4 Ways How To Be An Irresistible Choice For Employers in 2016

As another year is about to conclude, we thought of sharing with you some tips that will prepare you professionally for the one ahead.

These ideas are all very simple to put into action. Follow each one of the 4 ways listed below and you'll have a head-start in becoming a job candidate that employers simply cannot resist hiring.

1. Start thinking in terms of broad skills, not only fixed roles

Make a list of every position you've held so far, both paid and unpaid, and break it down in terms of the skills that were involved. To get you started, think about skills in these four categories:

1. Teaching others
2. Managing others
3. Managing yourself
4. Managing your environment

2. While you're at it, add new skills to your list

And I don't mean only hard skills which you can get qualified in. Recruiters and employers are increasingly looking at soft skills, like public speaking, emotional intelligence, leadership, and intellectual curiosity.

3. Master your personal pitch

If someone asks you why you want this job or what do you want to do in life you MUST have an answer ready. You really owe it to yourself rather than whoever's asking you. Pick your top 5 strengths and create a pitch around them. A simple formula for creating a memorable pitch goes like this:

1. Identity (who I am now)
2. Training (how I got here)
3. Aspiration (who I want to be)
4. Action (how I’m getting there)

4. The art of networking

Make a list of the top 10 people in your chosen field or industry who you feel "have made it". Look them up on LinkedIn and visit their personal blog if they have one, then take read any articles they published or summaries from events they've recently been involved in.

Write a brief message pointing out 3 things that struck you most and thank them for sharing this information. Conclude by asking them if they’d be open to receiving an occasional email with a question about their work. Follow up and send them an email with an interesting question once every 3 months.

We hope these 4 tips will encourage you to make the changes you've always wanted in your life and finally land the dream position that you've been chasing.

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How to Ace Your Next Job Interview

In the last couple of months, we went over the best advice our team gives to new candidates to help them write exceptional CVs and prepare for an upcoming job interview.

In the third part of our job-hunting guide, we take a look at what you need to do during the interview to make a lasting and positive impression on your future employer and greatly improve the odds of getting that email/phone call/letter asking you to report to the office next Monday.

Use visualisation to boost your confidence

It’s natural to feel nervous before a novel or important event. It’s your body’s way of priming you to be in your best form for any unpredictable or unexpected outcome, however, what’s the worst that can happen during a job interview?

In fact, negative visualisation is a powerful, yet very misunderstood technique, which can help you easily come to terms with your internal fears and provide your mind with an iron-clad protection against that tiny voice that keeps whispering negative things in your head.

Start visualising the things that can go wrong during the interview and either recognise them as being just absurd figments of your imagination or else see yourself confidently facing them and fixing them in your mind’s eye.

Know the different stages of a job interview

A quick search online shows that, depending on which website you click on, people organise the interview process into anywhere from three to seven distinct stages. No number is necessarily more correct that any other, so we’ll just stick with the most practical and easy to remember—three.

1.     Making introductions: No matter how many people there are in room, greet each one of them with a firm handshake while maintaining eye contact. Repeat your name slowly each time and tell them you’re glad to be there. Make sure your body language reflects what you’re trying to communicating verbally.

2.     Building rapport: It’s easy to feel awkward while exchanging pleasantries—after all you’re only there to get the job! Don’t let this “selfish” thought derail you, you’re there primarily to make a positive emotional impact on your interviewers. Thank them for taking their time to meet you and use this as an opening to ask them politely about their work or a recent company event. You’ll come across as an interested and caring individual, who’s sensitive to others and knowledgeable about their company.

NOTE: Let your interviewer(s) focus the conversation on you and your credentials. Did you remember to practice some test questions from our previous blog post?

3.     Closing off: Don’t rush to the door as if you’re escaping as soon as the interview is over. Thank the interviewer(s) again and if you have time to ask anything, the two questions that matters the most as this stage is when can you expect to receive a reply and whether your interview can give you their business card.

Mind your language

We believe that during an interview you should use simple and direct language. Job-related jargon is okay if used occasionally and in a proper context, i.e. when making a point about some job-related scenario, but other than that we recommend that you avoid peppering your speech with technical words.

