cv writing tips

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CVS & APPLICATIONS

You‟ve found the job or course that you want to
apply for. Now it‟s time to market yourself
successfully and maximise your chance of
obtaining that all-important interview. This
Information Leaflet gives a brief guide on how to
put together great applications. For more detailed
help, have a look at the Getting a Job section of
our website, www.careers.ox.ac.uk.

Research and target!
Carefully tailoring your application to the
organisations that you are applying to is far more
likely to be successful than firing off many near-
identical applications. Research the organisation
thoroughly, and use the information you gain.
Demonstrate your understanding of the job, the
employer and the sector in which it operates in
your application, and allow your motivation and
interest to come through.

Research the organisation and sector
at the Careers Service
 Employer (red) Files and Career Briefings.
 Oxford Careers Network – there may already
be an Oxford graduate working for the

employer, whose brains you can pick. Use the
online database to get contact details and read
what they have to say about their job, and
perhaps contact them personally,
www.careers.ox.ac.uk/students/ocn.

Elsewhere
 Employers‟ websites – read them!
 Annual Reports – some are published on
employer websites, some are held on file at the
Careers Service, others you will need to
request from the organisation itself.
 The online LexisNexis news service is a useful
way of researching companies and accessing
recent press reports. Access via
with Oxford Single
Sign-on.
 www.rocketnews.com is a five-day international
news archive, available free of charge. Useful if
you are away from Oxford and cannot use
LexisNexis. Searches 6,000 news services.

 Attend presentations. Many recruiters visit
Oxford in Michaelmas Term – don‟t just go and
listen; talk to them afterwards. See the What‟s
On section of our website for details; log in to
the password-protected area of the website.
 Read the AGCAS Industry Insights,
www.prospects.ac.uk/links/SectorBs .

Work out what they are looking for … take
stock of your skills and experience
Analyse the vacancy information and other
employer literature to discover the skills,
competencies and experience required for the job.
Make sure that your application contains evidence
that you have these qualities (or at least the
potential to acquire them!). A useful tactic is to list
their requirements, and jot down which areas of
your life provide evidence that you meet each
requirement. Keep this to hand when you are
completing your application, and make sure that
you have everything covered.


The OXFORD Effect

There is no doubt that an Oxford education is appealing
to many employers. They will assume that you are
academically gifted, with excellent A-level scores. Don‟t
forget also to highlight the other benefits your time at
Oxford has given you:
The tutorial system:
 Ability to see both sides of an argument
 Thinking on your feet
 Explaining your views to others
 Presenting information
 Coping with pressure
Personal study:
 Time management

 Research skills
 Analytical and critical thinking
 Identifying key points
 Summarising/synthesising information
 Structuring arguments
Oxford also presents a wealth of opportunity to get
involved in college societies and to take on positions of
responsibility – all potentially application-enhancing.




Addresses –
this needs to be
clear, but can be
compact. Give
your term and
vacation
addresses.
Font – stick to
one clear font
throughout (eg
Arial, Times
New Roman);
11pt minimum
for main text.
Any academic
awards could go
here. Put in
grades or

expected grades,
if available. Add
course detail, if
relevant.
There’s no need to
list all those GCSE
subjects and
grades, unless
specifically
requested or really
relevant.
A good place to
give evidence of
the required
competences.
Others may
come with your
degree details or
interests. Use
bullet points,
and emphasise
your
achievements/
responsibilities,
not just the
activity. Avoid
just listing skills –
let your
description speak
for itself.

Start with the
most recent.
Emphasise the
most relevant
aspects of your
experience.
Other possible
headings are
Relevant
Experience,
Employment
History,
Positions of
Responsibility.
Use what suits
you best.
Referees – not
“references”!
Ask them first,
and send them
a copy of your
application.
Give an indication
of your level of skill,
eg “working
knowledge, basic,
fluent”, etc.
Make your name stand
out – you don’t need to
write “curriculum vitae”.

