Apprenticeships at Sussex Coast College Hastings A Guide to Writing a CV Sponsored by
welcome AN INTRODUCTION TO APPRENTICESHIPS There s never been a better time to learn on the job With more competition for jobs than ever before, anyone with first-hand experience has the advantage. An Apprenticeship, training scheme or vocational learning course mixes on-the-job training with classroom learning, so you learn the exact skills needed to do a particular job and employers know that you have the experience and training to do it right. Whatever your interests; engineering, media, cookery - there s almost certainly an Apprenticeship or training opportunity out there to suit you. This guide is here to help you find the right one. Who s eligible? There aren t any set entry requirements for Apprenticeships - they re open to anyone currently not in full- time education or holding a university degree. The exact entry requirements for Apprenticeships will vary based on the employer, however, not everything rides on your academic achievements alone. Employers will value your enthusiasm and desire to learn, so practical skills and interest in your chosen area are very important. In order to apply, you should be: 16+ Committed Responsible Prepared for further study Able to use your own initiative Able to show you ve researched the area of work you want to do, and that you re the right person for the job. FINDING AN APPRENTICESHIP There are several ways to get an Apprenticeship: Search for APPRENTICESHIP vacancies online NAS website The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) look after Apprenticeships in England. You can register and search for Apprenticeship vacancies by postcode, keyword, job role, or learning provider. Visit their website at www.apprenticeships.org.uk and click on their link for Apprenticeships vacancies to see what s available. (Remember; this is a national site so check you are not looking outside of your local area unless you are prepared to travel! For more information on Apprenticeships please see our Apprenticeship Guide or visit www.sussexcoast.ac.uk/apprenticeships. 2
An Introduction to Apprenticeships cont. Finding an employer To find companies offering Apprenticeships, check your local job listings and Jobcentre plus. Local recruitment agencies might also be a good source of advice. Employer contact If you ve found an Apprenticeship within a company that particularly interests you then you can approach the employer directly. Before you contact them, it s a good idea to check the company s website as answers to the most common questions might be there. Remember that you ll be contacting the company as a potential employee so act professionally- first impressions are important. Already working? If you ve got a job, why not ask your employer if they d consider taking you on as an apprentice? Point them to the employer s section of the NAS website- www.apprenticeships.org.uk - for more information. Alternatively ask them to contact the Services to Business team at Sussex Coast College Hastings on 01424 458 317. Finding a job Job vacancies are advertised all over the place. The first place to go is your nearest Connexions centre, where an adviser will be able to help find suitable vacancies in your area. It s always worth asking friends and neighbours if they know of any opportunities. Other places to check are: Local newspaper listings Community notice boards Job Centre Plus (if you re 18+) Job search websites Employment agencies What to look for The best job you can find is one that has training opportunities- even if it pays less than another job without training. You ll make the money up in the long run as training that leads to a qualification will help you progress with your career. So when you re applying for a job, be sure to ask what training opportunities are available. Find out whether the training is run by the company ( in- house training ) or provided externally through a training provider or college. Getting the job Finding the Apprenticeship is exactly like looking for a job. You need to find a vacancy, send in an application and then win the employer over in the interview. To apply for any vacancy, you ll need to send in a CV and covering letter to the prospective employer. See the next section on how to write a CV. 3
Creating a Curriculum Vitae (CV) Almost every job requires you to provide a CV. Here are some pointers on how to create a good one: A curriculum vitae (CV) is a document you create to tell potential employers important facts about you. It s your opportunity to show them that you have the skills and experience to make you suitable for the vacancy you re applying for. It s extremely important that you produce a good CV, because it s your main tool for getting past the front door in the first place. If the employer likes what they see on paper, they ll probably ask you to come for an interview. Then you ll be in with a chance of persuading them to give you the job. If, on the other hand, you haven t put enough time or thought into your CV, you re not going to get very far. After all, if you haven t bothered to produce a decent CV, what evidence would the employer have that you might make a good employee? So, take your CV seriously. Here are a few pointers on how to create one. Top tips for a WINNING CV Presentation- Type up your CV using a clear font (e.g. Times New Roman or Arial). Make sure to keep the same size font throughout and avoid trying to do clever visual things: