Effective CVs and Applications

Objective:
The aim of this enjoyable course is to give
intensive training and practice for you in a
one day "Master Class" in personal CV
writing, covering all aspects of producing a
professional CV and cover letters.

This high quality intensive one day event

will benefit individuals seeking employment,
career progression and/or a change of
direction. By the end of the event,
participants will be able to represent
themselves positively & competitively when
applying in writing for jobs and/or
progression opportunities, thus improving
their chance of securing interviews.

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Index:

Starting Point
4

What do Employers really look for?

5

Questions to ask yourself

7

Items to include and NOT to include in your

CV 8

Create your own Standard CV

9

CV Sample 11

Style and layout 12

CV Format 14

Reasons for Rejection of CV

15

Cover letters 19

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Starting Point

• The Purpose of a CV is to get an interview

Your CV is a very important document; with it rest your hopes and dreams for
the future - that next step up the career ladder, a better position, more money,
new challenges, etc. Your CV therefore has to represent the best you have to
offer if you do not want to miss out on that job you saw which was 'perfect' for
you. So, it’s a main purpose is to get you an interview; where you can step out
and prove yourself, your background and experience.

• The CV must be tailored to the job

There is a perfect CV for each individual job. Your CV should make a convincing
display that you have read the job advert, understood what it is that employer is
looking for and that you can offer the skills and experience to do the job. It
should achieve this with a minimum of fuss. Depending on which survey you
believe CVs get between 15 seconds and 5 minutes to sell you as a candidate.

• The CV must tell the employer what skills you have that match
their requirements

When presenting a CV as part of a job application it must be tailored to

emphasise the match between those qualities that you have and what the
employer is looking for. Your "standard" CV is a reference document that you
must amend for each specific application.

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What do Employers really look for?
Your CV is a potential ticket for your job; the first meeting with a potential
employer is through your CV. If it casts a winning impression, then there are
chances that you might be called by the employer for an interview. For online
hiring portals, your CV is the most important piece of document that can get you
a job.

Having said all this, what is it that an employer looks for in your CV?

Is it your name, your age, gender, height and weight?

No. Employer looks for relevant experience or education and skills that make you
the perfect match for their open job. If you have put “Curriculum Vitae” as the
title of your CV followed by your date of birth, Gender, Marital status etc. you
have committed the most common blunder most Pakistani graduates commit in
their CVs. This information can be helpful to some employers, but it should be at
the bottom of your CV having the least priority.

Let me give you some points to create your winning CV:

Strong opening statement

This is the first thing an employer looks at on your CV; make it relevant to your
expertise. More so, make it relevant to the position you are applying for. Avoid
general statements, tailor your statement to include the most important skills
you have, and your strongest qualifications. If you are confident of your skills,
write them in a compelling manner in this statement.

Employers look for Skills

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If a company has advertised for a software developer opening, they will be
looking at your experience relevant to software development. Highlight your
experience and skills relevant to the job. As a general rule your experience
should be at the top of your CV after your statement. If you are a fresh graduate,
list your graduate project in a professional manner.

Customize your CV for the Job

Remember one golden rule for a prosperous career, customize yourself to the
Job, get the right attitude and the right skills for the job. Similar is the case of
your CV, if you are really longing for a job in a particular company, then make
the extra effort of know more about the company, their skill and education
requirements and customize your CV according to their required skills. If you
have relevant experience, then that experience should come at the top, right
after your mission statement.

Write what you can do

To put it straight, do not write anything you are not capable of. An employer will
look at your skills and might ask you questions about those skills in the
interview. Your CV is a question paper for the employer, they will probably ask
about everything listed there.

Do not look like a job hopper

Employers do not like candidates who have not stayed on a job for more than six
months; it is even true for professions with high turnover rates. You should not
hop jobs often to protect your CV in the first place, in case you have hopped jobs,
you should be able to justify it.

Proof Read and Format

Spelling mistakes and poor formatting are great employer turnoffs. You will look
totally unprofessional if there are spelling mistakes in your CV, or it is poorly
formatted. An employer will justifiably think that if you cannot even write a
correct CV then how come you will be able to perform the duties!

The Bottom line is to pay attention to your CV, take your time out to write it with
your best effort. If you can find professional help to write it for you, it would be
better.

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Questions to ask yourself

The secret to a successful resume is to gear it toward the

prospective employer’s needs.
Your resume is about convincing them you are the candidate they are looking
for. Read the job posting carefully, determine what would make an exceptional
candidate and use the following questions to organize your information.

