Careers Service Guide

Write a winning CV, Covering Letter or Application Form

www.cranfield.ac.uk/careers

Introduction
Youre looking at this book because you need to put together a CV and you want to know what is the most effective way of doing that. You know there are many sources of information in print and on the internet but this book is written with Cranfield students in mind. Youll find that it uses examples based on actual CVs of Cranfield students, and shows you how to think about presenting yourself in ways that employers will find interesting. In part 1 (page 2) you can find out how to assemble the information you need to include in a CV, and how to communicate it effectively. In part 2 (page 13) there are examples of how to present your experience on a CV in ways useful for engineering, health, double degree and PhD students. In part 3 (page 22) there is advice on preparing a cover letter, and some examples. In part 4 (page 24) there is advice on preparing application forms with examples of common questions and some company tips.

Part 1How to write your CV

What is a CV?
A CV is a marketing brochure. When you prepare a CV youre promoting yourself to an employer in the hope that they may find enough interesting information in it to call you to an interview. So a CV has to sell an employer the possible benefits of employing you. In most cases a CV will be your first and only contact with the employer in advance of an interview. Make sure your CV communicates the impression you really want to make. A CV is a record of achievements. So it should contain a mix of quantitative (what did I do?) and qualitative (how well did I do?) information. Employers want to find out what youre like as a potential member of their team, and your CV should help them do this. A CV is easy to read. The information should leap off the page and impress the reader. There are some conventions about how CVs are presented, and there are generally good reasons for them. Think about recruiters who have to make a quick selection of five CVs for interview out of fifty applications: the CVs which are easiest to read are more likely to get chosen. A good CV can get you an interview. Only an interview (or several interviews and perhaps an assessment centre) will get you a job: the aim of your CV and accompanying covering letter is to get you to the interview in the first place. Thats all. A CV always goes along with a covering letter. The letter and CV together make up your marketing brochure. Always send your CV with a letter employers will normally ask you to do this anyway. If youre writing a personal statement for a recruitment website, write that as if it were a covering letter. And even when someone says Just send me your CV, always write a targeted cover letter as well.

What a CV is not
A job description or a detailed list of your tasks and duties in each job or project. It should say what the recruiter needs to know about the basic elements of the job and then highlight the distinctions and achievements that are down to you. A mindreading test for recruiters. Dont assume that recruiters know anything about your course, your first degree, any employers you might have worked for, or any voluntary organisations where you have been an activist. Give them some context to help them understand your achievements. A permanent lasting memorial. Your CV and cover letter should be adapted to each employer you apply to. You may change the achievements you present according to what you think employers are most interested in. You will certainly change the wording of the cover letter to let them know youve done some research on them (and arent sending the same letter to many different employers). Good marketing starts with an awareness of customer needs and a realisation that these needs are different for every customer.

Constructing a good CV
These are the general guidelines for writing a CV. They are conventions which can be adapted to differing circumstances. But they are useful basic rules to help make your CV as attractive as possible.

Your Name
This is all you need to put at the top of the CV definitely not Curriculum vitae - and your name should be in bold type, preferably in the centre. PERSONAL DETAILS

Term time address, telephone number (mobile is fine) and permanent address (optional) Email address (preferably your cranfield.ac.uk address as it may look more professional than any others you have) Date of birth Nationality (and UK resident status if appropriate) Gender if its not obvious to an English-speaker

EDUCATION

Years only in left hand column (2004-2007, for example) in reverse chronological order recruiters dont like gaps in a CV so make sure there arent any. Cranfield studies: main subjects studied, group project details, thesis title and where applicable the name of the thesis sponsoring company (if not confidential) First degree or equivalent: include main subjects studied, project details if any, and thesis title. A Levels (list subjects) or equivalent school leaving qualifications; GCSEs (number of subjects is sufficient). International qualifications e.g. Baccalaureate (ALevel) ideally include the UK equivalence.

FURTHER TRAINING Include any further courses you feel are particularly relevant like Microsoft or other IT system certifications, project management or other technical trainings, or management and employee development programmes. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Give a brief description of the company business and size if its not a well-known name. Concise account of job function and experience gained only enough information to give a context, not a job description. Achievements in the job: targets met, projects managed, results achieved give quantitative measures where possible: numbers, budgets, sizes of teams for example. Include any placements, internships, vacation work and voluntary work.

IT AND TECHNICAL SKILLS Concise list of programming languages and skills, and software packages and operating systems, and any areas of technical and professional knowledge. LANGUAGES Include level of ability (native, fluent, good, tourist, basic) or if you are currently studying a language. INTERESTS, ACTIVITIES, POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Mention activities that are distinctive dont say reading and films: everybody does that. But if you write science fiction or are interested in Latin American cinema, say so. Be specific: dont say travelling say travelled to 12 countries in Asia and Europe in the last 2 years. Dont say guitar say play guitar in a band with university friends, doing occasional gigs in Sheffield area. If you have any qualifications or diplomas associated with an activity, mention them like Grade 5 piano, Advanced Open Water diver, Private Pilots Licence, Aikido Black Belt. If you have had some responsibility on a committee or organising group, state the level of involvement, and responsibility for budgets, projects, and teams. Scholarships, awards or other special achievements. Driving licence if you have one and you think its relevant to the job.

REFEREES One of your referees should be from Cranfield. Ask permission from referees before you use their name, and send them a copy of your CV to help them write your reference.

So now you know what makes a good CV : have a look at this example and see if there is anything about it you would change.

CURRICULUM VITAE
Personal Details Name: James Bond Address (university) Room 234 Lanchester Hall, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Beds MK43 0AL Telephone number 01234 567890 Email bond008@tiscali.co.uk Date of birth 17th March 1989 in Manchester Marital status Single Nationality British Profile
Motivated Design and Production Engineer, with excellent interpersonal skills and experience in working with IT tools like CAD systems and ERP systems. Result oriented Team worker who can work to tight deadlines. Seeking a position which demands knowledge in Information Technology and Product Engineering, to build up highly developed set of enterprise management skills.

