One of the most unexpected trends we've seen recently in travel recruitment is the increasing number of candidates who don't include any contact information on their CV. No address. No phone number. No email. Nothing! A <a href="../../../../../news/job-tips/easy-ways-to-improve-your-cv/">great CV</a> should of course showcase your skills, qualifications, and experience, but it's absolutely vital that you also include contact information.
We'd like to speak
First of all, if you don't include any contact details on your CV, how can recruiters get in touch with you about any great new jobs?! It may sound obvious, but you'd be amazed at how many candidates fail to do it. Why put all the effort in to <a href="../../../../../news/job-tips/c-m-s-definitive-guide-to-the-perfect-cv/">making your CV as perfect and eye grabbing as possible</a>&hellip;and then give the recruiter no way to contact you?&nbsp;
Privacy / bias concerns
Well, a big reason may be to do with concerns regarding privacy or unconscious bias &ndash; and these worries are absolutely legitimate. In particular, more and more of us are now aware of unconscious bias - and this is why we always encourage candidates to not include a photo on their CV.
Similarly, there's no reason to include the dates of when you went to school - and if you've been in employment for a number of years, you may not want to include details of your education at all.
But contact details and your location? Both should be a fundamental part of everyone's CV.
Consider generic postcodes
If you don't want to include your exact postcode due to privacy concerns, that's absolutely fine. But many recruiters search for relevant candidates on job boards or on their own database using a postcode and radius, so if you don't want to be overlooked for new roles, it's a good idea to include a postcode on your CV &ndash; even if it's just the one for your nearest train station.
No address? No roles
Not including any address at all, means you're far less likely to be contacted about relevant jobs. You don't need to include your house number and street name, but if recruiters don't even know which town or city you live in, it becomes much more difficult to match you to appropriate roles.
While there are more <a href="../../../../../jobs/#/remote">fully-remote positions </a>out there now than in the past, they still only make up around one in four of all available <a href="../../../../../jobs/">travel jobs</a>. At the moment, around 45% of all job vacancies in the travel industry are <a href="../../../../../jobs/#/hybrid">hybrid positions</a>, with a further 30% being fully office-based.
If you don't include any location details on your CV, then you simply won't appear in any search of candidates for either hybrid or office-based roles. You're essentially ruling yourself out of three quarters of all <a href="../../../../../jobs/">available jobs</a>.&nbsp;
Ultimately, leaving your address off your CV is likely to considerably hinder your chances of being contacted about relevant jobs. And if you don't include an email address or phone number? Forget it - your chances of finding a new role are practically zero.

More and more candidates leave their address off their CV – here's why that's a dreadful idea!

Why you should ALWAYS include contact details on your CV

&ldquo;Should I include a photo on my CV? Can I leave gaps? What about hobbies?&rdquo; I&rsquo;ve been asked these (and many more) questions countless times over my 20 years in recruitment, so as the director of the UK&rsquo;s largest specialist travel recruitment company, I thought it was finally time to put together my guide to what you should and shouldn&rsquo;t include on your r&eacute;sum&eacute;.
Length / fonts / file formats
Gone are the days where your CV has to stick rigidly to a limit of two pages &ndash; if it&rsquo;s relevant and specific to the&nbsp;vacancy&nbsp;that you&rsquo;re applying for, feel free to make it longer, but there really is no point including anything irrelevant. In terms of fonts, it&rsquo;s best to keep it simple, so Arial or Verdana in size 10 is a safe bet. While there&rsquo;s nothing wrong with a basic black and white CV, you can be more experimental with the design - especially if you&rsquo;re going for a digital, marketing or creative role. However, don&rsquo;t be creative for the sake of it.
One of the key things that many people don&rsquo;t even consider is which file format they save their CV as. Most recruitment agencies and many big companies now parse candidates&rsquo; r&eacute;sum&eacute;s to their own database, and heavily formatted PDFs or those containing multiple images can sometimes create problems. So to give&nbsp;your CV&nbsp;the best chance of finding its way on to a recruiter&rsquo;s database, save it as a simple Word file and keep any uses of tables or boxes etc to a minimum.
It should (hopefully) go without saying that&nbsp;your CV&nbsp;should have a professional tone with perfect grammar, spelling and spacing, as well as consistency in terms of style and format. And it may be a personal annoyance, but I&rsquo;m instantly put off by any CV that&rsquo;s written in the third person. It should be first person every time.
Order / structure / which roles to include
Your <a href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/easy-ways-to-improve-your-cv/">CV</a> should start with your personal details i.e. name, address, email address, mobile phone number. This may sound obvious, but I&rsquo;m still amazed by how many people&rsquo;s CVs fail to include any contact information!
After this, provide a list of your experiences in reverse chronological date order beginning with your most recent&nbsp;job, with bullet points detailing your achievements and successes under each role. Even if your latest position isn&rsquo;t particularly relevant to the vacancy that you&rsquo;re applying for, you should still list it first because recruiters and employers need to know what you&rsquo;ve been doing.
How far back into your career you should go, really depends on how relevant the roles are. If you&rsquo;ve got a lot of experience then the last 10 to 15 years is the most important, but if you&rsquo;re relatively new to the industry then include all of it. If you&rsquo;ve spent a considerable number of years in one job, then break this down into the different roles that you had &ndash; and if you only had one role during that time, then split it into sub headings with separate tasks.
For every other job, list a few bullet points under each with a couple of examples of your successes &ndash; usually relating to targets, profitability and revenues. So if it&rsquo;s a marketing role, state which tasks you have been part of. If it is a sales role, detail which targets you had and illustrate how you reached them. If it&rsquo;s a customer service role, perhaps include some testimonials from clients that have been happy with your service.
Gaps
Whatever you do, don&rsquo;t leave gaps on <a href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/more-easy-ways-to-improve-your-cv/">your CV</a>. As a recruitment agency representing you, we need to know what you were doing so that we can explain it to the potential employer in the best way. However, if you sent your CV directly to the employer and it included big gaps, they&rsquo;re likely to think that you&rsquo;ve either been doing nothing, were unemployed or were maybe even in prison! The CV is your shop window and it needs to sell you in the best possible way, so don&rsquo;t make problems for yourself by leaving gaps and creating needless question marks.
Education
How much educational information you include on your CV depends on how much experience you have. Even if you&rsquo;ve been in the industry for a significant amount of time, then it is still important to put some education on your CV &ndash; especially if you are degree or A level educated. So list where you were educated and a top overview of what qualifications you&rsquo;ve gained, but you don&rsquo;t need to specify every individual subject and grade. Any additional qualifications or training should go above your education but below the employment history.
Hobbies
Something that people often overlook on their CVs are hobbies, but I think they can be really important &ndash; especially any sporting achievements. If you&rsquo;re going for a sales role, then someone with a competitive nature or a high achiever within the sporting field will always be attractive, so if you&rsquo;ve played any activity to a club, borough or country level, then this should certainly be included because it demonstrates drive and application, and potentially the ability to work as part of a team as well.
Also, what looks is good is if you&rsquo;ve coached any teams, such as children&rsquo;s football or something similar. Hobbies outside of work are quite important, especially if they are in some way relevant to the role that you&rsquo;re going for. Every recruiter is different, but I always look at hobbies on a CV.
Personal statement
All candidates should make sure they include a personal statement, which should be at the top of the CV below the personal details. In it should be everything that&rsquo;s not included in other categories, so it should include attributes, strengths, achievements that aren&rsquo;t already listed &ndash; such as if they have sat on any boards &ndash; and things that are related to the industry that aren&rsquo;t in their employment history. It should be a paragraph or perhaps two at the most, but no longer - and it absolutely shouldn&rsquo;t take up half a page.
Cover letter
Separate covering letters aren&rsquo;t really used anymore, but you should still include a version of it on the email when sending your CV in. It should be a short synopsis of the CV which needs to state what role you&rsquo;re going for, what your attributes are, why you could be good for the position, when you&rsquo;re available for interview and how close you&rsquo;re located to the vacancy. If you&rsquo;re applying to a recruitment agency then you should also say how far you would be willing to travel for the right role, what salary you&rsquo;re looking for, why you&rsquo;re leaving your current role, what notice period you&rsquo;re on and whether you&rsquo;re applying for any other roles. That should all be condensed down into about two paragraphs or, even better, use bullet points.
Photos
Don&rsquo;t do it! When applying for the average role, including a photo on your application is just ridiculous. Unless it&rsquo;s absolutely relevant (for example, if you&rsquo;re applying for a cabin crew role and the employer is interested in your appearance), please don&rsquo;t even consider it. Including a photo just opens up the risk that the employer might discount you purely for what you look like.
Also, it can potentially come across as arrogant because employers may think that you presume you have an advantage in getting the job because of your looks.
Need more help?
Hopefully that&rsquo;s covered a lot of questions, but C&amp;M Travel Recruitment have been helping candidates find great travel roles for the past two decades, so if you need any <a href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/how-to-build-up-your-cv/">extra help with your CV </a>or want to know how best to present yourself, just let us know.
Barbara Kolosinska is the Managing Director at C&amp;M Travel Recruitment

C&M Travel Recruitment’s Barbara Kolosinska shares her ultimate guide to creating the perfect CV

