CV Wednesday
Pack
Content
• Guidelines
• CV Before
• CV After
• You have more skills than you think
• Action Verbs
• Covering letters
• Application Forms
• Dealing with competency questions
Guidelines
A good CV promotes the skills, knowledge and experience an applicant can bring to a job.
Follow these guidelines to sell your attributes to recruiters effectively.
Get it all covered
There are no hard and fast rules, but most CVs are made up of the following sections (not
necessarily in this order):
• personal details
• education
• work experience
• specific skills (this might include languages or IT)
• interests and extra-curricular activities
• referees
Get the length right
Two pages is the norm for the UK job market although CVs for the academic job market
can be longer to include additional information such as publications etc.
Prioritise relevant information
Busy employers may not make it to the second page of a CV if there’s nothing relevant on
the first. So cover the most relevant things you have to offer (your degree and work
experience) early in your CV. Present your information in reverse chronological order
(most recent first).
Go into detail
If you worked in a team on a project, how big was the team? If you were responsible for a
student society budget, how much money was involved?
Draw attention to your skills
Transferable skills, such as organisation, teamwork, and time-management, are important,
but always use evidence to back up your claims, rather than simply listing lots of skills.
Use proactive words, such as negotiated and organised, to explain your role in different
activities. (See CV information sheet Action Verbs to get ideas).
Appearance matters!
The information in your CV should be consistent and presented in clear, distinct sections.
Check and double check for spelling and grammatical errors (don’t rely on a computer
spell checker). Use good-quality white or off-white paper and present each page on a
different sheet of paper, not back to back.
Leave it out
You can safely omit:
• every GCSE subject and degree module (instead these can be summarized)
• outdated/irrelevant awards and achievements
• marital status, gender and age
• ’Curriculum Vitae’ at the top of the page – you could replace this with your name.
‘Apart from your basic details and qualifications, we are most interested in what motivates
you. Tell us why you’re interested in this career and include examples of how you’ve
developed and pursued that interest’
Jon Rennie, Development and Recruitment Manager, WesternGeco Training
(Schlumberger)
Text taken from the Hobsons Graduate Employment & Training Website
www.get.hobsons.co.uk
There is too much space given to contact
details. One address is enough. Also, date of
birth and gender are irrelevant.
Bold text can be used to highlight job titles
and core facts, to mark them out from
further details. This will make the CV easier
to read at a glance, which is what employers
will do.
Dates could be stated more precisely i.e.
include month where possible
The experience in this section is great for an
application for journalism and publishing.
Much more can be made of it. Figures and
statistics relating to the magazines Amanda
set up should be mentioned where they can
to provide hard evidence of any success.
Once again, action words should be used to
convince the employer of dynamism.
Amanda Mason
Sex: Female Home address: Term address:
Date of Birth: 29/11/1987 148 Common Rd 31 Waterford Street
Phone (Home): 02392728431 Hertford Southsea
Mobile: 0757620210 Hertfordshire Hants
E-Mail: mason@yahoo.com SG15 7BK PO1 6AH
Education:
2006-2009 Studying for BA (Hons) Degree in History at the University of Portsmouth
Results for First year modules: 1
st
, 1
st
, 2-1, 2-1, 2-1
1999-2006 Attended Hertford Collegiate School, Hertford
A-levels - Art (A). English Lit. (A), History (A),
AS level - French (A)
GCSE’s - 10 GCSE’s; 5 A*’s and 5 A’s.
Work Experience:
2007 Bar steward at the University of Portsmouth Student’s Union
Have worked a maximum of three nights a week since February 2007, at
a very busy venue.
2006 – 2007 Casual worker at Hertford School Enterprises Ltd
Performed a range of jobs such as:
- Setting up a bookings database for Sports Centre;
- Silver service and bar work for weddings and large events hosted by
Hertford Collegiate School Enterprises;
- Changing linen for International Students attending Our World Summer
school - Moving equipment and furniture along with a team
Positions of Authority:
2007 President and founder of the Comic Strip at the University of Portsmouth.
First issue is yet to be released, but plenty of material has been gathered
and interest among the student body has been found. The project is
essentially an alternative student newspaper, with some writing
alongside the predominantly humorous illustrated content.
