CVs and Covering Letters

bristol.ac.uk/careers

Pages SECTION 1 The Basics SECTION 2 Targeting your CV SECTION 3 Jobs outside of the UK SECTION 3 Sample CVs
Skills based CV (page 10-11) Chronological CV (page 12-13) English graduate, skills based CV, targeting marketing sector (page 14-15) Psychology graduate, targeting a job in mental health (page 16-17) One page CV targeting investment banking (page 18) One page CV targeting management consulting (page 19) Engineering graduate, targeting engineering and technical jobs (page 20-21) Law graduate, targeting legal sector (page 22-23) Finalist CV, targeting marketing sector (page 24-25)

2-5

6-7

10-25

SECTION 4 Issues facing Mature Students/Career Changers

Mature student CV, skills based (page 27-28)

26-28

SECTION 5 Issues facing International Students SECTION 6 Covering Letters

General purpose covering letter (page 31) Speculative covering letter for work placement (page 32) Disclosing disability covering letter (page 33) Covering letter someone who doesnt meet minimum requirements (page 34) Speculative covering letter enquiring about work experience (page 35) Covering letter PhD, looking to move into management consultancy (page 36) Covering letter for student industrial placement (page 37) Speculative covering email, enquiring about job opportunities (page 38)

29

30-38

SECTION 7 Overview of CV resources available at the Careers Service

39

If you require further help after reading this booklet, visit the Careers Service website and find out about CV clinics and CV workshops which can support you:

www.bris.ac.uk/careers/events/index.asp
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Writing a CV
Your CV is a concise factual document, designed to demonstrate to employers exactly how you meet their own criteria. A CV can be used to highlight your key selling points to a Recruiter to achieve an interview - your aim is to be remembered as an individual with appropriate skills, qualifications and potential so your CV should provide a summary of your personal, educational and employment experiences to date. There are a range of formats and styles that you can use so choose the one that is right for you and that is appropriate for each application that you make employers may have varying requirements. There is no single style of CV that will please everyone. Whatever format you follow, the key points to ensure are that your CV is clearly structured, interesting, targeted and concise. Follow the guidelines below for optimum success: What makes an effective CV that stands out from the crowd?
1.

Target it. Tailor your CV to the job and organisation that you are applying for. Reflect the skills in the job description and match their selection criteria as closely as possible. Highlight any relevant experience and prioritise thisideally on the first page. Make it easy to read. Use an attractive and professional layout and formatting. Use clear headings and a typeface such as Arial or Verdana and use no lower than font 10 or 11. Check for correct grammar, spelling and punctuation. Be concise. One or two full pages (although academic CVs can be longer). Summarise your experience and achievementsbullet points can help the reader and will add emphasis, rather than using long paragraphs of text. Use active verbs to provide a dynamic feel to your CV. Provide evidence and use real examples. Reflect on where and how youve developed your skills and identify your specific achievements and successes. Dont just list responsibilities. Highlight your individuality. A good CV brings the candidate to life through describing your experience, achievements, responsibilities and interests and makes you memorable in the Recruiters eyes. Include a good range of recent experience. Demonstrate how youve used your time productively at University, rather than mainly focusing on school based achievements.

2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

7.

8.

9.

The advice in this booklet is aimed mainly at those with bachelors and masters degrees. Those with Postgraduate Research Degrees will find their CV needs exceptionally well catered for on:

www.vitae.ac.uk

When do I need to use a CV?

When an employer asks for one When making speculative applications (written or in person) for a job or work experience To give to employers at a careers or recruitment fair Dont send one if the employer has asked for an application form.

Always attach a one page covering letter when sending a CV or use a covering email with CV attached.

Key presentation points

. Write in sentences or note form but keep it concise. Use bullet points to structure and break up the text. Dont just provide a list of short points try to identify the relevant transferable skill used, evidence of that skill and the outcome how did they know what went well or how did this fit with the work of the organisation? (eg. They provided the ana lysis for the supervisors monthly report etc.). It's OK to use "I" but try to lead with active verbs to provide a more dynamic feel to your CV when describing experiences and achievements (eg. responsible for, organised, managed, secured, established, designed, compiled. page 7 provides further suggestions) Use reverse chronological order in all sections, ie list your recent experiences first. Wherever possible, ensure that you focus on recent achievements include academic awards and explain their significance, eg. awarded to the top three students in the year. Omit or briefly summarise school prizes. Include school experience if you are a first or second year student applying for part-time work, summer internships or industrial placements and hav ent had much time to develop your interests at Bristol yet - but Recruiters want to know how you have spent your time outside of your academic studies whilst at university, so make sure that you have evidence of this. If you are a finalist or penultimate year student applying for internships, you can provide a predicted degree grade based on your previous exam performance. Law firms may expect a detailed breakdown of module results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where should I put my gap year ?
Under 'work experience' and/or 'travel'.

Should I include a "personal profile" or objective at the top?

If you use a profile, ensure that it adds value to your CV and is distinctive, rather than a list of generalisations about teamworking and communication skills. Its often better to make these points in your covering letter. A personal profile can be a useful device for those with a more complex history, particularly mature students. It may also be useful to provide an idea of your career aspirations and a brief personal overview in a situation where you will not be able to accompany the CV with a covering letter or email, for example if you are applying for vacancies through a Recruitment Consultant and your CV may be forwarded to a range of employers in this instance, the profile could provide an opportunity to outline your career aims.

Where do I put a year abroad (as part of my course)?

It depends what you did- work will go under the employment section, while a spell at an overseas university should go under "education".

Ive too much experience to fit in

Include only the most relevant/recent. Summarise the rest with a sentence beginning Other employment/experience/interests includes You may choose to leave out experience that isnt relevant, or if you have had multiple part-time jobs you could summarise this experience, rather than list every place you have worked.

Do I attach a photograph?
In the UK its not usual. Some countries require this so look at the country specific advice on the Prospects website (www.prospects.ac.uk) to see if you need to include one. See page 8 for further information.

To what extent can I embellish?

The CV is part of the contract of employment and if an employer discovers that you have lied you can be dismissed. You can legitimately make the most of anything you've done but it's got to have some foundation in fact. Selectors can spot omission and overstatement, and will often probe about this at interview.

Should I include age, gender, marital status or date of birth?

These are no longer required, although your age can often be calculated based on the dates of your education. If you have an unfamiliar first name you may prefer to forestall any confusion by stating your gender, but its no longer a legal requirement.

How many referees do I need and who should they be?

Usually two. Ideally one university, one employer. If you consider the employer unsuitable or difficult to contact you could use another academic. Your tutor usually acts as your university referee, although you could approach another member of staff if you feel they are more appropriate. Others you could consider include family friends of professional standing or former teachers. Get permission from your referees first before including them and ensure their contact details are up to date.

Problems
What about absence through illness?
It depends on the nature and length of the illness. If it's just two or three months it's probably nothing to bother about, so why draw attention to it? If it's a longer period it's probably worth talking with a careers adviser, especially if the issue is sensitive. If you have recovered you can say so in the covering letter - your subsequent work and academic record can be offered as supporting evidence. Although you're not compelled to tell them anything, it's usually best to offer some sort of explanation. Selectors have a keen eye for unaccounted time.

What about disappointing exam results?

Don't think you can get away by writing 'second' if you got a 2 (ii) or nothing at all if you got a third. If your results disappointed you, be direct about it. You can use your covering letter to acknowledge your disappointment and explain how the situation came about. But avoid dwelling on the negatives and concentrate instead on telling them about your positive qualities and what you've learnt from the setback. As for poor first and second year results, there's usually no absolute need to put them down, so if you enjoyed your first year too much but subsequently did better you'll usually get away with it! However some employers, notably in law, do like you to include them.

Do I need to tell them about my disability?

You're under no obligation to do so. Disclosure issues are covered in 'Disclosing your Disability' which is available on the careers website (access this through the careers catalogue under Resources). If you wish to raise the issue your covering letter is a good place. See the example letter at the back of this booklet.

I have no interests outside of my course

You must have some spare time and there must be some things which you can present in a constructive way so think hard. Dont dismiss even minor interests - what do you read? How do you socialise? Do you exercise? Where have you travelled? What do you discuss with your friends?

All my spare time is centred on one interest. Won't my CV look unbalanced?

People who have an overriding commitment to one activity - a sport for example - are often involved in many ways. Make sure you explain your role in organising social activities, managing club finances, motivating and training your team mates. And don't dismiss other interests which may seem comparatively minor but which broaden your profile.

I've had no positions of responsibility

Responsibilities dont only come with formal titles. Identify other situations in which you have made a contribution. This may be through joint coursework, employment, voluntary work, travel or personal interests. You don't need to have a separately headed 'responsibilities' section in your CV if all it does is draw attention to what you haven't done.

