Academic CV Building

5/22/2018 Academic CV Building

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Academic CV Building: Where to Start

by Dr Catherine Armstrong

It is vitally important that you work on building a strong CV whatever yourcurrent level is on the career ladder. A good CV will get you noticed at the job

application stage and take you through to interview but it will also be needed

for funding applications, when applying to speak at conferences or when

looking to get work published. You may also need a CV if you are looking for

an internal promotion and for consideration for a salary increase. Here are

some tips on how to build a good CV:

It's an ongoing process

You may think that the only time you should work on your CV is just before

you put in an application for a new job. This is definitely not the case. If you

are serious about your career and hope to progress you should be constantly

updating your CV so that you have an up to date version ready for any

eventuality. It is far better to add a new skill, qualification or publication to your

CV as you acquire it when you can remember the full details of when and

where', rather than trying desperately to remember what you did several

months or even years after the event. This also has the advantage of focusing

the mind and encouraging you to do things to improve your CV.

If you are a postgraduate or a full time academic and haven't done anything in

your working life that enhances your CV for a period of more than a couple of

months then you need to focus on doing some career building. Most

academic CVs are broken down into three areas:

teaching

research

administration

Depending on the job you are applying for, these parts of the CV will be

ordered differently reflecting the requirements of the institution. Here are

some things to focus on in each area as you try to develop a strong CV:

Thinking about teaching

Many people begin their teaching careers when they are a postgraduate so

it's important to start early making a record of every course that you have

been involved with. You may not need to include details of your full teaching
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history in every CV but it is good to keep a record of your experience in case it

is required. Make sure you:

record the institution where you taught

the title of the course

the level (i.e. first, second or third year undergraduate, masters etc.

your duties on that course

When describing your duties you obviously don't have much room to go into a

lot of detail on a CV, but you need to convey more than simply seminar tutor',

for example. Instead write a brief list of things you did such as led small group

seminars of my own design, set and marked essays, invigilated and marked

exams'. This will give readers of your CV an understanding of the skills you

acquired while working on that course. Obviously at a higher level you willalso expect to show evidence of course design and management, so

remember to include those aspects too.

It's important when building a CV to show any qualifications that support your

teaching skills, so if you have done a teaching training course at your

institution or elsewhere then make a note of this. If this is not something you

have had the opportunity to do then ask at your university if they will send you

on a training course. It will be time consuming but will make your CV stronger

and will give you confidence in the classroom. Later on in your career you

may become involved in pedagogical research to develop your own teaching

techniques or theories of teaching in general; again, keep a full record of this

on your CV.

Research, research, research

The research section of your CV will usually come in two sections, the

research you have done and its quantifiable output (i.e. your publications) and

the funding awards that enabled you to do your research. These are two

areas that must be constantly developed if you are to progress in your career.

But developing them is time consuming and challenging, especially while

holding down a teaching-heavy position that means you can get little done

during term time.

In today's current employment climate you must show that you are constantly

striving to get more work published: unfortunately having resting or even

thinking time is not feasible. If you have not added to the research part of your

CV for some time then you need to think about how you can get some work

into print. Is there a conference paper that went especially well that you could


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expand and offer to a journal? Is it time to start thinking about your next book

project? Once these projects are seriously underway you can put them on

your CV with the label forthcoming', although youshould have a tight

schedule for publication once you include something on your CV. It would be

embarrassing to have something listed as forthcoming' for more than a

couple of years.

In terms of funding, this is another aspect of your CV that will attract a lot of

attention from prospective employees, so it's vital to keep it up to date.

Funding awards are very competitive so if you are given money this needs to

be clearly expressed on your CV. Explain who the award was from, the period

covered by it and the title of the project. Briefly describe your role (such as

research assistant or project manager). You can mention awards like thiseven if you were employed after the bid was completed as long as you make

clear what your role was. If you are having difficulty boosting this part of your

CV, talk to colleagues about best avenues to pursue and also consult your

university's research and development office. They are there to help lecturers

apply for funding and will have a good knowledge of what is available in your

field and how to word applications so they receive attention from funding

bodies.

