Effective CV Writing Tips | University Resources | Graduate Job Search

1. Titel Curriculum Vitae - CV Writing The average graduate will send out about 70 CVs when looking for their first graduate job. Of these, the average number of responses will be 7 including 3 to 4 polite rejections and the remainder inviting the graduate to interview or further contact. University of Kent (http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv.htm) Spree WS 2009/2010

2. Seminar I-Prax: Inhaltserschließung visueller Medien, 5.10.2004 Spree WS 2009/2010 Format of CV  • Name and Address • Objective • Experience: • Date Employer Location Position held & responsibilities • Education Qualifications: • Please give details of educational and professional qualifications in chronological order. • Qualifications and grades Dates • Projects • Training (if any) • Activities and Interests • Skills • Referees More information: What information to include? http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv.htm

3. Seminar I-Prax: Inhaltserschließung visueller Medien, 5.10.2004 Spree WS 2009/2010 Professional competencies Info Professional  ArbeitsschritteW • Customer service – understanding and improving the sources and services • Assessment – analyzing and investing the sources and services • Knowledge of Information Sources - identify, interpret, design and access varied information resources • Resource Management – organize, develop and manage the resources • Advocacy – communication and promotion of the sources and services • Collaboration – collaborate with the team and other staff • Administration - identifies, develops, administers, and evaluates both internal and external resources

4. Seminar I-Prax: Inhaltserschließung visueller Medien, 5.10.2004 Spree WS 2009/2010 Personal competencies  ArbeitsschritteW • Education - continuing education to update skills, keep current, broaden knowledge and integrate new techniques and methodology • Service Commitment – interested in the goals of customers, co-worker and suppliers and strives to provide effective support in helping them • Flexibility – anticipation, positive attitude, personal styles, takes risks, experiments and makes mistakes and supports this behavior in others • Leadership – sets a positive example for others to follow and helping others • Ethics – treats others with honesty, respect, and fairness, protects and values patrons • Communication – communicates openly and directly, practices effective comm. skills • Self Motivation - keeps current with professional literature and discussion groups, takes initiative and demonstrates innovation

5. Seminar I-Prax: Inhaltserschließung visueller Medien, 5.10.2004 Spree WS 2009/2010 Business competencies  • To become an integral part of an organization the information professional must provide a significant contribution to the business from the perspective of the organization. For this contribution to be recognized and acknowledged you should: • Speak a language that they understand • Know the business of the organization (ie the wider industry) • Know how the organization works • Know where your services are needed and can add value • Know which products and services are needed and how they should be delivered • Know how to market and sell your products and services • Know how to consistently deliver and exceed expectations

6. Seminar I-Prax: Inhaltserschließung visueller Medien, 5.10.2004 Spree WS 2009/2010 Exercise – Interview questions and skills  • What skills do you think you can bring to us? • Why did you choose HAW Hamburg for your degree? • Why did you choose to study your degree subject? • Which part of your degree course do you like the most and why? Dislike the most? • Describe a situation where you had to help others • When have your set yourself goals in jobs, and how have you reached them? • Where do you see yourself in 5 years? • What would you friends say is your strongest point?    • Could you give me an example, where you have been in a team? What was your role and contribution? • How do you overcome problems with people you don't like? • Have you ever done something without having people to ask you to? • What motivates you? • Give an example where you have been leader. • Give an example where you have come across a problem, and how you have solved it? • Have you ever missed any deadlines? • How do you prioritise your work?

7. Seminar I-Prax: Inhaltserschließung visueller Medien, 5.10.2004 Spree WS 2009/2010 Standard example  Good example http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/goodbadCV.htm

8. Seminar I-Prax: Inhaltserschließung visueller Medien, 5.10.2004 Spree WS 2009/2010 Emailing your CV  • Put the covering letter as the body of your email. It's probably wise to format it as plain text (use the format heading on Outlook Express to do this), as then it can be read by any email reader. • Send the CV as an attachment. Also say you'll send a printed CV if required. • MS Word (.doc) format is common, Rich Text Format (.rtf), and PDF (portable document format) are also widely used. • Send testemail to yourself first to check

9. Seminar I-Prax: Inhaltserschließung visueller Medien, 5.10.2004 Spree WS 2009/2010 My Sources  University of Kent Careers Advisory Service: Applications & Interviews http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/applicn.htm. Retrieved: 2010-01-15)