1. Projecting a professional image – ECS level 1 CV workshop
Diana Fitch
What is a CV?
Styles of CV?
Good and bad practice
CV basics
How to use self-audit
Employability recap
Intro 2 minutes
Hello everyone,
Brief introduction for those who weren’t there.
Welcome
Who I am
Brisk PACE
Most of the session is going to be about helping you produce a decent CV for this module, but importantly for the future, today is activity based and will help you develop some career management skills which you can build on, but there will also be a chance to remember some of the points about employability raised in the lecture.
ACTIVITY One
So the first point is, What is a CV? Who is it for? When is it needed?
What should it do?
5 minutes
I’d like you to start off by spending a few minutes talking with your neighbour (pairs or groups of 3) and come up with a definition of a CV you could use on a Wiki entry.
Note:
Discussion – define a CV – 5 minutes
Self-audit – 20 minutes
Poor CV – critique – 5 minutes
CV points – 5 minutes
Compare templates – supplementary activity – 5 minutes
Take Guides, template (on-line) and Passport leaflets.

2. CV? A curriculum vitae means a “life list” BUT CVs:
Inform about your background
Persuade the opportunity provider to see you
What you have done in the past gives EVIDENCE of what you can do in the future
NOT just a list, but a professional and targeted marketing tool which is about your achievements and skills,
And results in an interview
A life list
A good degree
Someone who has got involved
Work Experience – “the missing ingredient in undergraduate education”
Someone who has thought about what they have to offer
Someone who has focus
NB! These will also give YOU the EVIDENCE that you need for a good CV
Talk about Shell Step applications and CVs – student comment about CV just being a list and cover letter much better to show why you can do the job. In reality its not like that, you’ve got to try and make your CV as interesting and as personal as a covering letter
No one right way to do a CV
Its about your market, what they need to know, what you’ve got that’s going to interest them
YOU want an interview – START WITH YOURSELF

3. Start with yourself
Self audit: experiences > activities > stories (actions) > skills
Feedback from tutors, colleagues, friends, relations
ALSO
Explore what’s out there
ECS Employability Tutorials
Types of jobs
Employers targeting ECS students, work opportunities
ECS tutorials and Career Destinations website
What is your CV all about? It is about YOU!
SELF AUDIT EXERCISE
Use next slide of skills to help them once underway
What is a self audit? It is where you take each experience in your life, write down all the tasks that you did in that activity, talk through those activities in terms of your behaviours and then work out what skills you have gained/used – work through an example of their degree course/sport on the board
ACTIVITY
Give out A3 paper and ask them to do work experience activity/transparencies/post-its
Feedback
Computerised Guidance programs - more information on next slide as well/ Team roles/questionnaires ‘what kind of person are you’
Interest guides - ask if you want more information
Feedback from people you have worked with - friends etc
> > > >

4. Employability Skills Software Engineer* Attributes
Leadership, interpersonal, and problem solving skills
Self-motivated, detail-oriented, efficient
Ability to prioritise, team player, reliable, ability to multi-task
technical competency;
problem-solving skills;
attention to detail
a logical mind;
numeracy
knowledge of the sector
good interpersonal
communication skills
Career motivation
Willingness to learn new skills
Awareness of current issues
*Abridged from Prospects.ac.uk
Indeed.com 2010 4 4

5. What needs to go on a CV? Personal details
Objective or profile – if it adds something
Education/qualifications
Work experience/employment history, including voluntary. Focus on the skills developed, your achievements
Skills/interests/activities/achievements/responsibilities
Referees? - or “Referees available on request”
Edited and organised to fit one or two pages
Seek suggestions – quickly, show slide to summarise, highlight work experience and skills entries.
CV critique ACTIVITY:
You will be given three CVs in quick succession (1 minute each), the reality of recruitment is that most CVs will only get a few seconds before an initial ‘in the bin’ decision. Highlight any plus or negative impacts, problems, questions.
5 minute discussion in small group to rank them – need to be prepared to share reasons and feedback.
Pick up issues of
Date of birth
Nationality
Work experience
Degree content

6. Danger points NO target audience
Poor layout, lack of headings, bullet points
Tables and lines which don’t format correctly
Open access software which doesn’t download correctly
Boring, too many unnecessary details, long chunks of text, too many tasks
Too much sailing, football, or too little?
Inappropriate personal information
Poor spelling, grammar, too small, fancy fonts, BOLD
’m sure you have excellent WORD skills, so show them off.
By the way do use WORD and don’t use fancy formatting, or other freebie applications, the chances are they won’t work for the employer, they don’t want a lesson in LINUX, they want to print off your CV easily and read it easily and I’m sure that’s what you want too.
Qualcomm advice:
“Make sure they research the company prior to interview
2. Ensure CVs include an explanation of their course work and projects.
3. Advise the students bring their course work to interview for discussion.
4. Its very important the international students are fully aware of their working limitations.
5. Always include a cover letter where possible covering confirmation their availability and duration for an Internship.
6. They should be prepared to discuss confidently on a technical level what they have learnt during their study to date.”

7. Winning points Clear, attractive layout with space Good sized font
Easy to navigate (dates and headings are clear)
Demonstrates attention to detail
Gives evidence and is interesting (USPs)
Relevant (targeted) and to the point
Appropriate style (chronological, skill based, academic)
“I want to meet this person”

8. Help - presenting or developing your skills
Career Destinations, B37
Skills section , workshops & talks
CV checks in ECS
Use the template, the Guide and the website
> Make successful applications
Get involved
Keep a log / extended CV
Reminder To help with your CV (MODULE?) :
Winning application section Guide pg 26
CIC – always ask if unsure, videos, DVDs, examples. Use the on-line catalogue to see what’s available.
Web pages
Personal help – remind about .
Programme – News & Events
Any Questions?
SKILLS – We talked a bit about building your skills last week, this first stab at a graduate CV might make you feel you need to generate some more meaty material, don’t worry, get active there’s lots you could be doing – get some ideas if there is time.