Administrative roles are important too

It's easy to forget that building your portfolio of administrative roles is

important to CV building too. When you are a postgraduate or just starting out

in your career you can include duties like exam invigilation or being a member

of a staff-student liaison committee, but as you progress this section is more

likely to include being on managerial committees, contributing to strategic

development within your department and holding posts such as examinations

secretary, admissions officer and so on.

No one really goes into academia to do these sorts of things but they are

important because you can show you have a wide range of skills but also that

you take a full part in the life of your department. If you feel this section of

your CV is weak, talk to your head of department and see whether there is

any role you could take on. If you are inexperienced, offering to shadow a

colleague in their job could be a way in. This is an area that is particularly

easy to allow to stagnate on your CV so make sure you work hard to do

something to enhance this area every few months.


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And don't listen to the commercial advice that says a CV must be only two

pages long. They are talking about CVs for private sector positions; no one

will mind if your academic CV is four or five pages long. Of course all this CV

building can leave you with a massive document of about twenty pages once

you become more advanced in your career! Don't worry; a shortened version

can be presented for job applications, with older or less significant

experiences edited out. But it's important to keep a record of all your

achievements so that the most important ones can easily be brought to the

fore.

10 things NOT to do on your CV

By Andrew GordonWhen you submit your CV it had better be good. The recruiter who receives

your application will probably have dozens or even hundreds of CVs to shift

and sort. So you'll be lucky if your CV is read for more than 10 seconds.

Here then are ten 'CV clangers' to avoid that will help keep your CV IN the in-

tray and OUT of the bin:

1. Applying for a position for which you're not qualified

2. Providing irrelevant personal information

3. Burying important information

4. Spelling errors, typos and poor grammar

5. Unexplained gaps in employment

6. Lying or misleading information

7. A long, waffly CV

8. Badly formatted CV

9. Meaningless introductions

10.The 'So What' CV

1. Applying for a position for which you're notqualified

You may look at a job advert and think, 'I like the sound of that! I think I'll

apply!'

However if you haven't the right qualifications or experience then you're

probably wasting your time. Make sure you read the job description carefullyand any other additional information that may be available.
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And then stop.

Ask yourself, 'I might like the sound of the job but do I really have the right

skill set and experience?'

If the answer to your question is still 'yes' then go ahead, hit that 'Apply Here'

button and good luck! But if you don't fit the bill then please don't go any

further. Save the recruiter valuable time and yourself the heartache of

rejection.

2. Providing irrelevant personal information

You may be very proud of your membership of the local Hell's Angels chapter.

You may also be proud of the fact that you voted Green in the last election,weigh 12 stone, are 6ft tall and Buddhist. But unless your personal information

is relevant to the job you're applying for, do not include it on your CV.

3. Burying important information

Remember, your CV will have little time to impress. The recruiter will look at

your CV and think 'Why should I interview this person? What will they bring to

the organisation?'

So when compiling your CV think 'Benefits, benefits, benefits!' and make them

obvious. That doesn't mean putting them in all CAPS but it does mean making

what you'd bring to the role easy to find, easy to understand and, above all,

compelling.

4. Spelling errors, typos and poor grammar

This 'no no' should be obvious. But it obviously isn't. The number of CV's that

recruiters see on a daily basis with spelling errors and other mistakes

is apalling appaling terrible.

You've got a spell checker. Use it!

5. Unexplained gaps in employmentHaving unexplained gaps in your employment history is a big 'no no'. It makes

recruiters nervous. If you're lucky, they'll briefly wonder what you were doing

during that mystery period as your CV is folded into a paper aeroplane and

whizzed towards the trash can.

6. Lying or misleading information

Obviously, you have to describe yourself in the best possible light. This often

means adding a little 'sparkle' to your CV. But avoid the temptation to go too

far.


6/26

Recruiters are not stupid. They can spot information that doesn't stack up. For

example, they're always on the look out for inflated:

Qualifications

Salaries

Job titles

Achievements

Employers are conducting increasingly vigorous background checks on

candidates. This can range from conducting a Google search on you to

employing a specialist candidate checking service. Something that you think

is just 'bending the truth' could really trip you up.

