Wanted salary … Every candidate thinks about it, but many don`t know how to determine it so it would reflect their true value and at the same time not to scare off employers.

Salary expectations vary, depending on different factors such as the company, the person, the experience and the activity domain. You have to do some research in order to give the right answer when asked `What about your salary expectations?`.

You can start by checking out the sites of professional organizations in your activity domain. Most of them have a special section on site or topics on their forums on the subject. Governmental sources are also helpful, especially national statistics. If these sources can`t help, you can check out business or financial magazines, or those specific to your area of expertise.

Current or former employees of the company you are applying to can also help. For example, you can ask if the first salary offer is usually a minimum limit, which is the hierarchy in the company and how well it reflects in terms of salary, which is the company`s position on professional training, etc. The answers you receive can help you when you will negotiate your salary. Also, don`t forget to check individual and collective bonuses, they can raise the salary as well.

Once you have an idea about the salary, all you have to do is `customize` the figure. Ask your friends` opinion or of people in the same domain as you, with similar background. Think about your personal financial needs and calculate a budget that would meet these needs.

Remember, salary is only a part of your career. Do not forget about your experience and knowledge you gained.

And the most important thing: never be embarrassed to express your salary expectations. You deserve it!

Best,
CeeVee Team

For all of you who asked us to enable German language on CeeVee, we finally did it You can now use CeeVee in German.
Try it out now and send us your feedback, we`d love to hear from you.

Best,
CeeVee Team

For most candidates `stress` equals `interview`. Most of you are beginning to feel stressed in the moment you apply for a job, then you get stressed before the interview: what to wear, what to say, if the interviewer will like you and much more. But the biggest stress is during the interview: sweat, panic, stuttering or thinking blockages. There are a few little secrets that can help you relieve stress and be successful during the interview.

Time is everything. Do not cause yourself more stress because of time. Go to the interview 10 minutes earlier, no more, no less. If you get there faster you`ll just sit there and panic, and if you get there later, besides the bad impression you make, you will not be able to catch your breath and connect to the atmosphere of the interview on time.

Use your imagination to remain calm during the interview. Visualization is a relaxation method that helps you create an image of a stressful or challenging situation. Imagine you were successful in that situation. Doing this you mentally prepare for the real thing.

A relaxed candidate one that inspires confidence. Use these instructions to maintain yourself relaxed during an interview:
* breathe deep and slow
* sit straight, do not cross your hands and legs
* speak firmly and pause from time to time, to keep your breathing normal
* relax your hands and shoulders
* smile

Best of luck!
CeeVee Team

Well, according to employers, the cover letter is definitely more important than you thought.

If you’re an active job-seeker, than you have invested a lot of time and effort into your CV. But, have you given the same kind of attention to the cover letter? If the answer is no, than you should reconsider the value of it!

A good cover letter can be useful when applying for jobs and it can make the difference between you and other candidates.

Here are some tips to write a killer cover letter:

1. Personalize the letter
Instead of using an approach as `To whom it may concern` or `In the attention of the HR department`, try to find out the name of the human resources manager. If you don`t know it you can simply make a phone call and find out. State the job you are applying for and how you found out about it.

2. Do some research on the company
Use your abilities to surf the web to research about the company you are applying to. The information you gather can help you explain better in the cover letter why your expertise and skills are a perfect match to the job requirements and how you can be a great value to the company.

3. Fill in the gaps
If your experience is rather `poor`, than the cover letter can be a great tool to attract the employer`s attention. Explain how you made use of the free time you had between jobs. Mention the courses and trainings you attended or volunteer activities. This not only shows your willingness to improve your skills, but also that you didn`t loose the time that you had.

4. Keep it simple and to the point
Write what you need to write in the cover letter, but don`t overdo it. You don`t have to write your entire professional background in the cover letter, leave some info for the CV. A good letter should contain only a few decisive paragraphs.

5. Watch out for spelling mistakes
Even the most cautious eye cannot find all the spellings in a text, that`s why before sending in your application, check the cover letter for spelling mistakes. Better yet, ask a friend to do it for you.

6. The CV and the cover letter go hand in hand
If you want to increase your chances of getting the job you want, you should always attach a cover letter to your application.

Make sure you give the cover letter the attention it deserves and it will considerably improve your chances of attracting the attention of the right person!

Good luck,
CeeVee Team

If you are like most candidates, the hiring process will make you scratch your head, confused. For example, how many times have you found the right job for you, immediately sent your resume and you expected to be called back, but nothing happened?

Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that most resumes that you send will receive little or no answers. Often things can not be controlled – that position may have already been occupied when you sent your resume or you weren’t such a good match for the job as you thought. That doesn’t mean there is nothing you can do to increase your chances of being invited to an interview.

Below are some questions that the employers are asking themselves when assessing resumes. Knowing the thoughts of the employer can help you build a “stronger” resume.

Is this candidate meeting the needs of the company?
It’s an obvious question. After all, a company looking for a programmer will not call you for an interview if your domain is human resources. But, even if you have the necessary experience, if your resume is not oriented towards the specifics of that company or job, your qualifications may seem inappropriate.

Adjusting your resume for a particular job involves positioning skills and experience in such a manner as to show the employer that you are a perfect match for that job. So, instead of sending the same resume for each offer, modify it according to the position for which you are applying. Sure, it will take longer, but it is worth it. Putting everything in your resume thinking that something in there will fit to the jobs you are applying, is not the right approach.

Use numbers, for example stating that the project you were involved in at your last job has helped grow sales by X% per month – in a sea of words, the figures will stand out, catching the attention of the employer. Review the job description several times to ensure that you have pointed out relevant qualifications.

