Applying for a job? Some tips

In my current job (outside of AIESEC) I'm right now dealing with hiring a bunch of new people for different positions starting from front desk service to administration. Yesterday we had an advertisement for conference center secretary and I had about 10-15 calls regarding that job offer. All of them were women of different ages and sound exactly the same. I asked them to send me their CV on my e-mail address and now I'm trying to sort out who was who. And it is crazy! So here comes some of my tips which you can use when you are applying for a job! And please do use them :)

(1) Use a picture in your CV. If you are applying for a job regarding service, put a picture where you are servicing a client or something like that. After the interview, it is much easier for the company to put together different CVs with interviews if they have a face. Your CV may be crap but if the interview was fab, then the CV doesn't matter that much anymore. But the company may forget you if they don't connect the CV with you.

(2) When you send your CV to the company, be sure to write there something about you or something that will be remembered. You would be amazed how many e-mails I have got with the line: "Here is my CV. I look forward to the interview! Kati Murutar". The name was fictional of course :) Now imagine that you have 15 letters like that in one day! There are 7 days in the week (ppl don't send their CVs only at workdays from 9-17). Think a way to differentiate!

(3) When you call regarding a job offering, also state something that brings you out of the crowd. And state the same thing also in the letter! That way the company connects you two. As much as I am concerned - it is very likely that I had 15 calls from the same woman yesterday. Really, the voices sound so similar!

(4) DO NOT! I REPEAT: DO NOT ask these kinds of questions at first: what is the salary, what are the working hours. This is a BIG NO-NO. If a company is looking for a person who is interested in the job itself then these kinds of questions will not take you to the interview.

Extra remark: If you have at least moderate knowledge about Word or other writing programs then use it in making CV. Ordinary CV is ok, but if you get a PDF with a picture and a good design - WOW. Believe me, it's a rare thing. So be glad that you have to do so much paperwork in AIESEC :) Also I suggest to put into your CV a job that you would like to have in the sence that e.g. "My aim is to find a job that would give me chance to develop myself in client service." And maybe how you would get that development, e.g. "I plan to study this ... I read books on this ..."

Good luck in finding a job,
Mari