Latest Blog posts from GeminiForces.co.uk

Stand Out In The Eyes Of Recruiters

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Always doing extensive research on the company you have your interview with is a given and we’re sure you do it but so does 99% of your competition for post military jobs. So how do you set yourself apart from the rest?

The answer is research.

You may have done loads, but there’s one thing the majority of candidates forget; the person who is conducting your interview. We have such a broad range of networking mediums at our disposal these days that it is incredibly easy to do some effective research into your interviewer.

When being offered an interview always ask who it will be with, if not already told, and make a note of the name and their job position within the company. Take advantage of resources such as LinkedIn to find out more about this person; what have they done in the past? What do they enjoy in their spare time? Try and find a common interest, such as sport or subjects studied, and use this to your advantage in the interview to strike up interesting conversation.

Such an approach will instantly build rapport and make you memorable.

Rejection From A Job Interview – A Worthwhile Lesson

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Chances are at some point you will have to face some sort of rejection from a recruiter, but it is how you deal with this rejection that sets you up for your interviews for future jobs. Criticism can be a good source of useful information, as long as you can take it on board and learn from it.

If you receive, or do at some point in the future, a rejection from a job application always ask for feedback. It doesn’t matter what stage of the process you are rejected at, always request the reasons behind their decision. Once you have this do not let it negatively affect you and your motivation, instead use it as an excellent means of improving.

Now that you know what your stumbling block was you can set actions in place to resolve it, whether it is something on your CV or perhaps even something you said during an interview.

Criticism can definitely be a worthwhile lesson, just make sure you take the good from the bad and move forward.

Know The Market Of Your Potential Job

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A lot of people these days are sold stories on which jobs are glamorous, which industries and sectors are the big money earners and which markets are the most stable. However, how much do you really know about the market of the role you have an interview for?

Having an in depth opinion of the industry shows you know what you are talking about, truly know what the job entails and are passionate about it. Employers and recruiters don’t want to hire someone who wants to get into the industry simply because they know people who have said it’s good or they’ve heard about the success of others. Interviewers will be looking for individuals who can tell them what they like about the industry, recount its history and give an opinion on where they think it will be in 5 years time.

It is also important to get an idea of the market too so that you know who the competitors are and what the market position is for the company you’re interviewing with. Being able to comment on such factors, or possibly even compliment, sets you in motion to establish common ground and build good rapport.

Don't Leave Your Interview Preparation Too Late

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You’ve worked hard on applications for jobs, your post military CV is great and you have landed yourself an interview. This doesn’t mean you can sit back and relax though; you will need to start preparing for it straight away so that you have the best possible chance of impressing those recruiters.

Before attending an interview you will need to have done a lot of in depth research. Make sure you know their market position, their latest moves, their products and services and their strengths and weaknesses.

Ensure you know their history, their target markets, their marketing campaigns and their competitors.

In fact the information you need to know goes on and on. Make neat notes from your research on a professional paper pad or in a folder that can be taken into an interview with you and keep them short so you can easily refer to them. Take a pen for making notes in the interview and jot down lots of questions you could ask so that you won’t be left with ‘no you answered everything’ and instead will be able to ask intellectual questions that will impress.

Tweet Your Way Into Your Post Military Jobs

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There are many different networking opportunities to explore when searching for your next role. Recently social media has been becoming a popular medium for reaching out and finding potential recruiters, one of the most notable being Twitter.

As a micro-blogging site Twitter allows its members to remain up to date with the lives and events of the people and companies they choose to follow. This is beneficial as it keeps you up to date with latest job postings and prepares you for the all important interviews by keeping you informed of latest company news.

Also, taking advantage of Twitters many functions can result in your appearance under key word searches, giving you more presence.

If you haven’t yet created an account sign up today and begin building your presence. If you do have an account but don’t use it much, keep it fresh, you never know when companies may view it and if you do use your Twitter frequently be careful of what you post, your online identity says a lot about you to recruiters and employers.

