This document provides guidance on cover letters, resume/CV formatting, interview preparation and techniques, and networking. It discusses including key information in a cover letter to convey why the applicant is applying and qualified. It recommends keeping a resume simple with clear formatting and focusing on achievements. Interview preparation tips include researching the company and role, practicing examples of competencies, and preparing for different question types. The importance of networking to build professional relationships is also covered.

1. CURRICUAM-VITE &INTERVIEW
SKILLS
•DESINGED BY Sunil Kumar
•Research Scholar/ Food Production Faculty
•Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management,
•MAHARSHI DAYANAND UNIVERSITY, ROHTAK
•Haryana- 124001 INDIA Ph. No. 09996000499
•email: skihm86@yahoo.com , balhara86@gmail.com
• linkedin:- in.linkedin.com/in/ihmsunilkumar
•facebook: www.facebook.com/ihmsunilkumar
•webpage: chefsunilkumar.tripod.com

2. CONTENTS

Cover letter
- What is a covering letter
- What you should include

Format of your CV
- Hints and tips for writing a perfect CV
- CV sections
- Before sending out your CV
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-

Interview preparation and techniques
Importance of interview preparation
How to prepare for your interview
During the interview
Types of interview questions
Differentiating yourself from the competition
Networking
- Importance of networking / What is networking / Rules of good networking / Building your network / Growing industries
- Goals and objectives of networking / Getting organised
- Follow up

3. WHAT IS A COVER LETTER?

-
Oppor tunity to convey some basic information:
What position you're applying for
Who you are
Why you want the job
What you have to offer

Must convey the above objectives in a single page and tempt the employer with some key
points from your CV

Review company website for job descriptions or search similar employees on linkedIn.
Find out as much as you can about the company and highlight this in your cover letter

If applying via email, you can write your cover letter in the body of an email or as an
attachment; if you're applying by post, include it as a printed letter

When employers take on a new member of staff they're looking for two things:
- Someone who can do the job
- Someone who wants to do the job – your covering letter can help to convey your enthusiasm

4. Role you are applying for
Why you are applying
Why they
should read
on and
interview you
Show you are familiar
with their business

5. Set the
scene
Relevant to
them and their
current business
situation
What you are
interested in
Offer additional
3rd party referees
able to talk about
your capabilities

6. HINTS AND TIPS FOR WRITING A PERFECT CV
Your CV is a tool with one purpose: to win an inter view

Avoid coloured paper or type, fancy fonts, photographs or clever deliver y
approaches

Keep the look simple and make your points clear

Be truthful and don't be afraid to sell your skills

Use the past tense and choose strong action verbs

Avoid speaking about yourself in the third person

Avoid jargon and acronyms that other people might not understand .eg. CRO, TB,
SOX

Tailor your resume for each specific application

Include the company profile of the organisations you have worked for

Make your CV results oriented: give proof to back up your capability statements
(document inc in pack)

7. CV SECTIONS
Personal Information
-
Include your name
Full address
Telephone numbers (day/evening/mobile)
Email address
Qualifications
- List both academic and non-academic qualifications in chronological order, giving grades
- Include 1st time passes, top 10, leaving cert points 450+, detail surrounding your degree thesis if it holds relevance

8. CV SECTIONS
Employment Histor y

-
Beginning with your most recent job, include:
Company name
Your job title
Duration of employment
Reasons for leaving

Ensure you give a brief outline of the company you worked with which will help give more relevance
to the experience you’ve gained

Under each position, briefly outline your responsibilities but place the focus on what you have
achieved in the role - this is where you can dif ferentiate yourself

Do not omit any period of employment or unemployment for whatever reason, as this may prove
awkward at inter view

9. CV SECTIONS
Personal Interests

Listing your interests is impor tant, but do not generalise. For
example, instead of simply saying 'football', you could expand and say
that you have played for a local club for the last four years and are
now Treasur y Of ficer for the club
References

Include a line stating that references are available upon request

Ensure you have at least two referees that have been made aware
and have confirmed they are happy to provide written and perhaps
more impor tantly verbal references

Ensure the referees you use are from your most current work histor y

10. BEFORE SENDING OUT YOUR
CV
Check and Double Check

Before submitting your CV/resume, make sure you check it thoroughly, not
just for spelling and grammar mistakes, but also to make sure that it is a
clear representation of you

Check that the content is relevant to the reader or business you are
targeting, so that it will encourage them to contact you in order to find out
more

Ask a friend to check it, too - someone who works in the industr y in which
you are applying would be par ticularly beneficial

