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WORK AND STUDY SKILLS

Unit Standard 4252

Produce a personal targeted CV (curriculum vitae)

Version 7 | Level 2 | Credit 2

US 4252 v7a

Learner’s Guide

Licensed to:Westlake Girls High School2016 - 7a © ATC New Zealand

www.instant.org.nz

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US4252v7a Learner's GuideProduce a personal targeted CV (curriculum vitae)

Licensed to Westlake Girls High School14122015-US4252-103867 INSTANT Education Solutions

7a © ATC New Zealand www.instant.org.nz

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About this Learner’s Guide

In this course you will learn how to make a personal targeted CV. Once you’ve finished this course, you’ll be able to:

• identify the requirements of different job descriptions

• make a targeted CV which:

o has information that is relevant to the job you are applying for

o has correct spelling and grammar

o flows logically, uses headings, and has a consistent layout.

A glossary has been included at the end of this guide to help you understand new terms and other words that may be difficult. Words that are in the glossary have been highlighted in the text.

Learning Purpose & Outcomes

Licensed to Westlake Girls High School14122015-US4252-103867 INSTANT Education Solutions7a © ATC New Zealand www.instant.org.nz


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AdditionalResources

Careers NZ website

The Careers New Zealand website has many helpful resources on how to produce a personal targeted Curriculum Vitae. Go to the following website for more information:www.careers.govt.nz




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Contents

Identifying job requirements 2The job description and requirements 3Conditions of employment 5Key tasks 7Qualifications 10Experience and knowledge 12Other requirements 14

Targeting your CV to the job description 18Writing clear, targeted statements 19Competence and skills, industry knowledge 20Personal qualities 22Education and training 24Employment history, responsibilities and achievements 27Other achievements 30

Producing a personal targeted CV 32CV presentation and style 33Using your target statements 38Correct spelling and grammar 39

Glossary 40

Appendix A: Retail café assistant job description 42

Appendix B: About Joe 43

Appendix C: Joe’s Curriculum Vitae 45



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LESSON 1:

Identifying job requirements

Learning ObjectivesWhen you have finished this lesson, you will be able to look at advertised job descriptions, and identify the following job requirements.

Conditions of employment

Key tasks

Qualifications

Experience and knowledge

Other requirements

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A space has been left on the right of every page for you to make notes about what you are learning.




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LESSON 1: Identifying job requirements

The job description and requirements

In this course you will learn how to produce a personal targeted CV (Curiculum vitae).

Personal

Targeted

CV(Curriculum Vitae)

The focus of this course is on what you need to do after you have found an advertisement for a job vacancy.

The employer’s advertisement contains very important information. This information is called the job description.

What are the requirements of a job?

The job requirements shown above are found in most job descriptions.

• About you

• Aimed at a specific job that you are applying for

• A personal summary of your education and work experience

• Usually includes your qualifications, work experience, industry knowledge, and any specific skills you may have.

Job description

An employer’s description of a specific job (role) in their organisation.

A job description contains the main requirements of that job.

The type of work that is involved.

• Conditions of employment

• Key tasks

The type of person who will best fit the job.

• Qualifications

• Experience and knowledge

• Other requirements (eg personal qualities)



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You will use the information from the job description to produce a targeted CV. Your CV should closely match the requirements outlined in the job description.

Producing your targeted CV (overview)Below is an overview of the main steps you need to take to produce your targeted CV.

You will learn how to create your personal targeted CV in Lesson 2.

But first, let’s look closely at each of the job requirements mentioned earlier.

Remember, job requirements include:

• Conditions of employment

• Key tasks

• Qualifications

• Experience and knowledge

• Other requirements (eg personal qualities)

“I’ve found an awesome job I want to apply for. It seems to match up with my skills and qualifications. But, how can I give myself the best chance of success?”




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Conditions of employment

The conditions of employment show when you are required to work, and for how long you are required to work each week.

Hours of work

Full-timework

Part-time work

Shift work

Voluntary work

Contractwork

*Note: There is no legal definition of full-time, part-time or casual work. The hours shown in this table are only a guide, and have been taken from the Work and Income New Zealand website:

http://www.workandincome.govt.nz/about-this-site/words-we-use.html#F

• Number of hours worked per day, per week.

• Days of the week that you are required to be at work, eg Monday to Friday, weekends.

• Usually between 30 to 40 hours of work a week* (8 hours per day).

• Usually Monday to Friday, starting between 8:00 – 9:00am and finishing between 4:30 – 5:30pm.

• May include weekend work and overtime.

• Less than 30 hours of work per week.*

• Usually the hours and days of work are more flexible than full-time work.

• Includes casual work.

• Often includes weekend work.

• Work that starts before 8am and/or finishes after 6pm is considered to be shift work.

• A 24-hour system - usually ‘morning’, ‘afternoon/evening’ and ‘night’ shifts.

