Flexistaff Recruitment’s Post

Recruitment myth #1 - Your CV should be 2 pages long.... I've been working in recruitment for 8 years. It's the only job I've ever done. (Apart from stacking shelves in Supermarkets through college and Uni. I'll let you into a little secret, I was the best 'Chilled' Stock Replenishment Technician at Asda Dewsbury for 4 years running. The intensity I brought to the heavy boxes of butter and juice hadn't been witnessed before in the region. Combined with an elite ability to withstand the freezing conditions and the hand eye coordination of a Wimbledon Champion it led to a 50% increase in stock availability levels, resulting in a 38% increase in customer satisfaction.) I digress. I've heard all sorts of good advice during those 8 years. But 'Your CV should be 2 pages long' is poor advice for job seekers. No hiring manager has ever said "Their experience looks great but their CV is over 2 pages long, so it's a no from me" How many times have you heard that your CV should be a maximum of 2 pages long? And yet I've never rejected a CV because it's longer. And I've never known a client reject a candidate for this reason. But I have rejected candidates who have tried to cram so much information into 2 pages that their CV is unreadable. They've reduced the font size, foregone line spacing, omitted bullet points, all to achieve the holy grail of a 2 page CV. I love white, open space on a CV. I love a professional summary, I love detailed experience, key responsibilities and key achievements. I love bullet points. I love a good font size (12 is perfect). And if this means that your CV is 3, 4, or even 5 pages long, then I've got no issue with that whatsoever. The CV is more about a really clean, easy to read representation of your skills, experience and achievements. Take great pride in it. It will play a big role in your life. *Stats and accolades may have been exaggerated for theatrical reasons.

When crafting a retail resume, focus on showcasing your relevant skills, experience, and achievements succinctly. Here are some tips: 1. **Clear Formatting**: Use a clean, easy-to-read format with consistent spacing and bullet points to organize information. 2. **Summary/Objective**: Begin with a brief summary or objective statement highlighting your retail experience and career goals. 3. **Skills**: List relevant skills such as customer service, salesmanship, cash handling, product knowledge, and familiarity with POS systems. 4. **Experience**: Detail your work history in reverse chronological order, emphasizing accomplishments and responsibilities relevant to retail. Quantify achievements where possible (e.g., "Increased sales by 20%"). 5. **Education**: Include any relevant education or certifications, such as a high school diploma, GED, or training in customer service. 6. **Keywords**: Tailor your resume to the job description by incorporating keywords related to the retail industry and the specific role you're applying for. 7. **Volunteer/Extracurricular Activities**: Include any relevant volunteer work or extracurricular activities that demonstrate skills applicable to retail, such as leadership or teamwork. 8. **Professionalism**: Use professional language and avoid spelling or grammatical errors. Proofread your resume carefully. 9. **Customization**: Customize your resume for each job application to highlight the most relevant experiences and skills. 10. **References**: Optionally, include references or indicate that they are available upon request. By following these tips, you can create a compelling retail resume that effectively highlights your qualifications and helps you stand out to potential employers.

Josh, you make an excellent point - resumes should showcase achievements and quantifiable impact, not just recite job descriptions. Far too often, candidates fall into the trap of simply listing their daily responsibilities instead of highlighting their unique contributions. The examples you provide illustrate the stark difference between the two approaches. The revised bullet points shift the focus from generic duties to specific, measurable results. This gives the reader a clear understanding of the value you brought to the role. Key things to emphasize: - Quantify your accomplishments - percentages, numbers, metrics that demonstrate the positive impact you had. - Speak to how you improved processes, increased efficiency, or drove growth. - Frame your successes in a way that emphasizes your unique skills and problem-solving abilities. Rather than just regurgitating a job description, this approach turns your resume into a compelling narrative that sells your candidacy. It allows the reader to envision how you can bring that same level of tangible impact to their organization. Your advice is spot-on - resumes should not read like generic job postings. They need to showcase the distinctive value you offer as an individual. By focusing on your achievements and their measurable outcomes, you create a resume that is far more engaging and memorable. This is such an important distinction, and your guidance will help job seekers craft resumes that truly set them apart from the competition. Thank you for this insightful recommendation to transform resumes from mundane lists to impactful success stories.

