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Searching for a new job can be extremely frustrating, whether you are just starting on the career ladder or in between gainful employment. Either way, the job seeker will approach the search full of preconceptions and expectations, some that are justified but many of which can be considered unrealistic.

We expect that dream job to fall into our laps and the employer to rush towards us with an employment contract. We perceive that the new job will have the life-changing salary that we have been working towards for years or, in the case of a first time job seeker, that we are worth far more than the salaries on offer. We perceive that we are the one and only applicant suitable for the task. All these dreams are unrealistic, and only combine to deepen our anxiety as the days of job seeking stretch before us.

There is a need to approach a job search with realism, and this should be applied to a number of areas.

CV review

Although preparing a CV may seem a straightforward task it is important to ensure that it includes all of the information that a prospective employer would want to know about you, including personal details, your work history, skills and abilities. Bearing in mind that this person will probably have to review a number of CV's, it should also be succinct and not a document that covers dozens of pages.

One important realistic aspect of a CV is not to make claims that you cannot fulfil, or include information that is not true. Embellishing your CV to make it look as if you have more qualifications than is factual or suggesting you possess skills that you do not, is not only dishonest, but is likely to be uncovered the minute you attend an interview if not sooner. Employers and managers would not be where there are in their businesses if they were stupid and neither would recruitment consultants. Having interviewed numerous people before you, these persons will quickly spot someone who is exaggerating or not being honest.

If you want your true skills and qualifications to be respected, tell the truth. Do not put anything in your CV that is either unrealistic or an outright lie.

Job description

When you see a job being advertised that looks interesting and appeals to you, take the time to read carefully through the job description and the details of the type of applicant the potential employer is looking for. Too many people just look at the job headline and do not pay attention to the less obvious content about the position.

Whilst the bold print may look

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