How can I get my foot in the door?

Discussion in 'Employment & Jobs' started by Hilazing, Sep 5, 2013.

  1. Hilazing

    Hilazing Bit Poster

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    I've been applying for jobs left right and centre for the last few months, and I have had one interview, and nothing else.

    I have no official IT experience, but plenty of Customer service experience.

    I can't really afford to drop too much money to get my foot in the door, so I am looking at a small pay cut (looking at approx. £17-20k jobs in the Midlands) but all seem to want a lot of experience/degree.

    I am now working towards a server cert, but most people seem to say too many certs without experience is a bad thing, so I don't know where to go from here.

    How do I get someone to take a chance on me? Or at least get myself into an interview to try and sell myself?

    I generally send the same CV (For some reason I can't attach it on this site - I've pasted the details below, obviously formatting is wrong) for each application, but tailor my covering letter a little for each job.

    Any ideas/tips?

    Thanks

    - - - - CV text below - - - -

    **My Name**
    **My Address**
    **My email Address** **My phone numbers**
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Personal Statement
    I have many years experience in customer services, both face to face and over the phone, however am looking to continue my career by finding a role more suited to my interests and moving into IT.
    I have recently achieved my MCTS certification for configuring Windows 7, and am currently working towards achieving windows server 2012 certifications, however would like to add practical experience whilst studying.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Employment History
    Customer Services Representative – Major Accounts
    TNT UK LTD Lount, Leicestershire Feb 2010-Present
    Key Achievements
    • Progressing from Frontline through Admin and Customer Support departments to the Major Accounts Desk.
    • Regularly achieving KPIs and performance targets.
    • Assisting Major Account customers through transition from legacy IT systems through to new systems.
    • Consulting with senior management on business changes and enhancing productivity.

    Customer Service and Sales Agent
    AON Insurance LTD Leicester May 2009-Jan 2010
    Key Achievements
    • Answering customer queries and arranging insurance policies
    • Use of IT Skills with use of Lotus notes, ORACLE based systems, as well as customised software Systems such as TIARA
    • Answering telephone calls in a high volume call centre
    • Extensive training in strict FSA regulations
    • Extensive background and reference check performed by Verifile

    Assistant Manager
    Phoneworld Pty LTD Sydney, Australia Jun 2005-Apr 2009
    Key Achievements
    • Customer relations – dealing with everyday queries, complaints and providing extensive product knowledge.
    • Face to Face product sales direct to the consumer and small businesses.
    • Excellent IT Skills with a vast amount of experience in the use of Microsoft Office and various customised software systems, including Siebel.
    • Maintenance of computer systems.

    Sales assistant/Mini-lab assistant
    Port City Camera Centre Port Macquarie, Australia Dec 2003 - Mar 2005
    Key Achievements
    • Achieving Camera/video equipment sales targets.
    • Operation of Mini-lab
    • Customer relations
    • Operation and reconciliation of Cash register.

    Mini-lab/Home entertainment assistant
    Big W Port Macquarie Port Macquarie, Australia Mar 2000 - Sep 2003
    Key Achievements

    • Sales of cameras/home entertainment products
    • Operation of Mini-lab
    • Customer relations
    • Operation of cash register

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Key Skills
    • Microsoft Windows Client
    • Microsoft Windows Server
    • Microsoft Office
    • Good client hardware knowledge
    • Excellent Customer service skills
    • Very good telephone manner
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Education
    Professional qualifications:
    MCTS 70-680 Windows 7: configuring
    School:
    10 GCSEs
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Personal Interests
    Computers – Internet – Reading – Football – Video Games – Travel – DIY
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    References
    References are available on request
     
    Certifications: MCTS 70-680
  2. Gingerdave

    Gingerdave Megabyte Poster

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    Hey Hilazing,

    These are my thoughts when I've read your CV:

    1. Under key skills you list Windows server but you don't list any experience or certifications. I know you are working on the 2012 certs but its a stretch to place it under key skills.
    2. Dont place your keys skills at the bottom It should be near the top.
    3. Your personal statement reads to me "I have little practical experience but am willing to learn" this may be off putting to some employers, especially at the level you want to go in at.
    4. You keep using "IT skills" and then listing this products. Just say highly experienced in the use of.... the reviewer will work out that its IT based.
    5. The roles are quite vague and non of them tell me what you have achieved. ie "Responsible for managing the migration of a major client to a new system, increasing productivity as well as decreasing costs for their company ." tells me you manage a project, interact with people from Executives down to on the floor techs and deliver cost savings. At present if you told me what you are responsible for but not what you have done.
    6. Its a little sly but change 2012 certs to working towards 2012 MCSA or MCSE, its a more defined goal as well as being more recognisable.
     
    Certifications: A+,MCP, MCDST, VCP5 /VCP-DV 5, MCTS AD+ Net Inf 2008, MCSA 2008
    WIP: MCSA 2012
  3. Josiahb

    Josiahb Gigabyte Poster

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    Dave's analysis is fairly spot on, apart from his points I'd add two things, first be more specific when it comes to your key skills. Rather than referring to 'Windows client' give some versions (but be honest, the feature sets are different and you can make yourself look like a total berk at interview if you claim knowledge of one on your CV which you can't back up in person),

    Secondly, there isn't a huge amount of you in your CV, without the IT experience you need to sell yourself as a person to get through to interview on the strength of your personality.
     
    Certifications: A+, Network+, MCDST, ACA – Mac Integration 10.10
  4. Hilazing

    Hilazing Bit Poster

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    Sorry for the late reply, My phone won't let me reply for some reason, and I haven't had a chance to get to my laptop.

    I'll take those suggestions and re-work my CV a little.

    Thanks for the help.
     
    Certifications: MCTS 70-680

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