LAUNCHING YOUR GLOBAL CAREER VIRTUAL FAIR March 2019

Global CVs and your Personal Brand Laura Swallow University of Northampton Mark Blaber

Before you apply Be clear about your career aim and identify your market Research firms / employers Do you meet the criteria Identify any gaps in your application Plan & prioritise your approach Check methods of application and deadlines Allow time and practice for the interview Country research

Country research/ experience Fitting with the current traditions and cultural elements Evidence of interest in the country (previous visits, work, conferences, university projects, society involvement) Demonstrating global competencies Understanding of the global or specific country markets (hobbies, achievements)

Employer research Matching their specific needs Understanding the projects they are involved in Matching your skills and experience (using the right language to explain!) Cultures and values

CV Design Originality vs tradition Quirky vs unprofessional Acceptable in different countries? Matches the company style

Different CV formats Reverse chronological (country dependent) Skills based Project focussed Most relevant near the top Relevant section titles (Different country formats researched) Easily scanned (read like a website) Sufficient information (not crowded) Font and style meeting company standards

Formatting If there are no specific guidelines given, the general preference is that a resume/CV be written in a reverse-chronological format. The average length for a resume or CV is two pages - no matter the country, no matter the position. Photographs are not appropriate to be attached to resumes in the United States; and if one is attached anyway, the employer is required to dispose of it. In almost every case of "cross-border" job hunting, merely stating the title of your degree would not necessarily be an adequate description. Computer skills and language skills are always important, no matter the job, no matter the country. Take care to describe your skill levels in detail in both categories. If you can, get someone who is a native speaker of the language in which your resume/CV is written to review your document. http://fordschool.umich.edu/downloads/GlobalResume.pdf - Going Global Founder Mary Thompson

Contact details Professional answerphone message Developed LinkedIn profile Professional email address Professional portfolio areas (if relevant) eg. https://www.behance.net

Online links or portfolio Interesting evidence Potential instant sources of reference Examples of work experience Evidence of links and being proactive Does your CV needs to show confidence in what they will find?

Personal Profile/ Career Profile Your current situation and achievement The relevant skills What you specifically seek (the difference you would make) Adapted to show Interest in specific global locations Understanding of the specific company Experience and relevance for working in that region.

Ideas An MSC Automotive student with significant global experience, working in the manufacturing sector for Nissan in Spain. Demonstrating skills in vehicle design, performance analysis and modelling, collaborating with UK and oversees employees in using a range of software including Catia, Ansys and Adams to develop new approaches. Currently seeking a graduate training position within the manufacturing department of Geely to contribute to their engine transmission projects.

Highlighting skills and achievements Specific academic experiences Targeting employment bullet points Involvement in global activities/ conferences Exchange trips or previous (Erasmus, global study trips) Membership of professional industry bodies

Tailored bullet points Achievement related (possibly including a headline achievement) Focussed on skills the company need Action Result then offering summary of successful implementation Bullet point (1 line), ideally not a sentence of paragraph! Examples Visual design interpretation- fully utilized CAD packages to develop components Project management- collaborated with cross-cultural teams to succeed in objectives

Volunteering or additional activities Contributing to company CSR objectives How you succeed with others Taking on additional responsibilities/ challenges Interesting facts- personality match.

Covering letters The opening- stating position applied for and summary of reasons to consider you Your experience – how this shows suitability and commitment to joining that role/ company Academic achievement- highlighting achievement, interesting projects, Signifcant involvement in other campus activities and student life The company- what you understand are their challenges and what you can add. Showing research into news stories, annual reports, awards and challenges, showing your future value (build a link with them)

Does your brand work? Your image on the page Use of photo? Inclusion of online link or portfolio Personal profile statement Ask question about what assumptions they make due to the pictures?

Sources of global information https://www.keynote.co.uk Good sector trends research www.carol.co.uk Company reports www.academic.mintel.com Company information http://www.ft.com/world http://www.oecd.org/countries/ http://www.gradlinkuk.com https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/working-abroad http://www.globalcareercompany.com/ http://www.goinglobal.com

Tell us what you think Please type in a few words to answer these questions Q1 What was most useful? Q2 What was least useful? Q3 As a result of the webinar what will you do differently? Q4 What changes would be needed if we ran this webinar again?