Working Draft Last Modified 11/12/2005 9:53:12 AM India Standard TimePrinted 11/11/2005 3:17:19 AM India Standard Time

DEL-ZXT168-20051011-(SS)(SG)

Resume Workshop

November 12, 2005

This report is solely for the use of client personnel. No part of it may be circulated, quoted, or reproduced for distribution outside the client organization without prior written approval from McKinsey & Company. This material was used by McKinsey & Company during an oral presentation; it is not a complete record of the discussion.

IIT Kharagpur

AGENDA

Discussion on best-practice resume writing in general

Discussion on key elements of resume for McKinsey

DEL-ZXT168-20051011-(SS)(SG)

4. Evaluate yourself

1. Plan your message

5. Review by a third party

2. Structure

3. Write

MAKING AN EFFECTIVE APPLICATION CONSISTS OF FIVE STEPS

DEL-ZXT168-20051011-(SS)(SG)

Target group

YOU HAVE LESS THAN 10 SECONDS TO ATTRACT ATTENTION –PLAN YOUR MESSAGE

Content Attention

”Why do they need me?” “Show what you can!”

• Make it relevant – sell your skills

• Focus on results – not ”activities”

• Prioritize, prioritize, and prioritize

“Attract attention”

• Persuade your reader

• Make it exciting

DEL-ZXT168-20051011-(SS)(SG)

STRUCTURE YOUR CV

CV

Experience

• Work and leadership experience

• Specific examples (including titles, places, dates, responsibility areas, necessary skills)

Education

• Education, date of graduation, thesis

• Prizes/distinctions, athletic feats

Personally

• Talents, interests, language skills

Emphasize the Emphasize the most important most important aspects of the aspects of the educationeducation

Experience from Experience from sports clubs, sports clubs, housing co-housing co-operatives, etc. operatives, etc. should also be should also be includedincluded

Don’t make it too Don’t make it too personalpersonal

DEL-ZXT168-20051011-(SS)(SG)

6

WRITE THE CV

• Analyze the job advertisement (the company, the job, the requirements . . .)FocusFocus

Be brief and Be brief and preciseprecise

ConsistencyConsistency

Action Action termsterms

Visual Visual impactimpact

• Use bullet points to describe the your skills and results• Highlight key words

• Uniform format• Opposite chronological order in CV

• Use concrete and effective expressions, which are easy to understand

• Avoid jargon, slang and pretensions

• Overview in less than 10 seconds• Limit the extent – avoid close and abstruse writing• Use margins and space• Avoid distraction from the message

DEL-ZXT168-20051011-(SS)(SG)

7

EVALUATE YOUR CV THOROUGHLY

Does the whole CV support the position applied for?ConsistencyConsistency

CatchingCatching

ConsistentConsistent

FlawlessFlawless

Would I read it myself – does it seem interesting for the reader?

Is format and words consistent in the entire document?

Has it been thoroughly proofread and checked for grammar, spelling, dates, facts, etc.

DEL-ZXT168-20051011-(SS)(SG)

MAKE A THIRD PARTY READ YOUR APPLICATION

Does my CV emphasize all my skills?

Does CV emphasize my potential contributions?

• Is it easy to identify and understand my skills?

• Does it give a good impression of my skills?

• Is it easy to understand and appreciate my contributions?

• Are the skills demonstrated relevant for the job?

DEL-ZXT168-20051011-(SS)(SG)

BASIC ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS

Write only to the extent that is relevant

Remember the visual presentation

Proofread it thoroughly – also by a third party

Remember all details

AGENDA

Discussion on best-practice resume writing in general

Discussion on key elements of resume for McKinsey

DEL-ZXT168-20051011-(SS)(SG)

THREE BROAD THEMES MAKE A GOOD McKINSEY RESUME

Parameters evaluated Overall impact

• Problem solving/ analytical ability

• Drive

• Personal impact and presence

• Leadership ability

• Make your resume crisp

• Organize your resume

• Articulate impact

• Does your personality come out clearly in your resume?

• Would you be distinctive in some manner as compared to your colleagues?

• Has your resume touched upon the key evaluation parameters as appropriate?

“Powering” your resume

DEL-ZXT168-20051011-(SS)(SG)

WE USE FOUR KEY PARAMETERS FOR EVALUATION

Parameters evaluated

• GPA is sometimes used as a dummy measure, but is not a necessary condition for shortlisting

Description

• Problem solving/ analytical ability

• Drive

• Personal impact and presence

• Leadership ability

• Demonstrated by continuous and persistent pursuit of things you are passionate about

• Evaluated mostly in interviews – extra curricular activities give an indication

• Positions of responsibility you held and achievements therein; sometimes through work experience (if relevant)

DEL-ZXT168-20051011-(SS)(SG)

YOUR RESUME SHOULD BE CRISP, ORGANIZED AND HIGHLIGHTING IMPACT

Parameters evaluated

• Focus more on end-product and impact than activities

Description

• Make your resume crisp

• Organize your resume

• Articulate impact

• Organize into logical groups – e.g., Academics, Work experience, Extra curricular activities

• Don’t say: “Did a project on sales stimulation”

• Rather say: “Led a team of 4 people on a sales stimulation project for Product XX that yielded 5% increase in sales over 6 months

DEL-ZXT168-20051011-(SS)(SG)

END