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CV and Statement of Purpose Writing Workshop(Trainee Manual)
By
Asmaa Shaei Alshuaifan, Ed.D
Assistant Professor, English Teaching Methodologies and Curriculum
College of Education
Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University
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Introduction
This CV workshop that has been developed for the National Career Day at Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University. It is easy to use, effective and inexpensive. The CV workshop focuses on educational skills and work experiences as well as other qualifications such as social skills. The goal is to empower female job seekers when it comes to be more aware of qualifications and make it easier to apply for a job.
The program has been developed and tested as a broad approach to the labor market for job seekers. But this tool can also be effective with specific professions. By way of example I may mention a program where female job seekers with variant skills were introduced to the Saudi labor market. On that occasion, The National Career Day Committee has implemented the CV workshop in the project.
At the end of this work shop, You will be able to write a powerful CV tailored to your own unique skills, and you will be able to write a strong Statement of Purpose (SoP) for your academic aspirations.
We wish you the best of luck with the materials and look forward to learning about your experiences with the process as well.
Best Regards,
Asmaa Alshuaifan, Ed.D
Assistant Professor in Teaching English and Curriculum Design
College of Education
Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University
E-mail: [email protected]
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(Handout 1)
Getting Started
To warm up and get your mind working try the following exercise
The nine-dots puzzle
What to do:
Look at the pattern of the nine dots below on this page. Your task is to join all nine dots with four straight lines, without lifting your pen off the paper.
You have five minutes to complete the exercise.
*. *. *.
*. *. *.
*. *. *.
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(Handout 2)
Curriculum Vitae
SETH KIZITO Strandgade 100, E, 1401 Kobenhavn K Tel: 32 96 00 58 E-mail: [email protected]
Gender : MaleDate of Birth : 14-09-75Nationality : Ugandan Marital Status : Single
WORK EXPERIENCE
2000-2001 IT Support staff, Instruments Support Company, Uganda - Installation and configuration of imported computers - Training bank staff to use software -Troubleshooting
1999-2000 Head of Mathematics department Zana High School -In charge of administration of timetables -Addressing problems of teachers & students -Organizing seminars
1998-1999 Sales executive, Monitor Publications -Selling educational & teaching materials -Identifying customers’ needs
1998 Sales executive -Marketing
UN-PAID, VOLUNTARY WORK
2001 -2002 Red Cross Culture House, London -Developing a course on British Society & teaching on the course
-General admin duties, taking minutes of meetings, filling reports1997-1999 Family Planning Association in Uganda -Peer educator/counselor -Providing health education and AIDS education
EDUCATION
1996 – 1999 Bachelor of Science with Education (Honours), Makerere University Kampala, Uganda1994 – 1996 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education, St. Mathias Kalemba Secondary School
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1990 – 1993 Uganda Certificate of Secondary Education, Old Kampala Secondary School
COURSES
1997 – 2002 On-line computer courses Windows XP professional at mastery level Windows 2000 professional at mastery level Windows 2000 professional server Windows 2000 security design Windows NT 4 workstation Windows NT 4 Server Networking essentials Microsoft office 2000
OTHER INFORMATION
Languages Oral Written Swahili Fluent Excellent English Fluent Excellent
HOBBIES
My interests include literature, swimming, watching football, current affairs and listening to music
PERSONAL SKILLS
I am highly innovative, hardworking and adaptable to any environment and quick to learn any new skills with commitment.
REFEREES
Mr. Wayden FrancisP.O. Box 121 Serowe-BostwanaTel: +2675689324
Professor Kahwa LindoSenior Lecturer, Makererre UniversityDepartment of PhysicsP.O. Box 76 Kampala- Uganda
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(Handout 3)
Your personality What sort of person are you?
How would you describe yourself?
Many people answer this question by saying what work they do and maybe something about their education and training. This is certainly a good way to start, but for the purposes of writing your CV you will have to think more precisely about your knowledge, skills and attitudes (qualities) as they relate to your job, about the way you interact with others and about your general personality.
1. In relation to your job (the professional sphere)
Job-specific qualities
Can you think of the qualities that are specific to the job you do, for example: Teachers have knowledge about their subject, skills to explain things and a caring attitude towards their pupils. Accountants know about the legal requirements for keeping accurate accounts, they have good mathematical skills and personal attitudes such that they like their work to be orderly and precise. Shopkeepers have a knowledge of the products they sell, skills to display the products attractively and helpful attitudes towards their customers.
