21 st Century CVs + more…

1. 21st Century CVs + more… Cliona Hillery Careers Adviser Careers Advisory Service 7-9 Leinster Street www.tcd.ie/careers

2. Aim of the Seminar At the end of this session you will have: • an understanding of CV purpose and how recruiters view CVs. • the information required to write an effective CV • an ability to critically evaluate the content and visual impact of your own CV.

3. Sector overview - ICT • Over 100,000 people directly employed • 25,000 in indigenous companies • 75,000 in multinationals • Exports worth over €70 billion per annum • 40% of national exports • 5 of the top 10 exporters are tech companies • All of the top ten global tech companies have a significant presence in Ireland

4. Why Ireland? 1st Availability of skilled labour 1st Flexibility and adaptability of workforce 1st Investment incentives for foreign investors 1st Attitudes towards globalisation 2nd Openness to foreign investors and adaptability of companies 4th Corporate tax rate and real corporate taxes

5. Tech Salary Survey 2013

6. Where talent is needed • Programming • Mobile technology • Gaming • Web development and technologies • Cloud computing • Platform administration • Digital and creative media • Network maintenance • CRM • Project management

7. Overview - CVs Curriculum Vitae Purpose Tailoring your CV Layout Do’s and Don’ts Cover Letters Guidelines on writing effective cover letters

8. What Makes a Good CV?

9. Purpose Your purpose: To get an interview in order to get the job. Selector’s purpose: To decide whether or not to interview you

10. Tailor your Application Tailor your application to clearly identify how you meet the organisation’s needs Knowing yourself Knowing what they want No one CV

11. Knowing Yourself (Self-Profile) To carry this out review activities: Specific Achievements Current Responsibilities Course Work Projects Work Experience - including Voluntary Work Sports, Societies, Social Life Then - What Skills have I gained?

12. “Self-Profile” College Time Personal time • Managing Money • Take a Risk • Speaking in Societies • Being on a Committee • Organising an Event • Helping Others • Catering for Others • Entertaining Others • Taking Initiative • Managing Time WorkExperience Academic Time • Writing Reports • Analysing Data • Researching information • Retaining Facts • Working to Deadline • Establishing Good • Customer Relations • Showing Reliability • Working Well with others • Being Adaptable • Using Languages • Communication Skills • Financial Skills • Interpersonal Skills • Time Management Skills

13. Know the Organisation N.B. “Organisations love to be loved.” Ask if there is anything they can send you in writing about their organisation Go to their website & read everything they have there “about us” Go to the library & locate any newspaper articles or other information about the organisation Ask your friends if they know anyone working there to whom you could talk Become familiar with the organisation’s history, purpose, goals, values

14. Job Descriptions & Person Specifications Job description or Job Role • Details the key duties and responsibilities of a post Person Specification • Details the knowledge, skills and experience the post holder will need to have and to what level they will need to have them in order to fulfil the key duties and responsibilities set out in the job description

15. Matching Process

16. Havok Engineering • Havok Engineering has been at the cutting edge of innovation in game development for over a decade. We work cross platform, mainly on AAA titles, with top clients such as EA, Sony, Activision, Nintendo, Ubisoft, Bungie, Guerrilla, and DICE. We have a unique environment made up of talented, small, stable teams. We provide each of our engineers with an opportunity to make a real impact...

17. Havok - Internship Requirements • Pending Bachelor/Master’s Degree in Computer Science/Engineering/Mathematics • Strong C++ skills and project experience ( game project experience beneficial) • Knowledge of 3D Mathematics, graphics or tools highly desirable • Low level optimisation skills, experience in middleware desirable • Strong communication skills/ability to work in a team environment

18. Applications • Please visit www.havok.com/careers or email your resume to jobs@havok.com. Please indicate that you are applying for the Software Engineer Internship.

