Writing an effective CVResearchers Development Day

Jennifer StevenCareer and Skills Development Service

Today’s session

• Purpose of a CV

• The basic rules

• Academic CVs – specifics

• Non academic CVs – specifics

• Covering letters

• Questions

Purpose of a CV – to get you an interview

• Must be targeted at the job and employer• One CV won’t work for every job!

• Must reflect the skills and experiences demanded• Always use the job description

• Must create a positive first impression• Appearances really do matter

• Must make the selectors job easy• Tell them clearly you have what they’re looking for

What should you include?

• Personal details• Education • Work experience (inc. teaching)• Publications/Conferences• Skills / Additional information • Interests and Activities• Referees

• Account for any gaps (children/illness/personal reasons)

• ….Other possibilities

Personal Details

• Name

• Address (term and home?)

• Telephone/mobile/e-mail

• Nationality?

• Date of birth?

• …….and what else can be left out?

The basic rules....Personal Details

Keep it quick and easy...Jennifer Steven

22B Kensington High Street, London, SW1 6RTM: 07743 757 777 E:

jsteven@mail.com

Not long and unnecessary...Name: Jennifer StevenAddress: 22B Kensington High Street, LondonTelephone: 07743 757 777Email: jsteven@mail.comDate of birth: 21.04.1981Marital status: singleDriving license: fullNationality: British

Education

• Reverse chronological order

• Higher education

• Secondary education?

• Institution/dates attended

• Academic awards/prizes/scholarships

• How much detail?• Depends on what you’re applying for

Describing your degrees

• Subject details/marks?

• Teaching and learning methods

• Knowledge/Skills

• Research methods/training?

The basic rules....Education

Work History

• Employer/location/job title/dates

• Chronological?

• Relevant and additional?

• Vacation/part-time/voluntary

• Responsibilities/skills gained

• “Active” language

• Phrases/bullet points

Specific skills/additional information

• Awards/achievements • Short courses of relevance• IT skills• Foreign languages• Membership of professional organisations• Driving licence• Interests

Referees

• Usually 2 required (possibly 3 for academic posts)

• Name/address/ tel no./e-mail

• Indicate relationship/status

• Brief them well

• Possible to say “available on request”

Other options?

Career objective

Personal Profile

Skills Profile

Skills profile....

Appearances count

• Choose a layout to fit the information NOT the information to fit the layout – choose own headings

• Different types of CV• chronological (conventional)

• Skills based

• Technical (incl. academic)

• International

Appearances count....

• Maximum 2 sides A4 for non academic• Reverse chronological order• Layout

• avoid large chunks of unbroken text• use bullet points or line spaces to break it up• white space can be as important as text• bold and LARGE characters are clearer than underlining

• Balance• allocate space according to relevance• fill the prime selling space with your best material

• No spelling or grammatical mistakes

Academic CV - specifics

• Length – can be longer and can include an appendix

• Description of research, publications/conferences should be the focus

• Funding/awards

• Teaching experience

• Covering letter/personal statement may also be slightly longer

Research and Teaching experience - details

• Research experience• Details of doctoral and masters research (if only thesis title, supervisor

and funding details under education)• Research assistant positions• Research training• Success gaining funding (if appropriate)

• Teaching experience• Mention lectures, seminars, tutorial groups, one to one• Course design, marketing and marking and assessment• Mention course titles and level

Publications and Administrative experience - details

• Publications/Communications• Can be an appendix if extensive• Mention papers presented at conferences, peer-reviewed

publications, non-refereed publications, departmental seminars etc• Can mention publications submitted/in preparation

• Administrative experience?• Planning and organising seminars/conferences• Course organisation and marking

Non academic CV - specifics

• Length – 2 pages max

• May not need to include full details of publications/conferences etc

• Use this style if searching for part time work around your PhD too.

• Focus on the qualities gained from conducting research:• Project management, information management and analysis,

presentation skills etc

• Consider a skills based CV if you are tackling a completely new industry/role

Covering letters

• 1 side A4, typed unless asked otherwise• Consider using a heading• Refer to CV but don’t repeat• Written to a named person

• Say what you are applying for/ where you saw the advert• Mention what you are doing now • Explain why you are interested in this job with this organisation• Indicate what you have to offer – skills, experience, qualities.• What you hope to gain from job and how it fits with your career plans• Positive conclusion

Differences if using Application Forms - Competency/Skill based questions • Aim to elicit evidence of a certain skill

• Are based on the theory that past behaviour predicts future performance

• From your research you can predict the skills they will ask about

• Prepare examples from a range of different experiences• For example: When have you worked effectively in a team? What was

your role? How did you contribute to the team’s success?

Application Forms - Using the STAR structure

• Situation- summarise briefly• Task - what needed to be done• Action - what you did• Result - outcome, preferably positive

Application forms – Open questions/Personal Statement

• ‘Please provide information in support of your application and brief details of relevant experience, including your present duties’

• ‘Please write a supporting statement with particular reference to the headings in the person specification.’

• Suggested Structure• Why you are interested in this job

with this organisation

• Key skills, qualities and experience (work and course) with examples

• Any relevant technical skills (IT/Languages)

• Summary and reinforce your enthusiasm for the job

Further support and preparation

• www.vitae.ac.uk for researcher specific career development information and example academic/non academic CVs

• Websites such as www.prospects.ac.uk, www.targetjobs.co.uk have example CVs available

• Professional Association Websites

• Talk with a Careers Consultant

• Talk with Recruiters at employer events & Careers Fairs• Handouts on Career and skills development website

www.city.ac.uk/careers

Questions?