One or two full
sides, printed on to
good quality paper.
CVs
Your unique document – there are no rules about the headings you must use. Choose headings
that best display your relevant experience and skills to the potential employer. Here are some ideas …
Describing your experience:
(can include paid, unpaid, work with student societies … ):
Work experience
Employment history
Relevant experience
Positions of responsibility
Teaching/research/publishing/media/legal, etc, experience
Other experience
Voluntary work

Other possible headings:
Education
Qualifications
Scholarships, Awards
Publications, Presentations
Conferences/courses attended
Interests & activities
Additional skills
Languages, IT


Charlotte Brown
57 Worthington Road, Northampton, NN3 1KL
0794728562

Nationality: UK DOB: 24.01.84

Education
2003-2007 University of Oxford MEarthSci Earth Sciences
Independent Fieldwork Project. Six weeks mapping an area of
15 sq kms in the Cantabrian Mountains, Northern Spain.
Masters Project. Laboratory based.
1995-2002 Northampton High School
A levels: Geography A, Maths A, Physics A.
GCSEs: 8 at A*, 2 at A, including Maths and English.

Work Experience
Summer 2006 Finance Department, Quest International, Ashford, Kent.
 Processed invoices, analysed data and dealt with both
customers and suppliers.
 Researched and prepared response for the United Nations
Claims Commission. Quest is currently pursuing a claim with
regard to lost revenue due to the Iraqi conflict.
 Updated Expenses Database, redesigned and tested new
Expense Claim form.
2002-2003 Gap Year placement with Shires Aggregates
 Testing and sampling aggregates used in highways.
 Liaised with site engineers to solve technical problems.

Positions of responsibility
2005-2006 President of the Oxford Geology Society, Geolsoc.
 Led a committee responsible for organising seminars, speakers
and social events.
 Responsible for budget allocation.

Additional skills
Languages: French, good written and spoken; Spanish, basic knowledge.
IT Skills: Proficient at MS Office applications and internet use.

Interests & activities
Travelling: During my gap year I travelled extensively in the Far East.
My degree has given me opportunities for travel in Europe.
Music: Lead alto sax player and founding member of Mertz Swing Band
 play at local venues, weddings and other social events.
 European Tour 2004.
Referees
Dr Jo Bloggs, Dept. of Earth Sciences, Parks Rd, Oxford, OX1 3PR. Tel. 01865 2771234
Dr Ellie Phant, Quest International, Ashford, Kent AF4 2RH Tel. 01234 546831
Date of birth is now
optional due to recent
anti-age legislation.

CVs – International
International students applying in the UK
Non-UK qualifications
If your educational system is different from that
of the UK (1
st
,2
nd
,3
rd
-class degrees, A-levels and
GCSEs), you will need to help an employer
understand what your qualifications mean. The

British Council Office in your home country
(access via www.britishcouncil.org.uk) may be
able to help, and the NARIC (www.naric.org.uk)
can provide formal equivalence documentation.

Boston University, USA BA in Political Science
Grade Point Average (GPA) 3.75 out of max 4.0
680 on GMAT (top 5%)

International Baccalaureate Diploma
Total Points: 41 (out of 42)
Higher: Maths (6), Ancient Greek (7), German (7)
Standard: English Lit (7), Physics (7), Economics (7)

Technische Universität Berlin
Mathematics (equivalent to BA level)
“Diplomvorprüfung” Final results: Very good (1.3)

Work Permit status
Employers find it useful to know about your
eligibility to work in the UK. Give them your
nationality, and if you already have the right to
work in the UK, then say so.

