WRITING CV

Pretend that you are reading your CV for the first time. Put yourself in the position of the person you are sending your CV to and make a list of the most important factors youd be looking for. If you can step into their shoes you will be able to really choose information that is relevant to them. In other words write what they want to read and not what you want to write.

EXPANDING ON YOUR PERSONAL SKILLS

The following are just a few of the personal skills you may identify, have a look and see whether they can be used: Advising people, arranging events, calculating numerical data, checking on accuracy, coaching people, compiling figures, coordinating events, counseling people, dealing with difficult people, delegating responsibility, drawing up plans, editing documents, selling products, setting up demonstrations, speaking in public, handling projects, inspecting quality, interviewing people, managing resources, motivating people, operating equipments, persuading others, planning agendas, preparing charts, raising funds, reviewing, running meetings, supervising staff, teaching, writing reports, etc.

ABOUT YOUR SPARE TIME ACTIVITIES

Following are some prompts for areas of interest and their interpretation: Painting Mountain climbing Playing a musical instrument Woodwork Keeping fit Bird watching Cycling Motor racing Golf creative, calm achieving, fit creative, achieving practical, achieving good health at work dedication, research self-managing, fitness enthusiasm, technical competitive, active

POSSIBLE SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Involvement in any form of social activities can demonstrate a range of personal qualities. For example: Parent-teacher association, drama group, sports team, youth club leader, voluntary work, photograph club.

PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
You can also have a short section heading main achievements and responsibilities. This is another way of using powerful words and focusing on important aspects of what you have done- but this time away from work. For example: Been elected an officer in a club Managed or coached a sports team Played a role in a drama group Been awarded a medal Made a rescue attempt Completed a marathon Gained a certificate for study Been a prefect at school Learned a language Gained any award, honour, prize or distinction.

REFERENCES
There are some golden rules for references, which are: Choose people who are going to give you a good reference- take no risks Ensure you contact your referee first, make sure they are happy to act as such for you Make sure they are available when they need to be Choose referees who know you enough to give a real insight into your personality and strengths. Dont use people you only know fleetingly Choose referees- especially characters ones- who have a good job of their own. This could add weight to their reference. Include the telephone numbers of all your references.

REFERENCESCONT..

Following are just some people you may consider as referees: Bank manager, head teacher, manager or Ex- Managers, personnel or expersonnel officer, supervisor or ex- supervisor, magistrate, teacher, tutor, doctor, councilor, lecturer, minister, justice, solicitor, local government officer.

PRESENTING YOUR CV
Some dos and don'ts for your layout: Do make your CV look professional Do keep it simple Do keep the layout easy to follow and understand Do have plenty of white space Dont get overcomplicated and try to prepare a masterpiece of modern design with your CV, unless you are a designer Dont cram everything to one page only because it is desirable Do use clear headings on your CV Do use bullet points

WRITING THAT LETTER

When writing the covering letter, remember to keep it simple and professional while still giving a flavor of your personality. Your letter should: Include a reference to the job you are applying for Be brief- the detail information is there in your CV Be polite and courteous Be positive but not cocky- avoid phrases like you must see me tomorrow. Be without spelling mistakes and be neatly typed

EXAMPLE OF COVERING LETTER

Dear Mr. Goel, The Post: Regional Manager- Operations and Training I enclose my CV in response to your advertisement in Times Ascent dated 10/11/07. for the job of Regional Manager- Operations and Training. As you can see from my CV I have 6 years of relevant work experience. I have completed a number of training courses. I was interested to read about the way your company is expanding in the local newspaper. I would like to be a part of your forward thinking and exciting organization. I enjoy counseling and training people. Feel free to contact any of my references, or indeed to phone me or write to me at home. Yours Sincerely, Rohita Dwivedi

FINISHING TOUCHES
The first thing to do is to read everything just one more time. Do give your draft CV to your friend and ask him/ her to read carefully. There chances of some odd errors. Remember though, dont start fiddling with it if it is already good. WRITTEN/ TYPED LETTER: A handwritten letter has a personal touch and feels more intimate whereas a typed letter is more professional but less personal. Remember, if you are asked to visit personally and hand over your CV, give it punched in a transparent folder. And if it is a cold call, fold your letter and CV neatly in three parts and enclose in an envelope mentioning the name of the person this envelope needs to go to and the post you are applying for.

ONE FINAL CLUE

If you feel brave enough ask your potential employers what they thought of your CV, should you get a polite refusal. You have absolutely nothing to lose and could pick up some really helpful information that you could use next time.