In fact we counsel that you keep in mind these 3 S’s when talking:

• Simple
• Slow
• Straightforward

For most people, that last point is the most problematic. Our #1 advice for speaking in a more direct and powerful manner is to make an effort to abolish filler words (um… er… uh…) and replace certain “weak” words with stronger ones:

I can… à I will…

I think… à I’m confident…

I believe… à I’m convinced…

I feel… à I expect…

Also, whenever possible, back up your claims with numbers and concrete examples.

Follow up like a pro

Did you get your interviewer’s business card? Good.

The vast majority of people think that an interview is their one shot at getting a job, but the reality is that there’s a Part Two which is plays a more important role in setting them apart from all the other candidates, and that’s the follow-up.

About 24 hours after your interview (or on the following work day), send a brief thank you email to your interviewer and remind them about an interesting job-, company- or industry-related fact which they mentioned during the interview and your reaction to it. Bonus points if you attach a link to related web article.

NOTE: On Gmail you can schedule emails to be sent at a pre-determined time from beforehand by installing a popular and free plugin called Boomerang.

Many people let this golden opportunity at getting a second chance to reach out to their interviewers go to waste, but not you. With a follow-up email you’re taking advantage of psychological tendencies known as the primacy and recency effect, whereby people are more likely to remember what happened at the very beginning and end of an event or process, thus giving your job application a convenient “bump” in your interviewer’s memory.

Are you all set to get your dream job?

Do feel ready to give the best interview of your life?

Then take a look at the latest vacancies on our website and start putting our tips to practice.

Keep an eye on our blog for the final part of our job-hunting guide next month, in which we discuss what to do on the first day of your new job. To make sure you don’t miss it, sign up for our newsletter and we’ll let you know when it is published. You’ll also start receiving the latest vacancies on our website and other helpful career tips straight into your inbox.

Check out these related articles from our blog:

How to Prepare For Any Job Interview

3 Things You MUST do to Write a CV That Gets Jobs

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How To Prepare For Any Job Interview

Imagine yourself striding confidently and brimming with energy into your future employer’s offices. You can’t wait to show your interviewer that you’re exactly the person they’re searching for, and the buzz surrounding you is worlds away from the butterflies flitting nervously in the stomachs of the other candidates waiting in line.

As this blog post explains, there’s nothing extraordinarily difficult in preparing for a job interview. With some practice, everybody can learn how to control and convey the best impression possible of themselves to their employers, and sticking into their memory long after you walked out of their offices.

Do your research

Show your employer they can already consider you an “insider” even before you signed your contract. Read up the latest news items and press releases about the organisation you’re applying at, and think about the contribution you would give if a similar event where to happen again. If the company won any accolades, find out which professional qualities were rewarded and make sure you connect these qualities to your own strengths and abilities.

Pre-empt the three commonest interview questions

If you were to record interviews from a dozen different industries you’d probably find that 90% of the questions that were asked to the candidates were identical. Use this tendency among interviewers to stick to tried-and-tested questions to your advantage by writing down your answers for the commonest ones. These include classics like:

• Tell me more about yourself? 
• What is your greatest strength? 
• What is your greatest weakness? 
• Why do you want this job?

Also from our blog:

5 Questions To Ask At The End Of Your Interview
8 Questions You Should Never Ask During An Interview

Use anecdotes to sell your skills

Everybody loves a good story! Instead of listing your qualities as if you were reading the features and specifications on the box of a new widget, tell an anecdote from your past professional, academic or personal experiences that illustrate a favourable trait in action. Besides being more memorable, stories help you engage with people on an emotional level, which boosts your chances of “winning them over”. On the other hand, appealing only to interviewers’ logical/critical/analytical side is more likely to keep you off the shortlist.

Rehearse, revise and relax

Finally, remember to take it easy. Don’t let over-preparation snuff out your personality, or scripted answers take away the spontaneity that characterises good conversations. Rehearse and revise the points or paragraphs you wrote down as much as you feel necessary, but once you feel confident enough just push them aside and let your creativity take over.

