Dealing with a recent workplace reverse
Q: I started work with a company two months ago. Very early in my time there, I realised the job I was being asked to do wasn’t the job I felt I had been hired for – it didn’t really use my skills (I am a computer programmer) and was very underwhelming in terms of […]
Six pointers to jazz up your CV
By Angela Tjalsma, CV Editor, Sli Nua Careers (Ballinrobe) Q: I haven’t written a CV in 20 years – not since I left school. I understand that everything has changed since back them. For a start, I have 20 years of work underneath my belt now. Not to mention three children and less hair! Plus […]
A good reference stands the test of time
Q: One from slightly left-of-field here – I have been asked to write a reference for someone who worked with me almost 20 years ago. I remember her very well – she was an excellent employee – but it was a different time. IWeonly had one PC in the office and this woman didn’t even […]
It’s only natural
An actor was asked what he thought about acting. “Acting,” he replied, “is a great thing, but don’t be caught at it.” He wasn’t commenting on the profession as a whole, rather the reality that the best acting doesn’t appear like acting at all – it appears natural. When preparing clients for job or college […]
Stay out of the crossfire
Q: I am going for an interview next week – the job is with a retail outlet. A friend of mine already works there and she says the boss can be very cranky. “He was hostile in my interview,” she says, “and I bet he will be hostile in yours. He’s hostile to everybody at […]
Hide your talents atop a skyscraper
Winning language, er, wins. Many people use self-deprecating language. It can be a quite endearing trait in casual company, but when chasing a job, it could well be injurious to your chances. Ask someone how they are today, and they may tell you ‘not too bad.’ When analysed literally, this means that they are ‘bad’, […]
Choosing the right referee for the best result
By Angela Tjalsma, CV Editor, Sli Nua Careers (Ballinrobe) Q: As the song nearly says, ‘my boss didn’t like me anyway.’ My last job finished up badly last month because I felt the boss was a bully, but that’s a story for another day. In the end, I left – jumped before I was pushed, […]
Seeing your skills afresh
Q: I I have been successful all my life, but the company for which I worked at middle management level has just closed down. I feel as if the rug has been pulled from under me. I can’t even begin to contemplate searching for a new job. I feel like I have all sense of […]
Letting them know you’re not a flight risk
Q: I am applying for jobs for which I am over-qualified, because work in my main sector (accounting) is gone very quiet. I generally get called to interview, and feel I do well, but I have not got a job yet. I know I could have easily have been a success in many of the […]
Operations manager needs guidance
She is an Operations/Manufacturing Manager with close on 25 years experience in the manufacturing sector. She’s top notch in every way with proven results – costs controlled, processes improved, wide-ranging expertise. She has impeccable references. But she can’t get work right now. She has a good CV, an excellent LinkedIn profile, and a daily routine […]