how to write a cv to get your dream job

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how to write a CV to get your dream job adrian wallwork 2013 [email protected]

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Page 1: how to write a CV to get your dream job

how  to  write  a  CV    to  get  your  dream  job  

adrian  wallwork  2013  

[email protected]  

Page 2: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Agenda  for  this  seminar  

•  Templates  (Europass  vs  your  own)  •  Understanding  how  HR  people  read  CVs  •  What  secAons  to  include  in  a  CV  •  What  to  write  in  each  secAon  •  How  to  write  your  own  reference  leBer  •  How  (not)  to  write  a  cover  leBer  •  Intelligence  tests          I  will  give  you  printed  notes  in  the  break  

Page 3: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Quiz: Part 1 1 What is the ideal length of a CV? a) 1 page b) 2 c) 3 d) 4 e) content is more important than number of pages 2 If your CV contains ONE or more spelling mistakes. What will happen? a)  instant death b) nothing particular

3 What % of people don’t not tell complete truth in their CVs? a)  0% b) 25% c) 50% d) 80%

4 Is it a good idea to send exactly the same CV to many different companies? a) yes b) no

Page 4: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Quiz (part 1 key) 1 What is the ideal length of a CV? a) 1 page b) 2 c) 3 d) 4 e) content is more important than number of pages 2 If your CV contains ONE or more spelling mistakes, what will happen? a)  Instant death b) nothing

3 What % of people don’t not tell complete truth in their CVs? a)  0% b) 25% c) 50% d) 80%

4 Is it a good idea to send exactly the same CV to many different companies? a) yes b) no

Page 5: how to write a CV to get your dream job

PROS      CONS  

Easy  for  you  to  fill  in  (it  has  instrucAons)    Instantly  recognizable  for  most  HR  people    Some  companies  /  insAtutes  require  it    

   Creates  3-­‐4  page  CVs        Pointless  secAons  +  pointless  info      No  space  for  ExecuAve  Summary  or  Refs        Your  CV  looks  like  everyone  else’s  

What are the pros and cons of Europass?

Page 6: how to write a CV to get your dream job

What’s  wrong  with  these  two  Europass  secIons?  

Work experience Dates

July-August 2011

Name and address of employer

Type of business or sector

Occupation or position held

Main activities and responsibilities

Hotel Atlantico (4-star hotel), Via Torino 2, Forte dei Marmi Hotel Establishment Waiter, level 5 Table service, preparation and re-ordering room

Education and training Dates

07/2000

Title of qualification awarded English Language Course

Principal subjects/occupational skills covered

English language

Name and type of organisation providing education and training

Morehampton Language Institute (Gran Bretagna)

Page 7: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Europass  encourages  you  to:  

•  Write  unneccessary  details  (e.g.  what  a  waiter  does)  

•  Put  things  in  the  wrong  secAon  (e.g.  not  puUng  an  English  course  under  ‘Languages’)  

•  Tell  the  enAre  story  of  your  life,  thus  creaAng  a  6-­‐page  CV  that  YOU  THINK  looks  fantasAc  but  is  really  a  nightmare  for  the  HR  person  

Page 8: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Sara Macchi

Education

2009 – 2012: University of Pisa, Faculty of Mathematical, Phisical and Natural Sciences

Specialistic Degree in Chemistry: 110/110 cum laude.

Deep knowledge of NMR theory and instrument. Title of the thesis: “Studio delle interazioni tra piccole molecole organiche e modelli di membrane cellulari mediante NMR”. Supervisors: Dr. Marco Geppi and Dott.ssa Silvia Borsacchi.

Italian, 12 March 1988

Via Cottolengo 8 – 56125 - Pisa

+39 3400913241

[email protected] !!

Compared to Europass, is there any info missing?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  

Page 9: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Page 1/2 – Sara Macchi’s Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae Europass

Personal Information

First name(s) / Surname(s) Sara Macchi Address(es) Via Cottolengo 8 – 56125 - Pisa

Telephone(s) +39 05024088 Cellulare: +39 3400913241

E-mail [email protected]

Nationality Italian

Date of birth 12 March 1988

Gender Female

Education and training

Dates 2009 – 2012 Title of qualification awarded Specialistic Degree in Chemistry, grading 110/110 cum laude.

Principal subjects/occupational skills covered

Deep knowledge of NMR theory and instrument. Title of the thesis: “Studio delle interazioni tra piccole molecole organiche e modelli di membrane cellulari mediante NMR”. Supervisors: Dr. Marco Geppi and Dott.ssa Silvia Borsacchi.

Name and type of organisation providing education and training

University of Pisa, Faculty of Mathematical, Phisical and Natural Sciences.

Level in national or international classification

Specialistic Degree

Dates

2006 - 2009

Title of qualification awarded Three-year Degree in Chemistry, grading 110/110 cum laude.

