Global Pilot Jobs

Securing the job you are looking for can be daunting, we have therefore put together some useful tips which can help you prepare for the task ahead.

Application Forms

Do:

Read the instructions before you fill in the form. It has been designed to make life easy for the personnel team who won't waste time trying to work out where you have gone wrong.

Photocopy the form beforehand and use the copy as a rough draft.

Take time drafting the bit about what you would bring to the job. This is your chance to shine in only 300 words - you need to be succinct.

Concentrate on those achievements that will be most relevant to the job in question.

Write legibly if you cannot type in the information. The form should be easy to read, so keep your handwriting to a decent size and don't be afraid to leave some empty space - it looks better and is easier to read - even it if means leaving out that third prize you won in the annual sales competition ten years ago.

Use black ink - it makes for clearer photocopies at the other end.

Read your completed form carefully, checking for grammar and spelling errors and, if possible get a second opinion from someone you trust.

Keep a photocopy of your completed form for your own records.

Don't:

Leave any questions unanswered. If a question is not applicable to you then say so.

Include a CV as well, unless it has been requested. However, a short covering letter following some of the above guidelines is probably worthwhile.

Tell lies - you'll be found out and the employer will probably never deal with you again. Many employers use information service companies to check out facts included in application forms.

Covering Letters

Do:

Include a personalised covering letter with every CV you send out.

Keep it short and factual - four or five paragraphs on one side of A4 paper.

Tell the recruiter where you saw the ad and include any reference numbers.

Refer to the CV you have attached - it might go missing and they'll think you haven't sent one.

Tailor it to each job - outline how your experience matches job requirements.

Say why you want the job.

Concentrate on telling employers why you would be good for the job, rather than why the job would be good for you.

If the job is in a different sector from the one to which you have devoted the past ten working years, draw links between the two.

Try and show that you have done some research into the organisation already - for example mention that you have read the latest annual report or visited their web site.

Include any dates when you might be unavailable for interview. If you are able to take calls during the day, then provide a contact number.

Check that you have addressed your letter to the right person, that you have used the correct job title and spelt his or her name correctly.

Don't:

Send out standard covering letters.

Underestimate the value of the covering letter - you can use it to lift your CV if your experience is lacking by drawing attention to your strengths.

Your CV

Do:

List your work experience before your education.

Put your most recent experience first - that's what sells you to an employer.

Concentrate on your achievements not your responsibilities. This means listing things you have done - such as products launched, sales increased, awards won - not rewriting your job description. Quote figures whenever possible.

Keep it to the point and concentrate on the quality of your achievements not the quantity.

Tailor your CV to particular jobs - making more of different achievements depending on what an employer is seeking.

List other skills that could raise you above the competition such as languages, driving licence, IT skills.

Include your interests - they are one way in which recruiters remember who you are. But try to be specific. For example, listing reading as an interest begs the question 'reading what?' . Also, don't list too many time-consuming activities or your potential employer will wonder how you intend fitting in a job.

Keep it clear. This means no shading, boxes or columns as they will be lost once your CV has been scanned or photocopied for passing around the organisation.

Be ruthless with yourself and keep it to two pages maximum.

Check thoroughly for correct spelling and grammar - spotting errors is a quick and easy way of weeding out weaker candidates when faced with 50 CVs to read. After all, if you cannot be bothered to put the spell check through your CV do you really want the job?

Get a second opinion from someone you trust.

Don't:

Leave any gaps in your work record - employers will assume the worst, for example that you were sacked.

Tell lies - you'll be found out and that employer will probably never deal with you again. Many employers use information service companies to check out facts included in CVs.

List all the one-day training courses you have ever been on.

Include a photo unless you know the employer will want one.

Fax it without sending a copy in the post as well.

Include lots of attachments unless requested.

Essential Interview Skills

Study after study has shown that interviews are the least efficient way of recruiting the right person and yet bizarrely, they are still the single most important recruitment tool for employers. It is almost impossible for us to imagine getting a job offer without first going to an interview of some sort, and who would want to take a job without first meeting their boss and perhaps a few colleagues?

