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SETU Students Career Support
Effective CVs and Applications
CV Checklist PDF 165.97 KB
Sample cover letter PDF 71.41 KB
How to structure your cover letter PDF 166.33 KB
Creating a CV using AI - a cautionary note PDF 106.288 KB
  1. Read the job description - A CV should always be oriented towards the job you are applying to. Research the job description paying attention to the knowledge, skills and attributes the employer is looking for. If there is no job description use gradireland.com or prospects.ac.uk to get an occupational description of that type of role.
  2. Think about your ability to do the job - Draw on your experience from your studies, work, and extra-curricular activities/hobbies, volunteer work.
  3. Tailor your CV to the requirements of the role - Highlight the main requirements of the job in the profile section at the top of your CV, also in the modules you pick out to include from your studies, and in those duties at work that would relate to the job description i.e. Interacting with customers, training new staff members (use action words for each duty).
  4. Show impact - Include any evidence of things that you have done that had a positive and measurable (if possible) impact in your work, studies, volunteer or sporting experience.
  5. Include any Achievements/Awards/Recognition - Even if it seems the achievements are not relevant to the job description. They show performance, and that you are diligent in what you do.
  6. Good References - Think about who would give you a good reference. One academic, one work referee or two work referees.

Further information and advice

 

Preparation

  • Find out what the employer wants - read the job description and personal specification to find out what skills and experience they are looking for. Research the organisation for more clues about the kind of applicant who would be successful.
  • Gather Your Information: Collect all necessary details, including academic achievements, employment history, and contact information for your referees.

Write your application

Read the application form right through before you write anything. Draft your answers first, before you start filling in the form. Make your answers relevant, interesting and personal.

Competency Questions

Answer Competency Questions (STAR Technique): For questions asking for examples of skills (e.g., problem-solving, teamwork), use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) structure.

  • Action and Result should take up the majority of your answer.
  • Focus on your personal contribution ("I did X," not "we did X").

Be Specific and Concise: Avoid vague language or "waffling." Stick to word limits and use short sentences/paragraphs, bullet points, and headings to make the application easy to read.

Expressing your suitability for the job

  • Focus on Value and Achievements: Don't just list duties; describe your accomplishments and the value you brought to previous roles. Use strong action verbs (e.g., "created," "delivered," "achieved").
  • Use Keywords: Incorporate keywords from the job posting into your application. Many systems filter applications based on these terms.

Presentation and Final Checks

  • Proofread Meticulously: Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors are fatal. Read through your application several times and ask a friend or career advisor to check it too.
  • Professionalism: Use a professional email address and maintain a clean online presence (especially LinkedIn).
  • Follow Instructions: Adhere to all application instructions exactly (e.g., file type, email subject line, required attachments).
  • Show Enthusiasm: Let your genuine passion and interest for the role and the company shine through.

Further Information

 

  1. Typos or spelling errors in the CV and cover letter
  2. Poor formatting
  3. Not including technical skills-related to your experience and your course
  4. CV too generic - Applicant may not be using the keywords and phrases from the job posting or job description. Customise your CV for every position (using the job specs) but please do not just copy and paste phrases
  5. Not easy to navigate – information is all over the place
  6. Overusing underlining and italics, please just use bold for their headings
  7. Lying or Exaggerating
  8. Ignoring gaps in their work history
  9. Students using long sentences / phrases such as “My duties included…” – instead, use action words such as organised, managed, created
  10. Overuse of the word “I”
  11. Putting a photo on their CV

For further information and advice