Practical and concise guide to job searching and interviewing for Irish professionals

1. Red Tree Recruitment
CV & Interview Tips
E X P E R I E N C E M AT T E R S

2. Your CV should be pointed and direct. Presentation and format should be clear and easy
to read. Stick to letter fonts like Arial or Times New Roman.
Your CV should be structured to give the reader a strong snap shot of who you are and
what you do. Keep your CV to two pages, maximum three. The aim of a CV is to get an
interview where you can further develop the points listed.
Name, Contact Details (contact number, e-mail address)
(Optional – Address, LinkedIn profile URL, Date of Birth)
Skills Profile / Executive Summary
This piece is key in grabbing the attention of the reader right from the beginning. It is
essential that this profile is tailored to the role you are applying for, use key words that
associate your experience with the job. Keep this profile to 4 bullet points.
Experience
Most recent role first, use bullet points to describe your experience relevant to the
role you are applying for. More details are required for current/recent jobs and less for
previous positions. Use accurate dates for each job worked, with name of company and
title(s) held. For more senior hires, list relevant achievements.
Education
List all Education and qualifications in chronological order, starting with most recent.
Professional Qualifications should also be included in this section
(completed or part-completed).
Additional Skills
Include any additional skills you hold, for example IT Skills, Training Courses completed,
Driving License, Languages spoken. Include any systems knowledge that would be
specific to your industry.
Hobbies & Interests
It is good to include some interests outside of the workplace to give the hiring manager /
HR a bit more of insight into your personality and could encourage some light
conversation/reference to it during interview. Recommend keeping to a brief description.
CV Structuring

3. Before
Recruitment Market Specialist
Speak to an independent specialist who can
communicate with authority on the market, sala-
ries, trends, companies hiring now/in the future.
Look to gain competitive advantage.
Personal Branding – Your CV
Once certain opportunities have been pinpointed, be
strategic in job application approach. Bespoke your
CV to the specific job opportunity, it will strengthen
your application.
Discuss and Manage Expectations
Gain a full understanding of market parameters in
terms of role suitability and pitching yourself at the
correct level.
Your Network
Enhance your profile. Unlock the ‘Unadvertised Job
Market’ i.e. those roles which are not made public.
Timing
Is now the right time to consider a new
opportunity – can you commit to a series of
interviews. Be aware of typical recruitment cycles.
Reasons for Leaving / Taking on a new job
Ensure the reasons stack up in your mind. Have a
clear approach around what you wish to achieve
by moving Jobs / taking on a new job.
.
Pre-Interview Preparation
Gain an insight into the style, structure and format
your interview will take. Red Tree Recruitment will
prepare you and provide invaluable guidance.
CV based vs. Competency interviews
Interviews can be focused on one or both types.
Be prepared for all eventualities. Know your CV
inside out, and test yourself. Have specific
examples for competency based questions.
The Interview Itself
First impressions do last. Arrive on time. Show
confidence, belief and interest. Once thorough
interview preparation has been done, try to relax
and let the interview flow.
Asking Questions
Important to have pertinent questions prepared
for during/end of the interview. It demonstrates
genuine interest and shows interviewers your
intentions.
Testing
Be aware and prepared for possible aptitude or
psychometric profiling/testing as part of the
recruitment process.
Keep Track of Applications
Imperative to be aware of what companies/jobs
your CV has been presented to. Avoid duplication
as this can reflect negatively.
What are you Salary Expectations?
This question can arise either early or late in
interview process. Ensure confidence in answering
and that the level is commensurate with the role.
Negotiate Offer Terms
There shouldn’t be surprises here if the
parameters have been set early regarding
salary/package. Red Tree will assist you to negoti-
ate best possible terms.
During

4. p: + 353 1 5541290
e: info@redtree.ie
w: www.redtree.ie
twitter: @redtreerecruit
Contact Us
You can contact one of our
experienced consultants using the details below
After
Your Contract
Once an offer has been received and verbally
accepted, your contract will be issued. Ensure
you are happy with all details before resigning.
Resigning
It can be tricky and awkward meeting when
resigning, prepare what you will say and aim to
be direct and confident. Recommend keeping it
factual. No matter what the circumstances keep it
positive .
Counter Offer
Becoming more prevalent in current market. Can
be expected 50% of the time. Recommend thinking
back on the original reasons for leaving. Statistics
indicate that acceptance of a counter offer typically
results in individuals being on the market again
within a year.
Communication
If liaising directly with the company or through
Red Tree, ensure lines of communication remain
open. Important next stage is agreeing a start date
along with other items.
References
Get in touch with referees at this stage to ensure
they are aware a phone call/communication will be
coming from new employer.
Unsuccessful – What Now?
In the event of an unsuccessful interview, look to
gain specific feedback. This can be very helpful for
your next interview.
Contact Us
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