Words which make an impact

Using active verbs and action words to describe your activities (preferably a verb in the past tense) can give your CV and covering letter more of a dynamic feel. Some examples of words to use are: Achieved Addressed Advised Allocated Analysed Arranged Assessed Authorised Awarded Broadened Budgeted Coached Collaborated Collated Co-ordinated Controlled Communicated Composed Converted Created Defined Delivered Demonstrated Designed Developed Devised Diagnosed Edited Effected Eliminated Encouraged Engineered Established Evaluated Expanded Facilitated Forecasted Founded Helped Increased Influenced Initiated Instructed Interviewed Investigated Implemented Improved Itemised Launched Led Liaised Maintained Managed Mastered Marketed Maximised Mediated Motivated Minimised Operated Ordered Organised Participated Performed Planned Presented Processed Produced Promised Proved Recommended Redesigned Reorganised Represented Researched Responded Restructured Revamped Reviewed Scheduled Selected Simplified Solved Sorted Supervised Taught Tested Trained Transformed Transferred Utilised Verified Vetted Volunteered Voted Widened Won

The best CVs target a specific employer or employment sector

Its worth the effort to ensure that your CV is targeted at the employer that you are applying to, particularly if: You have skills, experience and interests which match their needs closely and can highlight this. You are aiming at a specialist niche employer motor racing, wind energy, art restoration, tour operator etc. You are approaching a small employer that has particular needs and doesnt have a big HR department to handle recruitment. When competition is especially fierce for example, jobs such as management consultancy, advertising and environmental consultancy receive more applicants than they have jobs. Ensure your CV is focused so that you stand a chance of catching the Recruiters attention.

How to target
Identify o o Exactly what the employer wants. The more specific you are, the more targeted your CV will appear. Use the job description/person specification and company website to draw up a list of what the organisation wants. Match your own experiences to these key requirements. Try to mirror the language they use, without doing a straight cut and paste job.

Vary o o o o Detail: Information about (for example) course content or exams taken will be of great interest to some employers, irrelevant to others. Emphasis: Draw attention to activities most relevant to the job/employer. A management consultant, for example, changes things, so emphasise situations where you have made a difference. Headings: Using appropriate headings helps draw attention to the relevance of your experience. Organisation: You dont have to follow a conventional set format. Group relevant experiences together, heading them Related Experience. This might include paid and unpaid work, short visits and courses, or extra curricular activities and responsibilities. Order: List your skills and experiences in a sequence which reflects the employers own order of priority. Tone: The manner in which youd approach an advertising agency is likely to differ from that in which youd tackle a job in finance or academia. Entertain us said one agen cy. Take a risk. Explanation: Ensure that they understand the relevance of any of your experiences, whether a job, an interest or extra curricular responsibility. Explain them clearly, spelling out why theyre relevant. Dont half-tell them, leaving them to work out the value of your experience themselves.

o o o

Heres some ways you can adapt and target your CV for a few popular areas: Advertising
Weve seen successful CVs presented in all sorts of formats - as folded leaflets, with photographs, even one which was presented as an illustrated storyboard. But you are just as likely to hit the mark with a more conventional format. A one page CV can be an opportunity to show off your communication skills. Less can mean more. Drop all the irrelevancies, particularly things from long ago - the D of E bronze, your driving licence, your first year membership of WhateverSoc. Advertisers wont want to know that you were a prefect. Advertisers communicate with slimmers, charity givers, three year olds, cat lovers, Sunday Sport readers - all ages, social groups, ethnicities. Give them evidence of interest in other people, their values and cultures. Good advertising applicants often pull relevance out of unlikely experiences. Tell them about the kind of people you worked with in your jobs and the things you learned. Offer insights into what your experiences have taught you. If you worked in retail demonstrate that you picked up a bit about customers and marketing. Keep them interested. Advertising is communication, so hold their attention. Presentation and language can be relatively relaxed. Many of the CVs we see are just too boringly buttoned-up to get noticed. On the other hand wacky attempts are unlikely to impress. Theyll have seen most before. Dont try attaching your CV to a brick or champagne bottle, for example. Couple individuality with professionalism. Theres no successful formula. The advice youll hear more often from us is take a risk. Show them who you really are - loosen up, keep things lively. We see lots of CVs aimed at radio, TV, journalism, PR and such like. Although most cover two pages, a one page CV allows you to demonstrate that you can do what the job demands - attracting and retaining attention, delivering messages interestingly yet economically. Hit them with all your media experiences, large or small, gathered together on the front page. Use headings such as Broadcasting experience or Related media experience, but dont omit all the other stuff. Make yourself interesting says one media trainee. Keep it lively. Keep it short. Law recruiters often like more academic detail than other employers. Give them a breakdown of your courses and marks year by year. Provide evidence of commercial awareness. If youve had a fair amount of legal experience gather it under the heading related experience or legal experience. Dont restrict this to vacation placements. Include activities such as work for a law clinic, mini-pupillages, participation in mooting, court visits, shadowing solicitors etc. Expand on your course a little. Tell them of any special options, particularly those related to their activities. Detail projects and dissertations. Include a technical section with lab skills, techniques and equipment youve used. If youve related work experience make sure you fill in the detail, explaining the context within which you worked and the broad project aims, as well as your individual contribution.

Media

Law

Science

Management Consultancy
Think about what management consultants do. They analyse problems. This means not just combing through data but talking to people at all levels. They write reports. They need to persuade people of the value of their solutions. Give evidence of situations where you have used these skills. Their fundamental aim is to introduce change, to improve things. Tell them about times when youve changed something - at work, on your course or through extra-curricular activities. Examples dont have to be big. Changing the world can come later. Even a dull job with no responsibilities can put you in a position to recognise potential improvements. Thats called business awareness! 7

What to include in your CV at a glance:

Personal details Name Address Phone Email Perhaps: nationality Dont include: Marital status Health Age Education University, degree subject, class expected or attained College and/or school name A levels (or equivalent) with subjects and grades GCSEs (no need to list all subjects- just number and grades) Dont include: Primary/prep school, university and school addresses (but useful to include town or city), examining boards, minor qualifications unless they are directly relevant include them under other skills/ achievements. Employment or work experience (in reverse chronological order) Include work experience, paid or unpaid. Expand a little describe the duties and skills even for basic jobs. Include significant achievements and instances in which you added value to the organisation. If appropriate, divide the section into related and other work experience. Responsibilities (and achievements) Include: committee memberships, organising social events, being a student representative. Dont just write treasurer describe what was involved and the skills you developed. Concentrate on your achievements at university over the last three years dont give too much space to school. If your formal responsibilities have been few or are non-existent, dont have a separate section just have an interests section. Interests and achievements Dont merely list your interests explain your involvement. If you play in an orchestra, that means time management, persistence, reliability not just grade 8 flute. Emphasise the achievements from each one if youve walked the Pennine Way, say so. Dont drag up minor interests from years ago you may be asked about them. Other skills (and achievements) Languages (and fluency), computer skills, speech and drama, Duke of Edinburgh, driving licence (if appropriate). Lab skills (or include these alongside your degree). Referees Always get permission from your referees first. Ideally one university and one employer. Ensure that their contact details are up to date. It is fine to write References available upon request, especially if you lack space or havent finalised them yet.

Jobs outside of the UK

Employers in other countries may have a different requirement of how your CV should be presented. US employers tend to ask for a Resum, which is a shorter (usually one page) summary of your experience. Several European countries require a photograph as part of the CV. To check worldwide CV guidelines, go to the Global CV and Resum Guide in the Information Centre and look at the country-specific advice for applications and CVs in the country-by-country profiles on graduatejobsineurope.com and www.prospects.ac.uk

Its not enough to infer EXPLICIT EVIDENCE IS CRUCIAL. Saying you were a member of a team working on a project is not enough. What was your personal contribution? How did you affect or influence the outcome? Was it a team you had to be in (for example for a piece of coursework), or something that you initiated or chose to take part in? QUANTIFY WHENEVER POSSIBLE. What was the budget you had for running a Society event? How many new members did you recruit, how many tickets did you sell, how much money did you raise? DEMONSTRATE INTEREST in your chosen role/sector through the evidence that you provide and the activities you have undertaken. That might be through relevant work experience (paid or voluntary), or being an active member of a relevant student society. Make it clear that you are focused on applying to this role with this employer and are not just applying on a whim.

In the next section weve laid out a range of examples of the three main types of CV. These can be either:

Chronological
List your most recent experience first and work backwords. They are the most commonly used format.

Skills based
Useful if youve a clear set of skills to offer, particularly to a specialist sector. Also effective for mature applicants who may want to draw out skills gained from a diverse range of jobs and experiences.

One page
Usually chronological, but can be skills-based. A particularly effective way to communicate with media employers and often required by investment banks and some management consultancy firms.

