STEPS FOR JOB APPLICATIONS

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By:By:By:By:

Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. ShadiaShadiaShadiaShadia YousefYousefYousefYousef BanjarBanjarBanjarBanjar

http://SBANJAR.kau.edu.sa/

http://wwwdrshadiabanjar.blogspot.com

STEPS FOR JOB APPLICATIONSI. CV/ RESUME WRITING

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rSTEPS FOR JOB APPLICATIONS

• CV/ RESUME WRITING

• THE BASICS OF FORMATTING OF A CV/RESUME

• WRITING A CV/RESUME FOR GRADUATES

• JOB INTERVIEWS

• JOB LETTERS

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• The Curriculum Vitae or CV can be translated as "the course of one's life/career” and provides a comprehensive overview of your academic background and professional accomplishments.• A CV is often needed to apply to graduate

What is a CV?D

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• A CV is often needed to apply to graduate

programs, employment in academia or

international organizations, and in certain

professional fields.

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• Many of the rules of writing a resume can

also be applied to writing a CV.

• A CV is a longer and more detailed synopsis of your background and skills.a)Experience and Education dictate the length of

your CV.b) A two to three page CV is common for most

Resume vs. CVD

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b) A two to three page CV is common for most seniors and graduate students.

• The CV includes a greater range of information. The focus is more on academic achievements

such as educational background and

training, research interests, published works, teaching experience, field experience, academic honors/awards, and other related professional experience.

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r• Like a resume, a CV should include your

name, contact information, education, skills and experience.

• In addition, a CV includes research and teaching experience, publications, grants andfellowships, professional associations and licenses, awards and other information relevant to the position or program to which

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relevant to the position or program to which you are applying.

• Start by making a list of all your background information, and then organize it into categories.

• Make sure you include dates.

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rI. CV/ RESUME WRITING

A CV is an essential

tool in job search

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•Your CV should usually be limited to 2 sides of A4 in length unless otherwise specified. •A CV is your personal marketing tool so it should look professional. •Word process your CV on good quality paper. •Use a spelling/grammar checker but also ask someone else to proof read your CV. •Use short statements with bullet points rather than long paragraphs.

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paragraphs. •Use bold text for headings so that they stand out. •Ensure your CV is as relevant as possible to the job you are applying for. •Your CV should always be accompanied by a covering letter

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The four elements in CV are:1- your life history2- your job history3- your achievements

THE IMPORTANT

COMPONENTS OF A CV

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3- your achievements4- your skills

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Documents and materials needed to

write a CV:

•Job descriptions for all positions held•Performance reviews•Educational descriptions and records

of seminars/conferences attended

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of seminars/conferences attended since high school

•References

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CV heading include general information:

•Name•Surname•Local address•E-mal address•Phone number

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•Phone number

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• Bold or capitalize your name•Use letters two to six points larger than the

rest of the text•Place your name on the first line of your page•Place your name at the center of the page

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•Place your name at the center of the page

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The general format is as follows: 1. Objectives, 2. Work experience, 3. Education, and

THE GENERAL FORMATD

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3. Education, and 4. Skills.

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CV objective is ‘a brief and focused

statement of what you can do and

what you are looking for’.

CV Objective1D

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rCV OBJECTIVE EXAMPLES:

Seeking new challenges in (occupation) which effectively utilizes (professional experiences).

Looking to join a progressive organization that has the need for (a type of occupation) and offers opportunities for advancement.

To gain first hand (type of

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To gain first hand (type of experience), using my analytical skills and commitment to perform quality work.

To secure an internship with a (type of organization) specializing in (area of expertise)

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•Describe the job you are seeking. You can include your experience and skill level

•Be focused – vague objectives are less likely to attract an employer

•Emphasize what you can bring to your prospective employer

•The Objective should be one sentence – two sentences

CV OBJECTIVE TIPS: D

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•The Objective should be one sentence – two sentences if needed, but not longer.

•It should be clear and concise•Focus on the employers needs rather than yours

(what you can do for the employer rather than vice versa)

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rPROFESSIONAL

OR

WORK EXPERIENCE

DESCRIPTION ON YOUR CV

‘Work experience should include internships and

any other jobs that – including the kind of job

(full time/part time, etc) – you had during or after

college’

Each job detail should include this basic

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Each job detail should include this basic

information:� Title of position� Length you held the post� Responsibilities

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• Managed a team of (number) that established (name or project goal or result)

• Successfully launched and marketed (name of project)• Participated in the creation of a (name of product or

production) that resulted in (a position outcome) • Extensive involvement managing client relationship

at all levels

WORK EXPERIENCE EXAMPLES:D

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at all levels• Wrote feature stories and conducted interviews for

(type of press); edited copy of other writers.• (Number of years) of (system) integration experience

and implementing solutions to help clients succeed• (Number of years) of management experience on

industrial projects

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• For each position describe your responsibilities, duties, the challenges faced and accomplishments achieved. Use specific examples e.g. Increased car sales turnover by 200% or saved department $ 100,000 by redesigning performance measurement system

• Define the achievement by describing what was used to reach the objective, and what objective was reached, e.g. Used new sales channels to increase market share beyond the state borders. The result was a 25% increase in turnover

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the state borders. The result was a 25% increase in turnover for the company.