• Used in workplaces that need people to be on the job 24 hours a day, eg hospitals, factories with continuous production.

• Unpaid work - you don’t get paid for this type of work.

• Advertisements for voluntary job positions should clearly state that it is unpaid work.

• When someone is hired as a contractor (self-employed).

• Purpose of being hired is to complete a short-term task or project.

• Not an employee, so doesn’t have the same legal rights (under the Employment Relations Act 2000).



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Finding the conditions of employment in a job descriptionTo help you find the conditions of employment in a job description, ask yourself the following questions.

The following examples are taken from two different job descriptions. They show the conditions of employment for each job.

“What hours/days am I expected to be at work?”

“Is the job paid or unpaid?”

“Are they looking for an employee or a contractor?”

Cityville Botanic GardensWanted: Assistant Gardener

Terms: Full-time role

Kitchen hand

Casual, on-call You need to be available for work

Monday to Sunday; and early mornings and evenings.

‘Full time role’ usually means you will be expected to work 40 hours per week.

‘Casual work’ means that your hours will be different from one week to the next.

Usually less than 40 hours per week.

‘On call’ means that you will need to be available for work when the employer calls you.




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“What will I be doing in this job?”

Key tasks

The job description will also outline the key tasks that are involved in the job.

Key tasks are the main activities that you will be doing as part of your employment in that job.

Finding the key tasks in a job descriptionTo help you find the key tasks in a job description, ask this question:

Each job description below presents the key tasks in a different way.

Corky CaféAssistant Cook

Experience in cake and muffin baking; pizza, sandwich and salad making is essential.

Farm hand wantedYour main responsibilities include:

MilkingTractor work

Basic maintenance and repair work

Weed controlAnimal care

The key tasks are given in a separate list.

Look for words like: responsibilities, carry out, duties, role. All of these words are used to introduce the key tasks of the job.

The key tasks are included in a description of the type of experience a person needs for this job.

The key tasks are:

• baking cakes and muffins

• cooking pizzas

• preparing sandwiches and salads.



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Read the job description below, then answer the questions that follow.

Note: Only the first part of the job description is shown here. You will look at the second part in the next activity.

The job advertisement is for a ‘Retail café assistant’. • What are the conditions of employment for this job?• Name the key tasks that are involved in this job.

Continued on next page...

Try it forYourself

Wanted: Retail café assistant

Highway Café Company is passionate about delivering top quality, hearty food to busy people. We have 12 cafés along State Highway 1, which cater to motorists, tourists and truckies.

We have one full-time position available in our Cityville off-ramp café.

Position: Retail café assistant

Your role:

• Excellent, quick, friendly table clearing and service.

• Safe, hygienic food handling

• Basic food preparation, including sandwiches and barista

• Maintaining a clean, healthy environment for customers and team members (by following HCC’s food safety procedures).

• Operating cash registers, accurate money handling.

Hours: 40 hours per week (overtime available). You must be available to work weekends and shift work.

Highway Café Company




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Conditions of employment:

Key tasks:



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Qualifications

When someone has a qualification, they have officially completed a course.

A qualification shows that someone has met a specific set of education and training requirements.

Types of qualifications

For some jobs, the employer needs someone with a specific qualification. This qualification has given the person the skills and knowledge needed for that job.

Job descriptions often include qualifications, but use words like ‘would be useful’ or ‘would be an advantage’. A person doesn’t need to have the qualification, but it may give them an advantage over the other applicants.


“The vet assistant job I applied for said that I must have a Certificate in Vet Nursing. If I didn’t have this qualification, I would not be eligible to apply for the job.”

“I applied for a job as a bicycle mechanic. The job description said that a Level 3 Certificate in Bicycle Mechanics would be helpful but is not essential. I don’t have this qualification, but I can still apply for the job.”




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“Does the job description mention qualifications?”

Finding the required qualifications in a job descriptionTo help you find the qualifications needed for the job, ask these questions:

The job descriptions below are both aimed at early childhood education teachers. However, each job has different qualification requirements.

“Is the qualification essential or just optional?”

The qualifications you put in your targeted CV must match the qualifications that are shown in the job description.

Applicants for this job must have an officially recognised diploma or degree-level qualification in Early Childhood Education.

Applicants don’t need to be qualified Early Childhood teachers. However, they must be studying towards an ECE qualification to apply for this job.

Mighty Tots CentreEarly Childhood Education Teacher

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• A NZQA approved ECE Diploma or Degree

Happy Feet ChildcareWe’re looking for an enthusiastic person who is studying towards an Early Childhood Education

qualification.



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Experience and knowledge

A job description includes the types of work-related experience and knowledge that is needed for the role.

Experience

Knowledge


Requirements which relate to the work a person has done.

• Work experience (paid or voluntary)

• Training (eg on the job, a course of study)

• Skills and competencies gained from working in a specific job

May come from life experience also (eg knowing how to drive a tractor from growing up on a farm).