Principal subjects/occupational skills covered

Knowledge of spectroscopic techniques such as IR and UV-Vis, and particularly NMR. Title of the thesis: “Parametri NMR di molecole con proprietà ottiche non lineari: determinazione sperimentale e confronto con previsioni teoriche.”

Name and type of organisation providing education and training

University of Pisa, Faculty of Mathematical, Phisical and Natural Sciences.

Level in national or international classification

Short Degree

Dates

2001 - 2006

Title of qualification awarded High School leaving examination, grading 100/100.

Principal subjects/occupational skills covered

Scientific and humanistic education

Name and type of organisation providing education and training

Senior High School specializing in science eucation “U. Dini” – Pisa.

Level in national or international classification

High school leaving qualification.

Dates Jun 2005 Title of qualification awarded Certificate of the knowledge of English Language (Trinity – Grade 7)

Principal subjects/occupational skills covered

Ability of daily communication in speaking and writing.

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Page 10: how to write a CV to get your dream job

SoluAon  

•  Use  Europass,  but  delete  the  le\-­‐hand  column,  except  for  the  main  headings.  *  

•  Put  the  useful  (e.g.  EducaAon,  Interests)  headings  on  a  separate  line  

•  Delete  the  useless  headings  (e.g.  Personal  InformaAon)  

•  Delete  Europass  header  and  footer  *  But  if  you  have  an  insAtute/company  requests  it  or  if  you  have  very  liBle  to  put  on  your  CV  then  use  the  full  Europass  

Page 11: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Max.  2  pages  

•  Put  publicaAons  in  a  separate  doc  (but  remember  these  are  probably  only  of  interest  to  research  insAtutes,  not  companies)  

•  Use  links  to  websites  to  avoid  long  explanaAons  

•  DO  NOT  USE  a  small  font  size  

Page 12: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Which font? One of these??? Arial  –  which  big  company  uses  Arial?  Times – which big company uses Times? Comic Sans – which big company uses Comic Sans?

Page 13: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Writing dates

Date of birth 5 November 1989 Employment / 2010 – 2012 Education 2011 – now / present

Dec 2012 - Jan 2013 Graduation 5 November 2010

4 February 2013

Page 14: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Use links – to make your CV more concise

•  Places: companies, labs, research institutes

•  People: supervisors, referees

•  Docs: your papers, presentations

•  Your work: projects, thesis

•  In the Personal Data section: LinkedIn, Academia (+ annotated FB?)

Page 15: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Who  will  read  your  CV?  

Research  insItutes  AdministraAon  staff  Maybe  the  prof    Industry  Recruitment  agency  Human  Resources  (HR)  manager  

Page 16: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Quiz: Part 2 How much time does the average recruiter spend reading a CV? a)  2 minutes b)  4 minutes c)  10 minutes d)  Other (you decide) How long does it take for you to make an impression of someone the first time you meet him / her? a)  4-10 seconds b)  30 seconds c)  1-2 minutes d)  10 minutes or more

Page 17: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Answers

CV 6 seconds

First impression 4-10 seconds

Page 18: how to write a CV to get your dream job

What sections should a CV have? And in what order?

Page 19: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Sections in a CV •  Personal data •  Objective / Executive summary •  Work experience •  Academic experience •  Skills •  Hobbies and interests •  Publications (possibly on separate page) •  References

Page 20: how to write a CV to get your dream job

What personal data should you include?

•  Personal data •  Work experience •  Academic experience •  Skills •  Hobbies and interests •  Projects, publications, conferences •  References

Page 21: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Personal data

•  Photo ????? we’ll discuss this in a minute

•  Name: no (this should be at top of CV) •  Date and place of birth: yes (but not by law) •  Nationality: yes •  Sex: male / female (only for Nicola, Andrea etc) •  Marital status: not necessary •  Contact details: yes

Page 22: how to write a CV to get your dream job

good  or  bad?  First  name:  Marco  Last  name:  Rossi  Place  of  birth:  Rome  –  Italy  Date  of  birth:  March  5th,  1989  Home  address:  Via  Contessa  MaAlde  64C  –  56123  Pisa  –  Italy  Work  address:  Via  Giuseppe  Moruzzi  1  –  56124  Pisa  –  Italy  Home  phone:  +39  050  326728  Work  phone:  +39  050  3982127  Mobile  phone:  +39  3407981019  Work  fax:  +39  050  3172593  Mail:  [email protected]    

Page 23: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Should  you  put  a  photo?  

•  If  not,  why  not?  (eg  to  avoid  discriminaAon)  •  If  not,  what  will  the  HR  person  think  /  do?  

•  If  you  opt  for  a  photo,  what  decisions  do  you  need  to  make  about  what  kind  of  photo  to  put?  

