1 / 40

Maggie Bamford Employment Advisor

Maggie Bamford Employment Advisor. Advertising Yourself . Your CV is your advert - it is used to help you sell your skills. 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

yoshe
Download Presentation

Maggie Bamford Employment Advisor

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  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?

More Related