General qualities
Can you think of some of the general qualities that relate to all jobs, for example:
Knowledge about labor unions and Danish labor relations – do you know your rights? Organizational Skills – can you organize your weekly tasks? Analytical Skills – can you identify the causes of problems and find solutions? Skills to manage finance – Can you set and stick to a budget? Attitudes of reliability – do you arrive on time? Do you like seeing a job well done? Adaptability – do you worry when the routine is changed?
2. Interacting with other people (interpersonal skills)
All jobs involve getting on with other people and therefore it is worthwhile spending extra time thinking about your interpersonal skills. For example:
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Diplomacy - are you able to take into account other people’s ideas when putting forward your own?
Motivational skills - are you able to inspire others? Setting one’s limits - if you believe that your work load is too much, would you mention
it to your supervisor? Communication skills – are you a good listener?
3. Personal attitudes and values
Being aware of your personal attitudes and values is also relevant to how well you do your job. For example:
Values - Do you hold strong views? Do you feel offended by others who have different values?
Self-discipline - do you persevere even if the task is boring or difficult? Self-confidence – do you feel at ease speaking up at meetings? Honesty – How easy is it for you to admit to making mistakes?
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(Handout 4)
Aspects of your personality – key points
All aspects are equally important
It is important to be strong in the professional, interpersonal and personal aspects.
Many people find it difficult to confront their weaknesses and prefer to improve on those aspects where they are already strong. It is possible if you are only strong in one or two areas that you may nonetheless still achieve some degree of success in your work. Indeed, if you are brilliant professionally, you can probably afford to be less brilliant on the other two levels.
So why bother trying to develop those weaker levels?
One has to consider of the importance of teamwork in the workplace. If you are brilliant, but with limited personal and interpersonal skills, then you’ll be kept away from the group and will find it hard to make contacts and form networks both inside and outside of the organization. Such relationships are important for a high standard of work. Thus even if you are truly brilliant at what you do you will need all three levels.
All three levels are inter-linked
The process of developing our personalities is on-going. As well as being equally important all aspects are interlinked. We need to give attention to all aspects, both individually and together.
You are a whole person, the aspects of your personality are interrelated
For example, if you are weak in one aspect, for example your interpersonal skills, then even though your personal and professional skills are good you may not get a job. Then, if you do not get a job your professional skills will become “rusty” – they will suffer because you are not practising them. Furthermore at the personal level you will become depressed and loose self-confidence
However, when you improve on one aspect, for example you improve your professional knowledge and skills your self-confidence increases and make you able to offer your opinion at meetings.
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(Handout 5)
Thinking about your skills – Exercise One
When it comes to writing a CV it is important to include more information than just your professional skills. Employers highly value other general skills including those that fall under the headings of interpersonal and personal skills, which can be applied to a variety of situations in the workplace.
The purpose of this exercise is to help you become more aware of your interpersonal and personal skills through thinking about how you operate in the workplace, both in terms of your own work and how you interact with other people.
What to do? Choose one of the options
How do I react when I am given a new task? How do I make my opinion known to others?
Use the boxes below to help you reflect on the experience and prepare to tell the rest of the group about the experience.
Option 1 – How do I react when I am given a new task?
Think back to a time when you started a new job and were given your first assignment or task.
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How did you feel when you started a new job. (For example: Were you excited or nervous?)
b: How did you go about handling your first task? (For example: Did you ask your supervisors/ co-workers/ subordinates for help? Did you try to do it alone? Did you see it as a challenge or did it worry you?)
Option 2: How do I make my opinion known to others?
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b: How did you go about handling your first task? (For example: Did you ask your supervisors/ co-workers/ subordinates for help? Did you try to do it alone? Did you see it as a challenge or did it worry you?)
C: What happened? (For example: Did you solve the task? Was it stressful?)
d: How did you get along with your new co-workers? (For example: Did it take you long before you felt you were a part of the group?; Did you make an effort to get to know your co-workers? Did your co-workers make you feel welcome?)
e: What Qualities did you need to succeed when presented with your first task in a new job? (For example: Which interpersonal skills? Which personal characteristics
Think back to a time when you had to speak up for yourself and express your own opinion.
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a: Tell the group about a time in your life when you made your opinion known to others. (For example: What was the situation? Why did you have to speak up? Who was involved? Were you confident or nervous?)
b: How did the others react? (For example: Do you think that was a fair reaction?)
C: How did you react? (For example: Did you work harder? Did you get angry? Did you say nothing?)
d: What happened? (For example: Did things get better? Did things get worse?)
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d: What happened? (For example: Did things get better? Did things get worse?)
e: What could you have done instead?
(Handout 6)
Thinking about your skills- Exercise TwoThe purpose of this exercise is to help you become more aware of the interpersonal and personal skills, which are relevant in relation to your specific profession and how they could be transferred to other contexts.
