Pitch Perfect

Pitch Perfect CV tips, job interview preparation, business English, & more. Delivered by an IT recruiter 👩🏻‍💻

Depending on the job you’re applying for, some recruitment processes may include "homework”. Usually it’s a hands-on tas...
05/10/2023

Depending on the job you’re applying for, some recruitment processes may include "homework”. Usually it’s a hands-on task, aimed to test your practical skills. And like any homework, such tasks often come hand in hand with deadlines 🫠

While preparing a good solution is important, don’t forget that the deadline itself is also, in a way, a part of the task. There are 2 skills that recruiters can potentially test when setting up a deadline: time management and communication.

Now, I think it's not eye-opening to say it’s important to meet previously discussed deadlines (duh, Sasha - time management 🙄), but let’s make it a bit more interesting and imagine the worst-case scenario. Your deadline is coming up and you’re nowhere near completing the task 😱 What can you do?

That’s where your communication skills are put to a test. The thing is, deadlines can often be moved 🫢 Unless it’s a corporate environment with mass recruitment processes, you have a good chance to get some extra time if you *communicate* your need in advance. After all, the main goal of a hands-on task is to check the skills you’ll be using in your role, and communication is usually a crucial one ☝️

Here’s what you can do:
▪️ Reach out to your recruiter in advance and let them know you’re already working on the task, but won’t be able to complete it on time. Stress that you would love to do your best and ask if it’s possible to push the deadline.
▪️ Make sure the new deadline you propose is realistic.
▪️ Commit to meeting the new deadline 🙂

Good luck! 🍀

In 2018, a job site Ladders conducted an eye-tracking study to learn how exactly recruiters scan CVs. Let’s take a look ...
04/10/2023

In 2018, a job site Ladders conducted an eye-tracking study to learn how exactly recruiters scan CVs. Let’s take a look at its results and see what you have to do to catch a recruiter’s eye 👀

First of all… the famous seconds. Roughly 7️⃣ seconds is what recruiters would spend per CV on average 🚀

Does it mean recruiters will never stop and read your CV in more detail? They will! 🤞 But you have to make sure you grab their attention and focus within these first 7 seconds. Here’s how to do it 👇

What did the top performing CVs have in common?
✅ Clear and simple layouts with clearly marked section and title headers.
✅ Layouts that took advantage of F-pattern and E-pattern reading tendencies (e.g. bold job titles supported by bulleted lists of accomplishments).
✅ A personal statement at the top of the first page.
✅ Clear fonts.

And the worst performing ones?
❌ Very little white space: long sentences, walls of text, and multiple columns.
❌ Poor layout that did not draw the eye down.
❌ Keywords stuffed without any context.

Wondering how to apply this research to your own CV? Drop me a DM and I’ll be happy to review what you already have or create a new one from scratch 🤗

Not sure how to get ready for a soft skills interview (or if you should even bother preparing)? Here's a simple techniqu...
26/09/2023

Not sure how to get ready for a soft skills interview (or if you should even bother preparing)? Here's a simple technique that will definitely help you 🎁

Job interviews can be nerve-wrecking, but it's easier to approach them if you know what to expect and how to prepare. These days, a lot of companies use behavioral questions in their interviews, which aim to understand how you handle situations and tackle tasks based on your past experiences. They often start with phrases like:

▪️ Describe a situation where you had to …
▪️ Can you share a example of a …
▪️ Tell me about a time when you …

Having been on both sides of the table as a recruiter and a candidate, I know the best way to approach such questions is by sharing your story with clarity and structure. That's where the STAR technique comes in handy ⭐ Go through the pictures in this post to learn how to use it in your job interviews and leave a lasting (positive! 😅) impression on recruiters.

If you know any other useful techniques, be sure to share them in the comments and empower others to succeed 💪

Let’s talk about one of the most important parts of your LinkedIn profile - the headline☝🏻LinkedIn automatically populat...
21/09/2023

Let’s talk about one of the most important parts of your LinkedIn profile - the headline☝🏻

LinkedIn automatically populates your headline with your current job title, so theoretically, you don’t even have to worry about what to write. But is it really a good choice to leave it as is? 🤔 To better understand the idea behind headlines, let’s take a look at where they can be seen on LinkedIn (check the screenshots I've posted).

As you can see, your headline is usually the very first thing other LinkedIn users get to see. It’s your introduction - both to your contacts and to those who have no idea what it is that you actually do 👩🏻‍💻

The character limit for headlines is 220. That’s quite a lot if you think about it, but only about 60 will be visible under your name without opening your full profile. Read on to learn how to make the most of it 👇🏻

1️⃣ Move away from the simple job title and think of your headline as an elevator pitch. How would you describe yourself (professionally) in a few words? 💁🏻‍♀️

2️⃣ Share your value proposition: how do you help your clients, community, company or fellow colleagues? You can use a simple formula like “I help X do Y” or “Helping X do Y”.

