10 Career Questions You Were Afraid to Ask

Today’s post is a guest post from Nikki Ruth, a fellow employment expert who specializes in writing CVs. She shares some great insight on some tough career questions, and the answers you’ll need to succeed. Enjoy!

Career Question Category 1: Job Hunting

1. I have a degree but no work experience. What’s the best thing to do?

If you have the qualifications, but lack the experience, consider volunteering, charity work or internships with local businesses to build up your experience. Breadth of experience matters more than length of time. You may also have some valuable experience you haven’t even thought of for example being a member of clubs or captaining the sports team. This can show your commitment and leadership abilities.

2. My qualifications aren’t up to it, should I apply anyway?

Anything expressed as necessary in a job description means just that and recruiters are unlikely to consider candidates that don’t have exactly what’s specified. However, if you have a lower grade of qualification than the one advertised but some related experience it may still be worth applying. Highlight in your CV and cover letter what your relevant skills are and how they match the requirements.

3. I remember reading that only half of vacant positions are actually advertised. How are the rest of the positions filled?

It’s true about half of all job vacancies are not advertised anywhere. Companies usually advertise internally on notice boards or take on people who have already contacted them. Ask friends and family to let you know about vacancies that are advertised where they work. Many companies have an Employee Referral Programme where your friends or family can earn some money for referring you.

Career Question Category 2: Resume/CV Writing

4. How long should my Resume/CV be?

On average recruiters take 15 seconds to decide whether to screen a resume or CV in or out. Keep your CV punchy and highlight all the relevant skills needed for the job you are applying for. Ideally your CV should be no more than two standard pages long.

5. A lot of people say I should exaggerate the truth on my CV, what do you think?

Obviously, you have to describe yourself in the best possible light. But avoid the temptation to go too far. Recruiters are not stupid. They can spot information that doesn’t stack up. They’re always on the look out for inflated qualifications, salaries, job titles and achievements and it’s becoming more common for companies to do background and reference checks prior to hiring.

6. Why should I use a professional CV writing service?

A professional CV can dramatically reduce the length of time it takes you to find a new role and can have a direct impact on your salary potential. It also pays to have your CV written by someone who knows what recruiters look for. The cost of a CV should equate to less than 1% of your new salary. If you are planning to use a CV writing service, remember to check their background and whether they have experience in your industry.

Career Question Category 3: Interview Intel

7. What is an interview coach and why should I use one?

An interview coach empowers you to do your absolute best during an interview to get the job you want usually through role plays and feedback. Studies have proven that by using an interview coach you can get a job up to 45% quicker. I’ve personally coached 100′s of job seekers on how to improve their interviewing skills and my clients have been offered jobs with top companies. Ultimately, the value of the interview coaching depends on the coach’s experience so check whether the coach has had real life experience interviewing and hiring for companies.

8. What’s the proper way of handling the what are your greatest weaknesses question?

You should select a weakness that you have been actively working to overcome. For example, I have had trouble in the past with time management. However, I’m now taking steps to correct this. I have been on a time management course, have been making to do lists and learned effective delegation techniques. It’s best to avoid a generic answer like “I’m a perfectionist” and chose a weakness that’s not too serious and won’t affect your performance on the job.

Career Question Category 4: Career Advice

9. I just had a bad appraisal with my boss. What should I do?

Think about what concrete steps you can take to improve your performance and ensure that your improvements are noticeable. Remember that you don’t have to demonstrate things in the next week. After about 3 months, ask your boss for feedback on how you are doing on the specific issues that were addressed.

10. Why should I use a career coach?

Expert career guidance is essential if you want to maximise your career potential. The job market is full of rewarding career opportunities but it’s also increasingly competitive. Career coaches can help you plan a change of direction, get your career off the ground with job hunting tactics, identify your career options and provide recommendations for your career development.

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Guest post by Nikki Ruth, CV Writer and founder of My CV and Me. Nikki provides cv writing and career skills workshops services. Follow her on Twitter @mycvandme

photo credit: db*photography

Related posts:

1. How to Find a Career Coach: 3 Key Questions to Ask
2. Top 10 Interview Questions You’ve Gotta Be Ready For
3. How to Find a Career Coach: Can a coach help me reach my goals?
4. Key Skills Resume Section: How to Highlight Relevant Experience
5. Use transferable job skills for your job search

Tagged as: career coach, career skills workshops services, coach, CV, CVS Caremark Corporation, Employment, founder, Human Interest, interview coach, My CV, Nikki Ruth, Recruitment, resume