Page 24: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Personal data

•  Photo

•  Name: no (this should be at top of CV) •  Date and place of birth: yes (but not by law) •  Nationality: yes •  Sex: male / female (only for Nicola, Andrea etc) •  Marital status: not necessary •  Contact details

Page 26: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Contact  details:  phone  

ONE phone number, written clearly

(0039) 340 7888 304

 

Page 27: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Contact  details:  other  

YES: LinkedIn and Academia links

NO: Twitter, Facebook NO: Fax

NO: Skype

 

Page 28: how to write a CV to get your dream job

What are these?

Objective Executive Summary

Personal Profile Personal Statement

Page 29: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Objective

To  obtain  a  full-­‐Ame  challenging  posiAon  that  offers  opportuniAes  to  learn  about  nanotechnologies  while  uAlizing  my  

experience  in    bioroboAcs. A  one-­‐sentence  statement  to  say  

• what  you  want  • why  you  want  it  • your  experience  

Page 30: how to write a CV to get your dream job

What is the problem with this objective?

To  pursue  higher  studies  that  would  

expose  my  fullest  potenAal  and  abiliAes  and  opens  opportuniAes  for  my  

interests.  

Page 31: how to write a CV to get your dream job

So vague. It could have been written by anyone

To  pursue  higher  studies  that  expose  my  fullest  potenAal  and  abiliAes  and  opens  opportuniAes  for  my  interests.  

Page 32: how to write a CV to get your dream job

So vague. It could have been written by anyone

To  pursue  higher  studies  that  expose  my  fullest  potenAal  and  abiliAes  and  opens  opportuniAes  for  

my  interests.    

Everything  you  write  (CVs,  cover  leBers,  emails,  abstracts,  papers,  reports)  should  be  as  specific  as  

possible.  This  means  it  must  contain  concrete  key  words.

Page 33: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Key  words  

To  obtain  a  full-­‐Ame  challenging  posiAon  that  offers  

opportuniAes  to  learn  about  nanotechnologies  while  uAlizing  my  experience  in    

bioroboIcs.  

Page 34: how to write a CV to get your dream job

What is an Executive Summary?

Nine years of development experience. Strong core Java/J2SE - especially in high performance multi-threaded server development. Excellent knowledge of FIX and messaging based connectivity applications Currently in final year of PhD in Virtual Robotics at the University of Pisa. Three years of work experience at Ferrari (Marinella, Italy).

Page 35: how to write a CV to get your dream job

What is an Executive Summary?

Ugo Rossi has 9 years of development experience. Strong core Java/J2SE - especially in high performance multi-threaded server development. Excellent knowledge of FIX and messaging based connectivity applications Currently in last year of PhD in Virtual Robotics at the Department of Information Engineeering of the University of Pisa. Three years of work experience at Ferrari (Marinella, Italy).

A summary of your experience, full of key words. Not necessarily for advertised job.

Page 36: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Why is an executive summary useful? For recruitment agencies.

Dear Silvia, I think you might be interested in Ugo Rossi, a very strong candidate: Nine years of development experience. Strong core Java/J2SE - especially in high performance multi-threaded server development. Excellent knowledge of FIX and messaging based connectivity applications Currently in last year of PhD in Virtual Robotics at the University of Pisa. Three years of work experience at Ferrari (Marinella, Italy). Regards Simon ABC Recruitment Ltd

Page 37: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Another example

Experience  in  syntheses  of  organic  molecules  and  polymers  especially  fluorine-­‐containing  (meth)acrylate  monomers,  macromolecular  iniAators  and  macromolecules  with  controlled  architecture.    Good  knowledge  of  controlled/”living”  radical  polymerizaAon  methods  e.g.  ATRP,  RAFT.  Future  interests:  Supramolecular  polymers,  well-­‐architectured  macromolecules  by  controlled  polymerizaAon,  hybrid  organic-­‐inorganic  nanocomposites  …  

Page 38: how to write a CV to get your dream job

EXERCISE  1  

•  Write  your  own  objecAve  –  maximum  one  sentence.  

Page 39: how to write a CV to get your dream job

•  Personal data •  Executive summary •  Work experience •  Academic experience •  Skills •  Hobbies and interests •  Projects, publications, conferences •  References

Page 40: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Resume  =  CV  

Page 41: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Work experience •  Start and finish dates

•  Reverse chronological order

•  Name of institute, location, area of research + link

•  Your position in the lab + link to lab

•  Brief description of what you did, highlighting how it relates to the position you are applying for + link to any projects

Page 42: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Work experience •  Start and finish dates

•  Reverse chronological order

•  Name of institute, location, area of research + link

•  Your position in the lab + link to lab

•  Brief description of what you did, highlighting how it relates to the position you are applying for

This is your opportunity to show your ‘soft skills’ – more on this later

Page 43: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Academic experience •  Start and finish dates, reverse chronological order

•  Name of department / institute, location + link

•  Projects worked on with details on how they relate to the position you are looking for now + link

