CVs, Covering Letters and Applications

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CVs, Covering Letters and Applications

• November 2007
• David.j.mackay_at_strath.ac.uk
• Room 504.D
• 0141 548 2834

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Purpose and Objectives

• Purpose To describe how to make an application
  or write a cv and covering letter which will get
  you an interview
• Objectives
• Describe the principles of making an application
• Describe how to write an effective and efficient
  application
• Provide a template for writing a cv which
  employers will love
• Standards
• Open, honest communication feel free to voice
  disproval at any given stage
• Questions at any time

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Where do you start?
Career Planning
CV Cover Letter
Ideal Job or placement
Interview Preparation
Effectively Answer Three (and a half) Key
Questions
What do you want to do? What kind of person are
you? What have you done and why did you do it?

• What do you want to do?
• What kind of person are you?
• What have you done and why did you do it?

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Terminology For Starters

• Covering Letter - A letter of introduction
  attached to, or accompanying another document
  such as a résumé or curriculum vitae.
• C.V. Curriculum vitae (Latin for "course of
  life"), also known as a Résumé a summary of
  academic and professional history and
  achievements
• Application A communication with an
  organisation indicating your interest in general
  or with regards to a specific position of
  employment.

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Our Aim Today
is to hit the sweet spot!
X
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Disclaimer time

• Sorry if this is stating the obvious but-
• We are now going to discuss various elements of
  how to prepare an application
• This is based on my experience as to what works
  and what doesnt
• There are hundreds of guides available on the
  internet as to how to go about this task
• IT IS YOUR CHOICE HOW YOU DO YOUR APPLICATION
  THIS IS JUST MY ADVICE!

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CV questions
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Good CV/Covering Letter

• No waffle all relevant data
• Offers substantiation (very often quantitative)
  and explanations of claims
• Gives the reviewer all they need at a scan read
• Acts as a script for interview
• Should get you an interview for jobs where you
  meet the specification requirements

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The primary aims of a C.V.

• Address the needs and expectations of the hiring
  organisation
• To present information about you as a candidate
  for employment
• To demonstrate your suitability for the post for
  which you have applied
• To gain you an interview

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Secondary Aims of a CV

• To create a strong pre-interview impression with
  your employers above and beyond the minimum
  threshold for gaining an interview
• To act as a script for the interview a
  logically presented comprehensive c.v. will very
  often form the basis of the interview structure

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How do you read a newspaper article?

• People read a newspaper article-
• From top to bottom
• With decreasing interest
• Paying attention to bold / italicised text or
  terms of interest
• As a consequence, newspaper articles-
• Use headlines to set initial impressions
  summaries
• Put important details first
• Are frequently end-edited articles come to an
  abrupt halt

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How does an employer read your cv?

• People read C.V. s-
• From top to bottom, back to front
• With decreasing interest
• Paying attention to bold / italicised text or
  terms of interest
• Furthermore, your cv is likely to be reviewed in
  a session with tens or even hundreds of other
  applications
• How long does your cv have to make the right
  impression?

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Describe this car

• Some things are a matter of fact others are a
  matter of opinion. Opinion becomes argument when
  it is backed up by facts

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Two Main C.V. Types

• Event Based Historical C.V.
• Chronologically ordered
• activities and achievements
• Highly factual content minimal argument
• As easy as possible for the reader to find data
• Appropriate for candidates with minimal
  experience

• (2) Skills Based C.V.
• Candidate nominates and justifies skills clusters
• High level of argument much candidate opinion
• Easy to locate topics hard to understand
  progression
• Effective when done well but very hard to do so,
  particularly with minimal experience

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Event Based C.V. Structure

• Target is to achieve primary objectives
• Newspaper principle, need to get the headlines
  and opening statements right
• Depending on where your strengths lie or the
  specific requirements for the role, switch the
  employment details for the project history
• This is the optimal structure for giving the
  employer the details they need

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Lacking confidence?

• You may have no work history or feel intimidated
  by the apparently awesome experiences of your
  peers
• Clever use of structure can help overcome this
  you cant magic up experience but you can present
  your activities to date in the best possible
  light
• Some posts will simply not be for you on a
  technical experience basis but these will be in
  minority.
• You need to focus on selling your approach to
  tasks this can be demonstrated from activities
  in study, work or extra-curricular activities
• REMEMBER -you are students companies are not
  looking for the finished article!

