Session 1

Your personal brand & CV writing

Setting the scene…

A little bit of fun….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBqEsr79Jr8

Setting the scene…

• Your brand - why is this important?

• Your marketability

• Your CV

• Cover letters

• Questions…

Your brand – why is this important

“Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.

They are the words that are invoked when people think of you - your skills, values, and talents.

Your brand is what people can expect from you” Jeff Bezos.

Your brand – why is this important

• Honour your commitments.

• Always deliver the best work.

• Be ethical.

• Dress appropriately.

• Manage your online presence.

Your brand

• We do judge a book by it’s cover…..

Your brand

77% of potential employers used search engines like Google to screen their

candidates.

35% of these employers eliminated a candidate from consideration based on

information they found online.

Your marketability

What does STAYING RELEVANT mean?

• As you approach the job market ensure that you are familiar with the following:

- Demands – industry & skills.

- Trends and developments.

- Where possible align your skillset and qualifications accordingly….

Your marketability

• You need to be aware of the direction of future jobs and what will remain to exist. Remember we a encountering new job titles…

• Stay informed – read, expand your interests.

• Increase your knowledge.

• Improve your emotional and cognitive skills.

Your marketability

The Future of Jobs

Fourth Industrial Revolution

Your marketability

• Psychology - Industrial and Organizational Psychology i.e. workplace diversity, Psychometrist, Forensic Psychologist

• Social Worker - Career Advisor, Coach, Life Coach

• Political Science - Social Media Manager, Marketing Research Analyst

• Archaeology - Tourism, Researcher, Archivist

Your marketability

The Hottest Sectors for Launching a Business in 2018

https://www.inc.com/emily-canal/best-industries-2018.html?cid=nl029week11day13&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inc%20Must%20Reads&position=1&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=130320

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Your brand – why is this important

“It doesn’t matter if you are male or female,

what you choose to wear can affect not just your own self image or what others think of you,

but also the way in which people behave towards you.”

Your CV

“There is no right or wrong way to write a CV

but there are some common sections you should cover…”

Your CV

“Your CV is not about you – its about the ‘buyer’….”

• A recruiter only spends a few seconds looking at a CV.

• Important sections:

• Professional Profile

• Achievements

• Skills

• Career Summary ???

Your CV

• Customise your CV and Cover Letter (if applicable).

• Include volunteer experience.

• Your application is how well suited you are to the job description against other applicants.

• Careers24 reported the average number of applicants per job post overall was 27.

Always spell check!

Your CV

• Keep your CV simple.

▪ Highlight each technical skills.

▪ Recruiters often screen based on the skills & competencies.

▪ Example: Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, agile, accountable, leadership potential.

▪ Take into consideration projects you have worked on….

• List skills in the order of relevance to your objective and the job, rather than

alphabetically.

• Analytical, problem solving, attention to detail…

Common CV mistakes…

• A generic CV.

• Information relevance….

• Forgetting your achievements…

• CV format – layout, presentation, poor spelling and grammar.

• Incorrect dates and gaps in the CV.

• Not describing duties and achievements in properly.

• No/ incorrect contact details.

• Less rambling - to the point one-liner’s.

• CV is too long or too short.

• Not updated….

CV template - example

• Next we take a practical ‘walk-through’ a CV template which intends to provide some ‘food for thought’ and guidelines to help you construct or update your CV.

• An example of a MS Word template is available separately.

Your CV

Cover letters – why?

• To build a bridge between yourself & the hiring manager.

• It shows you have something to say, that you know about the job and are interested in

working for the company.

• Every cover letter you write should be tailored to the job you’re applying for — just like

your CV.

Cover letters – why?

• Fewer applicants are submitting cover letters – less of a requirement.

• Recruiters generally don’t read cover letters and hiring managers don’t have time.

• Focus your time & energy on your Resume.

Please be aware of SCAMS…

Report all suspected

scams to Scambuster:

www.scambuster.co.za

Contact details

Please get in touch if you would like to discuss one-on-one coaching.

Elise Ronquest

Outplacement | Job Readiness & Career Transition Specialist

Mobile: 083 651 6589

Email: elise@careermanagementconsulting.co.za

Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/elise-ronquest-93a95b15