•  Thesis + link

AGAIN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW YOUR SOFT SKILLS

Page 44: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Thesis

Only put thesis title if it is self-explanatory. Two line description of thesis. Do NOT put: •  exact date you defended you thesis •  names of supervisors unless …

Page 45: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Degrees and Scores “First level degree” = 3-year Honour’s degree /

Bachelor’s degree “Second level degree” = 2-year Master’s “Five year degree” = BSc + MSc “Master” = 2-year specialized Master’s,

including internship Doctorate: PhD 110/110 cum laude (i.e. top marks, full

honours)

Page 46: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Degrees and Scores

Search for: international degree equivalencies

Page 47: how to write a CV to get your dream job

TranslaIng  /  AdapIng  your  CV  

•  Use  the  English  template  of  Europass,  not  the  Italian  one  

•  Don’t  leave  any  words  in  your  own  language  –  either  translate  or  delete  

•  Provide  internaAonal  equivalents  to  your  degree    

•  Don’t  include  any  informaAon  that  is  strictly  related  to  your  country  (e.g.  military  service,  data  privacy,  signature)  

Page 48: how to write a CV to get your dream job

•  Personal data •  Executive summary •  Work experience •  Academic experience •  Skills •  Hobbies and interests •  Projects, publications, conferences •  References

Page 49: how to write a CV to get your dream job

What’s wrong with this section in a CV? Software skills Good knowledge of Matlab / Simulink. Good knowledge of C/C++ language. Good knowledge of Java language. Good knowledge of Html/Javascript. Good knowledge of ASP. Good knowledge of PHP. Good knowledge of Visual Studio. Good knowledge of query language (MySql). Good knowledge of Unix operating systems (included Freebsd, Kubuntu

and Debian). Good knowledge of Latex. Good knowledge of Doxygen. Intermediate knowledge of Labview.

Page 50: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Languages

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

B2 - Independent User (upper intermediate) - Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

Page 51: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Languages: spot the mistakes

Italian mother language English very fluent (spoken and writing) Deutsch good working knowledge french scholastic

Page 52: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Languages: spot the mistakes

Italian mother language Italian mother tongue / native speaker English very fluent (spoken and writing) English fluent (spoken and written) Deutsch good working knowledge German good working knowledge french scholastic French scholastic

Page 53: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Soft skills  

•  communicaAon  skills  •  presentaAon  skills  •  conflict  resoluAon  •  negoAaAon  •  creaAve  problem  solving  •  team  building  •  sales  skills  •  customer  interface  skills  

Page 54: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Many job advertisements specifically request soft skills

Page 55: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Communications skills My experience has enabled me to build relationships easily and solve problems fast and efficiently. I can work under pressure both in a team and independently. Responsibility, punctuality and efficiency have always formed part of my work.

Should you have a separate section for Soft Skills?

 

Page 56: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Communications skills My experience has enabled me to build relationships easily and solve problems fast and efficiently. I can work under pressure both in a team and independently. Responsibility, punctuality and efficiency have always formed part of my work.

Who does the description below refer to? i) you specifically?

ii) most PhD students on planet Earth?  

Page 57: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Communications skills My experience has enabled me to build relationships easily and solve problems fast and efficiently. I can work under pressure both in a team and independently. Responsibility, punctuality and efficiency have always formed part of my work.

So, should you have a separate section for Soft Skills?

No. Your CV should clearly demonstrate that you have these skills without you

stating this explicitly.  

Page 58: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Example  

Jan  2012-­‐Mar  2013  Prof  Yang’s  lab  (MIT,  USA)  Assistant  researcher:  worked  on  X,  Y,  Z.  Successfully  completed  two  projects  on  A  and  B,  working  to  very  Aght  deadlines.  Responsible  for  small  team  of  researchers.  Held  3-­‐month  course  for  second-­‐year  undergraduates.  Presented  papers  at  two  internaAonal  conferences.    

Page 59: how to write a CV to get your dream job

You  do  not  need  to  write  in  such  detail  for  every  project  you  have  done  

Successfully  completed  two  projects  on  A  and  B,  working  to  very  Aght  deadlines.  Responsible  for  small  team  of  researchers.  Held  3-­‐month  course  for  second-­‐year  undergraduates.  Presented  papers  at  two  internaAonal  conferences.    

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 DIFFICULT  EXERCISE  

Write  2-­‐3  lines  about  a  project  you  have  been  involved  in.  Demonstrate  that  you  have  ‘so\’  skills.  Do  NOT  

menAon  them  explicitly.  

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Which of these hobbies and interests would you put on your CV?

