SlideShare a Scribd company logo

Effective cv writing

•Download as PPTX, PDF•
•
Bibaswan Ghoshal
Bibaswan Ghoshal

The document provides guidance on writing an effective curriculum vitae (CV). It discusses the purpose of a CV, common CV formats including chronological, functional, and chrono-functional. It also outlines the typical sections of a CV like contact information, education, work experience, and references. Tips are provided such as using action words and proofreading, as well as things to avoid like using all capital letters or multiple fonts.

1 of 31
Effective CV Writing Bibaswan Ghoshal Teaching Assistant, ALES 204 Graduate Student Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Sciences University of Alberta 1
Image on left: CV, URL:” http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR8NEuWoLjHYrd2hrmoZocuIVUNiWRfh50QotiOBp1Kf9LyPKmeFQ”, Feb 12, 2012 2 Image on right: Business man and woman, URL:” http://snobtopia.com/files/2011/11/business-man-and-woman.jpeg”, Feb 12, 2012
3 CV Purpose, URL:"http://www.gradjobsuncovered.com/img/gju_employer_registration_engagement.jpg", Feb 12, 2012
Curriculum Vitae Curriculum Vitae (CV) means "course of life" in Latin A CV is a written description of your work experience, educational background and skills A CV is a typically a "living document" which will reflect the developments in a professional's career 4
Purposes of a CV  Marketing tool: First impression is the one which lasts  Request for an interview: We are always looking for jobs  Your “big picture”: A detailed snapshot of your professional and academic life 5
CV Formats  Chronological  Functional  Chrono-functional /Combinational/Combined 6
Chronological  Reverse chronological order  Widely used for corporate sector  Mainly used by individuals with  Solid work history  Few or no gaps between jobs 7 Chronological CV, URL:"http://img.docstoccdn.com/thumb/orig/22708087.png", Feb 12, 2012
Functional CV  Focuses on the skill set of an individual  Mainly used by individuals  with significant gaps in employment  a mixed employment background  very short work history 8 Functional CV, URL:"http://img.docstoccdn.com/thumb/orig/44419483.png", Feb 12, 2012
Chrono-Functional CV  Specific work experience  Specific skills and talents  Used mainly by individuals  Freshly graduated from school  With uninterrupted work history  Applying for specific jobs 9 Combined Resume, URL:"http://www.resume-resource.com/Examples/functional-resume-sample.gif", Feb 12, 2012
Functional Types  Academic  Used for academic applications (graduate student applications, scholarship applications)  Usually more detailed  Focuses mainly on academic achievements,  Relevant projects and courses mentioned  Corporate  Used for getting jobs  Specific to the needs of the employer  Focuses mainly on work experience and relevant academic affiliations 10
CV Format  Header  Objective  Education  Honors/Activities  Work Experience  Research Experience/Projects 11
Header Section  Name  Must be the first line of resume  Bold  Larger than the largest font used in body  Address  Current address preferable  Email Address  Use professional email addresses preferably with name  Phone number  Preferably use both home and cell phone numbers 12
Name Address Phone Number Email Address 13 Image Source: Personal
Objective Section  Optional but highly recommended  Statement must be clear, concise and to the point  Bad: “I want to get a job”  Weak: “To attain an internship in livestock industry.”  Good: “To attain an internship in the livestock industry with detailed insight into genomics and bioinformatics.”  Avoid being over specific  Target the company’s perspective 14
