PowerPoint Presentation

. HOW TO. WRITE A. CV. The Difference Between a Resume and a Curriculum Vitae.

[Audio] Curriculum vitae means " course of life" in Latin, and that's just what it is: a concise document summarising your educational and professional history, your skills and experiences. But it is also more than that. It is a marketing tool. It has to catch the eye of an overworked HR person, not because of decoration and weirdness, but because it's clear and easy to take in. It has to demonstrate as directly as possible that you have the qualifications and the skills to do the job for which you're applying. There are dozens of templates available online. They can be helpful, but the pre-set formatting can also be difficult to use. A simple, clear Word document will work just as well..

[Audio] Step 1: Introduction Start with a good head-and-shoulders picture; smallish in the top corner. Your name in a clear, fairly large font, your cellphone number and an email address. A physical address or at least your city will give the recruiter an idea of how far from their offices you are based..

[Audio] Step 2: Profile You can kick off with a " profile" paragraph. If you do, it should be short and to the point, specifically framed in terms of the job you're applying for. Say you're doing construction management. If the job is at a construction company, you may write something like: "Currently completing BSc Construction Management at the University of Free State. Particular interest in big infrastructure projects. Vacation work experience on building sites in Bloemfontein. Maths tutor at local high school.".

[Audio] If it's at a consulting firm, that middle sentence may change to: "Fascinated by the process of project management and interaction in teams." (Provided, of course, that it's true!) Language and communication is a major issue in South Africa. If applicable, add a summary of your language skills: "Fluent in English and four other South African languages.".

[Audio] Step 3: Education Start with the most recent and work backwards. You can include your grades, for example: 2019: Completing Postgraduate Certificate in Education, University of Johannesburg. 2016 to 2018: Bachelor of Arts, University of Johannesburg. 2017: Completed online course in Microsoft Word. 2015: National Senior Certificate, Upington High School. Four distinctions..

[Audio] Step 4: Work experience Put down anything you have done, whether you were paid for it or not. Internships, waitering, child-minding and tutoring all belong here. Give a brief description of what the job entailed, for example: 2019: Tutor for matric students at local high school. Mathematics, two hours a week. December 2018 to January 2019: Waiter, Country Club, Johannesburg. Part of the job was doing stock-take in the bar..

[Audio] Step 5: Skills Go back to the exercise you did when you MAP-ped yourself. Choose four or five skills most relevant to the job you're applying for and motivate with a short example of where you have used each. Let's say you're a law graduate wanting to do your articles at a big firm. You may write: Flexibility – I come from a very conservative rural community. Adapting to the city environment could have derailed me, but I found my feet and finished my course in the minimum time. Judgement and decision-making – the process described above necessitated hard choices..

[Audio] Communication – wrote for the student newspaper; active participant in the debating society. Collaboration and teamwork – ran the annual choir competition in our residence. Do add language skills: Fluent in English and other languages..

[Audio] Step 6: Achievements/ Leadership/ Sport This can include sports at school and university, student representative council membership, committees and clubs, community outreach programmes, tutor- and mentorship. Organise it as above, starting with the most recent and working backwards..

[Audio] Find at least two people who know you well (no family members). Contact them beforehand and ask their permission to use them as referees. Tell them what you are applying for and send them your latest CV. List their details as follows:.

[Audio] … And then, you are done… But wait…. … And then, you are done… But wait….

[Audio] A few dos and don'ts: Don't cut and paste – tailor your CV (especially the profile and skills sections) to the specific job. Don't go over two A4 pages. Don't use slang and abbreviations. Be honest! Do check spelling, grammar and punctuation twice..

[Audio] That brings us to the end of this CV video guide. Hopefully, you found it helpful. If you want to save this video to come back and replay whilst you write your CV, don't forget to like the video, and subscribe to our channel. Also if you want more PRACTICALITIES on GETTING a Job, please leave a comment, telling us what help you would like from us below the video. We will make more helpful videos. Good luck with your job hunt. Also check out our maths videos and challenge yourself or recommend a friend. Thank you..