Candidate’s guide

In practice, there is no such thing as a standard job interview. Every job interview differs from the other. Much depends on the consultant, who runs the recruitment project, but also on a specific nature of a job and time of recruitment. Today, the first stage of recruitment is often realised in the form of a telephone interview, Assessment Centre session, analytical and language test combined with a job interview, and also conversation via Skype (if a Candidate and an Employer reside in different countries). There is a number of ways to know the Candidate, his or her experience, competencies and expectations. The interview is also a great opportunity for a Candidate to ask a few questions at the end.

Every application is extremely valuable for us. However, we are not in a position to promise that we will contact each Candidate. If you have experience, education and qualifications suitable for a post you are applying to, we are certainly going to contact you. Nevertheless, we cannot accurately specify when, so we kindly ask for your patience.

 

Certainly, there is no ultimate ‘formula’ for a successful CV. However, there are some principles you can follow, which are bound to make your CV appealing to a recruiter. Below are the vital ones:

• Personal data – make sure that the CV contains your current telephone number and e-mail address. It is advisable that your e-mail address would not make a recruiter burst into laughter J
• Photo – a good portrait photograph would be best. It definitely cannot be a holiday or party selfie!
• Education – use the principle of chronology (current ones on top). In addition, provide dates of beginning and completing stages of your education, faculties etc.
• Professional experience – recruiter is most interested in your recent positions. Try to describe briefly your responsibilities and their scope. Do not forget to indicate accurate dates (e.g. July 2015-June2016). This will save a consultant some time.
• Foreign languages – you need to define the level of your language skills, and Common European Framework is a best way to do it. Today, in the majority of recruitment projects conducted by us, there is a specific language proficiency required, so it is a pivotal aspect of your CV.
• Skills and qualifications – if you have any additional skills, which your prospective employer would find interesting, you need to mention them in your CV. They should be relevant to your new job, though. It does not make sense to enumerate qualities such as diligence, hard work and motivation, as they will not make you stand out from among other candidates.
• Visual aspect – most of all, a CV should be clear, have A4 format and legible font. More and more frequently, we receive more creative resumes, created in Power Point, in the form of a dedicated website. According to TEST’s experts, such form will be suitable for positions related to arts, mass media and advertising. When you apply for a more regular job, e.g. as an office worker in the accounting department, keep the standard CV form.
• File format – best file format for a CV is PDF. By sending us your CV as a PDF file, you may be sure that once a recruiter opens it, it will look exactly the same as you intended.
• Before sending your CV do a spellcheck – remember, a CV is your business card 🙂