Requirements which relate to what a person knows.

• Industry knowledge (knowing how a particular industry, process, or system works).

• Knowing about specific groups of people, eg different cultural practices and/or languages.

• Specific areas of knowledge, eg health foods, animal care, vehicle driving or maintenance.

May come from a person’s education, training, work experience or life experience.

“I have had work experience as a forklift operator. This skill is a require-ment of the storeperson job that I applied for.”

“The tourism job I applied for required that I have knowledge of Japanese language. Luckily I lived in Japan during my childhood and can speak Japanese well.”




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Finding the experience and knowledge requirements in a job descriptionTo help you find the experience and knowledge requirements, ask these questions.

You may need to read the job description a few times to find this information. The required experience and knowledge is often included in the list of key tasks.

Experience

Knowledge

Experience Knowledge

“What should I already know about in order to do this job?”

“What should I already have done in order to do this job?”

It you don’t have some of the experience or knowledge outlined in the job description, you could still apply for the job. However, your targeted CV must clearly show what you have done to make up for this lack of relevant experience, eg a qualification that is relevant to the job.

The employer is looking for someone with good customer service skills who has worked in a clothing store before.

The word ‘proven’ means that applicants must provide evidence in their CV (eg where, when and how).

The applicant is expected to have an up-to-date understanding of how to use a computer and manage finances in an office.

Trainee Administration Assistant

Current office computing and accounting knowledge is required.

Stylez Clothing Co.If you have previous clothing retail experience, with proven excellence in customer service we want to hear from you!



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Other requirements

A job description may include other requirements. These differ from one job to the next. Other requirements may relate to the job or the person applying for the job.

Personal qualitiesJob descriptions often mention the personal qualities applicants are expected to have. Personal qualities include someone’s attitude, their behaviour and way of thinking.

“Must be an independent thinker and worker”

“Cheerful, enthusiastic people person”

“Highly motivated sales person”

“Team player”

“Willing to learn new skills”

“Good work ethic”

“Honest and reliable”

Personal qualities (examples)




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Level of responsibilitySome job descriptions outline specific responsibilities that employees will have. Responsibilities may relate to supervisiong other employees, or being in charge of a specific process.

Relationships and authorityA job description may state who you will be working with. This is referred to as relationships. It could include other people in the organisation, or specific customers.

Authority usually means the person who will be supervising you.

Relationships“You will be part of an expert sales team”

“Developing relationships with new and existing clients”

“Working with staff at our five city branches”

Authority“You will report to the Operations Manager”

“This role is overseen by the Customer Services

Manager”

“You will report to the Team Leader”

The responsibilities in this job relate to work of other employees and also the factory production process.

The person who gets this job will sometimes be responsible for running the store without supervision.

Team Leader (Night Shift)

Key responsibilities:Supervising five factory production staff.

Managing staff rosters.Overseeing quality control.

Sales Assistant

Must be able to operate the store

on your own (weekends only).



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Read the job description below. This is the second part of the advertisement you looked at previously.

Remember, the job title is: Retail café assistant.

What are the qualifications, experience and knowledge, and other requirements a person must have to do this job?


Try it forYourself


In this role, you will be reporting to the Duty Manager.

Have you got the know-how to make the HCC team?• On the job training is provided, but food preparation and barista experience would

be helpful.

• A recognised certificate in food safety and hygiene.

• Understanding of occupational health and safety, and safe food handling.

• Confidence in both literacy and numeracy (as proven by a relevant school or training qualification).

• Proven time management skills.

Do you have the qualities we need in a café assistant?• Team-worker who is willing to follow instructions.

• Dedicated to excellence in customer service.

• Honest and reliable.

If you can answer YES to all of the above, please email your CV to Sam Smith (Human Resources Manager) before 5pm Friday 7th October.

Email: [email protected]





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Qualifications:

Experience:

Knowledge:

Other requirements:



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LESSON 2:

Targeting your CV to the job description

Learning ObjectivesWhen you have finished this lesson, you will know how to identify personal information that relates to specific job requirements.

Personal information includes:

Competence and skills, industry knowledge

Personal qualities

Education and training

Employment history, responsibilities, and achievements

Other achievements

For each of the above, you will be able to write statements that can be put into a personal targeted CV.




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LESSON 2: Targeting your CV to the job description

Writing clear, targeted statements

When you produce a personal targeted CV, you must be able to write clear statements about yourself. A statement is a sentence which describes something about you.

Your statements must clearly show the employer how your attributes match the job requirements.

The statements you write must be truthful. You should be able to support them with evidence.

As you learn about each attribute, you will see examples of how these can be described in short statements. You will also practise writing these statements.

You will use the example of Joe to practise the skills needed to produce a personal targeted CV.

Attributes

In this course the word ‘attributes’ covers the different types of personal information that goes into a targeted CV.