Nationality: French & US dual nationality (with
right to work throughout the EEA)

Nationality: Canadian (eligible to work in UK
under TWES scheme)

Nationality: Indian & British (by marriage)

Nationality: Chinese (work permit required)

Applications outside the UK
Styles of CV vary greatly from country to
country. Consult The Global Resume Guide
(Mary Anne Thompson, Wiley & Sons, 2000),
available for reference at the Careers Service, or
the country-specific information at
www.prospects.ac.uk (Jobs and work > Explore
working and studying abroad). For more
information about styles across Europe, see the
career planning area of www.eurograduate.com.
There are often changes to the rules affecting
international students and recent graduates
wishing to work in the UK. It is recommended
that you check with UKCISA: The UK Council for
International Student Affairs,
www.ukcisa.org.uk/.
CVs – Postgraduates
The advice given in this Information Leaflet is
relevant to postgraduates as well as
undergraduates. However, presenting two (or
more) degrees in a way that maximises the
impact of your experience while addressing any
concerns that a potential employer may have
can be challenging. For some roles (eg
academia) a higher degree is virtually essential.
You may need to include further sections (eg

publications, conferences attended, research
proposals). For other sectors you must adapt
your CV to meet with the interests of the
employer, drawing on the extensive transferable
skills you will have gained from your extra study.
Have a look at the excellent Vitae website for
more advice for doctoral researchers and
research staff on presenting your skills and
achievements on a CV, www.vitae.ac.uk.

Employer-friendly transferable skills typically
developed by DPhil students:
project management
goal-setting
prioritisation
time management
data management
recording and presenting information
self-reliance
creativity and innovation
self-discipline
self-motivation
teamwork
instructing, training
report writing
presenting
networking

Demonstrating ‘commercial awareness’
Include any experience of budget management,

fundraising, work outside of academia (from
organising department/college events or society
treasurer positions to bar work).
Emphasise any involvement in grant proposals,
budgeting for equipment/fieldwork/resources, etc.
Talk the talk – research the market that the
employer operates in, who their customers/
clients/competitors are and any recent initiatives
they have been involved in, so that you can talk
their language.
Think about joining societies with a business
focus (eg OU Entrepreneurs).
Look out for business courses, eg at the Said
Business School or through community
education.

Covering Letters
A CV should always be accompanied by a covering letter; this might form the text of your email, if you
are sending your CV as an email attachment. The letter is usually the first thing that a recruiter will read,
and a poor letter is likely to send your application whizzing on to the reject pile! Make your letter
complement your CV – use it to highlight your relevant strengths.
Set it out like a business letter

Don‟t exceed one side in length

Write to a named person and keep a copy

The opening paragraph
Explain why you are writing
Say where you saw the advert

Introduce yourself

Why this job/organisation?
Explain why you are interested
Tailor it carefully
Demonstrate some knowledge
of the organisation
Avoid repeating text from their
publicity information

Why you?
Use this paragraph to explain why
you are well suited to the post
Refer to relevant skills, experience
and knowledge
Don‟t just repeat your CV
Give evidence for your claims
Tailor it!

The ending
Reiterate your desire to join them
Add a “look forward to hearing
from you”-type statement
Don‟t forget to sign it!

Get it checked! Ask a friend to read it through,
and if English is not your first language, ask a
native English speaker to check your grammar.
The Duty Adviser at the Careers Service can
give you feedback on the content and structure

of your CV, and advise on how best to target
particular sectors.

Speculative applications
You want to work in a particular sector, but no
jobs are advertised? A common approach is to
put together a speculative application (usually
CV and covering letter), carefully tailored to the
organisation(s) you are interested in. Follow the
guidelines about CVs and covering letters given
in this handout, and modify the first paragraph to
reflect the speculative nature of your enquiry.
Success is more likely if you can bring in the
name of your referrer, eg "Mr/Ms Y has
suggested my getting in touch with you",
because your contact will want to continue to be
seen well by his/her old friend or important
business contact, Y.

“I am writing to enquire if you have any fundraising
vacancies in your company, for which I could be
considered. I have a long-standing interest in charity work,
and believe that I have the qualities and experience
required to be successful in this area.”

