Wednesday 23rd October 2013

CV Writing for MBA Students Michele Zala, Careers and Employability Centre

Aims of the Workshop

Put CVs and other written applications into context

Explain the basics of effective CV writing Examine different styles of CV Tailor your CV for international roles

See how to make improvements to your own CV so that it gets you interviews

The purpose of written applications

Inform an employer of your skills and experience

Target the job you are applying for

Emphasise your key selling points and suitability for the job

Persuade an employer that you are worth interviewing

Recruitment Process Statistics for a large graduate recruiter

Assessment Centre

2 1 50%

Telephone Interview

14 3 21%

Online Testing 19 15 79%

Online application or CV 77 22 29%

30 seconds On average you have 30 seconds to either get in the “Yes I will continue reading” pile or the “No!” pile. Give info quickly, without difficulty and prioritise. How long do you look at the back of a DVD for?

Recruiting staff the initial sift… … a bit like buying a laptop

You know what “spec.” you want

You expect to see what you’re looking for within 30 seconds

If you don’t – the CV may end up on the “reject” pile

Your CV should always be …

Up to date Well presented Concise Easy to read Targeted (to each application?) Individual to you

When to use a CV

To support an application form When an employer requests it in a job advertisement (e.g. Apply in writing)

For making speculative applications for jobs, placements or work experience

To give to recruitment agencies

When using social media for your job search

If applying to SMEs They don’t have large resources for recruitment They are unlikely to have their own application Form – they’ll need a CV

What to put in your CV

Name Address Telephone numbers E-mail address Education Qualifications Employment Placements Internships

Part-time jobs Work experience Vacation work Gap year experience Voluntary work Relevant skills Achievements Interests Referees

To include or not to include?

Personal profile Gender Nationality Work permit Driving licence Referees or offer of Extra documents

Age/Date of Birth Marital status Place of Birth Photograph A disability Health

The three main CV components – structure / content / appearance

When an employer says “She had a great CV”

What is the employer most likely to mean?: 1 “The layout and structure of her CV were great” ? 2 “She has all the skills and experience I’m looking for” ? 3 “I really liked the look of her CV?”

Could a CV succeed?: If you had 1 and 3 without 2? If you had 2 without 1? If you had 2 without 3?

In seeking advice on your CV, be aware:

There is no one perfect way to present a CV

There are no hard and fast rules – only guidelines

Show it to different people and weigh up the advice you get

Which person seems more informed ? Company/Sector insider knowledge ?

Listen to the advice ….but what makes most sense to you?

Remember – IT’S ULTIMATELY YOUR CALL

Personal Profiles Tells the reader ’what to notice’ and ’how to see you’ Concise, maximum of 5 lines of text Avoid adjectives and focus on personal characteristics Write when you have completed the rest of the CV Maximum attention to the opening sentence Structure :- You – occupational background and experience Where – sectors knowledge and organisations What – know-how and skills – done and achieved – unusual

and attractive Next – role, organisation, culture and challenges

Personal profile examples ‘An MBA-qualified professional with 6 years’ successful track record of managerial roles in transport and logistics. Experience incudes print trade and hospitality. An experienced leader with expertise in leading and motivating teams working under pressure. Currently seeking a decision-making role in a forward-looking organisation with a focus on continual performance improvement.’ ‘An experienced project manager with excellent team working and communication skills and up-to-date IT knowledge acquired through a postgraduate qualification.’

Initial impact – page 1 May Elizabeth Jean Example BA (Hons), MA, MCIPD

Cert RP Flat 1B

12 The High Street Little High Village

Hightown Highshire HH1 S99

Currently at Flat 9, Longtown, Longwayff, LL1 L99 until 1 April T: 09234 567890 or 03351 12345 (please leave a message)

M: 07790 12345 Email : xrdgdred12432@complexity.com

Jean Example Location : Hightown m: 07790 12345 e: jexample@example.com

Ll:uk.linkedin.com/JeanExample

Exercise 1 - Types of CV

Chronological Skills based Hybrid One Page Creative Research/Academic

Basic Headings Name and Personal details Personal Profile Work Experience Education & Qualifications Skills Interests Referees (if it’s a heading) or state ‘References available on request’

Avoid splitting sections across the pages

Further /Alternative Headings Skills Profile Relevant Experience Other Experience Relevant Skills Additional Skills Professional Mambership Positions of Responsibility Awards and Achievements

What’s your E-mail address? jonroberts@btinternet.com

Actual E-mail addresses that have been used on CVs:

airyfairy@yahoo.com dumbblonde@gmail.com madhatter@supanet.com ImamuppetandIknowit@hotmail.com

The power of bullets

WORK EXPERIENCE

Occupational Psychology Placements: Feb-Sept 2011, British Psychological Society, Leicester Research Assistant, Occupational Psychology Division Devised questionnaire on career barriers in Occupational Psychology Analysed data from returned questionnaires Worked closely with a team of psychologists in preparing findings Presented findings at the BPS Annual Conference

This is a really impressive experience for an undergraduate!