•  Reading •  Sports •  Travelling •  Playing the guitar •  Salsa dancing •  Sailing •  Computer games •  Voluntary work •  Hunting •  Stamp collecting •  Learning exotic languages

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Papers,  presentaIons,  posters  etc  

•  Only  include  a  list  of  these  if  you  are  applying  for  a  job  in  research  

•  Put  them  on  a  separate  page  –  or  simply  have  a  link  to  your  webpage  

•  For  industry,  you  can  summarize  your  achievements  by  saying:  As  first  author,  wrote  5  peer-­‐reviewed  papers  for  interna6onal  journals;  presented  3  papers  at  interna6onal  conferences  …  

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•  Personal data •  Executive summary •  Work experience •  Academic experience •  Skills •  Hobbies and interests •  References

We’ve nearly finished CVs!

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What is a reference?

The name and contact details of someone you have worked for.

HR people often contact your reference to check that you can really do what you say you can do.

But you can also collect / write your own reference letters. Here’s how …

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Get references from everyone you work for

Whenever you work for someone - a professor or a company - get a reference from them. Also, ask their permission to use their name and email address on your CV.

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The reference should include:

•  name

•  position

•  email address

Choose the references that have the most connection to the job you want.

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Le`er  in  support  to  the  candidacy  of  Barbara  Bargagna  as  XXX  at  the  XXX    I  am  wriAng  this,  having  assessed  the  capacity  of  Barbara  Bargagna  both  as  a  teacher  of  Social  Anthropology    (University  of  Pisa)  and  during  her  Master’s  in  biomedical  anthropology  at  the  Humanist  InsAtute,  of  which  I  am  the  coordinator.  Also  in  this  last  year  I  got  to  know  the  skills  and  potenAal  of  the  candidate  as  a  research  fellow  at  our  insAtute.    

How  could  the  beginning  of  this  reference  le`er  be  improved?  

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I  am  wriAng  this,  having  assessed  the  capacity  of  Barbara  Bargagna  both  as  a  teacher  of  Social  Anthropology  (University  of  Pisa)  and  during  her  Master’s  in  biomedical  anthropology  at  the  Humanist  InsAtute,  of  which  I  am  the  coordinator.      51  words  and  very  poorly  structured,  including  ambiguity  

Page 69: how to write a CV to get your dream job

Reference Letter Structure:

1) Have a short clear heading

NO!!!  LeBer  in  support  to  the  candidacy  of  Barbara  Bargagna  as  researcher  at  the  InsAtute  of  X.      

 Barbara  Bargagna    

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2) Begin with a one-sentence positive statement

NO!!!  I  am  wriAng  this,  having  assessed  the  capacity  of  Barbara  Bargagna  both  as  a  teacher  of  Social  Anthropologu                                              Barbara  Bargagna  It  is  a  pleasure  for  me  to  have  the  opport-­‐unity  to  thoroughly  recommend  Barbara  Bargagna  [for  the  posiAon  of  …]  

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Short clear sentences in a logical order

I  am  the  coordinator  of  Humanist  InsAtute  at  the  University  of  Pisa  (Italy).  I  was  Barbara  Bargagna’s  supervisor  while  she  was  doing  her  Master’s  of  Science  in  Biomedical  Anthropology.  She  was  also  a  student  in  my  class  on  Social  Anthropology.    

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Structure of Reference Letter 3) Referee states his / her position

I  am  the  coordinator  of  Humanist  InsAtute  at  the  University  of  Pisa  (Italy).  

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4) Referee states how he / she is connected to the candidate

I  was  Barbara  Bargagna’s  supervisor  while  she  was  doing  her  Master’s  of  Science  in  Biomedical  Anthropology.    

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5) Specific details – this should represent the main part of the letter

During  her  Master’s  thesis,  Barbara  demonstrated  great  intuiAveness  in  solving  ...  In  fact,  she  played  a  major  role  in  …  She  also  …  

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6) Refer to candidate’s personality

Barbara  has  a  bright  and  lively  personality  and  works  extremely  well  in  teams,  both  as  a  team  member  and  team  leader.      

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7) End in positive way

I  very  much  hope  that  her  applicaAon  will  be  taken  into  serious  consideraAon  as  I  am  sure  that  Barbara  Bargagna  represents  an  excellent  candidate.  

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Summary of structure

1.  Heading  2.  PosiAve  opening  sentence  3.  Referee’s  posiAon  4.  Referee’s  connecAon  to  candidate  5.  Details  about  candidate’s  qualificaAons  6.  Reference  to  candidate’s  wonderful  personality  7.  PosiAve  conclusion  

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Reference letters are very important.

Write them yourself and get the prof to sign them.

Alternatively, don’t be afraid to modify

what your prof writes. Even the best profs are not perfect! … But you are!

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If you write your own references, make sure they all look different

Different font, layout and date systems

Different beginnings and endings

Different lengths

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SUMMARY (1): Your CV says a lot about you, and not just your experience and technical skills

•  Organization skills (layout) •  Accuracy at work (spelling) •  Consistency (dates, fonts, bold) •  Communication skills (readability) •  Ability to be concise •  Personality (interests) •  Proactive (you have thought about all

the reader’s needs and questions)

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Summary (2)

•  Only what reader really needs to know. •  Clear simple layout - 10/11 pt font, Arial

(not Times) •  Put info in reverse chronological order •  Your CV = your image = you •  Keep it short •  References

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[email protected]  

COVER  LETTERS  

Cover  LeBers  

[email protected]  

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What should you include in the cover letter?

