Complacent candidates risk missing the boat
Q: I’m going for my boss’s job. It’s okay, it’s not a coup d’etat. She’s going peacefully – off into the comforting hands of retirement, three mornings a week on the golf course and a few summer weeks in Alicante. The best of luck to her. I’ve worked closely with her for six years and […]
Criticising will rub salt into the wounds
Q: They know, and I know, and they know that I know, that the last person in the job was, to put it mildly, a disaster. He came in from outside promising the sun, moon and stars, and delivered nothing. He only lasted 18 months in the job. Did he fall or was he pushed? […]
Confident, or tone-deaf?
Q: I’m a confident person, and I want that to come across on my CV. I’ve put down phrases like ‘phenomenal sales ability’ and ‘top-class management skills’. I gave my CV to a friend who said that I was laying it on way too thick and should tone it down a notch or three. Is […]
You’re the presentation – not the slideshow
Q: I’ve an interview for manager of a business incubation centre. They want me to present for ten minutes on ‘What I will achieve in the first year’ – but, and here’s the rub, they have stipulated that I can’t use PowerPoint or Prezi. Zero technology. How should I approach this? (EH, email). A: With […]
Backward step can drive you on
Q: I’m going for a job which will see me go backwards to hopefully go forwards. I’m afraid in the interview they will be wondering why I will take a cut in pay, and a reduction in responsibilities. How do I handle this? I’m a software engineer but I need to expand into a different […]
5 tips to master the job hunt
Q: I’m job hunting for the first time in 22 years. When I poked my head out to take a look, I realised the world is a different place now. Can you give me five quick tips? I work in sales. (AC, email). A: You can sing that, AC. I will keep it simple for […]
Audio: Going for a teaching interview in your own school
So, you’ve reached a point in your teaching career where you want to climb the ranks within your current school. You’ve applied for an upcoming post and succeeded in getting an interview. How do you improve your chances of getting the job? In the link above, Liam Horan, MD, Sli Nua Careers, provides tips on […]
Don’t compromise your negotiating power for a quick start
Q: They’ve told me on the phone that I’ve got the job. They want me to start as soon as possible – when should I tell my current employers that I’m leaving? (EC, email). A: When – and only when – you receive, and are satisfied with, the contract the new company wants you to […]
Unprofessional behaviour or downright rude?
Q: I’ve recently had a bad interview experience – one of the interviewers left the room twice to take phone calls – and I was wondering about similar experiences others have encountered? I need something to make me feel a little better about this disaster. (CF, email). A: Over the years, I’ve heard about a […]
Fill your CV, but don’t overload it
Q: I’ve been working for years, in a range of jobs and sectors, and now when I sit down to do my CV, I don’t know where to start. What do I put in? What do I leave out? (ET, email). A: Yours is not an uncommon problem. When you clock up the miles, it […]