CV / Resume Presentation: First Impression Counts

Your first contact with your recruiters or prospective employers is through your CV or resume. First impression counts! You should never photocopy your CV and mass mail them. Every copy should be high quality print on good quality paper.

My favourite is high dpi laser printing on Conqueror paper with a conservative range of shades of white such as diamond white, high white or even brilliant white. Paper weight of 100gsm to 140gsm gives a nice feel to the finished product which looks more professional than just ordinary 80 gsm printing paper. The cost of the paper is considerable (about 10 to 15 times as expensive as normal printing paper) but doésn't your CV/Resume deserve the best?

Furthermore, one should never staple the pages together - instead use paper clips. When sending your CV/Resume through post, use an A4 sized envelope, do not fold the paper.

Job Searching: It's about Marketing Yourself

Armed with an effective resume / CV, one may start the job search process. Without an effective CV, job searching will be extremely frustrating. When you're looking for your dream career in a company you like, you are telling the employer "hire me" - I am the best candidate for the job! And so do hundreds and thousands of others who are competing for the same attention. Smart job-seekers use various channels to "broadcast" their intention. Some of these are:
1) Through referrals - this is the most effective method
2) Networking - always important to keep your professional network alive even if you are not in need of a job yet
3) Answering to job advertisements
4) Using the service of job recruitment agencies
5) Responding to online job postings
6) Writing to prospective employers / companies (remember that some positions are never advertised)
7) Posting your resume online

Spread Words About our CV / Resume Service

In an effort to make our CV writing service known to more people in Hong Kong (and elsewhere too), we have made available our logo to be printed on buttons, and T-shirts. We will proudly wear it to promote our company and spread the message of our wonderful service. We know we have made a difference to people's life - one at a time. Visit online store to see "The CV Workshop" branded items



See T-shirt / Buttons

Economy and the Job Market

We need to be aware of the state of the economy because it's inevitably linked to the job market. Weaker economy means fewer jobs created, leading to fewer hiring and even job cuts. During such times it is prudent to have one's CV updated just in case. It can happen anytime and to anyone. But while one industry is suffering, there may be others doing well and facing shortage of talents.

Below is an excerpt of an online article I read from the New York Times.
From: The New York Times
Business
Sharp Drop in Jobs Adds to Grim Economic Picture
By EDMUND L. ANDREWS
Published: March 8, 2008
The worst fears of investors and officials were confirmed as paralysis on Wall Street collided with new evidence of a likely recession.

Dressing For A Job Interview: How NOT To Do It.

This a very good video on dressing for a job interview. It's extremely informative and it'll last for 40 minutes! There's so much to learn from the video, especially for college students who will be stepping into the job market.

Career Planning Videos

The job seeking process does not end after the preparation of CV or resume. When invited for an interview, one must be well-prepared in order to succeed. That's when the employer makes his or her choices and a smart candidate will stand a better chance of getting the job. There are many good videos covering the topic of job interviews and we have picked some for viewing.

In the coming week (1st week of March) we will be featuring some good videos related to career planning on this site: http://www.myoffice.tv/ .
Topics of some videos that are already up include:
* Job Interview Bootcamp
* How to Get Hired - Job Interview Tactics
* Preparing for Job Interviews
* Things You Should NEVER Do in a Job Interview
* Job Interview Success
* Planning Your Career etc.