Get that job

1
Get that job

• How to write an effective CV and covering letter
  in English
• Tomas Davidson
• Lennart Jackleus

2
Preparation

• Application form or CV?
• Collect as much information as you can about the
  company and the work they do.
• Make a list of the recruiters main needs.
• Do you have the right skills, qualities?
• Does this job feel right for you?
• Be positive chose positive/action words where
  possible.
• Answering an ad? Speculative approach?
• Creating a good CV and covering letter takes time.

3
CV strategy for jobhunting

• DO
• make an inventory of your skills/experience
• make an inventory of the skills/experience
  required for the job
• reflect over where your strong points lie in this
  case your education or experience? a
  combination?
• think about the possible advantages you as an
  applicant from another country could bring to an
  employer.

4
CV strategy for jobhunting

• DO
• think about whether there are any difficulties
  you may face as an applicant from another country
  
• Keep the tone of your application positive
• e.g. Due to a cycle accident I had to break off
  my studies but managed to successfully complete
  the course the following term..
• DONT
• be tempted to translate your academic
  qualifications into the Swedish equivalent
  without checking.

5
CV HEADINGS

• A CV SHOULD INCLUDE
• PERSONAL DETAILS
• EDUCATION
• WORK EXPERIENCE
• A CV WOULD USUALLY INCLUDE
• SKILLS
• INTERESTS
• REFERENCES
• OPTIONAL
• CAREER OBJECTIVE OR CAREER PROFILE

6
Personal details should include

• Name and address,
• Date of birth 22(nd) November 1976 (Swedish
  ID-number)
• Nationality (No work permit necessary for EU/EEA
  and Swiss citizens)
• Phone numbers work, home, summer cottage?
  (Dont forget the country code e.g. int 46 18 35
  4621)
• E-mail address

7
Personal detailscontinued

• MALE/FEMALE Important if your sex isnt obvious
  from your name otherwise not necessary
• MARITAL STATUS Not necessary
• PHOTO Not common in Sweden

8
Education

• MOST RECENT FIRST
• WHERE?
• WHEN?
• WHAT LEVEL?
• QUALIFICATIONS GAINED
• Further structure necessary? e.g.
• Other courses
• Relevant courses/work experience
• INDICATE THE DURATION OF ANY EXTRA
  COURSES/TRAINING

9
Education (continued)

• If your degree subjects are important for the job
  you are applying for, give them space and
  highlight the most relevant parts.
• If you have gained a PhD you may wish to attach a
  separate paper giving an outline of your thesis.

10
Work experience

• USUALLY MOST RECENT JOBS FIRST (usually you
  should watch the gaps).
• NAMES OF EMPLOYERS, JOB TITLES, DUTIES
• LITTLE RELEVANT EXPERIENCE?
• Make the most of what you have.

11
Work experience (Continued)

• Lacking work experience?
• VALUABLE SKILLS GAINED IN OTHER WAYS?
• compulsory military service
• Summer jobs, voluntary work etc
• TRANSFERABLE SKILLS are valuable!!!!!
• Like teamwork, dealing with the public, meeting
  deadlines, working successfully on a limited
  budget.

12
Work experience (Continued)

• Making the most of what you have..
• SALES ASSISTANT, ABC Supermarket, Linköping
• Working weekends and many evenings at the ACI
  supermarket taught me how to balance paid work
  and study discipline. I also learned the
  importance of good customer relations and how to
  manage stressful situations and still ensure that
  customers receive friendly service.
• A different layout which presents the same facts
• SALES ASSISTANT, ABC supermarket, Linköping
• Skills gained
• Learning how a business works
• Working as part of team
• Flexibility
• Coping with stressful situations but still giving
  customers friendly service
• Able to set priorities

13
Skills you could mention

• Language skills gained through e.g.
• periods spent abroad
• evening classes
• Computing skills
• software packages
• programmering languages
• operating systems
• Driving licence
• Full, clean driving licence

