The document provides information about a careers workshop on CV writing for MBA students. It outlines the aims of the workshop, which are to put CVs in context, explain effective CV writing, examine different CV styles, and tailor CVs for international roles. It then discusses the purpose of written applications, recruitment statistics, tips for CV writing like only having 30 seconds to impress, and components to include or exclude from a CV. The workshop also covers personal profiles, choosing examples, and resources for career advice.

1. Wednesday 23rd October 2013
CV Writing for MBA Students
Michele Zala, Careers and Employability Centre

2. Aims of the Workshop
Put CVs and other written applications into context
Explain the basics of effective CV writing
Examine different styles of CV
Tailor your CV for international roles
See how to make improvements to your own CV
so that it gets you interviews

3. The purpose of written applications
Inform an employer of your skills and experience
Target the job you are applying for
Emphasise your key selling points and suitability
for the job
Persuade an employer that you are worth
interviewing

4. Recruitment Process Statistics for a large
graduate recruiter
Assessment Centre
2 1 50%
Telephone Interview
14 3 21%
Online Testing
19 15 79%
Online application or CV
77 22 29%

5. 30 seconds
On average you have 30
seconds to either get in the
“Yes I will continue
reading” pile or the “No!”
pile.
Give info quickly, without
difficulty and prioritise.
How long do you look at
the back of a DVD for?

6. Recruiting staff the initial sift…
… a bit like buying a laptop
You know what “spec.”
you want
You expect to see
what you’re looking for
within 30 seconds
If you don’t – the CV
may end up on the
“reject” pile

7. Your CV should always be …
Up to date
Well presented
Concise
Easy to read
Targeted (to each application?)
Individual to you

8. When to use a CV
To support an application form
When an employer requests it in a job advertisement
(e.g. Apply in writing)
For making speculative applications for jobs,
placements or work experience
To give to recruitment agencies
When using social media for your job search
If applying to SMEs
They don’t have large resources for recruitment
They are unlikely to have their own application Form – they’ll need a CV

9. What to put in your CV
Name
Address
Telephone numbers
E-mail address
Education
Qualifications
Employment
Placements
Internships
Part-time jobs
Work experience
Vacation work
Gap year experience
Voluntary work
Relevant skills
Achievements
Interests
Referees

10. To include or not to include?
Personal profile
Gender
Nationality
Work permit
Driving licence
Referees or offer of
Extra documents
Age/Date of Birth
Marital status
Place of Birth
Photograph
A disability
Health

11. The three main CV components –
structure / content / appearance
When an employer says
“She had a great CV”
What is the employer most likely to mean?:
1 “The layout and structure of her CV were great” ?
2 “She has all the skills and experience I’m looking for” ?
3 “I really liked the look of her CV?”
Could a CV succeed?:
If you had 1 and 3 without 2?
If you had 2 without 1?
If you had 2 without 3?

12. In seeking advice on your CV, be aware:
There is no one perfect way to present a CV
There are no hard and fast rules – only guidelines
Show it to different people and weigh up the advice you get
Which person seems more informed ?
Company/Sector insider knowledge ?
Listen to the advice ….but what makes most sense to you?
Remember – IT’S ULTIMATELY YOUR CALL

13. Personal Profiles
Tells the reader ’what to notice’ and ’how to see you’
Concise, maximum of 5 lines of text
Avoid adjectives and focus on personal characteristics
Write when you have completed the rest of the CV
Maximum attention to the opening sentence
Structure :-
You – occupational background and experience
Where – sectors knowledge and organisations
What – know-how and skills – done and achieved – unusual
and attractive
Next – role, organisation, culture and challenges

14. Personal profile examples
‘An MBA-qualified professional with 6 years’ successful
track record of managerial roles in transport and
logistics. Experience incudes print trade and hospitality.
An experienced leader with expertise in leading and
motivating teams working under pressure. Currently
seeking a decision-making role in a forward-looking
organisation with a focus on continual performance
improvement.’
‘An experienced project manager with excellent team
working and communication skills and up-to-date IT
knowledge acquired through a postgraduate
qualification.’

