fail tomention what you have to offer to a potential employer. Perhaps a Profileor Summary section is better.

Exam p le: To o b ta in a resea rc h-orien ted p osit ion w ith in a f ina nc ia linstitut ion req uiring strong a na lyt ic a l an d w rit ing skills.(If you by allmeans want to use an Objec tive statement, make sure it not onlysays what youre looking for, but more importantly, says what youpotentially have to offer).

o A Summary or Profile is useful if you have many years of experience andtangible, marketable skills.

Exam p le: A f ina nc ia l a na lyst with 7 yea rs e xpe rien c e in fina nc ia la ud its, co m p a ny va lua t ion s, risk ana lysis a nd f ina nc ia l

model l ing .o Regardless of what you choose to use, keep it short, simple and to-the-point,

and be sure it is no longer than 3 lines.

o Some rec ruiters prefer seeing an objective or summary. Use it especially ifyour objective strongly matches the job youre applying for.

o Do not list tired and overused (clich) competenc ies (for eg., I am detail-oriented, a team player, hardworking, etc...).

o Rule of thum b: Whether to include an objective/summary or not depends onthe certainty of your career focus. As experience increases, so does thelikelihood of including a specific objective.

Education/Trainingo List and highlight your degree or diploma first, because that is what you are

trying to market and draw attention to, and then the name of the institution,the location and dates can follow. If you attended a world-class institutionthat is globally recognized, then you may choose to start with the institution.The rule of thumb is to market you and your training/knowledge first.

o Information in this section should include institutions attended, and degreesreceived, or degrees you expect to receive, with your expected date ofgraduation.

o Keep all educational information in one section. Do not list your thesis or final

project work in a different section. Keeping them together makes the CVeasier to follow.

o *** Relevant courses completed can be included only ifthey fit targeted jobrequirements or enhance your CV for the particular position youre applyingfor. Idea lly, do not mention them on the CV, but be sure to mention them inyour cover letter and show how they make you a good match for theposition.


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o Include GPA only ifit is strong and distinguishes you from other applicants (atleast 3.7), or if you are applying for a job in academia. This may be relevantwhile you are still in school. After graduation, do not include it.

o Special training, licenses/certifications held.o Academic Awards/Honours/Recognition/Honorary Memberships

Employment History/Experienceo This is a very important part of the CV, which differentiates you from other

applicants. It must catch your readers attention, and must be c onc ise andstill say not justwha t you did, buthow w e ll you did it.

o Include your work experience in reverse c hronological order - that is, put yourcurrent or most recent job first and work backward to your oldest/first. Layoutof company name, title and dates of employment is important, and

consistency in formats is key.

o Selective highlighting - depending on the nature and/or requirements of theposition, list first the information that enhances your application the most the position you held, or the company you worked for. Whatever style youchoose, you must by all means be consistent for all the positions you list onyour CV. Include:

Job Title - highlight this by bolding it. Capital letters are not necessary)

Even for National Service and Internships, write a title, for example,Administrative Assistant, and then you can put National Serviceetc. in brackets next to it. Dont write National Service Personnel asthe job title

Name of organization dont highlight, otherwise you give them freeadvertising on your CV and miss the opportunity to highlight You (youmay italicize to draw some attention if it is a well-known organizationand will enhance your application)

Locationof work (town, and if in another country, add country)

Datesof employment (start end) it is extremely important to stick toone date format in the entire CV. If you use month and year, beconsistent. As much as possible, avoid abbreviations (for eg, Sept).

Work - state your workresponsibilitieswith emphasis on specific skillsand achievements.

Quantify results/specify what you did and how well you did it as muchas possible for exam p le, b oo sted sa les by 80% in f i rst m on th rathe rtha n w a s resp on sib le for sa le s.

