Hints & Tips

Putting together a CV can been a little daunting, we hope the hints and tips we have supplied should help you compile the perfect CV in the first step towards getting that all important role. We have also supplied a template form to assist in the most beneficial layout of your Curriculum Vitae. Click here to download the CV template.
 

• Contact details – Include full name, address, contact numbers and e-mail address. DOB is optional.
• Personal profile – Three to five sentences is sufficient, include your personality, work ethos, achievements and ambitions.
• Qualifications – Include all professional qualifications, including industry accreditations and professional body memberships (dig those certificates out, you may be asked to provide them to your new employer).
• IT use – Detail any design, estimating or project management systems you have used, include use of daily software applications.
• Career history – Your most recent employers are the most crucial spend the most space and time on the relevance taking in to account the future role you may be interested in. Make sure you include accurate dates and full employer name and location. Give a brief overview of the company if desired (one to two sentences is sufficient). Make sure you specify your duties and responsibilities. An overview of the projects and contracts you have worked on including value, duration and construction type is highly beneficial in matching your skill set.
• Punctuation and grammar – It’s not just what you say it’s how you say it; spell check and proof read your CV.
• Layout – Take care to use the same font and be careful with using too many different sizes, bold titles to make specific areas stand out.

Attending an interview can be both nerve wrecking and exciting especially when you may have worked with your current employer for some time. We have provided some advice that will help make the experience more relaxing.

• Preparation – Research the company your meeting by using the internet and literature. Your dedicated consultant will be full of knowledge! Take along a copy of your CV, any design work or portfolio if applicable. Prepare relevant questions that are of interest to you.
• Plan your journey – Familiarise yourself with the location of your interview, calculate the length of time taken to get there included time for adverse traffic and parking. Why not take a drive to the destination the night before?
• Punctuality – Is a must, arrive five to ten minutes early any earlier can also be considered rude, if you are exceptionally early wait outside.
• Attire – Dress to impress, smart clothing is essential in making a great first impression, Avoid cartoon ties, excess jewellery or heavy makeup.
• Scent - Avoid smoking just before any meeting, equally strong foods, coffee or that quick half a pint for dutch courage should be avoided. Any adverse smells can be intoxicating in a close room.
• Reception – Are generally the eyes and the ears of the company, take time to be polite, perhaps ask how long they’ve worked for the company and what type of company they are like to work for.
• Shaking hands – It is common practice to shake with your right hand a nice firm grip (not squeeze) whilst looking in to the recipients eyes.
• Positive speech – Be positive with a smile and the words you use, take care not to be slanderous towards your current employers. A positive attitude develops a positive atmosphere.
• Questions – Ask lots of questions, this is your opportunity to find out about the company as well as the company finding out about you. It may be of interest to you to ask questions such as, company history and structure, who would you be working with? What projects would you be working on? Company turnover, and size, future progression.
• Interviewer – The interviewer may also be an employee, it’s worth asking them a bit about themselves, their background, their progression within the company, how long they have worked for the company etc. Not only will this give you a greater understanding of the opportunities available but it will also help you to build a rapport. But careful to politely ask and not to drill.
• Close – When the interview has come to an end, use the opportunity to ask the interviewer if they have any reservations of you, a relaxed way to asked this could be “can you see me fitting in (Company name)” or perhaps asking what the next stage would be and letting the interviewer know that you are very keen on the role.