Crystal Recruitment

It is a well-documented and researched fact that women face certain forms of discrimination at the workplace because of their gender. However, when it comes to men, the research is not only scarce but there is little talk about discrimination against men in the workplace. Work-related discrimination occurs when two equal people are treated differently in aspects such as training, work and reward. The unwritten code in society with regard to discrimination against men enforces a culture of silence. As a result of this, there is prevalent wilful ignorance about discrimination against men in the workplace. Discrimination against men may be less frequent than discrimination against women but it is not negligible.

Men are often regarded as more competitive and aggressive according to stereotypical gender roles. For this reason, it is not unusual to find more professional demands placed upon men. Studies on such instances in Africa are rare but a study carried out in Europe in 2015 by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions found that men were more exposed to adverse working conditions such as atypical working days and longer working hours as compared to women. While most employers would argue that the exclusion of women from certain exerting tasks is a way of promoting the rights of women, this can have a detrimental effect on men.

There are increasing concerns about the mental health of men in the fast-paced world where career advancement is a pivotal part of life. Recently, there was a report about an audit firm manager who tragically met his death after jumping off the 17th floor of the building. Reports that emerged after his death revealed a working culture that was characterized by tight deadlines, long working hours and an unhealthy work-rest balance. While such a culture has an impact on both men and women, it is important to be cognizant of the fact that men are more likely commit suicide as compared to women.

Requests or provisions for parenthood are often drafted and implemented with women in mind. This makes it difficult for men to actively participate in the parenting of their children. The effect of the subtle bias can be seen in the maternity and paternity leave provisions in Kenya. The Employment Act of 2007 grants mothers three months of paid maternity leave. On the other hand, male employees get two weeks of paternity leave.  There are reports of requests made by fathers to attend school functions or to a sick child being ignored or being granted grudgingly. Some employees argue that fathers are not the primary caregivers of their children hence they do not grant them opportunities to participate in their children’s lives. Such stereotypes fail to recognize a father’s role in a child’s life and deny fathers a chance to be a part of their children’s lives. Men are also likely to be subjected to unwelcome remarks whenever they bring up child care matters in the workplace as a result of traditional stereotypes.

There are organizations seeking to change this such as Microsoft Kenya which grants its male employees six -week paternity leave. A Kenyan Company, Webtribe/Jambo Pay has adopted a compassionate  approach where they have amended their maternity clause to include what happens when there are stillbirth and death of the mum; for stillbirth they give the full 3 months and the mum is at the discretion to return to work at her will before end of the 3 months. In the case of death, then they extend the 3 month maternity period to the father and he, in turn, forfeits the 2 weeks paternity leave.

Men and women are discriminated against when seeking employment in certain sectors due to gender biases. For instance, women seeking to be employed in the construction industry have to crack several ceilings to get opportunities. There are forums in which such matters are discussed by professionals in sector and opportunities for change fronted. On the other hand, men experience discrimination when seeking opportunities in sectors that are considered the preserve of women. These include; nursing, childcare, beauty therapy among others. Such forms of discrimination go unnoticed and unreported hence they remain persistent. This promotes the gender imbalance in these sectors hence denying men an opportunity to put their talent and their potential to work in these sectors. Even with the changes in traditional occupational roles, the subtle stereotypes towards male employees in certain industries persist.

Men are not immune to sexual harassment in the workplace. Most cases of sexual harassment go unreported because of the perception that a man cannot be sexually harassed by a woman. We have come across candidates who had to quit their jobs because of sexual harassment by their colleagues or bosses. None of them had the courage to address it through formal channels so quitting was the best option. The problem is further compounded by men’s perception of what constitutes harassment. Due to poor socialization and internalization of toxic ideas about masculinity, some men brush off unwelcome sexual advances at the workplace and regard them as perfectly acceptable.

Combating discrimination against men and women at the workplace begins with an appreciation of the diversity that each gender brings to the workplace. This should be followed by a confrontation of hidden gender biases that are entrenched into the organization’s culture and policies. All the employees of the organization should be educated on gender discrimination often. Policies that address matters such sexual harassment and gender imbalance should be developed and implemented.