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Event Based C.V. Format

• Tempting to be different your choice
• Considering the position of the employer
• Substance over style
• Fancy formatting can distract from your content
• Easier to scan a minimalist, standard format
• System set-ups
• Different machines might not be able to cope with
  creative formatting you dont want your c.v. to
  appear a jumbled mess on your potential
  employers screen.
• Matter of taste
• Very few people argue with a standard format at
  worst create an image of professionalism
• Creating a specialist format might strike a chord
  with the employer but equally it might put them
  off

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Recommended Format

• If you want to play the percentages, then this is
  the format for you-
• Use a standard font Times New Roman or Arial
  for example
• Use a body text size of between 10 and 12 points
• Consistently align throughout e.g. left aligned
  or block justified but not mixed
• Use black and white colouring
• Dont cramp your document white space is used
  to make it readable.
• Avoid big blocks of text bullet points or
  tables for readability or highlighting key points
• Urban myth alert - DO NOT WORRY ABOUT 2 PAGES!!
  Focus on the quality, not quantity of your text

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C.V. Writing Style and Content

• As important as structure and format
• Need to sell yourself
• Need to be professional and convincing
• Need to be specific and unambiguous
• Need to be brief

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Style and Content - Example

• Imagine that you are an employer for an
  engineering design consultancy looking for a
  technical graduate
• Your job specification asks for a project example
  which shows the students capability in design
  improvement project methodology. You also ask for
  someone with Finite Element Analysis experience.
• You receive 80 c.v.s for the position and are
  meeting your boss to discuss the applications in
  2 hours time. You need to shortlist candidates,
  which of the following cvs do you choose.

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Example 1

• My fourth year project involved me redesigning
  motorcycle brake callipers. This project came
  about because I am really interested in
  motorbikes and I have always really wanted to
  study and redesign them. The project involved me
  understanding a complex problem with existing
  brake callipers principally where cracks could
  arise when the devices heat up during operation.
  I then figured out a few ways to improve the
  situation, selected one and drew it up. I wrote
  up the report and gave it on to an outside
  company who seemed quite interested. I really
  enjoyed the project.

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Example 2

• 4th Year Individual Project September 06 May 07
• Redesign Motorcycle Brake Calipers
• Objective
• Redesign of Model X brake callipers to eliminate
  potential weaknesses caused by thermal stress
• Key Tasks
• Thermal Analysis using NASTRAN of existing
  products
• Application of Design for Six Sigma Methodology
  to generate improved product concepts and narrow
  to optimal solution
• Detailed design and assembly drawings prepared in
  Pro-Engineer
• Commercial feasibility of final design
  investigated
• Outcome
• Project successfully completed on time, receiving
  a first class pass mark of 76
• Concept drawings and report submitted to Federal
  Mogul corporation for consideration for
  commercialisation

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Personal Statement

• When done well, it augments a cv and can give a
  personal dimension to a highly factual document
• Should contain argument i.e. clearly link to
  examples in the cv
• If done badly, can irritate the cv reviewer
• If done badly, can cost you an interview
• It is easier to do it badly than it is to do it
  well!
• Safer to put the personal statement later in your
  document (again, the newspaper principle)

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Portfolios

• Keeping a portfolio is a useful record of your
  work but has to be used sparingly in the
  application process
• For the majority of applications, a portfolio
  will be an unnecessary and distracting addition
  to your case when stuck on the end of your c.v.
• However, a tasteful and professionally formatted
  portfolio can really augment a design application
• Furthermore, a couple of images in your c.v. can
  make a useful impact when demonstrating project
  work
• A good portfolio will not get you an interview if
  your cv is lacking in technical content and detail

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Portfolio Example
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CV Summary

• A c.v. is a tool to primarily -
• present information about you as a candidate
• demonstrate your suitability for the post
• gain you an interview
• A c.v. can also create a strong favourable
  pre-interview impression with your employers and
  act as a script for the interview
• Structuring your c.v. based on achievements and
  events should provide all the information an
  employer is looking for
• Applying standard, minimalist formatting make
  your cv as readable as possible
• The wording of your c.v. and the manner in which
  you present information is critical to
• At the end of the day, the c.v. is your document.
  However, by considering what employers are
  looking for, you can prepare it in a manner which
  secures you interviews!