The first two CV examples demonstrate how the same candidate has prepared both a skills based and a chronological CV to outline their experience. This is followed by a range of CV formats and styles which demonstrate how different CVs can be targeted for specific employment sectors.
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Version 1: Skills Based CV Example

Justin Creasey

Profile is optional if you use one, make it targeted and brief dont sound generic. Good if you are sending CV to a Recruitment Agency, otherwise maybe include these details in the covering letter instead

Flat 3, 6 St Pauls Road, Clifton BS8 4PQ [email protected] Tel: 0117 9741699 Mobile: 0788 1218931

Personal Profile
Final year Geography student from Bristol University, with practical experience of environmental sampling and knowledge of environmental issues, now seeking a career in the environment sector.

Key Skills Communication

Decide which sub-headings are most appropriate to describe your experience and the skills that you want to highlight to the employer

Analysed data from soil and water samples and communicated findings to clients during three month placement at Greencap Environmental Sampling. Liaised with colleagues in other departments across the organisation at Greencap. Led groups of up to 30 prospective students and their parents around the School of Geography and the campus during University Open Days, effectively promoting the university courses and facilities.

Leadership & Co-ordination

Organised annual Geography Ball, including venue and entertainments and selling of 200 tickets as Social Secretary of Bristol University Geography Society. Negotiated a 200 sponsorship deal for the University Karate Club with local student venues. Act as Assistant Coach for newer club members of University Karate Club, demonstrating different movements and basic techniques.
Provide context of where you developed the skill

Problem Solving

Carried out data analysis from site soil samples at Greencap. When discrepencies arose, I retested samples and liaised with different colleagues across the organisation to correctly interpret findings before reporting back to clients. Arranged alternative entertainer to perform at Geography Ball when original act cancelled at short notice due to illness.

Teamwork
Committee member and Social Secretary of Geography Society - attended and contributed to meetings and helped to organise and run a variety of events. Worked in small groups throughout practical fieldwork element of my degree, carrying out mapping, data collection and group project work. Worked as delivery team member at Dominos Pizza, ensuring efficient and fast delivery of take-aways to a variety of customer addresses.
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Additional Skills

Begin next page with a new section

IT skills - Proficient in Microsoft Office, SPSS, Mat Lab Written and spoken Spanish (A Level study plus numerous visits) Clean driving licence Qualified First Aider

Education
2010-2013 The University of Bristol BSc (Hons) Geography predicted 2:1

Course covers Physical and Human Geography, Hydrology, Environmental Change and Spatial/Statistical Modelling. Dissertation project: Soil and water contamination associated with unauthorised waste disposal. 2003-2010 Tunbridge Wells School, Kent A level: GCSEs: Geography A, Mathematics B, Physics B 9 (5 As, 4 Bs) including English and Maths

Work Experience
July Sept 2012 Greencap Environmental Sampling, Kent

Three month summer placement carrying out environmental sampling of soil and water. Attended site visits with the Geotechnical Division to investigate, test and advise on geological, ground and structural conditions and risk factors Gained an awareness of testing, inspection and compliance to ensure that companies adhere to health and safety issues and environmental protection guidelines. School of Geography, University of Bristol Open Day Assistant Dominos pizza, Bristol Delivery person

June Sept 2012 2010 2011

Achievements, Interests & Responsibilities

Social Secretary of Geography Society - organised Geography Ball for 200 people, raised 400 for charity Enjoy running and have completed Bristol Half Marathon and Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon Member of Bristol University Karate Club Bristol Plus Award participated in extra curricular workshops to develop employability skills Enjoy films, reading, travelling and spent first year summer vacation inter-railing around Europe

Referees

Available upon request

If you need to save space, dont include full references

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Version 2: Chronological CV Example

Justin Creasey
Flat 3, 6 St Pauls Road, Clifton BS8 4PQ [email protected] Tel: 0117 9741699 Mobile: 0788 1218931

Education
2010-2013
Include skills and knowledge gained from your degree, especially if these are relevant for the job you are applying for

The University of Bristol

BSc (Hons) Geography predicted 2:1

Course covers Physical and Human Geography, Hydrology, Environmental Change and Spatial/Statistical Modelling. Regularly work in small groups during practical fieldwork exercises, carrying out mapping, data collection and project work, operating as group leader on a rotational basis. Developed good problem solving and analytical skills. Dissertation project: Soil and water contamination associated with unauthorised waste disposal. Tunbridge Wells School, Kent A level: GCSEs: Geography A, Mathematics B, Physics B 9 (5 As, 4 Bs) including English and Maths

2003-2010

Work Experience

Start sentences with active words to give your CV a dynamic feel

July Sept 2012 Greencap Environmental Sampling, Kent Three month summer placement carrying out environmental sampling of soil and water. Attended site visits with the Geotechnical Division to investigate, test and advise on geological, ground and structural conditions and risk factors. Analysed data from soil and water samples and communicated findings to clients. Retested samples to check for discrepencies and liaised with different colleagues across the organisation to correctly interpret findings before reporting back to clients. Developed understanding of soil and rock classification and geophysical, hydrographic and topographic surveying techniques. Gained an awareness of testing, inspection and compliance procedures to ensure that companies adhere to health and safety issues and environmental protection guidelines. June Sept 2012 School of Geography, University of Bristol Open Day Assistant Led groups of 30 prospective students and parents around the School of Geography and campus during University Open Days. Effectively promoted the university courses and facilities. 2010 2011 Dominos pizza, Bristol Delivery person Worked as delivery team member at Dominos Pizza, ensuring efficient and fast delivery of take-away meals to different customer addresses.

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Achievements & Responsibilities

Good to include tangible figures

Social Secretary of Geography Society Organised annual Geography Ball, including venue and entertainments and selling of 200 tickets as Social Secretary of Bristol University Geography Society. Raised 400 for charity. Arranged alternative entertainer to perform at Geography Ball when original act cancelled at short notice due to illness. Attended and contributed to committee meetings and helped to organise and run a variety of events, including quiz nights, pub crawl and ten-pin bowling.

Member of Bristol University Karate Club Act as Assistant Coach for newer club members of University Karate Club, demonstrating different movements and basic techniques. Arrange training sessions and regular practice which requires dedication and commitment. Negotiated a 200 sponsorship deal for the University Karate Club with local student venues.

Bristol Plus Award

Participated in extra curricular workshops to develop employability skills, including interviews, networking, negotiation skills workshops, plus Intensive Skills Day delivered by PwC.
Include IT skills developed during your degree and work experience

Skills

IT skills - Proficient in Microsoft Office, SPSS, Mat Lab, Geosoft Written and spoken Spanish (A Level study plus numerous visits) Clean driving licence Qualified First Aider

Interests
Enjoy films, documentaries, reading, especially science fiction, action and travel genres. I enjoy travelling and spent my first year vacation inter-railing around Europe with friends. I enjoy running and have completed Bristol Half Marathon and Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon.

Referees
Dr Derek Johnson, Senior Lecturer, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol BS8 1SS Email: [email protected] Ms Katrina Davies, Director, Greencap Environmental Sampling, Montrose Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent KT6 7PS Email: [email protected]
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English graduate using a skills based CV to target jobs in the marketing sector

Daksha Bhaskar
27 Guyscliffe Road, Bristol BS8 4TB Mobile 07687 426812 Email: [email protected]

Objective:

Achieving, enthusiastic English graduate with commercial experience seeking varied marketing role to employ writing and people skills.

Relevant Experience and Skills Communication Skills

Sourced contacts and built relationships with companies targeted to sponsor the netball team. Negotiated 3000 sponsorship to purchase kit for the team. Talk to elderly attendees of a lunch club as part of student volunteering to provide them with social contact and interaction. Strong communication skills required throughout all of my work experiences.

Commercial Experience
Developed understanding of consumer behaviour and marketing in sales role at Next. Rearranged display of underselling brands in Homewares shop after discussing my ideas to increase sales with the manager which led to a 25% increase in sales of those products. Regular reader of Campaign and Marketing Week and keep up to date with business news via the BBC and FT websites.

Writing Skills
English degree developed excellent written skills, including researching and writing 10,000 word dissertation. Sole responsibility for editing sports and societies guide for the Students Union and contributed to writing guidelines for successful funding bids for other societies to use. Produced professional correspondence (email and letter) with companies to negotiate sponsorship deals. Wrote blog articles for English Society website.

Organisation/Events
Designed themed social activities for netball team. Oversaw and organised arrangements for annual netball tour, which involved managing a budget, receiving and processing payments from 260 players, sourcing travel, accommodation and liaising with host teams. Organised netball fixtures, transport and training arrangements throughout academic year. Time management at university, working part-time, volunteering, studying and meeting academic deadlines alongside extra-curricular activities.

Administration / IT
Proficient user of multiple software packages. Some webwriting experience. Good understanding of social networking platforms (Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn). Experience of updating and maintaining a confidential client database. Organised approach to prioritising work in order to multi-task and keep on track of high volume of tasks in office administrative role.

