How to Write a CV

One note before we begin… There will be a lot of information in this slideshow. Take notes on the information, but do not copy every word It is important to take notes because we will begin writing CVs at the end of class today I will put this presentation on the website after class today, so you will be able to access all of this information to do your homework

How much do you know about CVs? How long should a CV be? a) 1 page b) 2 pages c) It depends, but usually no more than two pages d) As long as it needs to be to include all necessary information

How much do you know about CVs? A CV should be no more than two pages, although it can be less In the case of some professions, such as university professor, a CV is as long as it needs to be– and can be 10 pages or more! For young business professionals, 1-2 pages is the best length

How much do you know about CVs? True or false? There is a fixed, standard format for writing CVs

How much do you know about CVs? False! There are a wide variety of formats used to write CVs, and there can be a lot of variation The most important thing is that the CV looks professional This means the CV looks tidy, uses an appropriate font, such as Arial or Times New Roman, and an appropriate font size (12) the CV also must be consistent (always the same) in the formatting, and use appropriate language (i.e. a formal tone with all words spelled correctly)

CV section by section We will look at how to write a CV, section by section Information written in black comes from the UK National Careers Service. Information in red is my own commentary You can use their website to help you prepare your CV for homework: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/getajob/cvs/Pages/sectionbysection.aspx

CV section by section: Personal Details You should include your name, address and contact details (a phone number or email address) It's up to you whether you include your age, marital status and nationality. Recruiters should be able to make a decision about your skills and abilities without this information. My advice: do not include your age, marital status or nationality unless the job listing specifically asks for it Why? You do not want potential employers to judge you on anything but your skills and abilities. By not providing information about your age, marital status or nationality, you make sure that they are not judging you based on any of those factors

CV section by section: Personal Details If you’re adding your email address to your contact details make sure that it sounds professional and creates the right impression. A professional email address usually uses your first and last name. Try to avoid any unprofessional words or phrases You may also want to add a link to a professional social media website like LinkedIn. If you do, check that the website shows you in a positive light and doesn’t contain anything you wouldn’t want an employer to see. It is very easy for employers to find information about potential employees using the Internet. Make sure that you manage your online presence well That means, make sure when people search for you on the Internet, they do not find anything inappropriate

CV Section by Section: Personal Profile Your personal profile is a mini-advert for you and should summarise your: skills and qualities work background and achievements career aims It should only be a few lines and must grab the reader's attention. Try to avoid over-used terms, such as 'reliable', 'hard working', 'team player', 'good communication skills' etc. These general terms are heard very often and they don't help an employer to build up a picture of you. A Personal Profile is a very short summary of the CV. If you had to present your whole CV in just 3 or 4 lines, what would you say?

CV Section by Section: Personal Profile For example, if the job involves working with people, try to highlight relevant, specific people skills such as: negotiating, effectively dealing with demanding customers, presentation skills, handling conflict, or showing empathy These help the reader build up more of a picture of your skills, knowledge and experience. Be brief - you can go into more detail and highlight examples of your skills in later sections. When you're summarising your career aims, think about the employer you are sending the CV to. It will hit home with employers if your career aims sound exactly like the kind of opportunities they currently have But remember– do not lie to employers! Be honest about your career aims

CV Section by Section: Employment history and work experience If you've been working for a while, you could put your employment history first If you don't have much work experience, you might like to highlight your education and training In this section you should start with your present or most recent job and work backwards. You should include employer, the dates you worked for them, job title and your main duties. Provide more detail on the relevant jobs you've had and give examples of the skills you used and what you achieved. It is good to list at least one achievement for every job you have had

CV Section by Section: Employment history and work experience Use bullet pointed lists and positive language. Try thinking of ‘action’ words that you can use to describe what you did in your job, like achieved, designed, established, supervised, co-ordinated, created or transformed. Ex: Established scholarship to help underprivileged children attend college Ex: Co-ordinated annual fall harvest festival Try to relate your skills and experience to the job description, person specification or what you think the employer is looking for, if you're sending your CV on spec. Also include any relevant temporary work and volunteering experience. Avoid unexplained gaps in your employment history. If you had time out travelling, job seeking, volunteering or caring for a relative, include this along with details of what you've learned and skills you’ve gained.

