HOW TO WRITE YOUR CV

Presented by: Engy Samir

Overview

Points to consider while writing your CV Why a Resume/CV! Cover letter CV vs. Resume CV writing tips CV Do’s & Don’ts The finishing touches Employment fairs Job interview

Points to consider while writing your CV Always have a CV/resume with “in progress” status even if you don’t

need it for any immediate opportunities.  Write it in as fewer pages as possible. Customize your resume for every position. Choose the right resume style.   Define clear Objective, brief Education background and list down

your skill set.  Write your work experience details first. Your academic and volunteer experience is relevant. List your achievements, not only responsibilities. Highlight keywords. Don’t write what you cannot explain. Don’t write personal interests or references. Get enough feedback from friends and family.  Never, ever lie.

Why a Resume/CV!

A marketing tool

You are the product your resume/CV is selling. It must be user friendly.

A calling card & reminder

It is a brief summary of what you have done. It is an impression of you that remains after the interview.

A way to direct the interview

Specific accomplishments can direct the interviewer’s

attention/questioning

Cover Letter

A cover letter is your introduction to your potential employer. Be conciseOutline the main points from your CVSell yourself to the potential employerConvey a positive and confident attitudeAvoid grammatical and spelling errorsAddress your letter to a particular nameHighlight the specific job that you are applying for

CV vs. Resume

Curriculum Vitae Resume• A full list of your professional and educational history • Length is not important, usually several pages • Mostly used for academic and research positions • Full list of publications • Content is more important than Style • Less tailoring to fit job • References are included

• List of relevant skills relevantto the targeted job/company • Usually one page, two is OK • Used for non-academic or research positions • Business focused, no personal information • Content and Style are both important • Adapted to fit each specific job • References not included

CV Writing Tips

Your CV is your personal sales brochure and your passport to finding the right position. It should be clear, concise, contains up-to-date relevant information and most importantly, is an honest and accurate reflection of yourself and work records. As for the CV layout, there are no hard and fast rules here but best CV’s are well spaced out and contain the most relevant eye-catching information first. You should include the following details:Personal: Name, address, telephone no’s and e-mail address. Profile: You may want to write a short introduction (restricted to 3 or 4 lines) to prime the potential employer with an overview of your skills, qualities, hopes and plans. You can also list any additional information i.e. location flexibility, languages spoken etc.Qualification & Experience: Best in list format, relevant to your current skills and in a logical order.

CV Writing Tips (cont.)

Career History: Start with you most recent job, company name and job title. Talk about the technical environment you worked in and include your achievements in addition to your responsibilities. Huge paragraphs of text generally will not get read, so keep them concise and relevant.

Education: Depending on how experienced you are you may not feel the need to include more than the basic details. However if you want to include secondary or university qualifications use reverse chronological order, dates, the name of establishment, followed by grades achieved.

Hobbies and Interests: This is optional and dependent on available space. Again it should be restricted to just 2 to 3 lines.

Referees: Names and addresses of two suitable referees, recent employers or academic if you have only recently left education.

CV Do’s & Don’ts

Do pay attention to presentation. It must be a well produced business like document. Use either 11 or 12 point style size.

Do make clear and easy to read. Do make it waffle free and relevant. Omit any non-essential

information such as the occupation of your partner, the names of your children, your passport or NI number, etc.

Do include the month and year for each major entry under career history.

Do try to keep it to two -three pages. Do write a professional email. Don't use your nickname while

creating a business email. Do explain any gaps in education and experience. Do not use patterned or colored paper. Do not add your photograph unless requested. Do not use fancy graphic images, type styles or symbols

The Finishing Touches

Make the headings bold Use bullet points Use the same font style throughout Use a maximum of 3 font sizes Avoid graphics, icons and pictures Use quality paper Spelling, grammar and punctuation must be

perfect. Read the points out loud. Make sure it sounds

good.

Employment Fairs

Dress for Success. Attend the job fair dressed for success in professional interview attire, and carry a portfolio. However, do wear comfortable shoes, because you will be standing in line.

Practice a Pitch. Practice a quick pitch summarizing your skills and experience so you're ready to promote yourself to potential employers.

Bring Supplies. Bring extra copies of your resume, a pen, a notepad, and business cards (if available) with your name, your email address, and cell phone number.

Check Out Companies. Many job fairs have information on participating companies on the job fair web site. Be prepared to talk to hiring managers by checking out the company's web site, mission, open positions, and general information before you go.

Arrive Early. Keep in mind that lines can be long, so arrive early - before the fair officially opens.

Employment Fairs (cont.)

Attend a Workshop. If the job fair has workshops or seminars, attend them. In addition to getting job search advice, you'll have more opportunities to network.

Network. While you are waiting in line, talk to others. You never know who might be able to help with your job search.

Show Initiative. Shake hands and introduce yourself to recruiters when you reach the table. Demonstrate your interest in the company and their job opportunities.

Be Enthusiastic. Employer surveys identify one of the most important personal attributes candidates can bring to a new position as enthusiasm. This means that employers want to see you smile!

Employment Fairs (cont.)

Ask Questions. Have some questions ready for the company representatives. The more you engage them, the better impression you'll make.

Collect Business Cards. Collect business cards, so you have the contact information for the people you have spoken with.

Take Notes. It's hard to keep track when you're meeting with multiple employers in a busy environment. Write down notes on the back of the business cards you have collected or on your notepad, so you have a reminder of who you spoke to about what.

Say Thank You. Take the time to send a brief follow up thank you email to the company representatives you met at the job fair. It's a good way to show your interest in the company and to remind company representatives that you're a strong candidate.

Job Interview

Before the interview tips: Research the company's background; find out

about the culture of the company and the way they deal with their clients. you can do this through the company's website and personal referrals.

Highlight what attracted you to the job description and what make you unique to stand out from the rest.

Prepare yourself to answer all questions. Answering questions effectively demonstrate your level of understanding of the job nature.

Job Interview

Arrive early to the interview. And be prepared with a hard copy of your resume/CV

Be confident. If interviewing on campus, make sure to attend

the Company's information session (if available). This gives you more time to shine during the interview rather than asking questions that were already answered in the Company presentation.

Avoid nervous manners throughout the interview, stay focused, be a good listener and speak clearly and confidently.

Job Interview (cont.)

Be prepared to ask a few questions. We do a good job at our information sessions, but you must have one or two questions left unanswered.

If you describe an attribute of yours that is relevant to the position, be prepared to support your claim with examples that illustrate your attribute and how you have applied it successfully. Feel free to draw from your past work experience, course work or projects, even student organization or volunteer opportunities.

When presented with a difficult question, take a moment to develop your response rather than blurting out inconsistent, unorganized thoughts.

Job Interview (cont.)

Ask for a business card so you can follow up with the recruiter in case you do not hear back within the stated time frame.

After the interview, send the recruiter a thank-you note reinforcing your interest in the position and your appreciation for his or her time.

Above all else, be honest and be yourself.

Questions Time!

Ask your questions

Thank You

Engy Samir Freelance Recruiter/HR/Training

Consultant

Engy.samir@gmail.com

DGOnlineRecruitment

@geesamir@DGOnlineRec