Creating CVs That Catch Attention

Creating CVs That Catch Attention

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  “ Wow! Iwant to meet this person” Creating CVs that catch attention Rashad Bayramov US-Educated Azerbaijan Alumni Association (2009) [email_address]
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  Why we needa CV? An employer has three questions: What do you know? What have you done before to make your company more profitable? Can you do it for me? A good CV… tells your life story in two pages creates an impression about you secures you an interview
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  CV elements Contactdetails Personal statement Experience Education Skills Hobbies References
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  Personal statement Personalstatement highlights your professional attributes and goals and emphasizes why the hiring manager should continue reading the rest of your CV Keep it within 50 words Make it employer focused Link your skills to employer’s benefits (e.g. Use my excellent communication skills to attract and retain high profile clients) Be unique - don’t use clichés (e.g. a challenging opportunity, good communicator, team player)
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  Personal statement (samples)“ As an experienced Senior Advertising Sales Executive my networking abilities could help your company achieve its goals. Active and potential clients will be impressed with innovative product presentations and the meticulous management of their million-pound accounts, allowing long-lasting relationships to be formed.” “ If you're seeking a Network Technician to improve the reliability and development of your company's server, my experience in design, implementation and maintenance will prove invaluable. Troubleshooting and support come as second nature, meaning fewer and less frequent connectivity issues for your large-scale network.” “ As a seasoned project manager who excels at identifying and solving problems I can bring your company considerable cost savings by speeding up project execution by 20% on the average. My track record of saving my employer more than £300,000 while completing in excess of £1 million worth of projects during the past 3 years tells my story better than words.“ “ As an HR person, am aware of the country’s and company’s laws and am capable of handling policies individually. My amicability will come in handy if I were to solve some official conflicts, if ever necessary.”
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  Employment listemployment in reverse chronological order include job title, company name, location, and dates briefly state what your company does and what your main responsibilities were expand on any areas of your career that will aid your application list your achievements with specific examples (ideally with financial figures and percentage increases) avoid cliché phrases and irrelevant facts
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  Education listeducation history in reverse chronological order include dates, the name of the establishment you attended and place name (not the full address) expand on any areas of your education that will aid your application list information on relevant modules, dissertations or projects that prove you are capable of doing the job your education can be summarised with the grade you achieved If you have taken specific courses relevant to the job in hand or have either already obtained or are studying for a professional qualification,
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  Skills These arethe things we learn and can do as we develop through our career There are two types of skills : technical skills – they directly relate to the job you are doing personal skills – they are transferable and don’t depend on the job you are doing In this section: Show that you have the relevant knowledge to succeed in the role Include computer software you have used, relevant training courses and any accreditations you have achieved Include some of your main attributes that are vital to the role Flexibility, problem solving, communication, creativity, teamwork are qualities that all employers look out for
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  CV types Experiencebased - if you're applying for a position similar to the current one Include the dates that you worked with each employer (eg. March 2001 to May 2004) in addition to the company name, location, your full job title, responsibilities and achievements. Skills based – if you have been out of the workforce for a long time or if you seek to change career Replace the traditional company, job title and date information with the name of the most important skills and experience that you have developed through paid employment, voluntary work of general life experience Combination – if you have been made redundant or job-hopping Put your various roles into batches and work out which have given you the certain skills that make you suitable for the job you're applying for. Put the company names and dates at the top of each group and list below the various achievements you have made and experience gained below. Wherever possible, include measurable results for your work Education based – if if you're a recent graduate, if you graduated from a highly regarded university, obtained excellent academic results, have gained a professional qualification that is a pre-requisite for the position you're applying for
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  Basic rules Alwaystailor your CV to audience Use reverse chronological order Do not exceed two page format Add a presentable color photo Leave white space for comments Avoid clichés and be unique
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  Common CV mistakesDon’t send one CV to all Don’t email one to all Use name of the addressee Don’t put too much personal stuff Don’t jazz up your CV with images Steer clear of long paragraphs
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  Student CV layoutProfile / Career Objective Use a three to four line paragraph selling your personality or what you hope to achieve. Emphasise what you have to offer rather than what you expect from an employer. Education / Qualification List your highest qualification first and work backwards. List the title of your qualification, the college / university name and dates Training / Placements / Experience / Dissertation / Project Sell your qualification with practical experience or investigations completed whilst in education. What makes you different? Work Experience / Summer job(s) Explain any experience gained through working with other people. Use this to demonstrate your reliability or team working ability. Other Achievements / Special Projects / Memberships At an interview it is extremely important to make yourself memorable. Use life moments that have changed you positively. Interests & Activities Don't just list three or four words. Write a paragraph about how you use your spare time. Introduce yourself as a person rather than just a job candidate. Personal Details Do you drive? Do you smoke? Do you have a passport?
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  How to jazzup student CV Volunteer Do training Join organizations Do free jobs Show initiative/ enthusiasm
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  Thank you forlistening Good luck with job search!