How to Get a Job

Whether you’re looking for your very first job, switching careers, or re-entering the job market after an extended absence, finding a job requires two main tasks: understanding yourself and understanding the job market. Presuming you’ve already chosen a career and are currently searching for jobs, here are several ways to actually get a job.

Part 1 of 4: Build Your Qualifications

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   Revise your resume. Before you start job hunting, make sure that your resume is as complete and up-to-date as possible. Your resume is an important distillation of who you are, where you come from, and what you can offer. Here are a few tips to consider:

   • Be honest. Never lie on your resume; it will come back to haunt you later.
   • Use active verbs. When describing what you did at your last job, make the sentence as tight and active as possible. For instance, instead of saying “Served as patient contact for getting bills and contacting insurance,” say “Liaised with patients and insurance companies, and managed financial transactions.”
   • Proofread. Review your resume several times for grammatical or spelling errors. Even something as simple as a typo could negatively impact your ability to land an interview, so pay close attention to what you’ve left on the page. Have one or two other people look at it as well.
   • Keep the formatting clean. How your resume looks is almost as important as how it reads. Use a simple, classic font (such as Times New Roman, Arial or Bevan), black ink on white paper, and sufficiently wide margins (about 1″ on each side). Use bold or italic lettering sparingly if at all, and ensure your name and contact information are prominently displayed.
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   Develop your personal elevator pitch. Many structured interviews, particularly those at large companies, start with a question like “Tell me about yourself.” The interviewer doesn’t really want you to go back to grade school and talk about your childhood. This is a specific question with a right answer: in two minutes or so, the interviewer wants to get you to relax and loosen out your vocal cords, understand your background, your accomplishments, why you want to work at XYZ company and what your future goals are.

   • Keep it short — between 30 seconds and two minutes — and have the basics of it memorized so that you don’t stammer when you’re asked to describe yourself. You don’t want to sound like robot, either, so get the skeleton of it down, and learn to improvise the rest depending on who you’re talking to. Practice your elevator pitch out loud on someone who can give you feedback.
   • An elevator pitch is also useful for when you’re simply networking, at a cocktail party or with a group of strangers who want to get to know you a little bit more. In a networking situation, as opposed to a job interview, keep the elevator pitch to 30 seconds or less.
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   Make a list of work-related skills you’d like to learn. Your employer will be interested in hearing about how you intend to become a better employee. Think about which skills will make you more competent in the position you’re applying for. Find some books and upcoming conferences that would significantly improve your abilities. In an interview, tell the employer what you’re reading and learning, and that you’d like to continue doing so. Here is a list of some of the most important job skills, wanted by employers, that a job-seeker must have to be sure of landing a good job and just as importantly, keeping it.

   • Logical thinking and information handling: Most businesses regard the ability to handle and organize information to produce effective solutions as one of the top skills they want. They value the ability to make sensible solutions regarding a spending proposal or an internal activity.
   • Technological ability: Most job openings will require people who are IT or computer literate or know how to operate different machines and office equipment, whether it’s a PC or multi-function copier and scanner. This doesn’t mean that employers need people who are technology graduates — knowing the basic principles of using current technology is sufficient.
   • Communicating effectively: Employers tend to value and hire people who are able to express their thoughts efficiently through verbal and written communication. People who land a good job easily are usually those who are adept in speaking and writing.
   • Strong interpersonal skills: Because the working environment consists of various kinds of personalities and people with different backgrounds, it is essential to possess the skill of communicating and working with people from different walks of life.

Part 2 of 4: Do Your Homework

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   Prepare for a behavioral interview. You might be asked to describe problems you’ve encountered in the past and how you handled them, or you’ll be given a hypothetical situation and asked what you would do. They’ll basically want to know how you’ll perform when faced with obstacles in the position you’re interviewing for. Be able to give honest, detailed examples from your past, even if the question is hypothetical (e.g. “I would contact the customer directly, based on my past experience in a different situation in which the customer was very pleased to receive a phone call from the supervisor”). You might find yourself listing facts — if so, remember that in this kind of interview, you need to tell a story. Some questions you might be asked are:

   • “Describe a time you had to work with someone you didn’t like.”
   • “Tell me about a time when you had to stick by a decision you had made, even though it made you very unpopular.”
   • “Give us an example of something particularly innovative that you have done that made a difference in the workplace.”
   • “How would you handle an employee who’s consistently late?”
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   Research the company. Don’t just do an Internet search, memorize their mission, and be done with it. Remember that you’re competing with lots of other candidates for a few or single position. You may not be able to change your natural intelligence, or the skills that you come to the job with, but you can always change your work ethic. Work harder than everyone else by researching the company or companies you wish to work for like your life depended on it.

   • If it’s a retail company, visit a few of their stores, observe the customers, and even strike up a few conversations. Talk to existing employees — ask them what it’s like working there, how long the position has been open, and what you can do to increase your chances of getting it. Become familiar with the history of the company. Who started it? Where? Who runs it now? Be creative!

Part 3 of 4: Pound the Pavement

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   Do informational interviews. An informational interview is when you invite a contact or a professional out to lunch or coffee, and ask them questions without the expectation of getting a job. Informational interviews are a great way to network, expand your list of contacts, and find out tips and tricks from professionals who are on the ground.

   • Have lots of questions prepared — “What’s a normal day like for you?” “What are the advantages of your job?” “What might you have done differently?” are all great — but be mindful of their time.
   • When the interview is done, ask them politely for three different contacts who you could speak to. If you impress them enough, they could even hire you or refer you to someone who could hire you.
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   Network. The best companies to work for tend to rely heavily on employee referrals. Make a list of all of your friends, relatives, and acquaintances. Contact them one by one and ask them if they know of any openings for which they could recommend you. Don’t be too humble or apologetic. Tell them what you’re looking for, but let them know you’re flexible and open to suggestions. This is not the time to be picky about jobs; a connection can get your foot in the door, and you can negotiate pay or switch positions once you’ve gained experience and established your reputation.