C&M's definitive guide to the perfect CV

Test your tech&hellip;and yourself
Firstly, make sure you know your way around the technology. Find out whether the call will be made through Zoom, Google Meet or any other software and practice in advance. Download the apps or software and have a practice call with a friend to ensure you feel comfortable connecting to the call and turning on your microphone and video. Also, if you live in an area with sporadic wi-fi, consider using an internet cable as these can often result in a more successful connection.
Next, think about where the call will take place. Try to find a room in your house with a plain wall or window &ndash; something that won&rsquo;t be too distracting for you or your interviewer. Try not to use a virtual background because these can create visual issues when you move around and can become very distracting, but if you really have to, then use a very simple and neutral backdrop.
Ensure that your screen is at the correct height so that you feel comfortable with the image displayed and are not looking down all the time. Then use the record function in Zoom to do a practice run, and watch it back to assess your body language &ndash; maybe even send it to a friend to get their thoughts.
Keep it professional
You may be preparing for a video conversation rather than an in-person meeting, but this is still a&nbsp;job interview, so <a href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/how-to-prepare-for-a-job-interview/">prepare in exactly the same way as you would normally do</a>&hellip;and yes, that does mean putting on trousers.
Do your hair and your make-up and make sure you&rsquo;re suited and booted. If you look the part, then you are going to exude confidence. You don&rsquo;t want to go into an interview looking unkempt because you will then come across as being scruffy and sloppy. It may seem shallow, but job interviews are your chance to let the interviewer see the best version of you - both aesthetically and verbally.
Dress the part, prepare,&nbsp;<a href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/the-secrets-of-job-interview-research/">do your research&nbsp;about the company,</a> and ensure you have some questions ready to ask at relevant intervals.
Take advantage of the situation &ndash; bring notes
Of course, one of the main differences in a Zoom job interview is that your interviewer won&rsquo;t be able to see what&rsquo;s on your desk - and there is nothing wrong in using this to your advantage.
You shouldn&rsquo;t simply read your answers off a script, but why not have various bullet points or key words to refer back to? So prepare thoroughly, and place your research below the screen so that you can subtly glimpse at it occasionally.
Let your personality shine
Most job interviews start with a handshake, but any physical interaction is of course impossible online. Instead, welcome them with a smile and try to begin with a succinct, upbeat and positive introduction.
Even though you will be meeting your interviewer over a screen, they won&rsquo;t necessarily be able to read your body language (and you won&rsquo;t necessarily be able to read theirs). Passion can easily be lost on video interviews, so it&rsquo;s even more important than normal to make sure that your personality comes across. Practice what you want to say and ensure that your ambition, experience, drive and determination all come across as you want them to in order to stand out.
Don&rsquo;t panic about unexpected visitors
We&rsquo;ve all seen the clips of children and dogs running wild in the background of video calls &ndash; and some things just can&rsquo;t be helped. If you are interrupted during your interview, then don&rsquo;t ignore it &ndash; if you can sense that something unexpected has happened, then there&rsquo;s a very good chance your interviewer can too! Instead, apologise, acknowledge what has happened and try to make light of it &ndash; you could use it to bring some humour to the interview and give you a chance to display some personality.
However, you should try to do all you can to minimise the chances of disturbance. So if you have children or animals in the house, then arrange for someone to look after them while the interview takes place &ndash; just as you would if you had to visit an office for the interview.
Try to ensure that no parcels are due to be delivered while you&rsquo;re on the call, and if you live in a shared house, put a note on your door saying that you can&rsquo;t be disturbed.
Ultimately, some things are inevitable, but if you&rsquo;ve done all you can to&nbsp;prepare for your interview&nbsp;and have minimised the chances of any interruptions, then you&rsquo;re more likely to be fully engaged and presenting the best side of yourself throughout the meeting. Best of luck!

How do video job interviews differ from face-to-face meetings? How can we make the most of them? What replaces the handshake? And, most importantly, do you need to wear trousers? Here's the answers

Five keys to a great video job interview

Research the company
Do you enjoy awkward silences? If not, it's probably a good idea to research the company and find out as much information as you can before the job interview. It's commonplace these days for employers to ask what you know about their company, as this shows attention to detail and gives an indication that you want this particular job rather than any old role.
There's plenty of ways to find this information out, but a good place to start is on their website. Scour the "About Us" page and take notes on what the company does, when it was founded and where it's based.
Find out who its competitors are, whose in charge, what the individual market is currently like and if there have been any recent notable developments that could affect the sector. Even try searching for its most recent financial records - not only will this give you an idea of how well the business is doing, but also whether your <a href="../../../../../../jobs/">job</a> is likely to be secure if they offer you a role.
Finally, it's a great idea to get as comprehensive an understanding as you can of what the company is actually like. Is it a fun place to work? What are their customers like? What kind of consumer does the business attract? Does it have a smart or casual dress code? Is it modern or old fashioned?
As mentioned before, start by looking on the company's website for clues, but also search on Google for any mentions of the business in news articles or on forums. This can sometimes provide a more honest insight into the business - but obviously don't believe everything you read on the internet...
Research your answers
This is unlikely to come as a shock to you, but you'll be asked many questions in your <a href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/how-to-prepare-for-a-job-interview/">job interview</a>, so it's obviously worth taking the time to prepare your answers. You can't guess everything that they'll ask, but the same types of questions pop up in most interviews, so you can certainly revise these.
Essentially, recruiters and employers want to find out three things about their candidates, so answer these questions positively and you'll have a far better shot at landing the job:
<ul>
<li>How much do you want the job?</li>
<li>Do you have the skills to do the job?</li>
<li>Are you a fit for the company?</li>
</ul>
And don't feel cautious about showing some personality. As the last of those three questions demonstrates, employers like to gauge whether you'll fit into their company and work well alongside their existing staff, so be relaxed but take your lead from the interviewer and the office environment.
Either way, you're almost guaranteed to be asked one or more of the following questions, so think hard about your answers, practice them and revise.
<ul>
<li>Why did you leave your last job? / Why do you want to leave your current job?</li>
<li>What can you bring to this company?</li>
<li>Why do you want to work for us?</li>
<li>How long would it take for you to make a difference to this company?</li>
<li>What are you most proud of in your career?</li>
<li>What have you enjoyed in your previous jobs? What have you found challenging?</li>
<li>What is the biggest regret of your career?</li>
<li>What is your major weakness?</li>
<li>How would you describe yourself?</li>
<li>What do other people say about you?</li>
<li>What did you do during the gap in&nbsp;your CV?</li>
<li>Where do you see yourself in five/ten years' time?</li>
</ul>
Research your questions
Once you've been grilled it will be your turn to be in charge, so think of a few questions to ask back. Some of your potential queries will inevitably already have been answered during the job interview, so make sure you have lots ready. After all, having nothing suitable to ask (and resorting to, "Um...what's the salary?") is just plain embarrassing and makes it look like you're not prepared.
Remember a few of the following questions and you can't go wrong.
<ul>
<li>Will I mainly be working on my own or as part of a team?</li>
<li>Why is this role available?</li>
<li>How long do people generally spend at the company / in this role?</li>
<li>What is the company's working culture like?</li>
<li>What are the company's short-term plans?</li>
<li>Will there be a training programme provided with the role?&nbsp;</li>
<li>Will I have the opportunity to attend courses during my employment?</li>
<li>What would be the next stage of the interview process?</li>
<li>If I were to be offered the role, when would I be required to start?</li>
</ul>

So you've prepared for your job interview, but have you done your research? By reading up on the company, practicing your answers and preparing a few questions of your own, you can make yourself feel more comfortable and confident, and give yourself a far better chance of being a successful candidate

The secrets of job interview research

Keep your mouth shut!
It may be obvious advice, but it's also good advice; the fewer people you tell about your job hunt, the smaller the chance that your boss will find out. Confiding in a friend or two is understandable, but speaking to anyone at work is risky - we all know how fast gossip spreads around the office...
Update your LinkedIn profile subtly
If you're searching for a new job, then you'll want to&nbsp;<a href="../../../../../news/job-tips/five-simple-ways-to-boost-your-linkedin-profile/">update your LinkedIn profile</a>, but remember that your current manager will be able to see (and possibly even be notified) whenever you make any updates.
There are a few ways around this though - firstly, make sure that your activity broadcasts are turned off, and secondly, be subtle with your wording. Don't say your &lsquo;seeking a new challenge'; just detail your roles and the skills that you've brought to them. Keep it professional rather than eager.
In the same way, be careful when you're networking. This is now a massively important method of finding new jobs, but be careful about who you talk to and how honest you are. Who's to say the person you're networking with isn't about to do the same with your manager?
Consider your references
While most people put their current boss down as one of their references, this isn't always the most sensible thing to do. If they get a call from someone asking to provide a reference for you, then your secret's out in the open, so consider choosing a former boss and a colleague that you can trust instead.
If you go for a job and they insist on speaking to your current manager, then explain that you'll happily hand over their details when they make you a firm offer. If that happens, politely speak to your boss explaining what's happened and try to keep it all on good terms - don't annoy them minutes before they write your reference...
Don't call in sick for an interview
If you need to go to an interview, then you haven't got the job yet, so don't risk your current position by calling in sick. It might seem tempting, but it really isn't worth the risk and, if you're boss finds out, it will make your working arrangements slightly more tense, to say the least.
If you've got holiday time left then book a day off work, if not, then it looks like some &lsquo;personal issues' might affect you coming in that day...
Speak to your boss 
Ok, this goes against everything you've just read, but if you've had no luck finding a new job, why not look for a better role at your current place of work? Be careful about how you word it when speaking to your manager, but most bosses will be pleased to know that their employees are determined and eager to increase their workload. At the very least, this might result in you learning a few more skills to add to your CV.
But if you're still having no luck in your job hunt, try&nbsp;<a title="Submit your CV" href="../../../../../candidates/">uploading your CV to C&amp;M Travel Recruitment</a>&nbsp;and let one of the consultants do the hard work.

