Podcasts by The CV Confidence Coach Podcast | CV Writing Tips | CV Tips | Lis McGuire | Giraffe CVs

Confident CV: How Biscuits Can Improve Your CV from 2016-07-14T19:22:02

This week, discover how biscuits can improve your CV. Really!

Also - big news! I have just published my first book on Amazon Kindle. It's called 'Ace Your CV, Elevate Your Career: A Five-...

Confident CV: 5 Sources of CV Feedback from 2016-07-07T16:24:39

How do you know if your CV is good or not? This week's podcast examines five sources of CV feedback.

Confident Job Search: Be a Contender Not a Contestant from 2016-06-28T16:43:46

In your job search, do you ever feel that you are taking part, but not really competing? If so, you may have fallen into the easy trap of being a contestant, when your heart’s true desire is to ...

Confident Job Search: How to Write a Cover Email from 2016-06-22T09:59:51

When it comes to applying for a role, you are very likely to email your application. If you do, you’ll need to write a cover email, attaching relevant documents, such as your CV and cover letter...

Confident CV: Two Questions to Shape Your CV from 2016-06-16T12:58:41

Tune in to discover the two questions that can cut right to the heart of your experience, helping you to create a gripping, page-turning career story.

Confident LinkedIn: How to Write Your LinkedIn Summary from 2016-06-09T13:14:47

The 2000-character LinkedIn summary section can strike fear into the heart of the bravest of job seekers. Stifled by the fear of professional embarrassment and good old-fashioned writer's block,...

Confident CV: How to Proofread Your CV from 2016-06-03T08:31:13

The job of proofreading your CV is a crucial one. This week's podcast shares tips to help you achieve a methodical and thorough job.

Blogging for Jobseekers: Benefits, How To, What to Write from 2016-05-26T10:20:25

Have you ever considered writing a blog to support your job search and career goals?

A blog can act as the interview before and after the interview, allowing you to set out your stall at ...

Confident Job Search: Your New Personal Website from 2016-05-19T08:01:14

Are you thinking that a personal website is beyond your reach? A step too far? Too time-consuming, too costly, too technical?

Think again.

This week's podcast explains the benefits...

Confident Job Search: Five Online Tools You Need Right Now from 2016-05-12T10:11:06

In this week's podcast, I share five online tools to support and enhance your job search. They are:

• PhotoFeeler
• Dropbox
• Google Alerts
• WiseStamp
• C...
  Listen

Confident LinkedIn: Headlines for Active Job Seekers from 2016-05-06T08:07:12

Should you write 'Seeking new opportunities' in your LinkedIn headline?

Tune in to find out the pros and cons of this approach, then discover how to ace your LinkedIn headline, and nail y...

Confident CV: Chronological, Skills-Based, and Hybrid Formats from 2016-04-28T14:58:13

Find out about three different CV formats (chronological, skills-based, hybrid) and discover why you shouldn't use one of them.

Confident job search: Audit your social CV from 2016-02-03T19:19:42

Tune in for a seven-step guide to auditing and enhancing your online presence, ensuring your search results work for, not against you.

Confident career: Owning your current professional status from 2015-12-02T18:32:58

Do you feel a little embarrassed or just unsure about proclaiming your current professional status to the world at large?

If so, this podcast is for you.

Tune in to find out why yo...

Confident career: Lessons from my worst job ever from 2015-11-20T11:28:17

I imagine that most of us have had one, a worst job ever.

Here's four lessons I managed to take away from mine!

Confident job search: What is in your background? from 2015-11-12T14:44:13

When you submit your CV, providing it doesn't immediately rule you out, it's highly likely that someone will check you out online.

This week's podcast looks at how you can take charge of ...

Confident CV: Five types of word to avoid on your CV from 2015-11-05T13:10:47

Words are the main ingredient for your CV, and your choice can make your CV either weak or wow.

In this week's episode, The CV Confidence Coach shares five types of word you should avoid ...

Confident career: Dress for the job you want from 2015-10-19T17:56:24

How you present yourself directly affects how others perceive you. You actually have an incredible power to change their minds and tell them a new story, one based on your hopes and desires.