WORK EXPERIENCE

Occupational Psychology Placements: Feb-Sept 2011, British Psychological Society, Leicester Research Assistant, Occupational Psychology Division Devised questionnaire on career barriers in Occupational Psychology. Analysed data from returned questionnaires. Worked closely with a team of psychologists in preparing findings. Presented findings at the BPS Annual Conference

The impressive experience is harder to spot when the bullets are removed

Sharpen your Bullets … Positive/action words

To include in CVs, Cover Letters or application form answers

Achievement Bullet Points • Managed and engineering support facility for XYZ

Ltd with a repair and maintenance budget of £95K per year.

• Budget holder and cost centre manager delivering savings annually against budgets for ABC plc.

• Initiated cost release programmes for XYZ saving 20% on direct costs

• Launched and site-wide continuous improvement programme, realising reduction of 15% of wasted product in Year 1.

Quick Quiz Font size 9/10/11/12? Font: Comic Arial Times New Roman Any? Pages: 1 or 2 or…any number? Main passages: full text?

No smaller than 10 (but fonts vary greatly in size) A Sans-Serif font e.g. Arial/Verdana/Tahoma clearer than Times New Roman

2 pages is fine for full applications 1 page is acceptable for City firms, management consultancy, temporary work and some speculative applications

• Bullets are more likely to be read

A summary of what makes a CV effective – A CV Checklist Good research – before you put the CV together Into yourself! Into the company Into the job

Matching everything that you have to offer against what the vacancy is asking for - targeting yourself Making sure the visual appearance is fit for appearance and your USPs stand out Present a professional and cohesive image Don’t under-SELL yourself

What you can offer

Evidence from all areas of your life:

• Education • Employment • Work experience / voluntary work • Leisure and social activities • Travel Build a skills table or diagram

The Skills Tree

Degree subject Dissertation Planning Skills

Working to deadlines

assimilating information

Report Writing clear communication

use of software

analytical skills

Seminars presentation skills

group skills

negotiation/persuasiveness

Work experience

Choosing examples for CVs and application forms

1. Before you look at the form:

Produce a list (or mind-map) of all the competencies the job asks for – leave plenty of space by/after each item

For each item, brainstorm all the things you’ve done that show that skill – you may put examples against more than one skill

Go through the list and pick out at least one from each competency that you think is really strong

These are your key selling points – you’ll need to include all of them somewhere on the form

Exercise – Finding competencies for a role ?

?

Matching examples against skills Competency Example

Communication Speaking to customers in part time work

Teamwork a group coursework

Problem solving Addressing a budget crisis in a play you have been producing

Organisation Helping to organise your society’s stand & activities at the fresher's fair

Creativity/innovation Creating a new marketing strategy to recruit new society members

Adaptability Handling a major change in your personal circumstances

Commercial awareness Coming up with a new idea for managing stock in the shop where you work

Persuasive ability Raising sponsorship to put on an ACTION party for disadvantaged youngsters

The STAR technique

Situation: when / where – set the scene

Task: the goal, aim or challenge

Action: what you did / your role

Result: the outcome

31

The STAR technique

Interviews

Situation Task Action Result Job Spec Criteria

Teamwork University of Loughborough

•BA

Accountancy and Financial Management

•Organised a Study Group

•Invited a relative who was an Accountant to give a presentation

•Audited Real Accounts

•Project achieved 1st

•Recommended for a departmental award

•Final year Project

Goal Orientation Loughborough University Hockey Team

• Jointly developed a training plan

•Additional coaching

•Additional skills practice

• To get into the higher league

• Achieved the higher league

•Improved team relationships

•Lifelong friendships

How this translates to your CV Teamwork Established a study group of interested colleagues to carry out the final year accountancy project. Used initiative and personal network to engage a specialist Accountant to coach the group, audited a real company’s accounts and achieved a 1st class grade and the departmental academic prize.

Skills employers seek Analytical ability Commercial awareness Computer literacy Creativity Decision making Drive Influencing Initiative Leadership Negotiating Networking Oral communication

Personal effectiveness Planning Presentations Problem solving Self awareness Self confidence Self management Team working Technological Time management Willingness to learn Written communication

MBA competencies Core skills Adaptability Analytical skills Leadership Problem solving ability Teamwork Time management

MBA specific Finance Leadership Operations Entrepeneurship Strategy Globalisation Technology

From www.businessmba.org

CVs for International Roles

China

One page CV English and Chinese Academic above

work experience Modest not Arrogant Photo

CVs for International Roles

India

Two page CV Chronological Work experience then

Academic Language Skills Visa Status No references

CVs for International Roles

Russia

Chronological or Functional or Hybrid Work experience DOB, family status Children Hobbies

For the International CV workshop

CV Resources

Careers and Employability website

Starting points for advice on applications (CVs, applications, interviews, assessment centres etc.)

2. Target Jobs Careers advice section

Starting points for advice on applications (CVs, applications, interviews selection centres etc.)

