cv and personal statements

8/19/2019 CV and Personal Statements

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APPLYING FOR THE JOB (I)CV’S

Languages and the World of Work

Week 8


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At the end of the session you will be able to…

Understand the different resources available for you to enhance youremployability

Avoid the most common mistakes applicants commit when preparinga CV

Write a professional CV

LEARNING OUTCOMES


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Make a list of practical things and resources

(NOT skills)

you need

to get a job


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GETTING THE JOB / PLACEMENT

CV

PersonalStatement

Referees Application

forms

Letters ofapplication

Who can Iask?


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C.V’s

Personal Statements/Personal Profiles

Referees

Application forms

Letters of application Who can I ask?

You have placement office

You have a period abroad tutor

You have an Erasmus coordinator

You have level 6 students You have colleagues/staff

Most of all you have yourself



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C.V’s

Personal Statements/Personal Profiles

Referees

Application forms

Letters of application Who can I ask?

You have placement office

You have a period abroad tutor

You have an Erasmus coordinator

You have level 6 students You have colleagues/staff

Most of all you have yourself

It is up to you!!!



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HOW CAN YOU BEGIN TO PROVE THAT YOU

ARE EMPLOYABLE?

Keep a record or portfolio to develop:

Curriculum Vitae or Resume Keep up to date and customise

Application Form Complete accurately, no mistakes

Letter of Application Make sure you know who to send it too Address selection criteria

Being prepared for the interview Look at the website

Practice


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It is…

a marketing tool, will others want to buy?

a brochure about you, make it look good;

the first stage of getting a job It should promote your

personal details

education and job history

achievements skills

Who will recommend you?

WHAT IS A CV?


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First impression – it’s an advert for YOU!!!

Must look good:

NO spelling mistakes

Creative

You MUST get someone else to check it with you as therecannot be any mistakes anywhere

Make sure it is in a font that is readable. Do not use script oranything fancy

Make sure it is NOT sentence after sentence

Use bullet points where you can

Business like tone – not slang

CVS


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2 pages maximum

Tailored to the post

Experiences in reverse order

Make sure that it is easy to read

Evidence of achievement – nothing negative

Main skills and personal qualities

DESIGN


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WHAT DO YOU ALREADY KNOW?

a. One

b. Two

c. As many as necessary

How many pages should a CV have?


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b. Two

How many pages should a CV have?


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a. Four

b. Five

c. Six

How many sections should a CV have?


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c. Six

How many sections should a CV have?


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a. Yes

b. No

Should a CV include a photo?


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b. No

Should a CV include a photo?


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a. 100

b. 200

c. 300

How many words should the personal

statement within your CV have?


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a. 100

How many words should the personal

statement within your CV have?


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a. Yes

b. No

Should a CV include your birthday date?


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b. No

Should a CV include your birthday date?


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1. Personal Details

2. Personal Statement/profile

3. Education

4. Experience or career history/skills developed

5.

Hobbies/skills developed

6. References - 2

LAYOUT


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PERSONAL DETAILS


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Suggest that you look at your strengths and weaknesses and then focus on your strengths

Project yourself, and also reflect on what the job requires and what the employer is particularly

seeking

Computer skills

Travelled

Personal abilities

Team Worker

Planning and Organising experience

Build into statements – can be first person

determined and decisive; uses initiative to develop effective solutions to problems

reliable and dependable - high personal standards and attention to detail

methodical and rigorous approach to achieving tasks and objectives

Can be bullet pointed but must be quick to read / skim; not a novel

PERSONAL STATEMENT


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School and dates attended

A Levels

Number of GCSEs

Make sure you mention languages!

Current studies

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS


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PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

First aid certificates

Duke of Edinburgh Awards

Membership of Associations

Etc.


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MENTION JOBS AND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE:

Cash Handling , Customer Service, Supervision…

Language experience

Course Rep / Language ambassador / British Council

Ambassador

VOLUNTEERING

WORK EXPERIENCE

Emphasise skills that you have developedthrough that work


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what can you do?

IF YOU DON’T HAVE WORK EXPERIENCE


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leadership

teamwork

creativity

initiative

problem-solving

self-motivation discipline

reliability

persistence and determination

compassion and humanity

love and care for others

specific abilities with numbers

languages, communications and ICT (information

and communications technology -especially computing and websites),fixing and making things, selling andmarketing something, etc.

part-time jobs

sport

voluntary work

clubs

caring

supervising, teaching, helping youngpeople charity work

hobbies and pastimes

outdoor activities

holidays and travel

and any other personal interests whichillustrate your strengths, capabilities and

passions.

IF YOU DON’T HAVE WORK EXPERIENCE


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INTERESTS

TRAVEL

Where?

READING

What?

SPORTS

What?

What Else?