Confident CV: Editing your career back story from 2015-10-12T09:25:48

Everyone has a back story, right? But, does the recruiter or hiring manager need to read about it on your CV?

It depends.

Tune in to find out the five signs you need to edit your c...

Confident job search: Facebook's new changes and your job search from 2015-10-06T18:25:19

Facebook have recently unveiled five new profile changes which could have a big impact on how members are perceived online.

Tune in to discover what the changes are, and how to use them i...

How to safeguard your reputation in online communities from 2015-09-28T08:38:06

Are you revealing more than you should in online communities?

This week's podcast looks at the risks of oversharing in social media groups and online forums, helping you to safeguard your...

Confident CV: Should you include a photo on your UK CV? from 2015-09-22T09:06:26

Tune in to discover why including a photo on your UK CV is not a good idea, and what you should do instead.

Confident job search: Seven tips to bring back job search mojo from 2015-09-14T08:09:27

Are you a jobseeker who is having a serious case of the motivational wobbles?

This week's podcast features seven tips to help you rediscover your job search mojo.

Confident LinkedIn: Why your CV and LinkedIn profile must tally from 2015-09-04T11:11:34

Would someone who decides to search for you on LinkedIn, having...

Confident Job Search: How to deal with gatekeepers from 2015-08-24T14:21:14

Gatekeepers can play a vital role in your job search, determining whether your CV makes the first pass. Or not.

This week's podcast discusses how to treat gatekeepers in your job search, ...

Confident job search: Google Alerts and your job search from 2015-08-17T11:13:42

Google Alerts is a handy, free, and powerful too...

Confident LinkedIn: Seven ideas for your LinkedIn background image from 2015-08-12T16:46:33

Is your LinkedIn background blank? Are you wondering how to fill it? This week's podcast has seven ideas for your LinkedIn background image, with bonus advice on how to source the right image.

Confident LinkedIn: Three LinkedIn character counts you need to know from 2015-07-31T16:01:49

Did you know that LinkedIn allocates specific character counts to its profile fields? This week's podcast outlines three specific character counts that you should know to optimise your LinkedIn ...

Confident CV: Sandcastles and your CV from 2015-07-26T11:45:32

If you are struggling to identify your personal qualities and capture them on your CV, then I’d recommend building a sandca...

Confident CV: Supermassive black holes on your CV from 2015-07-20T05:36:51

A black hole on your CV is an area of your experience that is clouded by uncertainty, shrouded in mystery, and which can cause uneasy wonder.

These black holes can have a negative, consum...

Choice + Chance + Change = Your Career | Interview with David Shindler from 2015-07-14T17:41:38

In this podcast, I interview Listen

Confident CV: Colour and your CV from 2015-07-09T19:37:18

Colour can deliver an instant and powerful message about your self-perceived qualities and evoke a lasting memory of your personal brand. Yet colour is often underrated in the job search.

Social media and your job search - Tony Restell tells all from 2015-07-02T21:55:15

Lis McGuire interviews Tony Restell, social recruiting entrepreneur and founder of specialist social ...

Confident Branding: Colour and your personal brand with Jane Lowther from 2015-06-28T07:03:14

Lis McGuire interviews House of Colour image consultant and personal brand expert, Jane Lowther, about the power of colour and its impact on your personal brand. Tune in to discover:

Listen

Confident LinkedIn: Raise your profile on LinkedIn from 2015-06-24T14:02

Over the past week six weeks, I've made some big changes to my LinkedIn profile. This week on the podcast, I talk about the changes I made and the impact this had on my LinkedIn visibility and r...

Confident Career: Inspiring quotes to ignite career mojo from 2015-06-15T16:09:19

Sometimes, we all need a little inspirational pick-me-up. The right words at the right time can give a mental boost, inspir...

Confident LinkedIn: LinkedIn status update ideas from 2015-06-08T14:22:05

Stumped for what to say or share on LinkedIn?

This podcast outlines 11 status update ideas, helping you to raise your credibility and visibility on the platform.