• If you had multiple positions with the same company, remember to list dates of positions to show the prospective employer of your rapid progress and quick learning abilities

• If you have not had much work experience, try including temporary holiday or voluntary jobs.

• Remember to keep it short, positive and use action verbs.

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� Administrated� Advised� Analyzed� Assisted� Audited� Communicated

� Determined� Developed� Directed� Evaluated� Expanded� Implemented

� Negotiated� Obtained � Organized� Performed� Planned� Prepared

Action Verbs To Use In Describing Your

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� Communicated� Completed � Coordinated� Counseled� Created� Designed

� Implemented� Improved� Increased� Interviewed� Maintained� Managed

� Prepared� Provided� Researched� Reviewed � Selected� Supervised�Verified

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•The education section should be brief.• It should include college, degree and graduation year excluding the high school. •If you studied abroad or completed an

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•If you studied abroad or completed an intensive summer course, list those too.

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• Include your Grade Point Average (GPA) or General Ranking if it is impressive (Excellent, Very Good).

• Mention any Honors, Awards, Scholarships, Internships, and Dissertations received.

• Include any information that might be appropriate to your job search. Fresh graduates should include relevant courses, extracurricular activities,

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relevant courses, extracurricular activities,scholarships, honors, and GPA (if it is good!)

• Allow your educational credentials to emphasize your strengths and qualifications.

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• Skills section must be brief.• It should include main skills: computer

skills, language skills, typing speed,

written as keywords without going into lengthy description.

• Research skills and other skills that you

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• Research skills and other skills that you believe make you a valuable candidate.

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SKILL EXAMPLES:

•German- Intermediate.•Microsoft Office software & the Internet-Expert•MS Word, Excel, Access Point, MS Project Workbench and Lotus Notes-Expert•C, Cobol, Fortran and SQL – Expert•Quantitative Analysis- Expert

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•Quantitative Analysis- Expert•Creative Skills-Expert

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rSKILL TIPS:•Focus on skills that match your target job

and target company•Use this section to include industry keywords

that match an employer’s keyword search. For example: Knowledge of encryption theory

•Describe your interpersonal skills, (an experienced presenter/ public speaker/ sales

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experienced presenter/ public speaker/ sales person, organizer or teacher)

•Use action verbs

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List any professional affiliations, associations or memberships of interest to employersExamples:

Active member (name of association)Speaker/Treasurer (name of association)Appointed to serve as (position)

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Appointed to serve as (position)Past Chairman/PresidentElected to serve as (position)

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rTips:

Being part of any association shows a potential employer your interest and involvement in a related professional field.

Adding this information is completely optional

This is particularly relevant and important for fresh graduates or candidates

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important for fresh graduates or candidates seeking to make a career switch

Use action verbs.

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•If required, ‘references upon request’ can be added at the bottom of your resume. •You can bring a list of references and letters of recommendation with you to

References (If required)D

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letters of recommendation with you to an interview.

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• No leadership skills or managerial experience• Missing skills , knowledge and / or experience• Patchy career history• Employment gaps• Many employers• Having worked for only one employer

GENERAL WEAKNESSES IN YOUR CV/RESUME:D

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• Having worked for only one employer

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•switch something from a weakness to strength•Highlight other skills that make up for the weaknessFor example:

1) if you never went to university , you need to emphasize your job experience

2) if you are new to the field of work, try to show your qualifications and related hobbies

3) if you have worked for small companies ,you could ,

HIDING YOUR WEAKNESSES IN CVD

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3) if you have worked for small companies ,you could , for example , try to highlight the benefits of having to solve a lot of problems on your own with tight budgets

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rGENERAL TIPS

� Use standard 10 to 14 point fonts like Times, Palatino, Courier, and Helvetica

� Left justify all text� Send your resume on 8.5'' x 11'', white paper only� Fax on “high resolution” setting� Use jargon specific to your industry� Use nouns and noun phrases rather than verbs when possible to

describe job duties (e.g., use “Art Director” rather than “directed and oversaw the graphic layout of company brochure”)

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and oversaw the graphic layout of company brochure”) � Avoid fancy text styles like italics, underlining, or shadows � Do not use a newspaper-style two column format� Avoid tabs (use the space bar instead)� Avoid parentheses, brackets, and compressed lines of print

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