Improving your CVs and Applications 2013
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Improving your CVs and Applications
Lucy Hawkins, Careers Adviser
My commercial awareness has been honed by many years watching The Apprentice...
I feel that my 5m swimming badge truly shows my exceptional results-orientation...
I brign a high attention to detailWholly responsible for two projects (now defunct)
Through reading your website, I feel I have the knowledge to be able to succeed in this role from day one...
I expect to take on a management role (with a pay rise) in around a year.
Although I was in a team with difficult and unpleasant colleagues...Although I’ve not ever lasted long in any role, that’s not been my fault...I feel that working for you will help me move on to better things quickly
I am comfortable working long, stressful, tedious hours
Your company seems to be successful“ ”I would relish the chance to enjoy and experience the wealth of experience that one can relish at {insert company name}
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Objectives
Today we’ll cover:
• How employers assess your applications• Top tips for Application Forms• Top tips for CVs• How to get further support
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Before you apply
THINK:Do you want this?What’s your evidence?Could you do this well?
RESEARCH:What would it be like?Go beyond the adWhere might it lead?
Employer websites, Career Briefing resources, Prospects, www.careers.ox.ac.uk, talk to alumni on Oxford Careers Network
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Q: How many applications can you make?
A:Time you have available
÷Time it takes to research, tailor and check one
quality application
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What are they looking for?
• Your knowledge and motivation• Education and qualifications• Your relevant experience• Your personal qualities• Competencies you bring
Matching their...Person specificationJob descriptionOrganisational values
Application
Self selection
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How applications work
Next round!
Maybe
RejectionDoesn’t meet basic criteria, errors, format
Application Form and/or CV and/or Cover Letter
Quick initial assessment
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How applications work
Criteria YOU OTHER OTHER OTHER
2.1 or further academic success Results orientated Leadership potential Team work Problem solving Business awareness Adaptability Initiative Planning and organisation skills Data analysis skills Precision and accuracy
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Polishing your application forms:
4 top tips
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1 Be a competency star
Skills, knowledge and behaviours required in
employees
2.1 or further academic success
Results orientated
Leadership potential
Team work
Problem solving
Business awareness
Adaptability
Initiative
Planning and organisation skills
Data analysis skills
Precision and accuracy
What is a competency?
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How are competencies measured?
• Use range of experience• Summarise the context concisely• Answer the precise question given• Show actions which translate to the workplace• Refer to what ‘I’ did, not just what ‘we’• Include the (positive) result• Use a structure (e.g. STAR...)
“ ”Please describe a time when … Please give an example of where …
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STAR
S situation T target/task A action R result
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Competency question practice
Situation
Task
Action
Result
“ ”Describe a time when you had to solve a problem creatively.
When working as the social secretary for the college rowing team,
I was tasked with increasing revenue from sponsors to address financial priorities.
The ------- attracted four new sponsors, leading to a 40% increase in revenue.
I began by researching practices used by other teams, and decided that ...I generated ideas which were new variants ...
1
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Competency question practice
Situation
Task
Action
Result
When working as the social secretary for the college rowing team,
I was tasked with increasing revenue from sponsors to address financial priorities.
Planned Strategised Researched
The ------- attracted four new sponsors, leading to a 40% increase in revenue.
InnovatedCommunicated Analysed risk
Assessed ideasMade decisions Maintained focus
“ ”Describe a time when you had to solve a problem creatively.
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Competency question practice
Situation
Task
Action
Result
Describe a time when you had to adapt to work successfully with a new team of people.
“ ”
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2 Give punchy details
Please give brief details about this experience…“ ”
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• Keep to the rubric• Select points in support of selection criteria• Avoid jargons/acronyms unfamiliar to readers• Begin points with what the reader’s looking for• Focus on achievements, skills developed,
responsibilities taken• Past tense
Please give brief details about this experience…“ ”2 Details of experience
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3 Analyse tricky questions
Why do they ask the question?
What has been your greatest achievement?What do you feel you might struggle with?“ ”
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They can be looking for:• Self-awareness• Where you might fit/progress to• Considering training and team
development• Demonstration of key values• How you improve/progress• What motivates you• If you can reflect and evaluate
independently• Further evidence against selection criteria
2.1 or further academic success
Results orientated
Leadership potential
Team work
Problem solving
Business awareness
Adaptability
Initiative
Planning and organisation skills
Data analysis skills
Precision and accuracy
What has been your greatest achievement?What do you feel you might struggle with?“ ”
3 Tricky questions
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4 Connect your motivation
• Avoid waffle – evidence your enthusiasm• Show your wider research for this particular role• Link you and them in sentences – mutual benefit• Don’t presume they’ve read the rest• Opportunity to address any ‘they don’t look like
a...’ assumptions
Why did you decide to apply for this role?Please explain your reasons for your choice of preferred department?“ ”
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Four key areas
1. Competency questionsTell us about a time when...
2. Details of experience pointsPrevious experience, extra-curricular activities...
3. Tricky questionsGreatest achievement, greatest weakness...
4. Motivational questions / supporting statementsWhy do you want this...
4
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Improving your CVs:
5 top tips
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1 Tailor every time
Selection criteria guide your tailoringAlso use:• Job description• Organisational values
Remove or re-order/de-emphasis things that don’t fit these
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2 Show your actions
Skills you developed Gained deeper understanding of...Developed my communication skills through...
Responsibilities you took onEnsured that...Represented the group at...
Achievements and results:Exceeded my target, in raising...Initiated new projects in...
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3 Be specific
Numbers add real power to a CVSubmitting eight 3,000 word essays each term
Accurate descriptions show your skillsPart of a team – did you make the tea?Enjoy tennis – do you play?!
Size, scale, scope – sets a credible sceneAchieved weekly target (£150) in only two daysArranged attendance of three senior academics, coordinating complex and changing diaries
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4 Know your material
Check that in an interview you can:Summarise each roleExplain the thinking behind each choiceDemonstrate all cited skillsConfirm all detailsNarrate your experience to show how it’s led you
to this application
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5 Presentation
Check:Tenses – past for anything... in the pastGrammar – avoid full sentences beginning with I‘Scanability’ – the 10 second testProofreading – find a native speakerLinks – do they work?Headings – use those that work for youformat– will it print ok? PDF/Word?
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Last tips
• Appropriate email address, checked regularly• Use professional out of office settings• Check file format (word? PDF?)• Proof read, proof read, proof read!• Use free style guides for spelling /grammar• Double check your web footprint
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The Careers Service
M, Tu, W, Fr9:00 – 5:00Thursdays
10:00 – 7:00
56 Banbury Road
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• Careers advice appointments• CV reviews• Mock interviews• Skills workshops• Sector-specific talks• Employer events• Resources and handouts
What do we do?
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www.careers.ox.ac.uk
• 1,500+ Vacancies• 2,300+ Mentors• 100s of Events• Bookings• Subscriptions• Your profile and CV
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Careers Advice
Free, impartial, confidential, year-round
Drop in15 min
M, Tu, W, Fr10:30 – 4:30
Thursdays12:30 – 4:30, 5-7
Booked20 min
Released 1 week in advance
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CVs and Applications Q&A
Do I have to visit the careers service?
Should you send a covering letter too?
I’ve finished! It’s 3am!Should I click ‘send’?!
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www.careers.ox.ac.uk01865 274646