 

We at Crystal Recruitment make it our business to find the right talent for your company as we are a leading Recruitment Agency in Kenya. Talk to us today and let us help you find the right talent.

Ann* did not understand what her boss meant when she was warned of “wavering” commitment during the last trimester of her pregnancy. She had been an award-winning salesperson for the five years she had worked for the organization.  That month had been hard for most enterprises because of a global financial crisis. Her entire team had had a difficult time. Ann was not the only one who was struggling with clients who were barely able to keep afloat. Ann did not understand why she was the only one who got a verbal warning for her performance. When she went for her maternity leave, she had to attend meetings over pending matters in spite handing over prior to her maternity leave.

Ann’s case is just an example of the subtle microaggressions that working mothers have to put up with in Kenya. With an increasing number of women joining the workforce in Kenya, one would expect that working mothers would have a supportive working environment regardless of the industry they work in. The Employment Act of 2007 recognizes that a working mother is entitled to 90 calendar days as maternity leave. A female employee should not be asked to forfeit her annual leave in lieu of maternity leave because the Act has clear provisions for annual leave for all employees. As compared to Tanzania which only has provisions for an 84- day maternity leave if an employee has been working for an organization for at least six months, the provisions for maternity leave in Kenya apply to all mothers who have a valid employment contract in spite of the duration they have worked for an organization.

Organizations in Kenya have strived to provide supportive working environments for mothers but there are gaps that have not been fully addressed. For instance, mothers who have children with special needs or premature babies are not catered for by the provisions for maternity leave. A study carried out in 2016 by Orion Foundation showed that 91% of the caregivers of children with cerebral palsy are mothers. These mothers have to consider quitting their jobs or take on fewer responsibilities at work in order to continue taking care of their children. Similarly, mothers of premature babies often find themselves taking unpaid leave in order to continue catering for their children’s needs. The “motherhood penalty” is particularly severe for these mothers because they miss out on opportunities for career advancement or risk losing their jobs. Some of the mothers we spoke to while researching this article spoke of the difficulty of getting their bosses to give them time off to attend to a sick child. In some cases, mothers reported that they ended up being late for appointments because of the fear that has been instilled by their bosses.

The Health Bill of 2015 which was sponsored by MP Rachel Nyamai requires employers to set up nursing stations in workplaces to enable lactating mothers to express milk and store it. The implementation of the bill by organizations in the country has been slow but some progress is being made. Some of the companies that have provisions for lactating mothers as outlined in the bill include: Oserian Farm, Safaricom, National Bank of Kenya, Kenya Red Cross, Intrahealth International, PWC, Oxygene MCL, CIC Group, Liberty Life Assurance, Heritage Insurance Company, Webtribe Lt/Jambo Pay, DPO Group, Eka Hotel, Airtel Kenya and Nestle Foods, to mention but a few. Over the years, there has been an improvement in the number of mothers who exclusively breastfeed their children for six months as recommended by the World Health Organization. The National Demographic Health Survey carried out in 2015 indicated that 61% of mothers in Kenya breastfeed exclusively for 6 months. In Eastern and Southern Africa region, it is estimated that 51% of women exclusively breastfeed.  To sustain this progress, organizations who will ultimately rely on the young ones as their workforce in the future should be supportive of nursing mothers once they return to work after maternity leave.

Most working women struggle to exclusively breastfeed their children after going back to work due to lack of lactating facilities and the demands of their jobs. For this reason, there has been a proposal to increase maternity leave to 6 months, but this has not augured well with the Federation of Kenya Employers which argues that this would be counterproductive.  This provision would particularly benefit mothers who have premature babies. Premature babies have to be hospitalized for longer periods as compared to babies born at full term. By the time the mother leaves the hospital, she has very days of her maternity leave left. Most mothers end up being stressed as they try and keep up with the delicate demands of their young ones. This is compounded by the fact that most organizations do not offer flexible working arrangements.

