The CV journey April 9, 2012
Posted by Kirsti Burton in : The Careers Group Blogs , add a commentOriginally posted at QM Jobs Blog
You have painstakingly prepared your CV or application form and clicked send. You imagine an employer receiving it, perusing what you’ve written and then emailing you back. You wait. You wait. You hear nothing.
Sound familiar? It’s a common experience and a frustrating one. So too is the experience of sending in an application form you have spent hours over, then receiving a rejection almost immediately.
So what’s actually happening to you CV or application form once you click send? We’ve done a survey amongst a small sample of employers to get the inside perspective and combined this with known trends in recruitment to bring you the following insights.
Once you click send…
Your CV or application form lands in a (probably very) busy recruitment team. It will join a large number of others awaiting screening. It’s unlikely that someone will look at it straight away.
If this is the case, why did you get a rejection reply so quickly?
That’s where technology comes in. The employer may be using screening software to sort applications and reject automatically those that do not appear to meet key criteria (e.g., academic results, technical knowledge and employability skills). This software is being used in more and more cases, although not all. None of the employers in our survey were using software for the first stage screening. However, all are using specialist software to store and process applications through the recruitment process.
Aren’t employers missing some great applicants by automating screening?
That may well be happening, but with large numbers of strong applicants and pressure to reduce recruitment costs, that may be a risk worth taking. To avoid being the one who gets missed, make sure your CV contains terms which directly link to the competencies and qualifications needed for the role. These will match the search terms in the software and make your selection more likely.
So it’s just about matching some key words really?
It’s much more than that. The full content and presentation of your CV and application matters a great deal. As one recruiter fed back to us “I believe candidates do not feel that attention is paid to their CVs…This is not true… some do spend the time both at screening and throughout the process to read the CV fully.”
Impact matters.
How long do you imagine a recruiter will take to read your CV fully? A trained eye may view it for 60 seconds (or less!). You need to make an impact in that time. The same goes for application form questions which are often competency based. “We … read through the answers to the competency based questions to look for good examples that the candidate has given and score these”. So it’s not just about having an example, but having a good and clearly set out example (e.g. of team working) to make sure that your evidence can score as highly as possible.
Is it only Human Resources who read my CV?
No. Our survey showed that people from the business line (i.e. those working in teams you may join) are also involved both early in the selection process and, of course, later if you proceed through to interviews. They will be sent copies of your application materials and have read them, so expect to be able to back up what you said!
What happens to my application once it’s all over?
“If the candidate is successful then the CVs, application forms and any other information about the candidate will be passed over to HR to store in their personnel file. If the candidate is unsuccessful, their details are stored separately to the main database as we sometimes find that candidates may come back to us in future to be considered for other positions. All candidates are informed that their details will be kept on file for future vacancies.” This survey response is typical of many employers. A couple of points to note. Firstly, remember that a previous application may be looked at if you apply to the company again. Be consistent. Secondly, when successful for a role, your application information will be kept on file and could be referred to at any point, so think twice about being ‘economical with the truth’ in your content.
Read more in the Wall Street Journal about the journey of a CV from a US perspective
Our Careers: Recruitment March 16, 2012
Posted by Andrew Falconer in : Our Careers, career profiles, city jobs , add a comment
Louisa Davies is a careers adviser with a background in the recruitment industry. Here she continues our series of posts about our professional careers.
In my final year at Durham University I spent a couple of hours completing an application for a graduate scheme, attended an assessment centre and an interview and was appalled when I didn’t get accepted. “What? You don’t want me? But I’m an all-rounder!”, I shrieked (not literally). I was so put out that I stopped filling out forms, stopped being interested and dedicated myself to enjoying my final year instead. No doubt a common story. Thus I found myself, post-finals, sitting in front of a computer trawling through job boards looking for something I could do. And so I ended up in recruitment.
As it happens, this was in fact a good fit for me and it made the most of my skills in relationship management, sales, organisation and many others. I took to it pretty quickly and because I was relatively good at it, found myself getting promoted up the ladder. It was an exciting environment, with big highs (emotional and financial) when things were going well, but then long stretches of boredom and stress when there wasn’t much business around. We worked to targets which I found very motivating and the rewards were great. On the other hand, missing targets could be extremely frustrating and nerve-wracking. 
I spent all day on the phone, speaking to candidates and clients; trying to understand what the client was looking for, getting to know the candidates and working out where they would fit, negotiating salaries and more importantly, our sales margin. We worked long hours and it’s the kind of job where you are never finished. There is always another person you can call.