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Education
2010-2013 2003-2010 University of Bristol BA (Hons) English, anticipated 2:1 Abbeyfield School, Birmingham A-levels: English (A), Philosophy (A), French (B) AS-level: Spanish (C) GCSEs: 7 As, 3Bs

Employment
2010-present Sales Assistant Next Retail, Cabots Circus, Bristol

Provide excellent customer service to customers. Maintain the shop floor, stock take, check and accept deliveries and handle money. Ridgeway Office Solutions, Birmingham

Summer 2009

General office duties, word processing, talking to suppliers Sales Assistant Homes and Interiors, Birmingham

2008-2010

Served customers, ensured stock was well presented and displayed. Proactively suggested ways to increase sales of selected products which resulted in a 25% increase in sales of those products.

Voluntary Work
2011-ongoing Holyfields Community Lunch Club, Bristol

Volunteer at community lunch club through student volunteering, engaging with elderly visitors in lively conversations, helping them overcome feelings of isolation. Assist with catering, setting out tables and clearing up after visitors have left.

Achievements, Interests and Skills

Sport Netball Captain, University of Bristol (2011-2012) Led and motivated team members of all abilities. Arranged fixtures, transport and training throughout academic year. Enthusiastic runner, have completed Bristol Half Marathon and raised 300 for Parkinsons Disease Society. Reading IT Skills Languages Avid reader, from classic and serious modern fiction to autobiographies. Conversant with Microsoft Office, webwriting and social media platforms Conversational French and Spanish

References

Available upon request.

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Psychology graduate, targeting a job in mental health

10 Chodren Way Cowley Oxford OX4 6ST 07681 845071 [email protected]

Jessica Brown
Profile

Capable and motivated Psychology graduate with a range of relevant experience and excellent communication skills. Degree course has developed logical and analytical skills and teamwork and leadership skills have been developed through university societies, work experience and sports activities. Now keen to gain clinical experience within a mental health organisation.

Education
2009 2012 BSc (Hons) Psychology, University of Bristol First Class

Subjects studied included cognitive psychology, neuropsychology and biological psychology, perception and memory, language and developmental psychology and behavioural neuroscience Dissertation: disorders 2007-2009 The relationship between attachment styles and attachment to food in eating
th

A Levels Cowley 6 Form College, Oxford Psychology (A), Mathematics (A), English Literature (B) GCSEs Brook School, Cowley, Oxford 3 A*s, 4 As and 3 Bs

2002-2007

Employment and Work Experience

2011-2012 Volunteer Womankind, Bristol

Working as a volunteer for womans therapy centre, dealing with clients experiencing mental health issues, including depression, self-harm, anxiety and eating disorders, to help them manage their lives more effectively. Responsibilities include answering calls on telephone helpline, dealing with each individuals issues confidentially and sympathetically. I am trained befriender, spending two hours a week helping women who have mental health issues who feel isolated to build their self-esteem and confidence. Requires keen sensitivity, self-reliance and a calm and approachable manner to develop rapport, build trust and work with each clients individual issues. Bristol Mind

Summer 2011

Volunteer

Volunteer for Bristol Minds MindLine telephone helpline, offering support for people with mental health issues to listen and provide information about mental health and local services. Requires excellent interpersonal skills to signpost and advise callers on help available. 16

Sept - June 2011

Bristol University Student Mentor Working with pupils in local secondary schools to encourage and support them, raise their aspirations and offer a positive role model for them to overcome barriers to learning. Involved talking confidentially with different pupils in a 1:1 or small group setting, encouraging them to talk about their lives, find solutions to their problems and encourage them to pursue their dreams and ambitions.

Oct Dec 2010

Bristol University Volunteer Sports Coach Working with young people, assisting with sports coaching to engage them in enjoying activity and sports. Included helping to organise multi-sports sessions and running a swimming gala for local schools. Required enthusiasm, patience and motivational skills to work with a diverse group of children and young people, as well as team-work skills to work alongside other volunteers.

Skills
IT First Aid Driving Proficient user of Microsoft Word, Powerpoint and Excel, as well as SPSS statistical software I am qualified as an Emergency First Aider at Work I hold a full, clean licence

Interests
Travelling I enjoy travelling and interrailed around Europe with friends before university, which required raising money for the trip, planning the itinerary and booking independent travel arrangements which required good organisational skills. I enjoy learning about other cultures. I like to cook for friends, especially experimenting with Italian and French dishes. I enjoy playing a number of sports including tennis, hockey and netball and I regularly go to the gym which helps me to relax and keep fit. I regularly read books on psychological issues and subscribe to The Psychologist monthly to keep informed about new developments. I am also a member of the British Psychological Society.

Cooking Sports

Psychology

References
Dr S Pitkin, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TU Email: [email protected] Mrs Kathryn Hope, Manager, Womankind, Brunswick Square, Bristol BS2 8PE Email: [email protected]

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One page CV targeted at Investment Banking

Yiu Suen
4 Collingwood Road, Redland, Bristol, BS7 4PQ Tel: 01864 678789 email: [email protected] Nationality: British

EDUCATION
2009-2012 University of Bristol BSc (Hons) Economics and Finance 2:1 Studied microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, accounting, financial markets, corporate finance and management. Final year project on global economic crisis which developed research and analytical skills, presentation and report writing skills. The Chase School, Reading A Levels: Economics (A), Mathematics (A), Geography (A)

2001-2008

GCSEs:

4 A*s, 4 As, 2 Bs

WORK EXPERIENCE
Summer 2011 Morgan Stanley, London Corporate Treasury Analyst (Internship) Supported Analysts providing corporate finance advice to senior management and business units. Liaised with rating agencies, regulators and creditors to manage the Firms foreign exchange rate and interest rate exposure and supported the capital team in Financial Services Authority stress testing. Assisted Senior Analyst in writing reports for European Risk Committee and FSA Regulatory Meetings. Analysed the capital and liquidity implications of new Bank and Broker dealer entities. Required excellent communication and analytical skills and precise attention to detail. 9/2008 4/2009 Bank of England Data Analyst (pre-university placement) Carried out data analysis within the Markets Directorate of the Bank of England during the middle of the banking crisis which enabled me to gain an insight into risk management within financial market operations and the challenges facing the industry. Responsible for collating up to date information on financial markets, requiring liaison with other organisations and institutions across the financial sector. Developed analytical ability and IT skills using spreadsheets, data analysis and finance software. 2009-2012 Other jobs at university including working as a barman and supermarket assistant

RESPONSIBILITIES / ACHIEVEMENTS
Member of Bristol University Investment Society (2010-2012) Helped organise programme of speakers from leading investment banks to expand awareness and knowledge of the industry and learn how to invest successfully. Bristol Plus Outstanding Award Attended variety of courses to develop employability skills and gave presentation to a professional panel to explain how I had demonstrated leadership and teamworking skills, managed resources, overcome problems, liaised with external organisations and developed commercial awareness

IT SKILLS INTERESTS

Proficient in Microsoft applications including Excel, plus SAP finance software Travelled to India and South East Asia in 5 month independent trip prior to university. Play football and go to the gym and enjoy reading in my spare time. Achieved grade 6 piano. Keep up to date with current affairs and regularly read the financial press and The Economist. 18

References available upon request

One page CV targeted to job in management consultancy

Joanna Cook
117 Hampton Road, Redland, Bristol BS7 4PQ [tel] 0117 9416488 [mob] 0798 1194257 [email] [email protected]

Education and Qualifications

2010 2013 2003 2010 University of Bristol BSc (Hons) Biology, predicted 2:1 Wembley High School, London A Levels: Biology A, Chemistry A, Mathematics B GCSEs: 9 (3 A*s, 3 As, 3 Bs)

Work Experience
Summer 2012 PwC, Bristol Summer Internship Internship in Assurance Department, working in financial audit and risk assurance teams. Accompanied auditors to client sites and assisted with audit process and verification of financial information. Gained experience in risk assurance and developed understanding of key areas of risk for clients. Responsibility for producing report identifying and assessing risk options for a key manufacturing client. Developed commercial awareness and understanding of working in a professional business environment. 2010-2012 Sainsburys, Bristol Customer Service Assistant Promoted to team-leader and manage staff rotas and help to train new staff members. Required excellent customer facing skills and developed understanding of food retailing.

Responsibilities & Achievements

2011-2011 Publicity Officer Bright Futures Student Society Responsible for promoting the events programme of the Bristol branch of this national student society which aims to develop skills to improve student and graduate employability. Secured 500 sponsorship for events booklet and activities programme from top graduate recruiters. Helped to organise and run a number of events including pub and quiz nights, clubbing, trip to national conference and presentation skills training. 2010-2011 Treasurer Wills Hall of Residence Treasurer for student hall of residence, which involved being an active committee member, managing finances and handling budget of 2,000 for annual hall ball.

