CVs and Covering Letters

Jenny KeaveneyCareers Advisory Service

WHAT IS A CV?

curriculum vitae an outline of a person's educational and professional history, usually prepared for job applications (L, lit.: the course of one's life)

Also known as: resumé

What is the purpose of a CV?

To inform the employer about your:•education•work experience•skills•interests

To persuade the employer, on the basis of this information, that you are potentially suitable for the job and are therefore worth interviewing

When should a CV be used?

• When an employer asks for applications to be received in this format

• When an employer simply states "apply to ..." without specifying the format

• When making speculative applications (i.e. when writing to an employer who has not actually advertised a vacancy but who you hope may have one)

BEFORE YOU START …..

Match your CV to the job

To persuade an employer that you are suitable for the job, your CV must show that you have the qualities they are looking for

A CV should always be targeted on a particular job

Find out what the job involves

• Browse the employer’s website or read any brochures or reports they produce

• Read general information about the type of work you will be doing

• Talk to people doing similar work

Think about the job

• What tasks would the daily routine involve?

• What skills would the job call for?• What type of personality would suit the

job? (Answers for 600 jobs on:

www.prospects.ac.uk/links/occupations/)

Think about yourself

• Do you have the skills called for?• Do you have the right sort of

temperament or personality?• Do you want the job?• Look for evidence of things you have

done which show that you have the qualities required in the job

PROVING YOUR ABILITY

There are four main things employers will look at in CVs:

• Education - ability to think clearly, analyse and assess information, draw conclusions, work independently, research, etc

• Work experience - ability to get on with people, work under pressure, meet deadlines, etc

• Leisure interests - ability to plan and organise, co-operate with others, compete, work hard to achieve results ...

• Specific skills - eg driving licence, computing or foreign language skills

PRESENTING INFORMATION IN A CV

• Chronologically and factuallyor

• Skills-based - emphasising the transferable skills needed to do the job

PERSONAL DETAILS

Definitely include:• Name• Address - both home and term-time, if different• Telephone number(s) and email address

You don’t usually need to include:• Nationality• Date of birth• Sex, marital status etc

PERSONAL PROFILE

• It is not essential to include a profile• If you do, make it meaningful• It should:

– catch the reader’s attention– tell them what they need to know– be specific, not vague and general

PERSONAL PROFILE

“An enthusiastic and motivated graduate with excellent personal and communication skills eager to start a career with a respected company in a field which will provide interesting and challenging work”

PERSONAL PROFILE

“A numerate and computer-literate graduate with communication, negotiation and organisational skills developed through work experience in customer services and telesales. Seeking to utilise these skills in a marketing position with a financial services organisation”

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Higher Education:

• Institution attended, with dates• Degree and subject• Class obtained or expected

You may also include some details of your course

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

2008 - 2011 The University of Kent at Canterbury

BA (Hons) Philosophy and Religious StudiesDegree class predicted: 2.1

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Before higher education:

• Institutions attended, with dates (secondary or further education only)

• Qualifications gained, in particular:• A-levels or equivalent• GCSEs or equivalent

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

2002 - 2008 St Radigund's School, Canterbury

2008 A-levels: Religious Studies BHistory BPsychology C

2007 AS level Biology C

2006 8 GCSEs including English Language (A), Mathematics (B), French

(B)

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Full-time• Part-time• Long-term• Vacation• Paid• Voluntary• Work shadowing

WORK EXPERIENCE

Summer 2009uSure, CroydonGeneral office administration

in an insurance company. Responsibilities included

handling clients’ queries over the telephone,

processing claims and maintaining a database.

October 2006 One-week work experience placement in a High Street bank

WORK EXPERIENCE

Summer 2008 Sainsbury's, Canterbury

Checkout assistant

This job developed my ability to deal with the public and work under pressure

WORK EXPERIENCE

Don’t feel you have to include every job

“In addition to the above, I have held a variety of temporary jobs during school and university vacations, including fruit-picking, factory work, bar work and waiting on tables”

INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES

• Sports• Music• Drama• Societies and clubs• Positions of responsibility• Other leisure activities

INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES

These activities and interests can demonstrate:• Skills relevant to the job, such as:

- teamwork

- organising

- commitment• Your intellectual abilities• Your personality

INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES

• Reading, cinema, stamp-collecting, embroidery• Reading, cinema, travel, socialising with friends• Cinema: member of the University Film-Making

Society• Travel: travelled through Europe by train this summer

in a group of four people, visiting historic sites and practising my French and Italian

• Reading: helped younger pupils with reading difficulties at school

SKILLS-BASED CVs

• These make your transferable skills explicit rather than implicit

• Must be closely tailored to the job description

• Use your education, work experience, interests, etc as evidence of skills rather than as information in their own right

SKILLS-BASED CVs

Examples of evidence of skills:• Verbal Communication - assisted visitors of many

nationalities as a seasonal Tourist Information Assistant, advising on places of interest, transport and accommodation and helping resolve any problems

• Time Management - have successfully combined studies with a part-time job and involvement in a number of drama and music productions

Factual information can be much briefer

PRESENTATION OF YOUR CV

• The first visual impression your CV makes is important

• Try to keep your CV to two sides of A4 paper

• Check yore speling!• Use consistent, clear and simple fonts• Use bold type and bullet points, but in

moderation

THE COVERING LETTER

• Your CV is incomplete without it!• Use it to:

– highlight your main selling points– relate your skills and abilities to the work– demonstrate your understanding of the job

• The letter may do this better than a profile• May be either a traditional business letter

format, or the text of an email to which your CV is attached

Visual appearance …

SUMMING UP

• Make sure your CV is relevant to the job

• Give essential information, but leave the reader wanting to know more

• Ask a careers adviser’s opinion if you have any doubts or queries about your CV

MORE INFORMATION - and example CVs

• Careers Advisory Service booklet - “CVs, Covering Letters and Application Forms”

• How to write a Curriculum Vitae - London University

• www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv.htm

GOOD LUCK!!!

(but with a good CV you won’t need all these)