Tell of your responsibilities and accomplishments using ac tion words,but dont overdo it use words like c o l lab o ra ted , de mo nst ra ted ,en fo rc ed , im p leme n ted , launc hed , neg o t ia ted , p rom oted , tra inedetc


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Dont personalize it and use the first person singular for example, Iworked with the .... This is not a letter. Avoid writing in prose a lso.

Keep this section concise. Bullet points are useful.

*** Whether the educational section should precede the employment section or notdepends on you. Selec t the one that makes a stronger, positive statement about youand mention that first. For example, for a research-oriented or academic position,education should come first.***

Customized Section (this sec tion could contain any/all of the following tailor it). Itis important to include information that tells the recruiter a little bit more aboutyou as a person with interests outside of school and work. At Axis, we look veryclosely at this sec tion, and so be careful to provide honest, relevant information.

o Non-academic accomplishments/awards/recognition Generally, this is where you blow your horn and let the employer

know that you are an achiever. You may list professional awards,etc

Dont overload this sec tion. Information in this sec tion may also beincorporated to other parts of the resume for example, academichonours may be included in education section etc.

o Leadership roles and accomplishments. Dont sell yourself short by omitting this if you do have leadership

experience. List the roles and accomplishments a track record ofleadership, even going as far back as secondary school is important.

o Professional Memberships/Affiliations List these if it enhances your application professional associations,

honorary memberships etc.

o Professional Development You may list the short courses, training sessions etc. that you have

participated in. Be sure to give the title and then the organization thatgave the training, the location and date.

o Volunteer Experience If you have served as a volunteer, you may list that information as well

the organization, any accomplishments etc.

o Skills List specific, tangible, marketable skills - computer literacy, languages

spoken, typing speed, use of specific tools etc. (list the specificsoftware or tools etc. You may group them into categories softwaredevelopment, statistical analysis, publishing, art/design etc)


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o Interest and activities You could include recreational ac tivities and interests.

VISUAL LAYOUT/PRESENTATION

A reverse chronological format lists your experience, starting with the most recent, whilethe functional format groups your experiences into thematic areas. Most often, reversechronological and functional formats are combined and used. The CV may list yourexperiences by skill/ functional areas, and then within each functional sec tion, it listspositions held in reverse chronological order. This is a commonly recommended format.

Dos1. Always have an updated/current CV with you wherever you are. Always email

and store the most recent version to yourself so that you can ac cess it wherever

you are.2. Use one [conservative] font type, and make it consistent throughout the entire

document. (for example, Times New Roman, Arial, etc., instead ofMonotype Corsiva,

curlz or Mistral).

3. Make use of various tools that highlightsections bullets, bold, italics etc., andmake sure that your usage isconsistent throughout the document.

4. Mention youraccomplishments, not just descriptions of what you did, but tell yourreader how w e ll you did it.

5. Use action verbsto describe your accomplishments for example, boostedsales by 75%.

6. Number your pages in the bottom corner.

7. Make sure you use the appropriate tensesfor past positions, work in progress etc .

8. Use good quality paper bright white, laser paper, not off-white paper.

9. Use laser jet printing, so that the CV is sharp, c lean and c risp.

10.Leave enough margin space all around the CV at least 0.8 inches

11.Proofread! Proofread! Proofread!Proofread the document thoroughly to makesure there are NO errors. Read it out aloud if you have to. Typos and grammaticalerrors are absolutely unacceptable!!!

Donts

1. Dont use coloured paper or coloured font keep it simple and professional.

2. Dont use different kinds of fonts (see point # 2 above).

3. Dont write in prose, making your CV look like a letter or an essay.

4. Dont use abbreviations such as Sept. for September or Sec. Sch. for


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Secondary School.

5. Dont use casual, unprofessional email addresses such as sexymama1@... orbigdaddy2@... Use addresses that are professional and have your name.