   • Touch base with all of your references. The purpose of this is twofold. You can ask them for leads, and you’ll also be refreshing their memory of you. (Hopefully their memories of you are good ones, or else you shouldn’t be listing them as references.) If a potential employer calls them, they won’t hesitate as much when remembering you.
   • Keep in mind that, as with dating, “weak” personal connections are the best way to find a new job because they expand your network beyond options you’re already aware of. You probably know all about your sister’s company, and you know that if they were hiring she would tell you; but what about your sister’s friend’s company? Don’t be afraid to ask the friend of a friend or another slightly removed acquaintance for recommendations during your job search.
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   Volunteer. If you aren’t already, start volunteering for an organization that focuses on something you’re passionate about. You may start out doing boring or easy work, but as you stick around and demonstrate your commitment, you’ll be given more responsibilities. Not only will you be helping others, but you’ll also be gaining references. Emphasize your volunteer experience on your resume, as companies that treat their employees well tend to favor candidates who help the community somehow.

   • Internships may fall into this category. An internship is a great way to get your foot in the door, as many companies prefer to hire from within. Even if you’re far removed from your twenties or your college days, the willingness to work for little or no money shows companies that you’re serious about putting in the work, learning the skills, and getting ahead.
   • Believe it or not, volunteer positions and internships can lead to jobs. In today’s economy, many companies are turning to internships as a cost-effective way to vet potential future employees. This is because many companies simply don’t have the money or resources to take a stab in the dark and offer a job to someone who isn’t tested. If you put in hard work, demonstrate your ability to solve problems, and keep your chin up, your value to the company might be too big for them to pass up on.
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   Cold call. Locate a specific person who can help you (usually the human resources or hiring manager at a company or organization you’re interested in). Call that person and ask if they are hiring, but do not become discouraged if they are not. Ask what kind of qualifications they look for or if they have apprentice or government-sponsored work programs. Ask if you can send your resume indicating what field you want to go into. Indicate whether you would accept a lesser job and work up.

   • Reflect after each phone call on what went well and what did not. Consider writing out some standard answers on your list of skills so you can speak fluently. You may need to get some additional training to break into your chosen field. None of this means you cannot get a good job, only that you need to become further prepared to do so.
   • Visit the company or business in person. There’s a saying among employers: “People don’t hire resumes; people hire people.” Don’t underestimate the value of personal relationships. Go to the company or business where you think you might want to work, bring your resume, and ask to speak to the Human Resources manager about job opportunities. If you make an excellent personal impression on the HR manager, you’ve done your job: s/he will have connected your face to a resume, and will have a much better idea of your natural intelligence, your persistence, and your likability. People don’t always hire the person best suited for the job; people often hire the person they like the best.

Part 4 of 4: Tweak Your Mentality

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   Change your attitude. There’s a difference between making phone calls and going to interviews thinking “I’m looking for a job” versus “I’m here to do the work you need to have done”.^[1] When you’re looking to get a job, you’re expecting someone to givesomething to you, so you focus on impressing them. Yes, it’s important to make a good impression, but it’s even more important to demonstrate your desire and ability to help. Everything that you write and say should be preceded silently by the statement “This is how I can help your business succeed.”
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   Settle down. If you’ve moved around a lot, be prepared to offer a good reason for it. Otherwise, you’ll need to make a good case for why you want to stick around in the area where the job is located. A company doesn’t want to hire someone with wanderlust who still wants to relocate.

   • Be prepared to outline why you are where you are today, how long you intend to stay there, and why. Give specific reasons like, “This country has the best school systems in the entire continent, and I have a daughter who might find the cure for cancer” or “I was drawn to this area because it’s at the cutting edge of innovation for this business and I want to be a part of that.” The more details, names, and specifics, the better.
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   Fit the job to the skills rather than the other way around. Many people search for jobs, then try to see how they can tweak the way they present their own skills and experiences to fit the job description. Instead, try something different. Instead of this top-down approach, start from the bottom up.

   • Make a list of all of your skills, determine which kinds of businesses and industries need them most (ask around for advice if you need to) and find businesses that will benefit from having you and your skills around. You might find that you get more satisfaction and enjoyment out of a career that wasn’t even on your radar to begin with.
   • It’s important the nature of the job fits your personality and salary requirements, otherwise you’ll have spent a significant amount of time to find a day job you dread getting up for every morning.^[1] So be realistic about what you expect, but be open to what you explore.
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Tips

• Use placement agencies. They sometimes keep a good chunk of your income for themselves, but they can get you decent placements, so you can improve that resume. Never go to just one agency. Always go to as many as possible. It is easy and it increases your chances a lot! Consider a dedicated directory like Agency Central^[2]
• Act as a social animal even if you are not one.
• Treat your search as a full-time exercise: the job of getting a job. You are employed by yourself as a sales person/marketing person selling the product you.
• Realize that you may have to work your way up. For example, if you want to become an apparel buyer, work for a company that manufactures or sells such goods.
• Know what job you’re going for.
• The surest way to obtain employment is to stop complaining about no work, get off the couch and go knock on doors with resume in hand. If you do that all day, every day, you will then be choosing which job you are willing to take. This tactic is independent of any economic times. They don’t call them go-getters for nothing. Anything less than that and you’re hoping someone feels sorry for you.
• Be confident, be sure.
• Specify your resume to a specific job offering: Remove items which are less specific to the talents the job calls for.
• Dress for success! When you go to a job interview, dress like it is your first day at the job. Dress appropriately to create the right impression during an interview.
• Knock on doors in New York and the guard at the door will refer you to their website: no appointment no interview.

Active Citizenship Can Change Your Country For the Better

Active citizenship means people getting involved in their local communities and democracy at all levels, from towns to cities to nationwide activity. Active citizenship can be as small as a campaign to clean up your street or as big as educating young people about democratic values, skills and participation. Active citizenship is one of the most important steps towards healthy societies especially in new democracies like Hungary.

The Kurt Lewin Foundation conducted a one and a half year long research and development program in four schools located in eastern Hungary examining the relationship between schools and democratic citizenship. Students aged between 17 and 19 years old (11th–12th grade) and their teachers took part in the research which examined the place and impact of active citizenship, democratic values and social and political attitudes in education.