For example:
Profession: DoctorTask: Performing surgery
Interpersonal Skills: Transferable to
Leadership skills ManagementTeam player Management
Personal Skills: Transferable to
Concentration Research, report writingComposure Conflict resolution, public relations
What to do
Think about your profession or job and select two tasks that are part of your job. List a number of interpersonal and personal skills that are necessary in order that you complete the tasks effectively.
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Profession………………………………………..
Task 1…………………………………………….
Interpersonal Skills: Transferable to
Personal Skills: Transferable to
Task 2 ………………………………………………………………
Interpersonal Skills: Transferable to
Personal Skills: Transferable to
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(Handout 7)
Thinking about your skills- Exercise Three
When you apply for a new job, the new manager is primarily interested in what you will be able to do for the organization, i.e. what duties have you had and what key skills you will be able to bring from your previous employment. Some examples are computer skills, organizational skills, administrative skills, leadership skills, sales experience and the ability to work in a team.
Everyone has key skills that they have developed through experience, for example through previous employment, voluntary work, education and leisure activities. You will already be aware of some of these skills, but there are others that you may not (yet) be aware of.
It is important to be aware of these key skills when you are writing your CV. You should bear in mind that because not all skills are equally important for each job you will need to select those that are most relevant to the particular job you are applying for and to adapt it into your CV accordingly.
The purpose of this exercise is to identify the duties you had the key skills you have developed. The end product should be a complete list of your duties and key skills, which you will be able to use when writing your CV.
The Following is a brief example:
Work Experience:What did I do? What duties/ responsibilities
did I have?Necessary skills/qualities
I served in a shop Handling money Calculating change, honesty, banking, writing receipts.
Stock taking Computer skills/ use of Excel, accuracy
Opening/Locking up Reliability, trustworthy
Dealing with customers in person
Friendliness, interpersonal communication skills, problem solving skills
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Unpaid or Voluntary Work Experience:What did I do? What duties/ responsibilities
did I have?Necessary skills/qualities
I worked in the Culture House Project Department
Writing agendas and minutes meetings
Computer skills
Answering phone calls/ taking messages
Reliability, communication skills
Filing Sense of order
From During Education & Training:What did I do? What duties/ responsibilities
did I have?Necessary skills/qualities
1. Wrote for a university paper
Meeting deadlines Reliability, responsibility
Reporter for college sports fixtures
Communication skills, writing skills, analyzing relevant information
Assisted with layout Word processing and Photo Shop
2. Member of the College band
4th trombone Group work skills, patience
Attending rehearsals Reliability, time keeping, encouraging others
Suggesting music to play Imagination, creativity
Hobbies and Interests:
What did I do? What duties/ responsibilities did I have?
Necessary skills/qualities
Played for the local football team
Team Captain .Motivational skills, group work skills
Team selection Organizational skills
Organizing fixtures Communicative skills
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Work Experience:What did I do? What duties/ responsibilities
did I have?Necessary skills/qualities
Unpaid or Voluntary Work Experience:What did I do? What duties/ responsibilities
did I have?Necessary skills/qualities
From During Education & Training:What did I do? What duties/ responsibilities
did I have?Necessary skills/qualities
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Hobbies and Interests:
What did I do? What duties/ responsibilities did I have?
Necessary skills/qualities
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(Handout 8)
Common Mistakes Exercise
The presentation of a CV is very important.
It is important that the presentation does not work against the content; no one is going to believe that you are a conscientious person who takes pride in their work if your CV is a mess.
The purpose of this exercise is to make you more aware of frequently made mistakes so that they can be avoided, notably when updating your CV after this workshop.
How to do the exercise:
In the common mistakes exercises 1 and 2 circle all the mistakes you can find.
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Common Mistakes Exercise 1
Curriculum Vitae
Personal detailsName: Per HansenAddress: Svanevej 19, 2770 KastrupTel: 32507564
Work experience 1980-85 Worked in the Ministry of Traffic 1986/87 A training course in oral presentation 1985- Emplyed by Municipality in Riyadh. My position was in the department of administration
Education
1971 Graduated from High school. Average 60%
1980 MA in Politics from the University of Washington, GPA 3.5
Hobbies
I watch a lot of videos. I also have a special interest in tropical fish.
Languages
I speak very good english.
French High school level.
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Common Mistakes Exercise 2
CURRICULUM VITAE
NAME: PER HANSENADRESS: SVANEVEJ 19, 2770 KASTRUP
32567892
Work EXPERIENCE
1985- Employed by the municipality in Riyadh as an administration consultant. My position was in the department of administration.
