Testing the Waters with your CV
Tuesday, October 30, 2012 12:09 pm
It makes sense that when you’re considering changing jobs, you get a feel for where your skills fit into the current market place. But how do you do this effectively? Testing the waters is one way, but is also fraught with danger!
Remember - every time you engage with an employer, whether it’s through your written application or at an interview, they will be forming an opinion about you. Treat this like their “first impression” of you. And you only get one chance to make a good first impression. This impression will immediately influence the employer’s opinion of your relevant competence and they will subsequently make suitability notes in their database as to whether you will be considered now, in future or never!
Unfortunately, the practice of sending sub-standard applications to ‘test the waters’ is too common. Currently we have way too many examples of people who (prior to gaining our assistance) were refused interviews due to negative comments made by the employer on their database years ago!
The other unknown fact is that when you send your application to an employer, they will place a $ value on what they believe your value is to them and where they see you fitting into the organisation. Its then very difficult for you to try and negotiate much more than their original assessment, as they have judged you based on the version you sent through. As they will view your application as the best you have to offer.
If you are actually better than that, then why wouldn’t you send the best version of you, so they can put an appropriate figure to your value proposition and have the greatest opportunity to get a meeting with them? This significantly helps you in your subsequent salary negotiation, because you’re starting negotiations from a stronger position.
This is critical if you have specialised skills and are also seeking employment in a small geographical location, because there will be limited opportunities for these roles in that location. Any version of you that is less than your best, may be burning bridges with them, because you can’t go back to them at a later date and say, “here is a better version of me”, because they have already formed an opinion of how suitable to them you are.
Remember - A poorly prepared application and interview performance is job-seeker suicide!
It is difficult and saddening when people come to us in desperation because they struggle to land a job when they have burnt so many bridges in the past with employers they would like to work for the most.
Take your time to get the best version of you and then you can start testing the waters. Call us on 1300 366 104 to ensure you have a CV/Résumé that showcases the best of you and knowledge of how to promote yourself to match.
If you want to test the waters, do it with a quality application and be “job ready” to take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves
If you're unsure how competitive you are or how Job-Ready you are, take our free Career Health Check and find out.
Contact Us to help showcase the "best you" when you do start Testing the Waters.