Skills
Computing: Driving: Proficient in Microsoft Office, Powerpoint, Excel and Social Networking platforms. Full clean licence.

Interests and Activities

Music: Travelling: Sports: Volunteering: Play classical guitar and enjoy listening to a wide variety of music, especially live music. Visited many European countries, including Italy, Spain and Scandinavia. Enjoy going to the gym and play hockey for Biology student hockey team. Recently signed up for the Bristol University Student Volunteering Scheme. Available upon request. 19

Referees:

Engineering graduate targeting engineering and technical jobs

RICHARD DAVIES
19 Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1TX 0117 234 5678 / 07970 272727 [email protected]

EDUCATION 2008-2012 University of Bristol MEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering II(i) Modules included design and manufacture, computer based modelling and materials Final year project on composite materials for aerospace applications. 2001-2008 Bellington School, Leicester A levels: Maths (A), Chemistry (B), Physics (B) GCSEs: 10 subjects (3 A*s, 5As, 2 Bs)

EMPLOYMENT Aug 2010-June 2011 CNC Engineering, Manchester Year long placement My year involved a variety of projects from sorting and filing engineering drawings to computer aided design work. Most challenging was a six week project supervising installation of a dust collection system where I had to: o Organise and motivate a team of three fitters o Negotiate with other teams to ensure projects completed within tight deadlines o Use persuasion and persistence to sort out supply problems o Report on progress to senior management team

2008-2010

Waitrose, Bristol. General Assistant Responsible for maintaining stock in section of produce department handling customer queries and complaints, sometimes under pressure

Summer 2009

Buro Happold, Bath Member of design team working on Ascot Racecourse project. Developed CAD skills, which required excellent attention to detail Liaised with colleagues across the organisation and gained an understanding of project management and project design process.

2009-2010

Highbury Vaults, Bristol. Bar Person Served customers in this busy and popular city centre pub Required excellent communication skills dealing with customers Occasionally responsible for cashing up, closing and locking up

20

RESPONSIBILITIES / ACHIEVEMENTS Volunteered as Careers Representative for years 3 and 4, Mechanical Engineering (2011-2012) Required liaising with Careers Service and occasionally employers, promptly distributing material publicising careers events among all students in my year group and feeding back student views to Careers Service and participating in focus groups

Elected President of Hall Junior Common Room Committee (2009-2010) Chaired committee of 14 people representing interests of 300 students Required tact, diplomacy, negotiating skills used in resolving problems from catering to noise Responsible for 10,000 budget

World Challenges Expedition to Bolivia and Chile (2008) Took part in 4 week expedition to Bolivia and Chile at the end of my A Levels Involved a team-based high altitude trek, as well as building and repairing a community orphanage Raised 2,000 fundraising through sponsored activities, car-washing for friends and neighbours and part-time work in a local newsagents Developed my team-working and communication skills and gained an appreciation of other cultures

INTERESTS Cars Keen on practical mechanics. Together with a friend completely rebuilt a mini in summer vacation. Enjoy experimenting and cooking a wide range of cuisines, particularly Italian and Indian food Broad range of authors, including fiction and non-fiction I enjoy watching and playing football. I regularly play 5-A-Side and played in my hall of residence football team for 2 years.

Cooking

Reading Football

OTHER SKILLS Driving Computing Clean current licence. Proficient user of Microsoft DOS, TURBOPASCAL and various engineering packages such as CAD, CADKEY, CADKEY ANALYSIS. Touch typing 80wpm. Dr. D.L.Smith (personal tutor) Dept. of Mechanical Engineering University of Bristol University Walk Bristol BS8 1TR [email protected] Mr. L. Jones (employer) Personnel & Training Manager CNC Engineering Bridge Road Manchester M37 7JS [email protected]

REFEREES

21

Law Graduate aiming for a career in the Legal Sector

David Baker
151 Pembroke Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4PQ Mobile: 07800 195088 Email: [email protected]

Profile
A versatile and professional law graduate with wide ranging experience in a variety of law-related areas including debt and benefits advice, employment and commercial law. Extremely organised and highly self-motivated, proven experience in attaining goals, meeting deadlines and working under pressure. Excellent interpersonal and client facing skills. Now seeking an interesting and challenging position in commercial law.

Education and Qualifications

2009 2013 Bristol University LLB (Hons) in Law 2:1

1st year average 72% (1st): Introduction to Law 78%, Law and State 75%, Law of Contract 71%, Law of Tort 71%, Constitutional Rights 70%, Criminal Law 66% 2nd year average 68%: Jurisprudence 66%, Land Law 67%, EC/EU Law (70%), Criminal Law (66%), Crime, Justice & Society (66%), Company Law (72%), International Law (67%) 3rd year average 68%: Trusts (66%), Issues in Corporate Governance (70%), Commercial Law (68%), Banking Law (68%), Regulation of Financial Markets and Institutions (67%) Voted Student Course Representative for 2nd year. This involved collecting and representing student views to course leaders in four weekly review meetings. First place in Law Club mooting competition 20112012 sharpened my understanding of legal issues, research skills and confidence in public speaking.

2002 2009 Lenton Comprehensive School, Nottingham 3 A-Levels 9 GCSEs English Language (A), Psychology (A), Business Studies (B) Grades (8 As, 2 Bs)

Work Experience
2010 2012 Adviser CH Advice Centre, Bristol

Working for local voluntary organisation, providing independent, confidential and impartial advice to clients on issues such as debt, benefits, housing, family and welfare issues. Dealing with client queries face to face and on the telephone. Signposting clients to appropriate sources of help and referral to other agencies where appropriate. Assisted clients to draft letters and negotiate with companies and service providers to assist them in overcoming difficulties. Required excellent communication skills and an empathetic but professional approach when dealing with clients and external organisations, including the need to explain complex legal information to clients to ensure their understanding.
22

06 07/2012

Legal Work Experience

Linklaters, London

2011

Shadowed Solicitors practicing in the areas of corporate and employment law. Observed case work and gained an excellent insight into corporate and employment law within a large international firm. Read case files and discussed points of law with senior partners. Liaised with real estate and banking teams and helped to research and compile background notes for several mergers and acquisitions cases. Attended court to observe employment law hearing. Summer Internship CBP Consulting, London

Internship within global consultancy and investments firm, focusing on ethical investments on behalf of corporate and private clients. Developed knowledge of FSA and MSA regulatory bodies and EU Directives. Gained an insight into varied aspects of financial consulting, including legal advisory, due diligence and regulatory and compliance issues. Developed commercial awareness and experience in dealing with internal and external clients. Bar Person Roo Bar, Bristol

2010-2012

Working in popular city centre bar, required team work, remaining calm under pressure (including crowd control on busy nights) and good customer service skills.

Responsibilities / Achievements
20122013 Social Secretary University of Bristol Law Society Organised a varied programme of social events for the Law Society, including pub crawls, quizzes and Annual Ball. Responsible for arranging venues, menus and entertainment for Annual Ball and being the main point of contact for event bookings. Achieved cost savings by negotiating sponsorship and sold 280 tickets for 2012 Ball an increase of 20% of previous years. 2012 2012 Bristol Investment Society Attend workshops and events to meet speakers from a range of companies and learn about global economic trends Bristol Plus Outstanding Achievement Award Attended a range of workshops to develop employability skills, including employer led intensive skills training, as well as presenting to a panel of professionals.

Interests
I enjoy travelling and have visited many European Countries, as well as America and Canada. Enjoy reading historical fiction and autobiographies and listening to live music and playing the guitar. Keep fit by going to university gym and playing five-a-side football regularly with friends. IT Skills References Competent user Microsoft software, experience of financial reporting and spreadsheets. Available upon request.
23

Finalist CV targeted at marketing jobs

SANDRA BAKER
Home Address: 16 Bigbury Avenue Moseley Birmingham B14 6PQ 0121 333 4444 [email protected] Term Address: 16 Constitution Hill Cliftonwood Bristol BS8 1BP 0117 9741388 07815 9941557

Telephone: E-mail: CAREER OBJECTIVE

Telephone: Mobile:

An enthusiastic and capable final year English student with excellent communication and social media skills, now looking for an opportunity to develop a career in the marketing sector EDUCATION EDUCATION 2010-2013 University of Bristol BA (Hons) English 2:1 (expected)

Main subjects critical issues and approaches, poetry, Shakespeare, contemporary and twentieth century writing. Included one semester study in America at Wake Forest University during second year. Undertaking my degree has required extensive independent study, critical analysis and excellent written skills. Additionally it has taught me the importance of working to deadlines and communicating effectively in a variety of situations. 2002-2009 A Levels A/S Levels GCSE Moseley School, Birmingham English A, History A, French B Economics B 10 Subjects (4 A*s, 4 As, 2 Bs)

RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE Sept 2009 - April 2010 Marketing Assistant, Birmingham Conference Centre

Six month placement at International Conference Centre, working with a variety of conferences which included corporate, government, education and science delegates. Responsible for answering client queries, advising on conference options, preparing quotes, finalising bookings and handling conference arrangements. Required excellent attention to detail and strong organisational and interpersonal skills dealing with important clients in a professional manner at all times. Dealt with problems in a calm and reassuring manner, including finding an alternative venue at short notice for 250 government delegates, when an electrical fault put their conference room out of operation. Worked on promotion campaigns to attract new business, including working with an advertising agency to design promotional literature. I had creative input into the design process and contributed innovative suggestions to promote the Conference Centre to potential clients, including using Social Media as an additional marketing platform. 24

OTHER EXPERIENCE RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE Jan 2011 June 2012 Wagamama Restaurant, Bristol Waitress in busy city centre Asian noodle bar, serving a broad range of customers, including students, professionals, families, couples and groups of friends. Required in-depth knowledge of the menu in order to advise customers of suitable meal choices if they were unfamiliar with this type of cuisine. Dealt with problems calmly and efficiently, including offering free drinks or desserts if service too slow or an unexpected issue arose with someones meal, to maintain goodwill and Wagamamas reputation.

