Top Tips for Finding a Job Issue No.3

How can I be better prepared when applying for jobs?

There are a number of things you can do when considering applying for jobs to give yourself a better chance of success.

Various organisations can help you with the areas outlined below including Meath Partnership, Meath Job Club, Jobmatters and Meath Travellers Employment Intuitive. Meath VEC also offer basic training in computers and writing skills to help if you feel you would not be able to write up a CV or Cover Letter.

CV’s (Curriculum Vitae)

CV’s are an important aspect of applying for jobs. Many employers will ask for a CV at the application stage and they will use it to develop an idea about your abilities through looking at your past work and educational experience and achievements. One of the most important things to remember is to keep your CV up to date. If you have been unemployed for a period of time, remember to include training courses or volunteering you may have done in that period. The CV should be prepared on a computer and printed out.

N.B. It is also important to tailor your CV to the job you are applying for. Unless you tailor your CV specifically to the position you are applying for it may be a waste of your time. The old adage of ‘quality not quantity’ really sums this up. You have a far greater chance of being successful by sending out ten targeted CV’s instead of hundreds of generic CV’s to random employers.

Cover Letter

The overall purpose of a typical cover letter is to introduce yourself, highlight key skills, experience and interests that complements your CV. It should gen-erate interest to a prospective employer to proceed to read your CV. If the Cover Letter is written in response to a particular job advert then you must consult the job specification if one is available and identify what skills the em-ployer is looking for. These should then be included into the body of your Cover Letter by trying to use the words from the Job Specification to describe your skills and experience.