EDUCATION1980 MA in politics from the University of Washington. Specialized in
Public administration
1971 Graduated from High School
LANGUAGES
English Negotiation (written or oral?)French Understanding (written and oral) *unclear level
MISCELLANIOUS 1986-87 A training course in oral presentation.
INTERESTSI a specific interest in movies as an artistic expression. I also study tropical fish
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CURRICULUM VITAE
PER HANSEN Svanevej 19, 2770 Kastrup Tel: 32 50 65 94 E-mail: [email protected]
Gender: Male Date of Birth: 24-10-59 Nationality: Danish Marital Status: Single
WORK EXPERIENCE
Jan 1990- Administration Consultant, Dragør Municipality Responsible for annual evaluation of the overall
management strategy within the department of administration.
Answered general inquiries from Dragør residents. Conducted research on current issues relating to the
relationship between the state and the municipalities. This research formed the basis of future projects.
Jan 1985-Jan 1990 Office administrator, Ministry of Transport department of public
transportation Liaison between the public and the ministry. Project leader for various projects including an
international working group on the development of public transportation.
EDUCATION
1979 – 1985 M.A. Politics University of Copenhagen Thesis: “An efficiency analysis of the public health
system in Odense”1982 – 1983 Exchange student University of Texas, Austin, USA
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COURSES
Apr.-Sept. 1998 Internet, Internet and the FutureFeb. 1992 The Future of Public TransportationDec. 1986-Jan 1987 Communication and Oral Presentation
SKILLS
Languages Oral WrittenEnglish Fluent IntermediateFrench Conversational Basic
Computer Skills
User knowledge of Microsoft Office PackageKnowledge of HTML programming and intranet maintenance
INTERESTSMy interests include literature, swimming (board member of the swimming association) and organizing activities at the local youth club.
REFEREES
Jan Knudsen Hanne Dietz (Head of Department)Dragor KommuneHovedgaden 202791 DragorTel: 346678989
Hanne Dietz(Chairman of Dragør Kommune swimming association)Valmuevej 172300 Khb.STel: 3423589890
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(Handout 9)
CV Sections
Personal details Name, address, phone number, e-mail address are obvious basics; the employer will need to know how to contact you - often they will prefer quicker methods of contact such as the telephone to slower, one-way communication like a letter.
Date of birth, nationality and marital status are less obvious ones. However, they give information about you which is sometimes important and which most employers expect anyway. Nothing in these categories is by definition a benefit or a hindrance.
Age can indicate experience and maturity; foreign nationality can provide a different perspective and cultural knowledge that can be useful; finally, being married can indicate stability and responsibility.
Education For most purposes, you should not include your entire education. If you have a Ph.D. no one is going to be interested in your high school diploma. The important thing to remember is that your most important and most recent education goes first and takes up most space. Remember to date and place everything.
Work experience Also here you should focus on your most recent employment and the work experience that is most important for the new job you are applying for. Present the information in reverse chronological order, but make sure to focus on what is most important.
Another important thing is to give the employer an idea of what you did. Do not just give him a title; describe your job functions.
Finally voluntary work, job training and placements can also go under this heading. It is work experience all the same.
SkillsThis section may include such skills as driver’s license, language and computer skills. Skills that you may or may not have obtained through education. You need to give some description of the nature and the level of these skills. For example, how well do you speak a certain language, what computer programs you used and can you drive mini-buses and vans or just regular cars.
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InterestsThis section should not take up too much space. At the very least you should list a few interest to give the employer a fuller picture of who you are. For this course we suggest you give a brief description of what you did and what you learned from these interests.
Do not lie about your interests, but consider what impression they may give. For example it is good to have interests that show you can work with and get along with people and assume responsibility.
RefereesReferees are people who will provide the new employer with a reference, a good recommendation, if asked. Former employers, academic supervisors and contacts from social or organizational activities are good choices. Remember to ask them first though.
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(Handout 10)
Format for Writing Statement of Purpose
The statement of purpose should be of two pages.
1 st Paragraph
- What is your aim in life?- Your career goal (for example: to pursue postgraduate/doctoral studies in that field)- Why you chosen this field?
2 nd Paragraph
You should show your excellence in academics. It should be carefully crafted to show your interest in a particular field from the very beginning. Try to show consistency towards the field and write in short about the subjects you have covered (especially linked with your specialization in the degree you are pursuing) in your bachelors.
3 rd Paragraph
In this paragraph talk about the projects that you have done in your practical training, your paper presentations, seminars or symposiums you attended. Try to link these previous experiences with your field of interest, and make this paragraph very technical.
4 th Paragraph
It should show your technical skills, managerial skills, personal skills, and interpersonal skills that are related to the field of interest.