“Stuart Exmouth of Buckell & Ballard suggested that I write
to you. Having completed the second year of my course at
Oxford University in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, I
am interested in training as a chartered surveyor, when I
graduate in 200 I would like, if possible, to pay a brief visit

to your firm during the summer to find out more about the
work and to obtain your advice.”
14 Bay Tree Road
Birmingham
B23 6TY
Ms Gill Cooper
OxiAID
Carstairs Street
London
W12 6YG 10 November 2006

Dear Ms Cooper

I wish to apply for the post of Fundraising Officer, which I saw advertised on
the Oxford University Careers Service website. I am in my final year at
Oxford University, studying Mathematics. I have a long-standing interest in
charity work, and believe that I have the qualities and experience required to
be a successful fundraiser.

My enthusiasm for pursuing a career in this area stems from my interest in
working with disadvantaged young people, and my desire to make full use of
my skills in motivating people to make a difference. OxiAID has established
its credentials working in some of the most challenging areas of social aid,
and the government funding recently awarded to the organisation is
recognition of the success of its philosophy. After my experiences with Jacari,
I am attracted by the opportunity to help other young people and to develop
my fundraising skills in such an environment.

Motivating people to work with me towards a common, worthwhile goal is
something that I find hugely enjoyable and rewarding. As Marketing and

Publicity Officer for the College Ball last year I was extremely pleased that we
had more applicants for tickets than ever before. I believe that the marketing
pack that I put together for potential sponsors played its part in attracting
record levels of sponsorship. One of the most rewarding aspects of being at
Oxford has been the work I have done with Jacari. During my time on the
committee the number of volunteers involved in the project has increased by
50%, and I have enjoyed both the challenge of raising the profile of the
society and my work with young people themselves. One of the aspects of
voluntary work that particularly appeals to me is the spirit of teamwork that
often accompanies it. This spirit has also been apparent on the working
holidays that I have been on with the National Trust and English Heritage.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss my application with you, and look
forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Joseph Williams

Application forms – paper and online

There has been a dramatic shift towards online
recruitment. Web-based forms usually have the
same content as those on paper, and the
following guidelines can be used for both. The
questions on application forms can broadly be
divided into two main types – those that seek
straightforward factual information (name,
qualifications, etc) and those that seek to
analyse whether you have the appropriate

qualities. The analytical questions are usually
the trickier to answer successfully.

Why do they ask such tricky questions?
Employers will use analytical questions to find
out whether:
you have the personal qualities and skills
required
you understand yourself, and are able to
look at yourself critically
you are able to identify where you and the
job or organisation are a good match
Employers ask these questions for a reason –
try to work out what it is in each case. Go back
to the list of the competencies they are looking
for, and read the questions with these in mind.

Tackling tricky questions
The old cliché that there are no right or wrong
answers is true, but there are certainly good and
poor answers. Use the following guidelines to
ensure that your answers are as good as
possible:
Don‟t give generalised answers. Give
specific examples and evidence.
Answer the question that the recruiter has
asked, not the question you„d like.
Vary your use of examples, and draw them
from different areas of your life.
Use your most recent experiences and

achievements where possible.
Keep within any word limit given.

When it’s completed …
Get it checked – bring it along to a Duty
Adviser at the Careers Service.
Keep a copy.

Examples
Identify the qualities you possess which
make you suitable for a career in …
You must reassure the selector that you have
given your choice of career careful thought and
made a match between you and the job.

Give details of your main extracurricular
interests, what you have contributed and
what you have got out of them
Here you can give evidence of how you have
used opportunities to develop relevant skills.
Avoid just listing your interests, but provide
evidence of your competence in areas such as
teamwork, time management and so on.

Give an example of when you set yourself a
demanding goal and overcame obstacles to
achieve it
Concentrate on the process rather than a long
description. Briefly describe the goal, then
analyse the steps you took to reach it. If you can

give a specific measure of your success, then
do (eg increasing the membership of a society,
raising money for charity). Provide evidence for
skills you have developed as a result.

Perfecting your paper application form
Photocopy the form to draft your answers.
Use black ink (unless instructed otherwise).
Keep it neat and tidy – make sure lines of
writing are horizontal.
Use bullet points, concise sentences and
action words, and check your spelling.
Plan out the space. Writing that gets smaller
and smaller to fit in your answer does not
convey your brilliant organisational skills.
Remember to sign it, and send the right form
to the right employer!