I learnt that recruitment is basically sales. Persuading people. Influencing. Communicating effectively. These are the skills I nurtured in recruitment, along with a good head for business, an understanding of how to make a profit and a taste for expensive holidays. It was good, but it was hard.
After five years in the industry I was tired and had had enough. I was now responsible for other people’s targets, which was even more stressful, and I wanted more from my work. It would have been very easy to move within recruitment but I realised that this would only give me a temporary reprieve – I had to get out and make a proper change. I actually had to engage my brain and think about my own careers for a change.
I started by trying to work out what I actually liked about my job. What elements of it did I still get a buzz out of? What did I think I was really good at? What did my bosses praise me for? And then conversely, what areas had become unbearable? What exactly had I had enough of? It boiled down to the fact that I still loved talking to my candidates, trying to understand them, their skills and their motivation, but I was tired of it all coming down to profit.
Next I started looking at job sites and started avidly reading job descriptions. I would highlight bits that sounded good about a role and slowly I started to build a picture of what I wanted. And then, well frankly, I got lucky. I stumbled upon my ideal job. As I read the job description my heart was racing! I was genuinely excited as I read the person spec – now I had a name for what I wanted to do. From here on in it was much easier to find opportunities, and three months later I started work for The Careers Group as a Careers Adviser.
CV advice for International Development March 7, 2012
Posted by Jeff Riley in : CVs, Global Careers, Third Sector, career profiles , 1 comment so farOriginally posted at Getting into International Development
Comfort Osilaja was pulling her hair out. It’s a regular experience for recruiters who are looking through CVs for international development internships and jobs. Comfort has many years experience in the sector and has worked for Anti-Slavery International, Cafod and the Commonwealth Foundation. One of her current projects is ‘Identity Careers’ which she runs with Kevin Cusack. Identity Careers provides training and coaching for people looking to start in the sector.
We spoke to Comfort about the damage she is inflicting on her hair. “The problem is we do get lots of applications. For example a recent internship was up on our site and JobOnline for just a week and I had to look through 42 applications. In some ways basic errors make my job easier. For example I can easily set aside applications from people who don’t include a covering letter when asked to do so. Or applicants who plaster Curriculum Vitae in big bold letters across their CV and have lots of ‘special effects’ – but then don’t include a name. Believe me it does happen.
How can people make a good impression then? One thing lots of students do is automatically start with their education.
- Now if the position doesn’t really demand a degree or masters you may be better advised to start with your work experience. Practical experience will always trump academic qualifications. For example lots of entry level roles – and indeed roles for more experienced people – need solid administrative skills. These are more likely going to be demonstrated through work experience than university education?
- Make it easy for the reader to see you have the right skills. For example you may know that your accountancy experience has equipped you to deal with databases and data entry but make sure you explicitly talk about the latter and don’t assume we will realise it. We could probably work it out but we are skimming applications very quickly to narrow down the candidates.
- Finally a common mistake is that people emphasise far too much how the role will benefit them and how much they will enjoy it. To be honest recruiters are more interested in what you can do for them. Its what you can do not what you want.
Does developing country experience make a difference? Honestly, its usually more important that people can find their way around an office than around Africa. Certainly for the entry level office work we were advertising re
cently. It is important that people demonstrate a passion for the sector but that can be done more practically through longer term volunteering in the UK than a six week experience in the summer holiday.
What is Identity Careers? Kevin and I produce one day workshops and 2-hour CV workshops for small groups of people on getting into development – usually no more than 20 at a time. It’s different from the one day course The Careers Group, University of London offers because participants will get individual advice and the opportunity for follow up coaching to better develop their cvs and put together an action plan to really get them started on their international development careers, which is really important, as we all know how easy it is to get fired up by a workshop and then do nothing afterwards
Getting started in the film industry February 16, 2012
Posted by TCG Info in : Arts & Heritage, CVs, Media, employability and skills, networking , add a comment
Guest blogger Luke Cairns, producer with Butchers Hook Video Production, shares his insight into developing a career in the film industry.
During a normal working week here at Butchers Hook Video, I’ve come to expect at least a dozen CV’s of young people interested in breaking into the film business in the UK.
Now it is widely known that getting a break in the business is difficult, so in this article I’ll attempt to address this and offer some tips I’ve picked up along my career from lowly runner to corporate video producer working with Fortune 500 companies.
The reason the film business is based on the “who you know” principle is simple – people senior to you (technicians/producers etc) need to be sure they know and can trust people in their employ – because mistakes can reflect badly on them.
