UDSU Online Students Union - The Home for UDSU Online University Students

“To defend and extend the rights of our students by proactively creating and maximising opportunities”

Once you’ve located a likely job or opportunity, you need to persuade someone that you’re the right person for it. In other words you need to sell yourself. Your CV:

There is no such thing as a perfect CV. Its chances of success or failure depend completely on how far it meets the criteria, background and bias of the person reading it – your prospective employee.

That’s why you will always need to adapt your CV to every employee you approach. It will then be focused on meeting their needs – not yours.

Your CV needs to encapsulate your up-to-date portfolio of skills and experience. It must capture you as a living and breathing person. And that means keeping it handy and up to date – not gathering dust in the back of a drawer. Don’t forget to keep reviewing and improving your CV, because like all career development, it needs to be dynamic, ongoing process.

For further help and assistance in creating a CV that sells click onto http://www.derby.ac.uk/careers/applying-for-jobs/cvs

Alongside your CV don’t over look the impact of a strong covering letter and application form. For further guidance on how to fill these out take a look at the following:

You

Did you realise you are being interviewed each day? Whenever you make a phone call, stop for a chat or work with a colleague, people are forming opinions of your skills.

All the time you have opportunities to build relationships and subtly sell your skills and qualities to the people around you. When you make a presentation, a speech or participate in a conference or seminar, you are raising your profile even higher.

Yet marketing or selling ourselves rarely comes naturally. Learning to sell yourself is a crucial skill and needs developing over time – so use every opportunity for practice.

At Interviews

Everything you learn about selling yourself in person will pay of when it comes to interviews. But there are also special skills you can develop to boost your performance.

You also need to ensure you’re thoroughly prepared and organised every time you go for an interview. For more information and preparation techniques check out: http://www.derby.ac.uk/careers/applying-for-jobs/interviews

Virtual interview practice is available at Connexions through the computer program ‘Kangaroo’.

Descriptive Words for your Skills Portfolio

People Skills

Teamworking: Supportive, facilitator, organised, co-ordinator, deliverer, imaginative, delegator, open-minded.
Leadership: Dynamic, motivator, team-builder, confidence booster, energetic, capable, outward-looking, accountable, visionary.
Interpersonal Skills: Listener, adviser, counsellor, politically aware, initiator, professional, co-operative, constructive, assertive.
Customer Orientation: Welcoming, friendly, caring, approachable, constructive, accommodating, tactful, diplomatic, tolerant.
Oral Communication: Educator, trainer, communicator, presenter, promoter, influencer, humorous, empathetic, telephone skills.
Foreign Language: Specific language skills, cultural awareness, international experiences, written and oral expertise, sensitivity.

Self-Reliance Skills

Self-Awareness/Confidence: Purposeful, focused, reflective, perceptive, honest, Self-belief, objective, realistic, balanced.
Self-Promotion Skills: Positive, persuasive, pleasant, proactive, persistent, ambitious, opportunistic, promoter.
Initiative And Proactivity: Resourceful, energetic, drive, flexible, self-starter, self-reliant, initiative, self-disciplined.
Networking Skills: Initiator, trustful, personable, relationship-builder, persistent, developer, resourceful, respected.
Willing To Learn: Motivated, adaptable, enthusiastic, active, keen learner, inquisitive, continual improver.
Action Planning: Decision-maker, planner, organised, negotiator, responsive, evaluator, forward thinking, target-driven, able to prioritise.

Generalist Skills

Problem-Solving: Achiever, successful, results-orientated, project management, creative, practical, logical, astute, agile mind.
IT/Computer Literacy: IT skills, software packages, common sense, task-orientated, progressive, specific, office skills, keyboard skills.
Flexibility: Multi-disciplinary, flexible, versatile, multi-skilled, willing, obliging, mobile, adaptable.
Numeracy Skills: Accurate, logical, problem-solver, detailed, methodical, consistent, quick thinker, analytical, thorough.
Business Acumen: Competitive, entrepreneurial, enterprising, commercial, foresight, budgeter, risk taker, effective written communication.
Commitment: Dedicated, trustworthy, conscientious, reliable, loyal, punctual, knowledgeable, experienced.

Specialist Skills

Company-Specific Skills: Specialist knowledge, e.g. product or market knowledge; specialist skills, e.g. IT packages; unique language skills, e.g. Chinese; specialist interpersonal skills, e.g. public speaker.
Technical Skills: Professional, sector-based or functional skills, e.g. journalism, research, aerospace engineering, tax accounting, counselling, creative design, economist, personnel, sales, marketing.
Understanding: Specialist understanding of an organisation’s goals, Commercial Goals priorities and future direction (combination of self- Of Company reliance, business acumen and people skills).