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Covering Letters

• The Robin to the Batman of the C.V. it needs to
  complement not replace or duplicate content of
  the main document
• The same principles apply to the covering letter
  as apply to the cv regarding-
• How employers read it
• The structure
• The format
• The content
• When writing the covering letter, try and avoid a
  heartfelt plea . Instead focus on giving the
  employer what they need to know

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Covering Letter Format
Your address Date of letter
Dear Mr/Ms
Re Application by John Smith for position X
I wish to be considered for .

• Summary of Interest

• Summary of Suitability

• Statement of future action

Yours Faithfully, (signed) John Smith
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Covering Letter Style and Content

• Dear Mr Taylor,
• Re Application by John Smith for position X105,
  graduate engineering designer
• I wish to be considered for the position X105,
  graduate engineering designer, as advertised on
  S1jobs.com.
• I believe that I am suitable for the position for
  a number of reasons
• B.Eng (hons) in Product Design Engineering I
  expect to graduate with a 21 in July 08
• Highly relevant work experience two summer
  placements completed with Fraser Nash
• 1st class pass expected for individual
  engineering design thesis
• I learned of your organisation through the
  careers service at the University of Strathclyde
  and following a period of individual research, I
  believe that YZ corporation can offer me the
  opportunities and career path which align with my
  long term aspirations.
• I would welcome the opportunity to further
  demonstrate my suitability for the post at
  interview and I look forward to hearing from you
  in due course.
• Yours Faithfully,

USE BOLD WISELY
BE CONCISE AND PRECISE
BULLET POINTS TO CREATE HEADLINES
SHOW HOW IT WORKS FOR BOTH OF YOU
FINISH WITH A STATEMENT OF ACTION
SPELL/GRAMMAR CHECK
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Where to Apply

• Proactive General
• Use on-line databases to identify target
  companies which suit your geography or sectoral
  interest
• E.g. http//www.applegate.co.uk/ engineering
  directory
• E.g. http//www.scottish-enterprise.com/sedotcom_h
  ome/sig/sigs-aerospace/aerospacedirectory/aerospac
  e-directory.htm Scottish aerospace directory
• Draft speculative cover letter with strong
  emphasis on selling your skill
• Proactive Specific
• Identify individual companies of interest
• Call them to understand if there are any
  opportunities ask to meet with them
• Draft specific letter and make sure it goes to a
  named contact
• Follow up with a phone call

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Where to Apply

• Reactive General
• Look at newspapers, journals, websites and e-mail
  groups for opportunities
• Have a useful structured cv and general covering
  letter ready to submit at short notice
• Reactive Specific
• Make a list of companies of interest and every
  week take half an hour to check their websites
  for opportunities
• WHEN OPPORTUNITIES ARISE, COMPLY EXACTLY WITH THE
  SUBMISSION CRITERIA

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Applications

• The majority of companies expect a C.V. and
  covering letter to be submitted as a minimum,
  normally by e-mail
• Larger companies do tend to use on-line
  application systems for both graduate jobs and
  placements
• These companies also tend to outsource at least
  part of the recruitment process and your details
  may be sifted automatically
• When applying for large organisations, be sure to
  read their website first pay attention for-
• Core values, principles, mission, vision etc.
• Lists of competencies/ assessment criteria
• Spending 10 minutes using such information to
  customise your application is likely to increase
  your chances of interview

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Applying for Foreign Placements

• IAESTE is an organisation specifically set up to
  send students abroad for technical work
  experience
• West of Scotland President Scott Hutchison, 5th
  Year DMEM
• Scott.hutchison_at_strath.ac.uk
• IAESTE Presentation

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What Next.

• For both placements and graduate job
  applications-
• Draft or re-draft your c.v. according to the
  guideline
• Prepare a short, standard covering letter
• Submit these documents to me for review and
  critique!
• If you wish, prepare a separate portfolio
  document have a design mentor review it
• Start making applications!
• For placements, complete the preferences form to
  accompany the cv and covering letter.

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Summary

• There is an optimal way of applying for each
  company and position
• Wise use of formatting, style and content will
  significantly enhance your chances of gaining an
  interview
• Write your C.V. and cover letter for the
  employers benefit, not yours
• Be sensible about the use of portfolio material
  less is more
• Mix up a proactive and reactive approach when
  making applications to maximise your chances of
  getting a suitable position