Your CV layout....... the do’s and the don’ts continue....

In our previous blog article we touched on some general ‘GOOD LOOKING’ CV tips. Here are a few more points to keep in mind.

Personal  details: Make sure that your name is clearly stated. It does however not have to be in a huge font size and take up an entire A4 page.  JC Smith is not your full name unless you want to be addressed as JC. If however your legal names are June Cindy Smith then type it out as just that. The name you want to be called first (if it is not your legal name then put it in brackets) and then any other names and then your surname- in this order.

E.g. (Sunshine) June Cindy Smith: if you want to be addressed as Sunshine

E.g. June Cindy Smith: if you want to be addressed as June

Contact details: Make sure that your contact telephone number, email address and your physical address (including province!) is at the start of your cv, clearly visible.  Your recruiter does not want to have to search for these details.

*remember the 30 seconds rule*

Loads more to follow....

Job vacancies on http://www.gissa.org.za

If you are searching for GIS job opportunities in South Africa, remember to check http://www.gissa.org.za/jobs every once in a while.

Your CV layout....... the do’s and the don’ts

We  previously mentioned that in general your recruiter takes about 30 seconds to decide if your CV is one for the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ pile. As a recruitment agency we do evaluate all CV’s sent to us and therefore when a CV with a good, well thought through, clear layout is opened, it immediately sparks our attention.  

Here are some tips for a ‘GOOD LOOKING’ CV.

• Photos: generally it is very difficult to get this right, so as a rule we would encourage you not to add a photo to your CV. If this is something you really would like to do, then keep the photo small (passport size) and professional (no pics from your latest beach holiday) and definitely only stick to one photo.
• Font: use an easy reading, uncomplicated font.
• Bold:  Don’t do your entire CV in Bold or underlined. Use these two tools for highlighting the parts of your CV that you would like to stand out.
• CAPITALS:  Don’t write your entire CV in CAPITALS. Save capitals for where it is grammatically needed.

*remember the 30 seconds rule*

This being only the start of our CV layout tips....... loads more to follow....

Current Vacancies - 14/09/2011

Here is a list of our latest vacancies. If you would like further information regarding any of these, please express your interest by sending your CV to info@latitude-resource.co.za .

- GIS Web Developer, Pretoria

- GIS Business Developer, Gauteng

- GIS Systems Analyst, Gauteng

- GIS Business Analyst, Gauteng

- GIS Developer/Specialist, Gauteng *URGENT

- GIS Technician, Durban

- GIS Business Developer x 2, Gauteng

- GIS Project Manager & Business Developer, Cape Town

- Geospatial Software Developers, Cape Town & Johannesburg

Visit http://www.latitude-resource.co.za/vacancies for more details

Applying for a advertised position... the do’s and the don’ts.

Make sure that you have read and understood what the job advertisement is asking you to do.

Typically Latitude Resource would ask that the following information be provided:

Please send your CV, including a cover letter containing the following information to info@latitude-resource.co.za

1)     Quoting reference code:  ********

2)     Availability ( notice period );

3)     Remuneration expectation;

4)     Relevant years experience to advertised position;

5)     Current location and willingness to relocate;

When we then receive a CV with no cover letter or any of the above requested information it automatically does not leave a good impression.  Treat your application as if it is your first interview with the recruiter and by ignoring the instructions you are not putting yourself in the best light.

Remember, everything about your application leaves an impression- make that impression a good one!

CV Tips - Intro

When trying to find that ‘ideal’ job, your CV is the most important document. In general your recruiter takes about 30 seconds to decide if your CV is worth spending more time on reading, or one for the ‘NO’ pile. Remember that in most cases your CV is one of many, so make sure that everything in terms of the layout and context is eye catching and not off putting.

The recruiter will either be impressed or “depressed” by the following:

1. Layout
2. Context
3. Skills/experience

In most cases a CV’s good and bad points can be categorised under one of the above three points. The layout is what draws your attention first, secondly the content needs to be correct and finally and most importantly the skills/experience needs to be relevant to the position.

I mention skills last, because it does not matter how good or relevant your skills are to the position, if you put the recruiter off with your CV’s layout and context, your CV will in most cases be discarded.

Anyway, this is just the intro and further details will follow later.

Welcome

We would like to welcome you to the new Latitude Resource Blog. The purpose of this blog is for the Latitude team to share geospatial/GIS jobs, opportunities and recruitment tips with anybody who is interested. 

As a specialised geospatial recruitment firm, we deal with many clients looking for that right person, plus prospective candidates searching for the ideal opportunity, on a daily basis. We therefore have a very good idea of what clients want in terms of candidates and what candidates need to do in order to give themselves the best chance of getting that ideal job opportunity.

Latitude Resource started in June 2010 and since day one of receiving CV's, speaking to candidates and searching for that ideal candidate, we have been dealing with a whole range of candidates and CV's which include some of the best as well as the worst we have ever seen. Instead of just ignoring the bad, we would like to assist you via this blog in supplying notes and tips on the following:

• Creating the perfect CV,
• Writing a gripping, short and to the point covering letter,
• Help you to prepare the best you can for interviews.

We look forward to our first post and hope that this blog will assist candidates in finding that perfect job!

All the best

The Latitude team