The report aimed to study the effect of the school as a place to develop the active citizenship of students. Though the concept of citizenship grounded in activity, responsibility and democratic values is emphasized in Hungarian educational policy, the views and opinions of the younger generation in Hungary are, it appears, changing in a direction not conducive to bolstering active citizenship. For this reason the Kurt Lewin Foundation constructed a research and educational project which comprised on the one hand an endeavour to enhance active citizenship by means of various developmental activities and on the other hand data collection around the issue of active citizenship.

As we understand it, active citizenship is a combination of knowledge, attitude, skills and actions that aim to contribute to building and maintaining a democratic society. Active Citizenship supports democratic cooperation that is based on the acceptance of universal human rights and the rule of law, values diversity and includes the whole community. Education towards gaining this knowledge and developing and practicing the skills take place in all levels of our shared social life, but schools play a very important role in it.

More and more, we see that extreme solutions are in demand when it comes to Europe’s problems. Active citizenship has a crucial role to play in this context to allow citizens to interrogate real solutions to problems rather than indulging in scapegoating, discrimination and other tactics peddled by extremists.

Your report focused on the role of schools in active citizenship; what did it find?

We focused on the effect that organizational culture in schools and the hidden curriculum (a set of rules, norms, attitudes and behaviors that are not part of the national curriculum but students learn as a kind of side-effect of the schooling through living and learning in the community/institution) have on the students’ active citizenship. We conducted research in two grammar schools (one maintained by a church and the other by the government), as well as in two vocational secondary schools. In general students valued their relationship with their classmates, but less than half of the students are able to share their problems with their teachers.

Regarding minorities, the students did not express a high level of solidarity. They are disillusioned with politics, democracy and social issues. Students prefer a less democratic, stronger-handed, more authoritarian approach. They are not interested in any of the political parties. Still, representatives of radical, extreme political views are generally more acceptable for them, than mainstream political parties. Teachers compared to students, find democratic values more important and are more likely to reject anti-democratic activity. Nonetheless, findings concerning teachers are also characterized by distrust and disappointment with regard to politics.

Despite these findings, participation and engagement are judged important by students and they would welcome a stronger community life in their schools. Through our research we found that teachers—for many different reasons—avoid discussing social and political issues. Without an open and encouraging environment for students to discuss social and political experiences and questions, this can only sow the seeds of insecurity, fear and confusion and  open the way  for radical answers often offered from outside of the school. Citizenship education has an important role to play here.

What recommendations do you make to improve active citizenship?

Educational program’s need to be developed to improve competencies like co-operation and communication as well working to increase critical ability, reduce prejudice and build tolerance, understanding, empathy, and an openness to diversity. During the research, tailored programs were developed to address these competencies and were positively received by participants. More widespread endorsement and implementation is now required.

Are there any countries in the world that are leaders or role models for active citizenship? What makes them worth emulating?

Even though there are differences in the definition of active citizenship education in different countries and cultures, we can say, that in Germany and especially in West-German cities and city-states like Bremen, a vital civil society and political culture has been established thanks to active citizenship. Exclusionary or extremist attitudes are condemned by influential institutions. There is strong, official support, legally and financially, for work with the younger generation in the public sector (schools, youth centers etc.) to combat authoritarian attitudes and to support the development of intercultural and democratic competencies. And while civil society is on the one hand working to positively influence politics, there is also collaboration between political and civil organizations in running those programs. Besides Germany, Scandinavian countries can also be marked as models or leaders in citizenship education.

You say your most recent report on Youth and Active Citizenship is partly in response to a growth of “anti-democratic ideas”—what are these? What is their impact?

In Hungary we have witnessed a sharp increase in intolerance in recent years. Anti-Roma, anti-Semitic, nationalistic, racist and homophobic rhetoric and activity have all increased. The impact of these tendencies can be found on many levels of young people’s lives. What we found most in need of attention was those schools who lack the ability to discuss and organize education programs around the different kinds of experiences that young people live through. In our program, apart from the research results, we also offer solutions that can help here, both in schools and at a policy-making level.

Source: http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/voices/active-citizenship-can-change-your-country-better

How to write a successful CV

What is a CV?
Curriculum Vitae: an outline of a person’s educational and professional history, usually prepared for job applications (L, lit.: the course of one’s life). Another name for a CV is a résumé.

A CV is the most flexible and convenient way to make applications. It conveys your personal details in the way that presents you in the best possible light. A CV is a marketing document in which you are marketing something: yourself! You need to “sell” your skills, abilities, qualifications and experience to employers. It can be used to make multiple applications to employers in a specific career area. For this reason, many large graduate recruiters will not accept CVs and instead use their own application form.

Often selectors read CVs outside working hours. They may have a pile of 50 CVs from which to select five interviewees. It’s evening and they would rather be in the pub with friends. If your CV is hard work to read: unclear, badly laid out and containing irrelevant information, they will just just move on to the next CV.

Treat the selector like a child eating a meal. Chop your CV up into easily digestible morsels (bullets, short paragraphs and note form) and give it a clear logical layout, with just the relevant information to make it easy for the selector to read. If you do this, you will have a much greater chance of interview.

An application form is designed to bring out the essential information and personal qualities that the employer requires and does not allow you to gloss over your weaker points as a CV does. In addition, the time needed to fill out these forms is seen as a reflection of your commitment to the career.

There is no “one best way” to construct a CV; it is your document and can be structured as you wish within the basic framework below. It can be on paper or on-line or even on a T-shirt (a gimmicky approach that might work for “creative” jobs but not generally advised!).

When should a CV be used?
When an employer asks for applications to be received in this format
When an employer simply states “apply to …” without specifying the format
When making speculative applications (when writing to an employer who has not advertised a vacancy but who you hope my have one)
What information should a CV include?
What are the most important aspects of CV that you look for?
One survey of employers found that the following aspects were most looked for
(From the brilliant 2010 Orange County Resume Survey by Eric Hilden)
45% Previous related work experience
35% Qualifications & skills
25% Easy to read
16% Accomplishments
14% Spelling & grammar
9% Education (these were not just graduate recruiters for whom this score would be much higher!)
9% Intangibles: individuality/desire to succeed
3% Clear objective
2% Keywords added
1% Contact information
1% Personal experiences
1% Computer skills

Personal details
Normally these would be your name, address, date of birth (although with age discrimination laws now in force this isn’t essential), telephone number and email.

