The full cake

As any chef will tell you, ingredients alone do not make a cake. There is work in mixing, baking and icing, to deliver a treat that people will enjoy, rather than eating raw ingredients.

Recently I was reminded there are similarities in job hunting. In discussion with a job search client, they didn't see the need to tailor their application to the role they were applying for. They believed all the information was in their CV, if a recruiter was prepared to dig around.

Becoming the solution

I explained two key principles:

First, a job vacancy is a "cry for help" from an organisation. The employer is stating publicly that they soon will not have a General Manager, Operations Manager or CFO. This is a major "problem" to them and they need to find the right person soon, or major cracks will appear.

Second, a job description is like a cake. Different ingredients (desired skills, experience and qualifications) are mixed and baked together to create a position that is the perfect fit for the problem the employer has.

Therefore it's vital you assess the key parts of the job description (those desired skills, experience and qualifications) and "mirror" them in your CV, cover letter and interview, highlighting you as a "tailored solution" to their "problem".

Presenting only the ingredients

The problem is most people who apply do not deliver a cake, but just present their entire career (the raw ingredients) to the recruiter or HR team. Sadly this is where many top candidates drop out of the initial short list, as during the initial cursory scan of their CV by a recruiter, the candidate has not presented a "solution" that quickly makes sense.

Different types of applications

It's important to get the mix just right: Many people provide too many ingredients, showing themselves as overqualified and over-experienced, probably wanting more money than the role is paying.

Others provide too few ingredients, promoting themselves as totally unqualified and inexperienced.

Many present extra ingredients that are not wanted (potatoes and chicken), and confuse the recruiter.

Let them eat cake

Recruiters and HR professionals are not mind readers. If you don't present your background and experience in a way that is relevant to the appointment, they will assume you don't have the skills needed and your application will quickly move to the unwanted pile.

When you apply for your next role, think of presenting not just the ingredients, but delivering a delicious gateau on a platter, with cherries on top. Let recruiters and HR professionals "eat cake" next time you apply for your dream role.

• Tom O'Neil is an award-winning business speaker, international author of The 1% Principle, and MD of both CV.CO.NZ and AchievementExpert.com. You can contact tom at tom@cv.co.nz.

Sometimes the gravity of the world's problems can overwhelm us; many of us want to help but don't know how. It's easy to get caught up with the "I can't do anything to make a difference so I won't bother" mantra. But change happens in increments at the individual level, with each of us doing something small but vital that adds up. Look at the movement to women's right to vote in New Zealand, enough people took part -- women and men -- until our societal fabric shifted. We've never looked back.

Rachael Le Mesurier

Rachael Le Mesurier, executive director of Oxfam New Zealand, remembers a pivotal moment when everything changed. "In my early 20s, while at university in the UK, I got involved in a campaign to stop the deportation of a young woman named Afia Begum and her child.

Her husband had died in a fire and, despite him having residency, the Home Office had ruled that she had to be deported, away from her UK-based family, to Bangladesh.Walking along Brick Lane on the march, I remember a moment when I thought -- I could have been born into her world, into the powerlessness of her position, it could have been me. It was just luck that I ended up in a Pakeha middle-class family, with two passports. I realised how much injustice is underpinned by inequalities in income, wealth, gender, legal status, race, education, health, safety and access to legal protection -- wherever we are born."

This revelation led Rachael into an international career in social justice, working to improve people's lives all around the world.

Light Bulb Moment - You CAN make a difference

"We don't have to accept the injustices we see all around us," believes Rachael. "There are a wide range of ways we can make a better world for our children and grandchildren, whether they are born here in New Zealand or to the daughter of Afia Begum."

You can have a real positive impact on the world if you choose to. "Donations, volunteering, supporting a campaign, working for a justice-focused organisation or leaving a bequest -- are all helping build a better world."

Be the change

I speak and write a lot about how small regular and positive change can make a big difference over the long-term in your business and personal life. Over the next week, however, I would ask you to think about how you can support someone else in the world, helping them and their family have a better life.esurier

Rachael Le Mesurier, executive director of Oxfam New Zealand, remembers a pivotal moment when everything changed. "In my early 20s, while at university in the UK, I got involved in a campaign to stop the deportation of a young woman named Afia Begum and her child.

