CV Tips & Template, Selecting your CV Format, Interview Tips & Questions

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CV Tips
FREE CV Template
CV Basic Structure
Interview Tips
Interview questions

CV Tips & Template

Curriculum Vitae literally translated from Latin means the story of your life.
Curriculum Vitae are usually abbreviated to CV or C.V.

On average, a recruiter will spend just 20 seconds reviewing a CV – so it's vital to get right.

Try to keep your CV to 2 pages of A4 and make it concise & tidy.
Use bolded headings.
Use precise sentences and bullet points for specifics.

FREE CV Template

At Apply4U.co.uk we study and research what CV templates work best for Sales Professionals and Recruitment Consultants. This CV template is used by many leading Sales Professionals and Recruitment Consultants Worldwide and across several sectors.

Download your FREE CV template now; www.CVTemplate4U.co.uk

You should have an industry specific CV, using keywords / buzzwords that are related to your industry sector.

Think of words recruiters would search on to find you. Don't forget to do a spell check!
Your personal Apply4U® Consultant can review your CV for free click here

Our experts have vast knowledge in both the Sales & Recruitment industry

Click here to receive a free CV review
*we will only carry out free CV reviews for candidates which are relevant to current jobs advertised on our site.

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CV Basic Structure

The way you layout your C.V. visually is very important (giving the right image of yourself). First impressions matter and you will want to attract the reader's attention.

Follow this basic structure and present your information in a clear, precise & persuasive way.

Personal Details

Name, Address, Phone numbers & Email address are essential.

Personal Statement

Your personal statement is an important aspect of your C.V. Get this right and your chances of being invited to an interview are increased. A brief summary of your industry achievements, skills & passions will get the recruiter interested in reading more.

For personal statement use:

Catchy, Bold and interesting statements
Key achievements, skills and passions
End with your objective. (E.g. A highly motivated and ambitious sales & business professional with a 2:1 Honors degree in Computer Science. Over Eight years experience in sales, including …. Now looking to use skills learnt to become a successful top performing recruitment consultant.)

Work experience

List most recent first and end with your oldest experience
Emphasise your Job Title and Company Name
Under Job title & company name, describe roles in short, interesting sentences
Use positive language
DON'T undersell yourself & highlight key achievements.

Education

List highest qualification first
Includes location & profession qualifications obtained
Mention grades if they represent you well.

Skills

Use this for other skills obtained such as languages, IT packages, First aid etc..

Hobbies & Interests

Include a few lines describing your interests, mention achievements and areas of responsibility
This is a great place to build rapport with the recruiter – Get them interested in meeting with you.
Use positive words and examples.

Click here to request your free mock interview with a sales recruiter

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Interview Tips

Here at Apply4U.co.uk we understand interviews can be very nerve-racking and each can be very different. Our in depth study and research has developed these 10 quick tips and tricks proven to help get you that dream job!

The Basics:

On average, interviews last about 45 minutes – so it vitally important you represent yourself well from the outset. From first impression to final good bye it all counts. Interviews within the Sales & Recruitment industry tend to be a little harder as these professionals are trained on interviewing techniques & skills.

Interviewer will assess if you are the right candidate for the job. The interviewer will want to:

a) ascertain you are the right person for the job
b) discover you're potential for promotion
c) work out whether you fit into companies environment

Below are our 10 Quick Interview Tips & Tricks you can learn and implement within an hour.

1. Prepare yourself

Read through your CV and ensure you can talk in detail about your career history.
Anticipate what they will ask, and prepare for these before- hand.
Prepare strong detailed examples of your experiences which you could use to sell yourself.
Look at what the job if offering and how you can fit its requirements and whether it is actually the job you are looking for!
Find out where is the interview…how will you get there? How long will it take? Avoid any panic or lateness!!!
Get enough sleep and get everything ready in advanced i.e. clothes before hand.