15. Initial impact – page 1
May Elizabeth Jean Example BA (Hons), MA, MCIPD
Cert RP
Flat 1B
12 The High Street
Little High Village
Hightown
Highshire
HH1 S99
Currently at Flat 9, Longtown, Longwayff, LL1 L99 until 1 April
T: 09234 567890 or 03351 12345 (please leave a message)
M: 07790 12345
Email : xrdgdred12432@complexity.com
Jean Example
Location : Hightown m: 07790 12345 e: jexample@example.com
Ll:uk.linkedin.com/JeanExample

16. Exercise 1 - Types of CV
Chronological
Skills based
Hybrid
One Page
Creative
Research/Academic

17. Basic Headings
Name and Personal details
Personal Profile
Work Experience
Education & Qualifications
Skills
Interests
Referees (if it’s a heading)
or state ‘References available on request’
Avoid splitting sections across the pages

18. Further /Alternative Headings
Skills Profile
Relevant Experience
Other Experience
Relevant Skills
Additional Skills
Professional Mambership
Positions of Responsibility
Awards and Achievements

19. What’s your E-mail address?
jonroberts@btinternet.com
Actual E-mail addresses that have been used on
CVs:
airyfairy@yahoo.com
dumbblonde@gmail.com
madhatter@supanet.com
ImamuppetandIknowit@hotmail.com

20. The power of bullets
WORK EXPERIENCE
Occupational Psychology Placements:
Feb-Sept 2011, British Psychological Society, Leicester
Research Assistant, Occupational Psychology Division
 Devised questionnaire on career barriers in Occupational Psychology
 Analysed data from returned questionnaires
 Worked closely with a team of psychologists in preparing findings
 Presented findings at the BPS Annual Conference
This is a really impressive
experience for an
undergraduate!
WORK EXPERIENCE
Occupational Psychology Placements:
Feb-Sept 2011, British Psychological Society, Leicester
Research Assistant, Occupational Psychology Division
Devised questionnaire on career barriers in Occupational
Psychology. Analysed data from returned questionnaires.
Worked closely with a team of psychologists in preparing
findings. Presented findings at the BPS Annual Conference
The impressive experience is
harder to spot when the bullets
are removed

21. Sharpen your Bullets …
Positive/action words
To include in CVs, Cover Letters or application form answers

22. Achievement Bullet Points
• Managed and engineering support facility for XYZ
Ltd with a repair and maintenance budget of £95K
per year.
• Budget holder and cost centre manager delivering
savings annually against budgets for ABC plc.
• Initiated cost release programmes for XYZ saving
20% on direct costs
• Launched and site-wide continuous improvement
programme, realising reduction of 15% of wasted
product in Year 1.

23. Quick Quiz
Font size 9/10/11/12?
Font: Comic
Arial
Times New Roman
Any?
Pages: 1 or 2 or…any number?
Main passages: full text?
No smaller than 10 (but fonts vary
greatly in size)
A Sans-Serif font e.g.
Arial/Verdana/Tahoma clearer than
Times New Roman
2 pages is fine for full applications
1 page is acceptable for
City firms, management consultancy,
temporary work
and some speculative applications
• Bullets are more likely to be read

24. A summary of what makes a CV
effective – A CV Checklist
Good research – before you put the CV together
Into yourself!
Into the company
Into the job
Matching everything that you have to offer against what
the vacancy is asking for - targeting yourself
Making sure the visual appearance is fit for appearance
and your USPs stand out
Present a professional and cohesive image
Don’t under-SELL yourself

25. What you can offer
Evidence from all areas of your life:
• Education
• Employment
• Work experience / voluntary work
• Leisure and social activities
• Travel
Build a skills table or diagram

26. The Skills Tree
Degree subject Dissertation Planning Skills
Working to deadlines
assimilating information
Report Writing clear communication
use of software
analytical skills
Seminars presentation skills
group skills
negotiation/persuasiveness
Work experience

27. Choosing examples for CVs and application forms
1. Before you look at the form:
Produce a list (or mind-map) of all the competencies the
job asks for – leave plenty of space by/after each item
For each item, brainstorm all the things you’ve done that show
that skill – you may put examples against more than one skill
Go through the list and pick out at least one from each
competency that you think is really strong
These are your key selling points – you’ll need to include all of
them somewhere on the form

