CAREER PURSUIT 2021

20 EXPERT ADVICE - EMPLOYMENT unravel if the recruiters use open source research to check up on you. This happens more often than you’d think. Some mitigation tips here would be to ensure that your privacy settings are locked down to just your friends. Even with strict privacy settings, a potential employer will still be able to see your profile picture, so make sure that it’s a good one! By “good”, I mean not an unmistakable snap of you on a boozy night out! Also, you have the power to un-tag yourself from any unflattering pictures. Check your online presence before you send your CV – including any claims you make that can easily be verified online. There is no point writing an exceptional CV if it is proved to be false during a Google search. SPELLING Ensure that you spell check AND read it through. Spell checker will only find incorrectly spelled words. “Form” and “from” are both spelled correctly but clearly have different meanings, which is why it’s important to thoroughly proofread it yourself too. OTHER USEFUL IDEAS In the military community, many of us find that we are applying for roles on a regular basis. Not always due to changing postings but also because we've been working in temporary roles to keep the money coming in. I have been in this position myself on many occasions and have built up an arsenal of tools to make life a bit easier. One of which is to create a timeline document.This is a document that contains the details of all the job positions and responsibilities that I have held, together with dates, postal addresses, and contact details for reference purposes. This is particularly useful if you are applying for positions where you need to go through security vetting.They want the actual dates you started and left your last employer, not just the month and year. You need to be able to account for ALL of your time, usually for the past ten years. Therefore, you will need to include any periods of unemployment, travel, etc. By “travel” I’m not referring to your two-week annual holiday but more prolonged periods. If you are unsure and enter incorrect dates, this will just hold things up. There is no room for guesswork here! Also, make a note of the addresses of Job Centres you have claimed unemployment benefits from. I’ve come across that on some security vetting forms that I’ve completed before. Do this detective work once and keep it safe. It’ll save you having to find it all again next time. It’s also handy to keep a note of your previous addresses in here − useful if you’ve moved house a lot. Hands up, who can remember their postcode from three houses ago?! A FINAL NOTE Your CV is paramount for getting an interview. Although they will all have a similar structure, every CV you write must be different. You want to show why your particular set of skills makes you suitable for each specific position. This is your chance to make a good first impression – and first impressions count. Naomi Spratt − Rise VA Services Email: risevaservices1@gmail.com Facebook: @RiseVAServices Instagram: @risevaservices You need to make sure that the persona you describe in your CV doesn’t unravel if the recruiters use open source research to check up on you. This happens more often than you’d think.