How long should it be?

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What to include in cover letter •  Say what job you are applying for and why you

are interested in this field / company •  Say how your skills and experience directly

apply to that job •  Do NOT talk about the benefits for YOU of

working for them •  Make it clear you know something about the

institute / company, and how you would fit in •  Keep it as short as possible

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Q: What is the biggest problem with the cover letter?

A: Making sure someone actually opens your email / letter and reads it.

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Q: So how can you ensure they open and read your letter?

A: By having a good subject line

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Subject line for a position that has been advertised

•  Give name of position you’re applying for •  State where / when you saw the

advertisement Examples: Application for post-doc researcher (LinkedIn) Internship in Prof Smith’s Lab (ad on your website, 7 Mar 13)

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The problem is when no position has been advertised e.g. when you are looking for an

internship (‘stage’) in someone’s lab

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YOU  Elena  Szarbo  –  works  

for  Smith  

Prof  Rossi  –    your  prof  knows  him  +  he  knows  Smith  

Prof  Smith  –  you  want  to  

work  in  his  lab  

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Subject line for email to Prof Smith: Andrea Rossi. Post-doc position in your lab.

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Subject line for email to Elena Szarbo: Elena, favor from Pisa university: position in Prof

Smith’s lab? Email to Prof Smith after contact with Elena Szarbo Elena Szarbo. Post-doc position in your lab.

This may seem like a strange solution. But remember you aim is only to get Prof Smith to open

your email.

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In a letter, have a subject line

ADVERTISED POSITION

ICT engineer (ESA website 3 Apr) I would like to apply for the position of ICT engineer as advertised on your website. NON- ADVERTISED POSITION

ICT engineer I was wondering whether you have any positions available at ESA for an ICT engineer. OR Your name was given to me by Prof Jo Smith, who thought you might have position available as an ICT engineer.

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Moral of the story: Get connected

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If all else fails:

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Online applications: No cover letter?

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Layout of cover letter Find documents written by the institute /

company and imitate their:

•  style •  layout - e.g. use of white space •  font and font size Make it seem that you already work for that

institute / company.

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To whom it may concern For the attention of the human resources manager. To the head of the Risk Analysis Department Dear Sir / Madam

Addressing  the  reader:    how  effecIve  are  these?  

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• Find out the name of HR person and address him /her : Dear Hugo Martin

Why  is  this  important?  

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How  much  do  you  want  that  job?  

If  you  really  want  something  there  is  always  a  way  to  find  

out  the  name  of  the  relevant  person.    

 And  it  will  say  a  lot  about  your  character  if  you  find  

the  way.  

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If you find out the name of the relevant person it clearly demonstrates that you:

•  really want the job •  are proactive •  are different from the average candidate

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Beginning your letter: What impression will HR person have?

My  name  is  XYZ  and  I  would  like  to  become  part  in  a  dynamic  and  innovaAve  field.  I  am  looking  for  a  sAmulaAng  and  strongly  internaAonal  atmosphere  that  favors  my  career  development.      I  know  about  Your  job  posiAon  and  I  would  like  to  give  my  effort  to  your,  welcoming  the  opportunity  to  uAlise  the  knowledge  and  experience  I  have  gained  …

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Is this a good letter? Why? What impression will HR person have? I  am  very  interested  in  applying  for  the  Consultant  PosiAon  at  UNIDO.  I  am  in  my  final  year  of  X  at  the  University  of  Pisa.    The  qualificaAons  and  skills  I  bring  to  this  posiAon  include:  •  Ph.D.  in  Economics    •  Experience  at  OECD  in  the  Development  and  Technical  CooperaAon  Division  (April  2012)  

•  Data  management  skills  I  will  discuss  my  final  thesis  in  May  2013  and  I  would  be  available  to  start  work  immediately  a\er.    I  look  forward  to  hearing  from  you.    

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ApplicaIon  for  post-­‐doc  :  GOOD  example,  why?    I  am  wriAng  to  inquire  about  the  possibility  of  a  postdoctoral  posiAon  in  your  laboratory.      I  graduated  in  2012  with  an  MSc  in  X.  I  am  currently  a  PhD  student  in  Prof  X’s  laboratory  at  the  University  of  Pisa  and  I  plan  to  graduate  in  June  2013.    My  PhD  work  has  focused  on  xxx.  All  my  work  to  date  has  been  published  in  arAcles  in  top  internaAonal  journals.      I  have  experience  in:  •  x  •  y  •  z    I  know  that  you  are  currently  working  on  X,  and  I  believe  that  my  experience  in  this  area  (three  EU-­‐funded  projects)  would  be  an  asset  to  your  team    I  look  forward  to  hearing  from  you.    