• Competence and skills, industry knowledge

• Personal qualities

• Education and training

• Employment history, responsibilities, and achievements

• Other achievements

Case Study: Introducing JoeIn this lesson and Lesson 3, you will be following the story of Joe, as he produces his personal targeted CV.

Joe has found a job advertisement for a Retail Café Assistant at the Highway Café Company (HCC).

Joe wants a career in the food and hospitality industry. He has finished Year 12 at school and now wants to work full-time. His aim is to save money for a chef training course.

Joe thinks he already has some of the work experience and qualifications for the job at HCC.

Note: You have already looked at the job description for this role in Lesson 1. A copy of the full advertisement is given in Appendix A of this guide.

In Appendix B of this guide, there is more information about Joe. You will use this information to answer activity questions.



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Competence and skills, industry knowledge

Your competence and skills are the things that you are able to do. The word ‘competence’ means that you can do these things well. They match up with the key skills and experience parts of a job description.

Industry knowledge is your understanding of how a particular industry, process, or system works. This matches up with the knowledge requirements for a job.

Writing statements about competence and skills, and industry knowledge

Your competence and skill statements must match the skills that are asked for in the job description.

Give the context where you used each skill. The context is the place and situation. This gives the employer evidence (proof) of how you used these skills.

The same applies to your industry knowledge - make sure it matches the job requirements and support it with evidence.

State the level of ability you have with each skill (where relevant).

Targeted statements

Job description:Operating a till, money handling.

Knowledge of the retail clothing environment would be an advantage.

Note: See page 12 for more details about experience and knowledge requirements. The key questions there can also be used to help you think about the skills and knowledge you have that are relevant to the job requirements.

“I am applying for a retail assistant job in a department store. I have worked part-time in a local clothing shop. I can easily use a cash register and EFTPOS machine. I also know about stock ordering and quality check systems commonly used in the clothing industry.”

Work skillsExcellent, accurate cash register and EFTPOS machine skills (retail clothing).

Industry knowledgeFamiliar with ordering and quality check systems used in retail clothing stores.

Tip: Look closely at the job description, and focus on the key tasks, experience and knowledge requirements. These requirements should show you the skills and industry knowledge you will need to do the job.




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Use the information about Joe and the job he is applying for to complete this exercise.• Appendix A: Retail café assistant job description• Appendix B: About Joe

1. Name two skills that Joe has which match up with the café assistant job requirements.

2. For each skill from Question 1, write a statement that can be put into Joe’s CV.

3. Write one statement about the relevant industry knowledge that Joe has, which can be put into his CV.

Try it forYourself



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Personal qualities

Personal qualities are your individual characteristics. Personal qualities include someone’s attitude, their behaviour and way of thinking. They are what make you who you are - your personality.

To help you identify relevant personal qualities, ask yourself the following question.

Writing statements about your personal qualities

Focus on the types of personal qualities that the employer is looking for.

State what your quality is. Then, give an example of how you have used that quality in the past.

Your personal qualities may be included in the personal statement at the start of your CV.

What qualities do I have that match the personal qualities needed for this job?

Targeted statementsJob description:Must be able to operate store on your own.

Honest and reliable.

“For the last three years I have worked independently in a dairy. I have made sure everything ran smoothly, and that the accounts were taken care of. I think my independence and reliability will suit the job I am applying for.”

I am a reliable, honest person who can work independently - proven by three years’ sole-charge of The Dairy (including taking care of stock and accounts management).




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1. Name two personal qualities Joe has which match up with the café assistant job requirements.

2. For each quality from Question 1, write a statement that can be put into Joe’s CV.

Try it forYourself



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Education and training

Education and training includes your qualifications and any formal practical training you have received. Usually, you will have a certificate to show that you have gained a qualification, or completed the training.

Education

Training

Think about the education and training you have received. Ask yourself the following questions.

Writing statements about your education and training

Include the following information about your qualifications.

• The name of the qualification.

• Where the qualification was completed (name of learning institute).

• When the qualification was completed (or when the training took place).

• If you have not completed the qualification, clearly state this in your CV.

When you write about your training, focus on the types of formal training that are required for the job.

Your training may be similar, but not exactly the same as what the employer is looking for. That’s okay; just make sure you show how your training is still relevant to the job.

• Your qualifications, usually theory based

• Usually related to your studies at school, private training institutes, and at tertiary level (Polytechnic, University)

• Practical courses you have attended (hands-on, skills based)

• Received at a training institute, through work experience, or at school

Do I have qualifications that match those in the job description?

Is my qualification/training similar to what is needed for the job?

Have I had the formal training that is required for this job?




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Targeted list of qualifications (school and training institutes)

Job description:NCEA Level 1 Maths and English (recommended)

A minimum of 1-years’ relevant farming experience or a recognised entry-level qualification in agriculture.

Knowledge of occupational health and safety.

