Preparing CVs and Job Applications

1. Preparing CVs and Job Applications Careers Service www.ucc.ie/careers

2. Overview • Selection process • Employer’s perspective • CVs • Application forms

3. Tips for Effective Applications and CVs • . Do nothing • . Examine your life • . Work out what they want • . Be honest with yourself

4. How employers fill vacancies EMPLOYERS JOB HUNTERS Advertisements Review CV’s on file Recruitment Agency Recommendation from Colleagues, Professional Associations, Contacts Promote from within

5. Employer’s Agenda • Analyse the job in detail • Design a job description/person specificaton • Decide on essential/desirable skills and attributes • = Blueprint for the Job • Draw up interview board

6. Five Stage Process

7. The Candidate’s Agenda Know: The Process • Yourself • Skills analysis • Gather proof • Show evidence The Job The Company

8. Employer needs IT literate Communication Initiative Leadership Languages My evidence Word, Excel, Access, Conferences, demo Conference funding Admin rep. on committee No evidence Analysing Job Adverts • Underline key words • Read between the lines • Transferable skills • Concrete e.g.’s • Prepared timetables • Delivered paper • Found travelling scholarship • Member of a working group to review exam proceedures • Ability to learn, night course

9. The Matching Process

10. Why Bother? Your CV is the most important document you will ever write in your life and determines: • Your Future Success • Your Income • Your Life Style You will spend 2/3 (approx. 84,000 hours) of adult life in a job

11. Your Sales Brochure • Top quality presentation • Short & complete • More than a catalogue • Factual • Positive active verbs • Would you take this person seriously?

12. Win Win • Employers’ Objective • To see if you are worth interviewing • Your Objective • To persuade the employer you are worth interviewing

13. Three Golden Rules • Know what messages you want to convey • Prime space for hottest material • Develop a format that sells your skills

14. A CV Should Contain : Personal details • Name • Address, e-mail address • Telephone number

15. A CV Should Contain : Educational record • Reverse chronological order • Refer to project / research/ groupwork • Special interests/achievements • Equipment / techniques used

16. A CV Should Contain : Work experience • Reverse chronological order • Separate relevant experience • Responsibilities, duties & results • Skills acquired - be specific • Equipment / techniques used • Include 3 relevant past experiences.

17. A CV Should Contain : Achievements / other information • Computing skills • packages used and level of competence • Language skills • level of competence • Professional development • Membership of professional organisations

18. A CV Should Contain : • Interests • specify organisations, position etc. • any achievements • Referees – • Name, title, address and phone number • Date and signature

19. Personal details Academic background Professional affiliation Academc/teaching exp: Courses taught/introd Innovation in teaching Teaching evaluations Technical/spec skills Other experience Prof/acad awards Professional development Research/scholary activity Grants Service Consulting Foreign lang ability Volunteer work References Academic CV Appendix: Papers/Presentations

20. Visual Impact • 20-30 seconds • 1-2 pages max • Balanced approach • Proof read, edit and re-edit • Get a professional opinion

21. E-CV • Attachment – virus check • Check recipient can read attachment • Check Visual impact –e-mail yourself • Basic formating • Save as ASCII or MS-DOS text • Don’t assume safe delivery – use read receipt • Use their format if provided

22. Job Applications • The employer has more control • Two parts • Factual • ‘Soft’ • Same purpose as a CV

23. Completing Job Applications • Photocopy the form • Read the form • Write out key points • Be concise - use bullet points • Make it a pleasure to read • Legible handwriting/type-UCC

24. Covering Letters Used to tell an employer • Opening – 1st point of contact • Why you – show how you meet their requirements • Ending - next step Letters should be well presented, legible, concise and enthusiastic.

25. The Selection Game • You are part of a selection board for UCC • Individually read the job description/person specification and decide on the skills, abilities, aptitudes and personal attributes required for the position • Make a list of what you require from a potential candidate

26. The Selection Game cont’d….. • Read the five applications and decide which applicant should be called to interview • Write the names of the candidates who would be your first choice, 2nd choice etc for an interview, on the card given.

27. The Selection Game cont’d….. • Re-read the job description/person specification form • Gain a group consensus and complete the shortlist form using the following criteria • Essential criteria • Desirable criteria • Additional desirable criteria

28. The Selection Game cont’d…… • Gain a group consensus on which candidate to invite for interview and fill in the name(s) of candidates. • Also list the non-shortlisted candidates and list the criteria which the candidate has failed to meet.

29. Confidentiality Sensitivity – consider the receiver’s readiness Encourage self- review Outline the positive points Suggest what could be done differently Avoid overload Check that your feedback is understood Be open to receiving feedback Balanced, objective and specific Application/CV Review