EF Englishtown: Language & Lifestyle Guides www.englishtown.com TOP TIPS For standing out from the crowd THE EF ENGLISHTOWN GUIDE TO: Writing Your CV INDEX INDEx 03 Introduction 05 Your cover letter 08 Example cover letter 10 Your CV 13 Example CV 15 Your next step 16 About EF Englishtown THIS GUIDE IS INTERACTIVE The house icon in the top left corner allows you to navigate back to this page from anywhere within the guide. www.englishtown.com | 2 - Index INTRODUCTION Essential tips for a well presented CV | 3 - Introduction INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION This guide tells you everything you need to know about putting together a CV that will stand out from the rest. A well written cover letter and impressive CV are vital for securing a job interview. This guide will provide you with tips on how best to present yourself on paper, alongside useful examples of what a great cover letter and CV should like in English. www.englishtown.com | 4 - Introduction PART 1 YOUR COVER LETTER How to introduce yourself professionally | 5 - Your cover letter YOUR COVER LETTER HOW TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF PROFESSIONALLY A cover letter serves as your introduction. It is your first opportunity to impress your prospective employer or recruiter. They will only read your CV if your cover letter is relevant and engaging. Top Tips for writing a great cover letter: Stay relevant Explain why you’re writing, include the title of the position you’re applying for and get to the point immediately. Make it personal Where possible, address your letter to the hiring manager not ‘Sir/ Madam’ or ‘To whom it may concern’. This might require a little research but it is worth the effort. Match your skills Identify the skills required for this position then provide examples from your previous experience to prove you possess these skills. Demonstrate your grasp of English Keep your sentences short and clear. Do not try to over-impress by writing complex sentences. www.englishtown.com | 6 - Your cover letter YOUR COVER LETTER HOW TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF PROFESSIONALLY Sell yourself Explain why you are perfect for the job, and be confident about your skills. Say what you could do for your employer, not what your employer could do for you. Show initiative Mention that you plan to follow up your application with a telephone call. This will show you are genuinely interested in the job. Include your personal details Don’t forget to include your name, address, telephone number and email address so the recruiter can contact you. Proofread Look for any grammatical or spelling areas, or sentences that don’t make sense. Would you employ the person who wrote this letter? If not, re-write it until it’s perfect. www.englishtown.com | 7 - Your cover letter PART 2 COVER LETTER ExAMPLE Clara’s covering letter | 8 - Cover letter example COVER LETTER ExAMPLE Carla Chevalier 1234 Any Street, Hometown Tel: 0123 4567 89 Email: [email protected] 1st December 2013 Mr. Recruiter Hiring Manager, USP Company, Hometown XX1234 Dear Mr. Recruiter, When I read your advertisement for a Senior Project Manager at USP Company, I couldn’t help noticing how closely your requirements align with my experience and skills. My enclosed CV provides a good overview of my strengths and achievements, but I list below some of your specific requirements and my applicable skills and achievements. Your requirements: My skills and achievements: Business development skills. As Account Executive at Creative Marketing Ltd, I exceeded my annual sales target and increased Ability to build and sustain effective client my client base by 70% last year. relationships. My customer retention rate was 100%. Ability to motivate and ensure continuous personal development of subordinates. Some of my new client relationships were developed following recommendations from existing clients. Communication and negotiation skills. During the maternity leave of my line manager, I was given the opportunity to manage the team. I recommended and implemented some new policies (such as 360 degree feedback as part of the annual appraisal process). I received a special bonus award for my efforts during this period. I have extensive experience giving presentations and negotiating to secure business with new clients. I developed a real passion for understanding consumer needs during my two and a half years at Creative Marketing Ltd. Innovative strategies and proposals that differentiated our clients’ products in the marketplace ensured strong customer satisfaction with our service offering. I would welcome the opportunity to further develop my skills in USP Company, which is a market leader in the sector and renowned for its innovative marketing approach. I will follow up with you in a week’s time to answer any preliminary questions you may have. In the meantime, you are able to contact me on 0123 4567 89. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely, Carla Chevalier www.englishtown.com | 9 - Cover letter example PART 3 YOUR CV How to present your skills and experience | 10 - Your CV