Education Oct 2011Aug 2012 MSc Manufacturing at Cranfield University Group Project: Strategic Investigation into Information Delivery Systems Implementing new systems and training users. Thesis: Computer Aided Process Planning for Machining Operation Design of machining operation to improve quality and efficiency of the production process. 2007 2010 BSc (Hons) 2:1in Mechanical Design Engineering at Sheffield University Dissertation: Exploring the use of FEA for commercial applications 2005 2007 South Park Upper School, Manchester 2005 GCSE A Level: Mathematics (B), Physics (B), Chemistry (C) Salford Academy, Manchester 2004 GCSE O Levels in Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, English, Psychology, General Studies, French, Biology, Religious Studies

IT skills ProSim 5.0 (Precedence Relationship Modelling), A10 Win (Functional modelling), SAP 2000, Microsoft Suite, Smart Draw, CreaTriz, Technoptimizer, Witness (discreet event simulation), C, C++, Visual Basic, Windows 2000/XP Work Experience 2010 2011 Engineering by Design, New Street, Oldham Design engineer doing CAD designs for clients. Left because I wanted to study for MSc at Cranfield. Bygg Machines, Leeds Industrial placement. Eurocamp, St-Tropez, France Holiday rep.

2009 2008

Other points of interest Sheffield University Union Ents Committee member 2009 and 2010 I enjoy sports and have been a member of the Cranfield football and cricket teams. I also like cinema, reading, and travelling Languages: French (good), Spanish (currently studying). Referees Dr Zygmunt Froyd Engineering Department University of Sheffield Mr Geoffrey Boycott Managing Director, Bygg Machines Ltd. Leeds

Look at the next 2 pages for a careers advisers comments on James Bonds CV...

Typefaces: just use one font. Arial or Helvetica are easier to read than Times or Garamond

Name should go here: its obviously a CV...

Too much wasted white space.

CURRICULUM VITAE
Personal Details these are obviously Name: James Bond personal details Address (university) Room 234 Lanchester Hall, Cranfield University, Cranfield, j.bond@cranfield.ac.uk Beds MK43 0AL looks more professional! Telephone number 01234 567890 Email bond008@tiscali.co.uk Date of birth 17th March 1989 in Manchester Place not relevant Marital status Single Nationality British Status not relevant Profile
Motivated Design and Production Engineer, with excellent interpersonal skills and experience in working with IT tools like CAD systems and ERP systems. Result oriented Team worker who can work to tight deadlines. Seeking a position which demands knowledge in Information Technology and Product Engineering, to build up highly developed set of enterprise management skills. Profiles may be OK if youve 20 years experience, but otherwise theyre rather meaningless. Recruiters tend not to like them. Wheres the evidence Education for any of these statements? Better to give examples in cover letter. No need for a title:

October 2011 August 2012 MSc Manufacturing at Cranfield University Group Project: Strategic Investigation into Information Delivery Systems It would be good to Implementing new systems and training users. know about key Thesis: Computer Aided Process Planning for Machining modules studied at first and masters levels, Operation and some more about Design of machining operation to improve quality and efficiency of projects and the production process. dissertations: were 2002 2005 BSc (Hons) 2:1in Mechanical Design Engineering at Sheffield outside companies University involved? What were Dissertation: Exploring the use of FEA for commercial the results of research? applications 2005 2007 South Park Upper School, Manchester 2005 GCSE A Level: Mathematics (B), A Levels could be on one line. O Levels not relevant. Physics (B), Chemistry (C) Salford Academy, Manchester 2004 GCSE O Levels in Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, English, Psychology, General Studies, French, Biology, Religious Studies
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Organise this list into applications and operating systems

IT skills ProSim 5.0 (Precedence Relationship Modelling), A10 Win (Functional modelling), SAP 2000, Microsoft Suite, Smart Draw, CreaTriz, Technoptimizer, Witness (discreet event simulation), C, C++, Visual Basic, Windows 2000/XP Work Experience 2010 2011 Engineering by Design, New Street, Oldham Design engineer doing CAD designs for clients. Left because I wanted to study for MSc at Cranfield. Bygg Machines, Leeds What clients? What value of contract or size of project? Any Industrial placement. achievements? What did you learn Eurocamp, St-Tropez, France from these jobs? Any new skills? Holiday rep.
Never say on a CV why you left: save that for the interview, if at all.

2009 2008

Other points of interest

Sheffield University Union Ents Committee member 2009 and 2010 I enjoy sports and have been a member of the Cranfield football and cricket teams. I also like cinema, reading, and travelling Languages: French (good), Spanish (currently studying). How many members on Referees Dr Zygmunt Froyd Engineering Department University of Sheffield
Entertainments Committee? What was the budget? What were you responsible for? Everyone likes cinema etc. whats distinctive about what you like? Where have you travelled to? Any other qualifications?

Mr Geoffrey Boycott Managing Director, Bygg Machines Ltd. Leeds Why no referee from Cranfield?

Now lets see what James Bonds CV looks like when he follows this advice...

James Bond
Term Address: Room 234 Lanchester Hall, Cranfield University, Bedford MK43 OAL Telephone: 07890 654321 E-mail: j.bond@cranfield.ac.uk Date of Birth: 17 March 1989 UK nationality EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS

Oct 2011 - Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, UK Aug 2012 MSc Manufacturing Options: Engineering and Management of Manufacturing Systems Main subjects include, Manufacturing Management, Enterprise Information Systems, Consultancy tools and e manufacturing. Group Project: Strategic Investigation of Information Delivery Systems (for XYZ Training Ltd). The purpose of the project was to look at the methodology for implementing new systems and training users. Working within a team of four, the project involved meeting with the client, detailed planning of the work process and preparation and presentation of reports. Our final recommendations were submitted to the company. Thesis: Computer Aided Process Planning for Machining Operation (commissioned by East Anglian Precision Tools Ltd). Design of machining operation required by precision engineering manufacturer to improve quality and efficiency of the production process. Project involved use of CATIA and C++ programming. 2007 2010 Sheffield University BSc (Hons) Mechanical Design Engineering 2:1 Core subjects included Stress Analysis (FEA), Dynamics & Control, Solid Body Mechanics, Industrial Robots, CAD Techniques, Project Management, Manufacturing Methods Group Project: Design & Development of Window Cleaning Device Work involved research and design into new structure involving liaison with company and suppliers, costings, and subsequent construction and successful test of prototype. Dissertation: Exploring the use of FEA for commercial applications An investigation aimed at providing a novel approach for applications for finite element analysis in the workplace. The research was undertaken with assistance from both academic staff and local companies resulting in recommendations submitted to appropriate departments. South Park Upper School, Manchester GCSE A Level: Mathematics (B), Physics (B), Chemistry (C) GCSEs 7 subjects

2005 2007

COMPUTING SKILLS

Software: ProSim 5.0 (Precedence Relationship Modelling), A10 Win (Functional modelling), SAP 2000 (Structural Design and Analysis), Microsoft Suite, Smart Draw, CreaTriz, Technoptimizer. Witness (discreet event simulation) Programming: C, C++, Visual Basic Operating Systems: Windows 2000/XP
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EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