2. Do your homework: Research the Company & Interviewer

What is the company and who are the competitors
Google the person interviewing you. It’s amazing what you can find out online nowadays and it also helps relax those nerves and speak about mutual interests. The more you prepare the more you can impress your future employer. But remember practice makes perfect!

3. Sell yourself

Dress to impress and be professional, act appropriately to the situation you are in.

Don’t wear anything shocking, you want to be remembered for your ability and not for your rainbow tie.

Be on time…always being desperately early never fashionably late!

4. ENERGY, Enthusiasm & Passion

The three things interviewers love the most.
Our in depth research has shown, interviewers pay most attention to;

Words 18% Tone 21% Energy 61%

Be enthusiastic, motivated, interested and ambitious….highlight your skills and think of the interview as an opportunity to show what you know and how you want to add value to their business.
Remember it’s not what you say but it’s how you say it! Very rarely is there a right or wrong answer in an interview.
You can vary your tone to keep the interviewers attention, don’t over talk your answers and get to the point you are trying to make quickly.

5. Body language

Be confident, smile, be polite, and ensure your body language is always upbeat…..doing not let nerves get the better of you.

6. Answering questions

Elaborate on answers (not Yes / No) and always be confident but willing to learn.
Treat the interviewers questions as your were in a exam;
Repeat the question
Use full sentences and not just bullet points
Use examples & explain your reasons.

What are your key strengths?	What are your key strengths?
Determined Passionate A winner	My key strengths include my determined attitude and passion for my work; most importantly I strive to win.

Believe in yourself…. never say ‘maybe I can’ always say ‘I can’. However Overconfidence can come across as arrogance which is not good also, so do not have a know it all attitude.
Interviewers ask questions to test you. Rise to the challenge by answering positively and confidently. You can never prepare fully for what interviewers may ask but remember they are interested in what you can offer so convey the message you want and you feel best suits the role on offer.
Do not attempt answering questions you cannot, be honest, do not guess or lie.
Be prepared to think on the spot and improvise where necessary, do not give in and with confidence always try your best.

7. Killer Endings

Answer each question positively and end with your strongest point. Try to think of your ending or main point before you even start answering – build up to this and increase your tone towards the end, make a bold statement, use your BEST, most relevant point towards the end.

This will keep the interviewers attention and help them remember your answer.

See below for example attention graphs.

Fig 1: Using your key point right away	Fig 2: Building up to your key point

8. Roles reversed

As an interviewee you are given the chance to ask questions…do not lose this opportunity to gain more knowledge and to go into detail about things you would like to know about the company..

Here the research you did will come into great use to impress the interviewers with what you know about them…so prepare questions and use this time wisely.

Use this opportunity to gain feedback from them about you and if you have what it takes….if you do not get this job at least you will know what you need to improve for future interviews.

If there are any concerns address them right away, do not leave them with any reservations in their mind. Try to overcome these right away.

9. Memorable ending

Leave with a lasting impression so the interviewer remembers you! What makes you best for the job?! How can you add value to his / her business next week?

Smile and thank them for giving you this opportunity and look forward to hearing from them soon.

10. Believe in yourself and don’t be afraid of being great, it’s within us all. Everyone gets nervous. It’s all about how we deal with those nerves. Leave that interview feeling proud & you are a winner regardless of the outcome.

Best of Luck!!!

Apply4U Team

Checklist

Have you confirmed you interview?
Have you read through the job description?
Have you found where the interview is and how you will get there?
Have you got the contact number of the place of interview?
Made copies of resume and read through it?
Prepared questions to ask interviewer?
Have you prepared your clothes?
Have you researched the company and who your interview is with?
Have you been through the Apply4U interview tips and questions?
Have you practised what you could say?
Have you slept properly and eaten?

Interview questions from www.InterviewQuestions4U.co.uk

Prepare for answers to the questions and practice your responses with a friend / family member. When you enter an interview put a smile on your face. Keep interview conversational but don’t sound rehearsed. Remain relaxed, calm and avoid fidgeting in your seat.

Listed below are some questions you will probably be asked.

Q) Why do you want this job?