6. Dont take shortcuts such as using the phrase same as above.

7. Dont mix spelling styles for example, American and British spellings (favour vs.favor)

8. Stick to the same date format dont use 12/2005 in one section and Dec. 2005 inanother sec tion.

9. Avoid using tables in a C V, and instead, try to organize your information withouthaving to rule lines etc. In the same vein, avoid using tabs to create a table-likesec tion in a C V. Spaces between tabs will differ, and then look untidy.

10.For both your CV and C over Letter, do not use all capital letters! Avoid overusingcapital letters. If you use them for section headings, maintain that style

throughout. It is bad netiquette to use all caps it means youre shouting oryelling at your reader!

11.Dont use the word I (avoid pronouns), and do not write in the third person forexample, Ernest is a hardworking man

12.Do not attach passport pictures, or images of your certificates, diplomas, ID cardset cetera. The rec ruiter will ask you for it if he/ she needs to see it. When makingsubmissions to Axis, please do not send anything more than a CV unless otherwisespecified.

13.Avoid using the word other (for eg, other activities) it trivializes whatever youinclude in that other section and makes it seem marginal and unimportant incomparison to what you say prior to that other section.

14.Dont include your list of references on your CV. The document is about You, sodont bring in other people to distract your readers attention from You. Excludingsuch information reduces the instances where people can discriminate againstyou based on who you list as a reference. Alternatively, having certain nameslisted as references can give an unfair advantage to some people.

a. At the bottom of the CV, you may add that references are available uponrequest, and do have areference sheetready every single time you handa CV out.

Final Words

INTEGRITY is non-negotiable!!! Be comfortable with every statement, and beready to elaborate and defend what is on your CV in an interview any day, anytime, any where.

Your CV is an evolving document always have an updated resume!

YourCV should be bold, but not flashy, and should show your confidence in yourabilities, without sounding like a braggart. Youre competing with many other


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people; this is not the time to be overly modest

Use intelligent and simple language, but dont try to impress the reader with big oruncommon words or phrases; keep it simple and straight to the point

Be sure that you save your CV with proper identifying information. Rather thansave it as curriculum vitae, save it with your first and last name, for exampleSheila Avle C V or something similar. It makes it easier for the rec ruiter to quicklysave and also identify your CV. Make sure that the name and/or email addressyou send your CV from is the same one on the actual CV.

Never cut and paste your CV into email email accessing programs differ, and sothe format changes and it turns out jumbled and difficult to read 99% of the time.Cut t ing a nd p a st ing in em ai l is just a sim p le n o-no a nd a no-go a rea !

Ideally, have different formats of CVs,targeting different jobs/employers highlighting what is most crucial in getting that employers attention education/skills/work history.

Keep track of your job applications especially when you send your applicationto different websites, note where you sent it date, to whom, the response etcetera. This can help you to remain organized follow up on sent CVs andinterviews.

LIST OF REFERENCES This is a separate sheet with a list of names and addresses of people who know

you in a pro fessiona l c ap ac i ty. Indicate where they work, their professionalpositions.

Make sure you ask them first to act as referees for you before you list them, andalso make sure their contac t information is current). Do not list friends and family

members.o Be sure to provide their names, affiliations (company, institution, etc),

position/title, physical address, telephone number, fax number and email.

JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES & TOOLS

Now that you are armed with a great CV, you have to be proactive in finding that newjob that will lead you closer to your career goal! Be aggressive and use multiple meansto job hunt. Do not sit and wait for the job to fall into your laps. Remember that noteverybody will be interested in hiring you right away, but there is a spot for yousomewhere, so you cannot afford to give up after a few unsuccessful tries.

Where to look Unsolicited search strategies

o Direct responses to job advertisements Newspaper job ads Online website job ads Recruitment agencies

o Cold calls/visits there is no harm in sending your CV and a well-written,


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tailored cover letter to a company you would like to be a part of.

o Initiative-taking this is a proactive, creative strategy. If you noticesomething they need that you could do, do it and send it to them. Perhaps

you have noticed that their processes when you go there are not smooth.Prepare a PowerPoint presentation outlining how they could improveprocesses and send it to a decision maker in the company. Add yourcontact information, and follow up... Theres no harm in taking such a boldstep, even if you are not invited to join the company.

o Who-U-Know ask people you know, but dont rely on their efforts. Youmay ask them to give you the actual names of HR Managers so that youdont go looking for the HR Manager but rather for Mrs. Afia Sample.Dont make this method your first and only method for job hunting.

