Useful Tips for Job Seekers!

Organize your CV to be plain, simple and readable. Most of them are thrown to the trash just after a glance.

You must make sure your CV is elegant, enjoyable to read, simple to understand and not a total mess.

Try not to use too many font types. Try not to use too many font sizes. Avoid using dazzling colors, icons or pictures. Less is more.

Try focusing only on the information relevant to your audience i.e. the person that's going to read your CV.

Do not story tell. Be precise, pointy and clear.

When describing your previous Job, try focusing on your roles and not the team or department roles.

Use 'first person', "I did this and was responsible of that".

It's perfectly reasonable to have several different versions of your CV. Each should target a different role or a field you would like and are able to perform.

That said, do not send out too many versions of your CV and make sure the information in one version matches the information in the others.

It's perfectly alright to tune or adjust your CV to be compatible with any published job requirements.

That said, do not over stretch your knowledge, do not add new imaginary skills or try to give yourself fancy titles.

Sending a simple CV and surprising the interviewer is much better than sending a "perfect" complete CV and failing to withstand the expectations at the interview.

Send something in the between, not too simple and not too sophisticated; leave yourself a chance to impress the interviewer during the conversation itself.

Make sure your contact details are correct and accurate. No one is nice enough or has the spare time to look you up in the yellow pages.

There's a recent debate whether it's awarding to add a logo or a photo to your CV.

I am saying, be as creative as the job your trying to get, requires you to be.

I won't be putting a logo or my picture if I am applying to be a typist at a court house, but I would put it, if I am applying to be a designer at an advertisement company.

O.K., you've past the CV exam and are invited to an interview. Here are some key points for the interview:

Come a few minutes earlier, drink some cold water, relax and get to feel the new environment, try to absorb information of where you at and what's the atmosphere.

All of these will pump up your confidence and lower your stress levels.

Come appropriately dressed. If you are applying to be lawyer at a law office, coming with Jeans and sport shoes would be 'suicide'.

That said, do not leap over the wall and buy a $2,000 Armani suit.

Do not come tired to an interview.

It's better to postpone the interview rather than come tired and let it affect your performance during the conversation.

Distinguish between interviewers.

If you are being interviewed by a HR person, emphasize your personal skills and characteristics. If you are being interviewed by a prospective manager at your upcoming department, emphasize your professional knowledge and experience.

It's never shame to answer "I don't know".

Spare yourself the embarrassment of mumbling nonsense. Leverage the situation and say you are a quick learner and you came across unfamiliar areas in the past and did a great job learning and adjusting both by yourself and with teamwork.

Be yourself.

Do not pretend to be something you are not. Do not pretend to know anything you don't. Your objective is to convince, not to fool, the interviewer you are the right person for the job.

Always remember you can do more damage to your reputation if caught pretending after getting the job, than facing a failed interview.

Interviewers have an arsenal of tricky questions. Do not come with an arsenal of clever answers of your own!

Be honest, take a few seconds to think before you answer, smile if you recognize a tricky question, do not complain you are being maneuvered to fail. Think! Not too much, and fire away the best honest answer that comes to your mind.

Don't be ashamed to say you are a bit exited. Most interviewers will actually take that into consideration.

What to be prepared for in advance:

Some questions tend to repeat in most interviews. Mostly these questions are the first few questions asked about the interviewee's 'personal view of his/hers personality'. Sounds funny, right? It is.

Let's have a look:

"What would you say are your two best qualities...?"

"What would you say are your two personal characteristics that need improvement...?"

"What do you do for fun...?" "What are your hobbies...?"

"Who would be the most influencing person in your life...?"

The list can go on. Make sure you have at least a general idea of your answers to these questions in advance.

I am against memorizing answers, please don't do that.