7. A long, waffly CV

Keep your CV short, punchy and to the point. This means it shouldn't run tomore than 2 pages of A4.

When your CV is too long - and many of them are - then this suggests that

you've been either job hopping (which is a 'no no') or you can't write concisely

(which is another 'no no').

For the older jobseeker, this 2 page limit can be a real problem. How should

you describe a job you had 25 years ago?

The solution - Don't describe it!

Instead, focus on your recent experience and achievements. If you must refer

to a job(s) from a while back, then you could create a separate 'Previous

Employment' document and refer to it in your cover letter. This will show

you've thought about your application and will put you into a good light.

This rule applies to qualifications too.

If you studied a subject many eons ago then, unless you have kept your skills

up-to-date, it's probably no longer relevant. For example, if you studied

French to degree level in 1986 but have maintained your levels of fluency by

visiting France every year then great! However, if you're applying for a job in

Web Design because you took a home study course in HTML in 1998 then

don't be surprised if the recruiter doesn't call...


7/26

8. Badly formatted CV

These days your CV will most likely be read on-screen before it's printed off. If

indeed, it is ever printed. Therefore, format your CV so that it is easy to read

on a screen.

Stick with fonts such as Arial or Times New Roman at font size 10 or 12. Use

italics sparingly and don't use any colours, crazy backgrounds or, heaven

forbid, flowery page borders.

These rules apply if you've sent your CV as an attachment to an email - make

sure it's a Word attachment by the way.

However, you may need to submit your CV via a web form. Most likely is that

these web forms will strip out your document's formatting anyway. It's even

more important, therefore, to ensure that your CV is laid out and formatted to

look good stripped bare of its 'bolds', sub-headings and even bullet points.

9. Meaningless introductions

Does your CV have a paragraph at the top that goes something like:

"Dynamic, enthusiastic, sales oriented I.T. literate, results driven manager

with several years people management experience seeking exciting and

challenging new opportunities in the blah blah blah..."

Yawn.

Your CV has got to hit the recruiter smack bang between the eyes! It's got to

make them sit up, spurt hot coffee from their mouths as they scramble across

their desks for the phone to call you and appoint you on the spot!!

Or, to put it another way, your CV has got to get you noticed and invited in for

interview. So an opening paragraph that says everything and nothing at the

same time is not going to do it.

Ditch it.

In its place, consider crafting a short, simple and benefits focused headline

about yourself. For example, "Senior Librarian with 10 years experience of


8/26

managing online resources in the health sector."

That'll do nicely. It might not be perfect but it's better than what you had

before.

Journalists do this all of the time of course. They write headlines that tell you

what the story is about but tease you just enough in order to encourage you to

read on. Your opening, personal headline should do just the same.

10. The 'So What' CV

We end where we started. Your CV has a tough job. It will probably be in the

hands of the recruiter for a very small amount of time - unless, that is, you

smeared it in Super Glue before you sent it (that would be an inventive touchbut is also a 'no no').

To give yourself the best chance of it actually being read, make sure that it

'looks right'. Make sure that it's not too long, that it's laid out correctly, is

properly formatted and so on. If you do all of these things then you have a

chance. The recruiter will lean back in his or her chair, take another sip of

coffee and start to digest - not scan - what you've written.

So don't throw this moment away!

Making sure you don't do the CV 'no no's' simply gets you to the first base.

Whilst this is an achievement in itself, if your CV doesn't convince and

persuade then you've again wasted your time.

Your CV has to sell you.

It has to make you sound interesting. It has to make you sound as though

you'll fit into the organisation and that you'll make a quick and substantial

difference.

Because if all your CV does is make the recruiter think, 'so what?' you'll have

dropped the biggest CV clanger of all.


9/26

Top Tips for Online Job Applications

by Neil Harris

Application forms are irritating. They ask difficult questions, some of whichyou may consider impertinent, others just silly. Why do employers use them?

While most employers still rely on CVs, large organisations that receive huge

numbers of job applications generally prefer to use their own application form.