RESPONSIBILITIES / ACHIEVEMENTS RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE Bristol Plus Award (ongoing) Currently working towards the Outstanding Achievement Award, which recognises the professional and employability skills gained through extra-curricular activities. Requires work experience, plus attendance at interview and career planning workshops, plus attending an intensive skills day to develop employability skills for Arts Students. For the Outstanding Award I will present a professional presentation to a panel of academics and employers.

Epigram Student Newspaper Reporter and Twitter correspondent Report on a variety of news stories, including tuition fees, the Universities building renovation programme, reviews of clubs, dance and music gigs, plus providing daily Twitter updates on a range of topical issues.

Bristol Foodcycle Student Volunteer Volunteer for community project which uses use food waste donated by local retailers to create nutritious meals for diners, including homeless, jobless, or those on low incomes, as well as volunteers. Involves food preparation, cooking, serving to customers and clearing up. Trained in food hygiene. Took part in Fareshares Feeding the 5000 event in May 2012, providing a free lunch to 5000 passers by to use up food that would have otherwise ended up in landfill. Requires excellent communication and team-work, plus creativity using food waste in imaginative ways.

SKILLS RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE Computing Proficient user of Microsoft. Experience of publishing software Adept user of social media including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn Languages Good spoken and written French, plus basic Spanish Driving Full clean licence INTERESTS RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE I am passionate about films and the cinema, I love visiting art galleries, museums and exhibitions. I enjoy travelling and have visited many countries in Europe, plus a five month independent trip to South East Asia before university where I enjoyed learning about and developing an awareness of other cultures. REFERENCES Available upon request RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE

25

Mature Students and Career Changers

Mature students and career changers often face distinct issues when jobhunting. Anticipate these in your CV. Explain reasons for returning to education or changing career. Spell out the value of experience you feel may be undervalued (and dont undervalue it yourself!). Be bold and positive. An apologetic tone will permeate your CV and covering letter. Here we address some common concerns. Varied career history. Most of it seems irrelevant.
Summarise the highlights of your experience in a personal profile, heading the CV. The covering letter is an additional vehicle for explanation. Rather than following a conventional chronological pattern, organise your CV on the basis of the skills youve acquired in a varied life. Sections highlighting how you've developed communication, organisational, time management and other skills offer a good way to structure fragmented experience. Amongst other things it's a useful device for presenting skills developed while raising a family. Few experiences will be completely irrelevant, whatever the job.

Done lots. What to include/exclude?

Depends on what the employer is asking for. Research what they want. Match each point to your own experiences. Stay relevant. Be ruthless. You cant include every experience from what may be decades.

Gaps and time out

If you want to place less emphasis on the dates, stick them to the right of your CV after your text. Following the common pattern of putting them into a big white space on the left just emphasises them. You dont have to put everything you have ever done in your CV, but you should make sure you include some brief explanation where gaps appear. Be aware that a chronological CV will emphasise any gaps. There is no need to go back too far - try to minimise detail on anything from more than ten years ago.

Change in direction
You should address a significant change of direction in your covering letter, and use your profile/summary to demonstrate your new direction. A non-typical background might be something that sets you apart from the rest of the applicants, so dont be dismissive or apologetic of previous experience.

Format?
Everyone is different. You can choose your own CV format. Avoid thinking within rigid pre-set structures as they might not provide the most effective way to project yourself. For example, skills-based or targeted CVs may be useful if you want to highlight all your relevant experience.

Education
Doesnt have to come first. It depends on how relevant your education is to the role . You can lead with what you consider the most important information and start with experience first if this is more attention grabbing. Use headings like current activities or relevant experience to allow you to put the most important information first you can include your remaining education and work history information later in the document.

26

Mature Student CV, skills based

Liz Waters
10 St Winifreds Avenue, Redland, Bristol BS6 1QT Tel: 07730 558558 Email: [email protected]

PROFILE
Environmental science graduate with substantial conservation experience and local knowledge, seeking an Environmental Education Officer post in the South West region. Previous experience of administration.

CURRENT ACTIVITY 2010 - 2013 BSc (Hons) Biology, University of Bristol Dissertation: Worked with Avon Wildlife Trust, Bristol City Council and local schools to establish the benefits of incorporating conservation education into the curriculum. Knowledge/skills: Understanding of environmental legislation, field survey techniques, research, analysis, communication of data, presentation skills and time management.

VOLUNTEER CONSERVATION EXPERIENCE 2009 - 2012 Wildlife Action Group (part time), Avon Wildlife Trust Supervising volunteer teams undertaking practical conservation activities within local nature reserves. Assisting in the recruitment and training of new volunteers. 2007 - 2009 School Ground Project Placement (part time), Avon Wildlife Trust Led a project to create a butterfly garden and pond. Planned environmental activity days for primary school pupils and staff. Demonstrated communication and enthusiasm to engage children in nature and sustainability education. Received training in habitat management and improving access. 2005 - 2006 Nature Reserves Project Placement (part time), Avon Wildlife Trust Practical conservation activities over a number of sites. Training in Woodland Management and Health and Safety.

PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT 2007 - 2009 2001 - 2003 Classroom Assistant (part time), Grove Primary School, Bristol Administrator (full time), Bristol City Council (2 posts) Four years were spent bringing up children at home between 2003 and 2007. This valuable time presented a number of new challenges. Key skills developed include: prioritising, time management, responding to change and money management. 27
Briefly summarises how career break to bring up young children developed useful career skills

KEY SKILLS Administration Excellent organisation skills developed through managing multiple tasks with varying deadlines at Bristol City Council Efficiently managed a budget of 10,000 allocated for City Council hospitality Supervised small admin team, involving supporting staff, delegating responsibilities and monitoring efficiency Contributed to the advertising and promotion of annual Council events Education As a classroom assistant, used excellent communication skills with pupils, parents and staff and often took responsibility for the whole class in the teachers absence Monitored and encouraged all children, but in particular those with additional needs Developed a working knowledge of the national curriculum and current issues within a primary school education Assisted in decision making as part of Parent Teacher Association at my childrens school Project Management/Leadership Used problem solving skills to investigate an overspend in the hospitality budget prior to my appointment Instigated a nature in school project with children at Grove Primary and managed the delivery in lessons Took a leadership role amongst a diverse group of people during National Trust project work

EDUCATION University of Bristol Bristol City College Stoke High School

BSc (Hons) Biology (2:2) NVQ 3 Administration (Work based) 2000 - 2001 A-levels: Geography B, English C, Art C 1992 - 1998 GCSEs: 9 A-C grades

2010 - 2013

INTERESTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS Running Run to keep fit. This year taking part in Bristol half marathon, raising 500 for local conservation. Environment Passionate about environmental issues, increasingly incorporating awareness into all elements of living. ADDITIONAL SKILLS First Aid Current first aid certificate IT Proficient use of Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and Desktop Publishing Driving Full clean driving licence with own car REFERENCES Dr. V. Green Avon Wildlife Trust 32 Jacobs Well Road Bristol BS8 1DR [email protected] Professor A Fox School of Biological Sciences University of Bristol Woodland Road Bristol BS8 1UG [email protected]

28

Issues facing international students

How do UK CVs differ?
Layouts vary widely from country to country so its hard to generalise. However the re are some common differences. European CVs, for example, often have more detail on academic qualifications, and may include a photograph. By contrast the UK CV typically includes more on skills, experience and personal interests and may seem rather informal. A photograph isnt usually included. Here are a few issues which might concern non-UK students:

Qualifications
Theres little point in giving a detailed breakdown of non-UK qualifications but its useful to give an indication of their equivalence. You dont have to be absolutely precise about this, as a UK employers interest will usually be focused on your current university studies. Examples such as these will usually be sufficient: India Year 12 exams (equivalent to A Levels). Final results 75% French Baccalaureate, scientific section, special subject: Biology. Overall grade: Mention "Bien" (76.5%)

Language
If English isnt your first language you may need to pay particular attention to spelling and grammar. Ask a native English speaker to check. Small grammatical errors are rarely a problem, but selectors are less tolerant of poor spelling. If you would like to have a Careers Adviser provide feedback on your CV during an appointment, they may recommend that you get it proofread by a friend. Careers Advisers will check your CV for content and formatting, but will not correct the English for you.

