Create And Update Your Curriculum Vitae,Resume And Cover Letter

Objective Of The Course:  By the end of this lesson, Intrapreneurs will be able to sucessfully :identify the correct format of writing a CV and a resume and also learn the importance of writing a covering letter.

 Curriculum  Vitae And Resume

Intrapreneurs has a crucial role to play in the organizational success, as he/she has to ensure that the organization’s goals and vision are met. So whilst preparing a CV/resume, one should make sure that it projects the right image and role which are desirable for the any strategist position.

In every organization, the role of intrapreneurs is defined differently by their mindset and skills. It is defined according to the needs of the organization to become successful at that point of time. The role of an intrapreneur t is defined differently as per companies in different type of industries. For example, the role of a digital strategist in a company under the IT industry would be different from the role of a digital strategist in a company under the entertainment and media industry.

Digital strategist is a like a link between different specialized departments and customers. For example, one of the important roles of the digital strategist is to act as a link between the marketing department and customer. The digital strategist converts the complex technicalities of the product into simple language and explains it accordingly to the customers. The following are steps in creating a Cv/resume;

1. Keep it Simple, Clean & Lean

Creating a clear and easy-to-read CV/resume will help you appear like the organised digital professional you are. Your best bet? Ensure that your formatting and font type is clean and consistent. The focus should be on you, your experience and your message – so you need to avoid any messy design elements that can distract your reader (your potential hiring manager or recruiting consultant). Break up your CV/resume with crisp bullet points, stand-out hyperlinks and bold headings.

A  Head of Recruitment and HR of a multinational said, “I think the biggest mistake is making them too ‘busy’ looking. Timelines and infographics just put me off when I am reading a Cv/Resume. I want to be able to see in 30 seconds the key skills of the applicant and the easiest way to do that is in a brief profile. The biggest mistake is making them too Hollywood…”

2. Proofread, Spell Check & Edit

In normal CV/resume land typos are a big no no. In the digital world? They are simply unforgivable. In a digital world where communication is key, grammar should be flawless, sentences should be sharp and punchy and your core message should be immediately identifiable.

You wouldn’t dream of updating your website’s copy or sending out a newsletter without getting a colleague to proofread it first as it would reflect badly on your brand. In a similar vein, typos and inconsistencies on your CV/Resume reflect badly on your personal brand. Don’t let them happen.A poorly put together CV/Resume is a bad reflection on the work the candidate will do in the job.”

3. Know Your Value Proposition & Communicate it Clearly

Your mission statement is one of the most important things you will write on your CV/resume– think of it like your personal tagline. This is the first impression the recruiter will form of you – your one chance to communicate your unique selling point like the digital superstar you know you are.

So how do you showcase your unique selling point in a line or two? By getting a little creative. If you’re a content writer, for example, don’t just say, ‘I’m a great writer.’ Boring. Predictable. Next. Think, instead, of what you can achieve with your words. Can you influence an audience to act or can you make them think of a brand in a new light? Let the hiring manager know the true value you can bring to their brand.

Top Tip: Invest time into crafting a mission statement that sets you apart from other candidates.

4. Tailor Your Content to Your Target Audience

Do your research and take a look at your favourite brand’s content and tone of voice before applying for that dream position (the same way you’d research your target audience). The hiring manager will not only be searching for an experienced candidate who can handle the specifications of the role – they will also be looking for the best fit for their company. How do you prove you’re a good fit?

These days most job specifications will reflect the tone of the company. You should highlight keywords and phrases they use and see where they can fit into your CV/resume’s story. For example, if they’re looking for B2B experience you could highlight your B2B achievements throughout, specifically marking them as B2B. Similarly, if they’re looking for someone fun you should have a little fun with your cover letter (while keeping it professional, of course).

Tailor your CV/resume to the specific role you are applying for, mirror the language of the job specification – identify the key words in the job spec and throw them into your CV/resume. The recruiter is likely to have written the job specification so when they see the same language they use in your application they will automatically pay attention.”

 

5. Market Yourself Like You’d Market a Brand

A  CV/resume is unique in that it gives your hiring manager a glimpse into your ability to do your job. He/she will think, “Well if they can’t market themselves what hope do they have marketing our company?” You can view this as a challenge or you could look at it as a unique opportunity to showcase your talents.