British CVs don’t usually include a photograph unless you are an actor. In European countries such as France, Belgium and Germany it’s common for CVs to include a a passport-sized photograph in the top right-hand corner whereas in the UK and the USA photographs are frowned upon as this may contravene equal opportunity legislation – a photograph makes it easier to reject a candidate on grounds of ethnicity, sex or age. If you do include a photograph it should be a head and shoulders shot, you should be dressed suitably and smiling: it’s not for a passport! See our Work Abroad page for more about international CVs

Education and qualifications
Some employers may spend as little as 45 seconds skimming a résumé before branding it “not of interest”, “maybe” or “of interest.
BI Business School

Succinct, eloquent, well-structured.
Towers Hamlyn

Your degree subject and university, plus A levels and GCSEs or equivalents. Mention grades unless poor!

Work experience
Use action words such as developed, planned and organised.
Even work in a shop, bar or restaurant will involve working in a team, providing a quality service to customers, and dealing tactfully with complaints. Don’t mention the routine, non-people tasks (cleaning the tables) unless you are applying for a casual summer job in a restaurant or similar.
Try to relate the skills to the job. A finance job will involve numeracy, analytical and problem solving skills so focus on these whereas for a marketing role you would place a bit more more emphasis on persuading and negotiating skills.
All of my work experiences have involved working within a team-based culture. This involved planning, organisation, coordination and commitment e.g., in retail, this ensured daily sales targets were met, a fair distribution of tasks and effective communication amongst all staff members.
Interests and achievements
Writing about your interests
Reading, cinema, stamp-collecting, playing computer games

Suggests a solitary individual who doesn’t get on with other people. This may not be true, but selectors will interpret the evidence they see before them.
Cinema: member of the University Film-Making Society
Travel: travelled through Europe by train this summer in a group of four people, visiting historic sites and practising my French and Italian
Reading: helped younger pupils with reading difficulties at school.

This could be the same individual as in the first example, but the impression is completely the opposite: an outgoing proactive individual who helps others.

Keep this section short and to the point. As you grow older, your employment record will take precedence and interests will typically diminish greatly in length and importance.
Bullets can be used to separate interests into different types: sporting, creative etc.
Don’t use the old boring cliches here: “socialising with friends”.
Don’t put many passive, solitary hobbies (reading, watching TV, stamp collecting) or you may be perceived as lacking people skills. If you do put these, then say what you read or watch: “I particularly enjoy Dickens, for the vivid insights you get into life in Victorian times”.
Show a range of interests to avoid coming across as narrow : if everything centres around sport they may wonder if you could hold a conversation with a client who wasn’t interested in sport.
Hobbies that are a little out of the ordinary can help you to stand out from the crowd: skydiving or mountaineering can show a sense of wanting to stretch yourself and an ability to rely on yourself in demanding situations
Any interests relevant to the job are worth mentioning: current affairs if you wish to be a journalist; a fantasy share portfolio such as Bullbearings if you want to work in finance.
Any evidence of leadership is important to mention: captain or coach of a sports team, course representative, chair of a student society, scout leader: “As captain of the school cricket team, I had to set a positive example, motivate and coach players and think on my feet when making bowling and field position changes, often in tense situations”
Anything showing evidence of employability skills such as team working, organising, planning, persuading, negotiating etc.
Skills
The usual ones to mention are languages (good conversational French, basic Spanish), computing (e.g. “good working knowledge of MS Access and Excel, plus basic web page design skills” and driving (“full current clean driving licence”).
If you are a mature candidate or have lots of relevant skills to offer, a skills-based CV may work for you
References
Many employers don’t check references at the application stage so unless the vacancy specifically requests referees it’s fine to omit this section completely if you are running short of space or to say “References are available on request.”
Normally two referees are sufficient: one academic (perhaps your tutor or a project supervisor) and one from an employer (perhaps your last part-time or summer job). See our page on Choosing and Using Referees for more help with this.
The order and the emphasis will depend on what you are applying for and what you have to offer. For example, the example media CV lists the candidate’s relevant work experience first.

When asked what would make them automatically reject a candidate, employers said:

CVs with spelling mistakes or typos 61%
CVs that copied large amounts of wording from the job posting 41%
CVs with an inappropriate email address 35%
CVs that don’t include a list of skills 30%
CVs that are more than two pages long 22%
CVs printed on decorative paper 20%
CVs that detail more tasks than results for previous positions 16%
CVs that include a photo 13%
CVs that have large blocks of text with little white space 13%
CareerBuilder

If you are applying for more than one type of work, you should have a different CV tailored to each career area, highlighting different aspects of your skills and experience.

A personal profile at the start of the CV can work for jobs in competitive industries such as the media or advertising, to help you to stand out from the crowd. If used, it needs to be original and well written. Don’t just use the usual hackneyed expressions: “I am an excellent communicator who works well in a team…… “

You will also need a Covering Letter to accompany your CV.

What makes a good CV?
There is no single “correct” way to write and present a CV but the following general rules apply:
It is targeted on the specific job or career area for which you are applying and brings out the relevant skills you have to offer
It is carefully and clearly laid out: logically ordered, easy to read and not cramped
It is informative but concise
It is accurate in content, spelling and grammar. If you mention attention to detail as a skill, make sure your spelling and grammar is perfect!

CV

If your CV is written backwards on pink polka dot paper and it gets you regular interviews, it’s a good CV! The bottom line is that if it’s producing results don’t change it too much but if it’s not, keep changing it until it does.

If it’s not working, ask people to look at it and suggest changes. Having said this, if you use the example CVs in these pages as a starting point, you are unlikely to go far wrong.