Confident CV: Is your CV leaving money on the table? from 2015-06-01T12:15:31

Could your CV be leaving money on the table?

Listen

Confident Career: Do you have a parallel universe CV? from 2015-05-21T08:48:14

What would your CV look like in a parallel universe?

Did a split-second decision determine your current career path?

This week, Lis McGuire mulls over the concept of your career pl...

Confident personal branding using social media from 2015-05-15T10:13:23

This week I'm delighted to interview the extremely talented Lisa Whalley-Smith of Klarity Marketing. In my very first podcast interview, Lisa shares top tips on building and maintaining your per...

Confident CV: Evolving your CV as you evolve from 2015-05-12T14:07:46

Ever tempted to rehash your five-year- or decade-old CV?

This week, Lis outlines why your old CV can't and won't reflect your here and now, and why you owe it to yourself to rip it up and...

Confident CV: References and your CV from 2015-05-06T08:20:17

Should you list referees on your CV? Or perhaps write 'references available on request'? Tune in to this week's podcast to find out!

Confident LinkedIn: Adding multimedia elements to your profile from 2015-04-29T14:01:36

This week's podcast looks at why you should (and how you can) add multimedia elements to your LinkedIn profile.

Confident CV: Nine sources of CV content from 2015-04-24T07:06:56

When writing your CV, sometimes the hardest thing can be knowi...

Confident CV: Would your CV pass the 8.8 second test? from 2015-04-20T12:24:11

You may well have spent hours crafting your CV, but it can make or break your application within just 8.8 seconds. This week's podcast looks at what else can be achieved in under nine seconds, g...

Confident CV: Five things stopping you writing a great CV from 2015-03-31T19:51:06

Tune in to discover the five factors which are preventing you from writing a great CV, and discover how to overcome them.

Confident CV: Grammar tips for your CV from 2015-03-27T09:14:22

Get your spelling and grammar right and you’ll take a huge step towards securing that all-important interview for your next job. Listen in to learn some grammar tips guaranteed to uplevel your C...

Confident CV: Six ways your CV can show you as a team player from 2015-03-17T09:52:54

The once popular term ‘team player’ is now seen as a hackneyed cliché that you should avoid at all costs when writing your CV.

Despite this, the sentiment it represents – in essence ‘ Listen

Confident Career: Practical tools to inform your career path from 2015-03-11T09:52:28

Lis McGuire shares practical tools to help you get clear on your career goals and define your next move, BEFORE you start writing your CV.

Confident CV: Is your email address talking you out of an interview? from 2015-03-03T05:55:30

You’ve written a fantastic CV and covering letter, your LinkedIn profile is up-to-...

Confident CV: Money Mindset and your CV from 2015-02-25T09:16:48

Listen

Confident LinkedIn: How to manage LinkedIn endorsements from 2015-02-16T10:32:18

Listen in to this week's podcast to discover the secrets of managing LinkedIn endorsements in line with your career goals.

Confident Career: CTRL ALT DEL your career from 2015-02-07T10:57:40

When you CTRL ALT DEL your computer, it’s usually because something just isn’t working and you need to shut down the offending task so that you can get back to business as usual.

Do you e...

Confident CV: Be more giraffe - aim high, stand tall, get spotted from 2015-02-02T13:05:24

Nature teaches some of the best lessons.  Tune in to discover what you can learn from the giraffe which can be applied to writing your CV. 

Confident CV: Dates on your CV from 2015-01-26T12:48:48

This week, the CV Confidence Coach outlines some handy dos and don'ts of presenting dates on your CV.

Confident CV: A graduate CV review from 2015-01-21T10:39

The CV Confidence Coach talks through a graduate CV as submitted for a free CV review, and actions subsequently taken to improve it.

Confident CV: CV File Name Best Practice from 2015-01-14T19:53:33

Ever wondered about the best choice for your CV file name?  This week's CV Confidence Coach podcast has the answers!

Confident Career: Optimise your internship from 2015-01-08T05:00

This week, The CV Confidence Coach shares Listen

Confident Career: Nine career resolutions for 2015 from 2014-12-31T10:53:29

As we plan our New Year celebrations, reflecting on the highs and lows of 2014 and looking forward to the year ahead of us, let’s briefly reflect on the nine career resolutions we should all aim...

