RSP® Application Guide

"... of every 100 written applications approx. 70-80 % contain technical errors! The applications are expressionless, boring and do not arouse either curiosity or the desire to meet the applicant."

Here are some RSP recommendations

• Write your cover letter to respond specifically to the text and content of the advertisement as well as the position wanted. Cover letter: max. 1 page in length.
• An abbreviated curriculum vitae in tabular form It should be simple, objective, well structured, clear, brief and pregnant and give a complete overview. The CV should be present as an original with the most recent data. There should be no gaps and all time periods should be accounted for.
• Key-profil-facts
  Only use those that really play a useful and clarifying role in the CV. Your personality profile should furnish an answer to the following questions:
  
  1. What can you do in the position offered in the company that others can not do so well?
  
  2. Why should the company employ you, or expressed differently, why are you the right candidate? Every branch has its own particular problems, so what would your contribution to solving these problems be?
  
  You are a product to be sold. Every product has its value, and you should stand behind your product and have the courage to clearly state your worth.
• Photograph
  showing a positive attitude, attractive smile, fashionable, discreet and well-tended clothing, no old photos, no vacation pictures.
• Complete work and school references etc.
• No spelling/grammar/punctuation errors and no corrections on the pages.
• Letters have a border on both right and left measuring approx. 3.5 cm (1.4 inches)
• Insert all documents into a file protector, a DIN A 4 envelope and adhere the correct postage

Thorough preparation is everything

You have all the chances in the world to meet your dream employer if you optimally prepare the crucial self-presentation speech. Make sure you have researched all important information about the company! Many German companies already present themselves in the Internet. Likewise, you can also acquire brochures and press releases. Thoroughly study for your role. Don't prepare contrived-sounding phrases, but instead quietly practice out loud the answers to critical questions. Check your gestures and facial expressions in front of the mirror. Don't drum your fingers on the desktop or constantly fidget with your glasses. Such actions make others nervous and aggressive.

Presentation

Both content as well as visual appearance are important therefore your role demands the appropriate attire. Your clothing should fit the company's style - respectable and reputable or stylish.

Avoid showing others up by flaunting the newest Armani jacket. On the other hand, exaggerated understatement is also not appropriate:

This generally suffices: a business suit, light-colored shirt, subdued tie, and well-shined shoes, as well as clean fingernails and well-combed hair. No dark suits, baggy corduroy pants, T-shirts etc.

Jewelry: Only wear jewelry if you are a woman. Avoid: large dangling earrings, long necklaces, wide belts, conspicuous rings, clinging clothing. Men should wear a wedding ring or, at most, a signet ring, watch and cuff links.

White socks: Tennis socks and sports shoes are out and belong only on the sport field or court.

Caution: Female applicants should not wear thick, overdone make-up. This helps to disarm the prejudice that some personnel managers have against woman applicants.

Results: Clothes make the man (or woman). A disorderly, disharmonious or haphazard appearance distracts.

He who comes late...

The beginning of the self-presentation speech is the first impression that won't be forgotten - either good or bad. He who comes late, loses. One should also not arrive more than 10 minutes early.

Your career...

He who is well-prepared is halfway home! After a brief warming-up period, your first monologue is of paramount importance: It's your career, it's your turn to choose.

Windbags and "cold fish" are unpopular. Therefore you should appear neither abrupt nor bland. Personnel decisions are emotional decisions.

Smile and then smile some more......
With all people there are 30 precisely defined steps passed through before the situation really clicks. The first step is - always and everywhere - smile. Without a smile, the so-called "first impression" ends!

Results: he who does not smile, does not get to step two!

Deal with the situation and don't get lost in the details.

Persuasion

The company decides further dialog. What follows is a selection from the copious repertoire of standard questions, which one can find in any instruction book dealing with self-presentation speeches. If you know these standard questions, you can also plan your answers ahead of time. In particular, one should prepare convincing answers to the to-be-anticipated, stressful questions regarding gaps in the CV.

Your strengths

Be honest. However be reserved when discussing your weak points.

Don't role-play and act

The danger exists that you will not be able to convincingly demonstrate your personality. A put-on behavior generally will not remain consistent and believable through several rounds of applicant interviews.

Above all: Be open, but don't whine about personal problems. Don't complain about either present or former employers.

Use positive words in your speech: Avoid using expressions such as "no sweat" or "absolutely no problem" etc. as well as sweeping gestures.

Consultants and clients check out references and this could be embarrassing for you later on.

Unpleasant questions

Stay calm and friendly. What can one do when asked unauthorized, unpleasant queries? Simply ask in return whether the particular being asked about is a prerequisite for the job.

Stressful interviews

At this point, you should ask yourself whether you see a future for yourself with this company. Because stress-filled interviews generally give evidence of an uncomfortable company environment.

License to lie

Some things are not the employer's business. Only work-related questions may be asked during a self-presentation. If, however, curiosity cannot be restrained, an elegant lie is generally both legal and essentially more effective than a refusal to furnish the information:

• Pregnancy and family planning
• trade union involvement
• previous illnesses
• your private financial situation
• previous convictions in general
• political orientation

Exceptions: When the answer plays a definite role for the tendered position.

Return questions

Sometime in the interview, the roles will be reversed. You are allowed and should ask questions. Avoid queries about the well-known and banal. Inquiries regarding vacation pay, working hours and flexible working hours are taboo. Interest in company strategies, development opportunities and hierarchy of the position within the organization are all well received.

Active listening

It could happen that you only have a walk-on part. Loquacious people feel good if someone actively listens to them with interest. Only rarely, however, will one not be able to get a word in.

A word about tests

Many firms utilize aptitude tests to compare one candidate with another. We do not assign much worth to graphologist expertise and in our many years of experience, there have only been two clients that insisted upon graphological testing.

RSP Personnel Consulting has had good experiences with the following tests,

• Assessment Center
• Assessment Analysis / Potential Analysis
• Thought and behavioral testing

Realities that can't be denied

There are realities that everyone understands because life is simply like that and no one can change such things.

Because people seek to place fault for their own fate elsewhere, the following principle is valid:

Each person is responsible for his own life and there are realities in life that all people must accept. Only each individual himself knows the solution for his problem.

If everything that can be done is already done, we conclude with our wish to you for much success and luck with your application!