Words: 606
WRITING UK CV AND COVERING LETTERS CV Purpose: Applying jobs Marketing yourself Career history list Demonstrating experience Selling your skills, qualities and achievement Getting interview Types: Chronological Skill based One-page for part time jobs Academic General guideline: Visual impact: Black and white (don’t make your CV colourful unless you are looking for a job in creative industries) Consistent and clear layout: ? ? ? ? Same font Order of sections Don’t split sections across pages Make your CV layout individual
Powerful headings, using bold or italics to emphasising your bullet points Put most recent and relative experience first If post please use good quality pages Content: ? Components of a CV: Personal details: including name, address, contract, email and gender and ASKING FOR TIER 4 (WORKING PERMISSION VISA) Profile: a summary statement of your CV, including who you are and what you looking for, please make it short. Education: generally put it first, including your qualifications, modulus relative to your jobs, Alevel grade or ???? GCES grades or equivalent. Relevant work experience: put it in the first page. Skill profile: identify your skills relative to the job and give evidence or examples like: Student Union jobs, course representative, working or volunteering, project and your course, travel experience or your interests. Interests: make sure it is relative to your job Reference: you can put “Available on request” and give your referees’ detail in the interview. ? Tips of writing a CV: Using action words like relevant, achievement and responsibility Appropriate language: ? ? Writing in British style English and spelling (not American) Make your language professional Checking your grammar and spelling Using structures to enhance your “highlights” Avoiding time gaps in personal history Do not copy a model. TARGET IT TOWARD THE JOBS YOU ARE LOOKING FOR! COVERING LETTERS Purpose: It is important to your application Personalises your approach to employers Motivate employers to want to know more about you Demonstrate you have thought about your application Introduces your CV
Speculative Covering Letters include: Research the organisations’ activities and aims Indicating how employers can help you (what you are looking for) Job description (you are clear about the job) What you can offer to employers General guideline: Layout: Your Address Company Address Date Dear Sir and Madam: Opening paragraph Middle Paragraphs (1 to 2) Closing paragraph Your faithfully Your Name Content: Opening paragraph: ? ? ? Who you are What position you apply for Where you saw the advertising of this position Middle paragraphs: ? ? ? Why you are suitable for the job?
Why does the job interest you and how it helps your future career (it shows you are a person who think long-term) Why you are interested in the organisation/company (it shows your knowledge about the company) NOTICE: Don’t only use the online information of the company/organisation, the best way to do research is: going to the presentation or going to skill sessions or asking help from Career Centre. Closing paragraph: ? ? Restate your interest to the job Convey your motivation and enthusiasm Tips of writing a covering letter: Focus on your main points Avoiding negative views Using action verbs Using clear and professional language and voiding using “I” or “I am” to many times Showing “enthusiasm” rather than “self-importance” Making your covering letter specific: ? ? ? Clear reasons for wanting the job Interest in the company DON’T make your covering letter looks like so general that can be sent to any company for any jobs! Selling your international traits: ? ? ? You are bilinguals, how it benefits your job? Do you have any commercial experience from your hometown relative to the business? Highlight your adaptability, international travel and communication and your can learn fast in a new environment.