Killer CVs and Hidden Approaches

337 Pages·2006·1.541 MB·English

by  Graham Perkins

BOOKS
K
THAT MAKE
Third Edition Third Edition
YOU BETTER I
Graham Perkins is a career L Now, more than ever before, you have
L
counsellor, management skills trainer Gr aham Perkins to know how to sell yourself in a job
E
and business author. He began life as R market that is increasingly competitive.
KILLER
an accountant before spending C Staying one step ahead of the
twenty years in recruitment, latterly V competition isn’t easy — this book
s Gr aham Perkins
managing a leading executive search shows you how.
V &
and selection practice. He then turned
C
H
freelance, working as an MBA tutor, KILLER From helping you to develop creative
I
teaching management skills and D job campaigns to leaving a winning
D
providing one-to-one career impression in writing and in person,
E
management consultancy. this best-selling book is packed full of
N
s hints, tips and techniques to get you
A
the job you want.
P V
P
R C
& HIDDEN O
A
APPROACHES C
H
E
Give Yourself an Unfair
S

Advantage in the Job Market
G
Are you tired of applying to job advertisements and not even getting an R
interview? Do you find searching for jobs on the internet frustrating and A s
confusing? Are you thinking about adapting your career to achieve a better H
work/life balance, but don’t know where to start? A
M
Killer CVs and Hidden Approaches, third edition, offers practical guidance
P
on these and many more crucial career questions. Now in its third edition,
E
this classic book has been revised and updated to reflect everything you R & HIDDEN
need to know to successfully tackle today’s challenging job market.
K
More streamlined than ever before and with lots more tips and advice,
I
N
Killer CVs and Hidden Approaches, third edition, is the jobseeker’s bible.
S APPROACHES
If you are looking to progress your career, identify an alternative career
path or simply find a new job, this book provides you with all the
information you need to develop your creative job campaign and be one T
h
step ahead of the competition. ir
d
E
d
£12.99 it
io
CAREERS n
Give Yourself an Unfair
ISBN 978-0-273-71020-2
Advantage in the Job Market
Visit us on the web
9 780273 710202 www.pearson-books.com
9780273710202_COVER 1 14/11/06 14:20:15
1645PE Base:KILC_A01.qxd 22/11/06 11:56 Page i
Killer CVs
& Hidden Approaches
1645PE Base:KILC_A01.qxd 22/11/06 11:56 Page ii
“J
OB SECURITY IS
GONE FOREVER. THE
TIME IS RIGHT FOR
AMBITIOUS
INDIVIDUALS TO TAKE
CONTROL OF THEIR
OWN CAREERS.”
1645PE Base:KILC_A01.qxd 22/11/06 11:56 Page iii
GRAHAM PERKINS
Killer CVs
& Hidden
Approaches
Give yourself an unfair advantage in the job market
Third edition
1645PE Base:KILC_A01.qxd 22/11/06 11:56 Page iv
PEARSON EDUCATION LIMITED
Edinburgh Gate
Harlow CM20 2JE
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Website: www.pearsoned.co.uk
First published in Great Britain in 1995
Revised edition 2001
Third edition 2007
© Pearson Education Limited 2001, 2007
The right of Graham Perkins to be identified as author of this work has been
asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
ISBN: 978-0-273-71020-2
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Perkins, Graham.
Killer CVs & hidden approaches : give yourself an unfair advantage in the job
market /
Graham Perkins. -- 3rd ed.
p. cm.
ISBN-13: 978-0-273-71020-2 (pbk.)
1. Job hunting. 2. Résumés (Employment) I. Title
HF5382.7.P47 2007
650.14--dc22 2006051102

