Cover note made me LOL

Someone sent me their cv with this..... "interesting" cover note.
Made me LOL.
What do you think of it?

CV of the week award

I am lucky enough to represent some of the UKs leading brands and as a result the roles I work on are some of the most desirable in the market. This can lead to 500+ applicants for any one role.

Unfortunately 90% of the CVs I receive don't make the grade and some win the CV of the week for, humor,  shock value, poor quality, or delusion. 

What do you think of this one?

January 2015 - The eyes chico, they never lie

I hope you all had a good break and have enjoyed the first week back to work.

As always, January brings new hope, but also new CVs as job seeking activity increases by about 37%.

Todays winner of the bizarre CV award goes to this chap who sent me his CV which included this unusual image of (I presume) his eyes.

CV of the week

Here is todays CV of the week.

Yes, this is the actual CV that was sent to me for a job.

My day can only get better!

CV of the week

Now I get a lot of CVs but this one won the CV of the week award...

Yes this is the actual CV that was sent to me...

The Balloon Packer applicant

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:
 Jun 2010-Jul 2010  Balloon Packer
1 Packer  
2 Sorting out customers’ orders
2 Setting up scale to weight balloons
3 Packing bags into & boxes
4 Storing orders to warehouse
5 Printing labels for customer’s orders




A job is a job I guess...

First unusual cv of the new year

Back in the office and its all systems go for 2014.

New roles flying on every day - designers offline, designers online, studio managers and email producers / front end devs all needed for some of the best clients in London.

Having said that I am receiving interesting applications - including this CV from a hopeful job hunter.

As you can see this cv is impossible to read - I did let the person know...

Interesting cv.... for the wrong reasons

Hi guys, as you know I receive cvs and folios all day. Most of the time they are an impressive read and a captivating source of rich imagery.

Today I was sent this:

Keep in mind that this is a designer applying for a designer role... I'm not a fan of the clip art, colours, different fonts used and typos. I  have covered up the name and details of the person who sent it to me but tell me what you think? do you like it, good, bad, indifferent?

Here is an older post for a cv I loved! Check it out and feel free to hit me up on twitter @deancousin if you have other cvs that catch your eye.

How to deal with job applications

It’s not uncommon for me to receive anything up to 50 applications per day and I pride myself on being fully committed to responding to all successful (and unsuccessful) applications, as painstaking and tasking as it is.

My responses are tailored to each individual, they are honest, but more importantly they’re designed to keep a lasting relationship with my potential applicant. I’m building my talent pipelines.
You see, keeping applicants on my radar is vital to my role. Everyday new positions and opportunities for candidates are popping, so if the job wasn’t right this time, next time I know exactly who to call.
But just today, I received the following feedback from one of my applicants:
“I'm really surprised that a multi award winning creative director with the work, awards, contacts, experience and clients that I have, just gets this automated response?? Can you explain why?”

If you’re an applicant and you’ve found been in this position, don’t give up! I know it’s frustrating, but you just have to take it on the chin. It’s all part of the process. If you’re seeing endless knock-backs start rethinking your CV or folios. Make sure what you send is appropriate for the spec.
And you should ask for feedback, but ALWAYS remain professional. If you’ve been left with your feathers ruffled, don’t let them know about it. You might ruin your chances of them asking you back in the future.

The job market is highly competitive –ferocious in fact. Recruiters, hiring managers and talent scouts get flooded with hundreds of CVs. It’s a quagmire and time for screening is limited. You’ve sussed it… this is exactly why you’ve had little or no feedback. So, perhaps a generic or  automated response is to be expected. Smart recruiters will do what I do, and keep you in their talent pipeline for future openings.

Make sure your CVs and cover note (if you do one) are clear, punchy and informative, bullet points, brand names and sector experience are the key highlights you need to include. People don’t have time to read reams of information. So, one last piece of advice for all the essay writers out there in you, give it a miss…

Good luck.

Best CV ever!

If you haven't already seen this wonderful link for a super cool cv then check it out :-)

CV link here

Thanks to James Pook for the link.

How do I manage multiple agency representation?

Ever found yourself asking that question?

The truth is that all astute job seekers are going to get their credentials out there and begin dipping their toe in the water, as quickly as possible. And the way to do this is via multiple applications (which can often blur into one), numerous registrations with recruitment agencies and getting signed up onto as many job boards as humanly possible. 

This 3 tired approach is often fruitful, resulting in several avenues leading to roles that you’re applying for. Great, if you’re an active candidate eagerly seeking a new role.  Not so great if your details repeatedly land on the same hiring managers desk.

So, try and consider the following when using the 3 tier approach: 

Ask yourself when you last applied directly or via an agency to the potential hiring company?

If I was given a pound for every time I heard someone say “I can’t remember” or “I think I applied”, I’d be quids in. My point is you need to be diligent and pin this down. Keep track, make a note in your calendar or diary. In most cases a period of 6 months is suitable to be reintroduced to a firm and submit another application.

Ask your recruiter for the name of the company they’re sending your details to.

If they can’t disclose the name due to confidentiality then try to find out as much info as possible about the company and role. Common sense questions like ‘where are they based’, ‘length of contract’ and ’what market they’re focused on’, should stand you in good stead. This way you can use your powers of deduction and identify similarities, if briefed by another agency. If you think it’s one you’ve been to already, then tell your recruiter right away and they can decide if it’s worth putting you forward again.

Show loyalty.

For some reason this seems to be a quality lacking in today’s job seekers. Maybe this is down to the extremely competitive conditions of the job market at the moment, but as a senior recruiter, I can tell you that I’m naturally drawn to job seekers who show integrity and ones I can see myself partnering with. No one will hire you if they think you’re going to jump ship if another exciting opportunity presents itself. So try and be selective about where you’re sending your CV and go for top choices first when applying for roles.

Be honest.

This is my top tip for you. Recruiters always appreciate an honest approach, so don’t be afraid to be open and up front from the get go. 

If you have any questions about how to handle multiple representations, feel free to comment below or get in touch via twitter @deancousin 

Happy job hunting.

Saw this cool job ad on twitter.

I am sure we will see more embedded vids on twitter like this in the future.Here is the full vid here

Pandora I have a dream

I was sent this link - funny.

Creative Mailer

Once of my freelancers sent me this mailer.

I love it :-)

Application of the week

Here is a covering application I was sent for one of my roles. 

Had to blog it for uniqueness.

Dear Mr. Dean Cousin,

Here I am,
there you are.
I have the dream,
you have the job.

More than four
are the years
where design
has been my life,
smile and tears.

Illustrator, Illustration
Quarkexpress, Photoshop
Corel Draw, Macintosh
Super Flash, Actionscript
Print Production and
are you worried?
Take a look
you will not be sorry: http://hjpo.carbonmade.com/

Enter will be pressed
with an automatic answer
ready to be sent.
Wouldn´t that be easy
escape the format
and have a Skype chat?

Yes I´m Portuguese
and I live in Lisbon,
but by airplane, boat or car
I will be where my dreams are.