Confident Career: Careers advice inspired by 'A Christmas Carol' from 2014-12-23T10:21:58

Just like Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, you will be visited by three spirits in this podcast, each with their own personal insight to share on your career past, future, and yet to come.

I...

Confident CV: Santa's CV from 2014-12-18T12:31:34

Just for fun, this week's podcast outlines what Santa might write on his CV. 

You may also enjoy our recent infographic: Santa’...

Confident CV: Presenting your own business on your CV from 2014-12-11T11:18:49

How should you ideally present your own business on your CV?  It really depends on the target you have in mind.  Before putting pen to paper or finger to keyboard, consider what it is that your ...

Confident CV: Presenting temporary work on your CV from 2014-12-03T13:58:07

How to present temporary or contract work on your CV to bolster your confidence, employability, and get your CV on to the recruiter’s ‘yes’ pile. 

Listen

Confident CV: Presenting long service with one employer on your CV from 2014-11-27T05:30

Are you a long-serving employee seeking a new job outside of your current company?

Listen to these nine CV tips to present yourself as a dynamic and desirable candidate, rather than one w...

Confident CV: Projects on your CV from 2014-11-19T14:20:33

Are you considering featuring projects on your CV?  If so, you may be wondering:

How much should I really say about my project work? 

What kind of detail should I ideally include? ...

Confident LinkedIn: Getting your LinkedIn photo right from 2014-11-13T09:11:19

Having outlined what NOT to do with your LinkedIn photo, this week The CV Confidence Coach talks about her Listen

Confident career: Your career crack team from 2014-11-05T13:48:47

Wouldn’t it be lovely if it wasn’t just you, on your lonesome, loo...

Confident LinkedIn: 10 scarily bad LinkedIn profile images to avoid at all costs from 2014-10-30T08:16:52

With Halloween fast approaching, The CV Confidence Coach talks you through 10 scarily bad LinkedIn profile images that are the stuff of nightmares.  Listen in to find out the images you should a...

Confident CV: Formatting your CV from 2014-10-23T08:08:15

When was the last time you looked at your CV with fresh eyes?

Listen

Confident CV: Card shark strategies to ace your CV from 2014-10-16T09:00:51

The CV Confidence Coach talks through seven card shark strategies to help you ace your CV. 

Confident CV: Featuring your LinkedIn URL on your CV from 2014-10-07T14:50:26

This week, The CV Confidence Coach discusses the most common five reasons people shy away from featuring their LinkedIn profile on their CV, and advises on how to overcome the issues behind them...

Confident CV: Quantifying CV achievements from 2014-09-24T10:56:56

If you struggle with quantifying achievements on your CV, then this podcast episode is ideal for you! 

Many people realise that they really should quantify their achievements, but have no...

Confident job search: what a jobseeker can learn from a 1D fan from 2014-09-17T13:43:44

Being a jobseeker seeking a coveted role in your ideal company could be likened to being a One Direction (1D) fan or, indeed, any fan. 

With this in mind, in this week's podcast, The CV C...

Confident job search: goal setting in your job search from 2014-09-11T06:00

A job search without a clear goal can be the equivalent of a day trip without a map. 

Listen to this podcast to discover why it's important to define clear goals in your job search and ca...

Confident CV: Creative CVs from 2014-09-03T21:05:03

This week, The CV Confidence Coach discusses the wide range of creative CV options available to present your professional skills and credentials in an eye-catching way.  She also discusses her p...

Confident CV: CV Update vs. CV Overhaul from 2014-08-28T06:53:31

When should you quickly update your CV and when should you simply tear it up and start again? 

This week, The CV Confidence Coach discusses when a quick update will suffice and when a mor...

Confident CV: Writing your CV profile from 2014-08-21T05:30

Returning to the podcast's core topic of writing your CV, this week The CV Confidence Coach talks about what is for many the most dreaded part of their CV, the CV profile.  Lis McGuire talks abo...

