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November 10, 2016 14:10
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Talk from the University Careers Service on improving your CV.
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== Improving your CV Workshop == | |
10 Nov 2016, Computer Laboratory | |
careers.cam.ac.uk | |
careers.cam.ac.uk/library/Cvbook/index.aspx | |
Purpose of a CV: | |
- Get an interview | |
- Not get your application thrown out - most important purpose! | |
- *Quickly* get acros your value and tech credentials (skim reading) | |
-- 20-30 seconds before a decision is made | |
- Provide evidence that you'd be a good match | |
Thinking like a recruiter | |
- Positive assumptions (not always correct!): | |
-- Cambridge = smart | |
-- Learn fast | |
-- Already competent developer | |
-- You'll have a lot of options | |
- Concerns: | |
-- Solo or team player? | |
-- Communications skills | |
-- Are you the best? What about against MIT grads etc. | |
-- What are the gaps in your knowledge? | |
CV Checklist: 3 things to get right: | |
- Content | |
-- Essential content: | |
--- Education (make sure Cambridge is prominent) | |
---- If you are in education, conventionally this goes at the top | |
---- Don't bother to include months | |
---- Go back as far as A Levels (or equivalent) | |
---- Numbers rather than words - if you got a 1st, write "1st" not "First" | |
---- Listing every module in your degree is a bit of a waste of space | |
--- Technical Skills | |
---- Sections are a good idea (languages, technologies, hardware etc.) | |
---- Must include *how good* you are at each skill (Google insist on this) | |
----- May be better to show what you've done than describe "good", "intermediate" etc., even if this means a small amount of redundancy with your "projects" section | |
---- Don't forget soft skills: Project management, requirements gathering, documentation etc. | |
----- Shows that you know this is important | |
--- Contact Details (email, phone, name, github etc. - address not so important) | |
-- Slightly less important: | |
--- Work experience | |
---- Company name, Job title, Dates and/or duration | |
---- May describe the company if it's not well known | |
---- Bullet points are quicker to read than paragraphs | |
---- Verbs are good: what did you do? Elaborate if possible (subject to confidentiality issues): 2-4 bullets, 1 (maybe 2) lines each. More info than just job title / what team you worked on | |
--- Projects | |
---- Especially important if you have limited work experience | |
--- Awards | |
---- Worth including, but unlikely to be considered in detail so don't spend too much page space on them | |
-- Less important (but still may be worth including) | |
--- Extracurricular | |
--- Referee details (address etc.) | |
-- Profiles (paragraph at the top) are not important, unless you are looking for a very specific field, in which case "I am very interested in [x]" is good | |
--- Should be fact-based: not adjectives about you! | |
- Clarity: design, UI aspects etc. - very important | |
-- Bold is good (stands out), Italic not so good | |
-- Left hand column most important, right hand column is the *dead zone* - eye does not naturaly track to this area when skimming | |
-- First impressions: first screen's worth of material (may be less than the first page!) | |
-- CVs are either 1 page or 2 pages, preferably not 1 < x < 2 pages. | |
-- Don't put a photo on (except if applying for jobs in Germany or Austria) | |
-- No Date of Birth (not allowed to ask anyway) | |
-- Nationality not necessary | |
-- Don't use the word "I": start with verbs e.g. "Built software to..." | |
- Job Match | |
-- Tailor to each job, but large changes aren't always necessary | |
-- Mirror the language they use in job ads: similar verbs etc. | |
-- Rearrange sections and subsections: if Bullet Point 3 is the most relevant bit of your work experience, move it to the top! | |
-- Use different headings | |
-- Don't just start with requirements, understand what the role involves | |
-- What evidence do you have? | |
Checklist: | |
- Design | |
-- Good navigation | |
-- Clear blocks | |
-- Inviting and easy to read | |
-- Eye drawn to most important content | |
- Content | |
-- More than a transcript | |
-- Tech skills stand out | |
-- Obvious what you've done + how | |
-- Good use of vocabulary | |
Cover letters: | |
- Eye goes to first 1-2 lines of each paragraph: make these count! | |
- Numbers stand out | |
- Plan your letter before you start writing! | |
- Not a repeat of your CV | |
- 1 page maximum (not negotiable) | |
- Paragraph in readable chunks (8-10 lines) | |
- Start with who you are and what you are applying for | |
- A few highlights to show you match the job | |
- Does it reflect *their* job? Should not be generic. | |
- Get it checked by a native English speaker (I'm happy to proofread, jsm84@cam.ac.uk) | |
What's on? | |
- CL Careers Fair next week (2 days) | |
-- Careers service will be on hand to give advice | |
- Local careers event in February |
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