Improving your CVs and Applications

Lucy Hawkins, Careers Adviser

My commercial awareness has been honed by many years watching The Apprentice...

I feel that my 5m swimming badge truly shows my exceptional results-orientation...

I brign a high attention to detailWholly responsible for two projects (now defunct)

Through reading your website, I feel I have the knowledge to be able to succeed in this role from day one...

I expect to take on a management role (with a pay rise) in around a year.

Although I was in a team with difficult and unpleasant colleagues...Although I’ve not ever lasted long in any role, that’s not been my fault...I feel that working for you will help me move on to better things quickly

I am comfortable working long, stressful, tedious hours

Your company seems to be successful“ ”I would relish the chance to enjoy and experience the wealth of experience that one can relish at {insert company name}

Objectives

Today we’ll cover:

• How employers assess your applications• Top tips for Application Forms• Top tips for CVs• How to get further support

Before you apply

THINK:Do you want this?What’s your evidence?Could you do this well?

RESEARCH:What would it be like?Go beyond the adWhere might it lead?

Employer websites, Career Briefing resources, Prospects, www.careers.ox.ac.uk, talk to alumni on Oxford Careers Network

Q: How many applications can you make?

A:Time you have available

÷Time it takes to research, tailor and check one

quality application

What are they looking for?

• Your knowledge and motivation• Education and qualifications• Your relevant experience• Your personal qualities• Competencies you bring

Matching their...Person specificationJob descriptionOrganisational values

Application

Self selection

How applications work

Next round!

Maybe

RejectionDoesn’t meet basic criteria, errors, format

Application Form and/or CV and/or Cover Letter

Quick initial assessment

How applications work

Criteria YOU OTHER OTHER OTHER

2.1 or further academic success Results orientated Leadership potential Team work Problem solving Business awareness Adaptability Initiative Planning and organisation skills Data analysis skills Precision and accuracy

Polishing your application forms:

4 top tips

1 Be a competency star

Skills, knowledge and behaviours required in

employees

2.1 or further academic success

Results orientated

Leadership potential

Team work

Problem solving

Business awareness

Adaptability

Initiative

Planning and organisation skills

Data analysis skills

Precision and accuracy

What is a competency?

How are competencies measured?

• Use range of experience• Summarise the context concisely• Answer the precise question given• Show actions which translate to the workplace• Refer to what ‘I’ did, not just what ‘we’• Include the (positive) result• Use a structure (e.g. STAR...)

“ ”Please describe a time when … Please give an example of where …

STAR

S situation T target/task A action R result

Competency question practice

Situation

Task

Action

Result

“ ”Describe a time when you had to solve a problem creatively.

When working as the social secretary for the college rowing team,

I was tasked with increasing revenue from sponsors to address financial priorities.

The ------- attracted four new sponsors, leading to a 40% increase in revenue.

I began by researching practices used by other teams, and decided that ...I generated ideas which were new variants ...

1

Competency question practice

Situation

Task

Action

Result

When working as the social secretary for the college rowing team,

I was tasked with increasing revenue from sponsors to address financial priorities.

Planned Strategised Researched

The ------- attracted four new sponsors, leading to a 40% increase in revenue.

InnovatedCommunicated Analysed risk

Assessed ideasMade decisions Maintained focus

“ ”Describe a time when you had to solve a problem creatively.

Competency question practice

Situation

Task

Action

Result

Describe a time when you had to adapt to work successfully with a new team of people.

“ ”

2 Give punchy details

Please give brief details about this experience…“ ”

• Keep to the rubric• Select points in support of selection criteria• Avoid jargons/acronyms unfamiliar to readers• Begin points with what the reader’s looking for• Focus on achievements, skills developed,

responsibilities taken• Past tense

Please give brief details about this experience…“ ”2 Details of experience

3 Analyse tricky questions

Why do they ask the question?

What has been your greatest achievement?What do you feel you might struggle with?“ ”

They can be looking for:• Self-awareness• Where you might fit/progress to• Considering training and team

development• Demonstration of key values• How you improve/progress• What motivates you• If you can reflect and evaluate

independently• Further evidence against selection criteria

2.1 or further academic success

Results orientated

Leadership potential

Team work

Problem solving

Business awareness

Adaptability

Initiative

Planning and organisation skills

Data analysis skills

Precision and accuracy

What has been your greatest achievement?What do you feel you might struggle with?“ ”

3 Tricky questions

4 Connect your motivation

• Avoid waffle – evidence your enthusiasm• Show your wider research for this particular role• Link you and them in sentences – mutual benefit• Don’t presume they’ve read the rest• Opportunity to address any ‘they don’t look like

a...’ assumptions

Why did you decide to apply for this role?Please explain your reasons for your choice of preferred department?“ ”

Four key areas

1. Competency questionsTell us about a time when...

2. Details of experience pointsPrevious experience, extra-curricular activities...

3. Tricky questionsGreatest achievement, greatest weakness...

4. Motivational questions / supporting statementsWhy do you want this...

4

Improving your CVs:

5 top tips

1 Tailor every time

Selection criteria guide your tailoringAlso use:• Job description• Organisational values

Remove or re-order/de-emphasis things that don’t fit these

2 Show your actions

Skills you developed Gained deeper understanding of...Developed my communication skills through...

Responsibilities you took onEnsured that...Represented the group at...

Achievements and results:Exceeded my target, in raising...Initiated new projects in...

3 Be specific

Numbers add real power to a CVSubmitting eight 3,000 word essays each term

Accurate descriptions show your skillsPart of a team – did you make the tea?Enjoy tennis – do you play?!

Size, scale, scope – sets a credible sceneAchieved weekly target (£150) in only two daysArranged attendance of three senior academics, coordinating complex and changing diaries

4 Know your material

Check that in an interview you can:Summarise each roleExplain the thinking behind each choiceDemonstrate all cited skillsConfirm all detailsNarrate your experience to show how it’s led you

to this application

5 Presentation

Check:Tenses – past for anything... in the pastGrammar – avoid full sentences beginning with I‘Scanability’ – the 10 second testProofreading – find a native speakerLinks – do they work?Headings – use those that work for youformat– will it print ok? PDF/Word?

Last tips

• Appropriate email address, checked regularly• Use professional out of office settings• Check file format (word? PDF?)• Proof read, proof read, proof read!• Use free style guides for spelling /grammar• Double check your web footprint

The Careers Service

M, Tu, W, Fr9:00 – 5:00Thursdays

10:00 – 7:00

56 Banbury Road

• Careers advice appointments• CV reviews• Mock interviews• Skills workshops• Sector-specific talks• Employer events• Resources and handouts

What do we do?

www.careers.ox.ac.uk

• 1,500+ Vacancies• 2,300+ Mentors• 100s of Events• Bookings• Subscriptions• Your profile and CV

Careers Advice

Free, impartial, confidential, year-round

Drop in15 min

M, Tu, W, Fr10:30 – 4:30

Thursdays12:30 – 4:30, 5-7

Booked20 min

Released 1 week in advance

CVs and Applications Q&A

Do I have to visit the careers service?

Should you send a covering letter too?

I’ve finished! It’s 3am!Should I click ‘send’?!

www.careers.ox.ac.uk01865 274646

reception@careers.ox.ac.uk