We’d advise taking the second approach. Here’s how: Use hyperlinks to link to work you have done (eg: websites, social media pages, blogs or any quality online work you can showcase). And remember: the screening process will continue well beyond those two perfectly crafted pages of your CV/resume. Now is a good time to tweet about industry news and contribute to relevant LinkedIn discussions. Yes, that recruiter will Google your name so give him/her something positive to find.

For example ,You intend to work in social media marketing – it’s your job to capture the attention of your audience on all platforms and you most likely do this very well for the company you work for – make sure you apply this thought process when writing your CV/resume – if you market yourself well on paper, this could seal the deal to you securing an interview.”

Cecilia continues, “Linkedin & Twitter are an extension of your CV/resume. Make sure pages are current, up-to-date and professional as employers and recruiters will check out your profiles on social media also.”

6. Get Specific, Name It & Number It

When writing your  CV/resume  you’ll have to get specific about the successes you’ve achieved for previous brands. Think in terms of percentages, metrics, KPIs, figures and measurable outcomes. This will show potential employers that you have a firm grasp of the knowledge needed to create, run and measure a successful campaign.

For example, if you’ve managed to reduce the cost per lead of a campaign put a name on it, number it (what percentage did you reduce the cost by?), add the time period you achieved it in and add a few words about how you achieved it/why it was important for the company. Do this for all of your achievements keeping each point short, concise, to-the-point and bulleted.

.In digital, ensure you highlight the packages you have used (eg Google Adwords, WordPress, Google Analytics, HooteSuite, , etc.).”

“CV/resumes don’t have to include everything you have ever done but should be relevant edited highlights of your career to date and totally focused on achievements. Think of the CV/resume as a sales tool to get you the interview so make sure everything on your CV/resume is something you would be delighted to talk about in the interview.”

A good job can better your life. Find out how to write a cover letter that would help you land the job of your dream.

How to write a cover letter.

What is a cover letter anyways?

It is a thing that couples your CV. Surely you can send just the resume, but many companies make it a requirement to get your cover letter, too. This is a type of official letter. If you send the job application via mail or bring it in person, you put the cover letter on top of your resume. If you email it, you can post the cover letter text into the email text and attach the CV.

This letter is your advertising platform.  It is where you promote yourself to the manager. This letter should not retell the resume, but rather complete it. View it as your first personal communication with the employer or the HR executive. It’s like a suit that presents you. First impressions are most lasting, people say. It is true.

Once a person reviews your cover letter, it may either motivate them to check your CV, or to forget about it. Writing a cover letter that works takes time and skill. These 10 tips would guide you along the way and serve as a cover letter sample.