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Select your referees with care

Often your previous employer

Professional people

An academic

Obtain their consent before putting forward their

names

Tell them why you are applying for this position,outlining why you believe that you are a

suitable candidate

REFEREES


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Personal Statement & CV (20%)

a. Individually you are required to submit a 200 word personal

statement which clearly identifies your strengths as a potential

employee and focussing particularly on your cross cultural

abilities. This statement should be seen as a selling tool for you

to reach an interview stage (10%)

b. You are also required to submit a CV that is appropriate to the

country of your target language. It should include an abstract

from your personal statement and should be no longer than 2 x

A4 sheets (10%) In English in the first instance.

Please read carefully the assessment and marking criteria

ASSESSMENT 1


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CV - Germany - iAgora

"Curriculum Vitae" is called "Lebenslauf" in German and is shorter than

most other European CVs. It is a brief, factual statement of what you

have done

French Résumé - Le CV français - Writing a French Résumé

When applying for a job in a French-speaking country, your résumé

needs to be in French, which is more than a matter of

translation

CV - Spain - iAgora

Spain. Apply with culturally adapted resumes and cover letters and how

to write an internet CV and tips for preparation,

TRANSLATE YOUR CV

http://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_germany.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_germany.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_germany.htmlhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_spain.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_spain.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_spain.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_spain.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_spain.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_spain.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_spain.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_spain.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_spain.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_spain.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_spain.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_spain.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_spain.htmlhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-cv.htmhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_germany.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_germany.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_germany.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_germany.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_germany.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_germany.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_germany.htmlhttp://www.iagora.com/iwork/resumes/cv_germany.html


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If you don’t put any effort into a CV or it’s sloppily written, chancesare you’ll be a lazy and unproductive and sloppy employee!

WYSIWYG!

Phrases are just a guide – need adapting to specific organisations

Care with Facebook or other social networks!!!

Check the literature “Preparing your Own CV” and “How you can get that job! Application forms and

letters made easy", Rebecca Corfield, Kogan Page

http://www.businessballs.com/curriculum.htm

REMEMBER!!!

http://www.businessballs.com/curriculum.htmhttp://www.businessballs.com/curriculum.htm


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Further Resources

For further details of what to include in a CV, and a description ofchronological and skills based CVs see:

www.prospects.ac.uk/links/cvwriting

There is also an interactive resource for creating CVs created byour Employability office:

Interactive CV learning object

Futures workbook - CVs and letters to employers

Feedback on CVs If you are a Leeds Met student or recent Graduate we canpr ovide feedback on your draft CVs.

http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/careers/

FURTHER RESOURCES

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/cvwritinghttp://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/cvwritinghttp://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/metoffice/employability/resources/learning_objects/cv/index.htmhttp://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/alt/index_Futures_workbooks.htmhttp://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/alt/index_Futures_workbooks.htmhttp://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/careers/index_student_cv_feedback.htmhttp://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/careers/index_student_cv_feedback.htmhttp://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/careers/index_student_cv_feedback.htmhttp://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/careers/index_student_cv_feedback.htmhttp://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/careers/index_student_cv_feedback.htmhttp://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/alt/index_Futures_workbooks.htmhttp://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/alt/index_Futures_workbooks.htmhttp://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/alt/index_Futures_workbooks.htmhttp://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/alt/index_Futures_workbooks.htmhttp://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/alt/index_Futures_workbooks.htmhttp://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/alt/index_Futures_workbooks.htmhttp://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/alt/index_Futures_workbooks.htmhttp://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/metoffice/employability/resources/learning_objects/cv/index.htmhttp://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/cvwritinghttp://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/cvwriting


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APPLYING FOR THE JOB (II)PERSONAL STATEMENTS

Languages and the World of Work

Week 8


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PERSONAL STATEMENTS

Build into statements – can be first person

determined and decisive; uses initiative to develop effective solutions to problems

reliable and dependable - high personal standards and attention to detail

methodical and rigorous approach to achieving tasks and objectives

TASK 1

Finish these sentences.

1 I have used initiative to develop effective solutions to problems. For example, I have …

2 My attention to detail is evidenced in …

3 I focus on achieving tasks to deadlines by …

4 4


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leadership

teamwork

creativity

initiative

problem-solving

self-motivation

discipline

reliability

persistence and determination

compassion and humanity

love and care for others

specific abilities with numbers

languages,

communications and ICT (information andcommunications technology - especiallycomputing and websites), fixing andmaking things, selling and marketingsomething, etc.

part-time jobs

sport

voluntary work

clubs

caring

supervising, teaching, helping youngpeople

charity work hobbies and pastimes

outdoor activities

holidays and travel

and any other personal interests whichillustrate your strengths, capabilities andpassions.

CHOOSE FIVE OF THESE AND WRITE FIRST PERSON SENTENCES LIKE THOSE ON SLIDE 5: “I HAVE …”


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When applying for a job you may need touse:

CVs Personal Statements

Application Forms

Cover letters


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Application forms = “directed” CVs

Pre-selection = initial screening process looking for reasons to reject applicants

Matching criteria: info in application mustmatch job and personal description

(Hind 2002 p.133)

APPLICATION FORMS


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Job description

Personal specification

What will you find under each heading?