28. Exercise – Finding competencies for a role ?
?

29. Matching examples against skills
Competency Example
Communication Speaking to customers in part time
work
Teamwork a group coursework
Problem solving Addressing a budget crisis in a play you
have been producing
Organisation Helping to organise your society’s
stand & activities at the fresher's fair
Creativity/innovation Creating a new marketing strategy to
recruit new society members
Adaptability Handling a major change in your
personal circumstances
Commercial awareness Coming up with a new idea for
managing stock in the shop where you
work
Persuasive ability Raising sponsorship to put on an
ACTION party for disadvantaged
youngsters

30. The STAR technique
Situation: when / where – set the scene
Task: the goal, aim or challenge
Action: what you did / your role
Result: the outcome

31. 31
The STAR technique
Interviews
Situation Task Action ResultJob Spec
Criteria
Teamwork University of
Loughborough
•BA
Accountancy
and Financial
Management
•Organised a
Study Group
•Invited a relative
who was an
Accountant to
give a
presentation
•Audited Real
Accounts
•Project achieved
1st
•Recommended
for a
departmental
award
•Final year
Project
Goal Orientation Loughborough
University
Hockey Team
• Jointly
developed a
training plan
•Additional
coaching
•Additional skills
practice
• To get into the
higher league
• Achieved the
higher league
•Improved team
relationships
•Lifelong
friendships

32. How this translates to your CV
Teamwork
Established a study group of interested colleagues
to carry out the final year accountancy project.
Used initiative and personal network to engage a
specialist Accountant to coach the group, audited a
real company’s accounts and achieved a 1st class
grade and the departmental academic prize.

33. Skills employers seek
Analytical ability
Commercial awareness
Computer literacy
Creativity
Decision making
Drive
Influencing
Initiative
Leadership
Negotiating
Networking
Oral communication
Personal effectiveness
Planning
Presentations
Problem solving
Self awareness
Self confidence
Self management
Team working
Technological
Time management
Willingness to learn
Written communication

34. MBA competencies
Core skills
Adaptability
Analytical skills
Leadership
Problem solving ability
Teamwork
Time management
MBA specific
Finance
Leadership
Operations
Entrepeneurship
Strategy
Globalisation
Technology
From www.businessmba.org

35. CVs for International Roles
China
One page CV
English and Chinese
Academic above
work experience
Modest not Arrogant
Photo

36. CVs for International Roles
India
Two page CV
Chronological
Work experience then
Academic
Language Skills
Visa Status
No references

37. CVs for International Roles
Russia
Chronological
or Functional
or Hybrid
Work experience
DOB, family status
Children
Hobbies

38. For the International CV workshop

39. CV Resources
Careers
and Employability
website

41. Starting points for advice on applications
(CVs, applications, interviews, assessment centres etc.)
2. Target Jobs
Careers advice
section

42. Starting points for advice on applications
(CVs, applications, interviews selection centres etc.)
3. Prospects
Careers advice
section

43. Careers Advice and Guidance
Quick Advice
15 minute appointment
For short careers related questions e.g.
CVs, applications, interviews, career
opportunities, employers, further study …
Monday - Friday
10.00 – 4.00
Book on the day
Online after 8.00am
In person: at the CEC in HMB
Phone: after 9.00am
Quick Advice is popular, so booking online first
thing in the morning is advisable.
Career Consultations
45 minute appointment
With the careers adviser for your
department to explore careers issues
in depth. (You do not need to know
what you want to do after graduation!)
Monday - Friday
Various times available
Book in advance
In person at the CEC in HMB
Unless you have already had a
consultation, you will need to book a
Quick Advice appointment first, before
being referred for a Career Consultation.

