ME ONLY, WRITING YOUR CV

Whenever we are looking for a job or any assignment from an organization we have to send our profile, then it is very important for us to understand how to offer our self in the best way to present.
This is done by writing a ‘CV’ (curriculum vitae – Latin for ‘life story’), called in some countries a ‘resume’.

Different countries may have different requirements and styles for CV resumes. So you must follow the correct practice for your culture and country. However, we will try to give you important principles and advice.


Whenever we are looking for a job or any assignment from an organization we have to send our profile, then it is very important for us to understand how to offer our self in the best way to present.
This is done by writing a ‘CV’ (curriculum vitae – Latin for ‘life story’), called in some countries a ‘resume’.

Different countries may have different requirements and styles for CV resumes. So you must follow the correct practice for your culture and country. However, we will try to give you important principles and advice.

A CV resume is quite simply a selling tool to sell our self. Here also all principles of advertisement works except it should not be over describe .One should send a CV to an employer when they ask for one in a job advertisement, or when you are enquiring if any jobs are available. So the purpose of your CV is to make you attractive, interesting, worth considering for the company or organization before know u or test u in detail.

An employer or organization where u r sending your CV may have several hundred enquiries for the same work, they will only choose a few people who appear suitable for the assignment.

Therefore, our CV must be as good as you can make it.

If you are a student, there is probably a career advice office in your place of study. They are there to help u. They may have fact-sheets of advice on how to prepare a CV .In internet also one can get several template to suit the need. Make full use of them. However, employers do not want to see CVs which are all written in exactly the same way. Therefore, do not just copy standard CV samples! Your CV should be your own, personal, and a little bit different. Like any product sale where people choose which is something different, the same principle work here also.

A CV should be constructed on a word-processor in computer, well laid out and printed on a good quality printer. Do use bold and/or underline print for headings. Do not use lots of different font types and sizes.You are not designing a magazine cover! Do use plenty of white space, and a good border round the page. Do use the spell-check on your computer.Consider using ‘bullets’ to start sub-sections or lists.

As you are using a computer or word-processor, you can easily ‘customize’ your CV if necessary, and change the layout and the way you write your CV for different organization as per there need assessment.

Picture yourself to be a busy manager in the employer’s office. They may have to read through 100 CVs in half an hour, and will have two piles – ‘possibles’ and ‘waste-bin’. So it should follow the principle of love at first sight.

So yours CV must be easy to read, short and attractive.

There are two communication principles to remember:

*’Keep it simple,.

*’If they didn’t hear it, you didn’t say it’.

So, when you have written a first attempt at your CV, get some expert or experience friend or family member to look at it, and tell you how to make it better.
Ask your friends, your tutors or teachers, your career office, family friends in business. What you have written may seem simple and obvious to you, check it again and again and make it as short and clear.
Sit down with a piece of paper. Look at the job or assignment that you are applying for. Consider how your skills, education, and experience compare with the skills that the job requires. How much information do you have about the job description?
Sometimes the organizations do not give enough information. Ask for more detail if needed. Spend time researching detail about the work that interest you and information about the organization – their structure, products, successes, and approach from their own publicity, reports and publications, library (business reports, trade papers ,college, career office, Newspaper reports etc

Your CV must include the Name, home address, college address, phone number, email address.
Do you have your own web homepage? Include it. Because in present days all organization need people who know computer in general and internet in particular

Give places of education where you have studied – most recent education first. Include subject options taken in each year of your course. Include any special project, thesis, or dissertation work.
ME ONLY, WRITING YOUR CV

Pre-college courses (high school, etc.) should then be included, including grades. Subjects taken and passed just before college will be of most interest. Earlier courses or experience of school days may not need much detail.
Work experience is most important part of any CV . List your most recent experience first. Give the name of your employer, job title, and very important, what you actually did and achieved in that job. Part-time work should be included.
your interest shows what type of personality u have. They will be particularly interested in activities where you have leadership or responsibility, or which involve you in relating to others in a team. A one-person interest, such as photography or collecting old coins, may be of less interest to them, unless it connects with the work you wish to do. Give only enough detail to explain. If you were captain of a sports team, they do not want to know the exact date you started, how many games you played, and how many wins you had! They will ask at the interview, if they are interested. If you have published any articles, jointly or by yourself, give details.