“I am applying for a job as a farm hand. I haven’t had much experience working on a farm, but I am studying towards a farming qualification. I also have a First Aid certificate, which relates a bit to the health and safety job requirements.”

Current study/training:

National Certificate in Agriculture (Level 2) General SkillsATC, TrainMe, HamiltonCompletion date: Due to complete November 2015

Qualifications:

NCEA Level 1 (Achieved: Maths, English, Agricultural and Horticultural Science, Physical education)Success High School, AucklandDate completed: November 2014

First Aid Certificate (Unit standards 6401, 6402)St John, AucklandDate completed: June 2014

Tip: List your education and training in the order of when you completed them. Start with the most recent at the top of the list, and then the next recent and so on.



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1. What training has Joe had that might not be relevant to the job requirements? Describe.

2. Should Joe include this information in his CV? Why or why not?

3. List statements about Joe’s education and training that can be used in his CV.

Try it forYourself




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Employment history, responsibilities and achievements

Your employment history is a record of all the jobs you have had in the past. It also includes your current job (if you have one).

Employment history

For each job that you include in your targeted CV, list any responsibilities that were part of that role. Focus on the responsibilities that are relevant to the job you are applying for.

Responsibilities

If you have any outstanding achievements in your employment history, it is important that you include these in your targeted CV. Achievements are things you have done well and gained recognition for.

Achievements (employment

history)

• Full-time, part-time or casual paid work

• Voluntary work

• Work experience

Recognition for excellence at work.

• Employer’s commendation (eg specific tasks or project work, excellent attendance record, outstanding attitude)

• Customer service award

• Employee of the month

• Exceeding sales targets (yearly, monthly)

• Public recognition for voluntary work

• Key tasks in the work that you do (eg operating machinery, serving customers, handling cash).

Focus on the responsibilities and achievements which relate directly to the job that you are applying for.



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To help you identify relevant employment history, responsibilities, and achievements, ask the following questions.

Statements about employment history, responsibilities and achievements

Give the following information about each of your past and present jobs in your targeted CV.

• Job title (the name of the job position).

• Name of the organisation (your employer).

• Start and end dates (month and/or year).

• The conditions of employment (full-time, part-time).

• Key responsibilities (and achievements where relevant).

What jobs have I done? Are they similar to the job

I am applying for?

What responsibilities did I have in these jobs? Do they match the requirements of the job I am applying for?

Are any of my work achievements relevant to the job requirements?

Targeted list of employment history, responsibilities, and achievements

Job description:Relevant packaging plant experience.

Basic machine operating and maintenance duties.

“I have a part-time job in a packaging plant. Now I am applying for a full-time job doing similar work at another factory. I also do odd-jobs like mowing lawns and gardening.”

Employment HistoryPacking operator, Part-time - The Lemonade Company (2015 - present)Responsibilities: operating machinery, following safe work procedures.Achievement: Employer recognition for consistently meeting run time targets.

Gardening and lawn mowing, Casual - Self-employed (2012-present).Responsibilities: Working safely with garden machinery and tools, self-managing, tool and machine maintenance.




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List statements about Joe’s employment history, responsibilities and achievements, which can be put into his CV.

Try it forYourself



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Other achievements

You can also include in your targeted CV, achievements related to school, training, or other areas of life.

Other achievements

Statements about your other achievements

If you have any recognised achievements, include them in your targeted CV. State the name of the achievement, the place or organisation, and the date (year).

You can create a separate ‘Achievements’ section, or use the achievement as evidence of outstanding skills, knowledge, or personal qualities.

Examples of achievement statements

• Academic achievements

• Sporting achievements

• Recognition for services to your school or community

• Team awards (eg sports team, kapa haka group)

• Outstanding achievements in music, writing, speech making.

Show a clear connection between your achievements and the relevant job requirement.

Head Prefect: Auckland High School, 2014Captain: 1st Eleven Soccer Team, Christchurch High School, 2015

Top of Class: Fashion Design College, Waikato, (Year 1), 2015Community Service

Award (Elder Support):

Otorohanga, 2014

Finalists: Secondary Schools Kapa Haka Regionals, Tauranga College Mana Kapa Haka, 2013




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Targeted achievement statementJob description:Shows initiative.

Passionate about improving the lives of young people.

“I wanted to apply for a Youth Co-Ordinator job at a community youth centre. Last year, I started up a support group for students at my school. I won an award at my school for this project. I included this in my CV as it shows that I am willing to use my time to help young people.”

AchievementsFounder of a student-led support group at Pohutukawa College - winner of the 2014 Service to School Award for this initiative.


1. Write a statement about Joe’s recipe writing achievement.

2. Where in Joe’s CV do you think he should put this statement? Why?

Try it forYourself



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LESSON 3:

Producing a personal targeted CV

Learning ObjectivesWhen you have finished this lesson, you will know how to produce a personal targeted CV.

