Pay attention.

One of the unfortunate issues surrounding the job hunt since the onset of the recession is that more and more people are 'spamming' their CV's out there for any job that vaguely matches their skill. That I can understand. What I can't understand is the fact that so many people at the moment are sending their CV's for roles that they have absolutely no qualifications for. In the ten years that I have been in the recruitment business this has been an on and off problem and it typically happens in really busy times - but lately I am receiving three or four applications every day from people who have no discernable skills for the job that they are applying for.

What that actually does is it affects the candidates credibility with the employer or agency. It's not something that is just happening to me, I have spoken to several recruiters who are having the same problem and it is affecting their perception of their candidates. That is the downside of the times we live in.

So the advice is this - read the spec on line and see if you are a match - then apply. There is no point throwing the CV in just for the craic. What I would always suggest at this stage is that if you feel that you might have something in common with the job is to ring up the recruiter and have an initial chat. It may mean that you aren't the right candidate, but it may uncover another role that the recruiter hasn't advertised.