Everyone loves gossip, but some things are best kept secret - such as when you're searching for a new job. You don't want your hunt to jeopardise your current role, so here's how to keep it quiet

Five ways to keep your job search secret

Put some decent clothes on
Getting changed just to answer the phone may feel silly, but the way you&rsquo;re dressed really does affect your telephone manner. You don&rsquo;t necessarily have to go all out and wear a suit and tie, but at least dress smartly so that you feel more professional and are more likely to think you actually deserve this&nbsp;job. Let&rsquo;s face it; if you&rsquo;re sitting around in your pyjamas then you&rsquo;re unlikely to be at your most alert.
Similarly, smiling while your answering the phone can give the impression that you&rsquo;re friendly and approachable. This obviously isn&rsquo;t always appropriate, so judge it based on the role that you&rsquo;re going for, but having a warm, welcoming and professional voice rarely does anyone any harm.
Charge your phone
This is a common error. You really don't want to be scrambling around trying to find your charger mid-interview, so make sure your phone&rsquo;s fully charged and working in advance. If you&rsquo;ve got any doubts at all about whether your mobile is picking up all of your calls, then just give out a landline number and make sure you&rsquo;re waiting by the phone a few minutes early.
Keep your CV and notes nearby
One great advantage of a telephone&nbsp;job interview&nbsp;is that you can refer to notes throughout and the employer will be none the wiser. Before the interview, think of answers to the questions that you&rsquo;re likely to be asked and then keep them in front of you &ndash; this will let you present a pre-prepared answer as a new one.
Also make sure you&rsquo;ve got a copy of <a href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/c-m-s-definitive-guide-to-the-perfect-cv/">your&nbsp;CV&nbsp;and&nbsp;covering letter</a>&nbsp;nearby, so that you can refer back to any claims you&rsquo;ve made.
Distance yourself from distractions
Turn the TV off, unplug the phone (not the one you&rsquo;ll be using, obviously) and generally make sure you&rsquo;re not going to be distracted by anything for the next few minutes. Try to find a quiet place in the house where you can hide away and make sure that your children / housemates are far away or at least unlikely to come knocking. Also, try to make sure that your telephone interview has been scheduled for a very specific time (say, 10am-10.30am) so that you&rsquo;re not only prepared, but are also likely to have minimal distractions.
Practice and stay calm
Like any <a href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/how-to-prepare-for-a-job-interview/">job interview</a>, try to&nbsp;practice your answers&nbsp;in advance so that you&rsquo;re not only less likely to be caught by surprise, but will also feel more confident in your responses.
It&rsquo;s also worth remembering a few other basic tips about how telephone job interviews differ from face-to-face conversation. Slow your speech down slightly and speak more clearly to ensure that there are no miscommunications on the phone, and remember that your interviewer will not be able to see any of your body language, so think carefully before making any light-hearted comments that could potentially be misinterpreted.
Finally, attempt to take notes while on the phone or immediately after the interview ends. Write down any information that you picked up and answers that you gave, as this will all come in handy should you progress to the next stage of your <a href="../../../../../../jobs/">job hunt</a>.

You’ve got a telephone interview! That means you can sit in your pants with a whisky, right? If your answer to that question was in any way ‘yes’, then you might want to pay attention to the following tips

Five secrets to a successful telephone job interview

<div>Slam your old boss</div>
<div>
Whatever disputes you had with your former manager or workmates, a job&nbsp;<a title="How To Prepare For A Job Interview" href="../../../../../news/job-tips/how-to-prepare-for-a-job-interview/">interview</a>&nbsp;is definitely not the place to air them. Apart from the possibility that your interviewer also hates your ex-boss (which, let's be honest, is slim), your grievances are only like to result in "trouble" being written on your notes. Instead, attempt to put a positive spin on your disagreements or at least present them in a constructive manner.
Claim to be faultless
Don't go into a job interview and immediately launch into all of your faults, but equally make sure you've got a good answer in place when you're asked what your biggest weakness is. This question pops up frequently in interviews, so prepare an answer that makes you seem honest, but still highly employable. If you're really stuck then try mentioning something that would have little impact on how you perform your role, or point to a previous work challenge that you successfully overcame.
Leave your phone on
Even if you don't answer your phone during the interview, the slightest hint of a ringtone will instantly affect your job chances. It comes down to attention to detail - if you can't remember to even put your phone on silent during a job interview, then what else might you forget? Having said this, it's always worth bringing your mobile to an interview in case you run into any problems on your way in. Which brings us to...
Be late
Turning up late to a job interview is a guaranteed way to annoy your future boss. But if you're running late, then make sure you phone ahead and let them know with as much notice as you can. You're still going to need a very good excuse though, so take all precautions to make sure you can arrive on time.
Come unprepared
Perhaps the most important part of a successful interview is to do your&nbsp;<a title="The Secrets Of Job Interview Research" href="../../../../../news/job-tips/the-secrets-of-job-interview-research/">research</a>&nbsp;beforehand. Find out as much about the company as you can - what do they do? Who are their customers / competitors? Etc. Employers often ask interviewers what they know about their company, so make sure you've got more to offer than an awkward silence.
Show that you're tired
It's understandable to have trouble sleeping on the night before a job interview due to nerves, but don't let it show. You've only got to be alert for a few minutes, so focus and maybe get some caffeine. One of the main attributes that many employers look for is enthusiasm, so make sure you don't come across as unfocused or uninterested.
Dress down
The only time it's ever justifiable to wear causal clothes to an interview, is if you've been explicitly told to do so. For any other occasion, it's always far more sensible to dress smartly. Even if companies have a casual dress code for current staff members, that doesn't mean that they want potential employees to turn up in t-shirts and jeans. Iron your suit, have a shave and make the effort - you'll be annoyed if you've lost the job because of what you picked out of the wardrobe.
</div>

Unless you've got some real masochistic streak, it's unlikely that you'll deliberately want to scupper your job interview. But with so many easy ways to get your application ignored, it's best to make a note of what to avoid

How to ruin a job interview in 7 easy steps

Plan your journey
Unless you're one hell of a persuading talker, you're unlikely to get the job if you turn up looking like a big sweaty mess, so it's absolutely integral to plan your journey beforehand. If you're going by car, try driving past the location in advance so that you know the route and (if you really want to be prepared for any possible scenario) seek out an alternative route there.
Similarly, if you're going by train or bus, then check the departure and arrival times in advance and keep an eye on any maintenance work on the lines or anything else that could cause a delay.
Finally, if you're lucky enough to be able to walk to your job interview, ensure that you know exactly where the office is and that you can gain access to the building - you don't want to be stuck outside while your potential new boss thinks you just haven't turned up.
Sleep
It's not always easy to sleep the night before a<a href="../../../../../../news/the-secrets-of-job-interview-research/"> job interview</a>, and that's why it's important to give yourself the best chance of getting a good night's sleep, so go to bed relatively early and set your alarm. If you really can't sleep though, just have a coffee or two in the morning - after all, you've only got to be alert for the short duration of an interview.
Read the news
It may not seem like the most obvious part of preparation, but it's always worth reading the news on the morning of a job interview. Many employers like to see that potential recruits are aware of the goings on both in their industry and in the wider economy, so don't be surprised if they throw in a question about what impact you think X will have on their business.
Dress smartly
If you're unsure of the dress code then always dress smartly. Turning up in just trousers and a shirt can give the impression that your attention to detail might be lacking, so get your suit ready and ironed the night before. There's no need to buy anything new (unless your wardrobes consists entirely of band t-shirts or football tops), but try to wear something that will make you look smart but also feel comfortable.
Men should remember to shave, and women should refrain from wearing any strong fragrances or too much make-up and jewellery, while smokers should attempt to resist the urge to light up immediately before the job interview.
Come prepared 
Finally, it's a good idea to bring with you <a href="../../../../../../news/c-m-s-definitive-guide-to-the-perfect-cv/">your&nbsp;CV&nbsp;and a portfolio</a> of your previous work, if appropriate. The employer will almost certainly have your CV and application form to hand, but taking a copy with you shows that you have considered all possibilities. Likewise, the interviewer may not have asked to see any of your past work, but bringing along a fewer relevant examples is unlikely to hurt your chances.
Also, take along your notes so that you can do some last minute revision, as well as a bottle of water and some cash for a last-minute taxi.