Skills
UK selectors lay a lot of stress on the skills youve developed during your time studying, volunteering and working in the UK. Here are a few of the skills you may have developed: logical thinking, problem solving, international exposure and international sensitivity, trained in effective communication and presentations, independent and adaptable, strong English language ability.

Scholarships and Awards

Employers dont want or expect to see a detailed list of all your scholarships and prizes. However, if you ve gained a significant scholarship against considerable competition an employer may be impressed, but only if you explain the significance of the award eg. "This prize was awarded to the top three students in my class of 150.

Permission to work in the UK

It's often useful to address employers' concerns about your eligibility to work in the UK. If you don't have permission to work you should try to highlight those skills you believe would be particularly attractive - your covering letter is an ideal place. Here are some possible examples of how to handle immigration issues. However, it is important to check your individual status. Regulations change frequently, so check with the Universitys International Office on the latest requirements . Nationality: Nationality: New Zealand Norwegian eligible for work permit. UK ancestry work permit not required - EEA resident

29

Covering Letters
The covering letter is a key part of delivering your message. Your CV gives the facts, while the letter is your key tool to persuade and explain. It simply must be targeted. A really good one should be so precisely aimed that, if you substituted another organisations name, it should make no sense! How to target your covering letter:
Mention products, services, projects, programmes which have grabbed your attention. Tell them what youve learned from events youve attended, employees youve talked to, your encounters with ex-students whove gone to work for them. What is it about their culture that excites you? Whats particularly good about their prospects or training? You want to work for a successful outfit. How do they demonstrate that success? Profits? Staff retention? Viewing figures? Awards? Make an effort! Make it real! The best covering letters ring out with genuine enthusiasm for an individual employer or area of work. The worst appear very generic, sycophantic or contrived. The BBC doesnt need to be told that it has a good reputation yet we see that kind of thing all the time.

How Long?
The letter should be on one page and ideally main text should take up no more than two thirds.

What to include?
There are five or six elements to a covering letter 1. 2. Who You Are Brief reminder I've just graduated with a 2:1 in Law from Bristol University.... Why youre writing In response to a specific ad (where did you see it?) speculatively - looking for permanent/temporary work? work experience? Shadowing? Why them? Two or three sentences explaining why youre interested in job/employer. Avoid the fulsome or bland I want to work with a dynamic forward -looking global leader with an unrivalled reputation. Why you? Paragraph highlighting what makes you a good prospect. Emphasise major selling points whether skills, knowledge, or experience. Be remembered. Everyone says theyre a good teamworker. I have used my teamworking skills while co-ordinating volunteer work parties as a member of the university environmental group is far more memorable than merely I have excellent teamworking skills. Its fine to use examples already in your CV but try not to repeat exact words. If responding to an ad, point out how you match their key requirements Problem Areas The covering letter can be a useful place to address a problem area. A retaken year, a career change, a health problem or disappointing exam results. Only do so if you believe the problem is obvious and significant. Be wary of drawing attention to something which is actually quite minor. Check with a careers adviser if in doubt. Be brief and be positive. If youve made a mistake emphasise what youve learned from it. Dates When youre available. Any dates youre unavailable for interview. When you can start. When you want to finish (if its a placement). 30

3.

4.

5.

6.

A good covering letter should be memorable. If you think of your CV as a magazine article about you, the covering letter should offer some headlines. If its a speculative application say youll follow up within a week or so - maybe with a phone call, or another email.

Covering Letter General Purpose

12 May 2013 4 Bolton Road Clifton Bristol BS4 7RD

Ms A Freeman Penstons plc 151 Gower Street London WC1R 7BT Dear Ms Freeman, I wish to apply for the post of trainee buyer as advertised on Bristol University Careers Services website. I enclose a copy of my CV. As you will see, I am a final year economics student at Bristol University, hoping to graduate with a II(i). I am keen to work in a commercial area within manufacturing, preferably in an activity which involves negotiating. My work experience last summer in the supplies department of North Avon NHS Trust confirmed my interest. My ability to communicate with and relate well to others was really tested, and I was successful in persuading my manager to implement some stock control changes. These resulted in a more cost effective use of resources. I am particularly drawn to your company because of the breadth of your product range and the interesting problems this must pose for your buyers. I have been an active member of Aiesec for the last year. I have been responsible for organising events to promote interest and enthusiasm in the group, persuading speakers to attend from organisations as diverse as Cancer Research UK and Citigroup, as well as skills training and development for Aiesec members. I feel that the range and quality of the events that I have organised is a real personal achievement and this involvement has also helped to develop my commercial awareness. I look forward to hearing from you. Please note that my final exams fall during the first two weeks of June. Yours sincerely

Mark Johnson

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Speculative covering letter enquiring about work placement

14 Hampton Road Bristol BS7 4PR 1 May 2012 Mr J Frost Equilibrium Consulting Ltd Woodstock Way Nottingham NG7 4PQ Dear Mr Frost I am currently a second year student studying for a BSc in Geography at the University of Bristol. I am hoping to work in Environmental Consultancy after I graduate and I am writing to enquire if there are any opportunities to gain experience with Equilibrium Consulting. I have a genuine interest in sustainability issues, as demonstrated by the following interests and achievements:
Describe and summarise your relevant skills and experience and what makes you a good candidate

In your introduction, mention who you are and why you are writing

Activities Co-Ordinator for Bristol University Conservation Group (2011-12) Member of Greenforce Community Garden Project, Student Volunteering Member of Bristol University Sustainability Team (BUST) Energy Champion for Nottingham Council Volunteering to promote energy saving measures to householders and community groups (2009-2010 and summer 2011)

My role as Energy Champion for Nottingham Council required excellent communication skills in order to engage with the public and persuade them to consider changing their consumption patterns and adopt energy saving behaviour. This position, combined with my other voluntary experience, has required initiative and self-motivation. The first year of my degree course provided me with a foundation in human and physical geography. In my second and third year, I am specialising in environmental processes, which involves studying environmental change and climate change. My degree involves regular fieldwork, including carrying out tests and surveys and collating and presenting environmental data. I will also conduct an independent research project during my final year. I am impressed by Equilibrium Consultings strong track record of carrying out environmental impact assessments and advising a wide range of clients, on issues ranging from contaminated land, through to energy efficiency measures. I feel that this fits well with my experience, interests and values and I am keen to be considered for any opportunities to gain a work placement or internship with your Firm. I will be available for three months from July to September this year and enclose a copy of my CV with this letter. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely Robert Hendy
Asking the Recruiter about any opportunities keeps your request flexible so that they are more likely to be able to accommodate you. Focus on why you want to work for that employer and mention positive impressions that you have of their organisation. Try to make this distinctive if you can.

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Covering Letter Disclosing disability positively

Flat 4 150 Pembroke Road Bristol BS8 7GT 10th April 2013

Mr R Boretum Oasis Research 17 Lancaster Road London SW1 2RA

Dear Mr Boretum I wish to apply for the post of market research executive, recently advertised on Bristol University Careers Service's website. I am a final year student hoping to graduate with a 2(ii) in geography. You will see from my CV that I have the qualifications, skills and experience which you require. These include several spells in a customer service centre, where I learned to deal sensitively with a range of consumer issues. More recently I helped to analyse data for a regional environmental survey undertaken by DEFRA. Through my degree I've learned about and applied a variety of statistical computer modelling and research techniques. These have been particularly developed while doing my final year dissertation, which has looked at social variations in the uptake of leisure facilities in and around Manchester. This has involved a number of on-site interviews with members of the public. My IT skills are particularly strong. These skills were initially developed because of my disability. I have a visual impairment, so I learned at an early age to use a variety of complex software to read text and I am very adept at using this. I qualify for Access to Work funding which pays for this equipment and modifications within the workplace. I look forward to hearing from you. Please note that I am available for interview at any time except the two th weeks from May 10 , when my exams are held. Yours sincerely
The applicant has disclosed their visual impairment but at the same time emphasised their positive qualities. Mentioning that Access to Work funding will cover the costs of specialist software and any adaptations will minimise the impact for the employer and help to address any concerns that they may have.