Psychologists have shown that the problem with interviews is that people like to recruit in their image and they tend to accept or reject candidates within a few minutes of meeting them. This means that while you may spend a whole hour sweating it out, your fate has probably been decided by the time you've shaken hands and sat down.

But don't throw up your hands in despair - good employers understand the pitfalls of interviewing and the process is slowly becoming more structured, sophisticated and fairer. Meanwhile, first impressions still count and so the secret to good interview technique - however structured the interview - lies in being prepared.

Preparation

Do:

Research the organisation and its business sector - look at the web site, read the annual report, read at least one decent broadsheet newspaper each day, quiz anyone you know who has worked there.

Carry out some pay-as-you-go desk research on what the papers say.

Prepare answers to standard questions - such as why you want the job, where it fits in with your career plans, and what are your strengths and weaknesses at work.

Be ready with a few questions for the interviewer which show that you have done your homework about the organisation and its business. The recruiter wants to know that you are on the ball.

Ring and check who will be interviewing you - it could throw you if, instead of the one to one you had imagined, you are faced with an interview panel of six people.

Check also the format of the interview - for example will there be any personality or skills testing?

Dress appropriately. It's a difficult one, but you could feel stupid in a three-piece, pin stripe suit if the three people interviewing you are all in shorts and sweatshirt. So if you can get any hints about the dress code, for example, from other employees, then do. As a general rule go for smart rather than casual and don't be too trendy or wacky if it really isn't your style.

Read through your CV and application letter.

Check buses/trains/parking/petrol in the car.

Don't:

Forget to read the paper on the day of the interview.

At the interview

Do:

Turn up on time and be nice to everyone you meet from the receptionist onwards - you never know who might have a say in your appointment.

Make the most of your research - mention some of the facts you have gleaned from the media, etc.

Make sure you talk to everyone if it is a panel interview rather than directing your answers at one or two people only.

Find out as much as you can about the job - how else will you be able to decide if they make you an offer? For example, you should want to know who the job reports to and why it has become vacant.

If the first interview is with a recruitment consultant, pump him or her for as much information about the organisation and the job as possible.

Don't:

Be late - in fact arrive 15 minutes early so you have time to go to the loo, wash your hands and mop the sweat from your brow.

Criticise current or previous employers.

Answer a question with another question.

Interrupt the interviewers - although they may interrupt you.

Leave without finding out when you will hear if you have made it to the next round of the recruitment process, and what that entails.

Body Language

From the moment an interviewer sees you, he or she forms an impression about what sort of person you are, and what kind of employee you would make. This is because even when we are not speaking, we are communicating.

The way we move, our gestures and what we wear, all say something about who we are.

During the first 60 seconds of an interview situation, 55 per cent of interviewers' first impressions are based on body language and appearance. Only seven per cent focus on the words we use.

So how can you appear more confident even if your knees are trembling?

Make an entrance

Traditionally a daunting place, the interview room represents hostile territory and we tend to slow our walking pace when entering an unknown area. Slowing down however can suggest reluctance, or a lack of confidence.

But rather than enter the room at full speed, make a point of just pausing at the door before entering at speed.

The handshake

Firm, but friendly is the best way. Nobody likes a limp, 'wet fish' handshake, which can suggest a weak character. However, also avoid taking off the interviewer's hand at the wrist. A 'knuckle grinder' can denote over-confidence, or even arrogance.

The eyes

Eye contact is vital, but be careful not to overdo it - you don't want to engage your potential boss in a game of who blinks first. A trick to maintaining eye contact is to use 'the business gaze'.

'Imagine there is a triangle on the other's person's forehead. By keeping your gaze directed at this area, you create a serious atmosphere and the other person senses that you mean business,' he says.

The mouth

Smile - most of us can manage a smile. It helps you relax and it makes you appear personable and approachable.

Posturing

Slouching and tipping back on your chair should be left to schoolchildren. Remember to sit up as it makes you look attentive, while leaning forward slightly makes you look as if you are taking an active interest.

Avoid crossing your arms or legs as this creates a defensive barrier. Barrier postures are a no-no, as they can look as if you have got something to hide.

