How to write an outstanding CV Computer Science Post Graduate Employability Workshop Carolyn Parry

1. How to write an outstanding CV Computer Science Post GraduateEmployability Workshop Carolyn Parry Computer Science Department Link Careers Adviser & Enterprise Champion cep@aber.ac.uk 01970 622378

2. About this session • It will help you to think like a recruiter so you know: • how to structure your CV • what to put in it • how to write it • so you get shortlisted and invited to interview! • Remember it’s a game … • … so learn and follow the rules!

3. Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) “Final year students should be aware that nearly half of recruiters expect to face difficulties in fulfilling recruitment objectives – with the largest factor being a lack of applicants with the right skills. Employers are likely to be looking to graduates who can demonstrate softer skills such as team-work, cultural awareness, leadership and communication skills, as well as academic achievement.”

4. What recruiters look for

5. eSkills – the sector skills councilfor ICT and Business “The demand for technical skills remains high, but graduates are increasingly required to be customer facing. Importantly, there is a need to enhance graduate abilities to deploy skills in a business context and to further develop their interpersonal skills for communicating with teams, clients and sub-contractors. The trends and implications of off-shoring means that skills required by employers are shifting, further emphasising the need for graduates to be rounded in terms of their technical, business and interpersonal abilities.” Source: Researching Graduate Employment in IT eSkills 2009

6. How industry recruiters recruit • Write job advertisement(Q: What personal qualities, knowledge/understanding and skills do I need for this role?) • Appoint interview dates (and panel if appropriate) • Place in press/online (possibly via HR) (Q: Where is the best place to find good applicants?) • Review CV and covering letter or • Application form(very common for grad. training schemes) • Select best applicants based on paper profile (Q: Who best fits our needs?) (NB: Possibly also use online tests to select)

7. Imagine you’re the recruiter (v1) Q: You are the Project Manager of a 50 man software team and need a new software engineer quickly. You advertised the post in Computer Weekly and with Reed.co.uk and there are now 120 graduate CVs in a pile on your desk. Your time is short and you have an important meeting with your client to sort out a major problem in a hour. HR have been on the phone again, wanting to know who you want to interview for the post. How do you deal with this? (NB: this applies to private sector recruitment)

8. How industry recruiters select CVs • Decide which CVs merit detailed reading(based on a first sift by splitting CVs into “yes”, “maybe”, and “no” piles) • To do this they: • scan read (like you read newspapers and magazines) • look for key words and relevance/requirements • are (unconsciously) influenced by layout • get irritated/frustrated by poor applications • remember applicant stories not names! • look for best match possible!

9. How public sector recruits • Write job advertisement(Q: What personal qualities, and knowledge/understanding/skills do I need in this role?) • Write detailed person specification (with HR?) • Appoint interview dates (and panel if appropriate) • Place in press/online (possibly via HR) (Q: Where is the best place to find good applicants?) • Always use application form(contains personal statement section) • Score applicants using recruitment matrix (Can do first sift to split into “yes”, and “no” pilesbefore detailed scoring for essential criteria) • Possibly use online tests etc as well

10. Short-listing Matrix – panel selection

11. Recruiter drivers • Factor CV/form (paper not the person) in or factor out • Minimize risk of recruiting wrong person (costs time, money, and stress, sometimes worse than not recruiting!) • Find “best fit” candidate to get high ROI (industry) (return on investment = (cost of recruit + salary + overhead costs over employment period) - your contribution) • Demonstrate appropriate selection/use of public funds • ie: match paper profile to their mental picture orwritten profile of ideal candidate. • Same goals, different selection approaches

12. Structure – for Business • Contact information (Name, address, email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile or career objective(where now, what qualities, skills, experience, where headed) • Achievements and skills - match to role • Education and qualifications • Employment experience, split into relevant and other if appropriate to suit role • Interests • Referees (1 academic and 1 employer) *professional version please!