You will learn how to produce a personal targeted CV that has:

consistent layout (presentation)

logical flow and headings

correct spelling and grammar.

You will also get the opportunity to produce a personal targeted CV using a computer and printer.




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LESSON 3: Producing a personal targeted CV

CV presentation and style

Your personal targeted CV must be well organised and presented. It needs to give the employer the very best impression of who you are, and what you can bring to the job.

You have learnt how to write targeted statements which clearly connect with specific job requirements.

Now, you will use these statements to build a CV that uses clear headings, flows in a logical way, and is accurate.

Logical flow and use of headingsThe way that information is ordered in your CV needs to be logical. It needs to make sense, and be easy to follow.

Like a story, your CV needs to have a beginning, middle and ending.

Use headings to clearly show what each section of your CV is about.

Logical order of your CV

Note: The guidelines given in this lesson are only general. You will need to think about the most suitable sections and headings to use for your CV, based on your own situation, history and the job requirements.

Full nameContact detailsPersonal statement

Interests and hobbiesReferees

Start

End

You must put your name and contact details at the start of the CV. Usually this is followed by a personal statement.

Relevant interests and hobbies may be included. You must include referees in your CV (these usually go at the end).

Skills Employment historyEducation and trainingAchievements

Main sections

Order these sections in a way that shows your greatest strengths first eg if you have had a number of jobs, put your work history first - otherwise put your skills first.

Tip: Check for any specific instructions about CVs given by the employer. Look for instructions in the job advertisement, or phone the contact person.



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“I am applying for a part-time job at an Early Childhood Education Centre. I chose to start my personal targeted CV with the skills section. I want to emphasise my relevant skills because I don’t have much work experience as an ECE teacher.”

Curriculum Vitae (Draft to show structure and headings)

[Write Name and contact details here]

Personal statement[Write target statement here - include personal qualitites]

Skills and knowledge Child minding [write target statement here]

Time management […] Leadership […]

Employment history Little Nippers Daycare [details - work experience]

The Dairy […]

Education and trainingEarly Childhood Education (current study)

[details]First Aid Certificate[details]NCEA Level 2

• [list my subjects here]

NCEA Level 1 [overall grade average only]

Interests and hobbies [details]

Referees [details]

The middle sections are ordered from most to least important.

The skills section is first, as it relates directly to the job requirements for experience and knowledge. It shows how the person fits these requirements.

The education and training section can come afterwards. This section is important, but doesn’t say as much about what the person is able to do in the workplace.

Interests and hobbies are the least important. They must be interesting and/or relevant to the job.

A CV must have a list of referees, and this is always put at te end of the CV.




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Each heading looks the same and is in the same position on the page (same margin setting and font style and size).

The layout and ‘look’ of each section of the CV is the same (same heading style, margin settings, indents. Use of fonts is repeated).

Curriculum Vitae - Suzie JacksonChildcare Assistant - Happy Feet Childcare

Suzie Jackson23 Gainor StreetShaftsbury Auckland 0000Phone: 027 000 000Email: [email protected]

Personal statementMy my goal is to become a registered Early Childhood Education Teacher. I am currently studying towards a National Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 3). I enjoy encouraging children’s creativity and consider it a privilege to be a part of this essential stage in their lives.

Skills and knowledgeChildcare and education• Experienced child minder - strength is nurturing creativity through art

and music for children aged from 6 months to 9 years.• Detailed knowledge of New Zealand Food and Nutrition Guidelines

for infants and toddlers; food safety and hygiene, allergies and intolerances.

Time management• Able to organise school, sporting and child minding commitments,

reliable, always on time.Leadership• Kapa haka leader in Year 12 at Pohutukawa College (2014).

Employment historyLittle Nippers Daycare (Work experience, 2015)Achievements: Successfully conducted child observations, delivered learning sessions; commended for creativity and professionalism by the Supervising Teacher.The Dairy (Part-time, 2012-2015)Responsibilities:Serving customers, stock ordering, operating till and money handling, food safety and hygiene practices.

Education and trainingNational Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 5)ATC, TrainMe, HamiltonDue to complete December 2015…

Consistent layout and presentationYour CV must be produced using a computer and printer. These tools will help you to make sure that the CV looks consistent from beginning to end.

This will make the CV easy to read.



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CV Presentation tipsWhen an employer or recruitment agent first looks at your CV, they may take just a few seconds!*

That’s all the time it can take for the employer or agent to decide whether or not to find out more about you.

If your CV is presented in a way that is inappropriate, it is unlikely that these people will take you seriously and consider you for the job.

Here is what an expert says about CVs.

• Use a clear and logical layout and font.

• If you’re including a photo, make sure it’s appropriate.

• Make your personal statement at the beginning of the CV.

• Use the first two pages of the CV to highlight key skills and experience.

• Don’t stretch the truth - be honest.