2006 Writer and cartoonist for a student magazine at Hertford Collegiate
School, entitled ‘The Hertfordian’
2006 Campaign co-ordinator and poster designer for the Hertford Collegiate
School Mock Election, for the mock GREEN party.
2004 – 2005 Co-founder and writer/editor for a history magazine at Hertford School
1998 – 2005 Art Scholar at Hertford Collegiate School
This title afforded me a 25% discount from school fees and special access
to the Art Department’s resources.
Amanda’s name would have greater impact
if highlighted in bold and put in a larger font.
The same can be said for section headings.
Amanda could consider putting a brief
personal statement here. It is not essential,
but given that she is applying to a specific
sector, it will give her CV greater focus,
clearly demonstrating a commitment to
the sector.
CV Before...
If you are targeting a specific job-type, as
Amanda is, there has to be a main focus on
relevant work experience. One way of
achieving this would be to split the work
experience section into two headings:
“Relevant experience” and “other
experience”. In Amanda’s case, most of
what is in the “positions of authority”
section can be put into “relevant
experience”, given that her main career
aspiration is in journalism and publishing.
More routine or casual work, while still
valuable, should be relegated to an “other
experience” section
There should be a focus here on core skills
taken from the job, and a mention of any
important roles assumed, The same goes for
all the work experience on Amanda’s CV.
This information is fairly irrelevant. Changing
linen and carrying furniture are not valuable
experiences in this instance. It takes up
valuable space where more relevant
experiences could be mentioned.
Much more information should be given for
this, especially as it is so relevant to
Amanda’s career aspirations
Amanda is a second-year student at the University of Portsmouth studying history.
Interested in a career in journalism, which means applying for competitive internships and
work experience at newspapers, magazines and publishers. To maximise her chances of
landing some work experience Amanda needs to focus her CV and highlight skills learned,
along with re-doing the layout. At the moment its difficult for an employer to see why
Amanda has chosen to apply for the work let alone their company. Make sure you tailor
your CV to the role that you are applying for.
Our careers adviser has made some suggestions to improve this CV.
Achievements:
Received an award for outstanding GCSEs and A-levels.
Hobbies and Interests:
Drawing and Painting
My passion for Fine Art has persisted throughout my life. I am
currently a member of the University of Portsmouth Art Society
(Art soc.) The main activity run by the society has been a regular
life-drawing glass, which I attend.
History and Literature
Due to my great interest in history, I pursued it to a degree level.
I have always enjoyed reading fiction also, my favourite author at
the moment being Milan Kundera.
Rock Climbing
I began rock-climbing in my first year of university, and am a
member of the UoP Mountaineering Club. I make frequent use
of the indoor climbing wall on campus and have been on an
outdoor climbing trip to the Peak District.
Cycling and Swimming
I swim frequently, and I cycle as a mode of transport, primarily. It
is an easy and healthy way to get around Portsmouth, often
quicker than travelling by bus or car.
References available on request.
This section is far too long, taking up
almost a quarter of the CV. Having a
creating and sporting hobby is great
on a CV, just don’t let it overshadow
experience in other relevant areas”.
There is no doubt that a CV should
focus on education and employment.
Furthermore, this section, like the
others, should consist of bullet
points and short, snappy sentences
rather than waffly prose
The word ‘I’ should be kept to a
minimum on your CV. Aim for
shorter, snappier language and
perhaps use bullet points to outline
what you have done. And the stated
interest in philosophy and literature
is unnecessary”, it is already
apparent by Amanda’s choice of
degree.
The CV is unbalanced – Amanda
needs to aim for 2 sides of A4 of
equal length , page 2 is much
shorter than page 1
CV Before Page 2...
AMANDA MASON
148 Rough Common Road, Hertford, Hertfordshire SG15 7BK
mason@yahoo.com
02392728431/0706543210
Second year undergraduate with experience in editing and writing for publications,
seeking a journalism work placement.