1. What are the most important qualifications the employer is looking for?
2. What sort of person is the organisation looking for?

3. What makes you and your background stand out?

4. What are your strongest areas of experience, knowledge, expertise and
skills?
5. What ’soft’ or ‘transferable’ skills or characteristics do you possess that
make you a strong candidate? (Note things like: excellent writing skills,
hard-working, ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously under
tight deadlines, etc.)
6. What have been your greatest accomplishments?
7. What “buzz words” should be used on your resume that people in your
field expect to hear?
8. What past experience do I have that demonstrate these
skills/competencies?

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 9. Can you provide evidence to match the key competencies?

Your end goal is to convince the prospective employer that you are the
best person
to fulfil the qualities that are most important to them. Develop convincing
statements that demonstrate that you are the person they are looking for.

Items to include in your CV:

• Name, address,
phone number, & email

• Education

• Licenses & certificates

• Skills & accomplishments

• Work history

• Job objective

Items NOT to include in your CV:

• Age

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 • Marital status

• Height, weight, etc.

• Race

• Religion

• Reasons for termination

• Photos

Create your own Standard CV

In order to create your own effective standard CV, it should include certain
important elements. These elements will help you create a bigger picture about
your personality, background, skills and experience; which will help the employer
to decide whether you match the job requirements or not!

A standard CV should include the following:

• Personal Details

Name, Address, Tel No, Email address

• Objective:

It’s your statement of purpose for applying to this company.

Focus your objective

Be specific

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 Target particular positions

 Education

Start with most recent

Dates, Name of college, Course Title, results (if impressive)

Relevant coursework

Provide details of research projects (if available)

 Work Experience

Start with most recent or relevant

Separate relevant and other experience

Provide job title and name of organization

Highlight responsibilities and achievements

Include unpaid work

 Honours and activities

Identify key competencies required for position

Provide relevant evidence from previous experience

 Skills profile

- Computing – be specific, name packages

- Languages – what level

- Personal skills, such as: (leadership skills, communication

skills, time management skills… etc)

- Driving License

 Referees

- Normally 2 referees required: one academic, one work

- Seek permission in advance and provide information

- Include a reference category statement in your CV

“References available upon request.”

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Check the following CV sample. You don’t have to literally stick to it, but sure it
will help you create your own:

John Michael Andrews

Home Address: 33 Union Street,
Manchester,
M6 3AE.
Tel. (0161) 351 4039
Email: jma5@kent.ac.uk

OBJECTIVE Seeking an entry level position in the field of Networks

and communications

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

University of Kent BSc (Hons.) Computer Science 2005 - 2008

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Subjects include:

- Software Engineering, Compiling Techniques, Computer Networks and

Communications, Digital Systems, Operating Systems and Robotics.

- The project involved the development of a Linux-based network

management system and required independent research skills

WORK EXPERIENCE

Tourist Information Office, Canterbury Summer 2006 - Present

Assisting customers from all over the world with a wide variety of enquiries,
working in the Bureau de Change, booking theatre and concert tickets.

Manchester City Council Summer 2004 - 2005

Temporary Accounts Clerk in City Treasurer's office. Responding to customer

enquiries, using computerised accounts systems.

ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTS

- Secretary of the Japanese Society involved booking speakers.

- Other interests include current affairs and reading sci-fi novels.

Skills and additional information:

• Computing Skills:

- Knowledge of Linux and Windows XP/Vista.

- Programming skills in Java, Haskell and Modula 3. Good knowledge of

SQL and RDBMS.

• Good level of spoken French

• Can work effectively in teams.

• Good communication skills.

• Full, clean driving licence.

REFEREES I am happy to supply this on request.

Style & Layout

A way of presenting yourself in a CV is to write in a passive manner
without using ‘I’ or your name.

Example:

 Keen to pursue a career in Training and currently conducting sessions at

XYZ institute. A work experience placement in “How to motivate your
trainees and help them pave their way towards the future”.

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Bulleted lists sound objective and clear, and can steer you away from
the temptation to write a mini essay about yourself.

Before:

 In this post, I volunteered to provide IT training to colleagues in my

department and others. I also did the induction training for new members
of the team.

After:

 Volunteered to provide IT training to administration colleagues and

inducted new members into the team.

Use Positive Language

Before:

 My duties included serving customers at the cafe. I had to handle cash and
keep the area tidy. I had to work under pressure.

