CV Writing Tips
Step One: Focus. Decide what type of job you are applying for and then write it. You should name the position you want.
Step Two: Education. List any education or training you have got. If you are a recent college or university graduate and have little experience, then your education section should be placed at the top of your CV. Show your secondary school education and activities on a CV if you are under 20 and have no education or training beyond secondary school. Continuing education shows that you care about life-long learning and self-development, so think about any relevant training since your formal education was completed.
Step Three: Your Jobs. Starting with your present position, list the title of every job you have held along with the name of the company, the city / town, and the years you worked there.
Step Four: Job Descriptions. Under each job, make a list of your duties. Never use personal pronouns (I, my, me). Instead of saying, “I planned, organised, and directed...” you should say, “Planned, organised, and directed…”. It is important to use nouns or short phrases that describe your experience and education like: C++, UNIX, network, project management, etc, well-known company names and universities.
Step Five: Relevant Qualifications. At the bottom of your CV, think about anything else that might qualify you for your job objective. This includes licenses, certificates, and sometimes even interests and hobbies if they are truly relevant. For instance, stating in your CV that you play tennis or are a gymnast would be appropriate if you want a job in sports marketing.
Step Six: Profile. Last but not least, write four or five sentences that give an overview of your qualifications. This profile, or qualifications summary, should be placed at the beginning of your CV. You can include some of your personal qualities or special skills. Here is a sample profile section for a computer systems technician: – Experienced systems / network technician with significant communications and technical control experience; – Focused and hard working; – Effective team player with outstanding communication and interpersonal skills.
Exercise 3. Look at another CV. Match the tips of CV writing from Exercise 2 to the elements of the CV below.
Exercise 4. Write your own CV, following the tips given in Exercise 2 and the CV examples in Exercises 1 and 3. Exercise 5. Here is a letter of application for a job. Read it carefully paying attention to the conventions of the formal letter style: How do you begin the letter? How do you end the letter? Where do you put your name? Are there any contractions? What have you noticed about the punctuation?
Exercise 6. Write a letter of application for a job: You see the following advertisement and decide to apply.
Follow these instructions when you write your letter of application.
1. Write in a formal style. Avoid informal language. 2. Cover the three qualities they ask for (good with children, sports, personality), explaining clearly why you think you have these qualities. Use your imagination here. Don’t be afraid to exaggerate a little. 3. Use some of the phrases from the letter in Exercise 5. 4. Be sure to tell them something about your present situation and when you could begin working. 5. Arrange your letter in clear paragraphs. 6. Don’t write more than 180 words.
Exercise 7. Besides the letter of application for a job, there exist several other types of formal letter. Look at the following extracts from the letters and match them with the types of the formal letter in the box (there are some extra ones).
a) Under the circumstances, I feel justified in asking for a refund. I would therefore be grateful if you could refund me the extra ₤ 14 I had to spend on the tickets and the ₤ 10 charge for parking. I am enclosing the receipts for these. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully,
D D Jones
b) I am interested in renting the farmhouse for the last two weeks of July for myself, my wife and two children aged 7 and 9. Could you let me know whether it would be free then, how much it would cost and what the price includes?
c) From Monday 8 May English classes will be held in the Training Centre (room 3.17). There will be two groups: intermediate level (8.30 – 10.00) and advanced level (10.30 – 12.00). please encourage your staff to attend one of the sessions. All teaching materials will be provided but students will be expected to do homework and preparations outside working hours.
d) The most suitable of our products for your requirement is the Artemis 66A Plus. This product combines economy, quick charging time and is now in stock. I enclose a detailed quotation, specifications and delivery terms.
e) Dear Ms Prior, Thank you for coming for interview on April 13. We have considered your application carefully, but regret that we are unable to offer you the post.
f) Dear Mr Reynard, As you know, we have bought several machines from your company and been quite satisfied with their performance. We have even recommended Fox machines to other companies. Recently, however, the standard of your after-sales service has gone much worse.
g) Secondly, I have a number of queries regarding your daily timetable of fitness classes. Does it include other kinds of fitness classes besides aerobics, aqua aerobics, yoga and kick boxing? And finally, I would like to know more details about prices. I would be grateful if you could send me a booklet or if you could contact me at (777) 777-7777. I look forward to hearing from you.
h) Thank you for all the help you have given me with my job search. I especially appreciate the information and advice you have provided, and the contacts you have shared with me. Your assistance has been invaluable to me during this process.
i) Dear Mr Rook, It was with great pleasure that I heard of your promotion to District Sales Manager. You are inheriting a great team, and I am sure that your ability to motivate will make them even more effective. Congratulations, and good luck in your new position.
j) It was not my intention to cause any damage or inconvenience. In retrospect, I believe the situation resulted from mere misunderstanding. While this is by no means an excuse for what happened, knowing the cause will help me guard against future mistakes.
k) I am really sorry to hear about what happened. I know how hard you worked and how much the position meant to you. But I know you will pick yourself up and find a job in no time!
l) I heard that you just closed on the Mansion on Fifth Street that has been on the market for three years. Well done! I know you spent a lot of time with the sellers, working with them to make the property more appealing. Your patience and persistence has finally paid off. I am so happy for you!
m) Welcome to The Ohio State University. We are thrilled that you have joined one of the best universities in the country! As a new member of the Buckeye community you are now part of an outstanding institution rich in tradition and values. You are poised for a bright and exciting future.
n) I am pleased to offer you the position of Chief Engineer at the London Port. The offered position is full-time beginning on the 1st of May this year, at a salary of ₤ 30,000. You will be paid monthly.
o) The Executive Board and I would like to invite you to attend our Spring 2013 induction of this past year’s academically outstanding students. We are proud of our chapter’s successes and efforts to recognize and promote academic excellence at Fresno State. Our induction has become a major forum on campus for the recognition of academic achievement.
Exercise 8. Study theformal letter writing conventions once again and put the following parts of the formal letter in the correct order. Which type of formal letter do you think it belongs to?
Exercise 9. Here isan envelope. Study it carefully and match the information under numbers with its meaning.
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