The interviewer wants to know that you have researched the company and know what they do. Focus on what you can do for them. Show knowledge on areas such a

- what the organisations product or service is
- history, image & goal of potential employer
- latest turnover figures etc.

Good example answer:
"Apply4Uhas a solid reputation for the quality work & results. I’d like to be part of that success and add value to the team."

Q) What qualities do you think will be required for this job?

Mention transferable skills relevant to the job description advertised.
Communication, Leadership, Supervisory, Interpersonal, Problem Solving, Analytical skills.

Good example answer:
Communication, Leadership, Supervisory, Interpersonal, Problem Solving, Analytical skills."

Q) What can you contribute?

Interviewer will want to know how you can benefit the company. Talk about your accomplishments in the past and relate experience of what you can do for them in the future. Relate your abilities to employer’s goals.

Good example answer:
"I work effectively to meet goal s & deadlines. Challenges are faced everyday in my current role and I am not the type to shy away. We were recently faced with losing 3 of our 5 major accounts and I knew the only way to keep going was to replace them like for like, therefore I worked on closing new business with 2 other major firms which are know growing in value month on month "

Q) Why do you want to work for this company?

The interviewer wants to know that you are seriously interested in the job. Be prepared with knowledge about the company. Let the interviewer know how you can be an asset to the company.

Good example answer:
"My findings found that Apply4U are an innovative company look to expand its sales within the IT sales arena. My previous experience and sales skills can be used to find niches in the market place.”
“I’m always looking to challenge myself and I feel that my can do attitude will be a major asset to your company”

Q) What do you know about this company?

Research the company. Interviewer will ask this question to test your knowledge about the company. (Give them a run down of their product/services, sales figures, news, company figures. size of company/operations, ethics, goals etc.) Research the company first…

Good example answer:
"I’ve read that your organisation has 6 offices and plan to open more.” Show you are interested and let a conversation around this topic begin.

Q) Tell me about yourself?

A frequently asked question in interviews… Talk about things you have done and jobs you have held that relate to the position you are interviewing for. (e.g. examples of skills and achievements to date) Keep it short. Sometimes the interviewer will specify what you should say. Never lie

Q) Why did you leave your last job?

Never speak negative about previous employers, co-workers or the organisation. Stay positive and be confident with your answer. Focus on the benefits, opportunities & development.

BE CLEAR & PRECISE – Don’t over complicate your reason. The interview just wants to know the honest answer.
Your interviewer will want to know:
a)what you have done in you previous job
a)what your hoping to gain from moving to another company.

Q) How ambitious are you?

Show your enthusiasm for the job. Short term goal should be in getting the job and long term goal is to progress higher. Don’t give the impression that you are after the interviewer’s job.

Q) Why are you looking for in a new job?

Stay positive and be confident with your answer.

Good example answer:
"I have experience bringing new business for high profile companies’. ‘I’m looking for an opportunity to do something else. Talk about your career and accomplishments.

Q) Tell me about your last job?

Try to relate your previous job experience to current job description. Don’t lie or exaggerate Interviewer wants to hear detailed answers (e.g. sales skills – examples how you have done the job already)

Good example answer:
"I spent 3 years on telephone sales, mainly business to business and recently I have looked after a team of 10 working on differing sales types…. Ranging from… I achieved….

Q) What are your key strengths and weaknesses?

Mention strengths that are relevant to the job your being interviewed for (assets that employer desires for the position). Employers look for good: communication, team working, IT, Problem solving etc skills. Recruiters want to know why you think it is strength and where it has been demonstrated.
Turn your weakness into positive statement: strength). Interviewer will want to know that you have learnt from your weakness.

Interviewer will want to know:
What risks are they taking in hiring you?
Interviewer will want to know how you deal with this stress question
They do not want to hear that you weakness cannot be corrected
Interviewer does not want to hear of a personal trait (e.g. being messy at home) that is not related to the job
Be honest about your weakness & turn the negative (weakness) into a positive. (I.e. Interviewer wants to see that you are aware of your weakness & doing something about it.