The opinion an employer forms about you during your first minutes of interaction together will almost certainly determine whether one or two weeks later you’ll receive an email that begins with the words “We regret to inform you…” or not.

By carefully researching your prospective employers (the company in general and key people), writing answers for common interview questions, selecting anecdotes that emphasise desirable traits, and rehearsing your delivery, you’re virtually guaranteed to improve your odds of making a great first impression, and acing your next interview.

Let’s pencil in a couple of interviews in your diary today! 

Make sure to check our website for a complete list of vacancies available in Malta and abroad, and get sign up for our e-newsletter to receive more helpful advice in your inbox on finding the perfect job and fast-tracking your career path.

View all the latest vacancies on our website.

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3 things you MUST do to write a CV that gets jobs

Writing a CV is one of those things young people find themselves suddenly having to think about, like getting a driving licence or applying for a loan. Unfortunately, you don’t always have an expert around to show you how to write a CV correctly.

In this blog post, the team at Muovo shares top three tips for creating a CV that has employers falling over themselves to offer you a job in their organisation.

Dress up your CV for the job

Sending a CV is like getting a foot into the door of the company you’d like to work at. The problem is that you need to convince them to let you in or you’ll get squeezed out of their property in a heartbeat.

A tidy, well-formatted CV is your calling card to a future employer's good books. It instantly communicates to the reader that you’re serious about wanting to join their team and that you’re mindful of the fact that they don’t have time to read it at their leisure.

Highlight results, not just positions

We’re big fans of the Google formula for framing your strengths in a CV. Instead of just writing a job title you held (e.g. EFL teacher), provide a short description of the results you obtained in comparison to an average or starting point, and how you did it.

e.g. “I helped groups of 15-20 international students improve their spoken and written English to B2 level from A2, by planning and facilitating interactive team-learning experiences and one-to-one coaching.”

Relevant doesn’t have to be boring

It’s very likely that your hobbies and interests somehow reflect or depend on the same key qualities that make a particular job so attractive to you. Use that to your advantage by vividly conveying your strengths giving real-life examples.

It’s one thing claiming you’re a confident person and a brilliant team player, and another writing that you love acting and that your proudest moment was when you performed in front of a packed house at a school soiree, which you also helped organise.

Guess what? The three tips you’ve just read don’t just apply for writing CVs, they also describe exactly what you should do to ace your next job interview.

Whether in person or in print, you have to persuade the person sitting on the other end of the desk to give you a job in their organisation using only your words and the way you present yourself.

Here at Muovo, we’ve coached many young people in how to write winning CVs and taught them the techniques that successful candidates use to get the jobs they want. We can do the same for you! 

Let's talk about your next job.

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Living and working in the UK and Ireland

Maltese graduates and professionals have traditionally looked towards the UK and Ireland for career opportunities beyond our shores.

Not only are these countries English-speaking and drive on the left like Malta, they also share many similarities in their governance and the benefits EU citizens who live there enjoy, such as free healthcare and education.

Moreover, with Malta and most of mainland Europe being just a low-cost flight away, it is incredibly easy to travel around and visit for a quick holiday to enjoy pastizzi with friends and family!

Why live and work overseas

The opportunities for professionals who apply for jobs in the UK and Ireland are immense.

Salaries tend to be significantly higher than what is typically offered in Malta and there are more opportunities to advance professionally by specialisation in a particular niche of your career.

However, we realise that there as many people--especially graduates fresh out of University--who might find the thought of relocating to a different country very challenging, possibly even scary.

To help answer the most common questions about living and working in the UK and Ireland, we’ve compiled brief overviews which spotlight the benefits and costs involved in moving to these two countries.

Moving to the UK

Countless Maltese graduates and professionals have found professional success in the UK, especially those in the health-related careers.

Boasting one of the oldest and most advanced healthcare systems in Europe and the world, the UK offers a unique opportunity to elevate your career ambitions to new levels while working in an environment that enables you to develop professionally and achieve all of them.