Education Section  Educational qualifications from highest to lowest  Do not use high school details once you have graduated  Must include years in school 15 Image Source: Personal
Work Experience Section  Experience should be listed in reverse chronological order  POSITION TITLE, ORGANIZATION NAME, CITY, STATE/PROVINCE, DATES EMPLOYED (Include months unless this shows big gaps of unemployment )  Describes specific roles in bullets 16 Image Source: Personal
Research Experience Section  Focus on relevant research experience  Must include graduate level research  In reverse chronological order 17 Image Source: Personal
Honors/Activities Section  This section should scream “I am a leader”  Must contain all academic and professional awards  May include extra-curricular awards  Include a brief description if not self-evident from title  Don’t include hobbies or activities not related to the job or your story  Good to include leadership positions 18
References  One of the most crucial things  Follow the requirement  If not mentioned, then “On Request/demand”  Ask referees beforehand  Use the best ones 19
Additional Sections  Professional Certificates/Licenses  Specialized Experience  Publications/Theses  Additional Training/Assistantships  Membership/Affiliations  Volunteer Experience/Community Service  Language or Computer Skills  Continuing Education 20
Types of CV Scannable Electronic Email Resume Paper HTML 21
Electronic CVs  Scannable  Best to use black color fonts  Use proper font type (do not try anything fancy)  Many companies scan paper resumes into their database  Email Attachment  Currently the most widely used delivery method  PDF most widely used format  Easily convert your Microsoft Word CV to PDF using various online resources (www.pdfonline.com) 22
HTML Resume  Ease of access  Shows your creativity  Easily available and free of cost from many service providers like google  Link to different sections of your CV  Very detailed  You can add forms of social media like twitter, facebook pages and personal/professional blogs 23
Tips Use Action Words 24 List of Action Words, URL:"http://www.my-easy-resume.com/image-files/action-words.gif", Feb 12, 2012
Do’s  Professionalism  One page only (for corporate CVs)  Stick to the truth  Focus on achievements and results  Maintain a consistent writing style  Avoid the use of “I” or “my”  Modify your CV according to requirement 25
Do’s  Use easy-to-read language  Get grammar and punctuation correct  Follow the instructions  Proofread  Spell Check  Update your CV regularly 26
Don’ts  USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS  Harder to read  Avoid whitespace  Actually avoid using border lines  Include a picture of yourself  It’s not the cover of a fashion magazine  Use extremely professional image when asked by employer  Use several fonts to catch their attention  Creates a “ransom effect”  Use Times New Roman or Arial  Focus on you and your needs  Employers are not interested on who you are but what you can do 27
Don’ts  Use templates to construct your resume  Don’t use fancy ones  You have got other ways to show your creativity  Use superlatives to emphasis your work  Informative and stick to the basic facts  Use long flowing sentences  Short, concise and to the point  Print your resume on “day glow” paper  It is not going to an art workshop  Illogical Order Use  Use relevant information at the beginning 28
Bad Resume Examples, URL:"http://img.docstoccdn.com/thumb/orig/22467385.png”, Feb 12, 2012
Bad Resume Example, URL:" http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ViJKBVHeG3U/SMau560W8BI/AAAAAAAAFns/BC-Hb9gPB8M/s400/bad-resume-sample- page4.jpg”, Feb 12, 2012
Effective cv writing