In extreme cases – it can have a seriously detrimental effect on a career – as the business is relatively small and bad news travels fast. But equally – building a good reputation means your good name travels fast.
One of the most common pitfalls I see when I receive CVs of young people is a total lack of experience in the business. Now, this may not seem too unreasonable – as the CV comes from a person who has just left school or University with a newly minted academic qualification.
Now having the qualification is a big plus – but it will need to be supplemented with some real world experience. Thus the chicken and the egg scenario, fortunately there are some relatively straight forward ways to gain the necessary experience.
The very first step on the journey into the industry is to decide what specialism you want to take. If you want to break into a technical specialism (i.e. camera, sound, make up etc) the first essential is to have a good deal of experience with the equipment. For the auteur and post production people, the best method is to get creating and make a decent show reel as an absolute priority. For people interested in the production side of the business, a solid grasp of figures and the ability to network and schmooze is ideal!
After this – the next step is to get involved with as many free projects as possible in your local area. This can help people who haven’t decided what area they want to specialise in and give vital experience to everyone else. Aside from experience, the other major benefit of freebies is networking. The importance of networking to those in the industry (from producer down) can’t be too emphatically emphasised. If you happen to be working as camera assistant (for example) for a DoP on a free shoot and do a great job – the chances are you will be remembered when the DoP is working on a paid job next time.
A great resource for finding jobs on low budget films in your local area is Shooting People
After a number of freebies – you’ll have a great deal more experience and your CV will look like the kind of CV that producers want to see!
When you progress to paid shoots – here are a few minimum expectations I have for people in my employ. You need to have boundless energy and enthusiasm and stay 100% positive! A strong grasp of the technical aspects of your specialism sounds like a total given but again, need to be emphasised.
One of main ways people get into production is through the time honoured route of being a runner. Now this isn’t a pretty route – they are also the most put upon and badly paid people in the business – I found it akin to slave labour! However runners are the work horses of the industry and are vital – and pay your dues (and work bloody hard!) and it pays off.
To conclude – entry to the film and video industry is tough – but very rewarding if you work hard and know how to play the game properly!
Our Facebook page “Careers in the Creative Industries” can provide additional advice.
Our Top 10 Top Posts December 30, 2011
Posted by Andrew Falconer in : Languages, Law, Marketing, Marketing, Advertising & PR, Media, advertising and PR, arts administration, career profiles, city jobs, civil service, diversity, employability and skills, entrepreneurship , add a commentFrom creative CVs to interviewers wearing pjyamas, this blog has covered them all this year. When we write these posts we think about our target audience of University of London students, but are mindful that people all over the world access these pages and may need different things.
Many of the ideas for posts come from conversations with students. Issues such as being put off during a Skype interview because the interviewer was sitting on a bed in a hotel room wearing boxer shorts. Or navigating the graduate job market with a lower degree result than you were hoping for. Other posts come from campus workshops we facilitate, including my interest in LinkedIn and social media as a career development tool.
Whilst most of the (unpublished) comments are offering cheap viagra, instant Facebook fans or very personal cosmetic surgery, others have provided genuine debate on the issues. It’s nice to get comments and to be able to respond to such queries.
So here is our Top Ten Top Posts of 2011 based on readership, with a bonus 11 and 12 thrown in as a holiday special. Have a great New Year!
Top 5 Creative CVs December 8, 2011
Posted by Andrew Falconer in : CVs, Performing arts, Publishing, employability and skills , 2commentsCV writing can become an art form. Getting across your education, experience, motivation and personal qualities in just two (or one) pages can be really challenging. How do you stand out from the crowd?
One of the employers interviewed on Career Player’s “Sorting your CV” video warns about being frivolous and being quirky for the sake of it. Being creative isn’t the same as being wacky. Even a, one page CV for investment banks can have creative flair. You need to think about your audience. What sort of CV would the employer most prefer? What is appropriate for the market?
There are many great examples of really creative CVs, so here is my top five….
Number 1 – Michael Anderson
If you are working in Information Graphics what better way is there for you to showcase your abiliites than with your CV in infographic form? This attractice, colourful CV uses a range of techniques to give a professional career overview, with a strong sense of the author’s personality.
Number 2 – Kristian Walsh
Project management tends to use charts as a visual means of understanding scope and timelines. This board-game approach is novel and clearly highlights the achievements and “bench-marks” in her life.
