Creating a good CV

Creating a good CV

Marion Gerson, Jeff Waldock

February 2009

Creating a good CV

Creating a CV - why do it now?

60 points out of 1000 for this module

Put it in your professional portfolio

Have it ready if you look for a job or work camp in the summer if you want to try and get a placement next year if you want teaching experience

And ............

Creating a good CV

Use it to think about your life

What have I done?

What do I want to do?

What else do I need in order to get from here to there?

Creating a good CV

Write down

(You will NOT be expected to read this out!)

1. Something important or interesting or fun that you have done quite recently

2. What you want to do after you leave university

Creating a good CV

Was that difficult?

No

Preparing your CV is largely a matter of making sure layout & grammar are good

Yes

You are going to have to work much harder at your CV, but it will be well worth doing

Creating a good CV

Let's have a look at a CV

C1 This is for a 2nd year maths student who

is trying to get a placement now.Try to look at this as if you were an employerMark the things that stand out What is not so good about this CV?

Creating a good CV

What makes a good CV?

Content

Good grammar

Layout

Creating a good CV

Layout

There are no fixed rules except (for the UK)

2 pages

But as a guideline try to make itNice to look atNot too crowdedKey information seen easily

Creating a good CV

Look at another CV

C2

Do you like the way this is laid out?

Quickly underline or circle the key information or selling points on this CV

Were they easy to find?

Look at another CV

Take a quick look at C3. Is it well laid out? What message does

this give the potential employer?

Creating a good CV

Creating a good CV

Layout (cont)

This is your shop window, so put anything you see as important in a prominent position

Put your most recent job or education first But this is not an absolute rule

White space is important. Compare C4 and C5. Don't use small font or reduce the margins to make everything fit in. Use size 11 font.

Use bold or highlighting sparingly

Creating a good CV

Good grammar

Why do you think this is so important?

Creating a good CV

Good grammar

Try to write short sentences. Use punctuation correctly. Decide whether you want

Bullet points and phrases (e.g. reverse of C5)Proper sentences

DON'T trust the spell checker Get help with proof-reading

Creating a good CV

Problem words

IFind different ways of starting a sentence

AlsoUnderline all examples in your CV then work to

eliminate some of them

Extensive, highly, extremely, etc.Use VERY sparinglyOverstating your skills can backfire (C1, C4)

Creating a good CV

Useful words (Use sparingly and only if you mean them)

enjoy, like, passionate about

analytical, logical, problem solving

accurate, careful, systematic, on time

enthusiastic, keen, interested in

develop, learn, experience, new, open to

Creating a good CV

CONTENT - essential

Contact details Education and qualifications

Most up to date, including marks for 1st year IT Skills Work experience (paid and unpaid) Personal and professional skills Activities and interests 2 References (Wendy Jackson + A N Other)

Creating a good CV

CONTENT - optional

A personal statement which might includeWhat kind of person you areA summary of your personal qualitiesWhat ambitions you haveWhat kind of job you are looking for

SHORT - Maximum 4 or 5 lines

Likely to be on the front page – C1, C4, C5What do you notice about these statements?

Creating a good CV

Leaving things out - 1

Don't try to cover up poor resultsEmployers can guess what these are

If there is a big gap in your CV the employer will see it. A brief explanation may be useful, perhaps in

the personal statement

Creating a good CV

Leaving things out - 2

"Do I have to tell them about my disability?"

No But you might want to. Seek advice to help you decide

what and how to disclose.

Creating a good CV

Leaving things out - 3

"Do I have to tell them about my marital status or family responsibility?"

No Not unless you want to Think about what this tells

the employer

Creating a good CV

Leaving things out - 4

"Do I have to tell them my age?" Or sex, race, nationality or religion?

No A few companies are even

asking for CVs without dates on! Decide what you want the

employer to know

Creating a good CV

Leaving things out - 5

"I have too much to go onto 2 pages"

You may look back in pride at that swimming certificate, but will it help you get a job?

Remove what has been superseded

A brief reference to an interesting job, hobby or experience can be used as a 'hook' to get them to ask you more in the interview

Creating a good CV

Making the most of what you have

Tell them what you put into an experience and what you learned – C5 not (just) details of what you did

Choose what you think will 'sell' you you are looking for a professional job

Create 'hooks' - C5

Creating a good CV

"I don't have enough to put in"

You won't be alone!But that doesn't help you

This is an important reason for starting to think about this NOW

Creating a good CV

Improving the content

Work at getting good grades "90% of success is just showing up" Woody Allen

Take your IT and programming skills seriously SAS Visual Basic

Use the summer to Get a job Organise a trip Do some voluntary work or help other people Develop an interest (new or existing) Or all of the above

Creating a good CV

What to do NOW

Prepare your CV

Use the standard header You can easily take it off or change it later

Include 1st and 2nd year modules Leave a space for 1st year results (or put in guesses!)

Check grammar and layout

Ask for help/advice from Jeff or myself Marion Gerson Harmer 2212

Creating a good CV

Sending it in

Name it SurnameFirstnameCV v1.doc e.g. GersonMarionCV v1.doc

Send it to m.gerson@shu.ac.uk

To arrive by midnight of Thursday 5th March

Otherwise you get 0 marks

Creating a good CV

When you have sent it in

It will be graded and points awarded A - 60 Employer will definitely want to see you B - 40 Employer will probably want to see you C - 20 Interview only if few qualified applicants D - 10 Serious problems with this CV E - 5 Definitely don't interview

If you want to improve your mark, you can come and ask me for help (room 2212) resubmit by midnight on Thursday 19th March

Creating a good CV

Finally

The CV is your personal statement

People like us can give you advice

But in the end it is YOUR decision and YOUR responsibility what you put in it and how you set it out

It should change and develop along with you Don't use something that is out of date