Top 10 Things That Make Formatting CVs a Nightmare

Top 10 Things That Make Formatting CVs a Nightmare Formatting candidate CVs is  an absolute joy said no one ever. It can be quite a hideously repetitive, frustrating process that takes way  longer than it should, especially when all you really want to do is send your amazing candidate straight over to your client but cant because the CV is pumped full of weird formatting tricks. For a third party recruitment consultant, all CVs sent to clients generally need to be branded and look the same when they leave the inbox.  They  need to look high-calibre. No client wants to receive a messy / all-over-the-place shortlist of CVs that all look completely different (unless they are meant to be creative pieces in themselves). For all those recruiters out there spending hours each week fiddling with your candidates CVs to make them  look neat and on-brand, youre not alone and your pain is felt around the world by  others. Candidates, if youre reading this, know that there are definitely  things you could do to make your recruiters life simpler. A great place to start is by avoiding these 10 things that really do make formatting your CV a nightmare, sorry (not sorry): 1.  PDF docs Unless youve got one of those programmes that converts it into word,  PDF documents are actually the pits. You cant make changes. And while you can copy and paste chunks of text, its weird and clunky and is anything BUT a seamless process. Weird paragraphing and symbols are pulled through. Honestly, PDF docs are such a headache. 2. Photos images No. Just, no. If anything, photos are just annoying, because they must be removed and often the paragraphs are wrapped around them and its just irritating, okay? 3. Weird fonts You couldnt just pick one? In what world are  headings supposed to be in a different font to the body of text? And while were at it, you are not from 1901, Lucinda is not appropriate. What are you going to pull next, Webdings? Sheesh. 4.  Changing tenses Pick a style of writing and stick to it. Are you opting for third person or first person? This is no time to sit on the fence. Do you realise how much time it takes to correct these mistakes? Do you?! 5.  No chronology When candidates have ordered their experience according to skill sets and industries, not by time, that is a headache and a half. Matching up dates isnt fun for anyone. Just tell me where you are now, then work back from there. Simple. 6. Massive gaps Massive gaps just require back and forward emails and phone calls to get to the bottom of why there are holes in the chronology! Recruiters need to be able to explain gaps to their clients on behalf of the candidate. 7. Landscape orientation Unfortunately this is not as simple as switching to portrait. Ooh Ive an idea! How about you just put it in portrait to begin with?  Perfect! 8. Split-page paragraphs Two columns on one page? No thanks. When one puts this kind of formatting into a document, thats it, its basically a write-off the page will never be the same again. Switching back to one column is horrendous experience. 9. Stubborn hidden formulas My last point led me here. When CVs are riddled with weird hidden formulas that prevent you from doing simple things like removing line breaks or centring heading, thats when the real nightmare starts. Its like a bad dream you cant get out of! 10. Capslock Your experience at me!! To all the candidates who use that weird font that is lower-case size text, but upper case letters, please refrain. Its almost impossible to change. And there you have it. The top 10 things that make formatting a candidates CV an absolute nightmare. Sure, recruiters could ask candidates to do all this for them, but sometimes, candidates cant action it straight away, and we all know that time is of the essence for recruiters  it has to be done NOW! Please, thank you and excuse me. Cheers.

Outsourcing Resume Writing: What to Look For

Outsourcing Resume Writing: What to Look ForIf you are planning to outsource resume writing, it is also a good idea to know what your goals are. Being able to outline them ahead of time will enable you to have a clear picture of what you want and how to go about getting them.Outsourcing a project comes with its own set of risks. By being exposed to the many kinds of errors that could be made, some companies overlook this possibility. While there are companies that specialize in this kind of work, there are also plenty of companies that have not quite taken full advantage of this opportunity. The trick to preventing mistakes from occurring and achieving positive results is knowing what is expected from you and exactly what you need to do to complete the job.By making sure that you are aware of the different companies that are out there that can assist you, you can do your research ahead of time. You can ask around to find out which ones offer the best support and the most professional reviews. Doing so will not only help you find the right company, but it will also let you be aware of the best ways to prepare for the job.By setting your expectations ahead of time, you will be able to avoid common pitfalls that can befall companies that outsource resume writing. By making sure that the writers that you hire are experts in their field, you will get someone who is willing to put in the necessary time to make sure that your resume is flawless. By having your expectations outlined ahead of time, you will not be put in a position where you are at all unprepared.Of course, it is true that not every company that offers services in resume writing will be able to deliver on what they promise. However, by choosing a company that will give you the opportunity to choose who you will be hiring, you will be able to find a company that meets your needs. When you are certain that your job is going to be done correctly, there will be no need to look for another company to outsour ce your resume writing work.While it is true that these companies that are offering outsourcing may have the best intentions, there is also the risk that they might not be able to do what they promise and they might put you in situations that you did not anticipate. If the job that you have in mind can be completed by another company, there is no reason why you should leave that in the hands of an outsider. It is always better to be safe than sorry.By taking the time to do your research before you decide to outsource resume writing, you will be able to determine if the company that you are considering is legitimate. This will ensure that you have hired a legitimate company that will provide the services that you need to make your resume a success. Outsourcing resume writing services to a company that has an impeccable reputation is just as important as finding the company that will be sending you the work in the first place.In the end, though, it is important to remember that being cautious when it comes to outsourcing resume writing is the best thing to do. If a company can't or won't be 100% committed to your needs, you have no reason to continue to do business with them. Being prepared ahead of time makes all the difference in the world.