Job interviews can be incredibly stressful things, so it is important to take away at least some of the tension by making sure you're completely prepared. By planning certain things in advance, you'll be free to concentrate solely on your answers and, let's face it, that's what's going to secure you the job

How to prepare for a job interview

Be professional&hellip;
The last thing most of us want is to jeopardise our job, so work out exactly what you want to say in advance and, perhaps most importantly, how you want to say it. You could essentially treat it as a mini job interview &ndash; dress well, do your research and have stats lined up to back up what you say.
&hellip;and confident
Timidly asking your boss if there&rsquo;s any slight chance that you could maybe, perhaps have a few more pounds, please, is unlikely to get you anywhere. If you don&rsquo;t sound like you&rsquo;re worth a pay rise, then your manager will find it too easy to deny you one, so it&rsquo;s absolutely crucial to be confident and sound like you deserve every penny that you&rsquo;re asking for.
It&rsquo;s worth remembering that you shouldn&rsquo;t be afraid to ask for a pay rise. If you&rsquo;ve earned it and your employer can afford to give you a wage hike, then why shouldn&rsquo;t you get it?
Explain why you&rsquo;re worth it&hellip;
If you don&rsquo;t know why you deserve a pay rise, then neither will your boss, so work out your strategy in advance. Don&rsquo;t rely on sympathy. It&rsquo;s not enough to walk in there asking for some extra cash because your rent&rsquo;s going up next month; your boss will need some iron-clad examples to back up your demands - if only so they can justify it to&nbsp;their&nbsp;boss.
As we mentioned in&nbsp;<a title="How To Prepare For A Job Interview" href="../../../../../news/job-tips/how-to-prepare-for-a-job-interview/">our job interview guide</a>, employers love examples of a candidate&rsquo;s work, so prepare a list of accomplishments and show them exactly what you&rsquo;re worth to the company. Have you saved the business money? Do you successfully carry out tasks beyond your basic job description? Have you received praise from other clients? Make notes of all of these things and build up a case for why you deserve a better salary.
One of the best ways to demonstrate your worth is to show why the company needs you and why you would be a loss if you had to potentially walk away in the future. Think about how having you on the team would benefit the company going forward and try to come up with a plan of what you will bring to the business over the next few years. But remember to be realistic &ndash; don&rsquo;t promise to put in extra hours every week if you don&rsquo;t intend to.
&hellip;but don&rsquo;t threaten to quit
Speak confidently about why you deserve an increase in salary but don&rsquo;t threaten to go to a competitor if your boss doesn&rsquo;t agree. Any kind of ultimatum runs the risk of annoying your manager and, even if they agree to your demands, you may still have ended up harming your working relationship in the long-term.
Keeping all discussions amicable is the best approach. This way, if you don&rsquo;t manage to immediately persuade your manager, you can at least agree a date for a future salary review with some potential targets to work towards. If your boss truly wants to keep you at the company, they will know that they can only say &lsquo;no&rsquo; to you so many times.
Get your timing right
While what you say is vital, knowing when to say it is equally important &ndash; and we&rsquo;re not just talking about the time of day. If your company has been downsizing or struggling in other ways recently, then they&rsquo;re unlikely to want (or be able) to fork out more cash to keep their employees happy, so consider delaying or at least reducing your demands.
On the other hand, if you&rsquo;ve recently completed a major project or received praise for your work, then now might be the ideal time to try your luck. Also, take into consideration your manager&rsquo;s workload &ndash; if you know they never even have time to buy a sandwich on Mondays, maybe think about booking a meeting with them for a Tuesday afternoon.
Put a figure on it
It&rsquo;s estimated that the total cost of replacing a staff member can run into the many thousands, so if you truly are an invaluable part of the team, it&rsquo;s likely that your company will do what they can to keep you.
However, you need to be realistic. If you already earn a good wage and your work rarely stands out from that of the rest of the office, it&rsquo;s unreasonable to expect a big pay rise. So do your research, look at what rival companies are paying for similar roles and work out a figure that you think is achievable. But don&rsquo;t be greedy &ndash; as mentioned above, if your company has recently made redundancies or has had a weak year, then you might have to rethink your expectations.
If you&rsquo;re successful&hellip;
Congratulations&hellip;but don&rsquo;t celebrate quite yet! If you&rsquo;re working at a large company then many people will be involved in any change to your basic salary, so keep an eye on the progress. If things seem to go quiet, just remind your boss by asking them if there&rsquo;s anything that you need to sign.
If you&rsquo;re unsuccessful&hellip;&nbsp; 
Try, try again? That&rsquo;s up to you, but you now have three clear options &ndash; accept the decision and continue with your current salary, work hard and attempt to change your manager&rsquo;s mind, or start the hunt for a new job.
The decision is yours, but if your morale and work ethic is suffering, then it could at least be worth considering your options and looking at&nbsp;<a title="Travel Job Search" href="../../../../../jobs/">which other travel jobs are currently out there</a>. If you&rsquo;re right about how much you&rsquo;re worth, then surely someone will be willing to pay you it&hellip;

More travel jobs are available and lots of companies are increasing their salaries, so now’s the perfect time to ask for a pay rise, right? Possibly. But before you walk into your manager’s office demanding a 20 per cent salary hike, make sure you’re fully prepared, have chosen the ideal time and can prove that you’re completely worth the extra cash

How to get a pay rise

Even if you're happy in a secure job, it's always important to <a href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/c-m-s-definitive-guide-to-the-perfect-cv/">refresh your CV</a> - no-one knows what's going to happen in the future, so why not keep your options open?
<div>
By following a few easy steps, you can make sure your CV will not only stand out to employers, but will also reflect well on you as a candidate.
Sell yourself
Sum yourself up in a few words at the top of your CV stating the type of work that you want and what you can offer in that position. Sell yourself and make your summary section stand out - and don't be embarrassed about it.
Make it clean and clear
A CV is an employer's first impression of you, so don't blow it - make your CV neat and presentable, so that it represents you in the best possible way.
In terms of general layout, pick one of the common typefaces (Arial, Times New Roman, Courier or Verdana) at size 10 or 12 and stick to it. Simple steps like these will make your CV look professional and, hopefully, increase your chances of finding&nbsp;work.
General CV points
<ul>
<li>Use left-justified text - it's easiest to read</li>
<li>Only use bold for headings (employment history, education etc)</li>
<li>Use bullet points</li>
<li>Dates of employment should include the month and the year, for example: Mar 2010 - Feb 2011</li>
<li>Save your CV in a word format</li>
<li>Include personal information, such as your name, full address, telephone numbers (day/evening/mobile) and email address</li>
<li>Place the important information at the start: Put experience and education achievements in reverse chronological order</li>
<li>Use positive language when describing your achievements - say, &lsquo;launched' or &lsquo;achieved' rather than just, &lsquo;had to' or &lsquo;tried to'</li>
</ul>
Adapt your CV to each application
CVs don't need to contain your life story - they should be tailored to each position that you apply for, so there's no need to mention part-time bar work if you're now applying to be an office manager.
Your main focus at this point should just be for your CV to not end up in the bin, so think about what the employer is looking for and make the appropriate changes.
Justify your claims
As mentioned, it really is important to sell yourself in your CV, but it's equally important to back up your claims. Examine the skills that each employer needs and explain how you have demonstrated these attributes in previous roles.
Examples of the benefits that you have made in former positions are far more appealing to employers than qualifications that you gained in the old days.
Candidates who can show that they are efficient, proactive and profit-orientated are always likely to appeal to employers.
Check, check and check once more
Once you've made all these changes, proofread your <a href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/more-easy-ways-to-improve-your-cv/">CV</a> a couple of times and try to get some fresh eyes to scan it. CVs containing spelling mistakes often get thrown straight in the bin, so make sure that yours doesn't suffer the same fate.
</div>

Maybe you're fresh out of university and your struggling to get your first job, or maybe you just need a change, but haven't updated your CV in a while. Well then this is for you.

Easy ways to improve your CV

Be confident
First impressions really are all-important, so make sure that you give yourself enough time before the job interview to go to the bathroom and freshen yourself up.
Use a relatively firm handshake at the start and end, and maintain eye contact wherever possible. Sit up straight, look interested and focused and try to come across as being confident - if you look like you can do the job, then you're a lot more likely to get it.
Sometimes it can come down to the small details, so if it's between you and someone who fidgeted for the full 20 minutes, then you might just have the edge...
Be positive
When trying to make a positive first impression, it stands to reason that you should try to project a positive personality, so stress the benefits that you can bring to this role and why you think you could be a success in it.
If you have any grievances about your old job or employer, then now's definitely not the time to air them. It's great to show personality (as we'll explain in a second), but not when it shows your negative side. Employers aren't going to want to hear about how bad your former boss was - it will just make them imagine what you could be saying about their company in future years.
So if you've got negative reasons for leaving your old job, then make them sound constructive or, at least, try to remain upbeat and professional.
Be yourself
As mentioned above, it's important to show your personality and attempt to strike up some kind of rapport with your interviewer. Companies will often speak to several&nbsp;candidates&nbsp;back-to-back, so any positive impression that you make could give you an advantage.
This doesn't mean that you should take on a different persona though. Try to relax and feel free to laugh, but judge the tone of the <a href="../../../../../news/job-tips/how-to-prepare-for-a-job-interview/">interview</a> before you make it too light-hearted.
If you're lucky enough to discover that you both grew up in the same area or share the same interests, then make the most of it. Interviewers love to see an indication that they could actually work with candidates if they give them the job.
Take your time
If you're unsure about how to answer anything then it's ok to take your time, have a sip of water or even ask for a few seconds to consider your response. It's far better to give a strong answer after a slightly awkward silence than sprout gibberish because you were caught off guard. Equally, if you're unsure of the meaning of any&nbsp;<a title="Secrets Of Job Interview Research" href="../../../../../news/job-tips/the-secrets-of-job-interview-research/">questions</a>, then ask for clarification.
End it politely
While it may not be as crucial as the first impression, it's still important to end the job interview in the right manner. Shake their hand, thank them for their time and let them know that you look forward to hearing from them soon.