Jo Hardcastle

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Covering Letter someone who doesnt meet minimum requirements

14 September 2012

Ms K Moss Maxi Motors Oxford OX7 3RT

Dear Ms Moss, I am writing to apply for your Engineering Management Development Programme. I recently graduated in aeronautical engineering from Bristol University. I have long had a practical and theoretical interest in cars. My final year project was "a computational aerodynamic study of a ground effect single seat racing car", done in association with a small racing team. Alongside this has been a growing interest in management. I have enjoyed following the management and entrepreneurship modules in my degree. This was confirmed when I attended a week long Insight into Management course organised last year by the Careers Service. Maxi Motors attracts me because of the challenging nature of your training scheme and the support available. I would enjoy being responsible for a real project from day one. I talked to Derek Trotter, one of your marketing managers, at our recent Engineering Fair and know I would relish working in the team based atmosphere he described. While I don't have the 2(i) you normally require, I feel that I meet or exceed all your other requirements. You will see from my CV that I have strong A levels with 280 points from 3 subjects. As well as technical interests my CV demonstrates a wide range of other skills and achievements. These range from a year studying at a German technical university, to regular voluntary work in a school for children with behavioural difficulties. I hope that after considering my CV you will be persuaded of my potential to succeed and to contribute to your business. I am available for interview at any time and look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely Mark Chang
Applicant mentions disappointing exam results but reinforces other attributes that make them a good candidate

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Speculative covering letter enquiring about work experience opportunities

Top Floor Flat Alexandra Park Bristol, BS7 2GT 10 April 2012 Ms R Lively Human Resources Manager Sunseeker Holidays plc Bristol BS4 1PQ

Dear Ms Lively I am a second year student, studying Philosophy and Economics at the University of Bristol. I am considering a career in the travel industry after I graduate and I am particularly interested in working for a tour operator. I am writing to you to explore whether there might be a possibility of gaining experience with Sunseeker Holidays. I am a previous client of Sunseeker Holidays, having travelled with your company on the European Adventures Tour. I was impressed by all aspects of my holiday, from the carefully planned itinerary and choice of destinations, through to the friendly accommodation and efficient travel arrangements. I admire Sunseekers policy of establishing close working relationships with its partners overseas to offer a range of interesting, affordable holidays that provide an authentic experience of local culture. I respect Sunseekers ethos of promoting responsible tourism, through supporting local communities and aiming to minimise the social and environmental impacts caused by tourism. My joint honours degree involves studying two diverse subjects, requiring effective time management skills. I have studied micro and macro economics and taken options in globalisation and development and international economics, which provide a useful background for a tourism career. The Philosophy aspect of my degree has developed my analytical and reasoning skills and encouraged me to think flexibly and logically in response to complex problems. At University, I am Social Secretary of the Erasmix Society. This organises events, trips and activities for European students studying in Bristol as part of the Erasmus Scheme, to help them make the most of their time in the UK. I am also a member of the Bristol University Sustainability Team, which works to tackle sustainability issues within the University and wider community. I believe that all of this experience provides a useful background for a career in tourism and I would be grateful if you could consider me for any opportunities for work experience or work shadowing at Sunseeker Holidays. I enclose a copy of my CV. Please let me know if you require any further information. I am available from the end of June to the end of September. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely

Abigail Black

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Covering letter from PhD student looking to move into management consultancy
78 Bridge Street Parsons Green London SE11 4EU James Morton Human Resources Manager Smith and Baker Consulting London SW6 4PP 19 February 2013

Dear Mr Morton Management Consultant Position

Clearly outlines the skills and experience gained through their PhD which are relevant for this position

I wish to apply for the position of Management Consultant, which is currently advertised on the Bristol University careers website, and I enclose a copy of my CV for your consideration. I first became interested in management consultancy six months ago, when I started to research careers outside academia. I believe that the skills I use in my current role are extremely relevant. For example: o o o My extensive experience in gathering and analysing information will be vital in researching companies and the factors affecting their affairs. My publishing and presentation record demonstrates my strong ability to explain complex issues, both orally and in written reports. Making grant applications and collaborating with commercial research organisations has given me an insight into commercial issues.

In order to further my understanding of the role of a consultant, I have spoken with several practitioners about the nature of their work and this has reinforced my determination to obtain a position in the industry. I have also shadowed a consultant for a week, observing meetings and assisting with tasks such as data collection and analysis and the design of a presentation to a client.
Outlines steps taken to research the industry

Smith and Baker particularly interests me, due to its involvement with commercial research companies. My doctorate was a jointly funded research project in collaborative with a commercial organisation and I also worked alongside the Universitys Research and Enterprise Division to explore further commercial impacts of the research that I was undertaking. I believe that this experience will equip me with the ability to identify potential problems and increase my credibility with your clients. I am available for interview at any time. Please contact me if you require any further information. I look forward to hearing from you, Yours sincerely

Harry Smith

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Covering letter for a student industrial placement

53 Oakfield Road Clifton Bristol BS8 1PS 4 January 2013 Mrs P Maynard Placement Officer GlaxoSmithKline Research and Development New Frontiers Science Park Harlow CM19 5AW Dear Mrs Maynard I would like to apply for the Year in Industry placement with GlaxoSmithKline that is being advertised through the Anatomical Science Department at the University of Bristol. I am currently studying for a BSc in Neuroscience at the University. My course develops an understanding of Neuroscience through studying anatomy, physiology, psychology, pharmacology and endocrinology, amongst other subjects. In particular, I have enjoyed learning about how these subjects interlink and how individuals respond differently to stress and disease. As part of my course, I have studied the module on genetics which developed my interest in genetic influences. For this reason, I am interested in the placement in Genetics and Toxicology within the Research and Development Department of GlaxoSmithKline. My course has involved working both independently and also with group members on a range of practical experiments and research assignments, often working under pressure to meet strict deadlines. I enjoy researching information, conducting experiments and analysing and reporting on findings, therefore I feel that the placement will be an extremely interesting opportunity for me as it incorporates all of these elements. I am keen to undertake the placement at GlaxoSmithKline as I would like to learn more about the Company and to enjoy the privilege of working in a world-class research laboratory, alongside an experienced team of scientists on this important area of research. At this stage, I am hoping to base my final year project in the area of individual response to stress and disease, therefore the placement will provide me with an excellent insight into how inherited genes influence individuals and how they respond to treatment. In addition to my studies, I have also gained work experience in a range of customer facing environments. At University, my interests include team sports, particularly hockey and I am an active member of the Photographic Society. All of these activities have helped to develop my communication and team working skills. I do hope that you will consider me a suitable candidate for the placement and look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely Sally Brown 37

Example of a speculative covering email

Dear Ms Black I am writing to you in the hope that you may be interested in adding further talent to your Business Banking or Commercial Banking team. I have recently graduated with a first class BSc (Hons) Economics and Finance from Bristol University. I have previous experience in commercial banking, gained through my internship within corporate banking at Barclays. I assisted the Sales Manager with financial reporting and to prepare forecasts which were used to devise head office sales strategies and manage commercial sales teams targets. I liaised with commercial customers and with internal departments such as sales, marketing, IT and the inbound and outbound Call Centre teams. I attach a copy of my current CV which outlines this experience in more detail. I am very keen to work within the Financial Services industry, in particular the retail and business banking sector. Although the current fluctuating market conditions have created many challenges for the sector, I also believe that the dramatic changes that Banks have had to embrace have created the potential for stronger, leaner and more successful organisations to emerge. I therefore see this as an exciting time to be involved in banking and would relish the chance to be considered for a commercial role within Lloyds TSB to help drive forward these changes. I believe that I can offer excellent communication and organisation skills, combined with commercial awareness and creative ideas. I have experience of compiling management information and market reports, presenting and dealing with both internal and external customers and a knowledge of customer relationship management issues, gained through my internship with Barclays. This experience, combined with the knowledge gained through my academic studies would be very beneficial for a commercial role within Lloyds TSB. I do hope that you will consider me as a suitable candidate for any opportunities that may arise. If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely Lucy Holloway
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Resources for drafting CVs and covering letters

Explore Careers Service advice & guidance web pages bristol.ac.uk/careers/advice/cvs.asp Attend careers events about CVs and covering letters sign-up to events online bristol.ac.uk/careers/events/list/cvs.asp Read Careers Service CVs and covering letters booklet bristol.ac.uk/careers/advice/cvs-covering-letters-booklet.pdf Pick up The Bristol Guide to Career Planning Explore CVs and covering letters advice from Prospects prospects.ac.uk/cvs.htm

Watch videos about CVs including What employers look for in a CV and Do you need a cover letter? amongst other titles

bristol.ac.uk/careers/video-directory

Search our Careers Catalogue for print and electronic resources and browse the print materials available at class mark 2a bristol.ac.uk/careers/catalogue

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