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BUS 300: CV Preparation Techniques &

CV Contents The First Step Toward Landing Your Job

Writing An Effective Resume

• What information should be in a resume?

• Characteristics of a successful resume.

• Functional or Chronological.

Who you are trying to Impress???

It's important to stand out with an impressive resume, but who, or what, should you be trying to impress?

• Most companies use ATS (Application Tracking System) software to select through online resume submissions.

• It's mainly used as an initial screening tool to analyze titles, dates and descriptions from resumes to evaluate a candidate's depth of experience (or rather, to see whether it's fit for human eyes).

• The purpose of the resume is to obtain a job interview; it is not designed to get you a job offer!!

Application Tracking System

What is a CV?

What is the purpose of a CV?

• To inform the employer about your education, work experience, skills and

interests

• To ‘sell’ these qualities and to persuade the employer to invite you to interview

What Information Should Be In A Resume?

• Identify Yourself

• Education

• Continuing Education

• Work or Professional Experience

• Volunteer Experience

• Activities

• Computer Skills

• Professional Associations

Optional Sections

• Objective

• Special Skills and Abilities

• Reference Statement

Characteristics Of A Successful Resume

• Focus on skills.

• Use action words to define the

responsibilities of your job-related experience.

• Easy to read and understand.

• Visually powerful and free of gimmicks.

• One page, or at most 2 pages long.

Action Verbs created instructed analyzed produced

negotiated designed calculated maintained

administered controlled reviewed

consolidated delivered founded increased

studied invented supplied detected

programmed recommended distributed

developed solved prepared installed

selected arranged formulated solved started

Characteristics Of A Successful Resume

• Language is grammatically correct.

• Spelling has been checked.

• Formal Style

Characteristics Of A Successful Resume

• Must always be 100% truthful.

• Contains no inappropriate personal information.

• Produced on a computer.

• Data presented in functional order (unless chronological).

When should a CV be used?  When an employer asks for an application in that format  When an employer states ‘apply to…’ without specifying the

format

Matching up your CV with the position/company

• It is not ‘one size fits all’, you need to tailor your CV to each position you apply

for.

• Research the company. Do they have a mission statement or core values? What will they be looking for in you? Who works there at the

moment? What are they passionate about?

Proving your ability

There are four main things employers will look at in CVs:

• Education - ability to think clearly, analyse and assess information, draw conclusions, work independently, research

• Work experience - ability to get on with people, work under pressure, meet deadlines

• Leisure interests - ability to plan and organise, co-operate with others, compete, lead, work hard to achieve results

• Specific skills – e.g. driving licence, computer skills, foreign languages, artistic skills

CV types

Chronological

In date order (starting with the most recent first) e.g.

EMPLOYMENT

April – December 2011: Venture – Editing Assistant

Working with Photoshop, learnt various editing styles. Have gained customer service

experience and understand the importance of listening to what customers want in order

to achieve high sales.

February 2009 – March 2010: Topshop – Retail Assistant

Helped to design the layout of the stock in the store, with an aim to increase the revenue

by positioning various items in ‘eye-catching’ places.

Functional Resumes

• Doesn’t go in chronological order.

• Based upon competencies or skills.

• Used for career changers or those with unconventional work histories (or executives).

• Might say “Sales Experience” then list it.

• Typically brief with a simple list of positions

held, etc.

CV types

Skills based

Focusing on skills e.g.

SKILLS

• Attention to detail – as an Editing Assistant at Venture, I needed to prove that I could spot any mistakes or

flaws in the photographs, as well as being attentive to the requests of the customers

• Computer skills – I regularly used Photoshop during my time at Venture. I am also a competent user of

Microsoft Office, which I proved throughout my time as a Retail Assistant at Topshop, where I was often required

to produce reports on our sales

• Customer service – in all of my roles, customer service has been of key importance. I have experience of

dealing with difficult customers, and try to ensure that every customer is satisfied with the service they have

received.

Personal Details • Name (as a heading rather than ‘CV’)

• Website/online portfolio/CV

• Address (term-time and home)

• Telephone number

• Email address

• Make sure this is a professional email address

• The following are not requirements, but if you wish, you can include:

• Nationality

• Gender

• Date of birth

Education and Qualifications

• Start with the most recent

• Don’t forget your current study

• Mention relevant modules

• You might like to mention top marks

• You don’t have to put your grades on if you weren’t happy with them

• Include the years of study

• Primary school not needed

Education and Qualifications

2011 – Present University of Kent BA (Hons) Fine Art Modules include: Contextual Studies, Creative Investigations

Project: Communication and Critique

2009 – 2011 Maidstone Grammar School A-levels: Media Studies (A), Art (B), Information Technology (C)

2005 – 2009 Wrotham School GCSEs: 8 GCSEs including English and Maths

Work Experience • There is no need to list every job you’ve ever had – detail the most relevant

• Don’t just list your duties – sell your skills. Which skills are relevant to the position/company you are applying to?