19. CV Basics Length Format Headings Personal Details Career Objective (optional) Education & Qualifications Employment History Interests & Achievements Skills Profile References International CVs

20. Personal Details Keep it short Top of page Date of birth - optional Email address

21. “A 4th Year Honours Computer Science student at Trinity College Dublin, with developed technical, problem solving, numerate and communication skills now seeking a challenging placement in an IT Consulting firm .” “A commercially aware and IT literate 4th year Computer Science student, undertaking a 5-year Masters degree programme, with highly developed problem solving, interpersonal and communication skills now looking for an internship as a software developer working on real world projects.” Career Objective

22. Education & Qualifications Place most recent first Profile your course and its relevance to the job: Full Title e.g. BA Moderatorship and a Master in Computer Science (MCS) Length & structure Relevant subjects taken Grades attained and awards Title of relevant Projects / Dissertations / Thesis Placements abroad

23. Education & Qualifications 2010 – to date BA (Mod) Computer Science (4 years) Key Subjects: Results: 2010 – to date Master in Computer Science (MCS) - 5 years (Currently undertaking this integrated Computer Science programme and will graduate in 2015) Results (expected):

24. Employment History Summer 2013 Intern, BT Undertook a real world project during the summer researching an area of technology to find out how it worked and what capability it could yield to BT Responsible for setting the direction, building prototypes and demonstrating my findings.  This included Cloud Computing, Mobile OS, Hadoop, GIS and AJAX technologies.

25. Skills Profile IT – Confident IT user with strong working knowledge of multiple computer programmes, languages & applications including Microsoft Office, HTML, UNIX, & Visual Basic. Officer for the DUCSS (Computer Science Society at TCD) Project Management/Leadership – Instrumental in the organisation of a running club reunion held in Summer 2011. Took charge of the publicity for the event & single-handedly traced as many former members as was possible Communication Skills – Demonstrated oral and written communication skills in various work experiences and in publication of articles for Trinity News. Give grinds in Computer Studies to Leaving Certificate students

26. Other Skills • Problem-solving skills • Teamwork • Leadership potential • Communication and interpersonal skills • Analytical ability • Initiative and Creativity • Rounded Experience

27. Interests & Achievements Voluntary Publicity Officer, Amnesty Arranged a publicity campaign. Gained experience in delegation, proofreading text, desktop publishing and working under pressure to meet deadlines Sport Treasurer, Boxing Club Kept accounts for a committee of eight. Helped organise a campaign to extend membership of the club which resulted in twenty new members

28. Referees Get permission before you use someone as a referee Two referees are usually given Include one academic referee Include one referee from your work experience

29. Achieved Administered Analysed Built Capable Competent Consistent Controlled Co-ordinated Created Designed Useful Words – See Our Website! • Developed • Directed • Economical • Effective • Efficient • Engineered • Established • Expanded • Experienced • Guided • Improved • Initiated • Instructed • Managed • Monitored • Organised • Participated • Positive • Processed • Productive • Proficient • Qualified • Repaired • Sold • Specialised • Stable • Successful • Supervised • Trained • Versatile • Wide Background

30. Iportence of acruate speling and gramer What spelling mistakes say about you: You really cannot spell You are lazy – can’t be bothered doing a spell-check You are inattentive to detail You are careless You do not really want the job

31. Summary – top ten CV sins Typos Putting the first last Gaps Sloppy formatting Cluttered CV Irrelevant information Not tailoring your CV Disorganised CV Too long Too basic

32. CV checklist Is the CV relevant to the position for which you are applying? Is the layout clear, concise, well presented and professional Can an employer see the relevant points at a glance? Have you emphasised your skills, experience and achievements? Is it free of spelling and grammatical errors? Does it paint a positive picture of you? Are you happy with this paper reflection of you?

33. Cover Letters Three main sections: Introduce yourself • What brings you to write? Ad, contact, article? Your motivations to apply • Why this type of work? Why this organisation? What you offer • Evidence of key strengths (Analyse Job Description)

34. Cover Letters – Key Points • Address by name • Show understanding of the position • Crisp, clear, business English • Summarise why you’re perfect for the job (showcase your skills) • Back up with evidence – reference experience • Tailor to the employer • Print on quality paper • Sign with blue pen

35. Application Forms: A Summary • Research the job and the employer • Identify the skills and qualities being sought • Assess and record the evidence of your skills • Match your skills and competencies to those the employers are seeking • Read the application form instructions carefully and follow them • Answer every question Recommended: attend a CAS Application Forms workshop