If you have been involved in any type of volunteer work, do give details.
Skills is the another important part of a CV .Ability in other languages, computing experience, or possession of a driving licence should be included.
In reference usually give two names – one from your place of study, and one from any work situation you have had Or if this does not apply, then an older family friend who has known you for some time. Make sure that referees are willing to give you a reference. Give their day and evening phone numbers if possible.

Length maybe all you need to say will fit onto one sheet of A4. But do not crowd it – you will probably need two sheets. Do not normally go longer than this. Put page numbers at the bottom of the pages – a little detail that may impress.

There are two main styles of CV, with variations within them. One is Chronological and other is skill based

Information is included under general headings – education, work experience, etc., with the most recent events first.

You think through the necessary skills needed for the job you are applying for. Then you list all your personal details under these skill headings. This is called ‘targeting your CV’, and is becoming more common, at least in foreign countries.

It can be good to start with a Personal Profile/Objective statement. This is a two or three sentence overview of your skills, qualities, hopes, and plans. It should encourage the employer to read the rest.

You may vary the style according to the type of job, and what is accepted in your country and culture. So a big company would normally expect a formal CV on white paper. But, just perhaps, a CV applying for a technical job could be less formal – Consider using a two column table to list your educational qualifications and courses taken.
The cv must attached with a Covering letter.
When sending in a CV or job application form, you must include a covering letter. The purpose of the letter is:

To make sure that the CV arrives on the desk of the correct person. Take the trouble to telephone, and find the name of the person who will be dealing with applications or CVs, and address your letter, and envelope, to that person by name. In a small company, it may be the managing director. In a medium or large size company, it may be the head of personnel section/department.

As a senior person will read your CV. So it must be relevant to the company, interesting, and well produced.

To clearly say what job you are interested in. If you are sending in a ‘speculative’ CV hoping that they may have work for you, explain what sort of work you are interested in. Do not say, ‘I would be interested in working for Widgets Ltd’, but say ‘I believe my skills equip me to work in the product development department/accounts office/whatever’. When sending a speculative CV, you may try telephoning later to push your enquiry further.

To draw attention to one or two key points in the CV which you feel make you suited to that particular job with that particular organization.

Start your letter with an underline heading giving the job title you are interested in. For example in reference to your ad in so and so media I am applying for the job.
Use the style and pattern of a business letter suited to your culture and country. Ask for advice about this. Try to find sample business letters so that you can follow style and layout.

The letter should only be on one side of A4 paper. It must be polite and easy to read. One can use the soft copy also if the same is invited by mail only

Also mention when you are available for an interview or particular dates when you are available for the assignment. Ending your letter with a request for specific extra information may give a positive response. Many organization use particular format for apply. As in our JCI though they do not have any job to offer but there is particular form for all training programme. It is tailor made so use most of it

Plan everything you will say on a separate piece of paper. Or make a photocopy of the form, and practice completing it first.

Only complete the real form when you are exactly sure what the best thing to say.It is must be very neat and clear, and in black pen so that it can be easily photocopied. You should ‘angle’ your answers to the organization, in the same way as explained for your CV.

Do not say in answer to any question – ‘see my CV’. They do not want to try to read both at the same time.

Take a photocopy to keep, so that you can remember exactly what you said. If you are called to interview, take this copy with you into the interview.

Keep copies of all letters, applications forms, and CVs sent, and records of telephone calls and names of those you spoke to.
.

Be positive, and confident but not over-confident. Be well-informed about the organization, its record and achievements, about the job and why you want it. Have questions ready to ask about the organization. If you are not accepted, some employers may be kind enough to look at your interview notes, and explain to you how you could improve your CV and interview technique. Ask – you can only be refused, and it shows you are prepared to develop and learn; they may make a note about you for future reference.

There is also a good books also available on CV writing .Use best of them. Always remember the CV will create the first impression which last
long.

About the Author – Jayaprakash N satapathy
Manager.Easterm Media Limited and Zone Trainer (p),jci india, Editor.Bargarh United chapter ,Orissa , Email – [email protected]

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