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CV Workshop www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm. Jenny Keaveney Careers and Employability Service 27th February 2013. What is a CV?. An outline of your education, qualifications and experience? A job-seeking tool? A marketing document? All of the above?.
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CV Workshopwww.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm Jenny Keaveney Careers and Employability Service 27th February 2013
What is a CV? • An outline of your education, qualifications and experience? • A job-seeking tool? • A marketing document? • All of the above? curriculum vitae an outline of a person's educational and professional history, usually prepared for job applications (L, lit.: the course of one's life)
Key points for CVs • FIRST IMPRESSIONS • Layout and presentation • Putting your message across
First Impressions … How much time does an employer take to read a CV? Less than two minutes!
Layout and Presentation • Different CV styles: • Traditional/Chronological • Skills-based • Hybrid • Creative For examples of all these styles, see: www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/cvexamples.htm http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/job-hunting-tools-downloads
Putting your message across • Employers want to know: • Do you meet our essential criteria for this job? - academic? - experience? - skills?
CV Checklist • Does it make a strong visual impact? • consistent design – alignment, spacing, fonts • not too long: one or two sides of A4 usually enough • Is it structured, clearly presented and easy to read? • use headings to guide your reader • recent and relevant information on first page • Does it show that you possess the qualities and skills required? • emphasise the most relevant • Does it use powerful language such as action verbs? • Have you paid attention to detail? • check for errors and spelling mistakes!
Your own CV • Identify your key message[s] • Research the organisation you are applying to - what are they looking for ? • Work out how you match up against these requirements. Think about your evidence .. • Decide what CV format would present you to the best advantage • Ask a careers or employability adviser to read through your CV
Covering letters • The covering letter/email isas important as the CV • Try to find the name of a person to send it to (and make sure you get their name/job title right!) • Use the letter to highlight and expand on the key selling points of your CV • Use a businesslike style and keep it brief - 3 or 4 paragraphs on one side of A4 paper (if printed) • Sign off the letter in the correct form -Yours sincerely or Yours faithfully • For example covering letters, see www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/cvexamples.htm
Further information • Video – Journey to Work www.kent.ac.uk/careers/IntVid.htm • Booklet – Making Applications • Careers & Employability Service website www.kent.ac.uk/careers/applicn.htm#CVs • www.prospects.ac.uk/links/AppsInterviews • Careers and employability advisers! • www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm
Careers and Employability Service • www.kent.ac.uk/ces • www.facebook.com/ukces • www.twitter.com/unikentemploy