By using these forms they get answers to the questions they want answered

not just the information you decide to give. They can also more easily

compare one application with another, which is much more difficult with CVs.

Over the last ten years there has been a steady growth of on-line application

forms that are often tricky to complete and sometimes have word limits

(usually around 200 words) for each question. Some employers allow you to

partially complete the form and return later. Remember that they can read

even your half completed form.

Selection criteria

But let's start at the beginning. For most jobs there is a Job description. Once

that has been written it is a relatively straight-forward task to write a person

specification with details of the education, skills and experience necessary.

This leads to selection criteria, some of which are regarded as 'essential' and

others considered desirable'.

The application form is designed to discover evidence that you have all the

essentials and perhaps some of the desirable abilities as well. Your task is to

demonstrate that you have these.

Key tips:

Be sure to read the questions carefully and answer them. If a question

includes two or three sub-questions answer all of them.

Write your first draft independent of the application form and check it for

spelling and grammar

Use spell checks, but be wary of them. If you write from' instead of form', for

example, it will not be picked up. For UK applications avoid those that

introduce American spellings like organize' and center'.

Cut and paste your answers onto the form.
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10/26

Be careful if you are taking material from another application not to include the

name of the other organisation. This is the quickest way to the reject pile.

Don't waffle. Keep your answers succinct. Edit them for unnecessary words.

Include key verbs relating to the job like organised, supervised, and liaised.

Some employers scan for key words and reject forms not including them.

Your final check should always be to read it through in every detail

Personal Details and Education

Forms start with the easy bits: name and contact details. They then move on

to qualifications. This section is not usually a problem unless your education

was gained abroad. If this affects you, try to translate your grades into UK

terms, perhaps using percentages. Some employers are not familiar with the

American grade point average or qualifications graded 1 to 7. If you havedifficulty you might consult NARIC who will translate qualifications for you for

a fee.

The Why?' Questions

One question that nearly always arises in some guise is Why do you want to

do this?' Always avoid negatives on application forms. Don't say you want to

do this because you're bored with what you are doing now, don't like the

people, they have not treated you well or paid you enough. Be positive and

represent this as a move that offers the opportunity to better apply your skills

and develop your career. Your cup must be half full, not half empty.

Arguably the most significant question is Why us?' Don't go on extensively

about how wonderful they are and what they are going to do for your career.

Your answers should place more stress on what you can do for them than

what they can do for you. When you apply you are attempting to start a

relationship. Relationships are built on common ground. Research their web

site and any other material you can find to discover what you have in common

with the employer and highlight these.

Items to include when answering the Why them?' question:

Direct knowledge of their organisation

Experience in the area of work you are applying for

Experience of their industry, competitors, suppliers

Knowledge of their products and services

Familiarity with their location

Work in firms of a similar size


11/26

If they have operations abroad, some interest in countries in which they

operate or linguistic skills.

Competencies - Skills in Action

It is usual these days to include competency questions which seek evidence

of skills such as teamwork, organising, supervising or managing, problem

solving, communicating, initiative and others. Naturally the relevant skills list

arises from the job description and you can often guess what it includes.

The STARR method is the best way to answer competency questions.

S - describe a situation

T - tell them what your task or role was

A - say what action you took

R - always mention the result; employers like results driven employees R - sometimes it is appropriate to say that you reflected on what happened

and decided how you would tackle the problem next time

If your answer includes at least the first four of these points you will be

providing what they want. Omit them at your peril.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Application forms often ask about strengths and weaknesses. Most people

have little difficulty with strengths but struggle with weaknesses. Never give

one-word answers. Try to suggest situations where your strengths were

employed.

We all have weaknesses but so many people say that they are perfectionists

that employers get tired of this response. Think of your weaknesses as areas

for development. Consider also your personality. Extroverts are good at

talking but often speak before thinking things through. Introverts reflect of

issues but are often not good at communicating their thoughts. If your

attention to detail is good you may need to remind yourself of the big picture,

the overview. But those with a vision of where they want to get often find it

hard to attend to the detail.

Odd Questions

If you were stranded on a desert island what two things would you want to

take?' This question is currently being asked on an application form.

