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Candidate Essentials

It's never easy getting the job you really want, not even in the good times when there aren't enough people to go round. Therefore, it is important that your first point of contact with us is clear, concise, straightforward and easy to process. We are, of course, talking about your CV. There seems to be a lot of debate and confusion, mystery even, regarding the writing of CVs, what should or shouldn't be included, how long or short, should there be pictures, coloured paper maybe? For those of you who panic on these issues there are, you'll be pleased to know, "CV Guru's", who regularly advertise their services in the press but generally know nothing at all about the creative industry. They profess to being able to manufacture the perfect CV and charge you a fortune in the bargain! So, wise up for free, It will make your life, and ours, a lot easier!

DOs
1) Send a simple typographical Quark version on plain paper, no fancy borders or complicated Photoshop montages. If you are emailing, send a text only version in Word that will download quickly.

2) Name and full address including telephone/s and email. Details of education with schools, colleges/university, qualifications and dates also marital status, children, if any, and date of birth. Whilst the latter is not an obligation nor a legal requirement, it can give a potential employer a better perspective of the candidate¹s experience and suitability for the position the employer wants to fill. On our part, we will represent a candidate of any age as long as they have the necessary experience and skills required for the particular job opportunity in question.

3) Full details of education with dates and schools/colleges attended are also important and if you are a Mac whiz kid with every program under the sun, list them! Also, if you have won any awards or are a member of a particular body or association that gives you kudos, name them!

4) The "big one" is work experience and this should be laid down in chronological order, starting from now and working backwards, because where you are now is what employers want to know most of all not where you were ten years ago! State the name of your company and the month and year you commenced employment together with your job title. This, in turn, should be followed by a brief description of your company/agency such as size, when established and it's core business etc. This gives a backdrop your skills and responsibilities which should then be listed in detail. Finally, a list of clients/accounts worked on and the type of work, i.e. ads, direct mail, brochures etc and don't forget your current salary.

DONTs
1) When emailing your CV, don't send massive files with complex CVs and work samples. A straightforward Word document that downloads quickly is what we are after. If we want to see work samples at a later stage we will ask you to send them on-line as low-resolution jpegs or posted to us on CD before we eventually meet you in person.

2) Don't even attempt "The Self Profile" which often reads something like this, " Highly intelligent, dedicated, articulate, thrusting, stunningly beautiful and totally modest Mensa who has won the respect of colleagues and clients alike ...etc. Your mum can say things like this about you, maybe your best friend, but really, it's something that should only come from a previous employer or colleague but not from you!

3) Pleeeeeeeeease! don't tell us about your hobbies, reading, cooking, socialising, eating out with friends etc. We don't really care what you do in your spare time unless it has a direct bearing on the job you are applying for!. Mind you, if it's something really rude it might be interesting.

REMEMBER
1) All CVs, however received, are sent out to potential employers in our own corporate style on our own stationery either as hard copies in the post or full colour on-line versions.

2) We never send CVs to a company without the candidate's prior knowledge.

3) We never put your contact details on a CV and all potential employers are under a legally binding contract not to contact your current employer without your permission

4) At the end of every CV we write our own summary or candidate appraisal to make certain that all relevant points are completely understood by the client.