EDUCATION
2006 - 09 BA (Hons) History - Anticipated degree classification 2:1
University of Portsmouth
Degree focussed on modern European and American history and included subjects such
as: Politics and Culture of 19
th
Century Russia; The Rise of the United States since 1880;
The Concept and Art of Warfare in Europe and North America 1800 – 2000; Empire in
crisis – the Soviet Union and its collapse; The Legacy of the Second World War –
reconstruction and reconciliation since 1945.
Developed ability to:
• present strong written arguments by selecting and communicating findings in a
structured, coherent and persuasive manner
• conduct research using different tools and sources
• work independently, setting my own deadlines and managing my time when under
pressure
1999 - 2006 Hertford Collegiate School, Portsmouth
• 3 A-levels including Art, English Literature, History and General Studies
• AS level in French
• 10 GCSEs including Maths, English and French
• Governor’s prize for outstanding academic achievement
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
May 2007-present President/founder of UoP’s Comic Strip club
Publisher/Editor of Strip Notes
• Launched a project to produce a brand-new campus publication in the shape of
an alternative student magazine/comic strip.
• Implemented new club, the Comic Strip, to support the project, raised over £400
to fund first and future editions
• Sourced and organised access to publishing facilities,
• Researched and arranged platform for publicity and distribution.
• Regularly commission articles and write editorial for the publication
• Illustrated material for initial launch publication and continue to illustrate
subsequent editions
Splitting ‘Experience’ into ‘Relevant
Experience’ and Other Experience
‘has made the far more useful
experience much more noticeable
Bold text can help split the CV into
manageable chunks as well as
highlighting essential information.
This section is far more effective now
that Amanda has included
information about her degree and has
identified the skills that she has
developed as a result of her studies
This fits much better in this section
This is much better. Amanda’s
initiative in setting up the project
really shines through. The extra
detail, such as including the name of
the project and its budget, gives
some concrete evidence of
achievement.
CV After...
Amanda’s name stands out a lot
more, and her details take up a lot
less space, allowing more space for
her to demonstrate her worth. The
CV looks professional and is easier to
read, as the layout is clear and
emphasises Amanda’s experience
and interest.
The personal statement identifies
Amanda’s interest in journalism and
highlights relevant experience. It is
both short and factual
Feb-May 2006 Writer and cartoonist for student magazine,
• Wrote two articles for the first issue of a student magazine, The
Hertfordian’, whilst at school and illustrated various other sections.
• Assumed an active role in the production of the magazine, from its
conception to its distribution; deciding on its tone and format, and
designing posters for publicity.
Feb-Mar 2006 Campaign co-ordinator for Mock Election
• Took charge of campaigning for the mock GREEN party.
• Conceived and designed various posters, implemented a poster campaign, and
arranged for publicity in a popular student magazine (above).
Dec 2005 Co-founder and writer for sixth form History
magazine
• Set up a magazine along with a team of 5 other students.
• Negotiated and received a budget of £200 to cover magazine overheads
• Injected creativity into the design process
• Wrote the front page article for the first issue and sought out various other
contributors.
• Distributed the magazine, utilising various forms of publicity.
OTHER EXPERIENCE
Feb 2007 - present Bartender, University of Portsmouth Students’
Union
• Exercising team-working skills in a busy work environment.
• Dealing with customers in a friendly and professional manner.
• Adept and responsible money-handler.
May 2006 - present Casual worker, Hertford Collegiate School
Enterprises Ltd
• Set up a booking database for the school’s community sports centre, rapidly
learning unfamiliar software in a short space of time.
• Regularly set up and serve silver service for weddings, assuring good
professional standards and impeccable personal presentation.
HOBBIES AND INTERESTS
Drawing and Painting.
• An active member of UKC’s Art Society.
Sports
• An active member of UKC’s Mountaineering Club, taking part in events and
trips over the past year.
• Cycle as a means of transport around Portsmouth, and swim frequently.
References available on request
In the rest of this section, the detail
really sells Amanda’s skills, as do
action words and phrases such as
‘implemented’, ‘assumed and active
role’ and ‘injected some creativity’.
Amanda is no longer simply stating
basic facts about her jobs. There is a
focus on skills gained and roles of
responsibility, which is a vast
improvement. Irrelevant material
that adds nothing of value to the CV
is scrapped, such as Amanda’s
experiences changing linen and
arranging furniture.
