- Job Interview Types |
- Layout of a Curriculum Vita |
- Preparing a Curriculum Vita |
- How to Prepare for a Job Interview
- Making a Good Impression on Job Interviews |
- Common Job Interview Questions |
- Questions to Ask During a Job Interview
Candidates: Preparing a Curriculum Vita
A CV is a means of obtaining an interview - to open a door. It should not tell an employer all about you but, instead, should interest the employer enough for them to seek to meet you in person at an interview.
Steps in Preparing a CV
- List achievements. Make a list of all your achievements through school, college, work and outside activities e.g. won county under 17-badminton trophy etc. Make the list long (30-40 achievements) - it will be edited later.
- List your experiences.* Make a list of everywhere you worked and what you did there. Don't just list your job titles - quantify the value you added to the organization - list numbers and targets reached. If you think you only played a small or unimportant role in a project, ask yourself the question whether it would have been completed if you hadn't contributed. Example: implemented new computer sales tracking - reducing sales billing time by 30%.
- Identify your skills. You now have a list of achievements and experience. From this, list the skills that make you marketable and valuable to a company. They can range from technical knowledge of given systems or can be a trait such as adaptability. Prepare a draft of your CV.
The following are valuable pointers when preparing your draft:
- A CV should be short - two pages at most. Employers see a lot of CVs - they don't want to wade through a voluminous tome.
- If you use paragraphs, keep them short (3-4 lines). Bullet points summarize material and make CVs easier to layout and read.
- Language / Content
- State facts and results achieved - not vague responsibilities.
- Use direct, action oriented language - words such as - led, managed, co-coordinated, facilitated, organized. Etc.
- Use appropriate language to show your level of skills & experience.
- Don't combine unrelated functions / skills in the one point. For example, don't combine market research and sales in one statement - they are in related functions but display different skills.
- Don't tell the employer everything - prioritize your most important and relevant skills / experience.
- Individuality can make a CV stand out from a big pile - it can make all the difference.
When you have prepared a draft get 4-5 people to read it. Comparison with peers is valuable. Get someone with a few years experience. Readers don't have to be involved in your area - they may have simple comments about layout and readability.
*If you're applying for a job from a course and don't have much work experience, employers will be looking at your outside activities / interests to gauge your suitability.
Extend the awards section to include sports, debating, local community work etc. for which you have received prizes. Under the interest's part of your CV, list also positions of responsibility with your activities. When drawing up your list of interests / outside activities; emphasize leadership, team working or organizing skills.
Your list of activities should include some of the following:
- Team sports e.g. member of college rugby team
- Committees e.g. member of Cycling Society committee 95-96
- Voluntary organizations e.g. Venture Scout leader, charity work
- Organizing of events e.g. organized class Christmas party of 1996
- If you have traveled extensively (not on a sun holiday!) or worked abroad, do mention it - this can show personal initiative and adaptability