2010 2011

Engineering by Design, New Street, Oldham Design Engineer The company is involved with design and manufacture of precision components for the automotive industry. Working with the research and development team I was responsible for design (using CAD) to customer specification. This also included meeting with the client, preparation of project schedules and supervision of initial build programme. Special Achievements Design team leader for new gear lever prototype winning overseas order worth 2M. Bygg Machines, Leeds Graduate Engineer (Industrial Placement) Working for this international organisation I assisted with a major project on stress analysis of a wing tip structure. The report was completed to strict time deadlines and submitted to the project sponsors (EU). I was subsequently invited to co-present this paper at the European Conference for Stress & Structure held in Brussels in February 2007. Eurocamp, St-Tropez, France Summer holiday rep. on a 300-pitch campsite. Client reception and dealing with a wide range of enquiries. Learned to really enjoy good teamwork, and improved my French.

2009

2008

LANGUAGES French (good), Spanish (currently studying). ACTIVITIES & INTERESTS Sheffield University Union Ents Committee member 2009 and 2010 part of a team of six with a 3000 budget, responsible for booking a mix of local and well-known bands for the Union. Learned a lot about project planning and budget control. Active member of the Cranfield football and cricket teams playing regularly in inter-universities league.. Travelled in Europe in vacations: France, Italy, Spain, Portugal. Full UK driving licence. Graduate Member Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) REFEREES Dr Henry Tutor Cranfield University h.tutor@cranfield.ac.uk Mr Geoffrey Boycott Bygg Machines Ltd. geoff.boycott@byggmachines.com

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So when you prepare your CV, remember these points:

Recruiters often have to read a lot of CVsso make sure yours is interesting and easy to read. Think about layout and space. If you have interesting work experience to report, try to make sure that section starts by the end of the first page of the CV. A CV is like a newspaper report, not a journal articleit has to leap off the page and engage the reader. Use action words to describe your achievementslike implemented, presented, achieved, persuaded (see a full list on Page 25). If your education and experience have been outside the UK and your CV is for a UK audience, remember to explain briefly anything you think a UK reader needs to understand. The maximum length for a CV is two pages (except for academic CVs with lists of publications). This is a conventionanyone can present their experience in two pages. Its also designed for the convenience of recruiters who have many CVs to read. When you develop your CV plan for it to be two pages long. If it needs to be shorter you can always adapt it. On the next page there is a one page version of James Bonds CV. Some things have been left out, and the type size has been reduced slightly, but most of the information is there, and it still conveys the same impression.. Unless youre applying for a job in one of the creative industries like advertising or graphic design (and you probably arent), keep the design of your CV simple. Use one typeface, preferably a sans serif one like Arial, Helvetica or Tahoma. This document is in sans serif type. Readability research shows its easier to read type like this in lists and documents with short statements. Serif type (like Times or Garamond) works better for long documents like newspapers and novels. Never use novelty typefaces for emphasis: it just looks like bad advertising material. Use different type sizes and bold and/ or italic for headings and emphasis. The smallest type size you should use is 10 point. Never use underline: it looks untidy. Use grey or shaded boxes if you want, to help highlight text, but be aware that it is difficult to get them to look rightand some recruiters find them irritating. All recruiters will find a straightforward, engaging and readable presentation of the facts very acceptable. See things from the readers point of viewwhat are the most important things you want them to know about you? Then tell them thatno more and definitely no less. Never make things upinvented information will catch you out in the end, and employers are not relaxed about CV fraud. Use your CV to acknowledge what you have achieved in your life so farwhich is a lot. Never compare your experience with anyone elses. Others may have more work experience than you, have won more prizes and scholarships than you, and play more musical instruments. But what matters is you and your achievementsconcentrate on those and celebrate them in your CV. What you have achieved is enough to make a good presentation of yourself, and your CV can convince recruiters that youre worth interviewing.

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James Bond
Term Address: Room 234 Lanchester Hall, Cranfield University, Bedford MK43 OAL Telephone: 07890 654321 Email: j.bond@cranfield.ac.uk Date of Birth: 17 March 1989 UK nationality

EDUCATION

Oct 2011 Aug 2012

Cranfield University, Beds MSc Manufacturing Option: Manufacturing Management Information Systems Subjects include, Manufacturing Management, Enterprise Information Systems, Consultancy Tools and e manufacturing Group Project: Strategic Investigation into Information Delivery Systems Thesis: Computer Aided Process Planning for Machining Operation

2007 2010 Sheffield University BSc (Hons) Mechanical Design Engineering 2:1 Stress Analysis (FEA), Project Management, Manufacturing Methods Group Project: Design & Development of Window Cleaning Device Dissertation: Exploring the use of FEA for commercial applications 2005 2007 South Park Upper School, Manchester GCE A Level: Mathematics (B), Physics (B), Chemistry (C)
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

2010 2011 Engineering by Design, New Street, Oldham Design Engineer Working with the research and development team I was responsible for design (using CAD) to customer specification. This also included meeting with the client, preparation of project schedules and supervision of initial build programme. Special Achievements Design team leader for new gear lever prototype winning overseas order worth 2M. 2009 Bygg Machines, Leeds Graduate Engineer (Industrial Placement) Assisted with a major project on stress analysis of a wing tip structure. Report completed on time and submitted to the project sponsors (EU). Co-presented paper at European Conference for Stress & Structure, Brussels, February 2009. Eurocamp, St-Tropez, France Summer holiday rep. on a 300-pitch campsite. Client reception and dealing with a wide range of enquiries. Learned to really enjoy good teamwork, and improved my French.