The iconic Elizabeth Tower in London.

Benefits of living there

Life in the UK isn’t just about cloudy skies and rain.

From modern cities, to rolling green hills in the countryside, from breathtaking coastal scenery to the stern beauty of the highlands, the UK is a geographical and cultural melting pot.

Besides being a stable and vibrant economy, the UK offers free healthcare and education just like Malta and similar peace of mind when it comes to personal safety.

Driving is on the left, like in Malta, so you can simply hop in a car, turn the ignition and go.

Where to?

Maybe to one of the never-ending choices of entertainment and cultural attractions in the UK, which you can discover at your leisure while you’re based there.

The famous English countryside.

Cost of living

Admittedly, living costs in the UK rank amongst the highest in the EU, however these figures should be seen in their proper perspective since they differ significantly from one region of the UK to the other, as well as according to the person’s lifestyle.

While rent costs range £ 1,000 to £ 3,000 for apartments in prime locations, prices begin dropping steeply outside of city centres and transport to and from work is easy and reliable.

An overview of the cost of living in the UK can be found here.

Nursing jobs in the UK and Ireland

Muovo is currently offering newly graduated as well as experienced nurses exciting career opportunities at a number of prestigious nursing homes, public and private hospitals, and private clinics in the UK and Ireland.


APPLY FOR THIS JOB NOW BY SENDING AN EMAIL WITH YOUR CV TO [email protected] OR CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW.

APPLY FOR THIS JOB

Nurses who apply can enjoy unparalleled career progression and development opportunities, as well as with excellent remuneration packages which include all travelling, transfers and accommodation costs for the first three months.

Moving to Ireland

Ireland is another popular work destination with Maltese health professionals.

View along the Ring of Kerry.

Despite its small size, this country offers a lively and culturally rich lifestyle which will satisfy the artistically inclined and provides countless attractions and entertainment options for people who settle there to enjoy in their free time.

Benefits of living there

Besides a legendary pub culture, Ireland has plenty to offer to professionals who want to advance their careers and maybe even bring up a family.

A typical Irish pub in Dublin.

Housing is affordable and fits every kind of budget. Transportation is easy and cheap, and mainland Europe is only a flight away. Ireland is renowned for its natural beauty, so it’s unlikely you’ll feel like leaving any time soon!

Cost of living

Like the UK, living costs in Ireland vary widely and change according to lifestyle and location.

You can check the prices of various items in Ireland here.

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Nurses to work in the UK and Ireland

There are few jobs like nursing.

It’s a career that demands a person to put his or her strength, heart and mind at the service of another human being--usually a complete stranger--when they’re at their most vulnerable.

And it’s not only patients who benefit from the expertise and care of a nurse.

During a typical day’s work, nurses have to comfort relatives and answer their queries in a sensitive and authoritative way; act as advisors, assistants and confidants to their co-workers in the medical, surgical and allied health professions. All while carrying out the job they have been trained for.

Like we said: there are few roles out there that approximate the ideal of the ‘servant leader’ in an organisation as much as being in a nurse’s shoes does.





Muovo is currently offering exciting career opportunities for newly graduated as well as experienced nurses who wish to practice their skills at a number of prestigious nursing homes, public and private hospitals, and private clinics in the UK and Ireland.

Our clients are looking for nursing professionals to work in haemodialysis, cardiology, respiratory medicine, psychiatric, orthopedics amongst other clinical areas.

APPLY FOR THIS JOB NOW BY SENDING AN EMAIL WITH YOUR CV TO [email protected] OR CLICK THE LINK BELOW.

APPLY FOR THIS JOB

By joining these leading healthcare providers in the UK and Ireland, nurses can enjoy unparalleled career progression and development opportunities, combined with excellent remuneration packages which include all travelling, transfers and accommodation costs for the first three months.

The opportunities are immense. However, we also realise that there as many people who find the thought of relocating to a different country for work exciting as there are those who find it daunting.

To help answer the most common questions about living and working in the UK and Ireland, here is some information about the two countries.

