Resumes & Cover Letter
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1. Resumes and Cover Letter
Your CV will be the first thing an employer looks at when deciding whether or not to invite you in for an interview. This document is crucial, and it may be your only chance to persuade the recruiter that you are qualified for the job.
Employers often read resumes for about 30 seconds, so creating an adequate representation of your talents and experiences might help you catch their attention. To make the ideal CV, follow these simple guidelines.
Make sure your resume is up to date and suited to the job description and requirements:
Create a “summary” or “highlights” section at the start of your resume that addresses the role’s most important abilities, experience, and expertise.
Examine the statements under each role on your resume and make sure they apply to the job you’re looking for.
Use powerful action words
Begin each bullet point with verbs that vividly depict your abilities in work. Employers pay special attention to action verbs like developed, enhanced, produced, analyzed, managed, and guided. Check out this list of action verbs for more examples.
Validate your expertise with achievements
Your CV should include specific examples of your accomplishments in various jobs. Give specific instances of your achievements, such as “created lesson plans and coordinated with the team to arrange the event.”
Use numbers
Employers love numbers. It shows that what you accomplished in your role can be measurable and verifiable. Using statements like “increased company Twitter following by 15 percent over six months” shows that you understand the importance of using performance metrics and how it impacts a company.
Keep it short
A resume should be easy to read, so be concise when writing your qualifications. Sentences should not exceed 20 words and exclude the use of first-person pronouns (I, me, my) and articles (the, an, a). Your resume should not exceed one page.
Be honest about your work
You’d be surprised how many resumes stretch the truth or even lie about specific skills and experiences. Fluffing your resume with fancy words and qualifications will not get you very far, as the truth will eventually come out. Your resume is a professional document of how you’d like to be perceived in the business world.
Formatting and readability
It’s essential to ensure that your job application documents are professional, consistent, and error-free. While some of this can be subjective, key elements include:
- Reviewing your documents for spelling and grammar,
- Formatting your documents for easy reading (e.g., paying attention to fonts and white space), and
- Keeping formatting consistent across your documents (i.e., resume and cover letter).
Remember, employers have many resumes to review, and they can often look similar. Make sure that critical elements of your resume stand out in a quick scan. This includes the essential qualifications that you believe will be most important for the role and the unique assets you bring to the table.
2. Interview Preparation
Purpose
The interview is an information-gathering process that helps in the final decision of whether or not to hire the interviewer and whether or not to take the position.
In an interview, employers try to identify skills and abilities, experience, suitability for the company, and personal qualities and interests. If you’ve already been interviewed, make sure you already have the basic skills and qualifications your employer wants.
Do you through Research
In addition to company values and the job you will be engaged in, it is important that you also understand the nature of the position. Look at the job description and highlight the specific skills or personal qualities mentioned by the employer. Prepare stories and responses to solve these problems.
Check the company website and social media pages to let yourself know your current goals or priorities. Researching the company or organization will help you better understand who they are and what they do. Make sure you also prepare questions about the organization, roles, or team culture so that you can ask them during the interview.
Prepare and Practice
Prepare for the commonly asked questions. Few examples are where do you see yourself after five year? Tell me about your personal/professional self? Why work with us? Explain your achievements and failures?
You need to put your best self forward and this will not be possible unless you prepare and practice for the same. Practice answering common interview questions with friends and family. Get used to telling your story and answering questions about your experience. It is helpful to investigate potential questions online and write down sample answers and examples from past experience.
Plan, Organize ahead of time
Add a copy of your resume and keep the list of references on a separate sheet of paper. It is advisable to bring a pen and notebook to take important notes. In some cases, you may want to bring your tablet or laptop to showcase your digital portfolio directly. Plan your route to the interview in advance. Before the interview, check the location and use public transport to map the route or find a place to park. Arrived 10 – 15 minutes before the start of the performance. Arriving early can be annoying to employers who may make other interviews or appointments in front of you, and waiting too long can strain you.
Dress well for the event
Your first impression is your last! Every move that you make during your interview counts. You need to dress one step ahead than what the employees in the organization wear. If you have slightest doubt in your mind, dress FORMAL. Do remember, you will be dressing for SUCCESS!
General tips
- Greet the interviewer(s) warmly with eye contact, smile, and Introduce yourself.
- Monitor the messages you send with your body language (e.g., hand gestures, slouching, fidgeting, etc.).
- Monitor the body language of the interviewer(s); if they stop writing notes and look ready to move on, finish your point quickly.
- Be honest with your responses.
- Avoid slang expressions such as “ya know” or “like.”
- Seek clarification if you are unsure what the interviewer is asking.
- Request a moment to think about your response before answering.
Make an excellent impression:
- Convey professionalism, poise and confidence
- Smile, make eye contact and show enthusiasm
- Wait to sit down; let the interviewer sit first or offer you a seat
- Follow the employers lead – casual/formal
- Establish a rapport – conversation
Exchange information:
- The bulk of the interview and your opportunity to let the employer know how your skills match the requirements
- Expand on your answers by providing examples; length of answers may vary; stay focused on the question asked
- Be aware of the interviewers reactions, if they look confused with the answer you provided, explain further
- If you don’t understand a question ask for further clarification
- Don’t assume anything, be sure to include information from your resume
- Always speak positively about past employers, colleagues and places of work
- Provide enthusiastic feedback, show interest in the position/company
- Never mention personal problems in an interview
- Never ask about salary/holidays unless initiated by the employer
Questions for the employer
You should have some questions ready to ask the employer at the end of the interview to demonstrate your level of preparation and interest. Discover if the organization and position is a good fit for, and further assert your ability to meet their needs by asking questions like:
- What does a typlical day look like?
- What are the biggest challenges that someone in this position would face?
- What kind of training will I receive?
- Will I have an opportunity to take on new responsibilities once I get comfortable in my position?
- What do you hope the person in this role will be able to accomplish in their first few months?
- And many more…
3. Personal and Learning Support
If you need support at any point during your time with us you can speak to your tutor or the Student Support Officer who may be in a position to guide you through your intellectual journey.
All of our courses take place in classrooms that reflect a strong focus on employability and independence, as well as the development of essential transferable employability skills. Our students regularly excel in their roles and the experiences help them continue on an inspiring, ambitious career pathway.
4. Career Advice and Guidance
We provide a high-quality, professional, unbiased, and inclusive Careers Advice & Support service at the Beta College. This is accessible to all students when they first arrive at the college and when they leave, and ongoing assistance is given through drop-in sessions and scheduled appointments during their studies.
The Careers Service at Beta College assists students in planning their future and determining which alternatives are accessible and fit for their talents and objectives. Our students are encouraged to develop their full potential and pursue their professional aspirations. Depending on the student’s individual needs, a range of guidance is provided, including universities, apprenticeships, career, and more. Beta College offers great local job ties and contacts. We give both internal skills advancement and scheduled progressive College and University tours.
Interview, CV, and job application guidance is available from our Guidance and Service Tutors. To confirm that we offer guidance that inspires students and empowers them to make educated decisions, we adhere to industry-leading Benchmarks.
We have skilled consultants on board to provide you with unbiased knowledge and assistance about the various career paths available to you. This can include assistance in pursuing more education or training at Beta College or via another provider, locating and preparing for the ideal part-time or full-time work, or selecting and applying for a university place.
We can help you if you are:
- Unsure or confused about your career or course choices
- At risk of leaving your course early
- Worried that you will not succeed on your course
- Unsure whether you are on the right course
- Confused about your future choices and opportunities
5. Employment News
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