11. IMPORTANCE OF INTERVIEW PREPARATION

Celtic Tiger days of 3% unemployment are gone – currently at 12%

Employers market once again – wish list

Inter view preparation is of ten where people fall down

First impressions last forever, you only get one chance

The more time you put in to prepare, the easier the inter view will be

Whilst your CV opens the door, the inter view keeps it open or closes it quickly

12. HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR INTERVIEW
Research

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
-


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


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Who are you meeting? Check LinkedIn to read their profiles
Where are you meeting? Transpor t
Company Background – Google
Year established?
Size of business and their locations?
What do they primarily do?
Read last Annual Accounts to familiarise yourself
Press releases on company website
CV knowledge – know your CV inside out
Job description – know what’s entailed inside out and be able to give examples on each
aspect
Practice psychometric testing / technical testing online beforehand
Prepare two questions to ask at the end of the interview
Thank them for their time
Express level of interest

13. HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR INTERVIEW
Presentation

Suit

Directions and transpor tation routes – punctual

Strong handshake

Water

Folder – CV and references

14. DURING THE INTERVIEW

Listen with enthusiasm

Answer with enthusiasm

Have examples to highlight competencies – demonstrate your ability

Have questions ready
-
Department structure
Training – are there any training/development opportunities associated with the role?
3-5 year business plan
I read about your plans to ….. (up to date press release knowledge)

Body language throughout Inter view

Handshake/closure

15. TYPES OF INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Competency based – demonstrate with examples of what you have
done
Give me an example of when you:

Worked as par t of a team

Demonstrated leadership qualities

Worked under pressure

Demonstrated your multitasking abilities

Working with clients or people outside the organisation

Demonstrated ef fective communication skills

Worked on a project from star t to finish and you’re level of
involvement/seniority

Dealt with conflict/resolved issues
For each competency based question… remember STAR to help
formulate your answer:

16. COMPETENCY BASED INTERVIEWS
 Adaptability
- Tell me about a time when you changed your priorities to meet others’ expectations
 Client focus
- Give an example of how you provided service to a client/stakeholder beyond their
expectations. How did you identify the need? How did you respond?
 Communication
- Give an example of a difficult or sensitive situation that required extensive
communication?
 Organisational awareness
- Describe the culture of your organisation and give an example of how you work within
this culture to achieve a goal
 Problem solving and judgment
- Tell me about a time when you had to identify the underlying causes to a problem
 Results orientation
- Tell me about a time when you set and achieved a goal
 Teamwork
- Tell me about a time when you worked successfully as a member of a team

17. COMPETENCY BASED INTERVIEWS

Developing others
- Tell me about a time when you coached someone to help them improve their skills or job performance. What did you do?

Innovation
- Describe something you have done that was new and different for your organisation, that improved performance and/or
productivity

Impact and influence
- Describe a time when you went through a series of steps to influence an individual or a group on an important issue

Leadership
- Tell me about a time when you had to lead a group to achieve an objective

Relationship building
- Describe a situation in which you developed an effective win/win relationship with a stakeholder or client. How did you go
about building the relationship?

Self management
- Describe the level of stress in your job and what you do to manage it
- Describe a time when you were in a high pressure situation

18. OTHER TYPES OF INTERVIEW
QUESTIONS
Behavioural – scenario questions to establish behaviour patterns

Role plays

Case study

Establishing analytical / problem solving / operational / time management
/ super visor y experience
Technical – demonstrate level of technical ability throughout work experience

Accounting and IT

Check what systems / procedures they use and prepare examples

19. DIFFERENTIATING YOURSELF FROM THE COMPETITION

Why do you want this job?

What do you know about the company?

Talk me through your CV?

Why are you looking to leave your current position?

What are your strengths?

What are your weaknesses?

How would your colleagues describe you at work? Outside of work?

How would your boss describe you at work? Outside of work?

20. GETTING THE INTERVIEW = SUITABLE FOR THE JOB!!
Summar y

Know your CV

Know the role and the company

Know how your experience matches the role and give examples

Always have 1-2 questions to ask – if answered – explain they were already answered

Confident hand shake – hold cold glass of water in reception

Be prepared for ever ything – HR related / finance related questions

Always remain professional – smile and be genuinely interested

Never discuss negative experiences with previous employers

Bring references with you and leave copies at the inter view

Practice psychometric testing and technical knowledge testing online

Always set yourself apar t wherever possible

Each inter view is an oppor tunity to impress employers - suitable jobs in the future

If you are keen on the job and you get a good feeling then let the employer know

Be confident – remember, you have a skill set that an organisation needs