13. Structure – for Academia • Contact details (Name, addresses (home and uni), email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile including career plan(research focus, + skills and interests related to vacancy) • Education and qualifications (include relevant abstracts as Annex A) • Publications (highlights/overview, full list as Annex B) • Teaching/Administration experience • Work history • Professional memberships • Technical skills • Conferences and courses (add to Annex B) • Referees (2 academics, 1 employer) *professional version please!

14. Whichever job you want, remember... • Understand why you want it and what you can do! • Demonstrate why you want it and what you can do! • The answers you need to put together a good application are in the question! • Study the job ad or person specification and the company website for clues

15. Then, make two lists... Tip! Remember to use their language

16. Structure – for Business • Contact information (Name, address, email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile or career objective(where now, what qualities, skills, experience, where headed) • Achievements and skills - match to role • Education and qualifications • Employment experience, split into relevant and other if appropriate to suit role • Interests • Referees (1 academic and 1 employer) *professional version please!

17. Example PERSONAL PROFILEAn enthusiastic Geography finalist with understanding of ecological management issues in addition to practical habitat restoration experience. Now looking to build on recent work with national and regional environmental organisations and to use well developed analytical and interpersonal skills in a visitor-focused conservationenvironment.

18. Structure – for Academia • Contact details (Name, addresses (home and uni), email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile including career plan(research focus, + skills and interests related to vacancy) • Education and qualifications (include relevant abstracts as Annex A) • Publications (highlights/overview, full list as Annex B) • Teaching/Administration experience • Work history • Professional memberships • Technical skills • Conferences and courses (add to Annex B) • Referees (2 academics, 1 employer) *professional version please!

19. Research Profile My principal research interests lie in the field of conservation and impacts upon the South Wales economy. I am currently investigating the impact of tourism, government policy and demography on conservation for my PhD, using the latest econometric modelling and e-factor analysis techniques. My future research plans are to build on the foundations of my PhD to further develop models and tools in conjunction with government bodies, environmental agencies and city financial modellers. I have a particular expertise and interest in the regulation of urban utilities from a conservation and sustainability perspective. I am able to read and speak French.

20. Structure – for Business • Contact information (Name, address, email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile or career objective(where now, what qualities, skills, experience, where headed) • Achievements and skills - match to role • Education and qualifications • Employment experience, split into relevant and other if appropriate to suit role • Interests • Referees (1 academic and 1 employer) *professional version please!

21. Achievements and skills! • Give strong evidence for every essential criterion in the person specification/job advertisement. • Do this by asking yourself - What are my best 3 examples of [skill/knowledge needed etc]?) • Use real situations, be truthful, be specific enough to build a picture! “Past performance really is the best indicator of future behaviour. That’s what CVs and applications are all about really.” Nigel Llewellyn Deloitte and Touche

22. Structure – for Business • Contact information (Name, address, email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile or career objective(where now, what qualities, skills, experience, where headed) • Achievements and skills - match to role • Education and qualifications • Employment experience, split into relevant and other if appropriate to suit role • Interests • Referees (1 academic and 1 employer) *professional version please!

23. Structure – for Business • Contact information (Name, address, email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile or career objective(where now, what qualities, skills, experience, where headed) • Achievements and skills - match to role • Education and qualifications • Employment experience, split into relevant and other if appropriate to suit role • Interests • Referees (1 academic and 1 employer) *professional version please!

24. Employment section • Job descriptions: - What did I (have to) do? - What did I learn/gain (skills?) - How did I add value/contribute? What difference did I make?

25. RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE 2008 RSPB Ynys-hir Nature Reserve, Machynlleth • Organised and prioritised personal work schedule • Recorded and analysed visitor numbers following national campaign • Reported findings at RSPB Wales conference via a presentation to 180 delegates • Developed communication and team working skills by liaising effectively with colleagues 2007 Devon Wildlife Trust, Exeter • Cleared river bank for re-introduction of otters as part of a small team • Prepared publicity material in advance of work beginning • Developed team working and marketing design skills

26. Structure – for Business • Contact information (Name, address, email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile or career objective(where now, what qualities, skills, experience, where headed) • Achievements and skills - match to role • Education and qualifications • Employment experience, split into relevant and other if appropriate to suit role • Interests • Referees (1 academic and 1 employer) *professional version please!