More Related Content

Effective cv writing

  • 1. Effective CV Writing Bibaswan Ghoshal Teaching Assistant, ALES 204 Graduate Student Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Sciences University of Alberta 1
  • 2. Image on left: CV, URL:” http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR8NEuWoLjHYrd2hrmoZocuIVUNiWRfh50QotiOBp1Kf9LyPKmeFQ”, Feb 12, 2012 2 Image on right: Business man and woman, URL:” http://snobtopia.com/files/2011/11/business-man-and-woman.jpeg”, Feb 12, 2012
  • 4. Curriculum Vitae Curriculum Vitae (CV) means "course of life" in Latin A CV is a written description of your work experience, educational background and skills A CV is a typically a "living document" which will reflect the developments in a professional's career 4
  • 5. Purposes of a CV  Marketing tool: First impression is the one which lasts  Request for an interview: We are always looking for jobs  Your “big picture”: A detailed snapshot of your professional and academic life 5
  • 6. CV Formats  Chronological  Functional  Chrono-functional /Combinational/Combined 6
  • 7. Chronological  Reverse chronological order  Widely used for corporate sector  Mainly used by individuals with  Solid work history  Few or no gaps between jobs 7 Chronological CV, URL:"http://img.docstoccdn.com/thumb/orig/22708087.png", Feb 12, 2012
  • 8. Functional CV  Focuses on the skill set of an individual  Mainly used by individuals  with significant gaps in employment  a mixed employment background  very short work history 8 Functional CV, URL:"http://img.docstoccdn.com/thumb/orig/44419483.png", Feb 12, 2012
  • 9. Chrono-Functional CV  Specific work experience  Specific skills and talents  Used mainly by individuals  Freshly graduated from school  With uninterrupted work history  Applying for specific jobs 9 Combined Resume, URL:"http://www.resume-resource.com/Examples/functional-resume-sample.gif", Feb 12, 2012
  • 10. Functional Types  Academic  Used for academic applications (graduate student applications, scholarship applications)  Usually more detailed  Focuses mainly on academic achievements,  Relevant projects and courses mentioned  Corporate  Used for getting jobs  Specific to the needs of the employer  Focuses mainly on work experience and relevant academic affiliations 10
  • 11. CV Format  Header  Objective  Education  Honors/Activities  Work Experience  Research Experience/Projects 11
  • 12. Header Section  Name  Must be the first line of resume  Bold  Larger than the largest font used in body  Address  Current address preferable  Email Address  Use professional email addresses preferably with name  Phone number  Preferably use both home and cell phone numbers 12
  • 13. Name Address Phone Number Email Address 13 Image Source: Personal
  • 14. Objective Section  Optional but highly recommended  Statement must be clear, concise and to the point  Bad: “I want to get a job”  Weak: “To attain an internship in livestock industry.”  Good: “To attain an internship in the livestock industry with detailed insight into genomics and bioinformatics.”  Avoid being over specific  Target the company’s perspective 14
  • 15. Education Section  Educational qualifications from highest to lowest  Do not use high school details once you have graduated  Must include years in school 15 Image Source: Personal
  • 16. Work Experience Section  Experience should be listed in reverse chronological order  POSITION TITLE, ORGANIZATION NAME, CITY, STATE/PROVINCE, DATES EMPLOYED (Include months unless this shows big gaps of unemployment )  Describes specific roles in bullets 16 Image Source: Personal
  • 17. Research Experience Section  Focus on relevant research experience  Must include graduate level research  In reverse chronological order 17 Image Source: Personal
  • 18. Honors/Activities Section  This section should scream “I am a leader”  Must contain all academic and professional awards  May include extra-curricular awards  Include a brief description if not self-evident from title  Don’t include hobbies or activities not related to the job or your story  Good to include leadership positions 18
  • 19. References  One of the most crucial things  Follow the requirement  If not mentioned, then “On Request/demand”  Ask referees beforehand  Use the best ones 19
  • 20. Additional Sections  Professional Certificates/Licenses  Specialized Experience  Publications/Theses  Additional Training/Assistantships  Membership/Affiliations  Volunteer Experience/Community Service  Language or Computer Skills  Continuing Education 20
  • 21. Types of CV Scannable Electronic Email Resume Paper HTML 21
  • 22. Electronic CVs  Scannable  Best to use black color fonts  Use proper font type (do not try anything fancy)  Many companies scan paper resumes into their database  Email Attachment  Currently the most widely used delivery method  PDF most widely used format  Easily convert your Microsoft Word CV to PDF using various online resources (www.pdfonline.com) 22
  • 23. HTML Resume  Ease of access  Shows your creativity  Easily available and free of cost from many service providers like google  Link to different sections of your CV  Very detailed  You can add forms of social media like twitter, facebook pages and personal/professional blogs 23
  • 24. Tips Use Action Words 24 List of Action Words, URL:"http://www.my-easy-resume.com/image-files/action-words.gif", Feb 12, 2012
  • 25. Do’s  Professionalism  One page only (for corporate CVs)  Stick to the truth  Focus on achievements and results  Maintain a consistent writing style  Avoid the use of “I” or “my”  Modify your CV according to requirement 25
  • 26. Do’s  Use easy-to-read language  Get grammar and punctuation correct  Follow the instructions  Proofread  Spell Check  Update your CV regularly 26
  • 27. Don’ts  USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS  Harder to read  Avoid whitespace  Actually avoid using border lines  Include a picture of yourself  It’s not the cover of a fashion magazine  Use extremely professional image when asked by employer  Use several fonts to catch their attention  Creates a “ransom effect”  Use Times New Roman or Arial  Focus on you and your needs  Employers are not interested on who you are but what you can do 27
  • 28. Don’ts  Use templates to construct your resume  Don’t use fancy ones  You have got other ways to show your creativity  Use superlatives to emphasis your work  Informative and stick to the basic facts  Use long flowing sentences  Short, concise and to the point  Print your resume on “day glow” paper  It is not going to an art workshop  Illogical Order Use  Use relevant information at the beginning 28
  • 29. Bad Resume Examples, URL:"http://img.docstoccdn.com/thumb/orig/22467385.png”, Feb 12, 2012
  • 30. Bad Resume Example, URL:" http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ViJKBVHeG3U/SMau560W8BI/AAAAAAAAFns/BC-Hb9gPB8M/s400/bad-resume-sample- page4.jpg”, Feb 12, 2012