Employers often ask such questions to see if you have ideas and can express

them lucidly in prose. Alternatively they may ask about your knowledge of

current affairs. If the firm is listed on the stock exchange know their recent


12/26

share price history. Consider how the current economic situation will affect

their business.

The Catch-all Question

Forms often have a question that says If there is any other information you

wish to give put it here'. You are under no obligation to answer this question

but cannot subsequently complain that you were not given the opportunity to

mention something.

Monitoring Questions

Inevitably most forms have a list of standard questions relating to ethnic

background, health, disability, criminal records, and gender. Some are

designed to defend the organisation from accusations of discrimination.

Others may have legal significance.Referees

Choose referees who you know will say good things about you. Academics

like academic referees and business people prefer those from a commercial

background. Don't use relatives.

And Finally...

Never tell a lie. You could be sacked.

Include only items you can defend or speak about at interview.

Before you press the send button print a copy for future reference.

Get someone else to read it to discover any mistakes or typos.

Applying for a Job Part 2: CV and CoveringLetter

By Melanie Allen

This article will provide you with a framework, a few examples and some

guidelines to follow when writing a CV and covering letter, in line with

common practice. It will also help you to focus on what you're trying to

achieve.

On Planet Perfect you would have a selection of bright, shiny up-to-date CVs

ready to tailor, check and print off. It goes without saying that the best advice

anyone can give you is to keep your CV regularly updated.
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13/26

Back in the real world, it's not quite like that! Even if you're organised enough

to have an up to date CV to hand, you'll need to tailor it before it's good to go.

Mass mailings can sometimes get you an interview, but it's hit and miss.

That's because one of the most common misconceptions about CVs is that it

they are all about showcasing yourself. While that is true, it's even more

important to match your skills and abilities to the job you are applying for. And

as with any communication, your audience is more important than you are. So

it's also about the prospective employers and what they want. A well

presented CV and letter gets you through the weeding-out process to the

point where you will be considered for interview. As well as the content, a

prospective employer is looking for effort, attention to detail and your

presentation skills in written form.In this article, we will give you a framework and some guidelines to follow, in

line with current thinking and common practice, and, more importantly, a focus

on what you're trying to achieve.

How can I make my CV and letter work for me?

Follow the logic: the perfect covering letter is the one that makes the recipient

want to read your CV. The perfect CV is the one that gets you an interview.

To get an interview, you have to give prospective employers what they're

looking for. To find out what they're looking for, you have to pay attention to

what the job advertisement is asking for. So always gear your letter and CV

to the skills and abilities advertised.

If there's a job specification in an application pack, make sure you read that

thoroughly. Find out about the employer (click the Employer Profile at the end

of the job advert and follow the links to their website, if it's advertised on this

site). If you need to know more about the position, the institution/organisation

or anything else, contact the person named under Informal Enquiries at the

end of the advertisement.

Writing a covering letter

The covering letter is a courteous introduction. It needs to lead into your CV

and it must be concise and relevant. It is also a professional document, even

if it is sent via email, so format it as you would a business letter. Keep it to a

single page, including addresses and sign-off. If there's a job reference or

advertisement reference, include it. An example template' could be:


14/26

Dear(always use a name, if you can. Don't use a Christian name only, but

use Mr. Mrs. Miss. or Ms - appropriate if you don't know whether she is Mrs or

Miss.)

RE: job/advertisement reference number (if applicable)

Paragraph 1: clearly state which job you are applying for

For example:

I am writing in reply to your advertisement on the jobs.ac.uk website on (date

of advertisement) for (the position/job title). I enclose/attach my CV for your

consideration.

Paragraph 2: briefly outline why you are a good applicant -what you can

do for them

You could echo (but not repeat!) some of the phrases in the advertisement.For example, if the advertisement says:

You will have excellent research and organisational skills, and the ability to

work flexibly in a small team as well as alone. Although not essential, teaching

experience and knowledge of the sector would be an advantage.'

You could write:

As you will see from my CV, I have considerable research experience in this

sector. For the past three years I have had individual responsibility for my

project as well as lecturing and working closely with team members to

organise conferences and events.