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1)  Say  what  posiIon  you  want    

I  am  wriAng  to  inquire  about  the  possibility  of  a  postdoctoral  posiAon  in  your  laboratory.  

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2)  Say  what  you’re  doing  now,  and  when  your  current  posiIon  will  end  

 

I  graduated  from  Wroclaw  Technical  University  in  2012  with  an  MSc  in  X.  I  am  currently  a  PhD  student  in  Prof  X’s  laboratory  at  the  University  of  Pisa  and  I  plan  to  graduate  in  June  2013  

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3)  Selected  past  history  that  will  interest  the  professor  and  that  gives  you  credibility  

My  PhD  work  has  focused  on  xxx.  All  my  work  to  date  has  been  published  in  arAcles,  whose  Atles  can  be  found  in  the  aBached  CV.  I  have  experience  in  NMR  techniques,  especially  regarding  xx  and  yy.  I  have  been  trained  to  operate  Bruker  NMR  400MHz,  500MHz,  600  MHz  using  Xwin-­‐NMR.  etc  etc  etc      

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4)  Show  that  you  know  about  the  prof  (or  company)  Highlight  benefit  of  having  you  in  their  team    

I  know  that  you  are  currently  working  on  X,  and  I  believe  that  my  experience  in  this  area  (three  EU-­‐funded  projects)  would  be  an  asset  to  your  team.    

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5)  Brief  ending  –  further  details  can  be  given  in  the  next  email  

I  look  forward  to  hearing  from  you.  Karolina  Gajda    

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Summary  of  simple  structure  for  cover  le`er  

1.  Job  you  want  2.  Current  situaAon  +  end  point  3.  Relevant  past  history  4.  Benefit  for  them  (unique  

factors  you  can  offer)  5.  Brief  final  salutaAon          

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Remember: HR want to know not just your technical skills and experience but also:

•  Concrete evidence of these skills

•  Ability to work in teams + evidence of this

•  Ability to do presentations

•  Evidence that you know something about their institute / company

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Be careful of how you talk about your personality and soft skills

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Would  you  say  this?  

I  hate  human  relaAonships.  I’m  lazy,  with  a  zero  capacity  for  teamwork.  I  have  rarely  worked  during  my  studies  and  I  never  meet  deadlines.  It  is  important  for  me  never  to  finish  my  projects.  

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So  don’t  say  this.  Too  vague.  Applicable  to  everyone  

I  love  human  relaAonships.  I’m  proacAve  with  a  high  capacity  for  teamwork.  I  work  hard  during  my  studies.  I  like  to  complete  my  projects  and  goals.  

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Your  cover  le`er  is  NOT  a  horoscope  Make  it  as  specific  as  possible  

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Remove  redundant  informaIon  –  this  will  help  the  key  informaIon  to  stand  out  clearly  

•  Your  name  at  beginning  •  Enclosed  CV    •  Available  for  interview  (only  say  when  NOT  available)  

•  Contact  you  for  addiAonal  info  •  References  upon  request  

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Remove  redundancy  Dear Mrs Helen Murray

Application for position of Post doc DVB researcher

With reference to the vacancy advertised on your website, I would

like to apply for the position of post doc researcher.

I am particularly interested in taking active part in the research

activities of the Connectivity Systems and Network department. In

fact, I spent an internship at XYZ where I also managed a small team

of PhD students.

As you will note from my CV / resume, In November 2011, I

graduated in Telecommunication Engineering at the University of

Pisa, Italy. For my Masters project, I was an intern at XYZ, where I

joined the DVB-TM ad hoc working group and worked on carrier

synchronization algorithms for DVB-S2 applications.

I am available for interview at any time.

If you need any further information, do not hesitate to contact me

either by phone or e-mail.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Pinco Pallino

Enc: CV !

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I  am  pleased  to  submit  to  your  aBenAon  my  CV.    Please  find  in  aBachment  my  curriculum.    I  passed  the  state  exam,  obtaining  the  Atle  of  Engineer.    WaiAng  for  your  favourable  response.    I  remain  in  expectaAon  of  Your  sollecit  reply.  Ing.  Rossi.  

Be  careful  of  set  phrases  (Italianisms)  

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I  am  pleased  to  submit  to  your  aBenAon  my  CV.  I  read  your  job  posAng  for  an  Assistant  Administrator  with  interest.    Please  find  in  aBachment  my  curriculum.  Please  find  my  CV  aBached.  (probably  redundant)    I  passed  the  state  exam,  obtaining  the  Atle  of  Engineer.  Meaningless  outside  Italy.    WaiAng  for  your  favourable  response.  I  look  forward  to  hearing  from  you.    I  remain  in  expectaAon  of  Your  sollecit  reply.  Ing.  Rossi.  I  look  forward  to  hearing  from  you.  Best  regards,  Carlo  Rossi    

Be  careful  of  set  phrases  (Italianisms)  

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Dangers of templates from the Internet

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You might copy phrases that don’t fit in with the rest of your letter because they are in perfect English (!), too formal/informal, antiquated, inappropriate (e.g. too American) Solution 1: Only copy phrases you •  have frequently seen before •  understand completely Solution 2: Only write phrases you •  are sure exist in English (not Italianisms) •  have checked with Google

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Copied by Italian PhD students from US website: What’s the problem?