Number 3 – Yingshu Luqiu
When you print this CV you end up moving the paper around to see all of the text. That makes it very tactile and you feel much more engaged with it than a typical CV.
Number 4 – Chuck Lay
Another great use of the candidate’s professional skill – a graphic designer using their experience to grab attention. This has a good level of content whilst demonstrating creativity and competence.
Number 5 – Ksenia Goryacheva
This is so simple yet very effective. The use of colour is very effective and the crucial information is very accessible.
Does the Europass pass? August 15, 2011
Posted by Andrew Falconer in : CVs, Global Careers , 3comments
The Europass is an attempt to create employment documents that can easily be tranferred for use throughout Europe. Europass has been established by the Decision No 2241/2004/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 15 December 2004 on a single transparency framework for qualifications and competences. This is also closely linked to the Bologna Declaration which aims to create more transparency of academic qualifications.
The Europass package includes a standardised CV, language competency certificate and academic qualification certificates. Together these documents are meant to provide sufficient information to use for job applications througout the EU. Some employers may be enthusiastic about taking a Europass CV and if requested you can create your own one here. You can view examples of the Europass CV here.
However….
The style of the Europass CV probably does not portray the type and level of information used for applying for jobs in the UK. I understand the style is effective in France and Spain but you may want to check when applying to other countries.
The key area where the Europass fails to market effectively in the UK is the low attention to skills gained. UK employers are very keen on understanding what transferable or specialist skills you may have and their selection process is usually based on you satisfying their skills, or competency, framework.
If you consider the Europass CV here and ones used in UK recruitment you will see that the Europass is essentially entirely factual – it covers what you’ve done and who you are. In the UK we want also to see what you’ve gained from your experiences.
The layout of the Europass CV is also a possible hindrance. When an employer only has a short amount of time to consider your CV it is important to get as much relevent information on the front page as possible – if they don’t like the front page they may not look at the second! The Europass CV does not have that flexibility.
In short…
If you are applying for jobs in continental Europe it may well be advantageous to have a Europass CV. However if you are applying for positions in the UK you need to make sure it is tailored to the job and reflects both your abilities and the employer’s needs.
Is your CV heading for the shredder? August 17, 2010
Posted by Helen Curry in : CVs , add a comment
Photo by Matthijs Rouw
Recruiters are having their say about common CV mistakes to avoid in The Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) LinkedIn discussion group – some useful tips here that I had to share.
Mistakes to avoid:
- Poor spelling and grammar (as ever – but they all say it!)
- Unusual formatting – it should be easy to scan.
- Hard-to-find contact details
- Targeting another company/job
- Too long – two pages is the standard for graduates in the UK, unless it is for an academic position. You can always put ‘references available on request’ instead of lengthy referee contact details
- Awkward copy and paste
- Not specifying the necessary grades when the position has minimum requirements
Stating they have four A-levels ranging from A* to C is of no help… I’ll cynically assume there were more Cs than A*s!
- Last-minute applications – tolerance levels go down when recruiters are swamped by a rush of applications at deadline-time
- Use of tiny fonts and slim margins to cram in more text – instead make strategic cuts to highlight the best, stand-out content.
- Cover letters that begin “Dear Recruiter”…
It is so easy to pick up the phone to find out the name of the lead recruiter – a personal approach is so much more powerful.
- Crazy fonts and colour schemes – often inappropriate for traditional corporate roles, though it can be good for creatives…
- Obvious template CVs – recruiters do get familiar with some of them!
Creative CVs for creative jobs – inspiring examples June 17, 2010
Posted by Helen Curry in : CVs , 6comments
If you are applying for jobs and internships in very creative areas, like graphic design, fashion, illustration or film, why should your CV be cookie cutter dull? While you should still include all the standard elements – personal details, qualifications, skills, experience – you can also make an impression and show off your passion and originality by getting creative with the design.
Fancy giving it a try? I really recommend the book ‘Creative CV Guide’ by Jan Cole which we just got in at the library – it is full of essential advice about when to get creative, what you can and can’t change for different kinds of job, as well as plenty of gorgeous examples, which inspired me to find some more online examples (below).
First of all, think about:
- Typography
- Layout and spacing
- Images and placement
- Concept
- What skills can you show off here?
- Where will it fold?
- What is it printed on?
- What will happen if HR tries to copy it or print it (black and white) to show to colleagues?
- Will it email? – Consider file size, file format… can it be opened easily on a standard PC running Microsoft Office?
- If it must be posted, how much will each package cost?
- Is it quick and easy to read? Websites and blogs can be great, but a standard CV is quickest to look at first… Should you include a standard text-only version too for HR?