Below are some of the steps organizations can take to make the workplace a better place for working mothers:

Identify and confront biases towards working mothers

The biases towards working mothers can be subtle but they are alive and well. It is a well-known fact that children need their mothers often but this can easily be ignored at expense of the organization’s bottom-line. These biases are supported by outdated management principles that focus on one aspect of an employee’s life at the expense of all other important aspects. An organization seeking to promote work-life balance must confront its biases towards working mothers and begin to address them

Make room for flexible work arrangements

Technology has made it possible for meetings to held using virtual platforms by people in different continents. A mother who needs to attend a sales meeting can make a phone call and conclude the sale. The changing nature of work should be embraced by all organizations for the benefit of all employees, particularly working mothers.

Support and promote working mothers

A woman does not become less competent because she is a mother. On the contrary, being a parent equips one with skills that are useful in the workplace such as empathy, ability to handle tense situations and patience.  If a promotion opens up within the organization, working mothers should have an equal opportunity for promotion.

Are you a working mother looking for a better company/organization that supports the careers of working mothers? Then do reach out to us as Crystal Recruitment Ltd is a leading recruitment agency in Kenya and we do work with amazing clients who support working mothers.

“Do you have a question for us?”

This is a common phrase from interviewers during interviews and the expectation is that the candidates will have prepared several questions for them. Asking questions in an interview is an indication that you did your research and are well prepared.

Most candidates have great answers to the questions posed by interviewers. Some of them have great CV’s and a track record that cannot be ignored. However, they go under the seat when their turn to ask questions comes at the end of the interview. From my interactions with candidates, many of them confuse this with an opportunity to sell themselves to the hiring team. Others do not ask questions because they do not know whether their questions are appropriate. This boils down to anxiety, lack of confidence and poor preparation. Fortunately, we have done interviews for so long that we have developed a cheat sheet for you( do not tell anyone about it).

Here are our top six  questions you need to pose to interviewers during an interview:

1. What would I be expected to do on a typical day/week/month if I was hired for this position?

It may seem like an obvious question but it is absolutely important to find out what your interviewer expects from you. Having an employer lay out what you are expected to do ensures that there are no nasty surprises once you get hired. A candidate who successfully applied for a position as a personal assistant quit her job after a week after being told by her boss that she was supposed to pick up his laundry and supervise his children as they did their homework in the office. Upon further inquiry, she was told that the previous personal assistant used to perform those duties in addition to her daily duties. Having expectations laid out for you during the interview process helps you decide whether you would like to take up the job or not.

2. Would I be undergoing any form of training after getting the job?

An ambitious candidate not only applies for jobs because he or she meets the criteria but also because he or she wants to grow career wise. If you lack some of the skills that one is required to have in order to perform well, this question helps you determine whether there is an opportunity to acquire those skills before embarking on the job. It also helps you gauge whether your potential employer has opportunities for you to develop professionally. Some companies have an initial training period of up to three months. If you have another job and you require to serve a notice of a similar amount of time, it may be wise to state so during the interview as you pose this question.

3. What are the performance expectations for this position?

It may seem obvious that anyone who gets the position has to perform but the performance expectations may not be that obvious. Posing this question helps you set your mind and attitude towards the attainment of targets as per your position. If the performance expectations are not commiserate to the resources provided by the company, then this question would help you determine whether you still want to take up the job. Moreover, this question will help determine what sort of salary you should accept  should they extend an offer if successful through the selection stages.

4. What are the next steps after the interview process?

No one wants to wait to hear from an employer forever. This questions helps you to have realistic timelines in mind as you await to hear from your employer. This question helps you know what to expect and when to expect it. It is also a way of getting some reassurance from your employer after the interview. You can also check with them what sort of medium will they use to provide feedback.

5. Will I be working with a team? If I am, could you tell me a little about the team?

Everyone indicates that he or she is a team player in their CV’s. The true test of this attribute is when you are actually introduced to the team. Candidates have been known to quit their jobs after a short time because of teams that were impossible to work with. Find out who you will be reporting to. Find out whether there are any challenges that the team has been dealing with. Find out how the organization has been building the capacity of the team and promoting team work within the organization. Find out about the work culture among the teams in the organizations.

