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Unit 5. DESIGNING A RESUME

Warm-up

Do you know what a CV stands for?

What is the difference between a CV and a resume?

Have you ever written a resume? What information did you present there?

 

· When you apply for a job you are likely to be asked to present your resume or CV. What shoud it look like? Read the following text to be able to answer the questions.

DESIGNING A RESUME

I

When you apply for a job or wish to continue your education, you are likely to be asked to present your resume, or CV (curriculum vitae). What is widely known in Europe as a CV is better known in the USA as a resume. This document may prove crucial for your future, so special attention should be paid to the appropriate style.

What should a resume look like? First, it ought to be easy to read: not too much material crammed on a page, easily headings, and, if you prefer, short phrases rather than full sentences. Second, it ought to give your vital statictics: your name, address. Third, the resume ought to suggest where you are headed professionally (perhaps in a section called “Qualification and Experience”, including education and work experience, or two sections titled “Work Experience” and “Education”).

The ordering of information is important in the section on qualification and experience. Generally, you want to put your most relevant and impressive qualification list. If you have a lot of relevant work experience you should list that before your educational experience. If you have only a little work experience, you will have to emphasize your education and its special features.

What makes you different from any other student with your degree? Have you had any specific research? Do you have a number of honours and extracurricular activities? You might want to highlight them in a separate section titled “Honours and Activities”, since such features show that you are enough organised to handle several activities at one time.

Finally, you need a section titled “References”, which either states that references are available on request or lists your references’ names (and addresses), if these are particularly impressive. Before you list someone as a reference, ask the person if he or she is willing to serve in this role. It is impolite and potentially disastrous to list people without their approval.

There are some international guidelines concerning what to put in CV, in what order. Consider two patterns of CV. The first is more detailed with the names of people giving an applicant letters of recommendation which are sometimes enclosed (attached). The second CV is briefer.

A resume gives you an opportunity to present a positive picture of yourself to a prospective employer. You are expected to give information about your skills, your experience, and your education. Employers understand that college students may have limited experience in the business world. Think of headings that allow you to emphasize your strengths. For example, if you have never done paid work, do not use Business Experience. You can use Work Experience if you have done volunteer or other unpaid work. If the experience you offer an employer is that you have run school or social events, you might use Organisational Experience. If your greatest strength is your academic record, put your educational attainments first.



Pattern I

Curriculum Vitae

Name

Date of birth

Nationality

Present address

Education

Qualifications

Business Experience

Present employer

Present job (in some detail: about a paragraph)

Publications (if any)

Previous jobs (with dates, but few details, unless the latter are important)

Languages spoken (say whether spoken fluently)

Leisure activities (not too much detail)

Referees (names and addresses of two people who can give confidential details about your character and ability)

Notes

1. Ideally you should not need more than one or a maximum of two sides of A4 paper for your CV. It must attract interest, yet leave you things to say at the interview and encourage the reader to want to meet you! Your CV may be one of dozens received, so it must stand from the others.

2. Don’t mention salary in your CV or in your letter: this must remain for the interview.

Pattern II

Personal details

Date of birth

Place of birth

Parents

Marital status

Education

Business experience

Qualifications

 

Comprehension check

What should a resume look like?

Why is ordering of information important?

How can you make yourself different from other applicants?

What is peculiar of the section titled “References”?

Consider two patterns of resumes. What are the common and different features?

What are the three extremely important blocks of any resume?

What is the difference between Business Experience and Work Experience?

What is the best size of a resume?

· Consider the CV written by David Brown. What information does he present? How old is he? What do his parents do? Where did he study? What are his special qualifications? What job can he apply for?

Curriculum Vitae

Personal details:   Date of birth: Place of birth: Parents:   Marital status: Education: David Brown, 21 South Road, Richmond, Surrey RD7 6AJ 16 March 1987 Richmond, Surrey Thomas Brown, businessman Edith Brown, art teacher Single Richmond Primary School Richmond Senior School GCE O level mathematics, French, German, art. GCE A level German, French, art
Business experience: 2 years’ employment in the Richmond Antiques Mart Special qualifications: I am currently attending an evening course in Marketing and Sales at the Richmond Business School and have passed the intermediate examination with Credit

Date: 2016-01-05; view: 2301


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Choose a job, and talk for two minutes giving reasons why your job should be the best paid one in the country. | Read some more examples of resumes and say what positions the candidates apply for, what you know about their education, experience and skills.
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