Gestures

Should be open and expansive, you want to try and involve the interviewer in what you are saying. Keep palms up and open to suggest honesty and avoid pointing or banging fists on the table to emphasise a point, its too aggressive.

Try to copy some of the interviewer's gestures. Copying, or as Pease describes it 'mirroring', gestures is a way for us to tell others that we like them.

Dress

Though not strictly body language, dress is a vital component in creating the overall image you project to potential employers. The clothes you wear should complement you, not overpower you. If you unsure about what to wear, take a look at the company and what they do, then pitch your outfit at the same wavelength.

Read the signs

Finally, don't forget an interview is a two-way process. Remember to read your interviewer's body language. Beware if the interviewer folds their arms, you may have said something with which the other person disagrees, so it may be pointless continuing your line of argument, even if the other person may be verbally agreeing with you.'

Make every second count

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Make sure, that along with all your interview research, you spend some time working on your body language. Interviews only give you a short time to get your message across. By using body language and dress, you can make sure you start as soon as you get through the door.

Dressing for an interview

It may not be fair, but plenty of surveys have shown that appearance really counts in interview situations. Looking credible and confident can suggest you're the right person for the job.

The key to dressing for interview is to dress appropriately for the company to which you are applying, and to keep things simple. 'Do your homework and see how the company presents itself on a daily basis,' says Barney Tremblay of the Federation of Image Consultants. 'A three-piece suit may be totally inappropriate for a laid-back design agency, for example.'

Dress appropriately for the company you are applying to.

Pay attention to detail and keep accessories to a minimum.

Keep cosmetics simple, neutral and well applied.

Choose garments that flatter your shape and colours that complement you.

Don't

Overdress - an Armani business suit may not be appropriate if everyone is wearing Marks and Spencer.

Neglect grooming details - unkempt finger nails and dandruff on shoulders can be distracting.

Pick loud colours or patterns - if in doubt err on the side of caution and go muted.

Wear uncomfortable garments - you won't feel relaxed.

After the interview

Do:

Learn from your mistakes - make a list of the questions you answered well and those you answered poorly. Think too about what you should have said.

Don't:

Be afraid to ask for feedback if you don't get the job. Good employers are increasingly geared up for this. Also, you may want to apply.

Negotiating a deal

You have finally been offered the job you want, the only problem is the salary isn't quite what you were expecting. On top of that your current employer probably won't be keen to let you go in a hurry.

Most recruiters leave some room for negotiating the package but it's a delicate process. Demand too much and you might not get the job or over inflate your new employer's expectations. But settling for too little will also affect the way they think about you: Finding the correct level can be tricky.

Do:

Go back to the career plan you set yourself when you started job hunting. Does this job fit into the plan and if not do you really want it?

Work out what you need in terms of salary to make the job worthwhile or even affordable. Don't forget extra costs you might incur from changing jobs such as the cost of commuting to work, loss of company pension, childcare, relocation.

If you are expecting your new employer to match or improve on your existing earnings then include all your benefits plus imminent bonuses or pay rises when calculating your current salary.

Be prepared to negotiate on some of the benefits - for example, if you don't want the car, then can you have a cash equivalent instead? Some firms are flexible about other benefits too. Research from Hewitt Associates suggests that two in three employers either operate a flexible benefits policy or are considering it.

If you have to move house to take the job, ask if there is any money for relocation, even if it has not been mentioned.

Ask your prospective employer to honour any holiday you have booked.

Be realistic about salary offers - ask for much more than the original offer and you appear greedy and out of touch.

If you think another, preferable job offer is imminent then you need to buy time without annoying possible employers. Tell your preferred employer about this job offer - it could help them speed up a decision, although not necessarily in your favour.

Be fair to your current employer when negotiating a leaving date. You may want a route back in if the new job goes pear-shaped.

Don't:

Resign until you have an offer you can accept in writing.

Forget that it will still be dependent on good references - usually from your current boss.

Lie about your current salary. A new employer can find out your real worth from your P45.

Take the first thing that comes your way. If you are in position to turn it down and have any doubts about the job then don't take it. If you feel you must take the job, then don't be surprised if you have to start the job hunting all over again in a few months.