5 th Paragraph
Extra-Curricular ActivitiesStudents should include interests in sports, dramas, music,…, etc. You should include social activities like:
- Being a member in any social clubs- Doing any activities like blood donation camp or relief camps- Organizational ability to organize an event in your college.
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Note: Be specific to mention number of students participating in these events.
6 th Paragraph
1. It should be tailored to the University, showing your interest in the research activity of the institution.
2. Use good language and show your skills.3. You have to match your interest your research activity.4. Visualize where you will be in the next 10 years.
Note: visit the website of the institution and read the latest in research that the institution has adopted
7 th Paragraph
Ending Paragraph- End you SoP with a request to be given a chance to be accepted into the institution and how you look forward to attending and being part of that institution.
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(Handout 11)
Statement of Purpose Sample
If one were to ask my friends to describe me they would describe me as a very pleasant, diverse, active and intelligent woman. I think one of my most distinguishing characteristics is the diversity of experiences I possess. I am a science student with a flair for the arts. I am a woman with technical aptitude and an interest in management. I also have a passion for traveling and understanding different cultures of the world. All these elements have given me a very broad outlook, with varying degrees of knowledge in a range of topics. I strongly believe that although some are not related directly, all these qualities will influence my graduate work.
My Engineering degree has given a strong foundation to my analytical skills since civil designing involves a lot of long, complex and intricate calculations and the application of basic math skills. Over the past four years, I have been working part-time with my family firm, SnMTech Systems. I am also the co-founder and active member with FOE - Friends of the Environment. I have assisted in the installation of Enterprise-wide Resource Planning (ERP) System at Blotech, a major Engineering Company. More than what I have studied in school and college, it has been these experiences that have shaped the person that I am today.
I believe that this unique blend of experiences has made me a woman with an original point of view. This blend has given me a broader perspective to and a good understanding of life and a goal to aim for. Among other things, I have this diversity of experience to offer Utah University. My most substantial accomplishment has been the success of the software upgradation project that I managed at SnMTech Systems Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, where I have been working as a part time Associate Intern - Management Information Systems since 1994.
During the first two years of my work at SnMTech, I had an opportunity to observe and work with the existing system being used. Some of the software packages being used were outdated versions. I have always been in touch with the latest software packages thanks to the powerful PC I have at home and am quite used to working with a Graphical User Interface (GUI) environment. At the office, there was great deal of chaos while preparing reports that involved use of more than one software since compatibility between packages usually posed a problem. The difficulty we faced putting different files together led to the final report appearing rather haphazard sometimes.
I believe in providing and maintaining non-negotiable high standards and service. I recognized that shifting to a newer GUI based software would not only dramatically improve our documentation quality, but also increase productivity at the workplace. Presenting the pros and cons to the management of the upgradation was a very challenging task. I was asked to prepare a proposal regarding the upgradation of the firm's software. Initially, I imagined this project would
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be rather simple but it turned out to be among the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life.
Through a firm-wide survey of operators and several one-on-one discussions of their own preferences and solutions, I found that while everybody wanted an upgradation, they had doubts since they would have to learn a whole set of new skills. In order to prepare a budget, I procured quotations from various vendors and analyzed possible combinations. I realized the necessity of a training course for the operators because most of them were not familiar with the GUI interface. I examined the various training classes that offered private in-house training for the employees. After a detailed analysis, I presented my report to the management in the next meeting. They were pleased with my efforts and pleasantly surprised at the cost of the project since it seemed to be comparatively less than what they had anticipated.
Once I was given the go-ahead, the next hurdle was to implement the proposal and coordinate the upgrading. To avoid any disturbance to the company's work, training sessions were planned after working hours. The upgrading took a week and the training of the operators took another two weeks. The really tough period started once the training personnel left. The management felt that it was my responsibility to see that the operators didn't face any problems once they actually started using the new software packages. I put in 60 to 70-hour weeks for the next three weeks before everyone was comfortable with the new system. While the benefits of using these packages were not immediately tangible, a few months later our clients acknowledged that the quality of the reports we sent them had improved considerably. In fact, a year later our firm decided to upgrade all of its software packages. I consider this to be a tacit compliment for my efforts.
This project required me to believe in myself and in what I thought was good for the company. I had to take a pro-active approach, take the initiative and play a leadership role in motivating people and executing the project to completion A good manager is one who can figure out where the problem lies, deal with it effectively by involving all the members of the company and improve the overall culture of the company. The problem I saw at SnMTech had to be resolved to sustain the company's image. The fact that I was able to pull off this task alone has boosted my confidence in my abilities.
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