6. What sort of advancements can I work towards while working in this department?

This question will give you a glimpse into opportunities for mobility within the company. The last thing you want as a candidate is a dead end job that leads you nowhere. Your ultimate goal as a candidate should be to grow in your career path. Advancement may in form of training opportunities, promotion and mentorship opportunities.

Do you want to change careers? Crystal Recruitment, a leading Recruitment Agency in Kenya works with Employers and we may have your next career on our Job Board. Be sure to check it out.

One of the questions that was raised following the tragic accident involving a bus at Fort Ternan, Kericho was the age of the driver. According to reports in the newspapers, the driver of the ill-fated bus was 72 years old. He had, according to his employer, been a competent employee until then. Questions as to whether his age affected his capacity to perform his duties will remain unanswered. Every organization has to consider the age of its employees. Section 58 and 59 of the Employment Act of 2007 recognize that the minimum age for any industrial undertaking is 16 years. Most employees are required to retire by the age of 55 years but in some instances, an employee can continue working up to the age of 70 years.

As technological advances shift the nature of work, jobs are continually evolving. There are jobs such as digital asset manager which did not exist twenty years ago while there are others such as typists that have become obsolete. The ratio of Kenya’s youth to the population stands at 20.3%, which is above the world’s average of 15.8%. A 2016 World Bank report stated that the unemployment rate in Kenya among the youth stands at 17.3%.  This is higher than the unemployment rates in Uganda and Tanzania which stands at only 6%. It is against this backdrop that organizations have to find the right balance in order to attain diversity in terms of age in their organizations.

There are stereotypes that are associated with both the young and the old that do not necessarily apply to everyone in these groups. Many hiring managers consider millenials a good fit for certain roles because it is often assumed that they are “energetic,” “digital natives” and “agile learners.” These assumptions have driven a shift in terms of considering the criteria for labelling an employee as “too old.” In certain industries, anyone above the age of 40 years is considered “too old,” hence certain roles are reserved for employees below the age of 40 years. In other organizations, those who are below the age of 40 years do not stand a chance because most positions are occupied by those who are 40 years and above. Both extremes create an imbalance in the work place and stifle the rich experiences that would be created as a result of having a diverse workforce comprised of workers of different ages. Organizations can take the following active steps towards ensuring that they create a diverse workforce:

Have a talent acquisition strategy that spells out skills/background required for each role

Having a talent acquisition strategy ensures that you hire the right talent for the right job. It forecasts the organization’s need for talent in line with its growth strategy and helps in planning in advance for talent acquisition. Having such a strategy in place can help in eliminating some of the age inclined biases because the skills and background of the required talent is clearly outlined in the strategy. Some cliché words used in describing talent are regarded as ageist. For instance, “highly energetic” is regarded as a euphemism for “young”.  Avoid using such words in your strategy. Instead, focus on attributes that would make a candidate valuable regardless of their age. The talent acquisition strategy should be shared with external recruiters to ensure they understand the organization’s needs when it comes to talent.

Create interview templates that are related to candidates’ skills and work experience

A good interview should be an opportunity to delve deeper into a candidate’s competencies and work experience. All the questions that the interview panel intends to pose to the client should be geared towards ensuring that the hiring team has a clear picture of the value that the candidate would bring to an organization if given an opportunity to do so. Experience is valuable and it often comes with age but this does not mean that a candidate who does not have many years of experience would not be of value if given an opportunity to put their skills to use.

Make training opportunities available to all employees

Learning, as they often say, is the only way to avoid rusting. Training is an essential part of your organization’s growth hence it should be offered to all employees on a regular basis. Organizations often assume that they will not benefit much by offering their older employees opportunities for training since the older employees are on their way to retirement. This assumption results in a huge skills gap between the older and younger employees.  Training offers an opportunity for the older employees to share the wealth of the experience they possess with the younger employees. It offers the younger employees an opportunity to share the new developments in the field with older employees in an environment that is interactive and friendly.

There are three ages to consider according to psychologists. Which age are you focusing on?

Psychologists argue that there are three “ages.”

Chronological age is determined by one’s date of birth. It is subject to the clock and seasons on earth hence there is nothing anyone can do about it.

