Seminar 1 +2

General tips about CV writing:

 in the UK: Curriculum Vitae (lat. “the course of one’s life”)= resume

 in the USA: CV (academia) ≠ resume

 3 types: chronological, functional, combined

- chronological (reversed chronology) > history, growth, achievements

- functional > skills

- combined > for longer career history

 recruiters ≈10-30 seconds reading your CV= your CV needs to be “reader-friendly”

 “reader-friendly” ?

 conciseness : 1- 2 pg long
 clear structure: headings
 consistency: - formatting/ grammatical parallelism/ dates/ American vs British spelling
etc
 highlights: the most relevant information first/ bold, italics etc

 templates ? – better a blank sheet (more control, more originality)

 formatting - margins : 1 inch for all sizes

- font: 12 (best), 14 for the title (your name/ CV)

- Arial, TNR, Calibri

- headings: same size, but bold or italics

 customize your CV according to the job ad

 job ad: buzz words related to technical knowledge + soft skills/ transferable skills

Transferable skills = skills you can transfer from one context to another

 do not overpromise ! (one skill= one example/one story)

Job Advertisement terminology

 CCDL= current clean driving licence

 EXP = experience

 AGY= agency

 PA=per annum

 PW= per week

 FT/PT=full-time/part-time

 Permanent/Fixed-term contract

 Closing date= deadline for application

 Pro rata salary= salary that is calculated as a proportion of a full-time job

 Unsocial hours= work during the night or early in the morning when most people do not
have to work

General tips about cover letters

 cover letter = covering letter (B.E.)= letter of intent= letter of application

 cover letter = why you want the job + why they should choose you

 solicited/unsolicited (letter of interest)

 always tailor the cover letter (and the CV) to the job ad ( buzz words)

a good fit”: hard skills + transferable skills ≈ ideally, at least 80% fit (what)

Steps:

1. read the job ad carefully

2. identify the skills and experience the company is particularly interested in

3. show any parallels with previous posts you have held or other experience

“mirroring and matching” !

 “reader-friendly”: layout + structure + register (how)

 no contradiction with the CV!

  max. 1 page long

 consistency (formatting, grammatical parallelism, spelling etc)

 hand-written signature!

 a glimpse into your personality (to balance the shorthand style of your CV)

 check spelling and grammar !

 adapt your style to cultural variations, if necessary !

Layout:

Salutation: Dear Sir/Madam

Dear Mr. /Ms. Peterson

Dear Human Resources Manager

To whom it may concern (??)

Complimentary close:

Yours truly (Am. E)/Yours sincerely (you know the person)

Yours faithfully (you don’t know the person)

Best wishes/Best regards ( e-mails)

Structure :

 ≈ 3 paragraphs

 1paragraph= 1 topic sentence + 2-3-4 supporting sentences

 linking words !!!

 1- present ( “I am writing to apply…”)

2- past (“I did this and that…”)

3- future (“Please contact me…”)

Register:

It depends on what ?/ who?/ how ? >>

research the company culture (formal ? semi-formal?)

Formal: complex sentences

abstract nouns

low-frequency vocabulary

no contractions and abbreviations

industry-related vocabulary

Examples: at your convenience / previous/ with regard to

Content:

AIDA model (for persuasive messages)

1) Attention

2) Interest

3) Desire

4) Action

 Attention:

1st paragraph: a) give your reason for writing

b) give the recipient a reason to keep reading (mirror the company’s stated needs +
highlight your strengths/skills/experience etc)

 Interest + Desire:

2nd -3rd paragraph: your strongest selling points + potential benefit + each requirement in the ad
(STAR technique)

 Action:
final paragraph: a) ask the reader for a specific answer + b) facilitate a reply

STAR method (interviewing technique)

1. Situation

2. Task

3. Action

4. Result

“ Tell me a time when you proved to be…”