How to write a good cover letter: the 10 tips

1. Keep it short 
   What should be the size of the cover letter? By all means it should not go over 1 page. Do not even attempt to put too much text in it. Do you enjoy reading long ads? Probably no. Cover letter is your advertising appeal and call to action. It has to be short and catchy. Its point is to cause the reader to study your CV or to give you a call.
2. Pick the right style 
   Writing style is important. It could be an official one. It means you use formal language and style to compile it. It should not hold any jokes, funny stories or other similar stuff. Such letters are the best for finance, engineering, bookkeeping and other types of firms. They highlight your professionalism and showcase your understanding of what is proper.
   However, if you are applying for a more creative job (designer, Content Creator, SEO manager, etc.), such formalism may become a disadvantage. Again the main aim of the cover letter is to showcase how you fit the position. A creative style letter can contain a story, a joke or some questions. It should hold more of your character and creativity.
   Now, there are also diverse ways to format the letter.
   You can use bullet points to layout all your strong points; you can use a table to parallel the job description with your knacks.
   Or, you could just make paragraphs of the text (only make them brief and easy to read). As you see, this is a sample cover letter created after the bullets’ style.
3. Study the job description  
   A good idea would be to use bits of job description in your cover letter. Read it carefully. Think of how your skills, experience of education match some of the requirements pointed out there. This could help you to produce the most relevant into in the letter.
   However, there is one commonly made mistake that appears when writing a cover letter. People tend to copy and paste the description there. See, the employer already knows what’s in the description. Your purpose is not to remind him that, but rather to indicate you being the perfect match for it.
   So, what do you do? Write up a list of bullet points on your strongest skills to match the description. What you can also do is to make a small table: 1st column would contain the description part and the second one – your skills to match it.
4. Get personal
   Avoid using “to whom it may concern” phase in your cover letter. It’s a relict. Today you can easily dig out names and other information on people. Most companies have their fan pages on Facebook or other social media. Take the time to find out who you are going to be contacting.
   It is significant, because this is how you show you really care. That is for one. Plus, you imply that you are tech and internet savvy. You obviously did your homework. In many firms they like it when the applicants go online and review the company, its web site or other resources.
   Just think about it. It sounds much nicer to call a person by the name or at least to direct your letter to a person in the due position (Mr. Abedayo, senior HR manager, so and so company director, etc.) than to write it To Whom It May Concern. So, make sure to dig out the needed info and use it in your letter.
5. Mention a referrer
   If someone from that company referred you to the job opening, mention them. This could also be a friend of yours, who is the acquaintance of your possible employer. Tell about them. This should be done within first 1-2 phrases of the letter. This would add you credibility. Of course, this referrer should have a good status in the company.
6. Summarize your career
   Make a very brief overview of your career and pick only the bits that are most relevant to this job position. All the rest of it the employer can find in your CV. Do not duplicate the content of  the resume in an application letter.
7. Tell them, why you want them  
   Employment should be an even trade. You have something to offer, but you also want something in exchange. A good company would always want to deliver value to its workers. Smart people understand they cannot grow by only taking and consuming.
   So, now your goal is to utter what you can offer the firm, but also what you want to get from them. What is it that makes you want to work on staff with them? Tell them about their prestige reputation and your dream to be on staff with them. List some other reasons why this job is so important for.
   May be it has been your dream from the early years to work for them or in that precise area of proficiency. You maybe you just love some things about the company. Give some valid reasons why you would appreciate this employment.
   Finding the right people could be challenging. Any enterprise owners wants to make sure that once they find a great employee, they keep them for good. If you have some strong motivators to work with the company, the chances you going away are minimized.
8. Present your value 
   Now, this may sound a bit like an US approach to business, but it works well, when you learn how to write a cover letter in Nigeria, too. You need to know your own worth. General stuff, such as “I’m cool or I am an able person” does not really work.
   See, if you do not know your own qualities and abilities how are they assumed to know you match the job? So, define what you can do and present your value.  For example, such things as: I am a great team worker or I can write 5 reports a day is something these people are looking for.
   They want no general stuff. And they want the relevant stuff. Some people make a mistake. They think they “boast”, when they list their strong sides and abilities. It’s not true. If you know your worth, you can sell yourself well and highlight all the benefits you have to offer. This is the type of people that gets good jobs.
9. Proofread 
   Embargo the typos. They have no right to be in your cover letter or CV. They make it look very unprofessional. If you do not care enough to create a quality product (your cover letter) for yourself, would you care to deliver quality to the company? I guess, not.
   It’s a good idea to get someone proofread these documents for you. You may hire a person to do so. Or, you may just get a bunch of friends to review it and give you a piece of their mind.
10. Let them know how and when to keep in touch 
    Make sure to let the person know, when you are going to give them a call or to come over. And, be sure to show up on time. Sometimes asking them to give you a call would reduce your odds for success. After all, what do you have to lose, if you give them a call? Even if they say “no”, you get a chance to ask “why”.

How to send a cover letter

Now you know how to write a cover letter for a job application. Sending one in the right way is also important. There are three ways to go about the task:

• Email it
  This is the fastest one. You may attach your resume to your email. But sending a cover letter as an attachment is a bad idea. See, download or opening it takes few extra seconds. Not everyone is willing to spend them on your letter.
  Instead you can just copy and paste it to the email text. This way people would not have the bother of opening it. They get it right in front of their eyes. This boosts the chances of it being read. See, the purpose of the cover letter is to attract their attention and make them review the CV or call you. This is the way it works the best.
• Send via mail
  XIt’s the COVER letter. So it should be placed on top of your CV. It should be the first thing the receiver see, when they open that envelop. If you send it in printed version, make sure to use great quality paper and printing device.
  You may use light color paper for it to be catchier. If you send a creative style letter, you may use some unusual paper (handmade, scented, decorated).
• Deliver it
  You may take your documents with you, when you go to the interview. Or, if the job opening is a very special one, you may deliver them in person. Use a file instead of the envelope to make it more presentable.

Now you know all the ins and outs of how to write a cover letter. This is not a document you write once and for all. It has to be tailored for every job application. However putting together a core is a good idea.
You can just tune it up a bit later.

Task of The Day: Create your Cv/resume and Cover Letter to apply for a digital role in Google.