*Adapted from: Just six seconds to make a great impression, The New Zealand Herald, 18-09-2014

Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id+3&objectid+11326566

Let’s look at some more factors which could determine the success of your CV.

FontFont is the style and size of printed text.

Choose a font style that is plain, and easy to read.

A sensible font will give your CV a business-like and professional look.

Remember, your job application needs to be taken seriously.


Personal statementMy special interest is early childhood development and education, and my goal is to become a registered Early Childhood Teacher.

Personal statementMy special interest is early childhood development and education, and my goal is to become a registered Early Childhood Teacher.

Your CV is an advertisement about

YOU!




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PhotoYou may include a photo of yourself, if you wish. However, this is optional.

The photo must be recent, clear, and generally of your head and upper body only.

Make sure you are neatly presented, with clean clothes and tidy hair.

Clothing should be formal, the same type of clothing you would wear to a job interview.

Don’t use a ‘selfie’.

Don’t use a photo taken in an informal, social setting (eg out with friends, smoking, with alcohol).

Hobbies and interestsYou have already learnt that statements about attributes such as your skills and employment must be relevant to the job requirements.

The same rule applies to your interests and hobbies. Only include those hobbies which clearly support what you have said about your attributes.


I am a life-long fan of soccer, and play club football (premier grade). Music is my other passion, and I compose and record songs as personal music projects.

I really like going out with my friends and watching T.V. My favourite programme is CSI. I also like playing the video game Minecraft.

Tip: Make sure that your email address is a sensible one. For example use your name (and a number if there are other people with the same name). Don’t use a nickname.

YES: [email protected]: [email protected]



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Using your target statements

Your targeted statements need to be put into relevant sections of your CV. Sometimes you may need to combine different types of statements.

For example, when writing about your work skills, you may need to include relevant industry knowledge in the same section.

Here are two targeted statements from Lesson 2.

Now, let’s see how the statements above could be used in a CV.

Targeted statements

Job description:Operating a till, money handling.

Knowledge of the retail clothing environment would be an advantage.

Work skillsExcellent, accurate cash register and EFTPOS machine skills (retail clothing).

Industry knowledgeFamiliar with ordering and quality check systems used in retail clothing stores.

Skills and knowledge• Excellent, accurate cash register and EFTPOS machine

skills (retail clothing).• Familiar with ordering and quality check systems used in

retail clothing stores.




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Correct spelling and grammar

You must edit and proofread your personal targeted CV before you send your job application to the employer.

Remember, your CV gives the employer an impression of who you are, and your quality of work. If a CV has errors in grammar or spelling, it will give the employer a negative impression.

Editing your CVCheck the quality and accuracy of the information in your CV.

• Does the CV include all the necessary information (Have all of the job requirements been covered)?

• Is the information accurate (eg job title, dates, names of people/organisations).

• Does the CV flow logically from one topic to the next; and from start to finish?

• Are there clear, logical headings?

• Is the layout, font size, presentation consistent throughout the whole CV?

ProofreadRead through the CV to check that ALL spelling, punctuation and grammar is correct. (Including correct spelling of the names of people and organisations).

You can also use the spell-check tool on your computer. However, be careful! Always proof read the document in case the spell check tool doesn’t recognise an error (eg the spelling of someone’s name).

Tip: it would be helpful to get someone else to also read through your CV to check for spelling errors.

Use the information about Joe and the job he is applying for to produce a CV for Joe. Use a computer and printer.• Appendix A: Retail café assistant job description• Appendix B: About Joe

In Lesson 2 you wrote targeted statements for Joe. You can use these statements to build a personal targeted CV for Joe. You may need to use slightly different wording depending on where in the CV you plan to put these statements.You will also need to apply the rules for CV layout and presentation that you learnt about in this lesson.

Try it forYourself



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Glossary

achievements Outstanding things that a person has done - must be relevant to the job that they are applying for.

attributes The types of personal information about someone that goes into their CV (eg competence and skills, industry knowledge, etc).

casual work A job that has varying hours of work from one week to the next (usually part-time).

competence A person’s ability to do something well.

consistent Always the same.

contact person Person from the organisation who handles enquiries about the job advertisement and to whom CVs must be sent (their name is on the job advertisement).

context Place and situation.

CV Curriculum Vitae

education Related to a person’s studies (eg full-time study at school, polytechnic or university).

eligible Being allowed to do apply for a job based on previous skills and/or a qualification.

essential Something which a person must have or be able to do.

evidence Information which supports statements made in a CV.

experience What a person has done.

grammar When words are put into the correct order in a written sentence, it follows the rules of grammar.

industry knowledge

Knowledge of a specific area of work (eg systems, processes and procedures).

job description Employer’s description of a specific job (role) in their organisation. Contains the requirements of that job.

job requirement The type of work that is involved in a job, and they type of person who will best fit that job.

job title (position title)

Name of a job or position at an organisation.

key tasks Main activities involved in a specific job.

knowledge What a person knows.

logical Something that makes sense, and has an easily recognised pattern or order.

overtime Time worked that is over the normal amount of working hours

personal qualities A person’s individual personality characteristics eg attitude, behaviour, way of thinking.

personal targeted CV

A CV that a person has produced for themselves which is aimed at a specific job.




