Download Career Development and preparing your CV

Career Development and
preparing your CV
Dr Katherine Selby
Careers
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PhD
Professional career
Challenge to find right job or PhD
Competition is strong
Luck or skill?
Ways to influence success
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Be enthusiastic
Talk to others about their interests
Make contact with people
Demonstrate your knowledge
Tell people what you want
Networking
Dale Carnegie How to win friends and influence people
Curriculum Vita
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Passport to success
Details qualifications
Skills
Experiences
Interests
Vital to first impressions
Design
• Easy on the eye
• Organised
• Logical
CVs are read quickly
How long should CV be?
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Dependent on post
Some require one page
Some require much detail
First page to catch people’s attention
Aim for 3-4 pages of uncluttered text
Types of CV
• Chronological: history of career and
experience in order (most recent
achievements first)
• Functional: emphasises skills and
experiences
Referees
• Include contact details of referees in CV
• Contact referees before you send
application
• Send your referees the job applications
details and an up to date CV
• Keep in touch with referees and ask for
their advice
What to leave out
• Race, sexual orientation or religion unless
specific to job
• Don’t include a photo
• Only list a limited number of hobbies eg
playing an instrument, an outdoor pursuit
Write your CV for each job, don’t
always use the same one
Letters
• Letter of enquiry: When a position isn’t
advertised
• Covering letter of application: Reveal your
interest and enthusiasm for post offered
Letter of enquiry
• Convey knowledge of the person you are
writing to, and interest and enthusiasm for
their work.
• Offer a brief background on your
qualifications, experience, what kind of
position you are looking for, and possibly
also on your career objectives.
• Cordial, direct, immaculately presented
and concise.
A Bad letter of enquiry
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am interested in doing a PhD in marine biology. I
would be grateful if you could let me know if you
have any positions available and what your
research interests are.
Yours,
*****
Hello!
i saw on your website that you are doing
work on whalesharks i have a six week
plasement for my course and am really
interested in consevation work and want to
now if you have opportunites for people to
work with you
Yours,
********
A good letter of enquiry
Dear Professor Roberts,
I am very keen to study for a PhD in marine ecology. I am about to start
my honours year in ecology at the University of *****. I have recently
come back from a year at the University of Queensland on an
exchange studying marine biology. This together with research
experience on coral reefs of Indonesia have fuelled my interest
in tropical marine ecology. I am particularly interested marine
conservation and your research on the function of marine reserves
greatly appeals to me.
I would also be grateful for advice about other marine biology research
going on in the UK. I was wondering if you had a bit of time in the
next week to discuss it. I live in York but am going back to ***** very
soon. A copy of my CV is attached.
Yours sincerely,
********
Covering letters
• Highlight why you are suitable for the post
• State your achievements and abilities
• Don’t lie
• Have a website that your future employer
could access but make sure it is up to
date, relevant and suitable
Interviews
• Nerve wracking and difficult
• Pre-requisite for a job
Aim is to get the job and to decide if you
want to work for that employer
Functions of an interview
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To assess:
your expertise and competence
your motivation
your interpersonal skills
your decision making and problem solving
skills
• your interest in the position
• your personality and likeability
Interview preparation
• Prepare to beat nerves
• Think about questions you may be asked
and answers to them
• Ask a colleague to go through some
questions with you
• Be sharp physically and mentally
• Be enthusiastic
• Prepare 1-2 question to ask the employer
Who will get the job?
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Person who has:
Best fit of skills
Best fit with employer
Best to fit any special needs of job
Best fit in terms of salary history
Body Language
• Be alert and look interested
• Stand up straight
• Look people in the eye and direct answer
to everyone in the room
• Only sit down when asked
• Look as if you are enjoying yourself
• Don’t give overlong or too brief answers
Other tips
• Dress smartly
• Treat everyone you meet on interview day
as important
• Use people that you meet to give you
information