Remember – getting a second opinion on your CV is all the more important – is the design distracting? Does your design ‘fit’ with the company you are applying to? Following it up with an email or call to get feedback might be a good move too.
And now, the gorgeous examples:
Clear, easy to print, yet still highly distinctive
Such an original concept
Love the colour
Here you can see the standard CV information is still clear and easy to read
Great character
Sweet yet practical and professional
Such attention to detail
Showcases illustration skills
Post your design online, and it might even go viral like these 
What do you think? Are these bold approaches risky?
CVs – what to put for hobbies & interests? November 30, 2009
Posted by TCG Info in : Uncategorized , 1 comment so far
Looking for inspiration? After filling out two pages demonstrating serious work achievements and academic qualifications, it can require a change of gear to address the ‘personal interests’ section.
Which approach are you…
Little Miss Average
I like reading, going to the cinema and socialising with friends
Pros: Congratulations, you are normal.
Cons: And forgettable…
Suggestions: Add some specifics to personalise this statement – do you have a passion for art-house cinema? Do you collect graphic novels? If you are going for a creative role, demonstrate your creative interests here. And remember, if you say you love ‘socialising’ an employer might read that as ‘partying’…
The Achiever
Secretary of the college choir. Through approaching local businesses I was able to secure sponsorship for our upcoming tour.
Pros: You come across as positive and proactive. By approaching this in the same way as the rest of your CV, including a personal achievement or skill, this section fits well with the overall professional impression your CV gives.
Cons: Do you ever… relax?
Suggestions: This example could be balanced with a statement of something done purely for pleasure, perhaps you could describe the music you enjoy singing?
The Weirdo
I like to browse eBay for additions to my extensive novelty snowglobe collection
Pros: Specific and unusual, you will certainly be remembered…
Cons: Maybe you think of yourself as ‘eccentric’ but not everyone will appreciate your quirky charm, and you need to fit in.
Suggestions: It is better to play it safe as you only have space for a couple of points, and an odd statement will be seen out of context. The employer doesn’t know if this is a joke or not, and either way it doesn’t look good. Are you taking this application seriously? Or are you genuinely obsessed with snowglobes?? Specific detail is good, as long as you don’t go too far!
The Athlete
I love running and recently completed the London marathon. In my spare time you will find me lifting weights in the gym.
Pros: You sound healthy and energetic. You are unlikely to be hungover on a Monday or pulling ‘sickies’ over a sniffle. The marathon running shows you can be determined and pursue challenging goals.
Cons: In this example one sporting statement is followed by another, and it could start to look extreme to a non-exerciser.
Suggestions: Sport is generally a safe interest to include, just make sure there is balance so you still look well-rounded.
The Do-gooder
I volunteer on my local playscheme, which gives me experience at working with mentally and physically disabled children.
Pros: Volunteering can give great work experience. Again, it shows you to be proactive. Personality-wise, it suggests you care about others, enjoy helping people, and feel a desire to ‘give back’ – all positive traits.
Cons: Again this is probably quite a safe interest, just be careful which charity or cause you are supporting. If your volunteering involves a political statement or reveals your religious beliefs, you could risk discrimination. You should also note that many recruiters prefer not to see photos of candidates or look people up on Facebook, as it can open them up to accusations of discrimination. If your beliefs are central to your life and you feel it is important to share this, the personal interests section is probably the best place to mention them, just be aware of the impact this can have.
Suggestions: Go for it, volunteering is a very positive activity to include! Just be aware of how your ’cause’ might come across.
Nothing…
This is an option. You don’t have to include a ‘personal interests’ section.
Pros: Well they can’t find anything wrong with that.
Cons: You eliminate the risks, but you also lose the opportunity to connect on a personal level with your recruiter. It leaves the employer guessing – are you an intensely private person? Or do you have nothing to say?
Suggestions: I think this one comes down to personal preference. Just take a moment to consider why you want to leave this blank as the absence will be noted and still sends a message.
Conclusions…
There is no right or wrong way to tackle this section. It is probably quite obvious that you want to mix approaches to demonstrate different qualities. Keep it down to just a few bulletpoints, highlight some specific details, your commitment or an achievement, as well as demonstrate enthusiasm.
The personal interests section should definitely not be treated carelessly - it might be the only place the employer sees the ‘real’ you. With only a little space to use, small statements can have a big impact.
For more advice on writing a CV, see our popular guide How to write a CV - now available to download for free as a PDF!
