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Writing a CV
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Probably the first CV was written by Leonardo Da Vinci 500 years ago. Since then things have moved slightly on, and now it's essential to have a well presented professional CV, but still many graduates get this wrong. The following page will give you all the tips to make an impressive CV.
What is a CV? Curriculum Vitae: an outline of a person's educational and professional history, usually prepared for job applications. Another name for a CV is a ré sumé.
A CV is the most flexible and convenient way to make applications. It conveys your personal details in the way that presents you in the best possible light. A CV is a marketing document in which you are marketing something: yourself! You need to " sell" your skills, abilities, qualifications and experience to employers. It can be used to make multiple applications to employers in a specific career area. For this reason, many large graduate recruiters will not accept CVs and instead use their own application form.
An application form is designed to bring out the essential information and personal qualities that the employer requires and does not allow you to gloss over your weaker points as a CV does. In addition, the time needed to fill out these forms is seen as a reflection of your commitment to the career.
There is no " one best way" to construct a CV; it is your document and can be structured as you wish within the basic framework. It can be on paper or on-line or even on a T-shirt (a gimmicky approach that might work for " creative" jobs but not generally advised! ).
There can be different types of CV: chronological and skills-based. Chronological - outlining your career history in date order, normally beginning with the most recent items (reverse chronological). This is the " conventional" approach and the easiest to prepare. It is detailed, comprehensive and biographical and usually works well for " traditional" students with a good all-round mixture of education and work experience. Mature students, however, may not benefit from this approach, which does emphasise your age, any career breaks and work experience which has little surface relevance to the posts you are applying for now. Skills-based: highly-focused CVs which relate your skills and abilities to a specific job or career area by highlighting these skills and your major achievements. The factual, chronological details of your education and work history are subordinate. These work well for mature graduates and for anybody whose degree subject and work experience is not directly relevant to their application. Skills-based CVs should be closely targeted to a specific job.
5. Find the proper equivalents:
| 1. to move slightly on | a) хронологические детали |
| 2. a well-presented CV | b) извлечь пользу из чего-то |
| 3. job application | c) анкета, устраивающегося на работу |
| 4. a specific career area | d)зрелые студенты |
| 5. weaker points | e)выдвинуть достижения на первый план |
| 6. in date order | f) хорошо представленная краткая биография |
| 7. to work well for sb | g) слабые места |
| 8. to benefit from sth | h) немного продвинуться |
| 9. to have little surface relevance to sth | i)в хронологическом порядке |
| 10. to highlight achievements | j) хорошо подходить кому-то |
| 11. chronological details | k) соотнести способности с определенной работой |
| 12. to relate abilities to a specific work | l) определенная карьерная область |
| 13. mature students | m) иметь мало очевидной связи с чем-либо |
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6. Arrange a) and b) in pairs of synonyms:
a) essential, impressive, a person, a document, to market, to accept, large, to design, a framework, comprehensive, to target.
b) a human, to advertise, to construct, remarkable, thorough, a structure, to aim, to take, big, a paper, important.
7. Give Russian equivalents:
1. a chronological CV;
2. a mixture of education and work experience;
3. a skills-based CV;
4. commitment to the career;
5. the most flexible and convenient way;
6. to be targeted to a specific job
7. to begin with more recent items;
8. to bring out the essential information;
9. to convey personal details;
10. to give sb all the tips to do sth;
11. to gloss over weaker points;
12. to make an impressive CV;
13. to make multiple applications to employers;
14. to present in the best possible light;
15. to use one’s own application form;
16. to work for creative jobs.
8. Translate the words in brackets into English:
1. To get a good job you need to have (хорошо представленную краткую биографию).
2. A CV is an outline of a person’s (образования и профессионального опыта).
3. If you want to be a success while looking for a job you should make (многочисленные анкеты) to (работодателям).
4. An application form is different from a CV because it brings out (существенную информацию и личные качества) that are required by the employer.
