Diary Date - Careers and Jobs Live

ExCeL, London, 21-22 March 2004
www.jarvis-exhibitions.com

In todayís competitive job market, candidates need to make an immediate impact on prospective employers in order to get that dream job. A CV is only the beginning of the process but can make a positive start and get job seekers on the right track.

Help with writing a winning CV will be available at Britainís premier recruitment fair, Careers and Jobs Live. Experienced professionals from The CV Company will help visitors free of charge at the show which will be held at the ExCeL Centre, London Docklands on 21-22 March. Lucille Fall of the CV Company explains:

ìThe role of the CV is to inform the employer about your background, presenting it in the best possible light. It provides initial evidence of whether you are a viable candidate for the job, showing the employer how and what you have excelled in during your career or education path to-date.î

Some top CV tips from Lucille:

Determine your goals prior to starting the CV production process

Ensure that the employer sees all your strengths

Create a clear summary of your expectations, experience and career objectives, highlighting key areas of interest or skills

Make sure your lay out is clear, consistent, honest and factual

Use bullet points and a font which is easy to read ñ this will help the potential employer to skim your details quickly and efficiently

Check for grammar and spelling mistakes and keep your CV to 2 pages

Provide evidence of your suitability (training, qualifications or experience)

Research potential employers and get your CV to the correct person


Bruce Birchall, Exhibition Director, Jarvis Exhibitions said: ìCVs are a personal marketing tool used to sell yourself to prospective employers and it is essential that it makes the right impression. The CV Company is one of the many experts visitors to the show will find at Careers and Jobs Live. For people looking for a helping hand into the world of work, assistance with the direction their career could take, or who are not sure of the training opportunities open to them, the show should be their first port of call.î

Also at the show will be Profile Plus, a free service provided by show organisers, Jarvis Exhibitions, to help any visitor who has not come prepared with their own CV. At the stand will be generic application forms that enable users to fill in basic details about themselves for use around the show. Up to 10 copies of the Profile Plus form will be copied for the user to distribute to potential employers.

And its not just CVs that need attention, if interview technique lets you down all the groundwork will have gone to waste.

ìStrong interview skills are also very important to get to the final stage.î explained Lucille Fall. ìIt is a competitive situation, so whatever your future job expectations, you will need to be prepared for all stages of the process.î

Lucille suggests some of the most likely questions candidates should be prepared to answer:

Why did you apply for this job?
Why is this the right career choice for you?
Can you give me an example of your experience in this field?
What impact have you made in previous roles?
What did you do to prepare for this interview?
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
Why do you want to join this Company?

Remember: How you respond to the interviewer, and the body language that you project, will be more important that the actual spoken word. Interviewees should be prepared in advance and have gained as much knowledge about the company as possible ñ usually easy to obtain from its web site. Consider in advance what the qualities are that the employer may be looking for and which of these skills you possess.