What mistakes to candidates make on their CV?
One survey of employers found the following mistakes were most common
Spelling and grammar 56% of employers found this
Not tailored to the job 21%
Length not right & poor work history 16%
Poor format and no use of bullets 11%
No accomplishments 9%
Contact & email problems 8%
Objective/profile was too vague 5%
Lying 2%
Having a photo 1%
Choose a sensible email address!
One survey found that 76% of CVs with unprofessional email addresses are ignored. Here are some (slightly changed) graduate email addresses that you should NOT emulate!
death_metal_kitty@hotmilk.com
demented_bovine@gnumail.com
so_kiss_me@hotmilk.com
platypus_mcdandruff@gnumail.com
busty-beth@gnumail.com
flockynockyhillipilification@gnumail.com
virgin_on_the_ridiculous@hotmilk.com
yourmywifenowgraham@gnumail.com
original_madcow_jane@gnumail.com
circle-of-despair@gnumail.com
rage_against_the_trolley_fish@mail.com
sexylikewoaaaah@hotmilk.com
Others 3% (listing all memberships, listing personal hobbies, using abbreviations)
How long should a CV be?
There are no absolute rules but, in general, a new graduate’s CV should cover no more than two sides of A4 paper. In a survey of American employers 35% preferred a one page CV and 19% a two page CV with the others saying it depends upon the position. CVs in the US tend to be shorter than in the UK wher the 2 page CV still dominates for graduates but I do see a trend now towards one page CVs: as employers are getting more and more CVs they tend not to have the time to read long documents!

If you can summarise your career history comfortably on a single side, this is fine and has advantages when you are making speculative applications and need to put yourself across concisely. However, you should not leave out important items, or crowd your text too closely together in order to fit it onto that single side. Academic and technical CVs may be much longer: up to 4 or 5 sides.

How do I get my CV down to two pages from three?
First change your margins in MS Word to Page Layout / Margins/ Narrow – this will set your margins to 1.27 cm which are big enough not to look cramped, but give you extra space. See http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/word-cv.htm#margins for how to do this.
Secondly change your body font to Lucida Sans in 10 pts size. Lucida Sans is a modern font which has been designed for clarity on a computer screen. For more on fonts see here A good rule of thumb is to have your name in about 18 points, your subheadings such as education and work experience in 14 points and your body font as 10 points.
Use tables with two or three columns for your academic results and references. See a CV using tables for modules and references here and an explanation of how to do this here
Use bullets for content, rather than long paragraphs of text
Finally set line spacings to single space

If after all these tricks you are still on three pages you have to be ruthless with your content: read every single word and remove it if it doesn’t add value to your CV!

The one page lean and mean CV!
In certain sectors such as investment banking, management consultancy and top law firms, a one page CV, highly focused, highly objective CV, now seems to be preferred. All of these areas have in common that they are highly competitive to enter and it may be that selectors, faced with so many CVs to work through prefer a shorter CV.

There is no point putting lots of detailed information into a CV which doesn’t add any value, and in fact, just dilutes the impact. This is called the presenter’s paradox. These CVs normally have lots of single line bullets and no personal statement at the beginning. They are fully of factual, as opposed to subjective, content. You must make every word count. They focus on achievements, initiative and responsibilities more than on tasks and duties. When carefully designed, these can be the very best CVs, but also the hardest to write!
See our page on Zen and the art of CV writing for more about this.

Tips on presentation
Your CV should be carefully and clearly laid out – not too cramped but not with large empty spaces either. Use bold and italic typefaces for headings and important information
Never back a CV – each page should be on a separate sheet of paper. It’s a good idea to put your name in the footer area so that it appears on each sheet.
Be concise: a CV is an appetiser and should not give the reader indigestion. Don’t feel that you have to list every exam you have ever taken, or every activity you have ever been involved in – consider which are the most relevant and/or impressive. The best CVs tend to be fairly economical with words, selecting the most important information and leaving a little something for the interview: they are an appetiser rather than the main course. Good business communications tend to be short and to the point, focusing on key facts and your CV should to some extent emulate this. The longer and more dense your CV is, the harder it is for an employer to comprehend your achievements. As Mark Twain said: “If only I had more time, I would write thee a shorter letter”.
HireRight, a candidate due diligence company, found that 63% of applicants provide incorrect information to potential employers. Steve Girdler of t HireRight, commented: “The challenging employment market created by the economic downturn has increased the number of inaccuracies in CVs and job applications, yet most businesses don’t check the claims of those they are about to employ.”

38% exaggerated or lied about their education
35% included incorrect details in their employment history
31% made false statements about professional qualifications and memberships.
Be positive – put yourself over confidently and highlight your strong points. For example, when listing your A-levels, put your highest grade first.
Be honest: although a CV does allow you to omit details (such as exam resits) which you would prefer the employer not to know about, you should never give inaccurate or misleading information. CVs are not legal documents and you can’t be held liable for anything within, but if a recruiter picks up a suggestion of falsehoods you will be rapidly rejected. An application form which you have signed to confirm that the contents are true is however a legal document and forms part of your contract of employment if you are recruited.
The sweet spot of a CV is the area selectors tend to pay most attention to: this is typically around the upper middle of the first page, so make sure that this area contains essential information.
If you are posting your CV, don’t fold it – put it in a full-size A4 envelope so that it doesn’t arrive creased.
Research by forum3 (recruitment and volunteering for the not-for-profit sector) suggested:
Graduates sent out 25 letters per interview gained.
The average graduate will send out about 70 CVs when looking for their first graduate job. Of these, the average number of responses will be 7 including 3 to 4 polite rejections and the remainder inviting the graduate to interview or further contact.
There was a direct link between the number of CVs sent out and the number of interviews gained: the more CVs you send out the more interviews you will get.
Applicants who included a covering letter with their CV were 10% more likely to get a reply.
60% of CVs are mailed to the wrong person: usually the managing director. Applicants who addressed their application to the correct named person were 15% more likely to get a letter of acknowledgement and 5% more likely to get an interview
“To say things like ‘I get on well with people’ is meaningless unless it is backed up by example”

Selector for a retail bank

Applicants sending CVs and letters without spelling mistakes are 61% more likely to get a reply and 26% more likely to get an interview. “In the age of the spell checker, there is no excuse for spelling mistakes”. The most common mistakes to not show up in a spell check were: fro instead of for, grate instead of great, liased instead of liaised and stationary instead of stationery.
Set your spell checker to UK English (assuming you are British) or you will get center
instead of centre, and color instead of colour.
Other turnoffs include:
misspelling the name of the company or the addressee,
not having a reply address on the CV
trying to be amusing.
Using lower case i for the personal pronoun: “i have excellent attention to detail”

