Your Curriculum Vitae - 4 Tips To Make It Impressive

4:35 AM

Searching for jobs has become quite difficult and also very competitive. However, here are some tips that will help you get the job you really have been wanting.

Curriculum vitae

The curriculum vitae comes first and it is at most of the times the part which is the most important of all for the job. The employers need to bring down the number of applications from about over a hundred to a very few which are valid. This can be done only with the help of the curriculum vitae that is usually collected.

Most of the employers decide whether to pick or drop an applicant depending on the work experience that they have listed in their curriculum vitae. Most of the employers choose or reject applicants based on the design layout of these applications that are sent to them.

1. Making your curriculum vitae stand out

When you prepare to make your curriculum vitae make sure that it does stand out. It has to be very appealing to the eye of the person who is looking at it and also make him want to read it. Also make sure your curriculum vitae does have the work experiences that are related to the job that you have applied for.

2. A relevant and concise curriculum vitae

Do not make your curriculum vitae too big. The evaluator may feel it is irrelevant. Time is an important factor to the evaluator. You may have made a mark if you show that you do think the evaluator's time is important and hence put only the required information in.

3. Achievements to be put down

All your achievements that are relevant can be added on. Do make sure that they are factual at the same time. You may think of leaving out on a few pints as the curriculum vitae is not the place for it to be shown out.

4. Polish your curriculum vitae

The employer will for sure know if you have put in enough time on your curriculum vitae or not. If they do think you have made a decent effort with the curriculum vitae they may also think you will do the same with your work. It is quite common nowadays that people do spend enough of time buffing and also polishing their curriculum vitas.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1659914

Curriculum Vitae Samples

4:33 AM

Curriculum vitae samples and even cover letter examples are a type of curriculum vitae and resume writings that enable those writing applications to get an exhaustive appreciation of what is required in writing their applications and curriculum vitae. Most college programs or job adverts will require that the student or job seeker must put up curriculum vitae or effective cover letter as part of an assessment to determine if you are qualified for admission or the job. Thus, the student or job seeker needs help to carefully research on the requirements of course or the job opening at hand. Keep in mind that besides your qualifications, your curriculum vitae may be the only tool that you will use to defeat other candidates.

Sample curriculum vitae have different capacities. These will all depend on the subject or discipline involved or the particular type of job that has been advertised. Looking at curriculum vitae examples makes it possible for the student or job seekers to build up a mastery over what is required from them.

What is the underlying principle for viewing samples of curriculum vitae? It has been observed that most students go in for admission into college without having a complete knowledge of what the program is talking about. Even when they are aware of what the program is talking about, they are usually faced with stiff competition from equally qualified applicants. All of these are further complicated by the fact that there is limited position with numerous applicants. It is therefore left to the student to put up good curriculum vitae to make his or her chances of admission better. This is one and the same problem faced by job seekers.

The commonest place to find these CV Samples is the internet. However, not everything from the internet should be trusted. Remember that these might probably have been written by people who are less qualified than you. This is the more reason why it is always good to appraise what you find over the internet ahead of using it. There are some sites which will be ready to get your money without providing you with what you are seeking for. One thing you should know is that it is not easy to avoid such practices especially if you are dealing with the internet. Always try to look at a sample ahead of placing an order and make sure that the sample meets what you desire.

The fact about looking at these samples is that this may be what is going to draw a line between your application and those of others. Always remember that finding a job of your choice is something not easy. Therefore, when you have an opportunity to prove your worth above those of others, it is necessary to put in the best. Remember that there will always be competition. The cover letter is the only means through which you can outwit all other applicants. A lot of job applicants will find these samples of utmost importance because they are aware of the fact that this is what will take them to where they desire.

Curriculum vitae samples should never be solely relied upon by students or job seekers. Every program or job opening has its own form of determining or accepting candidates to fill the position. These samples are simply meant to serve as guide in writing your curriculum vitae.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1926864

Presenting your CV when you have a criminal record.

4:57 PM

Normally, all CVs exclude any and all negative data from the CV. This is because the resume is actually a selling ticket, and the negative data would spoil the prospects to be called for an interview. Do you need to put in this information? First of all, you need to find out. Check out the policy of the company - many times the stand of the company on this aspect is very clear - like they will not employ people with a record, and/ or if they have a record it should be clearly mentioned with details.