Moving to the UK

Countless Maltese graduates and professionals have found professional success in the UK, especially those in the health-related careers.

Boasting one of the oldest and most advanced healthcare systems in Europe and the world, the UK offers a unique opportunity to elevate your career ambitions to new levels while working in an environment that enables you to develop professionally and achieve all of them.

Benefits of living there

Life in the UK isn’t just about cloudy skies and rain.

From modern cities, to rolling green hills in the countryside, from breathtaking coastal scenery to the stern beauty of the highlands, the UK is a geographical and cultural melting pot.

The London Eye

Besides being a stable and vibrant economy, the UK offers free healthcare and education just like Malta and similar peace of mind when it comes to personal safety.

Driving is on the left, like in Malta, so you can simply hop in a car, turn the ignition and go.

Where to?

Maybe to one of the never-ending choices of entertainment and cultural attractions in the UK, which you can discover at your leisure while you’re based there.

Cost of living

Admittedly, living costs in the UK rank amongst the highest in the EU, however these figures should be seen in their proper perspective since they differ significantly from one region of the UK to the other, as well as according to the person’s lifestyle.

Stonehenge

While rent costs range £ 1,000 to £ 3,000 for apartments in prime locations, prices begin dropping steeply outside of city centres and transport to and from work is easy and reliable.

An overview of the cost of living in the UK can be found here.

Moving to Ireland

Ireland is another popular work destination with Maltese health professionals.

Despite its small size, this country offers a lively and culturally rich lifestyle which will satisfy the artistically inclined and provides countless attractions and entertainment options for people who settle there to enjoy in their free time.

Giant's Causeway

Benefits of living there

Besides its legendary pub culture, Ireland has plenty to offer to professionals who want to advance their careers and maybe even bring up a family.

Housing is affordable and fits every kind of budget. Transportation is easy and cheap, and mainland Europe is only a flight away. Ireland is renowned for its natural beauty, so it’s unlikely you’ll feel like leaving any time soon!

Cost of living

Like the UK, living costs in Ireland vary widely and change according to lifestyle and location.

You can check the prices of various items in Ireland here.

An unmissable career opportunity

If you have further questions about this job opportunity for nurses to work in the UK and Ireland, or would like to know more about living and working in these countries, send us an email on [email protected] or click on the button below to submit an application today.

SUBMIT AN APPLICATION.

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Malta’s young professionals choosing ICT, finance and iGaming careers

One of Malta’s most valuable resources is its highly skilled and highly educated workforce.

More than 3,500 students graduate from University and other institutions providing tertiary education in Malta each year. The choice of careers these young, talented professionals make says a lot about the bright future that the industries they move into enjoy.

In Malta, there has been a consistent and substantial increase in the number of graduates who find gainful employment in ICT, finance and iGaming every year.

These three industries are at the cutting-edge of the knowledge economy, each promising rewarding careers with excellent starting salaries and plenty of opportunities for professional advancement.

Graduate figures show strong interest in technology and finance

Here are some recent figures to back this up:

• 1,756 students enrolled in a finance-related degree in October 2014.
• 345 students enrolled in an ICT degree in October 2014.
• 482 students graduated in a finance-related subject in December 2014.
• 155 students graduated in ICT subjects in December 2014.

Over 600 graduates holding degrees in finance-related and ICT subjects have entered the workforce in 2015. With the setting up of a Gaming Academy very soon, a new cohort of graduates specifically trained to address the needs of the iGaming industry is about to join their ranks.

More exciting figures in these three industries can be found looking at the latest statistics describing the gainfully employed population in Malta.

Gainfully employed statistics indicate healthy growth

In September 2014, the NSO found that labour supply in Malta was up by 3.3%.

In the ICT field, the number of full-time and part-time employees stands at a record 7,421, whereas the number for those working in finance-related careers is 9,114. The gaming industry comprises 3,599 professionals directly involved, indicating good scope for growth.

Each industry registered creditable increases in the number of people who were gainfully employed.

Finding the talent leading tomorrow’s industries

We want to see this generation of professionals succeed and find gainful employment with the world-class companies in the ICT, finance and iGaming industries based in Malta.