Good example answer:
"I can be over enthusiastic and work quickly and I have learnt to work at other peoples pace.’
I used to have bad time management skills now I have learnt to priorities my projects/workload every time ‘
‘During busy times I can become unorganized & now before I leave work I make sure that I organise itineraries for next day

Q) Why do you want job in recruitment?

Interviewer will want to know:
If it’s a career change they will want to know Why you have chosen Recruitment as a chosen career
If you have experience in recruitment, interviewer will want to know why you have chosen their sector (i.e. media recruitment, recruitment agency etc.)

Good example answer:
If it’s a career change stress what skills are transferable to recruitment job objectives
stress what skills are transferable to recruitment job objectives
“I love recruitment as I enjoy meeting & getting to know different people. Recruitment is a varied career & I don’t believe there are many careers as rewarding….”

Q) Why do you want job in sales?

Interviewer looks for your eagerness and attitude. Keep positive attitude. A sales person is in a position to make things happen. Recruiter intends to hire people who possess their core competencies and have a desire to sell. Process of sales is problem solving for potential buyer or enhancing business.

Good example answer:
I enjoy challenges and interacting with people. Selling is a challenge and each day is different from the other…

Q) What were your greatest success / achievement?

The interviewer wants to gain an insight into your previous role or role’s. Try to keep your answers focused on your work. Keep discussion to work related issues.
A problem you had overcome
history, image & goal of potential employer
Ideas that were implemented

Good example answer:
I set up a sales accounting system that reduces costs by 30%
I improved sales by 45% throughout Europe & America by restructuring the sales team … Tell them how….

Q) What motivates you?

Interviewer wants to understand what inspires you in work situation. Try and relate answers to work experience rather than personal (E.g. career progression,opportunity to learn more skills, work ambience, competitiveness, working in a team, etc)

Good example answer:
‘I have always worked in sales/recruitment and was motivated to hit targets ahead of schedule’
I always ensured that Apply4U’s clients got the best customer service’
I’ve have always worked within sales and hitting

Q) Are you competitive?

Interviewer will want see how you handle this question. Your answer depends upon the requirements of the job advertisement & company goals. Interviewer will want to see an indication that you can work within a team & not just not just for yourself.
If you say very highly competitive (interviewer perceive you as highly aggressive)
If you say not very competitive (interviewer may perceive you as weak & not proactive)
Put a positive spin in how you answer the question

Q)Are you a leader?

A leader or team leader generally sets targets and margins and possesses good conversational skills. Interviewer wants to gain in insight to your experience in leading projects or managing people.

Good example answer:
‘I managed a team of 3 and devise d a motivating day once a week every Monday morning to keep everything in order & to increase energy levels.

Q)What problems did you encounter in your last job?

Keep it brief. Talk about job experiences that you may have solved.

Good example answer:
I’ve experienced a problem with the sales accounting system and I managed to resolve this by devising an account system that increased production

Q)What are your career goals?

Your answer should relate to professional goals not personal goals. Short term goals would be getting the job and long term goals would relate to progression within the company.

Good example answer:
My long term goal would be to grow with the company where I continue to learn with added responsibilities and contribute as much value as I can to companies aspirations.

Q)How would you describe yourself?

The answer should relate to the job in which you are being interviewed for. The interviewer is looking to see how you can benefit and add value to the company. Centre your answer on what you have to offer and why you would be a good for the job.

Good example answer:
My ideas have led me into introducing and implement new procedures such as a new accounting system for the sales department that increased production for the company. I can use these ideas to improve production within the company.
My enthusiasm and energy influences those around me…

Q)How could you improve yourself?

Try not to be too negative. Interviewer wants to know that you are always looking to improve yourself.

Q) What level of salary are you looking for now?

You can ask to discuss this later on after discussion of job responsibilities. You don’t want to be seen as greedy & emphasis you’re potential. Final remuneration package could include (pension, company car, private health care insurance etc.)