CV and cover letter (UK and IRL)Top tips OIPEP

Mª Isabel Beas ColladoResponsable OIPEP

Index– Planning – Goal– Competencies– CV:• Format• Content• Structure• Recommendations • Typology

– Cover letter– Useful webs

Planning

• Why?GoalsWhen?Where? How? – Strategies, tolos, methodshttp://www.uji.es/UK/canals/laboral/promote/

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03/05/23

Goals

• "Sell" your skills and demonstrate your achievements and qualities

• Impress the reader so that he invites you to interview

Contextual use

• Social networks• On-spec application (spontaneous application)– CEOs– Corporate Webs *

• Passive search– Media (announces)– Websites offering internships During interviewApplication forms (Required format)

10 most wanted competencies by employers

• Analytical skills• Communication skills (Wr, Verbal, interpersonal)• Flexibility/adaptability• Initative/Drive/energy• Leadership skills• Planning skills• Problem-solving• Teamwork• Technical/technological skills• Time management

Generic competencies

• Tuninghttp://www.unideusto.org/tuningeu/competences.html“Diccionario Barcelona Activa”

• http://w27.bcn.cat/porta22/es/altres/diccionari.jsp

Competencies by degree

• White books ANECA (Useful information about the degree names in Europe, professional profiles, insertion and generic competencies (transverse) and specifications by areas/ job opportunities http://www.aneca.es/Documentos-y-publicaciones/Otros-documentos-de-interes/Libros-Blancos

• Degree memories verification of degree nameshttp://www.uji.es/CA/canals/eeu/ntitols/mg.html

Preparing your CV

Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) should give a clear summary of your education, work experience, achievements and abilities. An employer will decide whether to interview you based on your CV.

CV format

• Bullet point format• Divided into sections• Reverse chronology and relevant• DINA 4: 2 sheets that are fully distributed or

single sheet

• Highlight basic requirements in the CV (i.e. Degree) in bold to put emphasis on them

• In addition you should employ the same style in the Cv as well as in your cover letter (font, size, colors, etc.)

Basic Guide I• Concise and professional style• Job specific * (identify required competencies)• Attach evidence proving your skills: demonstrate

clearly that the competencies are related to what is requested, be creative and logical. Include achievements, facts. STAR

• Formal-no formal-informal• 2 references (academic, professional)• You can include secondary data , university

Basic Guide II

• The most important things first• The most important will have more room in the CV• Strong verbs and positive qualities• Impersonal writing (focus on action, not on yourself)• Sell your skills• Attached cover letter always demonstrates your

motivation• Check for spelling

Strong verbs (ejemplos)

• Achieve enjoy prepare• Analyse evaluate budget• Raise money implement set up• Coordinate investigate demonstrate• Lead devise improve• Organise research develop• Manage negotiate

Positive qualities

• Accurate Impartial• Resilient Adaptable• Logical Resourceful• Methodological Responsible• Sef-reliant Persuasive• Conscientious Determined• Tactful Commercially aware

What goes into a CV?• Your name, address, email and phone number, nationality• A personal profile – this is a short paragraph giving the highlights of your

qualifications, experience, specific skills and abilities. (More on personal profiles below).

• Education • Positions you have held, starting with your most recent job. Include the

company names and addresses and the dates you worked for each employer.• Relevant experience – describe your specific duties and responsibilities in

bulletpoint format. Make sure the experience you describe is relevant to the job you are applying for.

• Skills and interest• IT• Referencies

What goes into a CV?• Any certificates or specific skills you may have such as

computer skills (for example, Word or Excel), a driving licence and so on.

• Any significant achievements (these could relate to sports, arts, fund-raising for charities – anything that shows you have worked to reach a goal).

• Any voluntary or community work you may have done.

• Names of referees and contact details. • Your interests or hobbies (it’s up to you whether you

include these).• Your education and qualifications.

Should I include a Personal Profile?

• A personal profile is a short paragraph that goes near the top of your CV. It tells the interviewer at a glance what you have to offer and what type of position you are interested in. If you are applying for different jobs, you can adapt your CV to suit the jobs concerned

• Think of the personal profile as a way to sell yourself to a prospective employer.

• Use positive, key words to emphasise your experience, skills or abilities.

Should I declare a disability on my CV?