Paragraph 3:Clarify or explain any problem areas (if applicable) or

highlight relevant voluntary work.

Briefly explain anything in your CV that needs clarification - if your current

position is completely different or if you have taken a break. Don't be

apologetic! For example:

I took a break from academic research during 2003-5, and worked my way up

to the position of Events Manager in a leisure centre, where I gained valuable

experience and developed management skills. When a job opportunity came

up at the University, I applied and returned to lecturing and research.

Paragraph 4: bow out gracefully!

You could include a sentence about the organisation or institution here, based

on your knowledge or on what you have found out. For example:

I hope my application is successful. I would welcome the opportunity to

continue my career in a University with such a good reputation for research/in

a new and stimulating environment/in an innovative and exciting Company.


15/26

Writing your CV

The following is a suggested sequence and outline headings for a CV. Make it

readable and use a no-nonsense font like Ariel or Times New Roman. Use

headings in bold and bullet points for responsibilities, achievements,

qualifications etc. The ideal length is 2 sides (on two separate numbered

pages).

A word of warning - your CV is not an item in isolation. Bear in mind that you

must be able to back up all your statements with information or examples in

an interview!

1. Your name and contact details

2. Personal statementA personal statement is a summary of your abilities. It's not about what you

have done, jobs you have held, qualifications you have gained or your

experience - that's in the rest of the CV. This is about the transferable skills

that will contribute to the job. As in the covering letter, you need to gear it to

the position you are applying for - and the clues are in the advertisement.

Stick to one paragraph of three or four pithy sentences. Go through the job

specification for the new post if you have one and make a list of the skills that

are required. Make every sentence count. Be relentlessly positive and avoid

negative statements. You need to give the prospective employer a snapshot

of what you are like professionally. For example:

I am task-oriented, able to motivate myself and sustain focus from the start of

a project through to completion. A naturally strategic thinker, I also have an

eye for detail, quality and practicality. I enjoy collaborating with other people,

working towards a shared goal and learning from shared experience.

3. Work experience

Starting with your current position, list these in reverse order. For the first one

or two (if they are relevant to the new role), bullet-point your key duties and

achievements under clear sub-headings. For the earlier jobs, just list them,

unless they show different abilities.

Date Job title and organisation name

Key responsibilities

...........

...........

Where possible, link these to the specification for the new job.


16/26

Key achievements

...........

...........

Detail the results of your achievements.

3. Alternative Skills

If you have had a break in your career, have been self-employed or have had

a portfolio' career where you have done a number of different jobs, detail your

skills before you list your previous jobs.

4. Qualifications, education and training

Unless you are starting out in your career, you don't need to put in all your

GCSE subjects and grades, or all your A levels. If you have a degree, start

with that, the University or College you attended, and the date and go fromthere. Include any diplomas, courses, IT skills - anything that could be

relevant to the job.

5. Voluntary work (if applicable)

Voluntary work can complete the picture for a potential employer, if it is

substantial. For example, mentoring young people, coaching a sports team or

Samaritans work.

6. Interests

Hobbies' is not the hot topic it once was for CVs! Unless it is relevant to the

job, keep it to a sentence about what you like to do in your spare time. Again,

this will complete the picture for your employer.

7. References

If you have details of referees, put them in. Common practice is to write

References are available on request' and wait until they are asked for.

How to read a job advertisement

By Dr. Catherine Armstrong

Reading a job advertisement may seem like a fairly simple and obvious task,

but the language of job adverts can in fact be rather baffling, especially for

academic jobseekers just starting out on their career. This article is intended

to give a brief guide on interpreting what adverts actuallysay and targeting

your application accordingly.

Changes in the law
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17/26

In recent years numerous changes have been made in how adverts are

written. Part of this is to do with fashions in recruitment, but also employers

now have to be extremely careful to follow the latest employment legislation

on discrimination. These laws are designed to prevent race, religious, sexual

and age discrimination. Where employers may once have asked for junior' or

senior'applicants, they now have to refer to skills sets and experience levels.

Being energetic', active' or even tireless' is now not sought because all three

of those descriptors could be interpreted as requesting someone able-bodied.

