Blog - Carolyn Smith

When you shouldn’t use a Certified Master Resume Writer

September 17, 2018 by Carolyn Smith Leave a Comment

Today, there are exactly 43 Certified Master Resume Writers worldwide. The Certified Master Resume Writer (CMRW) is the first credential specialty designed to acknowledge excellence and it is only awarded to the best-of-the best global resume writers. I’m one of them.

To apply and qualify for the CMRW, applicants must already possess a recognised resume certification, have written in the market for some time (no newbies allowed), have a body of work that demonstrates contemporary representations, such as personal branding, positioning and strategising and have equal strengths in multiple disciplines. We are considered by many to be the elite resume writers. [Read more…]

Do you really need a LinkedIn profile?

August 6, 2018 by Carolyn Smith Leave a Comment

Will you get left behind without a LinkedIn profile?

The answer is yes and no……………..

When you don’t need a LinkedIn profile

If you are a highly sought after professional, such as a person with vast experience in network and information security, or Artificial Intelligence, then you might want to skip LinkedIn, unless you want to be hounded by recruiters. You just need to connect with a couple of trusted recruiters, or directly approach top organisations and you will have success, without a LinkedIn footprint.

If your sole career focus is government, or you are a professional such as a Teacher, then you won’t need a LinkedIn profile. All recruitment processes within government are governed by legislation and checking out a LinkedIn profile is not part of the recruitment process.

[Read more…]

3 strategies to manage fear during a job search

July 16, 2018 by Carolyn Smith 2 Comments

If we are honest with ourselves, fear can be a constant companion during a job search. It’s natural when you think about it, as so much can ride on a successful job search, in particular if your current work is untenable, or you are unemployed. So many questions: How are you going to pay the bills? What if I never secure a great job? What if they don’t like me? What do I do, if I stuff up the interview? Am I considered too old, too young? How does my application stack up against others?

It is really easy to let our mind run rampant and live a life filled with fear. This of course can be exhausting, as a job hunt can be stressful enough as it is, without inviting doom and disaster.

Fear can also erode your sense of confidence and I strongly believe that employers can smell fear, and this in turn will diminish any confidence they may have in you and what you can offer them. [Read more…]

Mistakes costing you government jobs

July 2, 2018 by Carolyn Smith Leave a Comment

If you want a government job, your first step to securing one, is making sure you write a top-notch application. While there is a move away from long and complex applications, some of the rules remain the same and many job applicants are falling into the same old traps, which is costing them jobs. In no particular order:

Mistake Number One

Not being qualified for the job: The government process is designed (by law) to ensure that the most qualified person for the job is hired. It is not designed to secure the most talented person for the job. Now, you can be very talented and know that within weeks you will excel on the job. But the process is designed to score you against proven skills and qualifications. So if you don’t have these, you won’t be selected (even if you think you are the new Einstein).

So don’t apply for a job based on the fact that it sound’s exciting, or you want a government job, but apply for a job on the basis that not only does it sound great, but you have the majority of the skills and experience listed in the job requirements and selection criteria. Otherwise you are wasting your time. [Read more…]

How to avoid a toxic boss by asking these interview questions

June 18, 2018 by Carolyn Smith 1 Comment

There is nothing worse than working with a toxic boss, as it can make for an unhappy life.

You know what I’m talking about:

Managers who only think about themselves and how they look to their superiors

Managers that take all the credit

A boss that is never wrong

A manager that does not know what direction they’re headed

A boss who is a bully, or a narcissist

So before you change jobs, it is important that you do your homework, so you can read between the lines and determine whether the manager is toxic or not. One way to do this is to ask these questions at a job interview. From these responses, you will be able to determine what the culture is like and what the boss is going to be like.

Questions to ask at a job interview

How would you describe your ideal employee?

If what they are describing is unrealistic, or just not you, then this is a key indicator that this job is probably not a good fit for you and trouble lies ahead.

How do you give constructive criticism and feedback?

If criticism is going to be raised at a team meeting, then this is a big red flag. Yes, you need constructive feedback, but how they manage criticism is the difference between a great boss and a bad boss.

How long has your current team been in place?

Turnover of a team is always indicative of whether things are good or not. It might just be that the job itself leads to a high level of burnout (and do you really need this?). Or it might be a bad boss, where there is lots of conflict and people leave early. High attrition rates are usually an indication that the culture and workplace is not one that you want to be involved with.

How would direct reports describe your management style?

This goes to the heart of how they view their management style. If they sound egotistical, or are not taking this question seriously, then flashing red lights should go off.

What is your leadership idol?

Why do you like this leadership style?

If they say how much they admire Steve Jobs, then run a mile. Steve Jobs was known for a belligerent management style and while shareholders adored him, he was known for yelling at employees and many claimed his management style was abusive.

How would you describe the team culture?

Do they describe it as work hard play hard, outcomes focussed, etc.? While there is nothing wrong with these cultures, per say, it could be evidence of a toxic culture where the end results justifies the means (at any cost). So find out more about the culture.

How does the team cope with stress at the workplace?

If they don’t have an answer to this, or are dismissive, this is a great indication that they don’t care about the work-life balance of their team, or value the human side of being at work.

While these questions are not fail safe (after all narcissist are generally very charming), it could give you a sense of the person and the workplace culture. Remember, you have to work with this person 5 days a week, so the more information you have, the better when making a decision as to whether this is a good boss, or job.

Why you should not do traditional networking to secure a job

May 21, 2018 by Carolyn Smith Leave a Comment

If you read a couple of career blogs, they generally talk about having to do lots of networking to propel your career. Now I personally don’t like traditional networking, so I’m probably not the person to preach whether you should network or not.

What I do know is that traditional networking, that is going to events and feeling like everyone is in a big race to see if they can hand out business cards and talk about themselves, just does not work.

I personally like to get to know people.

I’m not interested in superficial relationships.

I’m not interested in only building relationships to get ahead, as these tend to be one-sided and selfish relationships. [Read more…]

Preparing for the dreaded Panel Interview

April 30, 2018 by Carolyn Smith 1 Comment

Panel Interviews (with 2 or more people present) are quite common in both the public and private sector. However public sector interviews are generally more formal than the private sector. Now while interviews will always evoke some amount of stress and trepidation, if you come prepared, then you will be confident in the interview setting. Below are the key things you need to know about the public sector interview, so you don’t arrive unprepared.

A panel that will usually consist of the same panel members that assessed your written application will interview you. The panel will usually comprise of 2 to 3 panel members and will normally include the immediate manager / supervisor to the role in question.