Get your CV and job application
to the top of the pile
Michael Higgins
Career Coach and Author
www.thisismypath.co.uk
Plan for the session
CVs
• What is a CV for?
• Anatomy of a CV
• Good practice / leave off
• The profile
• The career history
Job Applications
• Why Job Applications?
• Practicalities
• STAR stories
Summary
• Gathering feedback
• Questions
www.thisismypath.co.uk
What is a CV for?
•
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Marketing document
Ticket to interview
Showcase
Confidence
Not
• Complete history
• Silver bullet
• Static
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Anatomy of a CV
Ju lie Jo n es
A ddre ss:
• Name and
contact details
• Profile
• Career History
• Education and
Qualifications
• Interests
(optional)
• 2 pages
2 3 The Lane s
Lo ndo n SE1 4 H G
Em ail: Julie .jo ne s@ m em ail.co m
M o bile: + 4 4 79 73 7 xxxxx
P ro file
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Skille d surgical nurse w ith o ve r 4 ye ars’ e xpe rie nce o f pro viding e xce lle nt nursing care to
patie nts w ith a range o f uro lo gical co nditio ns, and ove r 10 ye ars’ as a staff nurse.
K e e ps abre ast o f the late st re se arch and im plem e nt s change s to care base d o n curre nt be st
practice .
Supe rvise s and m e nto rs gro ups o f up to 10 care assistants and pre -re gistratio n stude nts.
C o ntribute s to w ide r hospital initiative s, no tably the w o rking gro up o n uro lo gy care pathw ays.
Loo king to dee pe n he r e xpe rie nce in a surgical nurse ro le in a te aching ho spital.
C aree r H isto ry
R ed H ospital
Surgical N urse (D grade )
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B ulle t po int 1
B ulle t p o int 2
Surgical N urse (E G rade )
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A pril 2 00 9 – Fe bruary 201 1
B ulle t po int 1
B ulle t po int 2
B lue H ospital
Staff N urse
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A pril 200 9 – Present
M arch 2 01 1 – P re se nt
Septem ber 1 99 9 – M arch 2 00 9
B ulle t po int 1
B ulle t po int 2
Ed u catio n /Q ualificatio n s
M o nth Yr
Yr - Yr
P ro fe ssio nal Q ualificatio n
B A in Subje ct
P ape rs pre se nte d
P e rson al / In te re sts
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www.thisismypath.co.uk
B ulle t po int 1
B ulle t po int 2
U nive rsity o f Tow n
Tips
Good practice
• Most recent role first, most
detail first
• Active language, third
person, tenses.
• Two line bullet points
• Specific where possible
• Achievements
• Explain gaps
• CPD
• F7 to spellcheck and get
two proofers to review
Leave off
• “Curriculum Vitae”
• Date of birth / age
• Marital status
• Nationality
• “References available on
request”
• Non relevant info
www.thisismypath.co.uk
Profile
• Skilled surgical nurse with over 4 years’ experience
of providing excellent nursing care to patients with a
range of urological conditions, and over 10 years’ as
a staff nurse.
• Keeps abreast of the latest research and implements
changes to care based on current best practice.
• Supervises and mentors groups of up to 10 care
assistants and pre-registration students.
• Contributes to wider hospital initiatives, notably the
working group on urology care pathways.
• Looking to deepen her experience in a surgical nurse
role in a teaching hospital.
www.thisismypath.co.uk
Staff Nurse, 24 bed surgical urology ward
• Planned, implemented and evaluated the care of a
ward of 24 patients with urological conditions.
• Led the nursing team and deputised for the manager
on a regular basis.
• Managed the ward’s stock control system and
implemented improvements in ordering.
• Organised the rotas for 20 staff.
• Wrote and ran a comprehensive induction
programme for new joiners.
• Collaborated with a multi disciplinary team to
devise a nutritional assessment tool.
www.thisismypath.co.uk
Job Applications – Why?
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Reduce bias
Consistent process
Match experience to job specification
Reduces workload for recruiter
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Practicalities
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Read job and person specification
Paper: photocopy and “rough”
Online: print and review
Note instructions: Black ink? Block capitals?
No gaps: write “Not applicable”
BE CONCISE
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STAR Stories
Tell me about a time when… [you introduced a
new procedure onto the ward]
 SITUATION context
10%
 TASK
what you needed to do 10%
 ACTIVITY
what you actually did 70%
 RESULT
how it ended up
10%
www.thisismypath.co.uk
Gather feedback
• People who know you in a professional
context.
• If not successful: ask for specifics
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Further Resources
• Articles on STAR at
www.nursing-standard.co.uk .
• Template CV at www.thisismypath.co.uk under
“Resources” plus a guidance document.
• Social media thingamabobs:– Like facebook.com/pitstopbook
– Follow @CareerMike
– Visit pitstopbook.blogspot.co.uk
• Questions?
www.thisismypath.co.uk