If there are no such clauses, then you may choose to keep quiet about your past. However, if you think that it is likely that they would discover it sooner or later, it is better to be honest about it right from the start. Then, you will know exactly where you stand and will not need to hide anything. Actually, whatever you need to hide, has a terrible habit of crawling out at the most inopportune moments, completely embarrassing you in the least, or totally devastating you. Hence, as much as possible, do not hide it. Inaccurate personal information will leave you open to firing if you are 'discovered' by the employer. Do not risk being discovered as it brings daily tension which will interfere with your efficiency at the job
Choose jobs where having a record is not a great minus point (however, do not kid yourself that this is not a minus point) - avoid applying for jobs such as accountant, bank operator, etc. Also avoid jobs which will offer you temptations, as you might repeat the crime with horrible consequences.

9:58 AM

Common Mistakes That Could Thrash Your Curriculum Vitae

The Curriculum Vitae is the greatest tool when you are searching for a job. However, it can also be a terrible bottleneck, if not handled correctly. There are so many cases where in spite of being exceptional workers and having brilliant academic credentials, people would not get a call letter. This is because their Curriculum Vitaes have some intrinsic mistakes that sabotage their basic purpose, i.e. getting an interview call.

Let us look at some of the most common mistakes that go into the Curriculum Vitae or are about the Curriculum Vitae, which prompts the recruiter to reject it.

The Curriculum Vitae is mass-produced for all the job applications - the importance of having a Curriculum Vitae drawn up specifically for the job you are applying, cannot be stressed enough. Unless the matter in Curriculum Vitae is oriented to complement and support the job you are applying for, the recruiter will pass you by. The best way to do that is use the same keywords that the employer has highlighted in their advertisements for the particular job. These keywords could be skills, qualifications or experience. Look up the website of the particular company and seek out what are the keywords that they emphasize when they announce the vacancy. You should also research about the company, its goals, etc and then give the recruiter what they want in an employee.
The Curriculum Vitae is too long - if your Curriculum Vitae crosses two pages then it is definitely too long. One of the commonest mistakes of senior people mostly, is that they would insist in putting every experience they have acquired in their professional lives. In reality, all you need is the last ten years. Hence, you do not need to start with the first job you had; rather you should focus on your last ten years and use this to prove that your experience can qualify you as a value-addition to the company where you are applying.
The Curriculum Vitae is in the wrong style - check out carefully the requirements of the job and find out what is the best style of Curriculum Vitae that would be needed for that particular job application. For example a functional Curriculum Vitae that focuses on your skills most, would be great if you have gaps in your work history. It is often that the wrong presentation of information results in your Curriculum Vitae being rejected. Always ask yourself - 'what does the person who will read this letter want?' Then write the Curriculum Vitae accordingly. Make it compelling and convincing so the person who reads it would be convinced that you could one of the best candidates for the job.
The Curriculum Vitae is too spread out - this is another common mistake everyone does. Your best attributes, the ones, which would make you the best candidate, should be on the first page. This is the page that the recruiter will scan and if they do not find something that would hold their attention, they might not turn the page to see the rest. This does not mean that you should stuff everything in the first page; however, you should use the best part of your Curriculum Vitae information here.
The Curriculum Vitae has spelling/grammar mistakes - there is no greater put-off than a CV that has spelling and grammar mistakes. This reflects very poorly on the person who is sending it and it would prompt the recruiter to summarily reject it. A badly presented Curriculum Vitae (with spelling mistakes and poorly phrased) is just as if you would come dressed in crumpled dirty clothes and uncombed hair to the interview. Would anyone consider such a person for an interview? The same answer is applicable for the poorly presented Curriculum Vitae.

Beware of these common mistakes and ensure that your Curriculum Vitae does not suffer from any of these. A properly worded and presented Curriculum Vitae is like a passport - you can go anywhere with it.

9:51 AM

Which One To Choose - the Prefect Curriculum Vitae or the Winning Curriculum Vitae!

