Job hunting tips, Business English Learned from Lucy

How to write a perfect CV

A CV does not get you a job, what a CV actually gets you is a job interview.

There is absolutely no excuse for a mistake on a CV.

The relevant skills and experience, with the key word here being relevant, need to stand out.

Which type of CV should I write?

chronological
- show how well or how quickly you have progressed
- show off that you had continuous employment with no gaps
skills-based
- show off your skills and personal qualities
hybrid
technical -> highlight your technical skills such as programming languages, systems and platforms.

Tailor your CV to each job application, showing that you are proactive and motivated.

Minimise gap effect.

Keep it short.

How to write a perfect cover letter

Include your name, your contact details, the date, and the recruiter’s contact details as well.

Use appropriate greetings for your cover letter.

Dear Sir or Madam,
Dear Hiring Manager,
Dear Recruiting Manager,
Dear Human Resources Prfessional

A maximum of four paragraphs.

include why you’re writing the letter and the position that you’re applying for.
mention where you found the position and the fact taht your CV is attached.
add a little extra about yourself, which you couldn’t share in your CV.
disucss your most relevant experience and talk about the specifc qulifications and skills. Sell yourself and avoid repeating CV content.
thank the employee for their time and consideration.
Try to promise more information, which should be prepared to fulfill in the interview.

End with a formal closing.

Best regards,
Yours sincerely,

Always use full sentences.

Use the passive voice most of the time

A promotion to supervisor was awarded to me after only one year. (x)
After only one month, I earned a promotion to manager. (√)

Don’t use any slang.

Use keys words from the job advert.

Use powerful words and adjectives.

get->recive
give->provide
help->assist
answer->reply
choose->select
talk about->discuss
make sure->ensure
tell inform

How to sell yourself in English

25 words you should use to sell

determined: have determination to get a job done
hard-working: put a lot of effort into a job
diligent: show care and effort in your work
trustworthy: people rely on you to be good
a team player: work well in a team
motivated: willing to do something that involves hard work and effort
reliable: can be trusted to do something well
a self-starter: able to work on your own and make your own decisions without needing anyone to tell them what to do
loyal: remain faithful to your company
studious: spend a lot of time studying or reading
attentive: helpful and make sure that people have what they need
conscientious: take care to do things carefully and correctly
industrious: hard working and get a lot done
dedicated: work hard at something because it’s important to you
dynamic: you produce change, action, or effects
enterprising: have the ability to think of new projects or new ways of doing things
enthusiastic: show a lot of excitement, and interest about things
self-aware: have a lot of knowledge, and understanding, of your own character
consisitent: behave in a predictable way
organised: able to plan your work and life in an efficient way
professional: well trained and extremely skilled
methodical: do things in a systematic way
logical: do things in a careful and well-thought-out way
skillful: good at doing something, especially something that needs a particular ability or special training
passionate: become emotionally invested in what you’re doing

Include powerful action verbs

management and leadership: assigned, delegated, organised, scheduled, directed
communication: addressed, corresponded, moderated, negotiated, authored
research: clarified, critiqued, examined, inspected, investigated
technical skills: assembled, calculated, computed, fabricated, programmed
organisations: catalogued, compiled, categorised, logged, chartered
financial: appraised, audited, balanced, budgeted, forecasted
creative: conceptualised, designed, illustrated, shaped
education: coached, guided, stimulated, informed, advised

Avoid weak words

stuff/things -> too lazy, use a more descriptive words
get -> too ambiguous
very -> use a powerful adjective instead, like ‘fairly’, ‘really’, and ‘quite’
just -> implies that it shouldn’t be prioritised
probably -> shows doubt or uncerntainty
I think, In my opinion, Personally, I’m not sure, I feel like -> gives people the chance to dismiss you
whatever -> too dismissive

7 Most Common Interview Questions & Answers

Can you tell me about yourself?

builds the connection between you and the interviewer and shows why you are the perfect person for the job

Formula

start with the present: where you are right now
follow with the past: where you were before, skills and experience you gained
finish with the future: show how excited and eager you are for this new opportunity

I'm currently a sales intern at The Coffee Bean Co, where I'm being metored by the head of sales. Before that, I was studying for a business degree at the University of Chelsea, and working at a Shoe Shop franchise, where I developed my sales skills.