Why you need to use a spell checker
I would like a job in the servillian police
I am applying for a mini-pupiledge
i am a prefectionist and rarely if if ever forget details.
Proven ability to track down and correct erors.
I have good writen comunication skills.
Lurnt Word Perfect computor and spreadsheet pogroms.
Develop an annual operating expense fudget.
Good custermer service skills.
I am death in my left ear.
In my 3rd year of BA houners English.
And why you must read it carefully as well
I was a prefect and pier mentor
I would like to do a law conversion cause
Extra Circular Activities
But I was not aloud to be captain
At secondary school I was a prefix
In my spare time I enjoy hiding my horse
I hope to hear from you shorty
I have a desire to work with commuters
Dear Madman (instead of Madam)
My hobbits include – instead of ‘hobbies’
I am sicking and entry-level position
I have a friendly manor
Oversight of an entire department
Restaurant skills: Severing customers
In charge of sock control – instead of ‘stock control’
I’m an accurate and rabid typist
Over summer I worked for an examinations bored.
Abilty to meet deadlines while maintaining my composer
Cleaning bathrooms and hovering hallways.
Have made speech’s at Open Days
I can make models using a verity of different materials
Working Kills. (This may very well be true in the long term but Working Skills might just be a better heading.)
Reason for Living: Relocation
Instrumental in ruining an entire operation for a chain operator
I was an administrator in a busty office.
Suspected to graduate early next year
For a PR job: I have a long term interest in pubic relations
I want experience in a big sex practice
Vox pox for BBC Radio enhanced my ability to analyse information
A ‘ full shit system’ instead of ‘a full shift system’
Enthusiasm was needed to communicate in an interesting manor.
As indicted, I have over 5 years of analysing investments.
On an application to work with teenagers: I am experienced in teaching marital arts
Relevant work experience’: followed by ‘Irrelevant work experience’
My role included typing in details of accounts, customer liaison and money-laundering duties.
I am a genital person (instead of gentle!)
I would be happy to work in any part of England or Whales.
I am still under sided on my career.
That will test my ability’s and give me the ability to work on something may can have a real impact.
I’m from the European Onion.
I own and maintain a volts wagon beetle.
I have a full/clean driving license and own a cat (Kent graduate)
Language skills: German: intimidate (instead of intermediate!)
Sense I was young.
Thesaurusitis (using the wrong synonym!)
I demand a salary commiserate with my extensive experience
I am a strenuous student.
Reason for leaving last job: maturity leave
i am a conscious individual with good attention to detail (Kent grad.)
Received a plague for salesman of the year.
I was formally in a music group in which I performed in three conservative years.
I have a degree in orgasmic chemistry.
I have a doable award in science
FontsFonts for CVs
TIMES NEW ROMAN is the standard windows “serif” font. A safe bet – law firms seem to like it but it isn’t easy to read on the screen, especially in the small font size you may need to use to get your CV on one or two pages. If you do prefer to use a serif font, try CAMBRIA which has been designed for screen readability. See the example fonts to the right to see how much clearer Cambria looks than Times New Roman.
I personally prefer sans fonts – sans fonts don’t have the curly bits (called serifs) on letters. ARIAL is a standard Windows “sans” font and is now used by the BBC web site which used to use Verdana. As you can see sans fonts are cleaner and more modern than Times or Cambria and also look larger in the same “point” size (the point size is simply how big the letters are on the page). However Arial and Times New Roman are so common that they’re a little boring to the eye.
Unnecessary use of complex words or hard to read fonts gives a bad impression: people who use simple, clear language are rated as more intelligent.
Classier choices might be VERDANA or LUCIDA SANS which have wider letters than most fonts but if you are running out of space then Arial is more space saving, as is TAHOMA which is a narrower version of Verdana. Notice how, in the example to the right, Verdana looks bigger and easier to read than Times New Roman. CALIBRI is now the standard MS Word font but is smaller and perhaps less clear than Arial, Verdana or Lucida Sans (see the examples to the right again). Never use COMIC SANS of course!
FONT SIZE is normally 12 points for the normal font with larger sizes for subheadings and headings.
Or 10 points. My favourite CV body text font is 10 point Verdana or Lucida Sans with 12 or 14 points for sub headings.

14 points is too big for the normal body font – wastes space and looks crude.
and 8 or 9 points too small to be easily readable by everyone, especially in Times New Roman which should not be used in sizes less than 11 points
Although many people use 12 points, some research on this suggested that smaller point size CVs (within reason) were perceived as more intellectual!
The Recruitment and Employment Commission says that about half of all CVs received by recruitment consultants contain spelling or grammatical errors.

Candidates aged between 21 and 25 are most likely to make these mistakes and graduates in this age group are twice as likely to make mistakes as those who did not go on to university. See http://careers.guardian.co.uk/cv-mistakes

Most CVs are now read on screen rather than on paper. It’s no coincidence that Serif fonts are rarely used on the web – they are much less readable on screen (Times Roman was first used on Trajan’s column, 2,000 years ago!), and some fonts, such as Verdana, were designed with screen readability in mind. This web site is set in Verdana which, as you can see, is clear and easy to read.
If you find fonts interesting see
BBC article and this “Periodic Table” of Typefaces
Helvetica: How did one typeface conquer the world?
video: The History of Typography http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOgIkxAfJsk

Using bold for job titles and schools
It’s a good idea to use the “bold” style for job titles and employer names in your work experience and education to make these stand out.
E.g.

2003-2010 St. Paul’s Girls’ School, London
A-levels: Chemistry B, Biology A, Maths C

Summer 2011 Next Retail (Sales Assistant)
The job entailed working in the busy sale, taking deliveries, stock control and dealing with customers with high quality customer care.