2008

COMPUTING SKILLS ProSim 5.0 (Precedence Relationship Modelling), A10 Win (Functional modelling), SAP 2000 (Structural Design and Analysis), Microsoft Suite, Smart Draw, CreaTriz, Technop timizer. Programming: C, C++, Visual Basic Operating Systems: Windows 2000/XP LANGUAGES French (good), Spanish (currently studying)

INTERESTS & PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS Sheffield University Union Ents Committee member 2009 and 2010. Active member of the Cranfield football and cricket teams. Full UK driving licence. Graduate Member Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) 12

Part 2Achievements, skills, competencies

Achievements
In order to promote yourself effectively you need to think how to present effectively what youre offering: what are the benefits of employing you? Start by thinking of your achievements. List the things youve done in your life so far, starting at age 16 (most people dont do anything of great significance before then, but if you did win Teen Idol or if youve been giving piano recitals since primary school, include it in your list). For each item on the list, say briefly what you did, and what the result was, or you learned from doing it. Here are some examples, all taken from actual CVs of Cranfield students. Group Project: Review of Subsea Processing Technologies The purpose of the project was to undertake an in-depth review of subsea processing technologies, identifying the main suppliers/vendors, their development history, field application/ installation and producing a timeline/ future roadmap for the individual technologies. Working within a team of seven, the project involved initiating contacts with vendors/suppliers and operators, site visits and attending subsea technology fairs to gather information about the various technologies. Our final report was presented at an SUT meeting, and submitted to the client. Dissertation: The Role of Climate Change in Evolution: Hominid Evolution, Consequence or Coincidence? Involved extensive research and completion of a 4000 word essay. Laboratory Assistant, Unilever, London Unpaid 10-day placement, provided understanding of scientific application in a professional workplace. Sales Assistant, Iceland Ltd, Rushden The relatively small-scale work force meant a high-level of initiative and ability was required. Development of customer relation skills. Youth work Co-led a childrens venue at a Christian conference as a voluntary youth worker during August 2008. Involved constant planning and coordination of activities responsible for ~600 children per day aged 8-11 years. Approached by conference organisers due to previous success and motivation, to lead the 2009 childrens venue. Cathay Pacific Airways Internship (Marketing Department) Frankfurt, Germany Translations for local market and HQ; PowerPoint presentations for sales meetings Office for National Statistics providing official statistics about the UK Telephone Interviewer (Labour force survey) Collected information accurately under strict rules, encouraged people to take part, developed good interpersonal skills, work on my own initiative and have a high degree of self-motivation. University Chinese Society Treasurer (Year 2): With 120+ members; managed finance with a budget of 2000+ with cost cutting measures, assisted in making team decisions and organising events.

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Vacations 2007-2008 Various temporary work in factories which required fast decision taking and no faults proactive team work. Executive Assistant, Association of London Colleges Organised venues, catering and invitations for 5 events, including Summer Party for 120 guests including high-level political and business attendees. Scheduled busy diary; administered invoices; kept contact lists for a prolific networker. Business Plan for a start-up airline A team project with the participation of 8 members to produce a detailed business plan of a start-up scheduled passenger airline, which was later successfully presented to potential investors followed by a report. Group Project: Design of a 4x4 SUV - Best Group in Class The project was presented and assessed by a panel of industrial advisors; senior figures from Millbrook, Land Rover and Ford. The aim of the project was to design an off road vehicle that is fun and innovative. An advanced setup on Excel was used to analyse the suspensions kinematics then it was modelled and investigated using I-DEAS. I was responsible for braking performance, packaging and ergonomics while working closely with other members on the crashworthiness, performance, style and compliance with regulations. Ingnieurs Sans Frontires, Strasbourg, France - Water and Hygiene promotion volunteer Field work with a 3-person team in the rural area of Foundou in Mauritania (community of 3,500), conducting an appraisal of the technical and managerial state of the existing community water supply network. Duties included the review of the hardware aspects; review of financial records; participatory work with the local management committee to enhance capacities; organisation of hygiene promotion activities; and observation and unstructured interviews to evaluate the social impact of the project on the community. Global Voices talk for Pullford Lower School. Leighton Buzzard Introduced school pupils to culture and society of Mexico. Community Action, Madrid The task was to organise leisure group activities and workshops for teenagers coordinated by the local authorities. Responsibility and communication skills required. Commitment to the community and concern about young peoples problems. GUA Corporation for Comprehensive Analysis, Vienna, Austria Junior consultant Co-author of the study: Sustainable beverage packaging management in Hungary Responsibilities: Liaise with clients, Data gathering, Analysis of former studies in the field of packaging, Environmental and Economic Analysis. BB divers, Koh Chang, Thailand - Dive mastering and public relations Working as a PADI Dive Master required a good capacity for taking initiative, leading groups, briefing people and inspiring confidence in customers. As manager of an office for BB Divers, I had to sell dives and equipments and do Public Relations. European Car Free Day Sep 2007 Participation in the preparations of the event taking place in Warsaw, comprising stage performance, contests arrangement and becoming acquainted with the procedures of organising environmental events in the capital city.
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Awards, prizes, scholarships

If you have any of these, list them. It is useful to say how competitive, if possible (first in class of 50; one of only three people in Italy awarded this prize). For example: BEng (Hons) in Aerospace Engineering Design, Kingston University. 1st class degree At the graduation ceremony, won the award for the most outstanding performance in Aerospace Engineering Design. Secured a scholarship from the Royal Aeronautical Society Centennial Scholarship Grant in 2011. 2004 the best all round student award in the college junior school, out of around 3000 students.

Skills and competencies

Employers increasingly focus on the competencies they look for in their employees when they are recruiting. In interviews they will look for evidence that you have these competencies and the potential to develop them. The core competencies that employers look for are Leadership, Teamworking, Problem-solving, Customer focus, Communication, and Project management among others. Think of the skills and competences you have developed in the course of your education and other experience so far. For example: Team Working - Experience of working in teams through academic projects, including planning, role allocation, coordinating different skill sets and overcoming cultural differences and motivational problems. Teamwork was vital during the Kenyan voluntary project, particularly when climbing Mt Kenya with seven other volunteers when the team needed to support each other over the rough mountainous terrain. Effective Communication - Presented to groups of up to 100 people whilst studying for my Masters qualification at Cranfield University. Whilst working on my thesis I was comfortable interviewing senior employees of large multinationals. Problem Solving - Designed and tested a method of measuring and improving the accuracy of simulation software at Ford motor company. This method translated into improvements in the cycle times of the CNC machines and Ford believe it has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of pounds. The CV on the next two pages is based on real Cranfield examples, and shows an effective presentation of experience and achievement. It also shows a way of presenting non-UK qualifications and experience so that UK readers will understand their significance.

