The CV: 8.8 second success

The CV Workshop. Clare Brass, Bangor's very own employability co-ordinator gave an engaging and informative talk on the key features of a brilliant CV. Through-out the workshop she includes relevant examples for our degree course, and makes the workshop interactive to keep us engaged.

The workshop gave a comprehensive overview on the types of CV's, including academic or retail targeted versions which was particularly useful for our cohort and the history of the CV.

Did you know that the first CV was produced in 1492!

Making and impression.

One of the most shocking facts to find out was that during candidate shortlisting in jobs (deciding those that best fit the role), an employer will only spend an average of 8.8 seconds on a CV. Can you imagine spending hours, slaving over a piece of paper explaining your experiences, who you are, your interests etc to be given 8.8 seconds to convey all of that to a complete stranger!

This shocking statistic kick started my interest into improving my CV and making myself stand out in the crowd.

An excellent example of a CV, using key words to draw the readers attention and clear titles, with descriptions of relevant experience

Standing out.

The main pieces of information you want to convey to a potential employer includes your relevant experience, the skills you gained from this experience and most importantly the EVIDENCE for these skills.

Ensure your CV is engaging, informative, well-formatted and NO SPELLING MISTAKES!

One of the worst things you can do is have a spelling mistake if you CV. If you present a CV to a potential employer with a spelling error, what that shows them about you is that you have poor attention to detail. An article by The Independent revealed that candidates reduce their chances of getting a job by 50% with a spelling error, and around 67% of all CV's submitted for jobs have at least one mistake, and 50% have four or more! Don't be one of those people.

Around 67% of all CV's have a spelling error says Josie Cox from The Independent.

Who are you?

It is important to establish yourself in the best way possible to potential employers through your CV, so a few good questions to think about when writing a CV are; what kind of person am I? What am I good at? What do I enjoy? What is important to me? Before starting your CV, think about these questions and write a small personal statement about yourself to show the employer what your drives are and why you're best for this role to help with that small 8.8 second window!

To review

Overall this seminar has taught me a lot about the world outside of my degree and has given me some fantastic knowledge to improve my CV. It has inspired me to attend more employability-based seminars to improve my chances once I graduate. I hope you found this useful and can use my experience to build on your CV!

Some last key facts

• Some final pointers to make your CV flawless;

• Do not include your age or date of birth

• Include your degree, even if you haven't graduated yet

• Only include relevant grades, for your GCSE's include only Maths, English (and Welsh) unless others are relevant

• Give examples of your experiences in the work places

• Don't use more than 2 pages

• Include a covering letter where possible

• Try to draw out any relevant experience form your day-to-day life if you don't have any real work experience

Good luck!

Further reading: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/cv-writing-tips-how-to-biggest-mistake-a7801216.html https://www.prospects.ac.uk/

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/cvs-and-cover-letters/how-to-write-a-cv