44. Careers Advisers for SBE
Susan Reed - Careers
Advisory Team Manager
Caseload: School of
Business and Economics
Management, Management
responsibility
Michele Zala - Careers
Adviser
Caseload: School of
Business and Economics,
School of Electronic,
Electrical and Systems
Engineering, and
International Students.
Joss Moffatt - Careers Adviser
Caseload: School of Business
and Economics, Mathematics

45. International
Student pages
Careers Blog
Information
Advice
Publications
Online Tools
Careers Online
careers.lboro.ac.uk

46. JOB HUNTING PRESENTATIONS
These are delivered in a lecture format, introducing you to the topic and providing
information and strategies to move forward with your career planning.
Building an Effective CV
Impressing on Application Forms
Finding a Graduate Job
Succeeding in Psychometric Tests
Preparing for Interview and Assessment Centres
Select and book via Careers Online

47. JOB HUNTING
Finding a Placement
Perfecting your Application Forms
Professional Work Experience Induction
Perfecting your Covering Letters
Practising Online Aptitude Tests
Developing your Employability
Perfecting your CV
Effective Career Networking
Using Social media for Job Hunting
Performing at Assessment Centres
Excelling at Interviews
Personal Branding
Powerful Presentations for Recruitment
WORKSHOPS
These sessions give you the
opportunity to develop your skills
and knowledge in an interactive and
more personal setting.
Select and book via Careers Online

48. SKILLS FOR WORK
Prepare yourself for competencies employers will be expecting and testing.
Commercial Awareness
Understanding Your Personality
Negotiation
Enterprise – Setting up your own Business
Leadership and Management
Select and book via Careers Online

49. Hear from employers how to get in and get
on in specific career areas.
Consultancy…dispelling the myths
Finance and Accountancy
Assessment Centre Procedures for
Technology Graduate Opportunities
(IT/Science/Engineering)
Publishing
Freelancing
Careers with the European Union
Select and book via Careers Online
INVESTIGATING
CAREERS
Choosing a Career
Teaching
Broadcasting and Journalism
Marketing, Advertising and PR
Personal Statements for Teacher
Training
Graduate Management Careers in
the National Health Service
Legal Profession

50. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Job Hunting in the UK and Abroad 7th November
Making Yourself Attractive to Employers 12th November
Working in the UK After Your Studies 20th November
(Freeth Cartwright Solicitors)
Select and book via Careers Online

51. Employer Events of Campus
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/servi
ce/careers/events/employer
/employer-
presentations.html
Select and book via
Careers Online

52. Careers Fairs
Campus Careers Fairs
Graduate Recruitment and Placement Fair
22 October 2013 – Sir David Wallace Sports Hall
– James France
Spring Graduate Recruitment and Placement Fair
4 March 2014 – Sir David Wallace Sports Hall
Springboard ‘a different careers fair’
7 May 2014 – James France
Off Campus careers fairs are listed on
www.prospects.ac.uk

53. Careers Advice and Guidance
Quick Advice
15 minute appointment
For short careers related questions e.g.
CVs, applications, interviews, career
opportunities, employers, further study …
Monday - Friday
10.00 – 4.00
Book on the day
Online after 8.00am
Phone: after 9.00am
In person: at the CEC in HMB
Quick Advice is popular, so it is advisable to
booking online first thing in the morning.
Career Consultations
30 minute appointment
With the careers adviser for your
department to explore careers issues
in depth. (You do not need to know
what you want to do after graduation!)
Monday - Friday
Various times available
Book in advance
In person at the CEC in HMB
Unless you have already had a
consultation, you will need to book a
Quick Advice appointment first, before
being referred for a Career Consultation.

54. Resources
Careers and Employability Centre Website www.careers.lboro.ac.uk
Applications and Interviews ~ including examples of CVs
Prospects Website www.prospects.ac.uk
Careers and Employability Centre ‘Guides’ to various aspects of the
recruitment process - available in print from the CEC or online from the CEC
Leaflet Shop. There is a also a suite of leaflets for international students.
Reference Books:
Knock out CV – How to get noticed, get interviewed and get hired ~ John Lees
Why You? CV Message to Win Jobs ~ John Lees
Brilliant Graduate CV ~ Bright, Earl and Winter (End October 2013)
CV Resources on CEC website
Translation to English for typical phrases

55. Diagram point
Description text
Autumn 2013
Herbert Manzoni Building
January 2014
Bridgeman Building
Monday - Friday
9.00 - 5.00
Open during vacations

56. Careers and Employability Centre
www.careers.lboro.ac.uk
www.facebook.com/LboroCEC
www.twitter.com/lborocareers
careers@lboro.ac.uk
01509 222039