15

Manon DESSOURCES
81, rue Lamartine 83240 Cavalaire-sur-Mer France 0033 4.94.01.92.10 manon.dessources@wanadoo.fr 0044 7 234 987654 m.dessources@cranfield.ac.uk Nationality : French Date of birth : 06.05.1990 EDUCATION 2011-2012 Cranfield University: Water Management MSc, Water and Society option: water technology, finance, management, economics, communication, legislation, politics. This year has been an opportunity to learn and develop the management and communication skills necessary to cover all the aspects of a water service at different levels: local, national and international. This knowledge has been put into practice through two group projects and a thesis. Group project 1: Society and water policy evaluation. Presentation of policy and communication outlines of a strategic planning and communications group of a water and sewerage company. Video editing. (1 month) Group project 2: Catchment management plan and GIS. Development of a catchment management plan in the context of the Water Framework Directive in the Axe Catchment, UK. (1 month) Thesis: Self-monitoring by end-users in South West Uganda. Activity: analysing the issues associated with self-monitoring of hygiene and management practices in communities of Kigesi District, South West Uganda (4 months). Fieldwork with collection of data and interviews of local communities (6 weeks). 2009-2011 Ecole Nationale du Gnie de lEau et de lEnvironnement de Strasbourg (ENGEES) National Engineering School for Water Management and the Environment. 1st and 2nd year of a three year engineering program: hydraulic, waste and drinking water conveyance, waste control, ecology, agronomy, economics, legislation, finance, river management, hydrology, hydrogeology Group projects first year: energy assessment of a sport hall; modelling of the hydrogeology of an industrial area and prevention against pollution; river restoration. Group projects second year: water supply: design of a pipe network for the supply of several towns using PORTEAU; waste water: design of sewers network for a small town; design of a water treatment process for drinking water; design of a waste water treatment process. 2006-2009 Lyce Fabre (Toulon): 3-year selective post-baccalaurat university level preparatory classes for the competitive entry exams to the Grandes Ecoles (Engineering Schools). Lyce Marie Curie (Cavalaire): Bacalaurat (A-level): maths, physics-chemistry, biology, philosophy, history-geography, English, German and sport.

2006

16

WORK EXPERIENCE

In the field of Water and Environment June-August 2011 internship in TECHNIVAL (Veolia Propret Tahiti). Activity: management of the sludge of waste water treatment plant. (3 months) July-August 2010 Help for development mission in Cameroon as an Engineer without borders member in co-operation with IRCOD (Development and Cooperation Regional Institute) (1 month). Activity: make a diagnosis of hydraulic works in a departement of Cameroon (Mbam et Inoubou). June 2010 one week internship at the DDAF (Direction Dpartementale de lAgriculture et de la Fort-public office for the farming and the forest) in Metz, France. November 2009 two weeks internship as a workman with the GREMLING TP Company (installation of drinking water pipes). Nice, France. Membership and activity in associations: 2011-2012 SAFAD, Cranfield University NGO focussed on development and cooperation with developing countries. Activity: link between volunteers and the committee. 2009-2012 ISF (Ingnieur Sans Frontires- Engineer without Borders). French NGO focussed on development and co-operation with developing countries. Activity: one year treasurer, two years membership. Other fields 2010-2011 August 2009
LANGUAGES Personal mathematics and physics teacher for a high school pupil. Medical secretary in an ophthalmologist practice. French: mother tongue English: fluent Spanish: basic German: moderate Team spirit; good ability to adapt to multicultural environments, gained through my work experience abroad; good communication skills gained through my experience of writing reports and oral presentations; sense of organisation. Word, Excel, hydraulic programs (PORTEAU, HPP-WIN, HECRAS, AUOTOCAD)

SKILLS Communication

Computer skills

Driving licence: category B First Aid Certificate Sport/others: Play in university volleyball team; learn and teach salsa; surf and ski. Travelling (Malta, Greece, Germany, Spain, Croatia, Morocco) Art: watercolour painting, playing piano for relaxation.

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If you have a PhD

or if youre working for one or even thinking of applying for one, there are some special things to remember about preparing a CV. If youre looking for an academic job remember that the skills a university wants are mainly in the area of research. Administration and project management are also important, as are working with students as a teacher or demonstrator, but research is the core skill. So make sure you emphasise research skills in the way you present your PhD, and also your first degree(s). Research competencies are mainly demonstrated in knowledge and application of methodologies in your field, and in producing papers for publication. You need to demonstrate successful application of methodologies, and show you have a publications track record. CVs for academic posts will incorporate a list of publications and conference sessions, so they can be more than two pages long. A CV from a PhD student seeking an academic post will take this form:

Personal information
As in the standard CVemail and postal address, phone number, date of birth, nationality

Current research field

PhD title and an outline of the approach and expected outcome, and the name of your supervisor. For example:
Decision support modelling for water policy research. Supervisor: Dr. Paul Jeffrey Developed, implemented and evaluated a computer-based modelling tool for water demand management program design in a European context. Systematically investigated how behavioural and non-behavioural household water consumption factors determine policy intervention requirements. Applied a novel probabilistic modelling approach to investigate the social, economic and environmental impacts of water scar

Previous education
As in the standard CV, but emphasise your research experience, undergraduate and masters thesis titles, and conferences or other academic events attended.

Knowledge of research techniques

List the key techniques which you have used in research. For example:
Application of probabilistic (Bayesian) modelling to support program design End-user evaluation of the effectiveness of information technology Integrating social, economic, and environmental data to support policy decisions Collaborative modelling to facilitate stakeholder engagement Extensive experience of Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Visio Working knowledge of Bayesian network modelling software, Hugin GUI

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Work and other experience

As in the standard CVreverse chronological, focusing on achievements. Think about presenting your work experience so that it helps you in an academic context. If you dont have any academic teaching or supervision experience, perhaps you have worked with young or adult learners or youth groups in the past: there are transferable skills from that. If you have been on a graduate development programme like UK Grad or the French Doctoriales then mention it here.

Distinctions
List any scholarships, academic prizes and bursaries or awards. Give an indication of how competitive or unique they were if you have that information. You dont need to give the money value of any prizes you won.

Publications
List the papers and conference proceedings you have contributed to, and conference and poster sessions you have presented. Include papers that have been submitted (even if they havent been refereed or published yet) as well as those that have appeared in print.

Other information
Include personal interests and achievements here. Same principle as for standard CVs include information that is distinctive rather than what everyone does in their spare time.

If youre applying for a PhD

Emphasise the research experience you already have: thats what universities are looking for.

If youre a PhD and youre not applying for an academic job

Make sure you present your PhD in a way that is understandable to someone not in your research field. Focus on the application of knowledge, and emphasise the transferable skills in analysis and project management you gain from doing a PhD. Just mention publications rather than listing them. For example:
PhD research: Optimization of Heat Dissipation from Brake Discs Research aims to establish a thermofluid based methodology for designing ventilation channels with controlled heat dissipation rates. The goal is to enhance component life by having low temperatures and uniform heat distribution. Work has been conducted computationally and experimentally. Consultancy work carried out on assessment of ventilation system of brake discs for nonconventional vehicles (thermal stress and transient cooling). The final proposal was submitted to customer. Research presentations to: Qinetiq (2009), Lloyds Register-Holland (2010), TRW Automotive (2010). Publications: Three conference papers and one journal publication (submitted).

