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Advertising Yourself: A Guide to Creating an Effective CV

Learn why having a CV is important and how to create an effective one. Explore different types of CVs and tips for targeting them to specific job descriptions.

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Advertising Yourself: A Guide to Creating an Effective CV

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  1. Maggie Bamford Employment Advisor

  2. Advertising Yourself Your CV is your advert - it is used to help you sell your skills

  3. Today's Aims... • Why have a CV? • What an effective CV should include • The different types of CVs • and when to use them • Targeting CVs • How to address and demonstrate the points on a job description

  4. What is a CV For? • NOT just a list of things you have done • A tailored and relevant picture of your experience and qualifications • A tool for advertising yourself and your skills to an employer

  5. Different Types of CV • Chronological/Traditional • Skills Based • Hybrid

  6. Before You Begin....

  7. The Job Description should write your CV Look at the job description: • What skills would you highlight for this role? • What experience do you have that you think would be relevant? • What type of person are they looking for? • How could you find this information out?

  8. Research, Prepare, Research, Prepare • Before putting fingers to keyboard or pen to paper, do yourRESEARCH: • Job • Company • Sector • And.....research YOURSELF: Know your SAKE • Skills • Abilities • Knowledge • Experience

  9. Preparation makes perfect Reflect on what you have to offer: Research what theywant: • what does the company require? • Check their websites, news items & recruitment websites. • Are they coming on campus soon? Understand the specific job role: • the job description & the person specification Plan • enough time before the closing date

  10. Remember... CVs: • are subjective • should be tailored to each job description • should be no longer than 2 pages • should communicate effectively to allaudiences. • There is no right or wrong way • Use your own style depending on the role • Don't copy examples

  11. What to include in your CV...

  12. Contact Details Your Name at the top - this is your heading (Not 'CV') • Address/Email/Telephone • Blog or websites - great way to highlight skills and abilities • LinkedIn/Twitter - if relevant to the role & will remain clean • No need for status/age/gender/nationality etc.

  13. Personal Statements You don't have to have a personal statement but if you want one it needs to be: • Punchy • no more than 2-3 lines • Attention Grabbing • Achievement focused, relevant work experience • Unique to you • If you could copy and paste it to another student then you haven't been specific enough Example:'Final-year journalism student with particular interest in ....... seeks graduate role in radio. 2 years experience in industry and winner of/ particularly skilled in......

  14. Education and Qualifications Keep it relevant • Your Degree • full course title • relevant modules (4-8 and grades if you want) • overall predicted grades (e.g. Predicted 2.1) • information about particular projects if they are relevant • Reverse chronological order • e.g. from your degree back to A-Levels, then GCSEs • With different or international qualifications, show equivalents (9/10, equivalent to 280 UCAS points etc.) • No need to list all GCSEs • just how many taken and grades obtained • e.g. 9 GCSEs grade A-C or 1A, 6Bs, 3Cs

  15. Work Experience • Include ALL relevant history & experience • Reversechronological order • Focus on responsibilities and achievements, • mention your duties briefly but highlight the skills you have gained • Use STAR method as a guide to ensure you are being detailed in your examples

  16. Work Experience (2) • can include projects in your degree and volunteering • projects are a great way to show off experience (particularly if you have less relevant work experience) • Can include separate sections e.g. "Relevant Experience" then later "Additional Work Experience"

  17. Work Experience & Transferable Skills You need to be specific about your work experience • If not directly relevant to the role, you need to identify 'Transferable Skills' & qualities • "

  18. Employer Tips • Your degree will get you to the table, but its the extra things you can offer that will get you through the door" • "We are looking for the 'right people' - what else can you offer us beyond your degree?"

  19. Employer Tips2 • "It is particularly impressive if you have been developing blogs, professional use of social media in your own time" • "Use key words relevant to our industry - make it clear you are right for us"

  20. The STAR Method How to use STAR for CVs Be Brief • Situation & Task • Action • Result • BRIEF outline • Specific details of what, how and why you took action you did • What was the outcome? Quantity? Quality? What did you learn?

  21. 'Cleaning the Kitchen' - A brief STAR example S: My family were visiting me for the weekend T: I needed to clean my kitchen A: I scrubbed the floors, diligently cleaned the hob, wiped the surfaces, took out the bins, covered the burn mark on the floor with a rug... R: My family were very pleased and took me to lunch for my efforts.

  22. Awards and Achievements • Any academic awards • Any recent or particularly interesting achievements • Skills you have gained from other areas that are relevant to the job you are applying for • Member of any relevant professional societies

  23. Interests • Any interests that may be relevant to the employer • A great way to: • show your personality • show that you are a rounded candidate • be memorable • Don’t just list them – give more details for each

  24. Employer Tips "Keep it brief but intriguing; I'm interested in your interests, but not that interested" "Something to attract attention - makes them an individual. I once had two candidates with very similar CVs; one of them said he did Skydiving in his spare time and I thought, great, that’s interesting, I'll interview him".