3️⃣ Add relevant keywords. If you focus on a specific technology or have a narrow area of expertise, this is a good place to mention it. This will help you rank higher in search results, when recruiters look for this particular skill 🔎 You can use | or / as visual dividers.

4️⃣ Think of your target audience - who do you want to attract to join your network? 🎯 The same person can have two totally different headlines depending on whether they’re currently looking for a job (and targeting recruiters) or new clients.

5️⃣ Make it personal and catchy! This is your chance to stand out from the crowd and grab attention. Avoid stiff cliché phrases and go for something that sounds natural and personal, show what makes you unique as a professional ✨

Reimagine your intro to the professional world and see where it takes you 🙃 If you've found these tips helpful, don’t forget to like, save or share this post!

*Bonus question for the creative ones: what would Punchy’s headline sound like? 🤔

If you’re in the process of looking for a new job, sooner or later you’ll have to start scheduling interviews 🗓️ In an i...
19/09/2023

If you’re in the process of looking for a new job, sooner or later you’ll have to start scheduling interviews 🗓️ In an ideal world we’d just accept the recruiter’s first proposition, but… life is life, we all have our commitments and more often than not, calendars just don’t match. How to address that in a professional manner, yet not sounding too stiff?

Let’s start with a few ways to say that a proposed time doesn’t work for you:

▪️ Unfortunately, that time doesn't work for me / that doesn't fit into my schedule. Can we pick another slot?
▪️ How about we try another time?
▪️ Is there a different time we can meet?
▪️ Can we reschedule for a different time?
▪️ Is there any flexibility to schedule this at a different time?

If you’d like to ask for someone’s availability, you can say:

▫️ What's your availability like this week?
▫️ Do you have any openings/open slots in your calendar?
▫️ What's your schedule like for the next few days?
▫️ Could you let me know your availability?
▫️ Is there a time that works best for you to meet?

Finally, if you find a suitable time slot, here’s how you can confirm it:

🔸 That works for me. Let's lock it in for [proposed time].
🔸 Sounds good! I'll mark my calendar for [proposed time].
🔸 I'll go ahead and confirm that time for our meeting.
🔸 That’s perfect, let's go ahead and schedule it for [proposed time].
🔸 Sounds great! See you on [propose date and time].

Save this post for later and give it a like, if you’ve learned something new today 😊

Some recruitment processes include tasks that are meant to evaluate candidates’ skills. But have you ever thought of you...
13/09/2023

Some recruitment processes include tasks that are meant to evaluate candidates’ skills. But have you ever thought of your CV as a task on its own? Read on to learn why CV formatting is such a big deal and see the final CV checklist I’ve prepared for you 👇🏻

One of the most common job requirements is attention to detail. And what’s the very first chance an employer gets to evaluate this skill? Right, the second they open your CV. Your CV is a great example of how you work with information and how meticulous you are 🤓

Besides revealing your level of attention to detail, a poorly formatted CV is a lot harder to scan within the notorious 6-8 seconds ⏱️ It’s natural that when studying a document, we automatically seek certain patterns: font types and sizes, visual dividers, list formatting, etc.

Long story short, if your formatting is all over the place, you might already be losing points 🤷🏻‍♀️ Here’s a short checklist for you to see if your CV isn’t lacking consistency 👇🏻

▪️ TEXT FORMATTING
It’s not taboo to pick out 2 different fonts for headlines and body text, but make sure that you stick to the hierarchy you’ve established. Also, regardless of how difficult it is to squeeze all the information into the limited space… Don’t use different font sizes for the body text across the document ❌

▪️ SPACING
After completing the document, make sure you distribute all the blocks of information consistently. You want the reader to navigate smoothly between sections, without getting interrupted by any sudden gaps.
❗️Consistent ≠ even.

▪️ VISUAL DIVIDERS
Be it lines, use of color, space or anything else, once you've chosen a format, stick to it. It’s easy to lose some element in the process of editing, so at the very end of it, go step by step through every section and make sure nothing’s missing 🔎

▪️ DATE FORMATS
There are lots of different ways to write a date, and sometimes it seems candidates just want to showcase them all 😉 Think about what format would suit every point on your resume and use it consistently.

▪️ EXPERIENCE FORMATS
You can use bullet points, paragraphs, or a short paragraph with a general description of the role followed by a list of responsibilities. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s the same for every job position. I know, it can be tempting to just copy-paste those descriptions from different sources, but even if you do, make sure to adjust the formatting ☝🏻

▪️ TENSES
Finally, avoid mixing different tenses across the document. If you’ve chosen to describe your experience in the past tense, keep it the same for all the job positions (except for the current one, if you’re still working there). Same goes for using the -ing form of verbs 🇺🇸

Save this checklist to make sure your CV is top-notch before sending it! Or share it with a friend who could use some helpful job hunting tips 🤗

There’s no one-size-fits-all instruction for a perfect (purrrfect? 🐈‍⬛) job interview, but from the recruiter’s perspect...
07/09/2023

There’s no one-size-fits-all instruction for a perfect (purrrfect? 🐈‍⬛) job interview, but from the recruiter’s perspective, these red flags are universal. Avoid making these mistakes and you’ll be one step closer to getting an offer 📃

❌ Not admitting to making mistakes or having weaknesses. There’s nothing wrong about either of them! Don’t be afraid to openly talk about both, just make sure to also mention the lessons you learned and the steps you took / are currently taking to improve.

