Tuesday 16 June 2015

10 Surprising things I learned at the Gradireland Summer Fair

I really enjoyed the Gradireland Fair in the RDS on the 10th June. First-rate exhibitors, interesting talks and a very useful CV clinic made for a great day where I learned a lot of new ideas.  Here are some notable ones....

1.  Appendix your CV

You have excellent exam results, won a bucket of prestige awards and are generally awesome.  You want to put all your accomplishments on your CV to impress potential employers but you don't have room on your 2 page CV.  Solution: Add an appendix at the back of your CV which lists exam results and other accomplishments which you don't have room for in your CV.  Thanks for the tip gradireland CV clinic.


2. 70% of Jobs are not advertised.
Up to 70% of jobs are filled internally, through friends of existing employees, by the employees of direct competitors and  through the recommendation of a trusted recruiter.

3. the quarter-life crisis happens to almost everyone.
Having a melt -down?  Don't know where you are going in your career?  Confused?  Don't worry your not alone.  The quater life crisis is the new normal.


4. Wear a watch to interviews
Wearing a watch to an interview shows that you care about time keeping and makes a good impression.



5. If you are a woman wear blue or yellow to an Interview but avoid Red.
Blue is a calming colour and yellow radiates positivity.  Both of these colours are great for interviews.  Avoid wearing red as this can be aggressive.

6. Networking is essential and is neither sleazy nor needy!
If you think networking is only for the smarmy and the pathetic then you need to think again! Approximately 70% of jobs are not advertised so you need to know people in order to get a foot in the door.  Learn to make the most of Linkedin and real life.  Go to networking events that genuinely interest you, be polite to people and dress nicely.


7. Job hunting and networking are a lot like dating
First impressions count- It only takes 4 seconds for someone to decide if they like you or not.  You should try to look your best for both.  Politeness, likeability and being interesting count for a lot.



8. Your personal brand is the only constant factor in your career.
They say that the average person changes career approximately 4 times over the course of his/her career and there is no such thing a permanent job.  The only thing you can count on is your personal brand.  Take care of it- be careful what you post on facebook, twitter and linkedin, but do post.  It is important to have a strong social media presence.  Just make sure that it is a positive presence.

9. Try working in a start-up or SME to get an overall exposure to business and experience working in lots of different areas.
Looking to get into HR and want to get experience working in lots of different areas?  Don't overlook start-ups and SME's.  A lot of bigger firms stratify their departments so you may only get exposure to one area- recruitment, comps and benefits, training etc... Smaller firms tend to have smaller HR departments and you may get a better feel for what you like and what you are good at.


10.  Practice your handshake
A good firm handshake is invaluable as you move through your career.


Thanks to the Gradireland fair for the event http://gradireland.com/

The tips I have listed come from:

 Dublin based stylist  Laura Jordan http://stylesavvy.ie/

Presentation and Career expert Rowan Manahan  http://www.rowanmanahan.com/

Career Consultant Sinead English http://www.sineadenglishassociates.ie/

Quarter Life Crisis Coach Paula Coogan http://myquarterlifecoach.com/






No comments:

Post a Comment