Biological age is determined by one’s lifestyle. A 20 year old can have the heart of a 90 year old due to bad eating habits, lack of exercise and a bad attitude towards life. A 60 year old can have the heart of a 30 year old due to proper eating habits, regular exercise and a good attitude towards life.

Psychological age is determined by how an individual views himself or herself as he/she advances in age. As Henry Ford, the American business magnate and founder of Ford Motor Company rightfully observed: Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.

Are you stuck in a rut when it comes to talent acquisition? We at Crystal Recruitment make it our business to find the right talent for your company as we are a leading Recruitment Agency in Kenya. Talk to us today and let us help you find the right talent.

One of the hardest hurdles of a Recruiter’s life is when a candidate has accepted a new job offer but then accepts a counter offer from their current employer. And that takes you back to the drawing board if you did not have a back up plan. Anyway, I am digressing. So back to my main issue today, what do you do when you decide it is time to resign yet it becomes an insurmountable task and you are filled with doubt, or after you have handed in the resignation you contemplate on the counter offer given?

I do understand from personal experience that handing in a resignation, not to mention drafting one has never been an easy task (unless of course the Employer is terrible and you cannot wait to get them off your hair).

The focus of this article is however resigning from a great Employer; a job that you actually enjoy but then time has come to move on to something else, or just a break, whatever the reason is, you simply need to leave your Employer.

You think long and hard of the aftermath.

Others feel it is betrayal of sorts especially if the company was their first employer.

The first question to ask, “Will the company be just fine if something were to happen to you”? and the answer, a resounding YES.

We are all dispensable.

Having that simple knowledge gives you some morale to pick the pen and paper or just type your letter with intent to give notice. Knowing that there are actually people out there who can do your job way much better and probably cheaply should be more than enough to accept that your time is up and something greater awaits.

A major impediment to resigning is fear of the unknown for the new opportunity is an unfamiliar territory, new process and policies, new products, new colleagues, probably even in a  new country/location.

We as human beings are conditioned to resist change, we prefer the comfort zone, the predictable. And therefore, some rationalize, “why take on the new job with all the uncertainty, read ‘excitement’ yet can stay in the old with a better salary than before”?

I will be quick to point out that it is true some use the new job offer to negotiate for a better salary. (story for another day).

If you are in a such a place, ask yourself why you accepted the new job offer in the first place, or the journey you had to take to decide it is time to move on. Write down a comparative list on what you are gaining and losing by pursuing the new opportunity and what that means if you were to stay.

At the end of the day, resigning is an individual decision regardless of your ‘love’ towards your employer as reality has it; if the company shuts down , you equally lose that job, or if it downsizes and you are affected, you still lose job.

So in essence, work with facts, have the future and the bigger picture in mind and for a moment, put your emotions aside.

That should help you resign and if you are still not sure how to go about it, feel free to contact us  or through our social media page for further advice and support for Crystal Recruit is Kenya’s best Staffing and Recruiting Services.

We all get excited at the prospect of a new career and the benefits that come with it.

So, you go through the interview stages and finally they say they like you and want to make an offer. However, when you hear the offer your heart sinks as is not per your expectations.

What to do? Negotiate.

We negotiate on a daily basis whether we realize it or not and so you do not have to be a Master Negotiator to get the salary you desire or benefits package you hoped for.

Before turning the offer down or accepting the job offer to quickly, here are a few things to consider;

Your initial salary will determine your subsequent increments;

It is commonly agreed that you would rather get a good package at the beginning than try to negotiate for a change half way. At the onset of making a hire, the Employer wants you on board and hence they are more flexible to your demands.

Most companies offer yearly salary increment based on performance and if you are to negotiate a better salary at the beginning of your employment, it would lead to increased earnings as you progress with your career and continue being a performer.

Look at the whole package

This is very crucial when it comes to jumping ship. Do not be too fixated on the base salary that you forget to put into consideration all other benefits such as medical cover, insurance for self and family, pension, allowances, bonuses etc.

There are also other nonfinancial aspects to think of when negotiating such as the work culture, flexi-working hours, the career growth prospects, training and development and company values in general.