Shortening this section diminishes its
importance, allowing more space and
emphasis on, his really valuable
experiences in setting up, editing and
writing for student magazines. A
‘hobbies’ section is still useful as it
“sells personality” but it must be kept
to-the-point and should include some
detail about the interest or activity
Putting this towards the end of the CV
is far better; as ‘Relevant Experience’
is given more priority.
CV After Page 2...
You have more skills than you think
A CV should not just list your experiences and achievements, it needs to show an
employer what you have learnt and the skills you have developed.
You probably have more skills than you think – the art is to spot them as they may not be
immediately obvious to you. When describing your experiences you need to explain what
you did as well as how you did it. You should include an explanation of the skills used as
well as details about the tasks or activities undertaken. The following examples
demonstrate the kind of skills you might develop in an administrative role or as a
restaurant worker by looking at the tasks carried out in the job role and the kind of skills
that might have been developed as a result.
Working in an administrative role
Tasks
(what you did)
Skills gained
(how you went about the tasks)
Information skills People skills Practical skills Ideas/concepts
Record keeping
Being accurate with
words and figures
Filing
Organising,
planning and
working to
deadlines
Dealing with clients
Recording
information
Negotiating,
dealing with
queries, being
courteous
Using the telephone
Taking messages
and conveying
information
Being friendly
and helpful,
listening and
understanding
queries
Operating a
switchboard
Problem
solving
Using office
systems
Prioritising
information and
being logical
Outlining and
explaining
office
procedure,
using initiative
Specialist IT
skills
Being creative
– thinking of
new systems,
making
decisions
Liaising with other
Departments
Co-operating
and
networking
Generating
ideas
Working in a restaurant role
Tasks
(what you did)
Skills gained
(how you went about the tasks)
Information skills People skills Practical skills Ideas/concepts
Setting and
clearing tables
Handling items
quickly
Thinking of new
table layouts
Seating
customers
Describing menu
items
Welcoming
customers
Providing creative
solutions
Taking orders Writing clearly
Listening,
helping and
advising
Providing creative
solutions
Communication
orders to
kitchen
Organising
information
consistently
Clarifying
information,
maintaining
relationships
Thinking of new
systems
Serving food Ability to retain
information
Being adept
Dealing with
customers
Negotiating,
promoting,
dealing with
complaints,
being patient
Calculating bills
and handling
money
Financial
awareness,
accuracy
Being
courteous
Coping under
pressure
Action Verbs – by Skills Categories
You can use these verbs to describe your skills, accomplishments and abilities when
writing your CV and cover letters; they may help to increase the strength of your writing
and make potential employers take notice!
Creative Skills
acted adapted began combined Composed conceptualised
condensed created customised designed developed directed
displayed drew entertained established fashioned formulated
founded illustrated instituted integrated introduced invented
modelled modified originated performed photographed planned
revised revitalised shaped solved
Data/Financial Skills
administered adjusted allocated analysed appraised assessed
audited balanced budgeted calculated computed conserved
corrected determined developed estimated forecasted managed
marketed Measured netted planned prepared programmed
projected qualified reconciled reduced researched retrieved
Helping Skills
adapted advocated aided answered arranged assessed
assisted clarified coached collaborated contributed co-operated
counselled demonstrated diagnosed educated encouraged ensured
expedited facilitated familiarised furthered guided helped
insured intervened motivated prevented provided Referred
rehabilitated represented resolved simplified supplied Supported
volunteered
Organisational Skills
approved arranged catalogued categorised charted classified
coded collected compiled corrected corresponded distributed
executed filed generated incorporated inspected logged
maintained monitored obtained operated ordered organised
prepared processed provided purchased recorded registered
reserved responded reviewed routed scheduled screened
submitted supplied standardised systematised updated validated
Research Skills
analysed clarified collected compared conducted
critiqued detected determined diagnosed evaluated
examined experimented explored extracted formulated
gathered inspected interviewed invented investigated
located measured organised researched reviewed
searched solved summarised surveyed systematised tested
Teaching Skills
adapted advised clarified coached communicated
conducted co-ordinated critiqued developed enabled