Their talent combined with the extraordinary levels of growth experienced by businesses in these areas will be the catalyst for future change in the industry as well as drive the economy of an increasingly smaller and tightly connected world.

This enormous potential resides in the empty cubicle in the corner of your office, or the vacant chair in your conference rooms where ideas should be flourishing instead. There is great opportunity in there and equally great talent out there waiting to be found.

Connecting the two together there is Muovo.

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How to stay aware of career opportunities in Malta

If you want to change roles or move ahead in your career then you need to start keeping an eye on the job market for every opportunity that crops up.

It’s not easy to stay on top of every single vacancy for the position you want to pursue, so having a smart strategy in place which helps you stay aware of interesting career opportunities in Malta, and overseas too, can be a life-saver.

You always have a job - even when you’re in between jobs

Even if you don’t have an office to go to, the process of identifying and selecting promising career opportunities should be enough to take more than a fair amount of time and energy.

There’s a lot more you can do besides passively browsing the classifieds section in the papers or checking the latest job listings online. As a savvy job-seeker, you need to learn how to actively network and market your way to that final interview and handshake.

4 steps to become more aware of the job opportunities around you

1. Stay on top of the latest opportunities: follow recruitment agencies online and more

Many top companies nowadays entrust a recruitment agency such as Muovo to list and advertise new career opportunities within their ranks. It makes sense therefore to follow reputed recruitment agencies on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and any other social media channel they use to promote new jobs. We don’t like to blow our own trumpet, however, our partnership with GI Group links us to opportunities around the globe unavailable to every other recruitment firm, so this fact bears thinking about.

Use every opportunity available to connect with highly regarded recruitment agencies and make sure to check regularly for updates, news and advice that can help you find your dream job more quickly.

2. Make sure they have your name on speed dial when a vacancy comes up

If you’re looking for a new job, obscurity is the biggest challenge you have to overcome. Not only don’t the recruitment agencies know anything about you yet, there’s a whole crowd of candidates who want to be in the same position like you that you have to stand out from to get their attention first.

Advertise yourself to the recruitment agencies. Send them emails with your cover letters and CV. When they answer you back, send them a thank-you email and a note letting them know you’ll be in touch again soon. Do it. Tell them where you’re at in your job search, what new skills or competencies you’ve acquired in the meantime and any relevant personal work you’re doing in the meantime.

Do it so often that when a job position similar to the one you’re looking for lands in their inbox, your name will be the first to flash through their minds. Don’t be too embarrassed about it, your dream job is at stake here!

3. Put your career opportunity search on auto-pilot

As we mentioned earlier, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with all the information you’ll need to sift through in order to extract the nugget of gold that’s a vacancy which seems to have been written just for you.

Besides keeping track of your contacts and progress with a simple notebook and pen, learn how to harness technology for your benefit. Use an RSS news-reader app like Feedly, which automatically picks up new job vacancies as they’re published from an online feed and makes it easier for you to read and save them from mobile devices.

Remember that Facebook does not always shows you posts from the pages you like on your news feed. Instead of visiting the FB page of each recruitment agency individually, create an interest list where you save all the agency pages you like and read their posts on one page.

4 .Your new job is out there - Go out and find it!

Finally, go out and meet the people working at a recruitment agency in person. Woody Allen once said that 80% of success is simply showing up. So go ahead and pop by a recruitment agency to let them know you’re there.

By doing so not only will you effectively be offering recruiters the chance to informally interview you while you’re there asking questions about your job search and presenting your qualities as a candidate, you might also drop by the office just in time to learn about the the hottest new career opportunities before anybody else.

Be ready when a career opportunity comes knocking

Looking for a career is a serious job. If you tackle it diligently and strategically then there’s no reason why it should take longer than necessary.

Armed with all the new connections you made during your job search and the information you learnt while searching your industry and job title, you might actually find that you’ve become a more valuable candidate on the job market.

It all begins with step one. Follow the right recruitment agencies and start moving along the career path that will lead you to the corner office someday.

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