Career Advice

Simple queries can occasionally lead to embarrassing situations if one is not adequately prepared for them. The interview question “Tell me about yourself”, for example, should be a no-brainer. However, this typical interview question continues to baffle candidates of all levels of expertise. It may be claimed that this is partly due to the open-ended nature of the question, as it is not immediately clear if the interviewer is seeking a brief biography, a full CV or a combination of the two. These concerns, like those associated with any difficult interview topic, can be addressed with appropriate preparation and understanding of the interviewer’s rationale for asking the question.

What does the interviewer want to know?

What is a CV? CV is short for curriculum vitae, which is a Latin term meaning course of (one’s) life; it is a summary of a person’s career, education and qualifications in written form. A CV is also referred to as a résumé (French word) at times, but there is a difference. Résumés are usually single-page summaries of your work experience and background information, whereas a CV is usually longer and more comprehensive.

CVs include all the past experiences of a professional worker along with information about the educational background of the person. A CV is what anyone presents when showing up for a job interview; however, résumés are also accepted. Now we return to the question at hand, and that is whether bullet points in a CV can help it look better and more presentable.

Temping is short-term work done by a candidate who is employed through a recruitment agency, is on their payroll and is paid hourly for the work they provide. As a temp candidate, you are not committed to provide notice, and a client can also end the assignment at any time, so there is a huge amount of flexibility for both parties. A temporary candidate is often sourced at the last minute to cover a period of absence, sickness or leave and can be used to assist in a wide variety roles and levels.

In this article we explore what temping is, how temp agencies work and what the benefits of temping are for both a candidate and a client.

What is a temp job?

You have to be smart and on top of your game when you're about to answer interview questions. When asked a tricky question, you need to be able to answer confidently with something that not only appeals to the interviewers but stays relevant to you and your professional skills.

One of the most common job interview questions is “What is your greatest strength?”.

This question can be difficult to answer because you want to make sure that you are highlighting your strengths in a way that is relevant to the job you are interviewing for. In this blog post, we will discuss how to answer this question and provide some tips on how to stand out from the competition.

An administrative role is a key part of any business. From dealing with office logistics to planning meetings and communicating with all levels of employees, getting your foot in the door can provide a stepping stone to a world of exciting opportunities. These entry-level positions are a great way to build a career. If you’re searching for the perfect entry-level admin role, here we reveal how to get a job in administration with no experience.

Do you need special skills to gain an admin job? Do you have to take a course to work in an office administrative role? Read on to discover what you can do to give yourself the best possible chance of securing your first role.

1. LIST KEY SKILLS ON YOUR CV

In the best of circumstances, striking a healthy work and life balance can be challenging, but it can become even more intimidating, as well as vital, during periods of economic stagnation and uncertainty.

Because of the Great Recession and the resulting cuts and layoffs, many people work longer hours with roles that are more complex than ever before. Workers who fear losing their employment are determined to demonstrate that they are vital team members.

Today's portable electronic devices have blurred the boundaries between work and home, also adding stress. The days are gone when leaving the office meant abandoning our work. As a result, employees can now reach out to their bosses, co-workers, and customers at any time.

A personal assistant position can vary hugely from one role to the next, depending on the support the individual or team requires. This makes it an exciting career and allows relevant skills to be transferred across different industry sectors. If you are considering looking for a PA role but want more information on what it is really like to be a personal assistant, read on!

WHAT IS A PERSONAL ASSISTANT?

Whilst no two PA roles are the same, there are several common tasks we see in most PA positions. These include:

Before we start, we need to understand what a job interview is. It’s not to be taken lightly, especially if you want to land the job you are striving for. A job interview is a formal meeting between you and your potential employer.

You are asked questions about yourself, your educational background, your work experience and how you can be a relevant asset to the company. When you go for such a meeting, one of the first questions you will be asked is “What do you know about our company?”

If you’ve followed me for long, you’ve likely heard me say that, aside from a current resume, a professional portfolio is the single best thing you can do for your career.

A portfolio isn’t just for job-seekers. It demonstrates your achievements when your annual review comes around. It proves your value to your executive and organisation. It can help you secure a promotion or a raise. If your dream job suddenly becomes available, an updated professional portfolio allows you to act immediately, while other candidates could be scrambling to get their information current.

The thought of asking your boss for a pay rise or a promotion is always nerve-wracking, and can strike fear in the most confident of business support professionals. Not only do many people often overthink the approach but the assumption of a negative response or reaction to your request makes the idea of putting yourself out there feel a lot worse than it is.

Remember, your boss is only human, and to get to where they are today means that they would have been in the same position as you are at one point in their career too.

If asking for a promotion or pay rise has been on your mind lately (or even over the last few months) take a look at our guide below to give your confidence a boost and kickstart the process of receiving exactly what you think you are worthy of!

Preparation