First of all, let me tell you there is no way you can write a perfect Curriculum Vitae because such a thing does not exist. You will never ever hear a person saying, 'Wow! This is a perfect Curriculum Vitae!' because in this context perfection cannot be defined or attained. However, you can always write a winning Curriculum Vitae.
What is a winning Curriculum Vitae? Well, a winning CV is that, which compels the reader (recruiter) to want to know more about you and hence, call you for an interview.
The Features of a Winning Curriculum Vitae
In order to understand what the winning Curriculum Vitae should contain, let us go once again over what the role of the CV is. The Curriculum Vitae's basic job is to introduce you to the recruiter and create an image/impression about you as one of the best matches for the job at hand. It should compel the interviewer to want to know you better because by making you look promising for their company. In other words, the role of the CV is to get you an interview call. The winning Curriculum Vitae would need to have the following:

You personal information such as name, coordinates should be written clearly right at the top of the page. Do not title your Curriculum Vitae as 'Biodata', 'Curriculum vitae' or 'Resume'. It is not necessary and looks passe. Use a different font (from the body of the CV) here if you like, but abstain from using other color ink or dividers. Too much of it and it will distract the reader.
Have a summary of your Curriculum Vitae drawn up immediately under you name and coordinates. This should contain the information about your expertise and level at which you work, as well as a few critical skills you have that would be required for the job you are applying for. The summary should no exceed five lines.
Next, you would have the list of your professional experience in reverse chronological order (unless otherwise mentioned). Each title thereof should mention clearly the employing company's name, your designation and describe in bullet points what you have achieved there. The Curriculum Vitae should have here quantified active verbs, which show that you were a person who made a difference and hence, you would be ready to make a difference in your new work place as well.
Keep in mind the saying, 'You are as good as your last job' - hence, give as many details as needed in the first two employments listed and then reduce the details as you go down the time and rather concentrate upon your main achievements.
After you finished with your experience, you will need to add your qualifications. Here, you would need to list your key educational achievements, memberships (if any) in any professional bodies, etc. Keep this brief and focused. If you have undertaken any training courses that would reflect upon the present position, ensure that you add that, too.
In the end, you would need to mention all other information about yourself that would complete the picture about you in the mind of the recruiter, who would be reading this Curriculum Vitae. Here, you may enter your date of birth (optional), your marital status, nationality, etc. and other such data.
What you should omit from your Curriculum Vitae:

name and coordinates of your references
hobbies and interests

A few critical points you should remember when you draw up your winning Curriculum Vitae:

The Curriculum Vitae should not exceed two pages
The sentences should be short and crisp; as much as possible use bullet points with active verbs that are quantified with achievements
Choose the right style - there are three styles, i.e. functional Curriculum Vitae, targeted Curriculum Vitae and Performance Curriculum Vitae - for the job you are applying
Ensure that the best that you have to offer is on the first page; the recruiter might not bother to look at the second page otherwise
The summary should highlight your strengths and skills first; then what your professional plans are
Study well about the company and tailor-make your Curriculum Vitae to exactly match those requirements
Ensure that all statements are true; you might be asked to provide proof for your claims or the company might run a background check-up on you
Check the spellings and punctuations carefully
Abstain from using any types of abbreviations
Your contact information should be clear and correct; this should have your address, telephone number (mention timings when you would be available), cell phone number, email id, website (only if it is done for professional viewing; in case it is something you use to share jokes, music and photographs with your family, then it is better you do not mention it)
Use an easily readable font - it should not too small - Arial/ Times New Roman/ Tahoma 10/12 point would be a good choice
Use high quality paper
The Curriculum Vitae should be laser printed for high clarity and neatness
Use light colored (if you want any other color than white) paper for a stand-out effect
Use an easy-to scan format - avoid too much italics, highlighting and underlining
Attach a brief cover letter explaining why you think you would be the best candidate for the job you are applying for
Use a professional Curriculum vitae writing service a couple of times at least, until you learn the right way to do it
Always keep a copy of the Curriculum Vitae you sent to each company - this is very important, since each CV would be specifically tweaked to match the job and hence, you might not remember exactly how it was presented when you are called for the interview

What you have now in our hands is a wining Curriculum Vitae, one that would guarantee you a call letter every time you send it to a prospective employer; and hence it would fulfill its role. Here is wishing all the best!

9:48 AM

Book: Brilliant CV

Interview with Jim Bright - Author of the book 'Brilliant CV'
1. Your book is apparently a best seller. What quality do you think sets your book apart?