 I really enjoyed the sales aspects of the retail position, and now I would love to work in a corporated sales position and take on more responsibility, which is why I am so excited about this sales manager position.

You don’t need to tell them your name or your age or where you’re from (avoid irrelavant information)

How did you hear about this position?

keep a document detailing the jobs that you’ve applied for and where you found each job

I was browsing the Indeed platform and when I saw the offer from this company I was really keen to apply. The job description and requirements matched my profile perfectly.

Why do you want to work here?

show how passionate you are about the company and the position

show how much you know about the company

align you skills and experience with the role

take key parts of the job description and the job requirements and add them to your personal profile

What are your strengths?

justify each strength you give and apply it to the job role

I'm very logical, and in my previous position I managed to rethink an entire delivery process, reducing each delivery time by four minutes. I communicated it to my boss and, after a successful implementation, they still use my process today.

How would your boss describe you? paraphrase a recent positive performance review

reference where you’re getting this information from

start off with a positive story about something that you’re done and conclude it with how your boss or co-workers would describe you

think about three positive traits that you bring to your workplace

I'm a good negotiator. I managed to negotiate a better price on our stationery last year.

What is your dream job?

good jobs are an intersection of your skills, interests and values

skills: give you an opportunity to sell yourself
interests: show your passions and your investment
values: help illustrate your fit within the company

I've mentioned my experience with programming, so my dream job would definitely have to relate to that. In terms of the industry, well, I'm really interested in sports, so something related to that would be good! In my career I really value having a good relationship with my co-workers. That's the reason why I am so excited to be interviewing for this position. The vibe in the office is amazing

Where do you see yourself in five years time?

Think about where this position could take you and consider how that aligns with some of your broader professional goals

I'd like to be seen as someone with expertise in the energy sector, which is something that I know I'll have an opportunity to do here. I am also really excited to take on more managerial responsibilities in the next few years, and potentially even take the lead on some projects.

7 Most difficult interview questions and answers

What is your biggest weakness?

The interviewer is trying to judge your self-awareness and your honesty, and also screen out any red flags.

Employers want to see that you can reflect and improve.

Think about something that you aren’t particularly strong at but could easily improve.

In my previous role, I could have been better at delegating tasks. Or, I've never felt completely comfortable talking to large audiences.

It's something that I'm actively working on. I still get nervous but I can handle it and I don't feel like it holds me back.

What are your salary requirements?

Carry out research on websites like glassdoor to get a rough idea of what you should be expecting.

State as high a salary requirements as you can honestly and reasonably justify but also say that you are flexible and negotiable.

Do you have any questions for us?

What would an average day look like in the company?
What projects are the team working on at the moment?
What sort of budget would I be working with?
Is this a brand new role?
How would I be trained?
What’s the performance review process like?
What’s your favourite part about working here?
Who would I be reporting to?
What’s the company culture like?
What is the next step in the interview process?

Why was there a gap in your employment?

don’t overshare.
offer a simple explanation.
talk about the new skills you developed in your time off.
emphasise that you are sure that you now want to work again
be confident
move on

Can you tell me about a time when you disagreed with a decision made at work?

prepare a specific situation
answer in a positive way
- discuss how this situation will help prepare you to handle disagreements in the future
- don’t be afraid to admit that you were in the wrong ``` I once disagreed with my boss over some advice he was giving to a customer

Rather than question his authority in front of everyone, I talked to him in private. I was open and honest about the problems I had with the way he wanted to do things.

It turned out there was just this simple misunderstanding and my boss was actually correct, but he was glad that I spoke to him as I then understood where he was coming from for the future.

**Whay are you leaving your current job?**
- never bad-mouth your boss
- do not say that you have a fight with a co-worker
- don't make it sound like money is the only thing you care about (should say: I didn't feel like there was opportunity to grow or advance further in that role, so I decided a change would be best for my career.)
- don't sound too impulsive.
- don't be vague or illusive


**Are you interviewing with any other companies?**

link it back to the company.

I’m in the beginning stages of my job search. I am attracted to positions that require keen analytical skills. In fact, what I like most about this opening is, and then you can say something about the specific role. ```