APPLICATION FORMS


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APPLICATION FORMS

Job description

• What the job involves

• Roles and responsibilities

• Who you are responsible to

• Who you are responsible for• Grade of job

Personal specification: qualities they are looking for

• qualifications

• research interests/ industry connections

• key skills

• Essential or desirable

• Must provide evidence


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Read carefully job description, personal specification and

application form: do you want the job?

Look at KEY WORDS in specifications and RESPOND to them

Look at the company’s web site for further details

Complete application form in black / word-processed

Referees – up to date and asked

Keep copy- you’ll need one for reference!

COMPLETING JOB APPLICATION


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Why writing cover letters?

direct attention to your good points and away from your weaker ones

give you time to work what you want to say and the best way to say it

create the right impression get to people that you might not otherwise see

get your point across clearly and concisely

Replies to advertised vacanciesSpeculative letters

(Williams 2009 p. 1-2)

COVER LETTER


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Key objectives:

Make a favourable impression

Inform Persuade

Get an interview

Build a good relationship(Williams 2009 p.3)

COVER LETTER


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Address to a named person

Must be dated

Determine if they are in response to an advert or an enquiry letter

Explain any gaps – travelling, etc.

Don’t forget your contact details: address, telephone number and

email.

Must be signed e.g. “ Yours Sincerely”

MUST BE SPELL CHECKED ON UK SPELLING

CRUCIAL THERE ARE NO MISTAKES !!!!!

COVER LETTER


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PLANNING THE LETTER

Presentation

Style

Content

• Appearance

• Readibility

• Layout

• Opening

• Your case

• Company

• Closing

• Why interested

• Answer key points• Relevant experience,

qualifications

• Key elements of CV


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PLANNING THE LETTER

Presentation

Style

Content

• Appearance

• Readibility

• Layout

• Opening

• Your case

• Company

• Closing

• Why interested

• Answer key points• Relevant experience,

qualifications

• Key elements of CV

SEVEN DEADLY SINS


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1. Don’t write more than 2 pages. Employers don’t have the time or energy

to read an autobiography however well written;

2. Don’t worry about repeating elements of your CV; just state the

information in a different way

3. Never just write “please find my CV attached” unless you want it to go

straight in the bin

4. Never address to “Dear Sir/Madam” – find out name of person as it’s a

personal approach

5. Don’t handwrite your letter unless specifically asked to do so

6. Never use coloured/ perfumed/ illustrated paper – stick to white , goodquality writing paper and write in black as likely to be photocopied

7. Don’t enclose photo

SEVEN DEADLY SINS

FOR COVER LETTERS

Ph f S l ti l tt


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“I am writing to enquire if you have any vacancies in your company. I enclose my CVfor your consideration”

“ As you can see I have work experience gained in (STATE) giving me varied skills (

STATE ) and the ability to work with many different types of people (GIVE EXAMPLES)

I believe I could easily fit into your team” (GIVE EXAMPLES)

“ I am a conscientious person who works hard and pays attention to detail. I’m flexible,

quick to pick up new skills and eager to learn from others”

“I’m keen to work with an a company with a great reputation like ( name of company)

“I am presently undertaking a BA in Language Studies at Leeds Metropolitan

University.

“In my first year on the course I have worked on many different projects both

individually and as part of groups”. (GIVE EXAMPLES).

Phrases for Speculative lettersillustration only

Ph f S l ti l tt


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“Ideally I am looking to gain experience of through a paid 48 week placementwhich could take place between July 2011 and September 2012.”

“In addition to wanting to work hard to gain experience I would also be pleased to

complete a project on an issue that is of interest to you”

“I have excellent references and would be delighted to discuss any possible

vacancy with you at your convenience.”

“If you do not have any suitable openings at the moment I would be grateful if you

could keep my details on file for any future possibilities that may occur.”

“Thank you for taking the time to consider this application and I look forward to

hearing from you in the near future.”

Phrases for Speculative lettersillustration only


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Criteria will need to be matched

Essential or desirable qualities

Best fit at the end of shortlisting process

Interview may be based around general gaps inthe application

Next stage, decline or interview

Get feedback!

SHORTLISTING


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So that they can see how you present yourself!

Could be a stand-up presentation based on a topic

May be an exercise Answer questions

Should get criteria by which you are bring assessed

PRESENTATION


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Hind, D. and Moss, S. (2005) Employability Skills for Students.

Sunderland: Business Education.

Williams. L. (2009) Readymade Job Search Letters: Winning Lettersand Emails to Help You Get Your Dream Job. London: Kogan Page

Ltd.

REFERENCES

cv and personal statements

Documents