* * * Trac k your job a p p lic a t ions so tha t w hen yo u a re c a lled , you know w ha t the job

d e ta i ls a re . You m ay c rea te a tab le to t rac k where you send your CV, the d a te , c on tac tin form a t ion , e tc . etc .* * *

COVER LETTERS

Use this whenever you c an, unless they specify that you do not add it. You may attachthe cover letter or put it directly in your email. If the job posting asked you to submit acover letter and C V, attach them as two separate documents.

Keep it short, most cover letters stick to one page and use a standard businessletter format

o Your first paragraph should introduce you to the recruiter.

Mention the position you are applying for and your reason forwriting (to obtain an interview)

After mentioning that you are interested in so-and-so position,mention where you learnt about it from.

o The second paragraph should include any specificskills/accomplishments that may be embedded in your resume

o Your final paragraph should tell them that you look forward to hearingfrom them soon, and thank the person for reading your resume/coverletter

If the posting only asked for your CV, then you can put a brief cover letter/note inthe actual email. *Note: if you do not know the gender of the recruiter, refrainfrom writing Dear Sir, or Dear Madam. It is better to combine it and say Dear Sir orMadam.

Your cover letter should mention the position for which youre submitting theapplication, and where you saw it. If there is a reference number or other suchinformation, be sure to mention it in the cover letter.


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Your cover letter should essentially be a sales pitch. Employers could receivehundreds of CVs for eac h job opening, your cover letter should make you standout in a positive way

Avoid tired and unnatural phrases that everyone else uses. For example Ihereby submit my CV to your highly reputable organization for your perusal. Beyourself, and allow your Cover Letter to sound natural and engaging.

If you are mailing the hard copy of your CV rather than emailing it, find thespecific person you need to address it to, and do so. Use a large envelope thatwill not be crumpled,

Demonstrate why your skills and your background make a perfect match for theposition youre applying for by stressing one or two unique abilities/skills (makesure they remember you)

Do notsend applications meant for one company (Shell, Ghana Ltd.) to anothercompany (Axis). It shows that you are disorganized and do not pay attention to

details.

Consider using bullet points in your middle pa ragraph to further highlightaccomplishments and what you can contribute to the company.

Your cover letter should not summarize your background (thats what a resumedoes)

Address it to a person, not an organization, and make it conversational withoutbeing too c asual. It should engage the employers interest and make aconnection between you and the recruiter

Dont send a blank email. Cite the position in the subject line of your email. Atleast, you must reference what youre applying for.

You can gain an extra edge by showing that you have some specific knowledgeabout the company. It shows a genuine interest in the job youre applying for.

Appearance positive opening, clear and concise, no longer than a page,professional and easy to read

Proofread! Proofread! Proofread! One common mistake that applicants make isto send a cover letter written for another position in another company theypreviously applied for to a different/new company. Thats one of the worstmistakes you could ever make it tells the recruiter that you are not diligent indoing things properly and paying attention to details. (How w ould you fee l if yourp a rtner sent yo u a love le t te r that w as a d d ressed to som eo ne e lse?)

PORTFOLIO

If youre in a field where you have tangible things/products to show your skills,organize them in a portfolio, and use them in job searches and interviews asappropriate. This is especially useful for the self-employed, or people who wish tobecome self-employed.