Free Sales Assistant resume examples & templates: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eDvd9u5k Selling items on the sales floor may come easy to you, but selling your skills on your resume is trickier. Check out this step-by-step guide and sales assistant resume examples to help you put your best foot forward. As a sales assistant, you are the friendly face and helping hand that humanizes any customer’s experience. In many ways, you’re the face of the company during their time in the store! So it’s no surprise that any discerning hiring manager will want to see a strong resume that shows which applicants are up to the task. 👉 https://lnkd.in/eDvd9u5k #sales #assistant #careergoals #professionaldevelopment #resume #jobsearch #career #cv #job #free #careergoals #hiring #career

🛑 Stop making your resume read like a job description! 🛑 Most resumes list job responsibilities, which can be guessed from your job title. Instead of bullet points on daily tasks, focus on specific achievements where you added value, improved processes, or increased efficiency. As an example, consider the following: ➡ From: Managed a team of Account Executives. ➡ To: Led a team of 12 Account Executives and drove an increase in regional sales by 34%, achieving 125% quota achievement in the first year. - OR - ➡ From: Handled customer service operations, including responding to customer inquiries and managing customer complaints. ➡ To: Revitalized customer service protocols, reducing response times by 40% and improving customer satisfaction ratings by 35% through proactive issue resolution strategies. A resume that showcases how you’ve made a difference is more compelling than one that merely lists your job duties. Make your resume a narrative focused on the distinctive impact you've had, not just a copy/paste of a job description. #RecruitingLife #ResumeTips #JobSearch

🌟 Tips to Make Your Retail CV Shine! 🌟 Retail professionals, want to stand out to recruiters? Here are my top tips: 1. Highlight Achievements: Include specific sales targets met, awards won, and customer service successes. 2. Use Keywords: Tailor your CV with industry-specific terms to pass applicant tracking systems. 3. Showcase Skills: Mention soft skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. 4. Education & Training: List any relevant courses or certifications. 5. Keep it Professional: Ensure your CV is well-organised and error-free. What are your must-have CV tips? Add yours below! 👇 #RetailSuccess #JobSearchTips #CareerGrowth

Today I hosted a recruiter resume review session 👇 Below are the things you need to focus on when updating your resume/LI profile As a group, we found a suitable job opening Except, instead of applying for it, we found applicants for it And we deciphered what recruiters look for, how quickly they review resumes or LI profiles and any red flags they might notice We also reviewed LinkedIn's recruiter side. What do recruiters see when you apply? Here are the TOP things to focus on when you're ready to apply to your next role 1. How relevant is your current and most recent job title to the job title you're applying for? 😩 (we found a cashier looking to apply to a project manager role) 2. How many relevant years of experience do you have? 🔢 Did you know LinkedIn and Indeed can calculate your relevant years of experience based on your job titles? 3. Industry qualifications: do you have the certs/education the position is looking for? 👉 Biggest shock: formatting. If the role you’re seeking requires attention to detail, it's best to pay attention to your resume or LI. Double check formatting, spacing, spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, etc. You'd be surprised at how many hiring managers or recruiters disqualify candidates for poor attention to detail on the first document they present in the application process. 💓 Share this with someone who's using their LI profile to apply to positions right now.

Tip for Job Seekers: Attention to Detail is Key! Last week, while screening for a Retail Store Manager vacancy, I noticed that at least 40% of the CVs I received had critical errors. These ranged from outdated job information and spelling mistakes to questionable formatting. One of the key skills I was looking for was "Attention to Detail"—so you can imagine how these errors stood out from the get-go. How do you proceed with an application when the first document viewed raises concerns? Always proofread your CV and, if possible, have someone else review it before hitting send. Taking that extra step could be the difference between getting an interview or not! #CareerTips #JobSearch #AttentionToDetail #Recruitment #RetailJobs #HR

Since Tomorrow is Monday. Let me teach you about dropping off CV's at RETAIL STORES 1-When dropping off CV's, Monday and Tuesday are perfect days to drop off. 2- Be clean, this one is important. Don't look like your problems. 3- When you get to the store, say for example Jet Store, don't ask the security about the store hiring, security's don't really know and even If they do chances are that they won't tell you. 4- When you get to the shop, greet the security than pass like you are there to shop, then check for workers the one you think it's approachable. 5- Ask for the manager/supervisor/HR 6-Be polite !! THIS IS A KEY TO MANY DOORS! 7- First Greet him/her, then shower him/her with compliments of how their company/store is beautiful. After that then you ask if the company does have any vacancies available, then give her/him your CV. 8- If they tell you that they are not hiring, please motivate them to take your cv so that they can call you immediately when there’s an open vacancy! TO THOSE WHO WILL BE SUBMITTING, I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST!! 🕯️🕯️🕯️

CV or job description?? A common mistake I'm seeing at the moment is CVs that read more like a job spec! This is at all levels too, not just among junior candidates. I'd always look at a CV as your easiest chance to show off key achievements and where you've added value in your previous roles. Not just copying down your job description and adding bullet points! Employers are always going to want to see what value you can add to their business, and the best way to do that is to show where you've added value before. If you're looking for your next role and not finding anything, it may be worth taking another look at your CV. This isn't to say that it should read as purely achievements however, make no mistake people are going to want to see what you've been doing on a day to day But make sure there's a mix of both achievements and your day to day responsibilities. It's so important to make yourself stand out against the competition in this job market, and doing what you can to do this can only help in the long-run. If you're looking for your next role, don't hesitate to get in touch, I'd love to see how we can help. StormX Recruitment - Accountancy & Finance/HR/ Office Support Specialist Recruiters #recruitment #newjob #hiring #cv #cvtips