I  would  be  a  valuable  asset  to  your  firm  and  for  your  research  team.        I  feel  that  a  meeAng  would  allow  us  to  beBer  understand  each  other’s  needs.    Please  contact  me  at  your  earliest  convenience  so  that  we  can  set  up  a  Ame  that  works  for  both  us  as  I  am  eager  to  speak  with  you  about  the  direcAon  that  your  University  is  moving.                

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Make  sure  you  know  WHO  the  site  is  for:  PhDs  or  CEOs!  

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1) Only copy the relevant parts 2) Don’t randomly replace one key

word (company) with another (university)

(1)  I  would  be  a  valuable  asset  to  your  firm  and  for  your  research  team.    

 (2)  I  am  eager  to  speak  with  you  about  the  direcAon  that  your  University  is  moving.  

                 

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Intelligence  test  #  9  

Bat  +  ball  =  $1.10  Bat  =  $1  more  than  ball  Ball  =    

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Responding  to  an  adverIsement  

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Match  your  qualficaIons  with  their  requirements  

SELECTION  CRITERIA    •  PhD  pertaining  to  design,  implementaIon  and  evaluaIon  of  environment  related  programs  and  projects    

•  Knowledge  of  Bank  operaIons  and  insAtuAonal  issues  

•  Ability  to  to  produce  high-­‐quality  output  in  response  to  Ight  deadlines  

 

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Match  your  qualficaIons  with    their  requirements  

Knowledge  of  Bank  operaIons  and  insAtuAonal  issues  

I  have  worked  for  Barclays  and  MPS  as  a  …    Ability  to  produce  high-­‐quality  output  in  response  to  Ight  deadlines  and  I  …  During  my  internship  at  MPS,  I  successfully  completed  two  projects  ahead  of  schedule.    

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Summary: Writing skills  

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So,  what  have  you  learned  about  wriIng  skills?  

•  Write  from  reader’s  point  of  view,  not  yours  •  Make  it  easy  for  the  reader  to  find  info  -­‐  ensure  important  /  unique  info  stands  out  

•  Reasonably  short  sentences  –  no  incisi  •  Clear,  logical  structure  to  each  sentence  /  para  •  Concise  and  no  redundancy  –  every  secAon  /  paragraph  /  word  must  add  value  for  the  reader  

•  Check  your  grammar  –  only  write  what  you  know  is  100%  correct  

•  Check  your  spelling    

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ApplicaIon  for  post-­‐doc  :  BAD  example,  why?  

I  recently  completed  the  Phd  in  xxxx  at  the  University  of  Pisa,  and  I’d  like  to  become  a  good  researcher  in  this  field.  I  enclose  a  copy  of  my  curriculum  vitae  for  your  consideraAon.  I  would  like  to  increase  my  experience  and  knowledge  in  your  laboratories,  because  they  are  very  technological  and..  technology  is  fundamental  to  be  a  good  scienAst!  I  am  avalaible  for  an  interview  at  any  Ame,  and  I  am  avalaible  for  work  immediately.  

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Terrible  because:  

•  Probably  took  2  minutes  to  write  •  No  structure  •  All  I  can,  I  am,  I  have,  I  need,  I  want  •  No  menAon  of  benefit  for  prof  •  Redundant  info  •  No  spell  check  =  terrible  impression  /  image  of  candidate  

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What  impression  would  you  have  of  this  candidate?  

Sono  correntemente  un  studente  di  doBorato  di  ricerca  in  laboratorio  Prof  Rossi  presso  l'Università  di  Pisa  è  ho  intenzione  di  laurearmi  a  jugno  2013.    So  che  lei  sta  lavorando  su  X,  e  credo  che  la  mia  experienza  in  questa  seBore  (tree  progeU  finanziaA  dall’EU)  sarebbe  un  bene  per  la  Tua  squadra.    Non  vedo  l'ora  di  senAre  da  Lei.    SlauA  cordiali,  

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Don’t  underesImate  the  importance  of  docs  that  will  help  you  to  get  a  job.  

It  is  worth  paying  an  expert  to  correct  your:    CV  

Cover  le`er  /  email  Reference  le`ers    

 What  is  €50  once  in  your  life,  compared  to  

€5000  every  month?    

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Conctact  me  for  revisions  of  manuscripts  and  ‘scienAfic  

English’  courses:  [email protected]