The CV on the next two pages is adapted from an actual CV from a Cranfield PhD student looking for an academic position after completing their PhD.

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Anna Dimitriadou
Address: Cranfield University, Barton Road, Silsoe, Bedfordshire, MK45 4DT, England Telephone: +44 (0) 1525 456789 Mobile: +44 (0) 7123 456789 Email: a.dimitriadou.s04@cranfield.ac.uk Date of birth: 3rd of August 1986 Nationality: Greek EDUCATION 2009 2012 Cranfield University, United Kingdom PhD, School of Applied Sciences, Department of Natural Resources, Agricultural and Environmental Engineering Group NSRI Thesis project: Biowaste and vegetable waste compost application to agricultural soil. Outcome is identification of a compost application strategy for sustainable agriculture. Supervisor: Dr M. Hann 2004-2009 Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece BSc, School of Agriculture, Department of Hydraulics, Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering. Grade: 8.04 out of possible 10.00 Dissertation: Time-space analysis of water quality and quantity parameters of river Pinios. 2004 General Lyceum of Larissa, Greece [Hellenic Comprehensive Lyceum (High school) Diploma] Grade: 18.91 out of possible 20.00 RESEARCH EXPERIENCE AND TECHNICAL SKILLS Field scale experimentation: designing, establishment and monitoring. Soil, plant and leachate analysis using ISO laboratory methods. Data analysis and interpretation. Extensive experience of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Internet. Working knowledge of Statistica, GenStat and Visual Fortran. CONTINUOUS TRAINING 2012 IWWG Training course on leaching assessment using Leach XS. 2012 11th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium, Cagliari, Italy 2011 17th Triennial ISTRO Conference: Sustainability its Impact on Soil Management and Environment, Kiel, Germany 2011 IAgrE Annual Conference: Land and Change, Engineering the Future, Cranfield University, Silsoe, UK 2010 10th European Biosolids and Biowastes Conference, Wakefield, UK 3rd Hellenic Conference on Agricultural Engineering, Thessaloniki, Greece 2008 9th Hellenic Conference of the Greek Hydrotechnical Union, Thessaloniki, Greece WORK EXPERIENCE 2008 Prefecture of Thessaly, Plan and Development Division, Department of Water Resources Management Position: trainee Project: Investigation of the stage-discharge rating curves of river Pinios at Piniadas Bridge station. DISTINCTIONS - AWARDS 2011 Third place Award granted from the Hellenic Hydrotechnical Union for the best undergraduate dissertation in water science for the period of 2006-2009
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2010 2006 2004

Scholarship granted from the Korgialenion Foundation, Greece, funding the PhD research project (2008-09). Scholarship granted from the National Scholarship Foundation, Greece (NSF) for outstanding performance in the second year of undergraduate studies. Scholarship and first place Award granted from the NSF (Greece) for excellent degrees achieved in the entry examinations for the School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPs GEOTEE (Geotechnical Chamber of Greece) IAgrE (Institute of Agricultural Engineers), CIWM (Chartered Institute of Waste Management) ISWA (International Solid Waste Association) LANGUAGES Greek (Mother Tongue), English (Fluent), German (Conversational). COMPUTER SKILLS Microsoft Office ; Statistical software (GenStat, Statistica); Programming (Visual Fortran) PUBLICATIONS Dimitriadou A. and Hann M.J, 2010. The effects of using municipal solid waste (MSW) and vegetable compost in agriculture. In: Lowe, P., Horan, N. (Ed.), Proceedings of the 10th European Biosolids and Biowastes Conference and Workshop, 13-16 November 2010, Wakefield, UK, Aqua Enviro Technology Transfer, 51.1-51.7 Dimitriadou A. and Hann M.J., 2011. Using biowaste and vegetable compost in agriculture. 7th Postgraduate Research Conference, 29 June 2011, Cranfield University, UK Dimitriadou A., Hann M.J.,and Godwin R.J., 2011. Biowaste and vegetable compost utilization in agriculture: an agronomic and environmental assessment. In: Proceedings of the 17th ISTRO Conference Sustainability - its Impact on Soil Management and Environment, 28 August - 3 September 2011, Kiel, Germany, 1431-1436 Diamantopoulou M., Antonopoulos V., Papamichail D., and Dimitriadou A., 2011. Application of principal components and cluster analysis for the interpretation of the water quality data from river Pinios in Greece. In: Proceedings of the 10th Hellenic Conference of the Hellenic Hydrotechnical Union, 13-16 December 2011, Xanthi, Greece, 339-346 Dimitriadou A. and Hann M.J., 2011. Crop production and nitrogen leaching from biowaste and vegetable compost amended sand. In: Proceedings of the Sardinia Symposium 2011 11th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium, 1-5 October 2011 S.Margherita di Pula (Cagliari), Italy (in press) Dimitriadou A. and Hann M.J., 2011. Agricultural use of biowaste and vegetable waste composts: effect on crop production and soil properties. Under preparation for the International Conference on Agricultural Engineering & Industry Exhibition (AGENG 2011). INTERESTS I enjoy sports, especially athletics, and have been a member of the Athletics Association of Larissa (2000-2003). I was also a member of my high school basketball team in 2003. I also enjoy volleyball and swimming. I highly appreciate the Olympic spirit and was a volunteer in the Olympic Games in Athens (2004). Playing and listening to music I find a relaxing pastime. Learning to play the piano required high levels of self-motivation and commitment, reflected in being awarded the higher degree in music theory and composing in 2002.
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Part 3Cover letters

Always write a cover letter to go with your CV. And always adapt the cover letter for each individual application. Use it to emphasise the skills the employer is looking for and any details which you feel will convince them to interview you. Your cover letter should be no more than one page. Three or four short paragraphs will be sufficient. Always use positive language. Your cover letter needs to say three things:

Introduction Say why you are writing and if in response to an advertisement always

mention where you saw it, the job title and any reference quoted. Say briefly what your current status is. For example:

I am very interested in the position of Offshore Development Assistant as advertised on the BWEA website on 19 March 2012. I will graduate in September 2012 from Cranfield University with an MSc in Offshore and Ocean Technology with Renewable Energy.

