| So you are ready to apply for a new job. Your CV is | | | | blog or a news article perhaps), then plan how you will |
| ready and you have selected the agencies you want | | | | respond if the subject is mentioned. |
| to submit it to. Whether it's your first job or a strategic | | | | Check your profile on facebook, MySpace and any |
| career move, there are some things you need to do | | | | other social networking site you visit. Even if you have |
| before you send off that CV. | | | | nothing to hide, set secure privacy options. At this early |
| 1) Get a Smart Email Address | | | | stage of your job search, you want to minimise the |
| First impressions count. So make yours a good one. | | | | risk that a prospective employer may take offence at |
| Your fun email address such as "hotlover4u@..." isn't | | | | something trivial on your personal profile. Hide your |
| going to help an interviewer take your CV seriously. | | | | friends list from casual observers and remove your |
| Similarly, shared email addresses such as | | | | tags from dubious pictures that your friends may have |
| "tomandlinda@..." present a distorted image of you. | | | | posted. You can always set them up again once you |
| You don't want an interviewer to think that you can't | | | | have secured your job. |
| make your own decisions or that your whole life is | | | | If you have a profile on LinkedIn, ask current colleagues |
| wrapped up in your partner. If you share your email | | | | to write recommendations. Give people something |
| address with your family or partner, consider setting up | | | | positive to find. |
| your own address to avoid accidental deletion of an | | | | 4) Set a Correct Target |
| interview confirmation and to give yourself some | | | | Your CV should be tailored to the position you are |
| privacy. | | | | applying for. It is common and quite normal to have |
| It is worth the time to set up a smart email address | | | | several versions of a CV that place emphasis on |
| that you can use for job applications and other | | | | different areas. A good recruitment agent will work |
| activities where you want to present a good image. | | | | with you to suggest ways to customise your CV for a |
| Free email services such as yahoo, hotmail and gmail | | | | specific role. You will have to do the work yourself, but |
| allow you to do this effortlessly. Choose an email | | | | do ask them for help and suggestions. |
| address that contains your name or an abbreviation of | | | | Some of the less ethical recruitment agencies will not |
| your name. Set your email up so that your full name | | | | be as helpful, especially if you are applying for your |
| appears in the "From" field. | | | | first job or for a role that pays them low commission. |
| 2) Future-Proof your Contact Details | | | | Don't let this put you off and don't become agitated or |
| Once your CV is out there, it can remain accessible to | | | | rude. You need them to put your CV forward so |
| others for quite a while. An agency may want to | | | | present the best side of yourself in all your |
| head-hunt you in a year or so. Or an interviewer who | | | | communications with them. |
| rejected you may remember you as the perfect | | | | Recent surveys suggest that up to 73% of employers |
| candidate for a position that suddenly opens up. | | | | reject CV's that do not list work related achievements. |
| Therefore, your CV should list your personal email | | | | Maximise your application by making sure that your |
| address and a personal mobile number as the primary | | | | achievements are relevant to the position you are |
| ways to contact you. If you need to apply with your | | | | applying for. |
| current work email address or work telephone, list | | | | 5) Check Your Holidays! |
| these separately. | | | | Some people apply for jobs or submit their CV's to |
| 3) Check Your Online Footprint | | | | online job-boards just before they leave to go on |
| In the current wave of social networking, it's quite | | | | holiday. Sometimes it's a calculated risk where the |
| possible that there may be things about you online that | | | | assumption is that you will be back before anybody |
| you would rather prospective employers did not see. | | | | responds to your application. However, the other side |
| Search for your name online and see what can be | | | | is that you are not contactable and if anyone does try |
| found about you. The internet gives everybody the | | | | to contact you, they will doubt that you are serious |
| opportunity to play papparazzi so be inventive, | | | | about your job search and they may not try to get in |
| become your own stalker and search for your email | | | | touch again. |
| address and anything else that an agency or potential | | | | If you do need to submit an application just before a |
| employer might try. | | | | holiday, then mention this in your cover letter as a |
| If you find something that needs changing, then change | | | | courtesy - but remember that they are a stranger so |
| it. Remember that search engines can take around a | | | | do not suggest that the house will be empty for two |
| month to reflect changes so do this in good time. If you | | | | weeks. |
| do not have the rights to change it (a comment on a | | | | |