After:

 developed customer service skills

 handled large sums of money; responsible for cashing up and balancing

shift takings

 worked under pressure during holiday periods

 initiated happy hour promotion, resulting in 30 per cent increase in sales

 supervisory responsibility for new temporary staff

Use Power Verbs & Adjectives

Such as:

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 Powerful Verbs: Powerful
 Achieved
adjectives:
 Developed
 Adaptable
 Managed
 Analytical
 Demonstrated
 Determined
 Conducted
 Logical
 Planned
 Resourceful
 Organised
 Precise
 Improved
 Supportive

 Capable

CV format

Do use:

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  Bold to highlight headings and subheadings.

 Font sizes to distinguish between headings and other text.

 An 11 or 12 point font size.

 A font style that is easy to read.

- Serif fonts are easier to read on paper.

- Times New Roman is a good standard example, but Bookman or

Garamond is effective alternatives.

 Tables to align columns of writing (If needed).

Don't use:
• Too much bold or nothing will stand out.

• Too many variations in font size. It confuses the reader's eye.

• Headings entirely in capitals. They are difficult to read.

• Bold and underlining together. They serve the same purpose and bold is
generally preferable.

• Background images, they distract attention and make the text harder to
read.

Reasons for Rejection of CV

18 Reasons why the resumes get rejected!!

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 1. Eligibility – Always check before applying for any job whether you are
eligible for it or not. Sometimes one may get disqualified for being
over/under qualified. Read thoroughly whether you are fitting into the
requirements of the organization or not. There is no good in being
ambitious without being eligible.

2. Relevancy – Sometimes the profile offered by other company looks

familiar with what you are doing currently but it’s not the case always. Do
check if the job you are applying for is relevant and whether your
experience is of any use for them or not.

3. Incomplete information- Many times the candidatures get

rejected because of gap in conveying your dossier and in the
understanding of the recruiter. Herewith I am attaching some snapshots
from resumes of candidates who have been disqualified because of the
given errors in their resumes:

Professional Qualification
Post Graduate Diploma in Management
from Institute of Management &
Research, Ghaziabad , Uttar Pradesh
(Approved by AICTE ministry of HRD Govt. of
India)  2007-09.

Note: the specialization area in PGDM, year and percentage of passing is not
mentioned in the text. How would a recruiter screen the application with
incomplete information if he needs a person from a specific background!!

Academic Qualifications:-

B.Com (Program) final year result is awaiting

from Delhi University.
12th , Passed From C.B.SE. Board.
10th , Passed From C.B.SE. Board.

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How would a recruiter come to know that in which year and with what % the
person has cleared these exams or it’s just a fake education record!!

4. Typing, spelling errors- No matter how hard you look and check
over your work, there always seems to be something that you have
missed. Errors such as these can make you appear unprofessional and as
someone who is careless. Therefore, you should always get somebody else
to check your resume for grammatical errors.

My major is Finance and minor is Marketing.

I would like to apply for the position of 'Quality

Analyst' in your inspected company. For this I
am attacking my CV. My expected CTC : 13-
15k per month (in hand)

5. Company’s preferences- Preferences on the basis of age,

gender, marital status, location, expected salary, family background do
exist everywhere. Though quite a few things are unethical but we can’t
poke our nose in any company’s hiring process. So not all the things are
under our control.
6. Your sets of Expectations- Always do a thorough homework
and then apply for any job. Don’t give unrealistic expectation in your cover
letter, expected CTC and job profile you are chasing for. Be rational,
informed and updated about your profile.
7. Educational Background- Some organizations prefer to choose
candidates who have got the education in the similar field in which their
organization is working. For e.g. - IT companies prefer to hire HR executive
who have done BE/B.tech and then MBA/ PGDM in HR. If a company is
prefer to hire candidates from a selected place, with specific set of skills
and you are not coming under their preferences then don’t feel belittled.
Look out for other options.

8. Presentation of information- If the potential employer is not

able to follow your resume and locate relevant information they will most
likely not bother to try any harder to find the information and instead just
give up. The best size for your resume is two pages of A4. You should only
make resume longer if it is specifically required from you to provide the
potential employer with additional or more detailed information. So put
your work experience at the start of your resume, not personal or
educational details, unless you have only just left education.
9. Covering letter/ note’s description- If your covering letter is
one third or half of your resume, you may lose chances of getting
shortlisted and why would a recruiter spend 10 minutes in reading the
information, as provided below:

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10. What’s your USP- Focus on your abilities and not on your
achievements. Try to give a detailed summary of your profile and then
mention your qualification.
11. Previous track record- The companies do look for your previous
set of responsibilities, the tenure of your jobs and had you been a job
hopper or a stable employee. So try to put yourself into the shoes of the
reviewer and then judge where your candidature stands.
12. Photo, document size- Unless and until you have been asked to
provide your photograph and other details like blood group, height,
weight, eyesight, don’t add these details. Moreover, keep the size of your
resume under 400KB, as large file sizes are not appreciated.