CV Section by Section: Education and Training Start with your most recent qualifications and work back to the ones you got at school. Using bullet points or a table include: the university, college or school you went to the dates the qualifications were awarded and any grades any work-related courses, if they're relevant. If you apply for jobs in other countries, you may need to add some explanation for terms that non-Poles might not understand

CV Section by Section: Interests and achievements You can include hobbies, interests and achievements that are relevant to the job. For example, if you're involved in any clubs or societies this can show that you enjoy meeting new people. Interests like sports and physical recreation activities can also show employers that you are fit and healthy. Try to avoid only putting activities that you would do alone like reading, bird-watching or playing video games, unless they relate directly to the job that you are applying for. They may leave employers wondering how sociable you are. Make your activities specific and interesting! In an American- style resume, you would not include information about hobbies or interests

CV Section by Section: Additional Information You can include this section if you need to add anything else that's relevant. Such as explaining that a gap in your employment history was due to travel or family reasons. You could also include other relevant skills here, such as if you have a driving licence or can speak any foreign languages. This is where you write that you speak both English and Polish! Make sure to write the levels of the languages you speak Ex: Polish (Native), English (Intermediate)

CV Section by Section: References References are people who will tell potential employers that you are a great employee and overall good person At least one referee should be work-related. Or, if you haven't worked for a while, you could use another responsible person who has known you for some time. Do not list family members as references. It is unprofessional If you list someone who is not work-related, that person should have a good title, like Manager of a company, or a University professor. You want to show that the potential employer should trust your reference You can list your referees on your CV or just put 'references available on request'. If you decide to include their details you should state the relationship of each referee to you – for example 'John Turner, line manager'.

Example CVs We will now take a look at two example CVs: one good and one bad We will discuss what makes the good CV good and why the bad CV is bad These example come from the website of the University of Kent in the UK http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/goodbadCV.htm

Now it’s time to use what you’ve learned Your homework is to write a CV tailored to an actual office manager job in London You will begin to write this CV in class, then type it up for homework We will look at the job listing piece by piece The job listing: http://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/office-manager/26650920#/jobs/admin-secretarial-pa/office-manager

Homework: Write a CV The job: Office Manager Job description: In Hammersmith, West London Permanent, full-time job £30,000 per annum (per year) Job description: A fantastic opportunity has arisen for an experienced Office Manager with facilities experience to join our third sector client on a permanent basis in their brand new and state of the art offices. This opportunity would suit someone with previous experience who is looking for a role they can step into but that also offers the opportunity to grow and expand by bringing new ideas and being given flexibility to develop these further. third sector: voluntary or non-profit sector Who should apply for this job?

Homework: Write a CV Responsibilities will include: Managing all aspects of the office to ensure the office environment is to a high standard Maintaining key suppliers contracts in line with previous agreements and negotiate where possible Ensure that the Reception area is covered during office hours Maintain and manage the meeting rooms to ensure they are set up Coordinate swift resolutions to any building issues that may arise in a timely manner “Ensure that the Reception area is covered”: ensure that there is at least one person working in the area at all times to help any clients who may enter the business What are the main responsibilities of this job?

Homework: Write a CV Person specification The successful candidate will have worked in a similar role and have had full responsibility of all aspects of office and facilities management. You will be an adaptable person who is solutions oriented, an excellent communicator and able to manage another member of staff and progress them in their position. This role offers great scope to someone who is able to pick up the current systems that are in place but who also is able to implement any changes that would be positive for the business adaptable: potrafiący sie przystosować Solutions oriented: good at finding solutions (answers) to problems to pick up the current systems that are in place: to learn the way the office currently works What skills should the successful candidate have?

Homework: Writing a CV Since you are students, you will not have the exact skills and work experience this job wants So, use your real name, but make up the rest of the information, including past jobs The aim is to practice writing a real CV, so while you should NEVER lie to a real employer, it is okay to make up information for this assignment Focus on making the CV as professional looking as possible: make sure the grammar is good and words are spelled correctly You may use the sites I have listed at the end of this presentation as a guide, but DO NOT COPY the information directly from the sites or from any other students Writing a CV is a VERY important life skill to have, so you need to be able to write one ON YOUR OWN

Homework: Writing a CV In your CV, be sure to include: YOUR REAL NAME (so I know who wrote the CV) a FAKE address a personal profile (with skills and qualities, work background and achievements, and career aims) Employment history and work experience (make up AT LEAST 2 previous jobs) Education and training (you can use the University of Rzeszow or make up another university) Interests and achievements (keep this section short, interesting, and realistic) Additional Information (at least mention the languages you speak) References (make up at least 2)

Homework: Writing a CV Your CV must be 2 pages or less Use a professional font, such as Arial or Times New Roman The font should be size 12 Make sure your CV is professional looking and consistent in style Print your CV and hand it in to me the next time we have class, March 25th Points will be taken off for poor spelling, bad style and lateness If you copy directly from the Internet or from another student, you will fail the assignment Your CV will not be perfect. That is okay  I only ask that you try your hardest and work on your own

CV resources http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/goodbadCV.htm https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/for/current-students/career-development-and-employment-services/careers-students/how-to-get-the-job-you-want/cvs-coverletters-application-forms.html http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-CV-(Curriculum-Vitae) https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/getajob/cvs/Pages/sectionbysection.aspx http://www.bbc.com/news/business-15573447 http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/maturecv.htm