Just a few minutes stand between you and your new job, so it's probably a good idea to try and make the right impression. It's easy (and natural) to get nervous at this point, but don't worry; you've done your interview research, so all that's left is to concentrate on your demeanour and then everything else should fall into place

How to make the right impression at a job interview

If you still need a few more CV tips even after following&nbsp;<a title="Easy ways to improve your CV" href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/easy-ways-to-improve-your-cv/">these steps</a>, then you're in luck, because that's exactly what you'll find here.
Keep it short
Unlike this epic two-edition blog post, try to keep your CV relatively short - ideally keep it under two pages. For any&nbsp;attractive job, employers are likely to see many applications, so it's unlikely that the fourth page of your CV clinches it for you.
There are many ways to free up space on your CV, such as leaving out the details of your references - simply state that they are available on request. Also, you could create a "Previous Employment" section for any roles that you had more than a decade ago (just list your job title, the company name and the dates).
Finally, it's not necessary to create a long list of schools that you attended (just highlight the important stuff) and you don't need to write paragraphs about your hobbies either.
Leave out the disappointments...
It may sound obvious, but it bears repeating; your CV is not the time to own up to any failures that you've had in your career. You might be asked about these things at the interview stage, but you can worry about that later. Basically, don't weaken your successes by also mentioning the failures.
Don't give the employer any reason to discard you at this point, so also leave out any poor exam results or disappointing past business ventures.
While you should never lie on your CV, you don't have to mention anything that could possibly lead to you being discriminated against. Therefore, it is not essential to include information such as your race, date of birth, marital status or any disabilities.
...but don't leave gaps
Big gaps in your CV can be a warning sign to any potential employers, so don't give them a reason to presume the worst about you.
Also, don't be tempted to exaggerate (or flat-out lie) about previous job titles, salary or dates of&nbsp;employment&nbsp;because employers may check your CV's accuracy. And if it turns out that you bent the truth too far, then they may have the right to fire you.
Think about keywords
Although it may not initially strike you as being an important part of your CV, it's certainly worth thinking about which keywords you use. More and more recruiters now use online systems or job boards to search through CVs, so if you haven't got the appropriate keywords in your CV, then you won't show up. To give yourself the best chance of being detected, research the words used in similar roles to yours and work these into your CV's summary section.
And you're done
So that's it. And <a href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/c-m-s-definitive-guide-to-the-perfect-cv/">when you're happy that your CV is as polished as it can be</a>, make sure you&nbsp;upload it&nbsp;to the good folks here at C&amp;M Travel Recruitment. Best of luck!

Even more tips to help you create the perfect CV and land a new job

More easy ways to improve your CV

&nbsp;
Do some work experience
Yep, it's an old classic, but work experience is always a good addition to the CV. If you can, try to gain experience in the same or similar profession to the one that you wish to be employed in, but don't just ignore opportunities in other sectors. After all, everyone loves a good "transferable skill".
Take advantage of your part-time work
If you're working part-time in a&nbsp;job&nbsp;unrelated to the one that you want, then why not make the most of it by asking to take on a few more responsibilities? Any organisational or financial tasks will look great on the CV, so get asking.
It may seem like you'll be doing more work for no more money (chances are, you will be), but it could well be worthwhile in the long run. If you have to work in a part-time job that you don't enjoy, then why not learn as much as you can while you're there?
Become a volunteer
Volunteering's a massive plus on any CV. It shows that candidates are active, willing to work and eager to help good causes - all great traits that employers love to see. And the opportunities are vast.
Typically, we may think of people volunteering on relief efforts in Africa or helping to build schools in Asia, but there are numerous chances to lend a hand closer to home. The Conservation Volunteers even offer 90-minute slots, so there's really no excuse not to <a href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/c-m-s-definitive-guide-to-the-perfect-cv/">add this to your CV</a>.
Take a gap year
If you really want to fully experience being a volunteer, then get yourself abroad and take part in one of the previously mentioned activities. Employers love that kind of stuff. But if that doesn't sound like a fit for you, then there's loads of other ways to make a year abroad look good on your CV.
Spending months on the beach in Thailand probably won't excite too many employers, but travelling to new places and demonstrating that you've grown from seeing new cultures could lend a boost to your employment prospects.
Travelling can demonstrate that you're open to new ideas and experiences and that, after a year of moving around, you're ready to focus on your career. And obviously take advantage of any opportunities to gain experience of new working practices or environments when you're away.
Start a blog
Following on from the last idea, why not write your own blog while you're away? Not only is it a perfect way to keep a record of all the little details that you'll want to look back on in a few years' time, it will also be a great addition to your CV.
And it's also worth starting a blog even if you're not venturing much further than the kitchen. Detailed or brief, as long as you show some kind of writing/ designing/ time-keeping ability, then it's worthwhile.
At the very least, compiling a regularly updated blog will give you far more satisfaction than wasting the afternoon on daytime TV.
Pass your driving test
Finally, why not spend your spare time passing your driving test? It may not be the most obvious route to a new job, but you might be surprised at how many positions require candidates to have a clean driving license (so don't pass your test and promptly crash into a hedge).
Passing your driving test might not be the cheapest way of finding a&nbsp;new job, but it could be one of the most useful.
Once all that's been completed,&nbsp;<a href="../../../../../../candidates/">sumbit your CV</a>&nbsp;to the C&amp;M Travel Recruitment site and wait for the (fingers crossed) good news.

It's the smaller things that make the difference. While you may not be able to add a new position to your CV, you can certainly boost your employability

How to build up your CV

Update your details
Before you start applying for every role that you can find, your very first step should be to&nbsp;<a title="C&amp;M's guide to the perfect CV" href="../../../../../news/job-tips/c-m-s-definitive-guide-to-the-perfect-cv/">update your CV</a>. Highlight what you&rsquo;ve done in each of your roles and give clear examples of how your work has made a difference. Statistics are always a good way of grabbing attention so if you&rsquo;ve generated x amount of revenue, then say so. If you&rsquo;ve been with the same company for a significant number of years, then try to break down your time there into separate sections &ndash; i.e. have you had different job titles or responsibilities?
Next you need to&nbsp;<a title="Five Simple Ways To Improve Your LinkedIn Profile" href="../../../../../news/job-tips/five-simple-ways-to-boost-your-linkedin-profile/">update your LinkedIn profile</a>. Much of the information can be duplicated from your new CV, and don&rsquo;t feel embarrassed to change your LinkedIn headline to something like &lsquo;an experienced Travel Consultant currently seeking a new role&rsquo; &ndash; you&rsquo;re looking for a new position so be brazen about it.
Stay positive
It&rsquo;s vital to stay upbeat &ndash; remember that you lost your job through no fault of your own and that many other companies are recruiting for staff at the moment. The travel industry has had a skills shortage for the past few years, so there are many roles available for experienced travel professionals like you.
Get your name out there
There&rsquo;s only so much you can do on your own, so submit your CV to the job boards and&nbsp;register&nbsp;with a specialist recruitment company that knows the industry and can match your experiences to a relevant role. Recruiters can also offer you advice about improving your CV and&nbsp;<a href="../../../../../news/job-tips/what-to-wear-to-a-travel-job-interview/">interview</a>&nbsp;technique, advise you about exclusive roles that aren&rsquo;t advertised elsewhere and let you know how much you should realistically be earning.
Be active
Unfortunately, it&rsquo;s likely that many other people will be in the same situation as you, so it&rsquo;s important to act quickly and stay ahead of the competition. It may be a clich&eacute;, but to really give yourself the best chance of finding a great new role as soon as possible, you need to treat your search as a job in itself. Dedicate your time to it and be fast but be thorough. Tailor each application for each individual role and don&rsquo;t rush your wording because it&rsquo;s far more important to sell yourself properly than to send in an application that&rsquo;s riddled with mistakes.
Use your contacts
This is the ideal time to reconnect with your old contacts and suppliers. Be proactive and ask around to see if anyone knows of any&nbsp;<a title="Travel vacancies" href="../../../../../jobs/">vacancies</a>&nbsp;or has any leads for you. And don&rsquo;t be ashamed about it &ndash; many companies are searching for quality candidates at the moment, so why wouldn&rsquo;t they want to know that someone of your experience is currently available? LinkedIn is perfect for this &ndash; send out some messages and see what comes back.
Attending industry events can also be a very useful way to connect or reconnect with people that may have influence. It&rsquo;s also worth remembering that some companies have even been known to create an opportunity specifically for a candidate if their skillset or product knowledge is particularly niche or specific, so do ensure you remind people about what you can do. Finally, a glowing referral from a well-known industry name can really grab the attention of recruiters and employers, so ask around and see who&rsquo;s willing to vouch for you.
Clean up your social media profile
It&rsquo;s now common practice for employers to search a candidate&rsquo;s Instagram, Twitter and Facebook pages before they invite them for interview, so this is the perfect time to go back through your profiles and make sure they&rsquo;re all appropriate.
Is there anything on there that you&rsquo;re now embarrassed by? If so, it&rsquo;s a good idea to delete it. Our personalities are reflected in our social media profiles so no-one&rsquo;s expecting them to be 100 per cent professional, but if you want to find a new role quickly then it&rsquo;s wise to ensure your online presence isn&rsquo;t likely to seriously offend.
Read the press
Another key source is to read the trade press and stay abreast of the&nbsp;<a title="Travel industry news" href="https://www.candm.co.uk/cm/news">news.</a>&nbsp;Our industry can move quickly and it&rsquo;s sometimes impossible to predict which direction it will go in, so stay on top of events and seek out the latest industry columns to see if there&rsquo;s anything you can capitalise on. You may even find out about a new role that hasn&rsquo;t even been advertised yet. Who&rsquo;s recruiting? Who&rsquo;s retiring? How much am I worth? Who&rsquo;s opening a new office? Who&rsquo;s launching a homeworking division?
For even more advice about finding a new travel job, just&nbsp;<a title="Contact C&amp;M" href="../../../../../contact-us/">contact the recruitment team at C&amp;M</a>.