Mark Powell — Group CEO of The Warehouse Group

In 2009, Mark became the CEO of Warehouse Stationery, leading its successful financial turnaround and winning New Zealand's "Best large company to work for", as judged by employees. Mark was promoted to the CEO of The Warehouse Group in Feb 2011, which now includes the iconic Warehouse, Warehouse Stationery, Noel Leeming and Torpedo7.

Light Bulb Moment — Healthy businesses and healthy societies

Between 2005 and 2008 Mark took time out to complete a theology degree. During his studies he had his powerful "light bulb moment".

"This time out helped me reflect and get clarity on human purpose, human flourishing and how this relates to business." As a result, Mark believes that people are most fulfilled when they are part of something bigger than themselves that helps others flourish.

In terms of business, he came to the realisation that "healthy societies need healthy businesses and healthy businesses need healthy societies". It's a symbiotic relationship, as a good business helps communities flourish, which in turn benefits the business. Governments have no money other than taxes from business profits and people employed in businesses and from sales taxes. Those taxes pay for the public services we take for granted. And in turn, businesses need flourishing customers.

Mark adds: "Because of this, I believe that leaders have a broader responsibility to society, by treating their staff, customers and suppliers well and paying their taxes."

What is success to you?

Moving from business success to personal success, Mark believes "society defines success too much by money, position, possessions, status, celebrity and winning. However, this is not real success". He has a different definition of personal success for the average Kiwi. "Success could mean that you are a great mother or father. It could mean that you are the coach of an under-10s rugby team, helping mentor and motivate the next Ritchie McCaw. It could also be working in your community, making a real, tangible difference in people's lives ... Success is helping others flourish. I believe if you are blessed, you are blessed to be a blessing to others, not just for yourself."

As we progress into 2015, remember your responsibility as a leader, and think hard about what personal success means to you, not what it is perceived to be by others.

Welcome to my regular series entitled "My Light Bulb Moment". This column highlights a "blinding flash of insight" that business, cultural and sports leaders have experienced and how it changed their lives forever.

Sometimes, we do major things in business and life that aren't authentic to ourselves, often to please someone else. We see short-term gain but it very quickly becomes apparent that we've made a poor decision, because we aren't being genuine to who we are, as well as to our unique gifts and skills.

Bill James

With a Bachelor of Commerce, Bill started a long and successful professional sales career in the finance, automotive and insurance sectors.

In 2004, a health scare caused Bill to re-evaluate. He started his highly successful speaking and training business, Inspired Learning Systems, showing people how to succeed in sales by being themselves. The current National President of the National Speakers Association of New Zealand, he has also been awarded the highest accreditation available internationally, a Certified Professional Speaker (CSP).

Light bulb moment - Be authentic with your gifts

As a young boy, Bill was gifted with a beautiful singing voice. Leaving England at 10 to start a new life in New Zealand, Bill's father gave him a battered old trumpet that he instantly fell in love with. "It wasn't because it was a trumpet - it was because it was a present from my Dad," Bill recalls.

The end result was that Bill very quickly stopped singing and focused on playing his treasured trumpet. "However, I was in the wrong place. I was never any good on the trumpet and in orchestras they asked me to move my fingers but not blow! My motivation was pure - the love of my father - but I was doing the wrong thing when I stopped singing."

The sad thing was that Bill had a really great gift that he stopped using. "For five years I should have been singing, training my voice and using the best natural talent I have. In my final year at school I pulled out my voice and dusted it off, auditioned for the school show and got the lead role. Then, as life got busy, I stopped and it is only now some 30 years later I am singing again. It truly is a life regret."

Success follows authenticity

"I missed the lesson for years, even decades. Honour the wonderful people in your life and make the right decisions but for the right reasons, not the right thing for the wrong reasons. My father would never have wished me to stop singing. If I had asked he would have agreed I should stop playing the trumpet. Other people are often smarter than we are.

"Only fairly recently have I come to understand that you have to stay in your natural flow of energy and skill where you are strongest. Success will follow when you are at your best in your best area."