• Dates, name of company, position and skills:

April 2010 – Present Museum of Kent Life As a shop assistant, I have learnt the importance of providing great customer service to gain maximum sales. I am responsible for organising stock and ensuring that costs are controlled. Carrying out weekly risk assessments has increased my awareness of health and safety issues.

What examples can you give from your work experience? If you have no paid work experience, give examples from voluntary work or from your course

Interests and Activities

Choose interests and activities which can demonstrate skills relevant to the job such as:

• Teamwork

• Organising

• Commitment

• Your intellectual abilities

• Your personality

• Your artistic ability

Talk about your passion for music/art etc.

Remember: Presentation of your CV • The first visual impression of your CV is important

• For standard CVs, use plain white A4 paper

• Do not double side

• Keep your CV to two sides of paper

• Check your spelling

• Use bullet points and bold font but in moderation

• Formatting – make sure it’s consistent

• Size 10-12 font (depending on font style)

• Clear font e.g. Arial, Calibri

• Focus on accomplishments

• Target your CV to that job/company

• Use short, concise sentences

• Consider your audience

Presentation of your CV

Creative presentation

• Be creative in design BUT ensure all relevant CV information is included

• See http://www.mikeclegg.co.uk/

• Include a weblink to your portfolio

http://www.mikeclegg.co.uk/

References

• Ideally, one academic and your manager

• Ask permission from your reference and let them know what position(s) you’ve applied for

• Use relevant references if possible

• You can say ‘references available on request’ rather than including contact details if you wish

How To Write A Cover Letter - Rules

• Give enough information to interest the reader, don’t overwhelm.

• Research the company. Address the letter to a specific person.

• Answer an ad if you have 50% of the skills or background that the ad requires.

• Mention the person who referred you if appropriate.

How To Write A Cover Letter - Contents

• Your address, city, state, zip, and telephone number.

• Date

• Name, title, company, address, city, state, and zip of

person you’re writing to.

• Greeting, followed by a colon. 33

How To Write A Cover Letter - Contents

• Paragraph 1: • What you want.

• How you know about the organization.

• Paragraph 2: • Concise overview of work history and skills

that will help you perform the job.

• Paragraph 3: • State confidence in your ability.

• Give information on how you can be contacted.

How To Write A Cover Letter - Contents

• Paragraph 4: • Express appreciation

• Closing, signature, and typed name

Grading Criteria for Cover Letter

• Opening paragraph must state WHY you are writing.

· Body must state your credentials (your passport )

· Body must add information “beyond the resume”.

· Use body to support and prove you should be interviewed.

· Use “action verbs”.

• Ask for a specific time for appointment day(s) in the closing paragraph.

• Indicate your future follow-up action. You must do more than wait for them to ignore your request for an appointment.

· Be confident and qualified in your tone.

· One-page limit.

· Bullet points are acceptable as are bulleted phrases.

· Avoid resume repetition frequently.

Stacy Lolkus

222 Harrison Dr

Apartment 5

West Lafayette, IN 47906

765-450-7583

[email protected]

October 16, 2006

Jenny Lock

Uline — HR Recruiting Center

2105 S. Lakeside Drive

Waukegan, IL 60085

Dear Ms. Lockridge:

After speaking with Emily Richards about her past summer in the internship program, I am very interested in your

Human Resources Summer Internship position. I worked with employee benefits this past summer and became

very interested in the human resources aspect. I have obtained many leadership opportunities while working as a Business Writing Consultant Assistant Coordinator at Purdue’s Writing Lab that would be valuable in a career at Uline.

As Business Writing Consultant Assistant Coordinator at Purdue’s Writing Lab, my primary role is to help train

new tutors for the Writing Lab. I work directly with the Business Writing Coordinator teaching classes and

participating in mock tutorials to allow students to obtain hands-on experience tutoring business documents. I

also organize educational workshops to refresh the skills of current Business Writing Consultants. My position as

a Boiler Gold Rush Team Leader also challenged me to use my enthusiastic personality to motivate incoming

freshmen to be involved in campus activities. As a Human Resources Intern at Uline, I could use all of these

leadership skills while learning more about recruiting and hiring practices.

Thank you for considering me for this position. I would love to discuss these and other qualifications with you. If

you have any questions, please call me at 765-450-7583 or e-mail me at [email protected].

Sincerely

Stacy Lolkus ,

Stacy Lolkus

Enclosure: Résumé

Student Address

Date

Salutation

Middle Paragraph

Employer Address

First Paragraph

Conclusion

Closing