For many of us, it’s our worst fear – arriving at work at 9am as normal only to be told that the company is going into administration and we’ve instantly been made redundant. But unfortunately, that nightmare can be a reality for many people, so here’s how to go about finding a new travel job with very little notice

How to quickly find a new travel job after redundancy

Can you do it?
A big question to start with - do you actually have the skills and knowledge to do the job? It's very tempting to jump up to a role that pays well and sounds great on your <a href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/more-easy-ways-to-improve-your-cv/">CV</a>, but if you haven't got the expertise needed, then you could find yourself registering with recruitment agencies again in six months' time.
If you're not a fast learner, then you could just end up giving your confidence a massive knock.
Is it what you want to do?
So does it fit in with your career plans? If it's only intended to be a short-term fix, then move straight ahead to the next question, otherwise it's definitely worth considering whether you can see yourself at the company in a few years' time.
There's usually three main reasons for taking a new job: more money; a shorter commute; or a better chance of progressing your career. The final point isn't solely about having the chance to move your way up at the company (although that's obviously a big plus), but it could just mean being given good training opportunities to make yourself more employable in future. Try to make sure at least one of these points can be ticked off before <a href="../../../../../../jobs/">switching jobs</a>.
Can you afford it?
For the right role most have us would get up at a daft hour and commute for miles. But as well as eating up hours of your day, it will also take a big chunk of the money out of your pocket, so it's hugely important to work out the door-to-door length of your journey and how much it will cost you.
Secondly, we all like to think we'll be a hit in our new role and a pay rise will soon follow, but don't rely on it happening. If you're not happy with your basic salary, holiday entitlement, bonuses and pension now, are you likely to be in the future?
Will you fit in?
Everyone thinks about the location and salary when considering a job offer, but one thing that's often overlooked is the actual company - if you take the job, you'll be spending a fair amount of your time in their office, so make sure it's right for you.
Obviously, unless you were interviewed by your future boss, it's hard to know whether you'll get on with your colleagues, but you should have been able to gain at least a vague idea of the firm's working culture and whether you're likely to feel at home.
Is it stable?
Not the most obvious question to ask yourself perhaps, but possibly the most important - is the job secure? Do your research on the company, find out why the job's available and see if the business is in a good financial position. There's no point switching jobs to further your career if the company's going to be downsizing before the end of the year.
Of course, every role needs to be assessed on an individual basis, so don't automatically turn it down just because you answered &lsquo;no' to most of these questions.
At C&amp;M, the only thing we love more than finding someone a new job is finding them their perfect job! So, take time to think about it and make sure the role's the right one for you.

You've been offered a new job! Fantastic news - you should accept immediately, right? Well, probably, yes, but it's worth taking a couple of minutes to ask yourself some questions before you do. After all, you could be spending the next few years of your life in this role, so there's no point rushing in

Five questions to answer before accepting a new job

What do you look for in a good candidate?
When we&rsquo;re recruiting, we look for candidates with good and varied experience, a great attitude, flexibility, a can-do attitude, ambition, a willingness to attend industry events if applicable and a good, solid work experience. We also like them to be well-presented, have a warm and friendly disposition, have good contacts, great references and an understanding of the industry.
It&rsquo;s also become increasingly important to have a&nbsp;good LinkedIn profile&nbsp;and have a professional presence on social media. When I recruit for my own business, I always, always check a candidate&rsquo;s social media profiles. I always look on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Many roles in travel are all about relationships and contacts and nurturing them. Therefore it&rsquo;s about doing all you can to make those relationships even better and grow your network.
What would immediately put you off a CV?
From our perspective, it&rsquo;s continuity of service, so no job hopping. If you&rsquo;ve worked for three companies in three years, then that will raise questions, but if you've been in the industry for ten years and split that time relatively evenly between three companies, then that will instantly be more appealing. People do frown at candidates who have been at a company for less than a year or so. However, there could be very good reasons for that and that is why coming to a recruitment agency will help because we will fill in those gaps and ascertain why they have moved on quickly. If a&nbsp;<a title="C&amp;M's ultimate CV guide" href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/c-m-s-definitive-guide-to-the-perfect-cv/">CV</a>&nbsp;like this is just sent directly to an employer then it could potentially be frowned upon.
A CV should contain a candidate&rsquo;s successes and achievements and it needs to be presented well, so it should have bullet points, be spell checked and contain the correct grammar and punctuation. If it is lacking in any of these departments, then that would be a negative.
Are qualifications needed to get into the travel industry? What professional training is out there?
When you first start in travel, you have options such as IATA fares and ticketing courses, GNVQs in travel, CRS and GDS training or even a degree in travel and tourism. I have a travel and tourism degree and it has probably helped me in my career, but the most important thing is experience. Get the experience under your belt.
Moving forward, at a more senior level, the best professional training would be to get a Masters. Degrees are quite common place these days, so if anyone has gone to the effort and invested their own time to gain a Masters, then it shows a lot about that individual. I am impressed when I see that on a CV.
Are travel companies struggling to find good candidates or is the industry awash with them?
It&rsquo;s the former - absolutely. It&rsquo;s a candidate-driven market and has been for a long time because there are a lot of jobs out there and unemployment is historically low. The gap between the number of travel vacancies and the number of quality candidates is only going to get bigger because there are more and more<a title="Travel jobs" href="../../../../../../jobs/">&nbsp;travel jobs</a>&nbsp;being made available. Of course, there are going to be more candidates registering, but it is about convincing companies in the travel industry to broaden their requirements and look at a wider selection of candidates, which a lot of companies are now beginning to do.
What is the recruiter&rsquo;s role in the process? What exactly do you do?
The recruiter&rsquo;s role is significant. From a candidate&rsquo;s perspective, we are a one stop shop. We have maximum exposure to the majority of travel companies, in terms of contacts as well as vacancies. We are also there to help candidates with their&nbsp;<a href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/easy-ways-to-improve-your-cv/">CV writing</a>&nbsp;and to support and assist them with the&nbsp;<a title="How to prepare for a travel job interview" href="../../../../../../news/job-tips/how-to-prepare-for-a-job-interview/">interview process</a>.
From an employer&rsquo;s perspective, some candidates will only come to us to help them find a new role and, likewise, some employers out there will only come to us with their vacancies. We are also there to help clients with salary benchmarking and to guide them through the interview process and assessment days.
Also, recruitment companies can have access to travel businesses that aren&rsquo;t necessarily currently recruiting &ndash; we have the contacts and we know who is happy to receive speculative CVs and who isn&rsquo;t.
We are all experts at what we do here at C&amp;M - we have 300 years of travel industry experience and have been recruiting in the sector for 20 years. We have the knowledge, the extensive database, the legacy, the industry-wide exposure, a visible networking presence at industry events and a significant advertising reach for both candidates and clients.
By Barbara Kolosinska, Managing Director at C&amp;M Travel Recruitment

We're frequently asked all sorts of questions about finding a new job in travel – such as what works on a CV and what doesn’t, how competitive the market is, and what exactly it is that a recruiter does! So without further ado, here’s the five questions I’m most commonly asked about travel recruitment:

Five questions everyone asks about getting a new travel job

Motivation
Or lack of. Did you begin your current role with excitement and enthusiasm but now find yourself doing the bare minimum to get by? That's a clear sign that you've outgrown your job. We're not all lucky enough to be in a role that we'll jump out of bed each morning for, but we shouldn't feel utter apathy about work either.
When did you last feel excited about your job? When did you last enjoy it? When were you last given a new task that you actually looked forward to tackling? When did you last go home and say you enjoyed your day? If you're struggling to answer any (or all) of those questions, then it could be time for action.
Stress
Some people thrive on stress and deadlines, but too much stress isn't healthy for anyone. We all need to be able to switch off for a while, so we shouldn't be checking our inbox every two minutes outside of the office. Work anxiety can manifest itself in various other forms such as a lack of energy, general irritability, or even having no appetite, so think about whether you recognise any of these traits in yourself.
Our career can have a huge impact on how happy we are in our spare time and how we interact with family and friends, and it can be far too easy to let the unhappiness we feel at work seep into our relationships.
If you're worrying about work so much you struggle to sleep at night or are finding you can't enjoy Sundays because your dreading the next morning so much, then it simply may not be healthy to carry on as things are.
Boredom
Watching the clock on a slow Friday afternoon at work is one thing, but being in a perpetual state of wishing you were elsewhere is another. It may be a clich&eacute;, but most of us spend more time at work than we do with our loved ones, so it's perfectly reasonable to want a job that at the very least passes the time quickly.
If you've felt bored at work for the last few months, it could be worth speaking to your manager about it. They wouldn't want one of their employees to feel unchallenged or unmotivated &ndash; after all, bored people are less likely to be fully engaged in their job and are therefore more prone to making mistakes - so consider asking for more responsibility or a different focus in your role. But if nothing really changes after this conversation, maybe finding a completely new position at a different company could be best for all parties.
No progression
Here's an interesting one &ndash; think about your last week at work and how it compares to your first. Has it changed? Have you progressed? Has it stayed pretty much the same?
We should always be developing and&nbsp;<a title="Candidate career advice" href="../../../../../news/job-tips/">learning new skills</a>&nbsp;no matter how old we are or how long we've been in a job, so what have you learned in the past six months? What have you done in the past year to&nbsp;<a title="How to build up your CV" href="../../../../../news/job-tips/easy-ways-to-improve-your-cv/">add to your CV</a>?
It's fine to feel comfortable at work, but feeling like your career's stuck with no hint of progression is entirely different.
Even worse, if you're putting in long hours and working to the best of your ability, but see no reward or development opportunities, then this can be hugely demotivating and can result in frustration, anger and resentment.
Employees who feel undervalued and unchallenged can stagnate, so it could be time to assess your options and consider working for a different company which offers greater opportunities for you to grow.
You're already job hunting
A clear sign that you need to move on is if you're already checking out what else is available. If you've looked at a few&nbsp;<a title="Travel jobs" href="../../../../../jobs/">travel job adverts</a>&nbsp;(or even if you clicked on this post!) then deep down, you probably already know that it's time for you to take on a new challenge.
If you're still unsure, then it essentially comes down to three options; continue in your current role and try to find the positives in it, talk to your manager about your concerns and how you would like things to change, or&nbsp;<a title="Contact C&amp;M" href="../../../../../contact-us/">speak to a recruiter</a>&nbsp;about which other opportunities are available.

Do you really hate your job, or do you just hate it today? Sometimes it can be hard to tell. But if the bad days are outnumbering the good, and you find yourself nodding along to several of the following points, then it may be time to begin your next travel job hunt

Five signs you need to find a new travel job

Take a deep breath
It may seem obvious, but it truly does work. Pausing to take a deep breath after your first line really will help you to relax and give yourself time to adapt to the situation - especially if you&rsquo;re asked to start your interview with a short presentation.
A big part of the reason why people get nervous is due to the tension of a new scenario being placed in front of them, so slowing down the moment and attempting to relax can help to ease any stress.
Be prepared
One of the best ways of making yourself relaxed is to feel in control, so&nbsp;<a title="How To Prepare For A Job Interview" href="../../../../../news/job-tips/how-to-prepare-for-a-job-interview/">prepare as much as you can</a>&nbsp;and revise thoroughly. Research the company and its competitors,&nbsp;<a title="The Secrets Of Job Interview Research" href="../../../../../news/job-tips/the-secrets-of-job-interview-research/">prepare your questions and answers</a>, make sure you know the route to the office and bring some examples of prior work with you if you can.
Some particularly determined candidates have even been known to research their interviewers in order to see if they have anything in common to bond over! Basically, get as much done in advance as possible.
Drink water
Here&rsquo;s a very simple one &ndash; if you get nervous then there&rsquo;s a good chance that your mouth will become dry, so bring a bottle of water with you to your job interview. Don&rsquo;t presume that you&rsquo;ll be offered a drink when you arrive.
Sit up straight
Another easy tip is simply to sit up straight. Not only will this make you look more professional, but it will also ensure that you&rsquo;re voice better projects. Even if you&rsquo;re a complete wreck on the inside, sitting up straight means that it&rsquo;s less likely to show.
Treat the interview as a conversation
Now this one&rsquo;s harder. If you can manage to approach the interview as you would a normal conversation, then your fears will be dramatically reduced. But, whether you can do this or not, you should walk into the room confidently and with a smile in order to help defuse any initial tension.
Focus on your strengths
If you&rsquo;ve managed to secure a job interview with the company then you must be doing something right, so take that confidence in with you. Don&rsquo;t worry about what the interviewer is thinking - if you go in with a clear idea of the points and image that you want to get across then you&rsquo;ll have a far greater chance of being successful.
One of the best ways to do this is to rehearse what you&rsquo;re going to say. If preparing your exact answers makes you feel more comfortable, then do that, but it&rsquo;s probably best to just outline the points that you want to make in response to each possible question. This is likely to make you seem more open, honest and genuine.

While it might not be quite up there with your wedding day or possibly even the final game of the season, a job interview certainly has the ability to bring on the nerves. Nerves are a great indication that you actually want the job, but it’s best to keep them in check - fortunately there are a few ways to do just that

How to stay calm in a job interview

Set Up Your Account ASAP!
This will obviously only apply to some people, but if you haven't already got a&nbsp;LinkedIn profile, then get one. They're free (unless you want a Premium account) and easy to set up, so there's no need to put it off any longer. The sooner you set up an account, the sooner you'll potentially appear on recruiters' radars when they're looking to fill a new job.
And, of course, creating a profile immediately gives you a better chance of building up those all-important contacts - do you know someone who knows someone who's looking for someone like you?
Sell yourself
How you word this depends on whether you've already got a job, but either way it's important to present yourself in the most employable light.
If you've got a job, then don't mention anything about seeking "new responsibilities" or wanting to take the "next step in your career", but if you're unemployed, then run wild and sell yourself in the best way you can.
Be professional at all times, but also keep it brief and engaging - basically, treat it as a mini&nbsp;<a title="Easy Ways To Improve Your CV - Part 1" href="../../../../../news/job-tips/easy-ways-to-improve-your-cv/">CV</a>. Recruiters are only likely to scan your LinkedIn profile, so give them details of your key experiences and attributes straight away.
Look smart
Unlike with your CV, a photo is a necessity on LinkedIn and could make or break your profile, so keep it professional. There's no reason to put on a suit and iron your shirt, but use a photo that at least makes you look presentable (anything drunken needs to be left purely to the realms of&nbsp;Facebook).
A simple photo of you looking relatively smart and smiling should do the trick.
Think About Keywords
As mentioned above, recruiters will look through many, many candidates and are only likely to skim your profile so, to make it easier on them, try inserting a few keywords that show off your best skills.
Often, recruiters will search through the entire database of profiles on LinkedIn by using a location and a relevant keyword or two, so if you've neglected to use a couple of vital words on your personal description, then how do you expect to stand out among the millions of others?
Change Your URL
Sometimes in life it's wise to be a geek - and this is one of those occasions. By changing the URL of your profile from something like www.linkedin.com/pub/tomdavis/60/8c34/768 to www.linkedin.com/pub/tom_davis, you'll make your LinkedIn address look much smarter and also demonstrate that you've shown attention to detail. And employers like that kind of thing.
It's free, easy to do (just go to the &lsquo;Edit Profile' page) and takes a matter of seconds.
Get Some Recommendations
Possibly the best way to make yourself stand out from the hoards of other job seekers on LinkedIn is to gain some recommendations. These are simple to get hold of - just ask your current or ex boss or one of your colleagues for a sentence or so, and consider writing one back too if it's appropriate.
It's worth remembering though that one or two well-written recommendations from respected people within an industry can count for a lot more than a stream of single line reviews from your work mates.

