Be present, be consistent and job success will endure

I love that mindfulness encourages us to live in the moment without judgement and for me living in the moment as a job seeker means paying attention to yourself.  Being clear about yourself and what you offer, as well as what you need are so important when you’re looking to change roles.  Remember that if you tell a recruiter you want a change of career that’s reflected in your CV and it’s clear you’re well-equipped for that change.

I absolutely get how a chance call from a recruiter or a headhunter can momentarily flatter or knock you off balance although put simply, if you don’t have the time don’t commit.  Conversely if you’re so consumed by the need to find a new role because you are not working currently or you’re unhappy in your role, then the best version of you will be hidden or “masked” by anxiety. And you know how much I’m always encouraging you to shine.

How often do you really consider yourself rather than what you think you should be doing or saying?  And when was the last time that you gave yourself 100% concentration without distraction?  Are you updating your CV with fresh material or are you tinkering around the edges by adding what you believe to be “key words / phrases” to satisfy an imaginary friend?  These questions may seem harsh although trust me, they’re designed to make you think about yourself or put yourself first.  Remember to ask for help before you need it.

At this point I’m not disputing what’s going on in your life and how important that might be although I’m encouraging you to be present and focus on you as the centre of your universe.  You may need to earn more money to pay for your divorce, bigger car or school uniform although your health is vital to your personal success.  Sometimes you need to be kind to yourself as well as others.  The recruiter may tell you that the client needs your CV and a 450 word summary by close of business although what you want or can achieve in the timescale is equally valid.

I mentioned tinkering earlier because in my vast experience of recruitment it’s the tinkering that creates a potential problem for you later in the process unless you are a perfectionist at version control and consistency.  I love the notion of consistency but not as a baker or a potter mixing dough or kneading clay.  It’s so important that you achieve uniformity across what you write, how you present yourself to potential employers or their agents and behave at interview. And just because it’s consistent it doesn’t mean that it has to be boring!

My recruiter habit to Google search all senior candidates before their interviews became much easier when LinkedIn searches became an option.  In the early 2000s clients were still expecting headhunters to create detailed profiles on their candidates as part of their due diligence.  With so many self-help tools at our fingertips in 2025, I advise that candidates take charge of their own destiny.

Get familiar with your social channels and how best to use them in job search.  There’s no need to reference your LinkedIn profile on your CV especially if your profile is out of date or promoting a different aspect of your work.  I advise candidates to “hold something back” from LinkedIn and use it to encourage the conversation once you’ve got someone’s attention.  It’s not the place for a CV although it is the place for comments highlighting your insights or views on a particular topic.  Remember if you put yourself out there, you’ll need to follow through and be consistent.

The examples below may appear to be too far-fetched to be true, even cruel, yet they represent my experiences as a recruiter and a coach.  Remember, if you’re present you’re likely to be more consistent.  You owe it to yourself to make the time to swerve these common scenarios.

Example 1        The CV and recruiter explanation that achieved shortlisting success and an interview for the candidate seemed a long way off the candidate’s performance at interview.  And even taking candidate anxiety into consideration, the last minute (by admission) alterations to CV content threw them off-balance.

Example 2        The headhunter submitted an out of date / different version of a CV to the one the candidate had used to prepare for their interview.  This significantly impacted the candidate’s performance at interview as they stumbled through explanations, felt embarrassed and fought to recover composure.

Example 3        The chronology and/or content of jobs on a person’s LinkedIn profile and their CV being inconsistent.  The key considerations being what’s real and what’s not.  It’s difficult to corroborate this individual’s claims of accuracy and precision.  The scenario also calls into question the individual’s ability to achieve simultaneous successes across multiple projects!

Example 4        A CV or LinkedIn profile 100% generated by a third-party service provider with poor quality cover letter being created by the candidate.  A CV and a cover letter being generated although the LinkedIn profile gets left behind.  Whatever the scenario there will often be differences in style and level of detail.  Remember to be “at one” with what others / systems create for you.