Tips for a frustration-free online experience
Follow instructions carefully.
If possible, download the form, and print off
a paper copy on which to draft your answers.
Save it frequently!
Pay attention to the layout of your answers –
many recruiters will print out a copy.
Be extra-careful with spelling – if you rely on
a spell-checker (UK not USA!), type answers
into a Word document, and paste them on to
the form.
Check you‟ve provided a working email

address, that you check regularly. Use a
sensible username – bigpinkfluff@ might not
convey the image you would like a
prospective employer to have!
Don‟t submit the form until you are happy
with it (obviously).


Action words for applications

Descriptions of your activities are often more effective if they start with a verb in the past tense.

Accomplished
Conserved
Earned
Gained
Marketed
Ran
Achieved
Consolidated
Edited
Galvanised
Maximised
Realised
Administered
Consulted
Elected
Gathered
Mediated
Received

Advised
Convinced
Eliminated
Generated
Modifed
Recognised
Advocated
Co-ordinated
Employed
Handled
Motivated
Recommended
Analysed
Counselled
Enabled
Heightened
Navigated
Reconciled
Arbitrated
Created
Encouraged
Highlighted
Negotiated
Recruited
Assembled
Dealt
Engineered
Identified
Obtained
Reduced

Assimilated
Debated
Enjoyed
Implemented
Operated
Represented
Assisted
Decided
Ensured
Improved
Organised
Researched
Audited
Delegated
Established
Increased
Oversaw
Reviewed
Authorised
Delivered
Evaluated
Initiated
Participated
Revised
Balanced
Demonstrated
Examined
Instituted
Performed
Saved

Briefed
Designed
Expanded
Instructed
Planned
Scheduled
Budgeted
Determined
Explained
Interpreted
Prepared
Set up
Captained
Developed
Explored
Interviewed
Presented
Simplified
Clarified
Devised
Facilitated
Invented
Prevailed
Solved
Classified
Directed
Forecast
Launched
Prioritised
Supervised

Coached
Discovered
Formulated
Lectured
Processed
Targeted
Communicated
Disproved
Fostered
Located
Produced
Transformed
Completed
Distributed
Founded
Maintained
Promoted
Translated
Conducted
Drew up
Functioned
Managed
Raised
Wrote

Expanding your list of personal skills
Look through the list below in the light of study, work experience, activities and interests - you may find
that you have acquired these skills without even realising it!

Advising individuals

Co-ordinating events
Interviewing
Promoting events
Arranging social events
Counselling people
Maintaining records
Public speaking
Calculating numerical data
Customer correspondence
Managing staff
Raising funds
Chairing meetings
Delegating responsibility
Mediating between people
Recording data
Checking for accuracy
Dispensing information
Motivating others
Reviewing
Classifying records
Drafting reports
Operating equipment
Selling products
Coaching individuals
Editing documents
Organising people & work
Setting up demonstrations
Compiling figures
Handling complaints
Persuading others

Supervising staff/activities
Computer programming
Inspecting
Planning agendas
Teaching
Constructing buildings
Interpreting data
Preparing charts/diagrams


Further resources

There are a great many resources available that cover
the areas of CVs and applications.

Resource Centre - take-away leaflets and sheets,
reference files on all aspects of applications,
reference books and videos.
On the Careers Service website > Getting a Job >
Applications > Types of Application
www.careers.ox.ac.uk/students/getting-a-
job/applications/types-of-application.
The Graduate Prospects website –
www.prospects.ac.uk/links/cvwriting.




The Careers Service also subscribes to the
following websites, available from

CareerConnect, the password-protected area of
the website:
WetFeet (access via Single Sign-on only)
for company and industry profiles and
career-related resources
Going Global for worldwide job openings,
internships, industry profiles and country-
specific career information
EXODUS (access via Single Sign-on only)
Careers Europe for European and
international careers information

© Oxford University Careers Service October 2009
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2009_10\CVs and Applications Issue 7.doc