Why them? - Target the letter to show that you know something about the company. Mention
any contacts you have made with them at careers fairs. Show that you know something about what they do, and that you arent sending the same letter to thirty-six different companies

I am keen to build a career within the sustainability sector. With its unique market expertise in the property area, I feel Upstream will be well placed to take advantage of growing pressures for sustainable performance and increasing government targets for low carbon homes in the UK, and beyond. As Upstream sets about expanding internationally I believe that my knowledge and experience, as well as my Spanish and Russian language skills, would be of value to your team.

Why you? - Tell them why you are the person for the job - you can use the advertisement or
company information as reference. Give some appropriate examples of what you have achieved. Avoid saying as you can see from my CV: try to add a bit of personal colour that goes beyond your CV.

Studying environmental geosciences gave me substantial field work experience, including geological mapping and surveying techniques, which enabled me to develop a range of skills, in particular systematic observation and interpretation and the ability to communicate technical data to experts and non-specialists. Studying environmental management for business has provided me with an additional understanding of national and global environmental issues as well as sound business awareness. A group project involving an international team of eight students in an environmental review of Cranfield University has recently been successfully completed with a report and presentation to senior managers in industry and the University.
End positively: give them the impression youd like to work for them.

I enclose my CV for your attention. I am happy to provide any further information in support of my application and am available for interview at any time. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
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Some things to remember

Always send a cover letter with your CV. If you send your CV to a jobs agency or recruitment website, write a cover letter in the form of a personal statement. Always try to write to a named person. The personal touch is very important. A job advert will tell you who to write to. If youre making a speculative application you may have to search an employers website for an appropriate name, or telephone and ask. Avoid Dear Sir/ Madam or To whom it may concern. If you cant find a name, write to a job title: Dear recruitment manager or Dear operations director for example. Get the form right: in English, formal business letters beginning Dear Ms Jones end with Yours sincerely and letters starting Dear recruitment manager end with Yours faithfully. Its easy to get it right, and good to avoid irritating the kind of people who are irritated by small mistakes in language. When emailing your cover letter and CV send them as one attachment, with the letter as page one and the CV pages two and three. The usual format is as a Word document (.doc) but pdf is also acceptable, and some recruitment websites will ask for it in this form. Check before you send! The email message can be very simple, as in

Dear Ms Jones, Please find attached my CV and covering letter in relation to your vacancy number 123 as advertised in New Scientist on 12 September 2012.. Yours sincerely
Use positive language in your letter and CV. The table on the next page has a list of the kinds of positive and active words that are useful when preparing a job application. For more information about CVs and cover letters, look on the Prospects websitewww.prospects.ac.uk The Careers Service runs workshops throughout the academic year on CV and cover letter preparation. Sign up to one of these for some interactive CV guidance: look for information about the workshop programme on the Careers Service website: www.cranfield.ac.uk/careers.

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Part 4Application forms

Application forms things to remember Employers use application forms to assess your motivation and skills (and your spelling, grammar and punctuation). Questions are designed to assess specific attributes, so applicants can be compared systematically. Carefully research the organisation, the industry and the role to determine:

The skills you need to promote What attracts you to the job (your specific motivations).

Clearly state what you have to offer and why you should be considered. Analyse the job advertisement/ job description/ person specificationwhat exactly is the employer looking for?

Carefully check your spelling and grammar as poor English is the main reason why most applications are initially rejected. Use short sentences/paragraphs which are easy to follow. Use one idea per paragraph and state the key information in the first sentence. Answer the questions. Make sure that what you write is relevant and concise. Highlight your achievements and dont tell them what you dont know. Provide relevant evidence. Include key words if there is a chance the form will be electronically scanned. Remember to use a variety of experiences to evidence your skills and attributes and be aware that, once you have thought of one experience, it may easily be the first example you recall for answering other questions. Answer all the questions. Never write See enclosed CV in place of an answer. Your application may be disregarded if you do not comply with the company application procedure.

Applicants often do not answer every aspect of every question and are therefore not shortlisted. To avoid this mistake, read each question carefully and list its constituent parts. Take the following question as an example. Tell us about a time when you have worked as a member of a team. Describe your personal contribution, how you faced any problems that arose and the outcome. Your answer needs to describe four things:

A specific example of when you have worked in a team Your personal contribution How you dealt with any problems The outcome

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If you have qualifications that are not from the UK, try to help the employer by suggesting the UK equivalents. If youre not sure what they are, ask the Careers Service for advice about the best ways to do this. Check for the closing date. If you are not sure of this contact the company before completing the application to ensure the deadline has not passed. Before you complete an application form on line, download a copy to work on first. Consider, plan and sketch out examples of answers before actually starting to fill it in. When you are called for interview ensure you keep a copy of your completed application form this will come in useful as you may be asked questions about your application. Some application forms may have psychometric tests as part of the online application form you should try some practice tests before you start applying.

Common questions
Give details of your main extracurricular activities and interests to date. What have you contributed and what have you got out of them? Extra curricular activities can provide evidence of skills and attributes that would be useful in the work place. These may be in teamwork or business awareness. Answer with examples of personal development and achievement. Give an example of a problem you have solved that required analysis. What methods did you use and what conclusions did you reach? Concentrate on the process you used to solve the problem rather on than the problem itself. Highlight examples of personal initiative, creativity or effective use of resources in solving the problem. Describe a time when you were working under pressure with competing deadlines and it was impossible to meet them all. What was the situation and what did you do? Try to pick an example that reflects well on your organisational skills (not chaos of your own making). Show how you: prioritised the task made efforts to renegotiate on the least urgent deadlines delegated tasks to others communicated progress. What extra efforts did you make to resolve the situation? Your answer will cover a range of inter-related organisational and communication skills, as well as your attitude.

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Tell us about an occasion when you had to communicate complex information. Why did you have to do this and how did you go about it? Did you achieve your desired result? Employers are looking for particular competencies. Show your ability with a relevant example of your skills in communication with people at various levels.

Remember that communication includes: talking listening effectively responding writing using body language. You may draw on a personal or professional experience. Be clear, concise and specific as your response will itself demonstrate part of your communication skill.
Describe a difficult team project you have worked on, the result that was achieved and how you achieved it. This type of question asks you to address: teamwork leadership time management problem-solving skills. You need to show how you have worked effectively with others. Describe your role and the roles of the others. What were the hurdles? You may not have had an experience exactly like this. In that case, you might reply by stating that this is the case, but then give your observations on what someone else did when you were working in a team, or what you might have done. What is your greatest achievement to date? Your answer will show what you consider to be important or difficult and what you count as success. You should emphasise why you consider your example a great achievement and say what it has taught you and how you have used the experience. This may be picked up for further discussion in an interview.