If youre in the fields of architecture, fine arts, engineering, writing catering,


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sewing etc, this is a very useful way of carrying samples of your work.

o Diagramsof your technical designs laminate them so they can last.

o An album of your handiwork cakes youve baked/events youve cateredfor, clothes youve sewn, hairstyles youve fixed etc

o Public recognition feature articles or press releases etc

o Productsyouve created and are portable

BUSINESS CARD

This is useful especially for people who seek to go into self-employment. You can easilyprint them yourself on card sheets with pre-cut separation lines for business cards or youcan design them and have them printed out by professionals

Your card must be professional

Avoid too many graphics and colours Use conservative font types and colours Provide relevant information name [business] and a tag line you use in

advertising your business tell your audience what you do Contact information - address/telephone/fax/email information, and a website if

you have one.

INTERVIEW SKILLS

Plan to arrive early!!!Going by GMT (Ghana Mans Time) does not leave a goodimpression. Late arrival for an interview isneve r excusable. Ifyou are running late

because of problems along the way, call the person you are meeting for theinterview, apologise, and give them a realistic time when you can get to them.For example, you are stuck in traffic because of an accident on the road, 20minutes before the interview, anticipate how much time it will take you to getthere, call and let them know that you are running late. 100% of the time, this isbetter than silence. Be realistic!

Learn about the organization hiring and the position youre applying for! Visit thecompanys website, or at least google them to find out what they do, how you fitin and can contribute, etc

Prepare!!!Dont just show up! By rehearsing interview questions, youll becomemore familiar with your own qualifications and you will be well prepared to

demonstrate how you can benefit an employer. Find someone who can walkyou through a mock interview. Be sure not to chew and pour information at aninterview rec ruiters can tell youre rec iting answers. Be sure not to sound stiff orrobotic or mechanical. Keep it real! Keep it real! Keep it real!

Come equipped

o Bring several copies of your CV and a list of references.

o Visit the companys website and learn as much as you can about them.


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o Also, bring a pen and notepad to jot down any information you may needto remember

o Prepare intel l igentquestions of your own, about the company, the industry,

the position for which youre applying etc. Examples

Wha t is the large st sing le p rob lem fac ing your co m p a ny?

Wha t prov isions are m a d e for em p loye es to m a ke c rea t ivec on trib ut ions to ho w b usiness is d on e?

Do yo u [ rec ru ite r] foresee a ny rea sons why I ma y not bese le c te d for this p o sit io n?

o Turn your cell phone and any/every noise-making gadget of yours offorput it on silent. Having your interview interrupted with phone calls is anabsolute no-no. Texting during your interview is also an absolute no-no!

Dress code - Presentationo Dress professionally and comfortably. You will be judged also by what you

wear. The typical professional, interview attire is a suit for both men andwomen - black or some other conservative colour such as dark grey,dark/navy blue, dark brown suit with light-coloured (white, light blue, grey,cream etc) plain shirts underneath. When in doubt, dress asconservatively as possible. If you do not have a suit, just keep it simple black and white basic, non-distracting, conservative business colours.Your appearance should not be a distrac tion from you and what you cando.

o Look sharp! No crumpled clothes, untucked shirts, stains, dirty shoes etc Women - avoid large earrings (the smaller, the better), avoid too

much make-up (blue eye-shadow etc), other ornaments likebangles/wrist bands etc that can be a distraction from thesubstance you have to offer. Keep the hairstyles simple dontcarry any basket or colourful hairdo on your head. Avoidrevealing clothes low-cut necklines, mini-skirts, sleeveless tops etcForce your interviewer to focus on the substance of what you haveto offer without being distracted by secondary things. (Your looksmay get you the job, but may not keep you in it substance!)

Men be clean shaven, and dont mix busy shirt backgrounds large plaid background (check-check), or loud and busy neckties.

Match your belt and shoe colours as much as possible.

o *** At Axis, womens suits made from African fabric is fine. We would preferto see both male and female applicants in business casual attire,presuming that those are the business clothes that you would wear to workon any regular working day. We do not encourage an interview uniform(formal, black suit) at Axis, though wearing a dark-coloured suit is standardfor most organizations. Please note that the preference for business casual


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attire pertains to Axis, and should not be applied to all other organizations.