Firstly there are now THREE books. Brilliant CV (Pearson) in the UK, Amazing Resumes (JIST) in the USA, and Resumes that get short-listed (Allen and Unwin) in Australia. There is also a Vietnamese translation too!
All of these books differ from what is available elsewhere simply because they are based upon rigorous scientific research into what gets a resume/CV short-listed. Now when I say rigorous scientific research, I am talking about research that has been peer-reviewed by leading scientists working in the Selection field and that appears in international scholarly journals. I am also talking about Masters Psychology thesis research supervised personally by me and conducted by Postgraduate Masters students in conjunction with the recruitment industry, human resources professionals and others who make employment decisions. We have taken a lot time, trouble and money over the last 13 years doing proper research. Simply asking recruiters what they like to see on a resume is not generally very rigorous or accurate, because people say one thing and do another. We measured how they actually behaved as well as getting their opinions, and got independent judges to evaluate the correctness of our conclusions. I am unaware of any other CV book that can make this claim.

Our books are based on sound principles from psychology which are verifiable and have been rigorously evaluated ? the books advice is not just common sense dressed up as help, or the personal experience of one author. Having said all that, do not get the impression these books are abstract and academic, or written by people with no real-world experience. Both myself and co-author Jo Earl have about 40 years combined experience working in recruitment and organisational psychology with employers. Although I hold a position as Professor of Career Education and Development at a University, my major job is running my own Career Management Consultancy Bright and Associates - I put my livelihood where my mouth is so you can be sure that our advice is not only well-founded and rigorous, it is practical and effective too.
2. What is the most common mistake people make on a Cv?

There are many ? perhaps the single biggest sin is not to tailor each and every resume/CV intimately to every role applied for. This means addressing the selection criteria for the role and if the role doesn't have any, doing enough research to be able to generate your own selection criteria for the role and then addressing them? After that, the basics like pour spelling and bad formatting are key issues.
3. In your book, you help people improve an existing Cv. What is the first step?
There are three steps.

1) know everything you can about the role you want to apply for;
2) know everything you can about yourself, your knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes (KSAAs), as well as your weaknesses in these areas.
3) tailor your KSAAs to the role when you write your resume

Failing to address the employers needs. Writing about what the candidate wants to get, rather than what the candidate can offer the employer. Lack of attention to detail (see earlier about spelling, format and addressing selection criteria).
6. Is the paper you print the Cv on important?
Yes, but don't get to overexcited about it. 80 or 90 gsm (grams per square metre ? the weight of the paper) fine white is the best choice. Definitely not coloured or textured. We have the research to prove that is not a good idea (despite what some ill-informed commentators continue to say).

10:55 AM

Making Your CV More Interesting

You must be aware that a CV is the key that unlocks the gate of the company for you. You want the job, you are ready for it - but have your really got the right key? How do you make your CV an interesting document?

Always write a new CV for each job, specifically designing them to answer and highlight the relevant information about yourself with regards to the job requirements; never give a standard formal CV to one and all - in case you do, do not expect great results from such a delivery

Always draw the employers interest towards your best plus points which would show you as one of the most eligible for the job applied for

Collect enough information about the company and the job in question to know exactly what points the employers are looking for so you can match your best talents to those particular points of the requirement

Be aware of market trends regarding the latest technology, latest training, latest jargons that are relevant to the job. Use those in sufficient quantity to show you are abreast with the times

The formatting of the CV should be pleasant to the eyes: in alignment, typesetting (the font should preferably be Arial or Times New Roman with a size between 11 - 12 pt), margins, paper quality - each and every aspect should be chosen with the company and job you are applying for in mind. For example, for a computer professional a highly professional, latest technology and software CV would be very appropriate. For an advertising or copy writing job a colorful and innovative style would prove your credentials even before the employer read your CV.

Use the key aspects that employers are looking for correctly and throughout the CV - this will not only attract their attention, but also highlight your overall awareness

Keep the CV crisp and easy to read, using proper highlighting tactics for different areas you need to attract the employers attention to - often the employer has only a few brief seconds' time to glance through the CV and make his/her decision whether he/she is interested to know more or not

Keep it interesting with short sentences if you need to elaborate and with bullet points when you need to list - so a person can scan the contents without effort and also enjoy what they read

You need to build the expectations of the employer slowly but steadily so he/she will want to interview you; use the right formatting applicable to that company, region or country. Incorrect formatting often leads to rejection since the person cannot re-organize his/her way of thinking for a tailored CV

Highlight clearly what value you can add to the job and the company so they can appreciate the value addition you would bring in.

The above list is by no means exhaustive. Your CV should, generally speaking, invite the employer to know you better, create a good first impression, and open the possibility in their mind that you might be the right candidate for the job.

CV SAMPLE