just make it clear and tidy. One-sided keep it to one piece of paper, two at the most. Employers are busy people and don t want your life story. Organise Put the different information under clear headings and make sure all the headings and sections have the same front style. Customize Tailor your CV to the job you re applying for. Use the job description to match the skills you include with the ones the employer is looking for. Check it Make sure there are NO mistakes- spelling, grammar, spacing, etc. Read it over several times and then ask someone else to check it. Show it to a careers adviser or a Connexions PA, who are both trained to help to help you do this kind of thing. Then check it again. Don t lie It s never worth lying on a CV. Don t even think about it. For more help with CVs and covering letters, visit www.greatcvs.co.uk Connexions and Next Steps also give tips for writing a CV on their websites. 4
The CV - CURRICULUM VITAE PERSONAL DETAILS Mobile Number: 0123456789 Home Number: 01424 222222 Email address: joesmith@1234h Mr Joe Smith 19, Any Street, Any Town East Sussex. TN29 9QL Date of Birth: 03/07/1992 Current Age: 18 Make sure your address and postcode are current and correct. If you move, you must remember to update your CV. If you have an answer phone message on your mobile or home number please make sure it is professional! If you change your number make sure you update your CV. Check your email address, is it acceptable to hand out to future employers? If you have a birthday whilst looking for a job, make sure you change your current age. Personal Statement I am hardworking, trustworthy and always do a job to the best of my ability. I am a good listener and will always ask for help if I need it. I enjoy meeting new people and am very interested in learning more about this trade. EDUCATION Any Street Primary School 1997-2001 Any Street Secondary School 2001-2006 Maths GCSE B English GCSE C History GCSE B French GCSE B Any Street College 2006-2009 Technical Certificate Level 2 Plumbing - PASS Key Skills Level 2 - PASS WORK EXPERIENCE I am currently working at Argos in the Ware-house Department where I am responsible for checking stock. I have been a volunteer coach with the local Football team for the past 3 years. Whilst I was at school I had a paper-round for the Local newsagents. I spent a term with a Any Street builders doing work Experience. I spent time in the yard and also out with the builder. You need to write about yourself and this includes any skills or personal qualities that you have. Ask people close to you to tell you what your personal qualities are! You need to provide details of your school/college history and most importantly your exam results. If you have a qualification that is relevant to the job or Apprenticeship you are applying for then make sure it is included! If you are still at school then note your predicted grades, and put predicted by them so the employer knows what they are. YOU MUST NOT LEAVE OUT ANY POOR GRADES, THE EMPLOYER WILL QUESTION WHY YOU HAVE DONE THIS! This is the part where you include any part-time and fulltime work you have had or are currently doing. Make sure you note any voluntary work as well as any unpaid work experience that you might have done with the school or college. You can include a short sentence with each one which briefly describes your responsibilities and the skills you used. 6
The CV - CURRICULUM VITAE CURRICULUM VITAE - MR JOE SMITH PAGE 2 If you need to go onto another page make sure you put your name in case it is separated from the front page. INTERESTS I really enjoy keeping fit and have been playing and coaching with the local football team for the past 3 years. I also enjoy playing cricket and tennis. I enjoy playing computer games, socialising with my friends and going to the local cinema. REFERENCES Mr Jo Bloggs Manger of Argos Tel: 0112 727272 email: jblogs@argos Mrs D Someone, Head Teacher of Any Street Secondary Tel: 0112 333333 email: Dsomeone@anystreet.gov This section shows that you have outside interests. Include something you enjoy or have achieved. Don t make things up as you may be questioned at interview! References are people who employers contact to find out about your character and whether you d be a good employee. You usually need two. Teachers and former employers are the most suitable, but you must ask these people if they are happy to be used beforehand. IMPORTANT REMINDERS Always spell-check your work to make sure you have got everything written correctly. (Check the spelling of any current employers name and company details etc to make sure they are correct. Employers do not like to see any unnecessary errors on a professional document like a CV. Check any phone numbers or email addresses. If the employer cannot reach you or anyone else you have put as a reference they may decide not to proceed with your application! Ask someone you know to check your CV as well, sometimes other people can spot an error that you may have missed! (A teacher or college tutor will help you with this). Save your CV safely in a computer file so that you can come back to it to make alterations or changes. 7