36. Careers Advisory Service, Trinity College Dublin 7-9 South Leinster Street

37. LinkedIn Allows you to • Develop a professional online presence • Manage and build your network • Keep up to date with developments in industry sectors • Find out about career paths • Find jobs

38. Key Elements in Your Profile Your Photograph Your Headline Your Summary Keywords Recommendations and Endorsements

39. Your Degree What Next?www.tcd.ie/Careers • Overview • Skills Gained • Choose a Career • Profiling for Success • Career Report on Gradireland.com • My Prospects Career Planner on Prospects.co.uk • What TCD Graduates Do • Job Profiles • Further Study • Making Applications • Vacancies • Useful links

40. Other Job-Hunting Resources • Employer Presentations/Fairs • Non-visiting Employers • Applications Via The Web Career Sites • www.gradireland.ie • www.prospects.ac.uk • http://www.gradcracker.com/ • http://targetjobs.co.uk/ Company Sites • www.firstderivatives.com/careers • www.havok.com/careers • http://careers.murex.com/ • http://careers.accenture.com/ie-en/Pages/index.aspx

41. Other Job-Hunting Resources Job Sites (prospects/target/gradireland too) • www.irishjobs.ie/graduates.asp • CAS website-(www.tcd.ie/vacancies) • http://dublinstartupjobs.com/ • http://www.itshappeninghere.ie/ • http://www.irishjobs.ie/Graduates.aspx • http://www.computerjobs.ie/ Useful websites: • www.itshappeninghere.ie Career opportunities in Irish owned software companies • www.software.ie Irish software companies • www.irishdev.com/jobsindex.aspx Irish developer’s network of professional software developers) • www.ibec.ie/ibec/internet.nsf/LookupPageLink/ISAWebsite Irish software Association members • www.iei.ie • www.ictireland.ie • Irish Computer Society www.ics.ie • http://www.imca.ie/ Institute of Management Consultants

42. User groups… • http://python.ie/ Python is a remarkably powerful dynamic programming language that is used in a wide variety of application domains. Python is often compared to Tcl, Perl, Ruby, Scheme or Java • Pubstandardshttp://pubstandards.ie/ Pub Standards Dublin is the largest monthly meetup of developers, designers, founders and people-who-like-to-build-stuff, in Ireland. It has been running in London and other cities since 2005, and in Dublin since August 2010 • Engine Yard https://www.engineyard.com/ has been so supportive of local communities from Python Ireland, Ruby Ireland, Dublin NodeJS, Crafthou.se, and so on. If you are an organiser and looking for a free venue and free craft beer, poke Eamon Leonard and he'll help you

43. Also… • http://www.fit.ie/ information advice and access to ‘in-demand’ skills, work experience and interview and CV development support • http://ifso.ie/ • Join the fsfe-ie@ mailing list • Attend monthly meetings • Become a member • Contact IFSO directly • https://news.ycombinator.com/ Hacker News • http://www.isa-skillnet.com/ • http://www.ictirelandskillnet.org/About_Us/2 For information on Further study in this area funded by the Government

44. How The Careers Service Can Help! • Website • Your Degree What Next-Customised for your course • Vacancies • Online testing “Profiling for Success” & Gradireland Careers Report • Online Work Experience % Internships Newsletter (NB Essay Competition) • Going Global • Vault Career Insider • Careers Information Centre • Free publications including Target Work Experience • Careers Events • Careers week • Training: CVs, Applications, Interviews, Practice video interviews • Drop In CV Clinic every week • Employer Presentations (Networking opportunity)

45. Resources • CVs & Application web pages & ‘Careers Service Guide ’ www.tcd.ie/Careers/students/jobsearch/apply/ • Gradireland.com http://gradireland.com/careers-advice/cvs-and-applications • Prospects.ac.uk www.prospects.ac.uk/cvs.htm • Postgraduate CVs: www.vitae.ac.uk • International CVs: Going Global www.tcd.ie/Careers/goinglobal/index.php • LinkedIn “Grad Guide” on You Tube • Media related CVs: Creative CV Guide • Academic CVs www.tcd.ie/Careers/students/postgraduate/research/academic_cvs.php