You want to work in a company where you are excited to be in everyday being that we spend more of our time at the work place.

Project into the future

Put your imagination to use.

What will you gain having that company in your CV in let’s say 2-3 years time?

Does the opportunity provide a spring board to propel you further in your career?

Are there new skills that you will acquire in the new job?

What type of problems are you going to solve and how will this impact your career?

These are questions to generally ask when changing career so as not to make a plateaued kind of move where you find yourself stagnated, just a different location.

In essence, if the career benefits are overwhelming, and you accept the Job Offer,  you will have positioned yourself at a place that future employers fight for your kind of skill-set.

Watch out for ultimatums

Avoid giving the Employer ultimatums and also watch out when such is given.

Don’t be rushed into accepting a job offer because they said for example, “the offer expires in 1 day”. Ask for more time. And if they are not willing to give more time, then, in my opinion, they perhaps don’t deserve you?

The negotiation period should be a time where both parties are exploring best possible compromises and as much as time is of the essence, it shouldn’t be a ridiculous ultimatum.

Talk to Someone

As much as changing jobs is an individual decision, sometimes it does help talk to those who have gone before you. If possible, a mentor or a peer or a close friend who actually knows you well especially when it comes to your career.

You could use platforms like glassdoor and pay scale to gather intel but these alone can be misleading as could be an aggrieved employee writing negative material.

Have the Employer’s Needs in mind

Different companies have different pay scales and this is determined by several factors. Some could be at the start up phase, some are medium sized, others are restructuring etc. Hence is important to do your research to know the Employer’s current position when it comes to salaries and compensation and how that compares to their industry. This means then that you have to know the Employers needs and their priorities and if their priorities do fit with yours.

To note, a company can pay high salaries but their employees operate in a high pressured environment, or a company pays relatively average salaries but with a relaxed work environment.

I usually tell candidates that I work with that choosing an Employer is the kind of relationship that you want to be of value beyond monetary gains.

In conclusion, therefore, when evaluating what you are offered, visa-a-vi your current job, compare them from all possible angles before saying a quick Yes, or a regrettable No.

 

NB// We at Crystal Recruit work with candidates by connecting them to great career opportunities with Potential Employers. Reach out to us via Email and let us talk about your next career move.

From my interaction with many human resource professionals, I have come to learn majority of them started out as Recruiters / Talent Acquisition Specialists. After all, how will you go on accomplishing all the functions relating to the staff members if you do not participate in hiring them in the first place, or having an idea of how they join the company?

Interesting thing is that you do not need to study human resources to be a recruiter in the Recruitment Agency world, but it is  a good foundation to have nonetheless.

Formal education aside, you need to have a deep interest in people, a curious mind and a knack of understanding business as a recruiter basically solves business problems by getting Employers great candidates. An awesome personality can go along way too.

So for all of you out there wondering how you can be a great recruiter, below are tips from my personal experience (I am sure there are many more our there).

Genuine Interest in People

Recruiting is about people and you need to be deeply interested in them as their careers affect their livelihood. There is nothing as heartbreaking as a candidate starting a new job, thanks to a recruiter only to discover the Employer is not worth to be called an Employer. When you care deeply for people’s careers, it means you will go an extra to research about potential Employer before presenting the opportunity to candidates.

Know the Labour Laws

All countries have employment and labour laws. You want to work in line with those guidelines, so do your homework, be on the look out for amendments etc. You will stand out as well as you are also a consultant to Clients and Candidates alike.

Hone your sales skills

So, sales skills are key and they include but not limited to; ability to quickly form a good rapport on phone and in person, great written and verbal communication skills, negotiation skills and basically lots of follow ups with business leads and candidates. In other words, ‘Be a Rockstar’.

Patience is a virtue

If you think you are patient, then give recruiting a try and wait till Clients take forever to make a  job offer, or a candidate has longer notice periods. As much as ‘speed is the new currency of business’, you will need lots of patience in the world of recruiting.

Have Fun in the process

There is a lot more to recruiting that we can build on, but for now, have fun. Enjoy it all. And all the best.