Confident Job Application: How to apply for your own job from 2014-08-14T05:30

Being asked to apply for your own job can feel like a real kick in the teeth.  

The CV Confidence Coach outlines a five-step plan to help you to turn the situation around.

Follow t...

Confident job search: tracking your job search from 2014-08-07T07:00

In this week's podcast, The CV Confidence Coach talks about the benefits of tracking your job search, and discusses what elements are useful to track.  The podcast also covers some high and low ...

Confident LinkedIn: LinkedIn recommendations from 2014-07-30T19:45:07

Do you have a LinkedIn profile?  If so, are you leveraging the power of LinkedIn recommendations?  This kind of social proof can truly work wonders for your career prospects, but you may be wond...

Confident Job Search: Seven deadly sins of job hunting from 2014-07-24T08:17:08

This week, The CV Confidence Coach considers the seven deadly sins of job hunting: greed, gluttony, lust, envy, sloth, wrath and pride.

Are you guilty of any of these vices in the context...

Confident CV: Targeting your CV from 2014-07-17T07:00

Lis McGuire, The CV Confidence Coach, chats about what targeting your CV means in practical terms, when you should target your CV and how to achieve a targeted CV that really speaks to your targ...

Confident CV: Graduate CV Tips from 2014-07-10T06:00

With graduates far and wide packing up their studies and embarking on their career journey, competition is likely to be stiff for graduate roles. 

With this in mind, presenting the best p...

Confident job search: Harnessing social media for your job search from 2014-07-03T07:41:33

Have you ever wondered how you can use social media to secure your next role?  The CV Confidence Coach discusses how you should and shouldn't present yourself on social media, and how you can en...

Confident CV: Using keywords on your CV from 2014-06-26T07:00

What are keywords? 

Why are they important to your CV? 

How can you work out which ones to use? 

Then, once you've decided on your keywords, how should you use them on your ...

Confident CV: 10 power verbs to use on your CV from 2014-06-19T07:00

Your two-page CV needs to say a lot in relatively few words, so choosing the right words is essential.  This week The CV Confidence Coach talks about ten power verbs that Giraffe CVs frequently ...

Confident CV: Interests and hobbies on your CV from 2014-06-12T07:00

Should you or shouldn't you feature your hobbies and interests on your CV?  The debate continues to rage, and in this week's podcast I discuss my personal take on the issue. 

Confident Job Application: How to write a great cover letter from 2014-06-05T06:05:32

A cover letter can make or break your application for a desirable job.  This week, The CV Confidence Coach podcast looks at how to write a great cover letter that will engage the reader and ensu...

Confident CV: Ask 'So what?' and 'Says who?' to refine your CV content from 2014-05-28T23:08:33

Scrutinising your CV before the recruiter does is a great way to make sure your content is as strong as it possibly can be. 

This week, Lis McGuire, The CV Confidence Coach, outlines how ...

CV Confidence: Why it's a bad idea to lie on your CV from 2014-05-22T07:00

Join Lis McGuire, the CV Confidence Coach as she discusses why it is a really bad idea to lie on your CV and some of the most common lies candidates include on their CV.

Confident CV: Your CV profile from 2014-05-15T06:58:15

This week's podcast focuses on what is often regarded as one of the trickiest elements of CV writing: the profile section.  Lis McGuire, The CV Confidence Coach, explains what the CV profile is,...

Confident CV: CV sanity checklist from 2014-05-07T09:23:12

If you think you are nearly there with your CV, then the CV Confidence Coach's CV sanity checklist is for you. 

This week's podcast will give you food for thought to shape and perfect you...

Confident CV: Why two pages is plenty when writing your CV from 2014-05-01T08:00

Lis McGuire, The CV Confidence Coach, shares her insight on the ideal CV length and explains why two pages is plenty when writing your CV.  Lis outlines common CV space eaters which cause CVs to...

Confident CV: The benefits of using a great CV (and why a mediocre CV just will not do) from 2014-04-24T14:30

A CV is a vital part of your career toolkit, an essential document to position yourself for future success. 

This week's podcast outlines the benefits of using a great CV and explains why...