  25. References • Include one academic and one professional referee • Include their contact details including: • Name, job title, company, email address and telephone number • It is usually acceptable to put ‘Available on Request’ if you have run out of space • But if you have good, relevant referee, include him/her - ASKTHEMFIRST!

  26. Attention to Detail • Accuracy and professionalism is vital for 1st impressions • Most employers will reject CVs that contain any errors • It is vital that you proofread and get it checked. Employer Tip • "If I see even one spelling error it goes in the bin - if they can't be bothered to perfect their CV, how do I know they will have attention to detail when working for me - I can't take that risk."

  27. Remember to keep it... Relevant Recent Creative Concise

  28. A Brief Guide to Cover Letters

  29. Cover Letters Overall • No more than A4 page • Tailored to the job • Be specific about your skills and experience • Be specific about the company Layout • Include your address (top right), their address (top left) and the date. • Try to send it to a named person (or Dear Sir or Madam) • End formally • Yours Faithfully for Dear Sir/Madam • Yours Sincerely for named person

  30. Cover Letter Example Layout All in ONE A4 page Employer's Address Your Address Date Employer's Name (or Dear Sir or Madam)

  31. Use the 4 paragraph Structure • Positive Introduction • Tell them what you are applying for and give a brief overview of yourself. • Why you? • Why should they hire you? What about you is great? What skills and experience do you have that are relevant to the role? • Why Them? • Why have you picked them of all the companies out there? Do your research - What appeals / excites you about them? What projects have they done in the past? Relate your own skills to these - Be specific. • Positive Conclusion • Leave them with a good final impression of yourself.

  32. Why are CVs rejected? • Not tailored to the job • Spelling mistakes, typos and poor grammar • The initial impression of your CV • Incorrect contact details • The way your information is organised • Poor layout and presentation • Length (too long or too short)

  33. Summary • Your CV is an advert for you • Focus on your achievements • It needs to be tailored to each different job description • Include relevantskills and experience • All CVs require a cover letter • Get it checked

  34. Some Good Resources

  35. CV Builder Software Software that can help give you in setting up your CV - but you will need to get it checked by an Adviser SHUspace→ Employability Tab → Careers and Employment (lefthand Side) CV → Help with CVs → CV Builder Software

  36. Preparation Resources Reflect on what you have to offer: use online resources e.g. • Careers Central - Skills: http://careerscentral.shu.ac.uk/topics/skills/emp-star/ • Prospects What jobs would suit me? http://www.prospects.ac.uk/myprospects_planner_login.htm • TargetJobs Career and Skills report: http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-report Research what they want: Check their websites, news items and recruitment websites • Prospects Company Profiles:http://www.prospects.ac.uk/graduate_employers.htm • TargetJobs Employer information: http://targetjobs.co.uk/employer-hubs • SHU Jobs & Events (is the company on campus soon?) https://careerservice.shu.ac.uk/BrowseOrganisations.chpx Understand the specific job role: • Focus on the job description & the person specification Plan: • Planenough time before the closing date and to get it checked

  37. CV and Cover Letter Resources SHUspace→ Employability Tab → Careers and Employment (left Side) → Help with CVs Target Jobs Great for industry specific support The Guardian Careers Website Great for articles, news, live chat Doing a Creative CV? CV Parade Creative CV Guide

  38. CV Action Words • Ability • Achieved • Analysed • Administered • Arranged • Budgeted • Calculated • Completed • Conceived • Conducted • Created • Designed • Determined • Developed • Devised • Enthusiasm • Enhanced • Evaluated • Formed • Guided • Guaranteed • Implemented • Instigated • Introduced • Ingenuity • Initiative • Judgement • Lasting • Launched • Liaised • Maintained • Managed • Merit • Negotiated • Organised • Performed • Persuaded • Planned • Presented • Progress • Promoted • Recommended • Redesigned • Represented • Researched • Stability • Stimulated • Supervised • Surpassed • Thorough • Trained • Successfully.... • More than...years extensive experience in.. • In charge of... • Instrumental in... • Constant interaction with... • Responsible for... • Excelled in.... • Competent at.... • Established... • Promoted...

  39. Faculty based one to one interviews Maggie Bamford EmploymentAdviser • Where?Cantor 9300 • When? Wednesday 1.30 - 4.00 Thursday 9.30 - 12:00 (alternateweeks) Friday 1.15 - 3.45 • How? Cantor Reception 0114 225 6777

  40. Any Questions?

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