5. It’s impossible to (замолчать свои слабые места) when you fill in an application form.
6. There can be gimmicky approaches to making a CV but they (подходят только для) “creative” jobs.
7. A chronological CV outlines your career history (в хронологическом порядке).
8. A chronological CV usually begins with (самых последних событий) and is called a reverse chronological.
9. A chronological CV works well for “traditional” students with a good (соединением образования и опыта работы).
10. (Зрелые) studentsshouldusea (основанное на умениях) CV.
11. A skills-based CV focuses on your skills and (основных достижениях) related to a (определенной карьерной области).
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9. Complete the following sentences:
1. Probably the first CV was written by … 500 years ago.
a) Leonardo Da Vinci b) Albert Einstein c) Isaac Newton
2. Nowadays it's … to have a well presented professional CV.
a) unnecessary b) essential c) funny
3. An outline of a person's educational and professional history prepared for job applications is called ….
a) an application form b) a certificate c) a Curriculum Vitae
4. Another name for a CV is ….
a) an application blank b) a ré sumé c) an application form
5. A CV is the most flexible and convenient way to make applications because it conveys your personal details in the way that ….
a) presents you in the best possible light b) gives a very thorough information about you c) doesn’t allow to gloss over your weak points
6. The time needed to fill out an application form is seen as a reflection of your ….
a) commitment to the career b) hand-writing skills c) general literacy
7. " One best way" to construct a CV ….
a) does not exist b) is to follow strict rules and framework c) is in being creative as much as possible
8. The " conventional" and the easiest approach to applying for a job is ….
a) a skill-based CV b) a chronological CV c) an application form
9. Mature students do not benefit from a chronological CV because it emphasises ….
a) your poor work experience b) your weaker points c) your age and career breaks
10. A skills-based CV relating your skills and abilities to a specific job or career area works well for ….
a) “traditional” students b) mature graduates c) senior students of high school
10. Agree or disagree with the following statements:
1. A well-presented professional CV is a very important thing nowadays if you apply for a serious job.
2. A CV should convey only your personal educational details.
3. The most flexible and convenient way to make applications is an application form.
4. A CV is a document in which you are marketing your skills, abilities, qualifications and experience to employers.
5. An application form is designed to bring out all possible information about an applicant.
6. A CV can be constructed in different ways depending on a specific career area you are applying for.
7. Two main types of CVs are chronological and skills-based.
8. A chronological CV is beneficial for “traditional” students.
9. If you have a good all-round mixture of education and work experience you should make a skills-based CV.
10. Highlighting your skills and your major achievements in a CV is useful for those whose degree subject and work experience is not directly relevant to their application.
11. Translate the following sentences into English:
1. К сожалению, немногие выпускники умеют хорошо составить краткую биографию.
2. Хорошо составленное профессиональное резюме значительно повышает ваши шансы на собеседование и получение работы.
3. Постарайтесь представить свои личные данные об образовании и профессиональном опыте в лучшем свете.
4. Некоторые работодатели предпочитают свои анкеты, а не резюме соискателей.
5. Анкетная форма позволяет работодателю получить ваши данные наиболее существенные для данной специальности.
6. Не существует лучшего способа составить краткую биографию, но следует придерживаться определенной структуры.
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7. Самый простой способ составить резюме – в обратном хронологическом порядке.
8. Если у вас хорошее образование и имеется значительный опыт работы, вам следует сделать резюме детальным, обширным и биографическим.
9. В краткой биографии не следует акцентировать свой возраст, карьерные неудачи и опыт работы, который не относится к той должности, на которую вы претендуете.
10. Постарайтесь подчеркнуть свои умения и основные достижения, которые относятся к выбранной карьерной области.
12. Answer the following questions:
1. What is a CV?
2. What basic types of CVs are there?
3. Why don’t all employers accept CVs but prefer their own application forms?
4. What are the main rules of constructing a CV?
5. What kind of a CV will work well for traditional students?
6. What kind of a CV will work well for mature students?
7. What is a chronological CV?
8. What is a skills-based CV?
9. Do you think we need to be creative while making a CV?
10. Do you think we need to enclose information about our hobbies and talents in CV?
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