encouraged evaluated explained facilitated focused
guided individualised informed instilled instructed
motivated persuaded simulated stimulated taught
tested trained transmitted tutored
Technical Skills
adapted applied assembled built calculated
computed conserved constructed converted debugged
designed determined developed engineered fabricated
fortified installed maintained operated overhauled
printed programmed rectified regulated remodelled
repaired replaced restored solved specialised
standardised studied upgraded utilised
Communication/People Skills
addressed advertised arbitrated arranged articulated authored
clarified collaborated communicate
d
composed condensed conferred
consulted contacted conveyed convinced corresponded debated
defined developed directed discussed drafted edited
elicited enlisted explained expressed formulated furnished
incorporated influenced interacted interpreted interviewed involved
joined judged lectured listened marketed mediated
moderated negotiated observed outlined participated persuaded
presented promoted proposed publicised reconciled recruited
referred reinforced reported resolved responded solicited
specified spoke suggested summarised synthesised translated
wrote
Management/Leadership Skills
administered analysed appointed approved assigned attained
authorised chaired considered consolidated contracted controlled
converted Co-ordinated decided delegated developed directed
eliminated emphasised enforced enhanced established executed
generated handled headed hired hosted improved
incorporated increased initiated inspected instituted led
managed merged motivated navigated organised originated
overhauled oversaw planned presided prioritised Produced
recommended re-organised replaced restored reviewed scheduled
secured selected streamlined strengthened supervised terminated
Covering letters
Your first point of contact with your potential employer will probably be your covering letter,
so it’s important to include the right information.
• Who you are and what you’re applying for
• What relevant skills, experience and education you have
• Why you want to work in this particular sector
• Why you are applying to this particular organisation
Your aim is to get the employer to read your CV and, hopefully, invite you for interview. It’s
important that you highlight the relevant points covered in your CV, without repeating them
word-for-word. Try using the following guidelines and template.
Paragraph 1
• Why are you writing? ‘I am writing in response to your advertisement in the Daily
News for the position of trainee marketing assistant’.
• Who are you? ‘I will be completing my business and management degree in June,
and am very keen to establish a career in marketing’.
• Refer to your CV if it’s enclosed. ‘Accordingly, please find enclosed my CV for your
consideration’
Paragraph 2
• Identify, by drawing the reader’s attention back to your CV, why the company
should be interested in you? ‘As you can see from my CV, I …………….’
• Pick out several of the qualities the employer is asking for. What evidence can you
give of these? But remember, you are only highlighting this information as it should
all be included in your CV
Paragraph 3
• Why you want the job? What attracts you to this particular company? Demonstrate
that you’ve researched their activities.
• What attracts you to this particular job? Look carefully at the job description and
pick out what makes this job especially appealing to you.
• Why do you want to work in this sector? You could refer to relevant experience or
study. Does the job make use of your strengths? Is it particularly varied or
challenging?
Paragraph 4
• Final paragraph: conclusion. This section could also be used to disclose personal
information such as a disability if relevant or appropriate.
• Be positive. Thank the company for considering your application and say you look
forward to hearing from them.
• Finally, proof read your letter carefully and present it well. If you are sending your
covering letter as an e-mail, a formal style is still important, although you can leave
out the addresses at the top of the page. The template on the following page
provides an example of how you might organise your letter.
TOP TIPS
• Address your letter to a named individual. If you’re not sure who the best person to
contact is, telephone the company and ask.
• Keep your letter to one side of A4.
• Use a formal business template, showing both your address and the name and
address of the recipient.
• Use ’Yours sincerely’ to sign off. Only use ’Yours faithfully’ if you have addressed
the letter ’Dear Sir/Madam’
James Young
20 Bow Road
London
E1 2JJ
27 June 2008
Ms K Sadler
Recruitment Partner
Morley & Layman
2-4 St John’s Street
Liverpool
L21 2BT
Dear Ms Sadler
With reference to your advertisement in Prospects Today dated June 2008, I would like to
apply for the position of (job title). This is my final year as a student at the University of
Portsmouth and I expect to gain a 2.1 degree in XXXXXX.