❌ Coming unprepared. Research is key! Show that you know the industry and the particular company you’ve applied to, make sure to review the job ad before the interview to refresh all the details.

❌ Avoiding direct answers. Even if you lack experience with something, it’s always better to openly admit that than to try and change the subject - it’s usually pretty obvious anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️ Trust me, honesty is always the best strategy.

❌ Complaining about your previous job(s) without showing that you attempted improving the situation. It’s totally ok to be unsatisfied with some past experiences, but recruiters will want to see that you didn’t just quietly observe the issue, but actually tried to find a solution.

❌ And finally, demonstrating arrogant or straight up rude behavior. Be assertive, know your boundaries (although I truly hope you’ll never have to deal with inappropriate questions 😔), disagree if necessary - but do it all politely and in a professional manner!

What do you think could also be perceived by a recruiter as a red flag? Share in the comments and I’ll let you know my thoughts 😊👇🏻

LinkedIn URLs are essentially modern-day business cards, so it's important to keep them in mind when crafting your profe...
04/09/2023

LinkedIn URLs are essentially modern-day business cards, so it's important to keep them in mind when crafting your professional identity. While it might seem like a tiny detail in the grand scheme of things, remember that it’s the details that make up the very first impression you will make on your potential employer. ✨

If you aren’t sure if it’s necessary to add a LinkedIn URL to your CV, think about it this way: it’s hard to condense everything you want to tell about yourself into [ideally] 1 page of your CV 🤷🏻‍♀️ That’s where LinkedIn, with its unlimited profile capacity, recommendations, and skill endorsements, can come in helpful!

A LinkedIn URL included in the contact details is almost a standard nowadays. As a recruiter, I often visit LinkedIn profiles to gather additional information about my candidates. You may also be asked to share your profile link on a job application form 📋

So, now that we’ve established that LinkedIn URLs are an important detail of your personal brand, let’s see how you can make yours more presentable. The default link includes a string of random numbers, making it look long and somewhat messy. Here’s where you can change this 👇🏻

1. In the top right corner of your profile page, click on “Public profile & URL”.

2. This will take you to the “Public profile settings” page. Once again, in the top right corner, you’ll find the field to change your custom URL.

▪️Keep it short and simple, ideally just your name and last name or professional brand. The character limit is 3-300.
▪️You can change your URL up to 5 times within 6 months.
▪️If you change your custom URL, the previous one will still be linked to your profile for 6 months, and other users won’t be able to claim it.

Dear Sir or Madam, hi, hello! 👋🏻 Writing that first line of an email, when you aren’t used to communicating at work in E...
20/08/2023

Dear Sir or Madam, hi, hello! 👋🏻 Writing that first line of an email, when you aren’t used to communicating at work in English, can be a stressful task on its own. Which email greetings are appropriate and which ones to avoid? 🤔

Those of us who mostly learned English at school still remember the classic “Dear Sir or Madam” or “Dear [Name]”, and might feel like a casual “Hi” isn’t formal enough. In reality, “Hi [Name]” is the most common and safe email greeting that’s suitable in 99% of the cases. Let’s look at some other options you could use 👇🏻

▪️Hello [Name] - just a tiny bit more formal than “Hi” and also suitable in most cases. A simple “Hello” without a name is a good alternative to “Dear Sir or Madame” when you don’t know the name of the person you’re addressing.

▪️Good morning / afternoon / evening / day [Name]- these are also considered polite and friendly greetings, on a slightly more formal note. You can also use these when you don’t know the name of the person you’re addressing.

▪️Greetings - another option you can use if you aren’t sure what name to use or how to spell it.

▪️Dear [Name] - you can use it in response to an email that also started with a “Dear”, but otherwise I’d avoid it - while perfectly correct, it does come across a bit old-fashioned and stiff, and business English is becoming more and more informal.

What other greetings would I avoid? ❌

▪️Dear Sir or Madam - yep, that’s right, it hasn’t made the “good” list. Just like “Dear”, it’s also correct, but even more stiff and impersonal.

▪️To whom it may concern - in the same category, overly formal in most cases.

▪️Hi [Misspelled name] - couldn’t leave this one out 🥲 Always make sure you spell the name correctly, and if you aren’t sure, use one of the general greetings I listed above. I’ve had my name misspelled a countless number of times and while it doesn’t immediately affect my hiring decision, it is annoying and makes me wonder about the candidate’s attention to detail 🤷🏻‍♀️

That’s about it. My final piece of advice for you as a candidate is to pay attention to the style and tone of communication of the person on the other side and try to match them 👌🏻

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