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qualification Official recognition of someone having completed a specific course of education or training (eg achieving NCEA Level 1).

relevant When one thing is directly related to another, eg your skills are directly related to specific job requirements.

responsibilities Key tasks in the work that a person does (eg operating machinery, handling cash).

spelling When a word is written using the correct letters.

statement In a person’s CV, a statement is a sentence which describes something about them.

training Practical skills learnt at a training institute or work.



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Appendix A: Retail café assistant job description


Highway Café Company is passionate about delivering top quality, healthy food to busy people. We have 12 cafés along State Highway 1, which cater to motorists, tourists and truckies.

We have one full-time position available in our Cityville off-ramp café.

Position: Retail café assistant

Your role: • Excellent, quick, friendly table clearing and service.

• Safe, hygienic food handling

• Basic food preparation, including sandwiches and barista

• Maintaining a clean, healthy environment for customers and team members (by following HCC’s food safety procedures).

• Operating cash registers, accurate money handling.

Hours: 40 hours per week (overtime available). You must be available to work weekends and shift work.

In this role, you will be reporting to the Duty Manager.

Have you got the know-how to make the HCC team?• On the job training is provided, but food preparation and barista experience would

be helpful.

• A recognised certificate in food safety and hygiene.

• Understanding of occupational health and safety, and safe food handling.

• Confidence in both literacy and numeracy (as proven by a relevant school or training qualification).

• Proven time management skills.

Do you have the qualities we need in a BB team member?• Team-worker who is willing to follow instructions

• Dedicated to excellence in customer service

• Honest and reliable

If you can answer YES to all of the above, please email your CV to Sam Smith (Human Resources Manager) before 5pm Friday 7th October.

Email: [email protected]





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Appendix B: About Joe

Hi my full name is Joseph Alan Smith, and my career goal is to work in the food and hospitality industry. I have just finished Year 12, and I plan to get a full-time job at a café or restaurant.

My aim is to develop my skills and knowledge of the food and hospitality industry. I also want to save up enough money to be able to enrol in a chef training course.

I have just found a job advertisement for the position of Retail Café Assistant at the Highway Café Company (HCC). I am going to apply for this job because I think I already have some of the skills and training that the employer at HCC is looking for.

I have to make sure that my CV is targeted to the specific job requirements for this position.

Here is some information about me that may be useful.


Who I am as a person?

What am I like as an employee?

• I am a team player, and would prefer to work with a great bunch of people rather than by myself.

• I believe it’s always best to be honest with people and treat them with respect.

• I love learning about food, cooking for friends and family, and making up my own recipes.

One of my recipes, Easy Chicken Casserole, was published in Chew Magazine (Issue: 204, September, 2014). I entered it into a competition and it received a commendation from the food editor.

• Hard working, and reliable - my employers always tell me that they are impressed with how mature I am for my age.

• I started at Big Earth supermarket, mainly working casual hours on the checkout from 2013-2014. My job involved: operating the till, handling cash, serving customers, and packing groceries.

• That’s where I won a BE Award for Customer Service (2014 - Shaftsbury store). I love serving customers, and making sure that they have a positive experience at our store.

• From 2014 to the present date, I have been working in the Deli at Big Earth supermarket. I learnt so many useful food industry skills since working in the Deli. I also know how to follow Big Earth’s food safety and occupational health and safety policies.

• In my Deli job I am responsible for food preparation and presentation, serving customers, operating kitchen appliances (oven, slicer), HACCP checks (eg cabinet and oven temperature, kitchen and servery hygiene.

• I also make sandwiches prepare and present cold meats, salads, and all the deli goods.



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What are my other interests?

What have I achieved at school?

Other personal information about JoeHome address:25 Olsen StreetShaftsbury Auclkand 0000

Telephone number:Phone: 025 000 000

Email:[email protected]

RefereesMrs Brenda Jones, ManagerBig Earth Supermaket, Shaftsbury, AucklandPhone: (02) 555 7777Email: [email protected]

Mr Rod Hamilton, Teacher (Home Economics)Success High School, AucklandPhone: (02) 444 9999Email: [email protected]

• I love quad bike riding, and have passed a basic quad bike safety training course.

• I like socialising with my friends, and going to the movies.

Success High School, Auckland.

• National Certificate in Hospitality - Foundation Skills (Level 1). Completed in November 2014.

• NCEA Level 2 (two subjects): Home economics, Health and physical education. Completed in November 2014.

• NCEA Level 1 (five subjects): Home economics, Health and physical education, English, Maths, Biology. Completed in November 2013.




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www.instant.org.nz

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