What Not To Write When Applying For Post Military Jobs

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It’s a very competitive market right now and your CV has to stand out. There are a few simple rules you need to ensure you have followed in order to make sure your CV doesn’t turn off recruiters and employers.

Save room for important, factual information and don’t ramble. Listing basic skills everyone has is not beneficial, such as Microsoft and the internet. Only list specialist programme familiarity that will be relevant to the role you are applying too such as programming languages if applying for a software engineering role. There is also no need for ‘responsible for’, just list the responsibilities straight away rather than wasting valuable lines and space.

Avoid generalisations and unsupported statements. With your new found space ensure you back up your claims. Don’t say you are experienced without listing experience, a team worker with no evidence of team working or accomplished and results driven with no proof of achievements.

Make a list of what you have been involved with and achieved and go from there, only detail things you can back up confidently in an interview or you’ll fail at the second hurdle.

Is Time Passing You By Whilst Job Seeking?

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So much to do that there doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day? At Gemini Forces we definitely understand the importance of effective time management, both while looking for a post Military job and once you’ve landed your first role since leaving the Armed Forces.

The first step to managing your time is prioritising the long list of activities you want to try and squeeze into your week and make sure doing something for yourself is at the top of that list.

You are not going to come across well in interviews for jobs if you are stressed and unhappy.

Next you need to have a critical look at the list, which is probably way too long to be realistic.

Ask yourself honestly what you can genuinely handle and sacrifice a few of the tasks which you have put a low priority against.

Now make promises to yourself, and keep them. You’ve set yourself your list so see it through and you’ll achieve everything you wanted to, there’s nothing better than a sense of accomplishment at the end of the week!

Don’t let a Great Job Interview Go to Waste

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‘Do you have any questions for us?’ the predictable question at the end of any job interview, yet a stumbling block for most inexperienced or seasoned interviewees alike. Whether you ask questions at this point or not has a huge influence on the overall impression you make on recruiters and hiring managers.

As part of your interview preparation you should sit down and think of questions that you could ask at this point, they can be anything, as long as they are relevant of course. Some good examples are progression, company culture, responsibility, good role models and such like. Take a pen and paper into the interview too for making notes and if you happen to think of a question during the process jot it down to ask at the end.

Another good time to ask questions is when following up on the interview with a thank you letter or email. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions in these that you think of after the interview, in fact it’s better if you do and makes it more likely for the recruiter to take the time to reply to you. Ask constructive questions and you will instantly seem more interested and switched on.

The Importance Of First Impressions!

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With the competitiveness of today’s job market the first impression you give to potential recruiters is of the upmost importance. This first impression is of course your CV / covering letter. With more and more applications being received by companies it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to distinguish between applicants.

Recently, Toyota received over 2000 applications for their recruitment drive for 500 positions, meaning eliminating a lot of people on paper, but as always there are fears of missing hidden talent due to this process.

Ensure your CV is neat and tidy, on quality paper and avoids needless information. Keep it punchy and 2 pages maximum if possible. Use your time wisely; experience, and on the job training are just as important as academic qualifications so get involved in as much as possible, so that your CV stands out from the crowd.

Don’t Make A Mistake While Seeking A Post Military Job

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Looking for your first post military job can be a busy and confusing time. With so much going on it’s easy to make mistakes and overlook certain areas.

Always remember to be organised with your search, knowing who you want to apply to and why will help you write a better, tailored CV and covering letter. Remember to check your references first, ensure the person is happy to provide a reference and a good one too. Also do not use a work email; using your employers resources for personal reasons may not impress potential recruiters.

Limiting your job options is also a common mistake. It is good to have focus when it comes to your job search, but remain open minded about opportunities rather than only considering one specific role. Don’t write off temporary roles either, they provide you with good commercial experience and can often lead to a permanent role within the company.

Finally, send a thank you note. Most people don’t think about this, which is why you should and be sure to stand out from the crowd.