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Covering letters Saying hello, this is who I am to potential employers Your covering letter is just as important as your CV: it gives you the chance to go into some detail about why you re applying for the job and it s often the first thing employers will look at. If you do a good job of selling yourself in your covering letter it can really set you apart from other applicants. Cover yourself Like your CV, your covering letter needs to be really well put together and presented. Any mistakes or shabbiness won t tell the employer anything good about you. Here are some tips for making a good impression: Address the covering letter to the person who is handling the recruitment. If their name isn t on the advert, call the company and find out. Always type the covering letter unless otherwise instructed. Use the same font and paper as your CV. Stick to four or five paragraphs. Though your covering letter should be formal, don t try to fill it with long words for no reason. Check, check and check again Send the application in before the deadline. Again, visit www.greatsvs.co.uk for more help. What to include 1. Start off by stating what position you are applying for and where you saw the vacancy advertised. 2. Explain why you are interested in this type of work, and show that you understand what the job is likely to involve. 3. Show that you ve researched the organisation- research equals enthusiasm in the eyes of the employer. 4. Explain why you are suitable for the position. Education, experience and skills can all be important. Try to include some practical examples where possible. 5. Let the employer know when you re available to attend interview. 6. Finish positively. 9
Make Sure your home address is correct and in full. Mr Joe Smith 19, Any Street, Any Town, East Sussex. TN29 9QL 27 th January 2011 Mr M Jones Recruitment Manager, Any Town Plumbing, 1 High Street, Any Town, East Sussex. TN33 7RM Dear Mr Jones, Check you have the correct title of the person you are writing to i.e. Mr, Mrs, Miss Etc and that the address is correct. If you have a name this must be used, otherwise use Dear Sir/madam. Re: Vacancy Plumbing Apprenticeship This lets the employer know what you are writing to him about. I wish to apply for the Plumbing Apprenticeship, which is currently advertised in the local paper. I first became interested in plumbing when I did my work experience with a local builder. I then discussed this with my careers adviser at school and decided that the plumbing course at the local college would be a good route for me to take and which I passed in order to further my career. I enjoy working with and meeting new people and feel this would be a good starting point for a future career in plumbing. I have had a variety of experience which has required me to work as part of a team and deal directly with the public and have found my 3 years experience with the local football team particularly valuable in teaching me the importance of keeping me set on goals. I will be available for interview at any time, apart from the 12-24 February when I have arranged a holiday in Spain. I look forward to hearing from you shortly. Yours sincerely [Sign here] Joe Smith If you know the name use Yours Sincerely, if you have used Dear Sir/ Madam on the letter then you need to use Yours faithfully. Always read your letter through to make sure it makes sense and that the spelling and grammar are correct. Ask someone to read it through for you. Remember the details in your CV should be included in your covering letter if they are relevant. Explain why you feel you are suitable for the job. Have you had any experience that might Let the employer know in advance if there are any dates that you might not be available for interview. Always finish your letter on a positive note. 10
Offered an interview? Great. Now it s time to impress them face to face First things first Preparation Write down the time and date of the interview and commit it to memory. Being late or getting the wrong date is very inadvisable. Research the company. Visit their website, hunt for news articles on them and make a list of questions to ask at the interview. It shows that you have a genuine interest in the firm. Make sure you know what the actual job is. It s surprising how many people don t read through the job description properly- take note of all the skills mentioned and make sure yours match up. Call the company before the interview to check whether you need to prepare anything in advance. Ask yourself some questions: Why do you want this job? Why they should select you? What are your strengths and weaknesses? They re all things your interviewer may well ask you. The interview Unless the interviewer tells you otherwise, it s best to dress smartly for interviews. Have breakfast to avoid embarrassing stomach rumbles during the interview. Take a copy of your CV with you. Getting there Make sure you know how to get to the venue, and how long it takes. Allow plenty of travel time- check for any planned disruptions. If necessary, check that the venue has disabled access and tell the company if you need any extra support needs. Smile and be as natural as you can. Sell yourself: let the interviewer know what your strengths and achievements are. Listen to what the interviewer asks you. Feel free to think about what you say before you speak, and avoid giving one-word answers. Ask questions- it shows you re keen, and is a great way to find out more about the job. First impressions Don t forget to turn off your mobile. Even if you are not feeling confident, fake it. Take some deep breaths, straighten up and pretend you are calm. A good handshake: not to weak, not too hard. Sit up straight, look the interviewer in the eye, and don t fidget, fiddle or chew gum. 11