27. Structure – for Business • Contact information (Name, address, email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile or career objective(where now, what qualities, skills, experience, where headed) • Achievements and skills - match to role • Education and qualifications • Employment experience, split into relevant and other if appropriate to suit role • Interests • Referees (1 academic and 1 employer) *professional version please!

28. Structure – for Academia • Contact details (Name, addresses (home and uni), email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile including career plan(research focus, + skills and interests related to vacancy) • Education and qualifications (include relevant abstracts as Annex A) • Publications (highlights/overview, full list as Annex B) • Teaching/Administration experience • Work history • Professional memberships • Technical skills • Conferences and courses (add to Annex B) • Referees (2 academics, 1 employer) *professional version please!

29. Structure – for Academia • Contact details (Name, addresses (home and uni), email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile including career plan(research focus, + skills and interests related to vacancy) • Education and qualifications (include relevant abstracts as Annex A) • Publications (highlights/overview, full list as Annex B) • Teaching/Administration experience • Work history • Professional memberships • Technical skills • Conferences and courses (add to Annex B) • Referees (2 academics, 1 employer) *professional version please!

30. Structure – for Academia • Contact details (Name, addresses (home and uni), email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile including career plan(research focus, + skills and interests related to vacancy) • Education and qualifications (include relevant abstracts as Annex A) • Publications (highlights/overview, full list as Annex B) • Teaching/Administration experience • Work history • Professional memberships • Technical skills • Conferences and courses (add to Annex B) • Referees (2 academics, 1 employer) *professional version please!

31. Structure – for Academia • Contact details (Name, addresses (home and uni), email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile including career plan(research focus, + skills and interests related to vacancy) • Education and qualifications (include relevant abstracts as Annex A) • Publications (highlights/overview, full list as Annex B) • Teaching/Administration experience • Work history • Professional memberships • Technical skills • Conferences and courses (add to Annex B) • Referees (2 academics, 1 employer) *professional version please!

32. Structure – for Academia • Contact details (Name, addresses (home and uni), email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile including career plan(research focus, + skills and interests related to vacancy) • Education and qualifications (include relevant abstracts as Annex A) • Publications (highlights/overview, full list as Annex B) • Teaching/Administration experience • Work history • Professional memberships • Technical skills • Conferences and courses (add to Annex B) • Referees (2 academics, 1 employer) *professional version please!

33. Structure – for Academia • Contact details (Name, addresses (home and uni), email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile including career plan(research focus, + skills and interests related to vacancy) • Education and qualifications (include relevant abstracts as Annex A) • Publications (highlights/overview, full list as Annex B) • Teaching/Administration experience • Work history • Professional memberships • Technical skills • Conferences and courses (add to Annex B) • Referees (2 academics, 1 employer) *professional version please!

34. Structure – for Academia • Contact details (Name, addresses (home and uni), email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile including career plan(research focus, + skills and interests related to vacancy) • Education and qualifications (include relevant abstracts as Annex A) • Publications (highlights/overview, full list as Annex B) • Teaching/Administration experience • Work history • Professional memberships • Technical skills • Conferences and courses (add to Annex B) • Referees (2 academics, 1 employer) *professional version please!

35. Structure – for Academia • Contact details (Name, addresses (home and uni), email*, ‘phone) • Focussed profile including career plan(research focus, + skills and interests related to vacancy) • Education and qualifications (include relevant abstracts as Annex A) • Publications (highlights/overview, full list as Annex B) • Teaching/Administration experience • Work history • Professional memberships • Technical skills • Conferences and courses (add to Annex B) • Referees (2 academics, 1 employer) *professional version please!