You will see from the enclosed CV that....................................
I am particularly interested in working for your organisation or I am particularly interested in
this post because ………………
Thank you for considering my application and I look forward to hearing from
you......................
Yours sincerely
James Young
Enc
Application Forms
Many employers ask graduates to apply by completing a company application form. Such
an approach allows employers to compare applicants on a like-with-like basis. The use of
an application form often indicates a more scientific and transparent approach to
recruitment on the part of the employer. Very often there will be a person specification
and notes provided that will assist with the completion of the form. It is worth bearing in
mind that with application forms, you need to meet criteria that have been defined by the
employer.
Application forms usually cover three distinct areas of information:
1. Education, employment/work experience
Remember to list employment/work experience in reverse chronological order (i.e. most
recent first), when describing responsibilities or achievements try to relate these to the
requirements of the job you are applying for.
2. Competence/personal statement questions
What are competence questions? These are questions that require applicants to think
about past experiences and analyse the role they played.
A typical example would be:
‘Describe a time when you worked in a team to achieve a specific goal. What role did you
play in achieving the goal? In retrospect, might have you done anything differently?’
This is a question about teamwork skills and when responding to such a question it is
important to firstly, answer all parts of the question and secondly, focus on the role you
played rather on what the whole team did. You may find the information sheet ‘Dealing
with competency questions – how to evidence your skills’ useful.
Personal statement questions
These questions tend to be less structured than competency questions but still require the
same kind of information and analysis. Some examples include:
Provide evidence of your suitability for appointment by demonstrating how you meet the
stated requirements, giving examples of how and where your knowledge, skills and
experience were gained.
One approach to this type of question would be to go through the person specification
highlighting the key requirements of the job and then identifying examples from your
experience of how you can match against these requirements. You can draw on all areas
of your life so long as you relate the experience to the requirements of the job. Your
answer would need to be both descriptive yet analytical i.e. describe the event but also
demonstrate the skill you developed.
‘Briefly describe your reasons for wanting to apply for this course giving the relevance of
your previous education and experience’
An effective response to such a question would include:
• Reasons for choosing the course
• Knowledge of and interest in the subject area
• Relevant work experience
• Particular aspects of your current studies that might be relevant
• Your careers aspirations/goals
As with the other questions it is important that all your statements should be supported
with appropriate evidence – declaring an interest in a subject does not demonstrate
why you are interested in it.
3. Administrative details such as contact details for references, medical
questionnaires and ethnic monitoring information
Usually two references are required, one academic and one work-related or a character
referee if allowed. Include the full contact details for your referees and always seek
permission first. It is a good idea to keep your referees up-to-date with your career plans
and aspirations – this will probably result in them being available to provide a more
effective reference for you.
Tips for successful applications:
• Take a photocopy of your completed form (very useful for interview
preparation)
• Use Spell Check
• Check word counts, some questions will give limits that must not be
exceeded
• Be positive with your responses
• Don’t forget to sign it if requested to do so
Dealing with competency questions - how to
evidence your skills
Employers use competency questions to ensure that they recruit candidates with
appropriate behaviours and skills for their organisation. The word competence has been
defined by the British Retail Consortium as being ‘a demonstrable and required set of
behaviours which can be sustained and/or repeated consistently’. As a result competence
questions require candidates to think about past experiences and analyse the role they
played. If a person specification has been provided use this to identify the skills you need
for the job. Think about when you have used each of these skills; remember all your
experiences count and these include work, academic and extra curricular experiences.
You will need to be specific and give the employer real evidence by providing examples
that you posses the skills they are asking for. The grid below demonstrates how skills are
developed during work, education and extra-curricular activities.
Skill Work Experience Education Interests
Communication
Call Centre – listening,
customer service and
telephone skills
Contributing to discussions
during seminars
Team work
University - working as part
of a team to complete a
group project
Sports team –
interacting with other
players
Problem solving /
Initiative
Course Rep - resolving
complex issues and
negotiating between staff
and students
Hobbies - organising
fundraising events for a
local charity
Leadership Bar work - supervising
team whilst working in a
bar.
University – led a
successful project team
during my final year