Relaunch Your Career

Question: My partner was made redundant three months ago. He has recently become very withdrawn and depressed, despite working hard to get another job. How can I help keep his spirits up during his job search?

A number of respected career coaches are adamant that cover letters are not necessary in the modern recruitment world. Notably, career coach Phil Rosenberg, President of US-based consultancy ReCareered, carried out extensive research with hiring managers and directors, almost all of whom say they don’t read – and often don’t receive – cover letters. So, are they a good or a bad idea?

Question: I have been chasing a relatively senior role with a major blue-chip company since November. I’ve had three interviews – two in person and one by phone – and still have not seen the hiring director. Now the recruiter has called to say they want me to complete a psychometric profile. I feel as though I’m being made to jump through hoops. How can I bring this to a conclusion in my favour?

Question: I am a seven-year software development engineer and I’ve been out of work for a few weeks now. I love my work, and I have always been able to talk about it confidently, and develop on the hoof. A recruiter called me this morning to talk about an opportunity – luckily not a job that really suited – but I found myself tongue-tied because I couldn’t remember some of the most basic vocabulary from my industry. What’s happening?! Am I losing it?! And what can I do to stop it getting any worse?

Question: I’ve been unemployed for some time but there are relatively few jobs in my field, so I have started applying for roles that I’m over-qualified for. The general reaction has been suspicion. Employers and agents don’t seem to understand why I would want to apply for a role more junior than I’ve worked at before. How can I overcome this?

Question: I’m getting a lot of interest for my CV, which is posted on a number of job hunting web sites. However, the jobs I’m being contacted about are not the kind of job I want! Why is this happening and how can I attract the kind of work I want to do?

Question: How can I make my CV stand out from the pile?