Whether you like it or not, LinkedIn is now firmly established as a massive part of the recruitment process. Most employers check applicants' profiles and many people secure jobs simply through their connections on the site. But whether you've already got an account or not, there's a few simple ways to make your profile stand out

Five simple ways to boost your LinkedIn profile

Get smart
Often you&rsquo;ll be unaware of the dress code in an office when you arrive for a&nbsp;<a title="How to prepare for a job interview" href="../../../../../news/job-tips/how-to-prepare-for-a-job-interview/">job interview</a>, but if you&rsquo;re unsure, then it&rsquo;s always worth opting for a smart approach. Either a skirt or trouser suit is a reliable option for women, while a buttoned-up shirt and tie is essential for men.
Turning up dressed in a suit when everyone else in the office is in a t-shirt and jeans can be temporarily embarrassing, but if you arrive in a t-shirt when everyone else is wearing a shirt and tie, then you&rsquo;re simply not going to get the job.
Neutral colours
Wear a yellow shirt underneath a green suit and you&rsquo;ll undoubtedly make a strong first impression, but you'll also stand a good chance of them never wanting to see you again. Keep your colours neutral by opting for black, grey, navy or other variations. Ties and women&rsquo;s shirts can be treated with a bit more freedom but be very careful about using excessively bright colours.
Minimal make up / jewellery
Is your interviewer allergic to certain perfumes? You don&rsquo;t know, so it may not be worth risking it. Equally, wearing too much make-up or jewellery can be off-putting and distract from your answers, so women should consider wearing natural colours and avoid any bright lipsticks or eyeliners.
Shave, trim etc
If you&rsquo;re even vaguely in need of a haircut then this is the ideal time for it and, for men, either have a close shave or at least tidy up your beard.
For those with long hair, it could be sensible to tie it up to create a more professional look and minimise the chances of your hair distracting you (and your interviewer) during the&nbsp;<a title="The secrets of job interview research" href="../../../../../news/job-tips/the-secrets-of-job-interview-research/">job interview</a>.
Shoes and belts (wear them!)
You probably didn&rsquo;t need to be reminded to wear shoes, but you might need a reminder to polish them. For some reason, many employers pay a great deal of attention to interviewees&rsquo; footwear, so scrub up and score an instant plus point.
Also, you can get another easy tick just from wearing a belt. If the belt loops of your trousers are showing, then your outfit will look unfinished.
Don&rsquo;t flaunt it
Whether you&rsquo;re hot or not, a job interview simply isn&rsquo;t the place to be flaunting your body, so dress demurely and look professional. Minimal cleavage and leg should be shown by women and, similarly, men shouldn&rsquo;t wear shirts or trousers that are too tight. If you&rsquo;re constantly re-arranging your outfit, then you&rsquo;ll look unprepared and won&rsquo;t be giving your answers your full attention.
Tattoos and piercings
Depending on the employer and the type of travel job that you&rsquo;re going for, it might be worth removing any piercings before the interview.
Obviously it&rsquo;s not quite so easy to remove your tattoos, so simply do your best to conceal any that you have. Many employers are now very welcoming to staff with tattoos, but you don't yet know your interviewer so don&rsquo;t let any particularly noticeable markings have a potentially negative effect on your job chances.

“First impressions count”. We’ve all heard it many times and it’s entirely true, so leave your trackie bottoms at home, clean your teeth and give yourself a far better chance of landing that travel job by following a few simple rules

What to wear to a travel job interview

Refresh your CV
To be honest, if you've not looked for a&nbsp;<a title="Travel jobs" href="../../../../../jobs/">new job</a> in some time, then you might want to completely ditch your old r&eacute;sum&eacute; and <a href="../../../../../news/job-tips/c-m-s-definitive-guide-to-the-perfect-cv/">make a fresh CV</a>. Times change and you don't want to use outdated terminology making it look like you've not progressed in the past decade. Of course, your old CV could still come in handy, so highlight your skills and attributes that are still relevant and include these in your new draft.
Also make a note of any training you've been given or techniques you've learnt since you last updated your CV and assemble these into a relevant order. The most appealing r&eacute;sum&eacute;s will be able to show employers exactly what you can bring to their company, so ideally try to give examples of what you've achieved - i.e. "By doing x, I shortened the process by y", or "I oversaw a team of 20 people". And, obviously, if you've won any kind of awards, then include them - your CV isn't the place to show your timid side.
Emphasise your skills...
Make sure that you put the work in and tailor your <a href="../../../../../news/job-tips/easy-ways-to-improve-your-cv/">CV</a> for each role that you apply for.&nbsp;Many people recommend dedicating most of your CV to the last decade with just a brief mention of your roles before this, but if you've been out of work for a few years then it's a far better idea to order your CV in terms of your skills with the most relevant at the top.
No matter when you held a role, if it's linked to the job that you're applying for, then your experience should definitely be highlighted. Some aspects of the role may have changed (read on about how to overcome this), but employers will still want to know that you've held a similar position in the past.
Of course, if you've spent the majority of your career at the same company, then you've got a different issue, but it's easily solved - just split the period into sections. If you've changed job titles or been promoted then list these separately and detail the different skills and achievements that each role had.
And don't feel obliged to include dates for everything on your&nbsp;<a href="../../../../../news/job-tips/more-easy-ways-to-improve-your-cv/">CV</a>&nbsp;- it's not necessary to state your date of birth or what year you went to university, so only include them if you want to.
...and research new ones
As mentioned above, even if you previously held a similar position to the one you're now applying for, the role may have changed in the intervening years, so it's a good idea to update your knowledge of basic skills such as emailing, creating spreadsheets, word processing or whatever else is needed.
Search the job descriptions of other similar roles to see which skills are commonly mentioned and work out what you're lacking. All sorts of free courses can be found online, but evening classes are a more reliable way to add a skill or two to your CV. Employers love to see that applicants have done their research and are willing to put the effort in, so demonstrating that you're eager to learn new skills for the role is a definite plus next to your name.
If it's a <a href="../../../../../jobs/">travel job</a> that you're after, then many employers look for candidates with knowledge of a GDS (global distribution system), so research the company that you're applying to and see whether they use Galileo, Amadeus, Sabre or another system. Training courses can be relatively expensive but, again, free guides are also available on the internet.
Get online
Talking of the internet, a big part of the recruitment process has now gone online, so it's a good idea for you to do the same. Twitter and Facebook profiles could help make you more attractive to employers, but the main site to focus on is LinkedIn. It's very easy to set up - you just need to add your work history, skills, strengths and a photo and you're done (or you could see&nbsp;<a title="Five ways to boost your LinkedIn profile" href="../../../../../news/job-tips/five-simple-ways-to-boost-your-linkedin-profile/">this handy guide for more LinkedIn tips</a>). Once this is completed, it will effectively act as an online CV, so make sure you sell yourself well!
The other big plus with LinkedIn is that it lets you get in contact with people in your industry and advertise yourself straight to them, so start building connections, making contact with people and getting involved in the &lsquo;group' options.
Use your contacts
Now, obviously, you can only take advantage of your connections if you already have them, but you might be surprised at the opportunities that become available once you make yourself available. Friends, family and old work colleagues are probably the most reliable contacts that you'll have, but as mentioned above, social networks like LinkedIn can now present another route to making new connections with people in the industry.
Alternatively of course, if your contact book is limited, then your next best option is probably to use a specialist recruitment company which understands the sector and knows how to get you back into work - a company, perhaps, like <a href="../../../../../contact-us/">C&amp;M</a>!

Whether you've had time away from work to look after children, been ill or just stayed at the same company for years and years, there comes a time when most people will need to jump back into the job market. But this doesn't have to be scary - here's a few ways to make the whole process easier

Five ways to re-enter the jobs market

Quit your job too soon
You may well hate your role and think that having no job would better than working another second in this miserable, stinking one but, believe us, in the vast majority of cases, it really isn't.
The old thought that it's easier to find a new job when you already have one is entirely true - being out of work has all sorts of connotations to it, so employers are bound to think you're a more appealing proposition when they know you're in employment.
Companies also look more favourably on candidates who don't have a <a href="../../../../../news/job-tips/how-to-build-up-your-cv/">CV</a> full of job-hopping (or moving quickly from one role to the next). Understandably, once they've gone through the process of recruiting new staff, most companies don't want these employees to move on again after just a few months.
Be too honest on social media
When you're <a href="../../../../../jobs/">searching for a new job</a>, there's so many advantages to being active on social media, but letting your potential future boss know exactly what you got up to last weekend probably isn't one of them.
One thing that many people come to regret about social media is being too vocal about their work issues. Telling your mates at the pub about why your hate your boss is perfectly normal. Doing the same online could result in you struggling to find a new job - or even getting sacked from your current one.
It's relatively routine now for companies to search candidates' Instagram and Twitter pages before employing them, so if there's anything that you wouldn't want them to see, now is the time to remove it - or, at a minimum, change your profiles' settings to private.
Have a &lsquo;one size fits all' approach
Competition for certain jobs is intense to say the least, so it's absolutely essential to tailor your applications to fit each role. Study the job description, assess what they're looking for and make sure that your CV highlights all your relevant skills.
Also, if you're writing a cover letter, take the time to personalise it by finding out the recruiter's name - the little things really can make the difference.
Be aggressive
Eager and passionate? Yes. Aggressive and scary? Maybe not. When you get to the <a href="../../../../../news/job-tips/what-to-wear-to-a-travel-job-interview/">interview stage</a>, it's great to show some personality, but this really isn't the place to air your grievances about your old work colleagues.
Similarly, companies will love to see that a candidate is enthusiastic about the role, but don't push it too far and come off as being obsessive.
Pester, nag, hassle...
Talking of being obsessive, a fantastic way to completely blow any last remaining hopes of landing a new job is to hassle and pester your interviewer at all hours of the day.
Of course, if you haven't heard anything within a few days of the interview, then a quick follow-up call is absolutely fine and shows that you're definitely interested in the role, but anything more should probably be avoided. They won't have forgotten about you (although if they have, that's not exactly the best sign anyway...), so just leave them to deliberate and you'll find out as soon as a decision is made.

Yes, if you really want to fail miserably at finding a new job, then this is your indispensable guide! From social media mishaps to the best ways to annoy recruiters, follow these tips and not only will you fail to get a job offer, you won't even get an interview

job tips

Job Tips