So the language of the advert has been tightened up and should only refer to

qualifications and skills needed to do the job.

Changes in recruitment practice

Whereas previously many individual heads of department wrote their ownadverts based on the sort of person they were looking for, today's adverts are

the result of input from HR teams, recruitment agencies and even PR

companies. Universities are concerned to present themselves in a consistent

manner so all adverts are subjected to central checking and university

branding. This can make all adverts seem very similar. It is harder to see what

that specific job requires as adverts are becoming more generic.

Job title and salary

Some academic job titles are very specific so you know exactly what they are

looking for, but in other cases they seem very broad. You may see an advert

for Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in History for example. Only by reading the body

of the text can you see which area of specialism is required and even then the

description can be unfocussed. This is often the case when a post is a new

position rather than a direct replacement. The department, in effect, want to

see who applies before deciding what sort of scholar they want. This is

common practice in the U.S. too. In these cases it is important to find out from

a member of the department whether they would be willing to consider

someone with your area of expertise. The job level and salary bands are often

not fixed for the same reason - they are willing to hire at lecturer or senior

lecturer level, depending on the experience of the successful candidate. If you

get through to the interview stage you will be able to ask someone whether

you would be considered for entry above the basic salary level. Most

academic adverts still carry a salary scale, although some senior posts follow

the commercial sector model and do not publish a salary at all, often meaning

that salary is negotiable for the right candidate.


18/26

Informal contact

Some adverts (although it seems, fewer and fewer) include the phone number

or email address of what is called an informal contact'. This will almost

always be a member of the academic staff in the department where the job is

available, usually someone with responsibility for hiring. You can contact them

and ask them for more details about the job. Make sure that you have some

constructive questions, and recognise they are probably very busy. It is

definitely worth making the call to the informal contact. If you impress this

person with your enthusiasm, you may find you stick in his or her mind.

Unfortunately quite a few adverts do not include this information, and you will

probably find that the address you have to send your application to is in the

HR department. It is unlikely they will be able to offer you advice on yourapplication.

Job description

Most of the vital information you find will be in the accompanying job

description rather than in the body of the advert itself. This is usually available

at the click of a mouse if you are accessing a job online, but if you have seen

the advert in a newspaper, you may have to send off by post or telephone to

get your job description. If you know how to interpret this document, it will

basically tell you how to write your application. It will list the duties and skills

required of the new member of staff. It is your job to address each one of

these points somewhere in your application, either in your covering letter, your

personal statement or your CV. If you can prove that you can match (if not

exceed) every one of their requirements, and you do so clearly and

consistently, so the hiring panel do not have to try to interpret your

information, you will be well on the way to being interviewed for the position.

Added extras

One of the advantages of checking out adverts online on sites such

aswww.jobs.ac.ukis that you can instantly see more information about the

job you want to apply for or the institution where you hope to work. This is not

available in paper resources where advertising space is at a premium and the

only information you get is a brief section on the post itself and where to

contact to apply. In some adverts now you can see information about the

employer through the medium of video, you can see employees describing

what it is like to work there, something which is especially useful if you are

applying for a job somewhere that you are not familiar with.
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19/26

Transferable Skills: The Secret of Success

By Roger Jones

Can you put over your point of view effectively? Would you be able to explaina complex technical point to someone with only basic English skills? Have you

any idea what to do if a colleague trips over and knocks himself out? Are you

any good at figuring out financial reports? How would you react if you were

asked to chair a meeting?

Many people starting out on their careers imagine that their qualifications are

the things that count. Certainly, there is no denying that a good degree or

diploma can open doors to prestigious jobs. But it is not knowledge alone that

will help you along in your career - nor even the people you know!Employers are looking not as much for bright young sparks, but for people

who can function effectively in the workplace. The more you progress up the

career ladder the more you discover that it is the little things that count. By

little things I mean certain core skills which we often overlook but which apply

to a wide range of situations and jobs. They are often referred to

as transferable skills.

What are transferable skills?