Will this candidate remain in my company for a longer period of time?
The hiring process takes a long time, it is complicated and expensive. Because of the high costs, employers are looking for candidates who are not planning to leave the company shortly after employment. So, they will search in your resume for evidence of stability in your last jobs.

In addition, employers are looking for evidence that show you are dedicated to what you are doing. If you are part of a professional association or have certain certificates, write about it in your resume. Make sure that everything is relevant and actual.

Is this candidate a professional?
Imagine you are trying to convince someone to buy a product by only giving them a description of it, without allowing them to test it or see it. The same happens when you send a resume. The employer has only a few pages to decide if you are a professional and if you communicate well.

Therefore, your resume should not contain grammatical errors and has to be easy to understand. If the employer will have a question about your experience, they will definitely not call you to clarify it. Ask a friend to go over your resume again to find mistakes that you may overlooked. Then ask that person to summarize the content. Can they remember where you worked before and what responsibilities you had? Can they tell you what kind of job you are seeking? If not, then you probably do not have a clear enough message.

The employment process can be opaque, but one thing is clear: a well-written and oriented resume offers the best chance of being called for interviews and, ultimately, to get the job you want. Before sending the next resume, think like an employer, to ensure that your resume does not get lost in the crowd.

Best,
CeeVee Team

Stress. Pressure. Anxiety. Tension. However you name it, you cannot complain about its absence.

It is normal for stress to affect us. Can we eliminate all the stress caused by work? No!, and it is a good thing that we can`t. We need a certain amount of stress in our lives to make us act, to show us we are capable and to increase our performance. The trick is to keep stress under control instead of let it control you.

Check out a few tricks on how to control your stress level.

* Take deep breaths
Take a break – frequent short breaks throughout the day, to breathe deeply, to relax your mind, thus preventing stress from accumulating.

* Know your enemy
Why are you stressed? Is it your job? Your personal life? A relationship? Without knowing the exact cause of the problem, it`s unlikely you can solve it. If you are experiencing difficulties in identifying the source of the stress, you may consider seeking help from a qualified person.

* Exercise
Start exercising. It helps you to release endorphins, that reduce stress.

* Move on
Acknowledge the things you can control and the things you can`t. Make a list of the two categories. Starting today, make a deal with yourself and stop stressing about things you cannot control.

* Enjoy
Write down all your accomplishments and enjoy them. Set short term goals and feel the satisfaction of achieving them.

* Build a wall around you
Do not take it personally if you are being criticized. Look at them as constructive advice, critics that allow you to improve your efficiency at work. Still, if criticism is abusive (for ex. a boss that is yelling at you or uses vulgar language), discuss it with your manager or with the HR department.

* Share work
Delegate or share your work whenever you can. Don`t get trapped into thinking you are the only one who can do the job. Your boss and colleagues might think the same thing.

* Don`t think about `work` as an ugly word
Stress in the workplace accumulates when our minds are permanently focus on work. Ensure balance in your life. Make time for family, friends, hobbies and most important, for a little bit of fun

* Know your rights
Read internal regulations and the legislation. Keep yourself up to date with the news.

While it is important to control our stress level at work, sometimes it makes sense to think of a better job. How do you determine when it is time to make a step forward? You will know when:
- you have tried every possible way to control your stress level, but with no results
- your boss intimidates you, does not respect you or treats you badly
- you are so bored with your job, that by the end of the day you are exhausted.

If you are not in a career that is stimulating you to grow professionally, maybe it is time to search for a more interesting job.

Best,
CeeVee Team

A symptom of discontent is the frequent change of jobs in the hope that the next one will be better. To be fully satisfied you need decision and passion, in equal measure. If you already have the skills, all you need is a little encouragement to fulfill your dreams.

Dare and dream!

Do you remember your childhood dreams about what you would be when you grow up? Why don`t you dream now, as an adult? What stops you? Many people, unhappy about their career choices, say they cannot think about the job they dreamed about, but if they would be asked to write down their dreams on a piece of paper, they would remember their childhood fantasies.

Be creative!

Creativity allows us to express our talents and skills to the maximum. Thus we are transported away from personal problems and make room for ideas and new perspectives. To give free rein to creativity listen to your inner voice that tells you to paint, write or do something you enjoy. All these are clues of the path you should follow.

Continue!

Do not stop at the edge of the mountain called success. Life is tough sometimes and we forget that when the going gets tough. Blaming the economy for preventing you to advance is a big mistake. People with successful careers do not give up. And they are no different than others. It`s just that they are in constant motion, no matter what they do. They also have good days and bad days, but they do not give up trying.

Step forward, even if you are reluctant for the moment. Act in this respect, even if right now you don`t see the difference. Waiting kills time and the spirit. Progress will make your career goals a reality.

Best,
CeeVee Team

Your CV is `your personal ad`. Unfortunately, too many people use certain obsessive `keywords` that become too common and do not say anything to employers. Here are the most common stereotypes and possible alternatives to them.

Team player – Do you believe that others will write on their CV that they are not a team player? Of course not, so what`s the point to write it on your CV? You should instead give a real example: “I worked with my team to reach the target X, and my role was as follows:…”

Project Managing Skills – This is just a fancy way of saying you`re an organized person. Employers want to know exactly what you did in your past jobs. If you organized an event or managed a budget, you`d better tell them that.

Results oriented – So you should be. But you`d better quantify the results: Did sales grew under your watch? How much? How did you do it? Have you saved your company`s money? How much? Have you reached ambitious targets?

Interpersonal communication skills – does it mean you were a manager or just got along well with colleagues? Use words that leave no room for interpretation.

Responsible for – Every job requires responsibility. Did you assume responsibility only for the tasks in the job description, or did you do more? Did you have initiative? Have you completed any projects?

When you are creating your CV, think about the job you are applying for and make sure to emphasize the experience and the skills that match the requirements the best.

Best,
CeeVee Team