Telling Your story Differentiate Your CV & Application (2014 version 0.1)

© 2011 IBM Corporation1

Differentiate your professional representation

in CV’s and application forms



A model for career management

The elimination process

How to identify your strengths and competencies

How to write your story and create your….

Getting your story out there


ReputationCircles of influence

Strengths

PreferencesSkills

Values

Stories

Competencies

SELF KNOWLEDGE

INTERVIEWS & MEETINGS

NETWORKING

CV’s

Applications

Cover letters

Online presence

REPRESENTATION

Research

Preparation

Planning

Delivery

Dress

Social media

F2F

ManagingYourself &

Your Career


Strengths Stories

Competencies

SELF KNOWLEDGE

CV’s

ApplicationsOnline presence

REPRESENTATION

Your CVs, job applications and online presence depend on a

large degree of self knowledge and will

differentiate you from the crowd


Spelling, grammar, punctuation and CV formats are also critical, but not covered in this

presentation








At this stage, it’s an elimination process, not a

selection process


Your CV or application has about 8 seconds to make an impression. You must convince me that you will:

•Do the job•Add value•Be motivated


The winning CV is the story that is most consistent, convincing, provides assurance

through example that the competencies I’m looking for are already there


STRENGTHS+COMPETENCIES=










Successful careers are not largely planned. They develop when you

are prepared for opportunities because you know your strengths, your values and your preferences.


Customer service

Organisation

Resp

onsi

bilit

yW

orking under pressure

Trust

Leadership

Motivation

Staff management

Creativity

Dec

isio

n-m

akin

g

STEP 1: List EVERY job, activity, and club you have participated in. NOTHING is too

small.STEP 2: For each job or non-work

achievement, write down learnings/www/criticisms

STEP 3: For each of the same, analyse and rank yourself against your peers (did

you...?)STEP 4: Map your achievements against

competencies e.g. Communication, Teamwork, Leadership, Adaptability,

Client Focus, etc


You will need feedback from employers, customers, teachers, friends, family and peers to

check your analysis


All good books on CV writing include a register of skills. Some may apply to you – if so, note them

down.








The stories we tell reveal the image

we want to project about

ourselves


Introvert

MatureLeader

Support a cause

Listener

People trust me

Creative Make my own style

Thinking

Passionate about making the world a better place

Driven


“Millions of people curate stories of their lives on Facebook every day…(Timeline is) the story of your life and a completely new way to express yourself.” Mark Zuckerberg

Your story is an orchestrated image that you convey to others


• Your strengths, experiences and competencies build your story

• You control your image: on-line, on paper and face to face• Your stories provide structure and content of that image

• And another word for that image is……


your BRAND

© 2011 IBM Corporation25 http://www.ibmfearless.com/

http://www.ibmfearless.com/



Write your CV and applications: • Use your achievements and moments of truth from

positive stories to inform your competency based applications and CV bullets

• Know your audience and modify to suit their needs• Use specific examples!


The STAR method ensures your story captures all relevant elements

S ituation

Detail the background. What was the context? Where did it happen? When?

T askDescribe the challenge. What needed to be done and why?

A ctionElaborate. What did you (not others, not your team) do? What tools did you use?

R esultsExplain the results and quantify. What was accomplished? Why did it matter?








YOU


Leading business social media tools

Source: Social Media Marketing Industry Report 2010 Michael Stelner


Is your personal on-line identity like this?


Or is it like this?


Take the time to work on your “digital footprint” so a Google search points to

you


Optimise your LinkedIn profile

• Nail your summary– Use your pitch and personal profile– Think key search words – list skills and

competencies at the bottom of the profile• Complete your profile as prompted!• Craft your headline – not just a job title, but a

description of what you do / what you want to be• Add apps & other social media


Use on-line CV tools like projeqt.com, slideshare.com, visualcv.com,

resumUP.com, @twit_res, even You Tube, etc.




And please, don’t be this

guy.


Words! Words! Words! I'm so sick of words! I get words all day through; First from him, now from you! Is that all you blighters can do? Don't talk of stars burning above; If you're in love, Show me! Tell me no dreams; Filled with desire. If you're on fire, Show me!Audrey Hepburn, My Fair Ladysource: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/

Show some passion and remember to tell your

story!

http://www.lyricsondemand.com/