While some of these skills can be taught, most are gained through

experience. There are very few courses I can think of which deal with chairing

meetings, making clients feel at home, writing letters and memos, inducting

new staff, improving morale at the workplace or reacting to emergencies. But

if you wish to make headway in your career, these are the skills that are well

worth cultivating.

Transferable skills include such abilities as

* report writing

* negotiating

* giving presentations

* understanding financial matters

* using the telephone effectively

* handling an interview

* dealing with clients

* committee work

* problem solving

* budgeting
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sferable-skills-the-secret-of-success&type=page&linkname=Transferable%20Skills:%20The%20Secret%20of%20Success%20-%20Careers%20Advice%20-%20jobs.ac.uk&linknote=http://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=http://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/962/transferable-skills-the-secret-of-success&type=page&linkname=Transferable%20Skills:%20The%20Secret%20of%20Success%20-%20Careers%20Advice%20-%20jobs.ac.uk&linknote=http://www.addtoany.com/share_save


20/26

* working in a team

* operating office equipment

* flexibility

* leadership

This may look like a very mixed bunch of activities, with trivial skills rubbing

shoulders with important ones, yet they all have relevance. Being able to

operate a photocopier can be just as crucial to ensure the smooth running of

an organisation as preparing a budget.

Communication skills are particularly important. A lot of people fall down badly

when it comes to communicating with other people. They give explanations

but leave out essential details; they write reports which are badly structured

and contain grammar, punctuation and spelling mistakes; they adopt thewrong tone when addressing people because they fail to take into

consideration their level of sophistication or competence.

How to Develop Transferable Skills

Fortunately some vocationally oriented courses have a strong practical

component and deal with some of these skills. Business studies

courses sometimes offer practice in negotiating or chairing meetings; some

medical courses help would-be doctors to develop an appropriate bedside

manner. But I never fail to be surprised at musicians fresh out of college who

play music wonderfully but haven't a clue about how to address an audience -

in words.

Alas, not everybody emerges from university or college equipped to take on

the world. From now on you may have to take responsibility for your own

development. You will find plenty of useful handbooks in your library,

bookshop or on the internet which show you how to write acceptable letters,

make effective speeches, advise and manage others.

Identify and Build On Your Skills

However, you probably have quite a number of useful skills already. You need

to take note of these and seek to build on them. Then, having identified them

you need to make other people aware of what you are capable of.

What skills? Well, as a student you had to write essays and dissertations, and

so during the course of your studies you will have developed research skills,

analytical ability and presentational skills - as well as persistence. All have a

place in the world of work.


21/26

You will also have acquired certain skills outside the lecture room and

laboratory. If you have been a member of a sports team you should know

what it takes to be a team player. If you have been on the organising

committee for a student event or a rag week, you will have useful

organisational skills. Have you worked on a student newspaper? If so, you will

have learned how to get news stories and work to deadlines.

If you have had a vacation job in a pub, shop or holiday camp, even if the

experience was horrendous, you will have gained valuable experience of what

is known as customer care. Former Boy Scouts and Girl Guides will have

acquired all manner of skills from First Aid to putting up tents. You never know

when these abilities will come in handy.

Don't rest on your laurels, though. If you don't practise these skills, you will getrusty. If you don't currently have a chance to use them at work, why not

explore other places where you could use them? Keep up the teamwork skills

by joining a sports team; develop your speaking skills by joining a debating

club. Voluntary organisations are always on the lookout for volunteers who

can turn their hand to anything, and by helping others you could be improving

your own credentials.

If you look through the job adverts on our website, just observe what

proportion of each job description refers to knowledge and qualifications and

how much is devoted to other skills. You could be in for a surprise. Your

specialised knowledge may get you a position, but it is those important skills

we tend to overlook which will enable you to do your job successfully.

What is Continuing Professional Development(CPD)?

by Melanie Allen

What does CPD mean?

CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development. It refers to the process

of tracking and documenting the skills, knowledge and experience that you
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gain both formally and informally as you work, beyond any initial training. It's a

record of what you experience, learn and then apply. The term is generally

used to mean a physical folder or portfolio documenting your development as

a professional. Some organisations use it to mean a training or development

plan,

Documents

Academic CV Building