14
Interests and activities

• Sports Drama Societies and clubs
• Music Positions of responsibility
• Balance in relationship to rest of CV
• Be selective if you have many activities
• Relate to the kind of job you are seeking

15
Interests/Activities

• Example
• Interests/activities
• Member of student union mixed choir responsible
  for performance bookings.Skills gained
• Ability to organize
• Ability to negotiate
• Ability to enthuse others
• Round-the-world travel April-September
  2006Skills gained
• coping with emergencies
• planning, organizing
• adapting to foreign cultures
• improving language skills

16
References

• Will be provided on request common
• Otherwise - usually two referees e.g. most recent
  employer, lecturer
• Name, address, telephone number, job title or
  some indication of how they know you
• Important that they are recent references and
  that your referees are aware they may be
  contacted

17
COVERING LETTER - basic features

• Your address
• 
  1(st) March 2008
• Ericsson AB
• Human Resources
• Address
• Dear Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Nilson
• Marketing assistant vacancy ref nr 47699/2 (A
  heading can be useful)
• Main text xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Yours sincerely
• Yours faithfully if name not known
• Your signature with your name printed for clarity

18
COVERING LETTER

• WHAT TO INCLUDE
• The purpose of the letter
• Who you are
• Making your case
• Any relevant practical information
• Rounding off your letter of application

19
COVERING LETTER

• Making your case/persuading .e.g.
• Why the employer should be interested in you
• Your selling points
• Relevant work experience
• Relevant interests and skills
• Relevant education/training

20
DESCRIBING YOURSELFpositive/ active words..

• Adaptable Capable Competent
• Determined Efficient Enthusiastic
• Methodical Positive Productive
• Proficient Reliable Resourceful
• Responsible Trained

21
Rounding off your letter of application

• What you want them to do for you ...e.g.
• Advertised job offer you an interview e.g.
• I would welcome the opportunity to provide more
  information and am available for an interview at
  any time convenient to you.
• Speculative application keeping the initiative
  and taking the contact a stage further e.g.
• I hope that you can give me a few minutes of your
  time when I call next week.

22
HINTS FOR SUCCESS

• Keep your CV and letter simple, positive,
  relevant.
• Emphasize what you bring to the company, not what
  you hope the company will do for you.

23
HINTS FOR SUCCESS (continued)

• Neat presentation
• Proofread - No unexplained gaps
• Paper application?
• Use paperclips not staples.
• Good quality plain white paper/envelope.
• Max 2xA4 for CV.
• Dont fold, use full A4.
• Sending by e-mail? Dont overload with graphics.
• Many companies want you to fill out application
  forms only available on their websites, e.g IKEA.

24
INTERVIEW

• The recruitment process can be short
• Getting there on time
• Dress to impress
• Usually only one interview
• Tests?
• Trade Unions usually involved
• Last but not least BE PREPARED!

25
AT WORK

• Written contract
• Trial period
• Hierarchy?
• Opportunities
• Trade Unions
• Adapting to a new culture

26
Writing a CV - Some useful websites

• www.ams.se
• Söka jobb, utomlands, factsheets and jobs etc.
• www.europa.eu.int/eures
• European Job Mobility Portal, jobs in EEA
  countries, Eures CV- search,living and working
  conditions etc.
• http//europass.cedefop.eu.int Europass CV
• www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
• Employment Service in UK, national vacancy
  database around 500 000 jobs, advice in writíng a
  CV.
• www.worktrain.gov.uk
• Good careers descriptions, salaries, links to
  national database above
• www.graduatecareers.hobsons.co.uk Very good info
  for academics
• www.prospects.ac.uk Very good info for academics
• www.alec.co.uk tips on writing your CV / resume,
  finding a job, handling interviews
• www.careerlab.com about CV in USA
• www.provenresumes.com about CV in USA
• www.skolverket.se translations for education at
  Upper Secondary level
• http//utbildning.regeringen.se sökord ordbok
• academic degrees and titles in English etc