A one-page advice to potential candidates

Dear Candidate

Thank you for your interest in the vacancy that we and our partner organisation(s) are trying to fill. To help making our work effective (for all parties – you as candidate, DTK Consulting, and our partner organisation), I would like to give you some advice. This is nothing new but sometimes we fail to pay adequate attention to. Please spend for this just 5 minutes for reading and reflection.

1. Please note that the quality of an application pack (cover letter, CV, etc) decides about 75% whether you will be shortlisted or not.

2. Using a common CV form/template is fine, but it can only decides about 50% about your shortlisting result.

3. For any vacancy, normally the number of applicants ranges from 10 or 20 (for very senior positions in special fields) to 200 (for junior posts, say Secretary, Admin/HR Assistant, Office Assistant). From my experience, the average ratio is one to compete with 30 qualified applicants.

4. So, to be successful, you must be in the top 4 or 6 candidates in order to be invited to the interview. Then you will have to show your knowledge, abilities, skills, and style to the Recruitment Panel (or the Manager in charge). You must then be the top candidate to be offered the job.

5. Please study carefully the Vacancy Announcement and any relevant instructions, the Job Description (or any other names), the headings of the standard Application Form (if recommended). Just spend one hour or two to update the CV or fill the Application Form carefully. List experience, achievements, knowledge, personal qualities and skills which you feel are relevant, against each qualification.

6. After that, you have done an excellent job. Please narrow your CV/Application Form to 3-5 pages only, as too long a document is ineffective for busy recruitment officers/managers to absorb.

7. The last advice: please treat your cover letter (application letter) and your CV (or Application Form) as the best products of yours. The reason is, if somebody cannot make a good-quality application pack, then there is no guarantee that he or she will perform well in the real work setting.

If you have met about 75% of the requirements and have a good quality application, then it is highly possible that you will be shortlisted for the interview. We should not forget: Any good outcome requires adequate investment (here is your time in preparation).

I write these lines from my heart and believe these are useful for you. Please feel free to share this with your friends, and encourage them to send their CV/Application Form to DTKConsulting@vnn.vn (it will really help them effectively when they, one day, will decide to change the working environment or move up the career path).

Wishing you good health, happiness in life and success at work.

Dao Trong Khang
Director
DTK Consulting Co., Ltd