http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzUwNzEyMzY5Mg==.

html?spm=a2h0k.8191407.0.0&from=s1.8-1-1.2 – sajiao
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzQ1NjQ3NjYyMA==.
html?spm=a2h0k.8191407.0.0&from=s1.8-1-1.2 – ordering Didi
http://
v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzMzOTI5MDI3Mg.html?spm=a2h0j.81914
23.listitem_page1.5!10~A
– Laowai Park, pt 1
1

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzM2MTAyOTYwNA==.
html?spm=a2h0k.8191407.0.0&from=s1.8-1-1.2 – Laowai Park, pt 2
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzM3OTQ4OTQ0NA==.
html?spm=a2hzp.8244740.0.0 – Laowai Park, pt 3
Today…

Set up bomb timer (https://www.online-stopwatch.com/bomb-countdown/)

Interviews and applications
Writing a CV / Resume
Final coursework task
Professional Portfolio
Group Interview
o

o
1.

2.

3.
Experience? 2

Have any of you

• Prepared a CV / resume?
• Applied for a job?
• Done an interview?

Different style of writing again

Much of what you have learnt is still relevant
(styles of writing, language use, audience, purpose, …)
Documents for an application 3

• Cover letter / email

• CV / resume
• Required forms
• References
• Copies of supporting documents
> portfolio
> transcripts
> certifications
> awards
 CV / Résumé 4

CV = curriculum vitae (British English)

Résumé (American English)

Part of a job application, includes brief outline of:

• education,
• qualifications,
• previous jobs, and
• (maybe) employment skills.
Purpose? Audience? 5

Audience
1. HR Office
2. Interviewers (various people)

Purpose (for you)

• Introduce yourself
• Snapshot of career (highlights, strengths)
To get an
•
interview!
Set an impression
• Demonstrate communication skills
CV = Primary tool 6

Great care must be taken in writing to ensure it is effective

A good resume is…
• Attractive
• Efficient
• Easily accessible

Why?
Bomb timer
 Ten seconds 7

• Average time for viewing a resume = 10 secs

• Focusing particularly on weaknesses
• Importance of clear & powerful

Therefore:
• No long blocks of text
> good, effective formatting (eg bullet points, indent, etc)
• Linked to position applying for (customised for each job)
• Impact at a glance (language use, highlight specific skills)
 What to include? 8

“How does this particular information contribute towards my

overall attractiveness to this employer?”

o If it doesn’t help, delete it.

Relevant only.

o If information may cause problems.

Omit it. (omission = lying?)
Sections of a CV 9

Open Resume sample #1

Review sections, consider if effective
• Name
• Objective
• Experience
• Education
 Sections of the Resume 10

Name
• What do you want to be called?
• Bold or capitalize, larger than the rest of text (2-6 pts)
First line, centred
E-mail
• Avoid work e-mails Wechat?
Address Facebook?
• Must be reliable (eg what to do at CUHK SZ?) Twitter?
Phone numbers
• Also reliable (again, eg CUHK SZ?)
• Consider family or friend number to pass on a message, more than one?
 11

Job objective
• Clarify intentions
• Set tone for rest of resume

• Two types:
o Descriptive: type of job you’re interested in
o Titled: name the job title
 12

Name
• Name largest font on page
• Ensure all details included (missing postcode here)
• Ineffective use of formatting… trying to save space
Objective
• Erm… yeah.
 13
Work history/Experience
• Most important element (before or after education??)
• Flexibility in presentation of information
• Incl. company name, location, job title, dates, duties
performed, achievements (for you guys??)
• Clear, concise, well-spaced, organized and uses bullets
• Language (use action phrases using past tense)
managed, planned, oversaw, programmed, coordinated,
initiated, designed, supervised, created, …
 14
• Is this more important
than education?
• Reverse chronological
order (most recent first)

Emphasise…
• Skills gained
• Things done well
• Achievements / impacts
• Transferrable skills
 15

Education
• Normally second on CV
Esp. for academic and science professionals
• Institution name, location, your degree
graduation date (year and semester / season)
• If unfinished > “Anticipated Completion Date”
• GPA? Not necessary, but include if high (>3.0)
possibly just GPA in your major?
• Note academic honours
Example 1 16
MA in Communications, May 2021
California State University Sacramento, Sacramento, CA.
Deans List, GPA: 3.9/4.0

Example 2
Bachelor of Science, Concentration: Data Science
Expected Graduation: May 2019.
California State University Sacramento, Sacramento, CA.
Major GPA: 3.7/4.0 GPA: 3.2/4.0

For recent graduates, this may be the centerpiece of the resume

Emphasise ongoing projects, concentrations and relevant courses.
 17

Education
• Should be after objective
• What is more important to employer? Degree or institution?
Put important content first
Interests
• Skills better (employer interested in your interests?)
eg language fluency, computer skills, …
• Especially if limited other experience to highlight
References 18

• Seek professionals, individuals with ethos

but also people who know you well and will give a favourable
comment
• Get permission from reference before listing
Give them a copy of your CV and job details
• Provide full details
(name, position, institution, address, email, phone)

• Requirement for the position?

