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Showcasing your Skills: in CVs & Applications

Sports Development

Sophie CareyOctober 2016

Beside the campus bookshop, near to the James Joyce Library

Career Development CentreWhere are we located?

www.ucd.ie/careerswww.ucd.ie/careers

Your Career Development Centre

• Appointments – 20 mins: Mon-Fri & late Weds

– Book via our website on the day from 8am

• Vacancies & internships

• Events

• Online resources

Session Overview

• What are employability skills?

• What skills are graduate employers seeking?

• Understanding your skills

• Translating this to the CV & application form

• Questions

Employability“….a set of attributes, skills and knowledge that

all labour market participants should possess to ensure they have the capability of being effective in the workplace – to the benefit of themselves, their employer and the wider economy”

What are employers looking for?

The ‘perfect’ applicant

Academic achievement

Transferable skills

Work experience

Drive & motivation

Understands the role

& organisationKnows what they want

Transferable Skills• Skills developed in one context that can be applied in

another

• Developed via:– Academic studies– Work experience – paid/voluntary– Other activities/interests e.g. sports

What have you done outside

the library?• Sports

• Clubs & Societies

• Part-time jobs

• College involvement

• Other Internships

• Volunteering

Everything you do counts!

Individually… (2 minutes)

1. List 5 skills you have developed through your involvement in sports – as player, coach, volunteer or committee member.

2. Compare this list with your neighbour

Key skills that graduate employers seek

Communication –written & verbal

Influencing Teamwork

Problem solving LeadershipPlanning & organising

Initiative Drive and

motivationAbility to work under pressure

Commercial awareness

/business acumenConfidence

Ability to manage own learning

Your CV is there… somewhere!

Only seconds to make a good impression…

Effective Applications –CVs and Cover Letters

• Font size 11 or 12, 1-2 pages

• Avoid funny fonts

• Avoid abbreviations

• Consistency – spacing, indentation etc.

• Avoid large blocks of text

• Bold for emphasis but don’t overdo

• PDF

Format Guidelines

Convey Action, Energy, Drive, Determination…

• Analysed • Prepared• Organised• Facilitated• Researched• Monitored• Maintained• Supervised• Managed

• Trained• Planned• Initiated• Improved• Reviewed• Responsible• Involved• Participated• Negotiated

Sample CV Structure

1. Personal Details

2. Education

3. Employment History

4. Skills

5. Interests and Achievements

Highlight your sports involvement in these sections

• Keep it brief

• Contact details

• Name across the top

• No need to write Curriculum Vitae

• Professional email address*

*Not ‘coolsportygirl@gmail.com’

Personal Details

Jane Black12 Madeup Rd,

Bridgend, Co Dublin.

Tel: + 353 1 6295253jane.black@university.com

Your LinkedIn URL if you have one

Education

Bachelor of Civil Law, University College Dublin 2012-2016

• GPA: 3.40/4.20 (2.1 Honours)

• Relevant Subjects?

• Dissertation?

Leaving Certificate, St. Mary’s College, Foxrock 2007-2012

• 510 points, including A1 in Honours English

• Reverse chronological order• Include:

– Name and location of employer– Job title– From/to dates– Concise description responsibilities– Key achievements

Employment History

How? & Impact?… not just Tasks

Intern, McCann Fitzgerald August 2015

• Re-organised filing system

OR

• Re-organised the firm’s online filing system, significantly enhancing fee earners’ ability to find the information they required quickly and efficiently

• Highlight transferable & technical skills

• Strong, clear, concise language

• Tailor to each application

• Supporting evidence is essential

Skills Section

facebook.com/ucdcareers @ucdcareerswww.ucd.ie/careers

Self Awareness

• Students who attend this session should be able to:

facebook.com/ucdcareers @ucdcareerswww.ucd.ie/careers

Reflecting on your skills

• Briefly describe an experience related to playing, coaching or volunteering in Sports where you had accomplished something that made you feel very happy and fulfilled.

• Identify three (or more) skills you used to make it happen

• Now write it down! Describe this succinctly.. (Build up your ‘bank’ of examples)

ExamplesAction Skills involved

Organized a Christmas meal for 50 homeless people on a 100 EUR budget, with a team from my university, local community centre or church etc.

Planning and time management;Negotiation;Delegating;Cooperation:Public speaking

Trained for 8 months to participate in a local tennis competition, while being involved in normal course work and a part-time job in a cafeteria.

Multitasking ;Perseverance;Discipline;Time management;Self-management

Resolved a dispute with a tricky landlord in order to get my deposit back, on behalf of a group of 3 flatmates.

Interpersonal and communication;Leadership;Research;Problem-solving

Communication Skills

• Developed communications skills through my role as PRO for the UCD Trampoline Club where I liaised proactively with employers to secure sponsorship for a number of events on campus and dealt with all media enquires

Leadership Skills

• Demonstrated in my role as Event Manager for the UCD Boxing Club where I managed a team of volunteers to organise two major events per year which involved, planning, delegation of tasks and securing of sponsorship etc…

Resilience & Determination

• As an Ad Astra Sports scholar on the Elite Athlete programme, demonstrated a high level of commitment to pursuing excellence in my field and achieved several sporting awards etc.

• Show evidence of enthusiasm and commitment via- Length of time involved- Standards, prizes, awards, money raised etc.- Going beyond the activity

• Avoid generalisations e.g. football• Say more… how often do you train, do you coach, do

you have a specific role on the team, outreach to schools etc.

• Let the recruiter understand your level of involvement which can demonstrate not only skills but commitment, dedication, resilience etc.

Interests and Achievements

• References available on request

• If requested provide at least two referees preferably one work related and one academic

• Provide full contact details i.e. name, job title, organisation, address, telephone number, email address

• BE SURE to get permission

References

Deal Breakers!• Typos - fastest route to the bin

• Incorrect grammar

• Txting lingo is nt gr8

• Busy format

• Thinking one size fits all

• Inaccurate information or just plain lying

• Not tailoring to what employer wants

Spell Check Can’t Do Everything...

• Full clean drinking licence• Repressing my classmates as Class Rep• Extra Circular Activities • I am a conscious individual• Dear Madman • My hobbits include

Purpose of a Cover Letter

• As important as the CV

• Like the CV it must ‘make the sale’

• Conveys your enthusiasm for the post

• Demonstrates your ability to write well and express yourself clearly in business format

• Must make a clear match between the job specification and your background

Letter to PWC:

The reason why I want to join KPMG is….

• Paragraph 1 - Introduction

• Paragraph 2 - Why the firm/role

• Paragraph 3 - Why the employer should consider you – your experience & Skills

• Paragraph 4 – Finishing/sign off

Cover Letter Content

Effective Application Forms

Application Forms

• Types of Question

- Competency (Commercial Awareness, Adaptability)

- Motivational (Why commercial law? Why us?)

• Draw upon your experience and use concrete examples from your internship/other areas of work experience/extra curricular activity

Online Application Tips

• Allow enough time – don’t leave until last minute

• Answer all parts

• Print a blank copy first

• Type answers in word & copy into form

• Save as you go

• Have all results to hand

• Keep a copy

• Ask someone to review your application

Useful Web Sites….

www.ucd.ie/careers

www.gradireland.com

www.prospects.ac.uk

Semester 2 - FYI

• Internships Fair

– Weds 1st Feb, Astra Hall

• Volunteering Fair

– Tues 28th Feb, UCD Global Lounge

Follow us on Twitter! @UCDCareers

Sophie.carey@ucd.ie