Interaction/Rapporto Greet the interviewer by title (Ms., Mrs., Dr.,) and last name if you are sure

of the pronunciation (this means you have to ask them their names whenyou are called for the interview (before you show up).

o Wait until you are offered a chair before sitting down.

o Dont lean forward and/or put your elbows on the recruiters table.

o Dont lean backward and relax as though you are watching television inyour living room.

o Look a prospec tive employer in the eye while speaking

Eye contact shows confidence, self assurance and shows that youare paying attention.

Look alert and interested at all times.

Q & A

o Dont lie!- answer questions truthfully and frankly, precisely and promptly.

o Dont under-answerquestions with a simple ye s or no - explainwhenever possible.

o Dont over-answerquestions with long, meandering responses.

o Dont rely on clichs that are not true for you, or that you cannot defend.For example, I am a team player and I am results-oriented. When yousay that, be ready to back it with evidence. *The same applies to hobbies.If you say you enjoy reading novels or watching movies for example, be

prepared to recount some books youve read or movies youve seen!

o Dont make unnecessary derogatory remarks about present or formeremployers. It is better not to say anything at a ll than to be negative.

o When asked if you have any questions, always make sure you haveprepared some intelligent questions. Never say no and just sit there.Show some interest and/or curiosity about the company. If you did yourhomework by learning about the company, it will be easier to ask smartquestions about the position, the company etc.

You may ask about the nature of the job is there cross-training so Ican learn how to perform other functions? Ask honest questions

about basic things if you have such questions work hours, howmany people you would report to, whether you would be working ina team, etc

o The salary question is often the most uncomfortable/most difficult.

It is better to give an informed response. If you know what thestandard earning is for similar positions, you may tell them theminimum you would accept (dont mention a range that sets amaximum; never give a ceiling, and always give a floor). Be sure to


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mention that you are more interested in the opportunity than in aspec ific salary, if that is true in your case

If the interviewer asks what salary you want, one option is to indicate

what you currently earn, and indicate that you would like to earnmore than that.

When given the opportunity, you can inquire about careerdevelopment opportunities, benefits etc.,

At the end of the interview, if you are serious about improving yourinterview skills, you may ask the interviewer to give you feedback onyour performance, and what you can improve.

Following the interview

o Its important that you write a thank you note to every person whointerviewed you.

o In your letter, be sure to reemphasize the skills you would bring to theposition.

o Thank them for their time and ask if it would be alright to call later in the.week to see how their search for a candidate is going and the status ofyour application. Follow up, but be sure not to harass recruiter(s) to thepoint where they want to have nothing to do with you!

Now youve got the job, what next?

Take your job seriously be punctual, and work hard!

Be positively proactive take the initiative to do things that will move the

organization forward. For example, if/when your assigned duties for the day aredone, dont just sit around or sleep. Ask your supervisor/boss what you can do, ina small business for example, there may be a manual log book for purchases type this up into an MS Excel spreadsheet. If your work requires a lot of steps onthe computer for example, type them up to help you to remember how to accessfiles and do what is expected of you. This also becomes useful in training others.Basically, think of things you can do to make work easier and help thecompany to be run better, only be careful not to stray into no-go territories. If youare unsure about anything, ask!

Explore and take advantage of benefits that come with your job professionaldevelopment etc.

Remember that you may need recommendationsfrom the people youreworking with now dont jeopardize the relationships you have. Never burn anybridges!

Congratulations! Now go out there and shine!

*** This document is for your persona l use. It is a portion of a larger document that addresses ca reerplanning. It is constantly being updated, and will be available with actual samples of the best and worst ofCVs soon on the Axis website. If you would like your CV to be critiqued after you have revised it using ourguidelines, you may email it to [email protected]. If you would like any other information, you may writeto us at [email protected] om.


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