• “available on request” – redundant?
 19

Tips
• What the ….??????

References
• If you’re going to write this, just omit it
• Only needs a separate page if requested by employer
Resume types 20

• Open sample #2
Consider the three different types

Evaluate
• How is each organised?
• What content is included?
• What is emphasised in each?
• What type of job would each be best for?
• Which would be most common?
#1: Reverse chronological 21

Most common

• education and work experience

in chronological order, most
recent experiences first

• best for experiences which

parallel the position
or those without periods of
unemployment
#2: Functional 22

• Organize experience by function

performed,
including specific examples

• Rank by order of importance (not

chronological)

• Ignore irrelevant experiences

Good if been unemployed, changing

careers, limited work experience (eg
college grad), diverse background
#3: Imaginative 23

• Emphasising creativity,
background and skills
• Becoming increasingly popular
to do this to stand out
• BUT care must be taken not to
sacrifice content

Very job dependent

– artistic field, definitely.
– finance or sciences, maybe not?
 Dealing with CV problems 24

Vagabond
• Employers don’t want an employee who changes jobs regularly
(>1 per year)
• Work experience should demonstrate a steady employment history

Lack of experience
• Emphasise volunteer jobs and experiences
> list as regular positions
> may be better (relevance) than paid positions
• Consider a skills section
Formatting 25

• Open sample #3
• Compare the four options
which do you like best?
Strengths and weaknesses of each?
#1 26

• Don't center everything!

Especially bullet points

• White space
– not too much or too little
Need to balance text

• Vary fonts (size and type)

slightly to highlight where
categories begin and end
#2 27

• Margins too small.

Don’t want to appear
crowded.

• Take care with use of italics

Can be interpreted badly
(eg a running race)

• Body copy font max 11 pt

unnecessary and bulky
#3 28

Careful with use of colours

• Link to ‘imaginative’
• Appears cheap
• May be misunderstood
> American theme?
• Disconnects categories
Decreased unity
Nothing goes together

Margins here are good.

“Breathing” room.
#4 29

• Avoid fancy fonts unless

there is a good reason
(possibly headings,
definitely not body text)

• Definitely do not combine

decorative typefaces

• Never write body text in

ALL CAPS
 1. Spelling Errors, Typos and Poor Grammar
Resume Pet Peeves 2. Unclear
30

3. Inaccurate Dates or None at all

4. Inaccurate or Missing Contact Information
5. Formatting
6. Functional Resumes
7. Long Resumes
8. Long Paragraphs
9. Unqualified Candidates
10. Personal Information Unrelated to the Job
Final resume essentials 31

• Limit to one page until you have 2+ years of experience

• Keep formatting simple (without a good reason)
• Prioritise information
> clearly link to position
• Carefully choose language
> emphasise keywords
• Use Spell Check and triple check for typos
“Received a plague for salesperson of the year form Toyota”
Coursework: Portfolio 32

Due date: 5pm, Monday 7 May 2018

• Imagine you are graduating from CUHK SZ
(you can [realistically] fill in gaps for the next 2 years)
• Find job vacancy related to your field of study
• Cover letter + CV
Maximum one page for each (soft copy loaded to Moodle)
• Printed copy of job you are applying for
> Given to Moose before Monday 30 April 2018
Copy of marking rubric available on Moodle
Coursework: Group Interview 33

Due date: Week 15, 7-10 May 2018

• Groups of four, 20 minute maximum
Moose as interviewer
• Smart (business) casual dress code
• Jobs (chosen by the teachers) and groups will be arranged
prior to the test
• Must be present 5 minutes early, if late you fail.
Copy of marking rubric available on Moodle
Coursework: Group Interview 34

Format:
1. Max 1 minute self-intro (sequence given)
2. 2 questions, max. 1 minute answers
(no sequence, but only one turn each)
3. Discussion topic, 5-8 minutes
(discussion, not turns giving a speech)