CV Preparation
The purpose of a CV is to present your skills and abilities in the best possible manner to get you noticed by prospective employers. Based on our vast experience in sieving through CV, we have come up with general information to guide you on your CV preparation.
Personal Details
You should list your full name and contact details, ideally including a mobile number and email address. Do not provide your direct work phone number if it will be inconvenient for you to be contacted at it.
Photo
A photo of yourself in professional attire should be placed in your CV. For males, you should be dressed in a formal collared shirt with tie. For females, you should be dressed in a formal collared shirt or formal dress.
Education and Professional Qualifications
This should be in chronological order, starting with the most recent academic background. Should there be specific achievement (e.g. professional examination), you can highlight them. If you have yet to graduate, do include your expected graduation date.
Professional Experience
This should also be in chronological order, starting with the most recent work experience to date, highlighting the company name, your title, commencement and completion dates. In bullet point format, include your main responsibilities and achievements.
Co-curriculum Activity and Interests
Similarly, this should be in chronological order, starting with the most recent co-curriculum activity, stating the activity, your title, commencement and completion day. In bullet point format, include your main responsibilities and achievements.
Skills and Knowledge
List all software systems that you have had exposure to, such as Microsoft Office. In today’s market it is important to have strong and up to date systems skills. In this section of your CV you should include your language skills and your level of competency and fluency in each language.
References
A CV reference is a person who can ascertain your credentials and information provided in your CV. References are normally contacted in the last stages of the job recruitment process. These are individuals who know you well and can give a pleasant feedback to anyone enquiring about your past. References can be former teachers or professors, clients or former supervisors at work.
Interview Preparation
Interviewing can be a daunting task for any professional, especially so for a fresh graduate. As such, our experienced recruitment team has come up with a guide to assist fresh graduates in their preparation for interviews.
Pre-Interview Preparation
Ensure that you are aware of the exact location of the interview, the directions to get there and the time of interview. It is natural to feel nervous before an interview. Your goal is to eliminate unnecessary nervousness by being well prepared and being punctual.
The Interview
It is important to establish yourself as a friendly, yet professional individual with everyone you meet in the organisation. You can do so by giving a firm handshake, sustained eye contact, a warm smile, good posture and introducing yourself in a relaxed and confident manner. A well-groomed, professional appearance is essential. Dress in a professional manner. Ensure that your hair is well groomed.
During the interview, do highlight your specific skills, attributes and achievements that are relevant to the organisation. It is your responsibilities to communicate information about yourself, as opposed to having the interviewer pry. When it is appropriate, highlight attributes which are relevant to the organisation.
Post-Interview
Write notes about what happened as soon as you can. This is especially crucial if you are going to more than one interview in the same day, to prevent confusion of details between interviews.
This information will be of great help if you are invited back for a second interview. In addition, it can be a form of reflection for how you perform during the interview.
Closing the Interview
If you are keen to secure a role in the organisation, express your interest by asking about the next interview stage. If the interviewer offers you the job on the spot and you want it, accept it on the spot. If you need time to consider, be tactful in saying so and share your reasons for doing so. Provide a date as to when you will provide the organisation with an answer.
Even if you have not decided if this is the job for you, you will definitely want to leave a good impression on the interviewer – they should want to make you an offer even if you are not sure you would accept it.
Lastly, thank the interviewer.