Summary:
13.Too much/too little information

14.Irrelevant Information

15.Poor presentation

16.Spelling mistakes

17.Not targeted to position

18.No personality or enthusiasm

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 If you are a job seeker, your resume is the most important piece of
written work you will ever create. Make it good or don’t be surprised
when that rejection letter arrives in your email or mail box.
Be careful!
These examples of common pitfalls were found in different
candidates’ CVs

• I have a desire to work with commuters

• Hi, I want 2 get a job with U

• I hate filling in application forms so much that I’ll give you details at the
interview

• Lurnt Word Perfect computer and spreadsheet pogroms

• I am a conscious individual

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 Cover
letters

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Introduction:
A cover letter is a letter of introduction to an employer, which is used to formally
submit a resume for employer review. The purposely of the cover letter is to
identify your intent to "apply for" or "seek out" a specific position within a
company. It also formally presents yourself as available for a job position or
range of positions within a company.

Most importantly, the cover letter is an opportunity to quickly introduce yourself

and grab the employers attention. Like the resume, it is another chance to
market yourself to the hiring manager, promoting them to read your resume and
ultimately grant a job interview.

A cover letter is a critical part of the job search process. It allows you the first
opportunity to gain some interest from the employer. In our research, we have
yet to find one career or resume writing professional that doesn't recommend
sending a cover letter with every resume that you submit.

As you review the cover letter examples below, you will find that cover letters
can be written in various styles and formats. Choosing a style or format may
depend on a number of factors related to the utilization of the cover letter. For
example, you may use a cover letter in different situations, such as:

• Applying for a position in response to a job advertisement or online job

posting

• Submitting the cover letter after being referred from a colleague

• Sending your resume cold to employer that you know hires people in your
field and industry

• Using a cover letter to introduce your resume for an internal position

Each of these styles generally includes different types of information. You will
use a different introduction on each of them. In internal cover letters, it's wise to
explain that you currently work for the organization. When submitting a cover
letter for a referral you may want to explain who you are being referred from.

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Cover Letter Format
Your Contact Information
Name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Phone Number
Email Address

Date

Employer Contact Information (if you have it)

Name
Title
Company
Address
City, State, Zip Code

Salutation
Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name, (leave out if you don't have a contact)

Body of Cover Letter

The body of your cover letter lets the employer know what position you are
applying for, why the employer should select you for an interview, and how you
will follow-up.

First Paragraph
The first paragraph of your letter should include information on why you are
writing. Mention the position you are applying for and where you found the job
listing. Include the name of a mutual contact, if you have one.

Middle Paragraph(s)
The next section of your cover letter should describe what you have to offer the
employer. Mention specifically how your qualifications match the job you are
applying for. Remember, you are interpreting your resume, not repeating it.

Final Paragraph
Conclude your cover letter by thanking the employer for considering you for the
position. Include information on how you will follow-up.

Complimentary Close

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Respectfully yours,

Signature

Handwritten Signature (for a mailed letter)

Typed Signature

Cover Letter Sample1:

April 14, 2006

Mr. William Jackson

Employment Manager
Acme Pharmaceutical Corporation
13764 Jefferson Parkway

Dear Mr. Jackson:

From your company's web site I learned about your need for a sales
representative for the Maryland, and North Carolina areas. I am very interested
in this position with Acme Pharmaceuticals, and believe that my education and
employment background are appropriate for the position.

I have a strong academic background in biology and marketing, and think

that I could apply my combination of knowledge and experience to the health
industry. I will complete my master's degree in marketing in mid-May and will be
available to begin employment in early June.

Enclosed is a copy of my resume, which more fully details my qualifications

for the position.

Would be pleased and honored if you could give me a chance as an

interview, so I could prove myself and my skills.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Lynn A. Johnson
5542 Hunt Club Lane, #1
(540) 555-8082
lajohnson@vt.edu

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 Cover Letter for
Accountant with
job experience in accounting and finance
positions sample:

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25
Cover letter sample for Physical Education
Teacher applying for a job position as a high
school teacher:

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 References
• www.lit.ie/careers

– Career Development Module - Destinations

– Applications & Interviews

• www.selectsimulator.com - online applications

• www.bayrozgar.com

• www.careeradvice.direct.gov.uk

• www.resumebear.com

• www.kent.ac.uk

• www.resume-resource.com

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