CV Writing

1. CV Writing Pesewa Presentations

2. CV Writing • No one correct style. • Has to suit you and the jobs for which you’re applying. • Differences between countries. • Advice and suggestions only.

3. CV Layout • CV Length • Key sections – Personal Details, Education, Employment, Interests, Referees • Any order – needs to suit your information. • Key information on front page • Choose whether your education or your work experience is the stronger selling point • Can use alternative titles if they suit your information better eg. Relevant Experience or Professional Experience. • Can choose whether to include hobbies and interests

4. Some CV Design Ideas • Heading: Curriculum Vitae or Name? • Clear sections with headings help the reader to navigate • Look at the white space as well as the text • LONG SECTIONS IN CAPITALS OR BOLDCAN BE DISTRACTING • Bullet points can be a useful way of breaking up long paragraphs • Be consistent with the date order you use in your sections

5. CV Content • Must put personal contact details but can choose where to put them • Marital status not generally required • Avoid unexplained gaps – dates are important. • Give Company / Institution name but not full address. Job / course title. • Either “References available upon request” or full contact details for 2 or 3 referees.

6. The Employer’s Perspective • One advert – many responses. • Needs somebody “yesterday”. • Limited time to review a large number of CV’s. • How much time per CV? Somewhere between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. • Clear picture of what they’re looking for in their successful candidate. • Looking for CV’s which demonstrate a match with those criteria

7. So what can you do to make your CV stand out?

8. Communicating your skills and achievements • Vocabulary • Active words: negotiated; co-ordinated; developed; initiated; liaised with • Responsibilities • Achievements • Don’t be afraid to quantify: “I managed a budget of $100,000……” • Think about the difference you made in a particular role.

9. Communicating your skills and achievements (2) • Examples • Avoid making unsubstantiated claims. • Use examples to offer evidence of your suitability for the role. • Two common formats: • Including information about your skills under the relevant chronological section of your CV. • Skills Profile – picking some skills headings which represent the requirements of the job and presenting two or three examples which demonstrate that you have that skill.

10. Describing your work experience • Try to explain why you will be good at the job you’re applying for……… • …. Rather than why you were good at the last job you did. • Prioritise your information to highlight the knowledge, experience and skills of relevance to the post for which you’re applying. • Remember that CV’s can be checked and verified so don’t exaggerate!

11. Personal Profile • Optional! • Usually appears at the beginning • Summarises: • Key fields of experience • Your unique qualities • The job you seek next • Be brief • Adapt the profile to suit each application • Don’t try and target too many types of work with one profile.

12. Covering letter • Introduction • Why you are interested in that company and that role • A summary of your key selling points • Optimistic ending • Usually one page of A4 unless the company ask for more • Assume that your CV may get separated from your letter

13. To finish • Go back to your group and review your key points about CV writing. Add up to 4 other points then stick your poster up on the board or the window. • Take a wander round the room and look at the key points from other groups. • If you have time, have a look at your own CV and write yourself some reminders about the changes you intend to make