• You will only need to declare a disability or any other personal issues on your CV if you include a personal summary. If you do mention your disability it should be relevant to the role you’re applying for and may be more appropriate in your cover letter.

• Under the terms of the Equality Act 2010 an employer is unable to discriminate against an applicant who has a disability. If your disability will require an employer to make reasonable adjustment to help you to do your job, they should be made aware of this when you apply. Sell yourself to an employer by focussing on the strengths and skills you have learnt from your disability. Your positive approach will demonstrate your ability to carry out the role you have applied for.

What not to include

• Birth date, photo, marital status, children, parents´ names and occupation (it may be considered discriminatory)

What to include

• Other activities (sport, free time activities, hobbies)

• In the UK the emphasis is placed on the achievements and personal hobbies – extracurricular activities at high school, university, leadership positions, hobbies

• Present explicitely your qualities without exaggerating or subestimating them

Recommendations• DO NOT use hand written CV• Include other skills and activities• Explain so called Gaps• If you don´t have much experience to include: temporary,

holiday, part-time or voluntary work• DO NOT use the same cover letter• Address the documents to the specific person indicating his

position and academic position• DO NOT staple CV-cover letter• ERRORES:

https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/aboutus/newsarticles/Pages/news-cvpitfalls.aspx

What if there are gaps in my employment?

Try to give positive details of how you used you time during the gaps.

For example, you may have taken a year out to travel, worked as a volunteer on a particular project, returned to college to study, and so on.

It’s best if you can give good reasons for the gaps rather than leave questions for the reader.

Tipos Chronological CV

• Particularly effective if you have relevant experience because it highlights:

• What have you done• Who you have worked for• How you have progressed• http://prospects.ac.uk/

Skills-based

• This CV focuses on demonstrating evidence of relevant skills.

• Use relevant skill headings to present your evidence - educational and work experience descriptions are kept brief.

• This style of CV is more difficult to organise but, if you focus on the right skills, it can show you’ve considered the needs of the employer.

Academic CV• dissertation and/or research abstracts;• research interests and/or areas of expertise;• teaching and/or administrative experience;• publications;• presentations or conferences attended;• professional memberships;• fellowships and awards.• your research interests should be comprehensible to people outside your

field but scholarly enough to interest fellow researchers. Lastly, try not to neglect your transferable skills and use a professional layout. Academic employers want academic staff who are motivated team players, and can manage projects, bring in funding and communicate concisely and professionally.

• http://www.prospects.ac.uk/your_phd_what_next_non_academic_jobs.htm

Useful websites. EjemplosThese websites have tips, advice and sample CVs which you can adapt to

create your own CV.• www.career-advice.monster.ie• www.cvtips.com• www.ec.europa.eu/eures/home.jsp?lang=en• www.europass.ie• www.jobsearch.about.com• www.recruitireland.com• www.writeon.ie• www.youtube.com• www.backtowork.direct.gov.uk• www.prospects.ac.uk• https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Documents/GetAJob-CVs/

StudentGraduateCV.pdf

Writing a cover letter• A cover letter is the letter you send with your

CV. • It should give the reason you are applying for

the job and – briefly – your qualifications and relevant experience. There could be many people applying for the same job so your cover letter is an opportunity to make your application stand out from the rest.

• Your letter should make an employer want to consider you for the job.

What should I say in my cover letter?

• Be concise and stick to relevant facts. Say which job you are applying for and why your experience makes you a good fit for the position. Refer to the areas of your CV that match the job requirements (that is, your qualifications and relevant experience).

• Cover letters should be clear and to the point. Keep the letter to one page if possible but definitely no longer than two pages.

Useful websites• http://www.prospects.ac.uk/assets/assets/documents/

cover_letter_speculative.pdf• http://www.prospects.ac.uk/assets/assets/documents/

cover_letter_international_student.pdf• http://www.prospects.ac.uk/assets/assets/documents/

cover_letter_disclosing_a_disabilty.pdf• www.office.microsoft.com/en-ie• www.tcd.ie/Careers/students/jobsearch• http://www.uji.es/UK/content/preocupat2/22028405-

22055080.html• http://www.sepe.es/contenidos/personas/encontrar_empleo/

empleo_europa.html

Mª Isabel Beas ColladoHead of Careers Service

www.uji.es/serveis/oipephttp://www.uji.es/canals/laboral/promote