In a survey of American employersApplication form spelling
33% preferred the use of bold on job titles in the candidate’s work history
7% preferred the use of bold on employer names from candidate work history
31% preferred bold on both
29% had no preference
Different Types of CV
Chronological – outlining your career history in date order, normally beginning with the most recent items (reverse chronological) . This is the “conventional” approach and the easiest to prepare. It is detailed, comprehensive and biographical and usually works well for “traditional” students with a good all-round mixture of education and work experience. Mature students, however, may not benefit from this approach, which does emphasise your age, any career breaks and work experience which has little surface relevance to the posts you are applying for now. See an example chronological CV here
Skills-based: highly-focused CVs which relate your skills and abilities to a specific job or career area by highlighting these skills and your major achievements. The factual, chronological details of your education and work history are subordinate. These work well for mature graduates and for anybody whose degree subject and work experience is not directly relevant to their application. Skills-based CVs should be closely targeted to a specific job. See an example skills-based CV here

A survey of US employers found that:

49% preferred a traditional reverse chronological CV (all jobs listed in reverse chrological order including duties)
6% preferred a skills-based CV with skills related to the job highlighted
39% liked a combination of both the above styles
2% liked a portfolio with examples of completed projects
4% had no preference

If you are applying for posts outside the UK, remember that employers in other countries are likely to have different expectations of what a CV should include and how it should be laid out. The “Global Resume and CV Handbook” (available from Reception) and the Prospects website will help you prepare CVs for overseas employment. See our work abroad page.

Targeting your CV
If your CV is to be sent to an individual employer which has requested applications in this format, you should research the organisation and the position carefully.

In the present competitive job market, untargeted CVs tend to lose out to those that have been written with a particular role in mind. For example a marketing CV will be very different from a teaching CV. The marketing CV will focus on persuading, negotiating and similar skills where as the teaching CV will focus more on presenting and listening skills and evidence for these.

If your CV is to be used for speculative applications, it is still important to target it – at the very least, on the general career area in which you want to work. Use our I Want to Work in …. pages and sites such as http://www.prospects.ac.uk to get an idea of what the work involves and what skills and personal qualities are needed to do it successfully. This will enable you to tailor the CV to the work and to bring out your own relevant experience.

Even if you are using the same CV for a number of employers, you should personalise the covering letter – e.g. by putting in a paragraph on why you want to work for that organisation.

For example CVs, application forms and covering letters see http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/cvexamples.htm with notes highlighting points relating to the content and style.

How NOT to do it
One graduate had emailed out over 80 CVs without getting a single reply and was puzzled as to why.

I asked him to show me what he had sent out. He had sent identical CVs and letters to all the companies in one mass email. Recruiters opening the email could see the names of the 80 companies he had applied to in the “To: ” box of the email!
Emailed CVs and Web CVs
Put your covering letter as the body of your email. It’s wise to format it as plain text as then it can be read by any email reader.
Emails are not as easy to read as letters. Stick to simple text with short paragraphs and plenty of spacing. Break messages into points and make each one a new paragraph with a full line gap between paragraphs. DON’T “SHOUT”: WRITE IN UPPER CASE!
Your CV is then sent as an attachment. Say you’ll send a printed CV if required.
In which format should you send your CV?
A survey of American recruiters found that:
63% preferred MS Office Word format .doc
36% preferred Adobe Acrobat format .pdf
1% preferred rich-text format .rtf
0% preferred text format .txt
0% preferred web page format .html
According to Professor Tom Jackson, of Loughborough University, “Misunderstandings occur frequently via written communication. In fact, 68 per cent of employees said the emails they receive are sometimes difficult to decipher, whether it be a misinterpreted tone or rushed explanations.”

The most common mistakes made via email include:
Accidentally clicking send before the email is ready;
Embarrassing spelling and grammar mistakes;
Accidentally sending a kiss at the end of a message;
Copying a client into an internal email about them;
Forwarding an inappropriate email trail;
Forgetting an attachment; and
Forgetting to blind copy (BCC) on a email (seethe example above!)

PDF (portable document format) is perhaps becoming a widely used format now . There are PDF-readers for all platforms (Windows, MacOS, Linux). This also guarantees that the CV will look the same, no matter what reader is used to view the document. Modern versions of Microsoft Word contain a PDF export function or you can download a free pdf converter such as Cute pdf http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp: you install it and then “print” the document to a folder on your PC. PDFs can however sometimes prevent keyword-scanning software on job boards or applicant-tracking systems from picking up information that allows you to be found.

You can also use MS Word (.doc) format, however .doc format is not guaranteed to be compatible among different versions of Microsoft Word, so a CV might look garbled when opened with an outdated or newer version of Word. Also .doc files may not easily open on computers using Linux and Apple platforms. .doc-files may also contain sensitive information such as previous versions of a document perhaps leading to embarrassment. MS Word documents can contain macro viruses, so some employers may not open these. Send the CV in .doc (Word 2003) format, rather than .docx (Word 2010) format, as not everyone has upgraded to Word 2010, or downloaded the free file converter.

Rich Text Format (.rtf), or html (web page format) are other alternatives but as can be seen from the above survey are not usually preferred.

If in doubt send your CV in several formats. Email it back to yourself first to check it, as line lengths may be changed by your email reader.

Also see How to Send a Resume by E-mail

Web CVs and Electronically Scanned CVs
The credit company Iprofile recommended that CVs posted on-line should not contain your date of birth, place of birth, marital status, address and phone number as they can allow fraudsters to carry out identity theft and perhaps open bank accounts or apply for credit cards in your name.

When emailing your CV to a potential employer it’s probably wise to leave out your date of birth, place of birth and marital status if you have any doubts about the validity of the organisation you are applying to. Due to age discrimination legislation in the UK you no longer have to disclose your age on a CV but if you wish to, you could give this rather than your date of birth.
Web CVs use HTML format. You can include the web address in an email or letter to an employer. They have the advantage that you can easily use graphics, colour, hyperlinks and even sound, animation and video. The basic rules still apply however – make it look professional. They can be very effective if you are going for multimedia, web design or computer games jobs where they can demonstrate your technical skills along with your portfolio.

Electronically scanned CVs have been used by Ford Motors and others. Resumix is one package used for this: it has artificial intelligence which reads the text and extracts important information such as work, education, skills. For more information on this see our page on on-line applications

LinkedIn
It’s a good idea to have your profile and CV (without personal details such as your address of course: see right) on LinkedIn. In 2011 89% of businesses planned to use social networks for recruitment and LinkedIn was by far the most popular one for this purpose with 86% of companies wishing to use it, 60% were considering Facebook and 50% Twitter. Make sure that your Facebook page doesn’t carry evidence of any of your indiscretions that employers might view – making your page private and viewable only by friends and family is wise!

