We reveal what employers really think when your application lands on their desk.
Who hasn’t agonised about how creative; to be with their CV – what to exaggerate and what to conveniently forget? To help you make the most of yours, we reveal what employers really think when your application lands on their desk.
Career Glitch 1
The Fast Riser: I’m ambitious and rose quickly to be an account director. I’m sure people assume I reached my position dishonestly or with a leg-up;
If you are a fast riser, it could look like you were favoured by somebody in the company. Employers may also worry you won’t work well in a team. State in your CV what you learned and achieved via teamwork.
Career Glitch 2
The Redundancy:-I was made redundant and I’m worried that employers will think I was fired.People can assume redundancy means you were incompetent at the job, but this isn’t true. Save any explanations for the interview. For example, say My last firm merged with another, bringing new people into my role.
Career Glitch 3 The Job Hopper: I’ve had four jobs in a year plus a few months of travelling. Is this really bad?
If you temped, short-term jobs would be expected, but four jobs in one year will look like you couldn’t stick to one thing. Use your CV to focus on the fact that you’ve seen inside four companies and learned new skills through travel. Mention that you are seeking a permanent role in which to exploit your knowledge.
Career Glitch 4 The Switcher:
I’m a teacher but I want to go into advertising – is it possible to make this change?
If your past career is completely different, employers may worry you don’t have the right skills to get ahead. Employers often recruit people on the basis of their attitude and then train them up, so never worry that you can’t do the job. But find out about training in your new field.
Career Glitch 5
The Plodder:I’ve been in my job for ten years. Will employers think I’m un-ambitious?
You can seem un-ambitious if you stay somewhere too long, but it depends on what you’ve achieved. Vary what you do within the company. It’s easy to become too specialised.
Debbie O’Halloran