3. Prospects Careers advice section

Careers Advice and Guidance Quick Advice

15 minute appointment For short careers related questions e.g. CVs, applications, interviews, career opportunities, employers, further study … Monday - Friday 10.00 – 4.00

Book on the day Online after 8.00am In person: at the CEC in HMB Phone: after 9.00am

Quick Advice is popular, so booking online first thing in the morning is advisable.

Career Consultations 45 minute appointment

With the careers adviser for your department to explore careers issues in depth. (You do not need to know what you want to do after graduation!) Monday - Friday Various times available

Book in advance In person at the CEC in HMB

Unless you have already had a consultation, you will need to book a Quick Advice appointment first, before being referred for a Career Consultation.

Careers Advisers for SBE

Susan Reed - Careers Advisory Team Manager Caseload: School of Business and Economics Management, Management responsibility

Michele Zala - Careers Adviser Caseload: School of Business and Economics, School of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, and International Students.

Joss Moffatt - Careers Adviser Caseload: School of Business and Economics, Mathematics

International Student pages Careers Blog Information Advice Publications Online Tools Careers Online

careers.lboro.ac.uk

JOB HUNTING PRESENTATIONS These are delivered in a lecture format, introducing you to the topic and providing

information and strategies to move forward with your career planning.

Building an Effective CV Impressing on Application Forms Finding a Graduate Job Succeeding in Psychometric Tests Preparing for Interview and Assessment Centres

Select and book via Careers Online

JOB HUNTING Finding a Placement Perfecting your Application Forms Professional Work Experience Induction Perfecting your Covering Letters Practising Online Aptitude Tests Developing your Employability Perfecting your CV Effective Career Networking Using Social media for Job Hunting Performing at Assessment Centres Excelling at Interviews Personal Branding Powerful Presentations for Recruitment

WORKSHOPS These sessions give you the

opportunity to develop your skills and knowledge in an interactive and

more personal setting.

Select and book via Careers Online

SKILLS FOR WORK Prepare yourself for competencies employers will be expecting and testing.

Commercial Awareness Understanding Your Personality Negotiation Enterprise – Setting up your own Business Leadership and Management

Select and book via Careers Online

Hear from employers how to get in and get on in specific career areas.

Consultancy…dispelling the myths Finance and Accountancy Assessment Centre Procedures for Technology Graduate Opportunities (IT/Science/Engineering) Publishing Freelancing Careers with the European Union

Select and book via Careers Online

INVESTIGATING CAREERS

Choosing a Career Teaching Broadcasting and Journalism Marketing, Advertising and PR Personal Statements for Teacher Training Graduate Management Careers in the National Health Service Legal Profession

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Job Hunting in the UK and Abroad 7th November Making Yourself Attractive to Employers 12th November Working in the UK After Your Studies 20th November (Freeth Cartwright Solicitors)

Select and book via Careers Online

Employer Events of Campus

http://www.lboro.ac.uk/service/careers/events/employer/employer-presentations.html Select and book via Careers Online

Careers Fairs Campus Careers Fairs

Graduate Recruitment and Placement Fair 22 October 2013 – Sir David Wallace Sports Hall – James France Spring Graduate Recruitment and Placement Fair 4 March 2014 – Sir David Wallace Sports Hall

Springboard ‘a different careers fair’ 7 May 2014 – James France

Off Campus careers fairs are listed on www.prospects.ac.uk

Careers Advice and Guidance Quick Advice

15 minute appointment For short careers related questions e.g. CVs, applications, interviews, career opportunities, employers, further study … Monday - Friday 10.00 – 4.00

Book on the day Online after 8.00am Phone: after 9.00am In person: at the CEC in HMB

Quick Advice is popular, so it is advisable to booking online first thing in the morning.

Career Consultations 30 minute appointment

With the careers adviser for your department to explore careers issues in depth. (You do not need to know what you want to do after graduation!) Monday - Friday Various times available

Book in advance In person at the CEC in HMB

Unless you have already had a consultation, you will need to book a Quick Advice appointment first, before being referred for a Career Consultation.

Resources Careers and Employability Centre Website www.careers.lboro.ac.uk Applications and Interviews ~ including examples of CVs

Prospects Website www.prospects.ac.uk

Careers and Employability Centre ‘Guides’ to various aspects of the recruitment process - available in print from the CEC or online from the CEC Leaflet Shop. There is a also a suite of leaflets for international students.

Reference Books: Knock out CV – How to get noticed, get interviewed and get hired ~ John Lees Why You? CV Message to Win Jobs ~ John Lees Brilliant Graduate CV ~ Bright, Earl and Winter (End October 2013)

CV Resources on CEC website

Translation to English for typical phrases

Diagram point Description text

Autumn 2013

Herbert Manzoni Building

January 2014 Bridgeman Building

Monday - Friday

9.00 - 5.00

Open during vacations

Careers and Employability Centre

www.careers.lboro.ac.uk

www.facebook.com/LboroCEC

www.twitter.com/lborocareers

careers@lboro.ac.uk 01509 222039