This document provides tips on creating an effective CV and cover letter in 3 pages or less. It discusses focusing the CV on the most relevant qualifications for the job by highlighting 2-4 relevant skills with examples. Cover letters should demonstrate how the applicant's experience fits the job description and benefits the company. The document also recommends regularly updating online profiles on platforms like LinkedIn to expand one's professional network.

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Getting the job: How
to sell yourself on a
two-page CV
Ashton Maherry
CSIR
YWP-ZA Western Cape Chair
http://www.ywp-za.org/uploads/8/6/7/4/8674715/cv_workshop.pptx

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https://cvmkr.com

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http://www.themuse.com/adv
ice/the-41-best-resume-
templates-ever

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4 Tips to make your
Resume stand out
http://mashable.com/2013/01/13/effective-resume-
tips/
1. Stick to a standardised font : Times New
Roman, Georgia 10-12pt. NEVER
COMIC SANS!
2. Keep important points at the top
3. Don’t be so stiff
4. Clean up your resume regularly

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Resume Killers: 3 Things
That Will Get Your Resume
Thrown in the Trash
http://mashable.com/2013/01/20/resume-killers/
1. You don’t meet the basic requirements
– And if you do, then lay it out simply – often screened by HR
2. You’re not a culture fit
– “just someone looking for a job” – broad skills or cover letters
that do not mention the company by name.
– Tweak your Resume based on the position and company. Make
deliverable connections of how your experience, skills and
personality are a perfect fit for the job.
3. You don’t pay attention to detail
– Same font (cover letter and CV)
– “To whom it may concern” “Dear Sir or Madman”
– State position in the cover letter exactly
– One spelling error and I’m out

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The 5-step Editing
Process for a Perfect
Resume
http://mashable.com/2014/03/15/editing-resume/
Step 1: Consider the BIG Picture
• resist the urge to focus on typos or style
• Does this sell you as the perfect candidate
• Are there gaps in experience required and experience in my resume
• If so how can you bridge those gaps
• What makes my experience stand out from similar candidates
• Does the top third of your resume serve as a hook to get the person to
read more
• Is there anything on your resume that doesn’t need to be there?
Tip: Look at LinkedIn profiles of people at your level in your field and see
how they tell their stories. You can learn a lot from them.

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Step 2 – Scrutinize the
Bullets and Details
Is each word the best one? Is sentence structure right? Can you say it more
clearly, effectively or quickly? And add EXAMPLES! Or Show them!
• Is this the strongest possible language you could use?
• Can anything be said more clearly? Or in fewer words?
• Is there any language that someone outside of your company or industry
wouldn’t understand?
• Could anything benefit from examples?
• Can anything be quantified? Can you show a benefit?
• Are any words used over and over? Can they be replaced with more
creative language?
Pro Tip: Have a friend who’s not in your field read your bullet points, and ask
what he or she thinks your strongest achievements are. Do you agree? If not,
adjust so the most important ones really stand out.

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Step 3 – Fact Check
Are the sources names correct? Company names correct? Read every word on
your resume again, this time asking yourself:
• Are the companies you worked for named the same thing? Still located in
the same city?
• Are your position titles accurate?
• Are your employment dates correct?
• Are all of the numbers and percentages you use to describe increases,
quotas, budgets, savings, and achievements (reasonably) accurate?
Pro Tip: In the editorial world, we have to make sure every number we print is
100% accurate, but you have a bit more leeway with your resume. As long as
you’re reasonably sure that you increased customer satisfaction, fundraising
numbers, or sales 25%, don’t worry about having the “official” numbers to prove
it.

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Step 4 – Proofread
You can work intently on a document for three hours and somehow not notice
that you’ve used “their” instead of “there” or mistaken “bran” for “brand.” So,
proofreading one last time is a step you can’t skip.
Have someone else look your resume over. But before you do, proof word by
word, asking yourself:
• Are there any typos? Wrong word usage?
• Does each bullet point end with a period (or not)? Either is fine, just be
consistent.
• Are you using the serial comma (or not) throughout?
Pro Tip: When proofreading, it’s helpful to temporarily change the font, or to
read your resume from the bottom up—your eyes get used to reading a page
one way, and can often catch new errors when you mix the format up.

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Step 5 – Make sure it
Looks Nice
Give it a final once-over with a designer’s eye, considering:
• Does the page look visually appealing?
• Is the page overly cluttered?
• Is the font size too small? Is it difficult to read?
• Is the font size and format for each section consistent?
• Does the layout make sense?
• Is your contact information easily findable?
Pro Tip: Make your document easier to skim by adding divider lines between
sections.
Editing your resume again and again—adding in your new accomplishments,
shifting the way you talk about an experience based on something you’ve seen
someone else do, and making sure there’s nothing you’ve missed.
The best masterpieces are never done.

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5 Steps to Crafting a
Killer Cover Letter
http://www.themuse.com/advice/5-steps-to-crafting-a-killer-cover-letter
1 page 4-6 paragraphs
1. Be ALL about THEM
– Say what you can do for the company
– Word it in a way that highlights your passion for what the
organisation does (been engaged in this field for four years through my experience in…)
– NOT this would be a great step in my career
2. Be a Copycat
– Here’s the secret: When employers create a job description,
it’s essentially a checklist of the things they’re looking for in
an employee. So, in your cover letter, you want to tick off as
many of those checkboxes as possible.
– Mimic the job description—not word for word, of course, but
by finding the things that the company is looking for and
highlighting specific examples of how you have them. This will
help you focus on credentials that are really important—and
help the employer focus on why you’re the perfect match for
the job.

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3. Be Skill-focused
– Resume usually around jobs you’ve
had rather than skills.
– Highlight 2-4 of your relevant abilities,
then write 2-3 sentences about how
your experiences specifically
showcases them
4. Be Specific
– Facts figures and numbers (unless
they aren't impressive)
5. Be Yourself
– Put your personality into it!
Try avoid Acronyms
Cover Letter (continued)

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www.linkedin.com

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What every college
student should post
on LinkedIn
http://mashable.com/2013/08/12/linkedin-college-
students/
• Post a profile photo (no selfie)
• Include coursework and extracurriculars
• Show off your schoolwork (pictures/videos)
• Ask professors and advisers for recommendations
• Connect with industry leaders
• Comment on industry-specific articles
• Ask questions in LinkedIn groups
• Look into different career paths
• Check for spelling and grammar errors
• Make sure the details match your CV

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Personal Reflections
• A good CV will get you an interview not the job
• Not interested in your high school marks
• Mention courses and modules relevant to the application, and expand the
research projects (Honours and Masters). We will request the academic
transcript if we are interested
• No Typos and Grammar errors
• Only information relevant to the position
• Include drivers licence
• No Photos (we have google)
• Resume name (Ashton_Maherry_CV_versionfinalv5.pdf)
• Keep it updated
• Watch Acronyms
• Professional Associations
• Professional Natural Scientist (Pri. Sci. Nat.) with SACNASP
• Certified copies of your ID and Academic Transcript and Degrees

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A good CV will get
you an interview not
the job
amaherry@csir.co.za