Using the STAR approach to plan answers

The STAR approach will help you structure your response and provide the information employers are looking for. Heres how it works

Situation Around 20% of your answer should be used to set the scene. What was
happening?

Task 10% should explain the task either set by yourself or another. Action This is the most important part: 50% of your answer should describe what you did
and the skills you used to do it.

Result Use the last 20% to tell give details of the outcome. This should include a good dose
of self-analysis. Consider what impact your behaviour had on the result - Perhaps you learnt something about yourself or it altered your thinking.
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Companies reveal how to answer application form questions

Corus: "Give details of a situation when you have worked in a team environment." THEY SAY: We're obviously looking for good teamwork here. This could perhaps be something youve experienced through work placements or if you belong to any university or sports societies. We are not really looking out for academic examples from university here, but ideally something else you can offer. Other examples that would help you stand out would be voluntary work, or if you have been travelling and could use your skills and knowledge from that. When answering this question, you must demonstrate that you are a good team player, have led initiative and taken the initiative to throw in ideas and see how they overcame any difficulties they may have found during the process. State what your key role in the end result of the group work was and how you came to this result; was it a success or failure? One of the most important things is, however, to make sure you demonstrate how you work well with other people in a team and how you strive towards achieving your goal. WE SAY: When answering questions about working in a team environment, emphasise that you are able to, and enjoy, working with other people. Do not rush into giving an example, as recruiters do not want a list of group activities, as it is not necessarily the example that matters but the skills you used and what you learned. Don't just say, "I was in a project at school once", or "I was in charge of the sport society; I loved telling everyone what to do all the time". The first example doesn't show enough enthusiasm and the other demonstrates too much ego. Think about it carefully; some voluntary work in which you took initiative, managed to overcome difficulties that arose calmly and at the end of which you achieved success would be an excellent example. ExxonMobil: "Why are you interested in the function or role you are applying for?" THEY SAY: We ask this question to ensure the candidate has given some serious thought as to why he/ she wishes to join that particular function. We expect good candidates will state something along the lines of: 'My interest lies within the oil and gas sector [for example] and, in particular, the challenges facing the energy industry as a whole. I believe my problem solving skills and innovative approach will contribute to ExxonMobil's future success. WE SAY: Ideally you should think about the skills you have learnt and how you would use or adapt them within that role. Don't just list the skills you have, but try to expand on them and give examples of when they came in useful. Instead of just saying, "I'm good at problem solving", think about why you believe this is the case, and note the positive effect this has had during your time at university. Recruiters are mainly interested in what you will bring to their company so give them real examples of your successes and let them know that they would benefit from hiring you basically, make a positive impression. It is also important to want to work in an area that is of interest to you or will stimulate you. Finding a job that is enjoyable is essential as it will boost your enthusiasm as well as enabling you to work to your full potential.
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Companies reveal how to answer application form questions cont ...

Logica: "Which of your achievements or activities, not necessarily connected with your studies or work, has given you the most satisfaction, and why?" THEY SAY: In some ways these questions are like 'tie-breakers' and as such can be the final elements that clinch an assessment centre invitation. Use these areas to bring out skills you have gained that you can apply to working for LogicaCMG. Your involvement in sports activities can be used to highlight your team working skills. Your time as the social secretary at your halls of residence can demonstrate your planning and organisation skills. We are looking for enthusiastic people, so show that you are enthusiastic about the achievement that has given you most satisfaction. Believe or not, we have had candidates respond to this question with 'none'! WE SAY: Employers don't want to hire brainy and intelligent people with no social skills. They're looking for well-rounded individuals who have made the most of their time at university. Equally, they don't just want people to say, "I had an excellent time at university, I was part of the football, basketball and cricket teams and also wrote for the student newspaper and had a show at the radio station. It is important that you demonstrate your ability to analyse your achievements and provide tangible examples explaining what you have learnt from your experiences and how they have shaped your development. The key word is 'your'. Too many people make the mistake of selling themselves short and describing the achievements of an entire group using 'we'. It's not the group that is applying for a job, it's you. Be proud and detail what an interesting person you really are.

Here are some ways Cranfield Careers Service can help you with application forms

Watch the DVD Your Jobs Online available online on the CVs and Applications page of the Cranfield careers service website www.cranfield.ac.uk/career. The Careers Service runs workshops on job application processes. See our website www.cranfield.ac.uk/careers for more information. You can also get individual feedback on an application: come along to a drop-in session or email us for a one-to-one appointment with a Careers Adviser.

For more information see:

Prospects: some of the examples quoted in this section are from the Prospects website www.prospect.ac.uk Vitae Research and PhD information website www.vitae.ac.uk Total jobs www.totaljobs.com Target jobs www.targetjobs.co.uk

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Key action words for use in job applications

Communicating
Addressed Advised Communicated Coordinated Courtesy Delegated Delivered Demonstrated Directed Facilitated Encouraged Enthusiasm Guided Helpful Humour Illustrated Influenced Instructed Interviewed Led Liaised Marketed Mediated Negotiated Notified Ordered Organised Participated Performed Presented Programmed Promoted Proposed Provided Published Recommended Recorded Represented Resolved Supervised Supported Trained

Problem solving
Acted Ability Adapted Analysed Applied Arranged Assessed Budgeted Capable Composed Conducted Decreased Defined Distributed Efficient Enhance Established Explained Formulated Identified Improved Initiative Investigated Modernised Planned Perseverance Prepared Progress Reduced Refined Reorganised Reviewed Revised Scheduled Settled Simplified Solved Surmounted Synchronized Uncovered Updated Verified

Creating
Built Compiled Completed Composed Conceived Constructed Created Designed Developed Devised Diagnosed Discovered Effective Established Founded Generated Imagination Implemented Initiated Instituted Introduced Invented Launched Led Made Observed Opened Operated Originated Pioneered Planned Prepared Produced Programmed Promoted Published Set up Transformed

Achieving
Accomplished Achieved Ambition Attained Completed Concluded Courage Delivered Determined Distributed Eliminated Excellence Expanded Innovate Installed Maintained Motivated Overcame Participated Performed Presented Processed Promoted Proved Provided Punctual Satisfactory Served Stability Substantial Success Succeeded Superior Transferred Updated Won

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Careers Service cranfieldcareers@cranfield.ac.uk

www.cranfield.ac.uk/careers
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