If you reply to a job advert, be careful about what information you give.
The following are not needed by employers but can lead to identity theft. Don’t include:

Date of birth
Place of birth
Marital status
Copies of birth certificate/passport documents or details of your bank
You only need to give your first and last names, not your middle name.

How to write a motivation letter

Writing the motivation letter is an important step in the application procedure – it is the basis on which the organising group selects their participants!

So, where do you start? What should you say? What shouldn’t you say?

These guidelines aim to help you write your motivation letter. However, keep in mind that there are no perfect templates or instructions, therefore these general tips and hints are mainly a starting point just to help you write a good motivation letter, increasing your chances of getting accepted!

Where to start?

Before applying to any event, you should read the information on the webpage very carefully. What will the event be like? What type of participants are the organisers looking for? etc. Reading the Survival Guide can be very useful in this sense!
Local BEST groups can receive something like four hundred applications to their course! Can you imagine reading all those different motivation letters? If you want your letter to stand out, then try to be creative and funny and capture the attention of your reader.
Needless to say, the letter must be written in English.
What to write about?

Something about yourself – what you study, what you do in your life, what your hobbies are, sports you do, maybe even what languages you speak… BEST courses are always a lot of fun, so the organisers should know that you are a fun person!
Why do you want to go abroad, and why do you want to go to a BEST event? It is important for the organisers to have internationally minded people.
Why do you want to go to THIS particular event you’re applying for? Why is the topic attractive? How will the knowledge you gain there help you (in your studies, in your future career…)? BEST courses, for example, have a strong academical part (depending on the level of the course), so it’s important for the organisers to know if you’re actually interested in the topic! Naturally, if you’re applying to a Leisure Event, then you can ignore this tip.
Explain why you want to go to that city or country so badly! It’s strongly recommended that you do a small research of the place you’re applying to before writing your motivation letters. Famous monuments, typical foods and drinks, traditions etc. Organisers like it when applicants show a real interest for the location they’re applying to.
What do you have to offer to the event? In other words, why should the organisers pick YOU? (like: you’re a star in karaoke, you can dance like Michael Jackson, or you know more than 100 jokes).
Sometimes, it is required to tell the organizers that you have a sufficient knowledge of the topic of the course. Read the course information on the site carefully in order to find out this sort of information.
What not to do?

Your motivation letter will be read by students, just like you. Therefore, there is no need for formalities such as “Dear Madam or Sir”!
A motivation letter is NOT a curriculum vitae (CV). Don’t bother enlisting all the schools you’ve attended, your grades, the jobs you’ve done… We want to know more about you and what you’re like!
You aren’t allowed to insert pictures or links in your motivation letter.
Be careful, and send the appropriate letter to the appropriate place (don’t mix them if you apply for more than one event!).
Copy-pasting motivation letters isn’t very recommended. You should aim to make each motivation letter personal and unique!
Don’t make the letter too long! Half to one A4 page is good, and should be enough for the organisers to get to know you. If the letter is longer than a A4, there is a chance they are not going to read all of it. On they other hand, if it’s too short they will think that you are not interested enough in the event! So try to keep the balance.
Avoid submitting your applications at the very last minute, in order to prevent system crashes.
These are just some general hints – take the ones you want, ignore the ones you don’t like, but in any case, use your own imagination and style and be creative!

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“Armenian PR association” scientific-informational NGO has an approved project VIRTrUrAL CROSSROAD which is a Youth Exchange funded by Youth in Action program. The project will take place on 15-23, August 2013 (including arrival and departure) in beautiful Dilijan city, Armenia. The main theme of the project is the activation of rural youth.
During the project, we are going to touch the problems of active citizenship and unemployment of rural youth. The aim of this youth exchange is to give space to young people to reflect about the meaning of volunteering and how it relates to active citizenship. Participants will be invited to explore why it is important to be active citizens and how volunteering can play an important role in society and for sure we will discover the key ways of finding jobs. Participants will discuss about these issues and will try to reach a basic common agreement on the role of volunteering in improving society and environment. Then they will be invited to create a web-site that will reflect their learning and conclusions and on this web-site will be published all materials that will be used during the project. The local community also will be involved in the Youth Exchange: participants will share ideas with local people. There will be organized some activities where participants will deal with local people.
Through this project we expect participants to reflect about the added value of cultural diversity in a community, which allows its members to share different ideas and be more creative in finding new solutions for the problems of youth unemployment.
The project will be held based on the creative workshops, seminars, discussions intercultural evenings, working groups, city games, meeting with experts etc. Each partner country will participate with 5 participant (4participant+1 leader) from Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania, Italy from different social economic backgrounds between the ages 16-25 whole number of participants is 31.

About the venue
The location of the project is Dilijan city which is 100km far from Yerevan capital of Armenia. Dilijan is a spa town in the Tavush Province of Armenia. It is situated near the forests and is one of the most beautiful resorts of Armenia, situated in Dilijan National Park. The forested and reclusive city is home to numerous Armenian artists, composers, and filmmakers and features some traditional Armenian architecture. Hiking, mountain biking, and picnicking are popular recreational activities. The city’s population is steadily declining from the 23,700 reported in the 1989 census, to 14,846 in the 2001 census, with an estimated 15,600 by 2009. The Armenian government is planning to turn Dilijan into a regional financial capital, beginning with the move of much of the Central Bank‘s operations to Dilijan in 2013.
Travel Information
Your travel expenses will ONLY be reimbursed upon presentation of documentary evidence of the sum actually paid and you need to present:
1. Original Invoices
2. Original travel tickets (train, flight or bus)
3. Bank /credit card overview with your e-tickets ‘payment
4. Copy of your passport
5. Original Boarding passes
We don’t cover any travel expenses without presenting the original travel tickets on spot.
Visa Information
We are happy to announce that there is no visa for coming to Armenia. So there is no visa, no visa costs 🙂