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without either the prior written
permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying in the United
Kingdom issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby
Street, London EC1N 8TS. This book may not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise
disposed of by way of trade in any form of binding or cover other than that in which
it is published, without the prior consent of the Publishers.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
10 09 08 07
Typeset in 9.5/14.5 Oldstyle Iowan by 25
Printed and bound in Great Britain by Bell & Bain Ltd, Glasgow
The Publishers’s policy is to use paper manufactured from sustainable forests.
1645PE Base:KILC_A02.qxd 22/11/06 12:09 Page v
The Author
Currently practising as a freelance career counsellor and writer, Graham
Perkins has a wealth of experience on which to draw when it comes to
advising people at all levels on the management of their careers. Graham
started life by training as an accountant with a Unilever subsidiary. After
qualifying with the CIMA, he joined International Computers where he
spent five years, ending up as Financial Forecasting Manager. Then, follow-
ing a spell as a Financial Controller in the construction industry, he moved
into executive recruitment where he spent 20 years ultimately heading up
the Executive Search and Selection Division of Deloitte & Touche. Graham
is the author of a number of articles on career management, and of several
books, including Snakes or Ladders? – an ambitious executive’s guide to head-
hunters and how to handle them, Pitman Publishing, 1991.
Further information on individual career counselling is available from the
author, who can be contacted at:
6 Cherrydeal Court, 165 Forest Road, London E11 1LL
Telephone/Fax [phone] Mobile [phone]
e-mail [email protected]

)
v
1645PE Base:KILC_A02.qxd 22/11/06 12:09 Page vi
1645PE Base:KILC_A03.qxd 22/11/06 12:08 Page vii
Contents
Introduction xiii
Part One The creative job campaign 1
1 Cobblers’ children
Why even marketing specialists fail to market themselves 3
The marketing concept 5
How to become a marketing pro 6
Know thyself 7
A helping ear 10
2 Knowing the product 15
From famine to feast 19
Not quite unique 20
The other acronym 21
3 Knowing the market 25
What you have 27
What they want 29
Research 29
Market segmentation 32
Shooting for the stars 34

Yes, but . . . 35
4 Overcoming the obstacles 37
Too old 37
Too young 39
Lack of experience 40
Returning from career breaks 42
There just aren’t any jobs 43
On the transfer list 44
5 Don’t limit your options 49
Do you need another job? 49
Flexible working 51
Going it alone 52
Freelancing 53
Changing direction 54
)
vii
1645PE Base:KILC_A03.qxd 22/11/06 12:08 Page viii
CONTENTS
6 What is your return on investment? 59
Target practice 60
Budgets and plans 60
Daily tasks 61
Weekly and ad hoc tasks 62
Time management 64
Facilities management 64
Project management 67
7 Where there’s a will
The psychology of success 69
When the axe falls 70
What goes up . . . 70
A smoother ride 72
Financial constraints 72
Pride and prejudice 73
Keeping your chin up 74
Sources of support 75
Dealing with rejections 77
Part Two Opening the hidden doors 79
8 The odds against ads
And how to improve them 81
Being choosy 82
Being professional 84

Being creative 86
Bypass surgery 88
The dreaded form 90
The value of feedback 91
9 Don’t call us, we’ll call you
Headhunters and agencies 95
How to handle headhunters 95
Researchers and databases 96
Sourcing and sources 97
Shapes and sizes 98
The bottom line 99
Upmarket, downmarket 101
Agency use, and abuse 102
)
viii
1645PE Base:KILC_A03.qxd 22/11/06 12:08 Page ix
CONTENTS
10 Networking 1: getting started 105
Not just for the unemployed 106
What? No network? 107
Listing your contacts 108
Spoilt for choice 110
The numbers game 111
Networking is not discrete 112
11 Networking 2: getting results 117
Before you make contact 118
Making the most of the meeting 120
Managing the meeting 122
Windows of opportunity 122
After the meeting 124
Performance targets 125
12 Networking 3: Internetworking 129
Chat rooms 129
Newsgroups 130
Message boards/forums 130
Networking websites 131
Time budgetary control 132
Traditional networking v Internetworking 132
Blended networking 133
Getting started 134

13 On spec 137
Shotgun or rifle? 138
Cold calling 139
How many hours in a day? 139
Rifle practice 141
Slaying the dragon 143
Through at last 145
14 See and be seen
More hidden approaches 149
It’s not what you read 150
Getting into print 152
Appearing in public 154
)
ix