CVs, letters and application forms

 

Your CV and covering letter/email

These vital self promotion tools are the first thing an employer sees about you. If they are uninspiring and difficult to read, what will an employer conclude about you?

The purpose of a CV is to persuade an employer that you have the skills and abilities they require, and to offer you a job interview.

It cannot be stressed enough that every CV and covering letter/email need to be targeted to the company and the job you are applying for.

Do this by researching the company and job using their website, the job description, their annual report or conversations with company employees e.g. people you have spoken with at careers fairs or any other networking contacts.

Do…

• write in a clear, professional and positive style
• keep your CV to two sides of A4 and covering letter to one side of A4
• keep a hard copy of both
• use keywords that show you match the position requirements
• put your most relevant skills at the beginning of your CV

Do not…

• send an impersonal mailshot
• email CVs in a format which may be incompatible with an employer's software
• use jargon or abbreviations
• use dense blocks of text, large blank spaces, lots of different fonts
• forget to check spelling and grammar

The ‘CVs’ and ‘Covering Letters’ sections in Applications for Success provide advice and examples.

Application forms

Many graduate jobs require you to complete application forms.

Employers regularly tell us that they bin hundreds of applications due to:

• poor spelling and grammar
• not completing all the sections
• providing opinion rather than evidence

Read the ‘Competencies’ and ‘Convincing evidence’ pages of Applications for Success to find out how to get noticed for the right reasons.

Use Selectsimulator to practice a typical online application form.

As a current student, graduate or member of staff you also have access to many additional websites via CareerBox where you can gain information on CVs and Covering Letters.

Further help

· Current students, graduates and members of staff can access additional advice and websites via CareerBox.

· Drop in for immediate feedback from an Employment Adviser in the Careers Hub.

· If you need more detailed support, book an appointment with a Careers Adviser.