36. Order? • The order of the sections in your CV will depend on what you wish to emphasise for the particular job you are going for • Consider what is most relevant and put it where it makes most impact! • Different jobs may well need a different order

37. Layout • Even margins – aim for 2cm all round • Good use of white space - check spacingbetween lines • Clear signposting using subheadings - use bold, consider different typeface, avoid underlining • Clear typeface - Arial or similar • Keep section whole - avoid splittingbetween pages

38. RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE 2008 RSPB Ynys-hir Nature Reserve, Machynlleth • Organised and prioritised personal work schedule • Recorded and analysed visitor numbers following national campaign • Reported findings at RSPB Wales conference via a presentation to 180 delegates • Developed communication and team working skills by liaising effectively with colleagues 2007 Devon Wildlife Trust, Exeter • Cleared river bank for re-introduction of otters as part of a small team • Prepared publicity material in advance of work beginning • Developed team working and marketing design skills

39. Language • Concise and positive • Speak the industry language • Use their keywords • Use active verbs for punch

40. Do quality check for...

41. Slip ups • My interests include cooking dogs and interesting people. • I was responsible for dissatisfied customers. • While working in this role, I had intercourse with a varietyof people. Also check for...

42. Typos and Spelling Errors • In my spare time, I enjoy hiding my horse • I am involved in a wide range of extra circular activities • I hope to hear from you shorty. • I am a conscious individual • I am experienced in teaching marital arts • Instrumental in ruining an entire operation for a large supermarket chain • My job involved severing customers

43. Keys to a successful CV – recap • Use clues provided to tailor content to role • Effective structure and layout(Clear and consistent structure, effective signposting through subheadings, clean typeface, balanced use of white space) • Effective content (tailor self to role using the clues in job advertisement/person specification, avoid assumptions – if it’s not down in black and white they won’t know it) • Effective language(Use relevant key words for skills and industry, concise, active verb language, professional level of language; check spelling/meaning) • Follow the application instructions!

44. Covering letters The purpose of the letter is to: • make sure that your application is seen by the relevant person • explain your motivation/interest • demonstrate you understand the company and industry you want to work in • draw attention to key points on your CV • deal with possible issues effectively • to highlight your suitability for the job • www.aber.ac.uk/careers/covlet

45. Use covering letter to... • Express interest/motivation for applying(Why this job?) • Demonstrate you know about the industry/company (Why this industry/company?) • Highlight key points(Why you?) • Deal with possible worries • Always focus on how you can help thembefore you outline what’s in it for you!!

46. Dealing with worries- yours and theirs! • Gaps in your CV (Employer wonders: what happened to cause the gap(s)?) • Health problems (Employer wonders: Will the illness return?) • Exam grade issues (Employer wonders: What happened there?) • Incomplete course (Employer wonders: What was the reason for the change?) • Lack of employment experience (Employer wonders: How much of a risk is this applicant? • Disability • (Employer wonders: How will this affect their ability to do the job?) • Phrase carefully and address issues in covering letter!

47. Using agencies • Use different agencies for different roles/sector • Create tailored CV for each role/sector • Keep notes of what you submit to whom! • Build relationship effectively • Stand out for the right reasons www.rec.uk.com/home

48. Speculative applications • Call first to identify opportunity and • Build relationship/connection through respect • Ask for another contact if they can’t help • Submit CV (use prospects role description and normal application preparation process to help) • Follow up three to four days after sending • Little point in sending without doing this– it’s just another piece of junk mail!

49. Application forms • Same rules apply • Tailor self to role using clues provided • Use their structure to create your statement structure/order (must contain everything you think they need to know) • (remember matrix score sheet) • Complete every section accurately • Use covering letter if possible to highlight key elements only (might be disregarded) • Only attach CV if asked to do so • Do what they ask you to do!

50. Applying on line • Do as they ask • Tailor to role!! • Work in rough first and check it before you submit your application! • Be aware of key words and use effectively(some organisations use software checkers)