Follow me @KenyanRecruiter and let us engage on other things that make a recruiter great.

First, the basics – Correct Contact Details.

Your contact details must be up to date, and correctly spelt. Remember that errors can cost you  a Job?

It is not uncommon to get CVs of candidates whose contact details are incorrect or the emails are miss pelt hence bounces. That is a straight ticket to missing out on an interview.

Furthermore, when job hunting and you get a missed call of an unknown number, please do call back. Sometimes, when there are so many job applicants, the recruiter moves on to available candidates. A call back also means you can make follow ups which is a plus in itself.

 

Second: Read the Job Specification then respond like for like

Are they looking for a Customer Service Executive? Do you have have similar skills? Any achievement around retaining a client or up-selling through your outstanding customer service? Highlight that.

Use keywords specific to that job you are applying for.

That means if you were to apply for an Account Manager position, then you would rewrite your CV to capture your Client relationship skills.

Basically, one CV is not one fit for all jobs. And if it is not an entry Level position, then be selective in putting your energies in positions that you are confident if hired, your would excel. What we mean is, if you are sending out your CV to 5 different jobs with different job titles and you have the right skill set thus are sure you can do either of the job, then you will be writing 5 cover letters and 5 CVs highlighting why you are best suited for the different roles.

 

Third: Beauty lies in the Eyes of the Beholder

This is all about formatting, spacing, fonts, layout and length. We did share a few fonts that are most attractive in the last article.

Your CV body font should be between 10 and 12 points and the headings to be 14 and 18 points. When it comes to margins, a 2.5 cm is decent enough. The right spacing does bring out clarity and professionalism.

We have seen CVs that are 16 pages long. The common rule of the thumb is that your CV should be at a maximum of 2 pages . If possible one page.

What is the length of your current CV?

To let you in on a secret, a CV gets on average a 90 seconds view and from there it is either, “Trash, Consider Later or Good to Shortlist” . So next time you are writing your CV, try picture where you want your CV to land and what you can do about that

It is advised to save your CV in a PDF format unless advised otherwise. This is because a PDF document will maintain its formatting no matter the device used to open it.

Furthermore, another reason to save your CV in PDF format is that most PDF files can be easily opened online thus you get a faster view visa-a-vi a word document file that must first be downloaded before viewing. When recruiters are working against time and they get great pool of applicants from those already viewed online as their CVs are in PDF files, the rest may have to wait for another day.

 

Fourth: The Content

This is where the rubber meets the road. The meaty stuff in your CV will get you the well deserved interview.

Your CV should be written chronologically including both years of graduations and work experiences.

If you have been out of school for 5 years and less, then you start with your education then go to experience.

If you have been working longer, then the experience takes precedence and later include your education details.

Do not exaggerate or falsify information for either the work experience or education. The best of recruiters will sniff you out once they do their reference and background checks.

Do highlight your honors and key achievement.

Focus on your wins. Think through your career as you write your CV and do put effort into demonstrating your most significant achievements that could have led to getting awards, recognition, rewards etc.

Avoid too many bullet points and listing “your previous job description word for word”.

When talking of your work experience, try to think numbers and metrics. Be clear on the measurable and the quantifiable e.g, Instead of saying you were a Regional Manager at Company Y,  you could say you were Regional manager implementing new systems across 3 countries while managing 6 cross-cultural teams.

As for extracurricular activities, do focus on those that are most relevant to the job, in that they will add a special touch to show you can indeed do the job. It is a nice to demonstrate that you can manage a team as you hold office in a Not for Profit Community Organization and you have been instrumental in implementing the organization’s mandate even if you may not be in a managerial role in your current employment.

 

Final: References

Unless asked to include, you can always write a line, “To be Availed Upon Request” or remove the line altogether if you no longer have space.

Bonus Tip;

When submitting your application via an email address, please remember the following:

• The Subject Line should be the Title of the Job you are applying for.
• Do not send blank emails – share a little bit more about your suitability for the role on the body of the email
• Follow instructions – if told to include a cover letter, do include a cover letter.

If you are working with a Leading Recruitment Agency, do ask questions about the potential employer and their expectation of interested candidates.