5 Ways To Further Your Career In 2017

5 Ways To Further Your Career In 2017 The following is a guest post by Noel Griffith.  His bio follows. Most of us use the end of a year to look back and reflect on how we’ve progressed, what we achieved, and set some goals for the New Year. While I’m not a fan of waiting for the end of the year to take action, I am a huge advocate of setting career goals and the New Year is as good a reason as any to make some positive career changes. If you’re feeling complacent, not enjoying your current job, need a raise, or just have that fire to learn some new skills here are some starting points to give you that boost of motivation you need to make some changes this year. Know Your Worth and Claim It Undervaluing one’s self is one of the most common reasons people do not progress or get a raise. Even if you have been in the same role for a while and don’t feel like you have done much to further yourself, things change around you and so has your worth. There are always two starting points I ask someone to look at: Take a look at similar roles in your industry and see if they are offering more than you’re being paid. Write down all the things you bring to your role you’ve gained through experience that a new starter would have to learn. If both of these points show you should be being paid more, and I’m sure they will, take them to your manager. Further Your Professional Development You may be satisfied in your current role, and you may even enjoy going to work, but this doesn’t mean you should stop furthering development. There is no telling what tomorrow might bring, having some extra skills and professional qualifications to your name is always going to be beneficial. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box a little too. You don’t have to pursue qualifications directly related to what you do. There are plenty of courses that will compliment your career, or even set you up to enter a field.  And it doesnt have to be from traditional brick and mortar colleges.  So, for example, if you had an interest in business and commerce, you could pursue an online Master of Commerce program. Network More within Your Industry Networking is one of the most powerful tools in the business world. Don’t worry, you don’t have to attend mixers and hand out business cards. A good place to start is updating your LinkedIn profile and connecting with some influencers in the same line of business. Being noticed, and being available are two key aspects to attracting new career prospects. Keep casting a larger net and you will reel in more contacts. You never know when a new position or opportunity will arise, and being one of the first to find out puts you in a good position. Put Together a Progression Proposal A lot of people are perfectly happy in with their current employers and don’t want to shake things up by moving company. There is nothing wrong with this, but if you feel like this is doesn’t mean you can’t forge your own path to progression. Write down all the extra skills you bring to your role and how you can either expand your role, or take on some workload from someone else. This ticks the boxes for showing initiative, progression, and will lead to more money and more skills you can use within your current role or take to a new company. Do Some Freelancing This is always a tough choice as we are already short for time when we work full-time. However, freelancing is entrepreneurial work, and being an entrepreneur means making sacrifices now so that you enjoy the benefits later. There are numerous attractive benefits to doing some freelancing and many overlap some of the points raise in this article. Consider the following: You’ll earn some extra income It’s a great way to network and work with companies in your industry directly It may become your full-time career, along with all the perks of being your own boss Youll grow professionally and add lots of new skills that transfer over to your day job The only real drawback is the time. But like I said, the positives all but outweigh the negatives, and with plenty of online marketplaces and platforms to help you find clients it’s easier than it’s ever been. In Summary If you want to further your career in 2017 it starts with you. All of the points in this article will make a difference, you just need to take the first step. Here’s to 2017 being the most successful yet! Noel Griffith BIO Noel Griffith has worked as a careers advisor and recruitment consultant for a number of years both on a one-to-one basis and with large corporations. Finding a passion for blogging and sharing his experiences with a wider audience in recent years you can find him at careerswiki.com, or contact him directly at[emailprotected]. . Image credits. Main.    Network.    Future.