HOW to WRITE CVs and RESUMES

and
HOW to COPE with JOB INTERVIEWS

Contents

1. Your CV /Resume 2
1.1. CVs and RESUMES - GENERAL 2
1.2. COMMON MISTAKES 3
1.3. RECENT GRADUATES3
1.4. TRANSLATING NAMES of INSTITUTIONS 4
1.5. GRADES 4

2. Covering Letter – General Practical Tips 5

3. Job Interview – A Few General Practical Tips 6

4. Difficult Questions at the Job Interview

and a Few Related Tips 7
4.1. Interviewers need to see evidence 7
4.2. Look at the following typical “difficult questions” 8

5. Mini - interview: Your Background and Job 9

6. Mini - interview: The Job Itself 10

7. Mini - interview: Your Management Abilities 12

8. Mini - interview: Using a Case – Study 13

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1. Your CV /Resume

1.1. CVs and RESUMES - GENERAL

Study these points about CVs (European Style) and Resumes (American Style).
Remember that there are no fixed rules and that it depends much on national culture
and /or personal preference.
• EMPLOYMENT (WORK HISTORY) comes before EDUCATION, and the list
starts with the most recent job /course first.
• Use short sentences and bullets and leave a lot of white space.
• Use action verbs (i.e. coordinated …, negotiated …, supervised …).
• Use real results and figures (increased sales by x%, made savings of $y, etc.).
• European-style CVs generally read like continuous text and are ca. two pages
long. They often include a short section on INTERESTS, SPORTS etc. and sometimes
give the names of REFEREES (people who will give you references).
• American-style Resumes are more like notes, are only one page long and do not
usually contain sections on INTERESTS, SPORTS and REFERENCES.
• Some people like to mention their personal features. The following words are
typical: highly motivated, creative, friendly and sociable, perform well under pressure,
good at taking initiatives, good at making decisions, efficient, work well in a team,
excellent communication skills.
• In some cases, CVs /Resumes come as templates (R: formulare-tip). Templates
are very pragmatic because they require very specific information.
• Certain institutions may ask for more specific details. E.g. a CV for the UN
must also contain one’s citizenship, nationality, marital status (married or single),
number of children, computer skills, foreign languages (understood, spoken, written),
next-to kin (R: ruda cea mai apropiata), etc.

1.2. COMMON MISTAKES

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Common mistakes include:
• Using too many long sentences rather than short sentences with action verbs.
• Focusing on SKILLS and /or ABILITIES (i.e. what you can do or could do in
the future) and forgetting ACHIEVEMENTS (i.e. concrete things that you have
already done).
• Including irrelevant information, e.g. short jobs /courses, lists of conferences,
etc. (N.B. There are no fixed rules to make clear-cut differences between relevant and
irrelevant information. This very much depends on the type of job /course you are
applying for: what is relevant for Job A may prove irrelevant for job B. This explains
why a CV or a Resume has to be restructured and rewritten on each occasion.
• Making the document too long: two pages for the CV or one page for the
Resume is usually the limit.
• Stating your current salary.
• Using too many character styles with the word processor. This becomes
confusing.

1.3. RECENT GRADUATES

If you are a recent graduate you must know that at your stage most CVs /Resumes
look very similar to an employer. For your CV /Resume to stand out you should
consider the following:
• SKILLS and ABILITIES. Think of occasions in your life where you “resolved a
problem”, “set objectives to achieve a goal”, “met a challenge”, “worked in a team”,
“became involved in a project”, etc.
• ACHIEVEMENTS. Even if you have just finished university, you can still
think of concrete things you have done in the areas of project work, trips abroad,
membership of a Students Association, sports, interests, hobbies.
• TRAVEL and SPORTS. Employers like to see:
• travel > showing independence, self-confidence, open-mindedness,
adaptability and good communication skills;

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 • participation in sports > showing self-discipline, reliability,
sociability and teamwork abilities.

1.4. TRANSLATING NAMES of INSTITUTIONS

1) First step: Give the real, ROMANIAN, name of the educational establishment
and of the qualification.
2) Second step: Following the real name, give the official English translation in
square brackets. (N.B. The official English translation may not always coincide with a
simple word-for-word translation of the Romanian name. The official, international,
name of a local institution is established upon specific standards & international
mutual agreements between institutions worldwide. These names are listed in special
Indexes, available at the institution in question, at the Ministry of Education and, more
recently, on the Internet, too.)
Examples:
• A high-school graduate from Colegiul National Sfantul Sava in 2004
will write: 2000-2004 Colegiul National “Sfantul Sava”, Bucuresti,
Bacalaureat 2004 [“Saint Sabbah” National College, Bucharest, high-
school graduate 2004].
• Ministerul Educatiei, Cercetarii, Tineretului si Sportului, Romania
will rewrite as [(the) Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sport,
Romania].
• Centrul Local de Resurse si Asistenta Educationala al Judetului
Vrancea will translate as [Vrancea County’s Educational Assistance and
Resources Local Center].
• Asociatia Studentilor din Universitatea Bucuresti (ASUB) becomes
[(the) University of Bucharest Students’ Association (UBSA)].

1.5. GRADES

Every country has its own grading system (e.g. Romania: 1-10; Hungary: 1-5, France:
1-100, Great Britain and USA: levels A-D, other countries use % or indicate the
range, etc.). For this reason, the procedure will be similar with that indicated in
section 1.4., namely:

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1) First step: Put your real grade, according to the Romanian domestic grading
system.
2) Second step: Write in round brackets the official equivalent of that grade,
according to the standards of the recipient country.
Example:
A 10 in the Romanian grading system rewrites as 100 in France, A in the UK and
the US, 5 in Hungary or 100% in other systems.

2. Covering Letter – General Practical Tips

A CV /Resume is usually accompanied by one or two Reference Letters and a

Covering Letter. The Covering Letter may follow the pattern below:
1) The subject of your letter, written as a heading at the top of your letter, e.g.
“Vacancy for a Marketing Director”.
2) Formal greeting phrase: “Dear Sir(s)”, “Dear Madam(s)”, “Dear Mr Brown”,
“Dear Ms Chambers”, “To whom it may concern”, etc.
3) Introduce yourself shortly.
4) Mention the purpose of your letter (if you saw the advert in a newspaper or
journal, say which one). E.g. “I would like to apply for the position of marketing
director advertised in yesterday’s issue of Business Exquisite.”
5) Give your background and experience shortly. Emphasize why you are suitable
for the job. Refer to your abilities and achievements, preferably linking directly to
things mentioned in the advert.
6) Ask the reader to look at your CV /Resume and your reference letters, and focus
on one or two key points.
7) Close by thanking them for taking the time to read your CV /Resume and say
when you are available for interview (if only to emphasize that you are available
anytime).

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8) Formal closing phrase: “Yours truthfully”, “Yours faithfully”, “Yours sincerely”,
followed by your full name [i.e. first name (R: nume de botez) and surname /family
name (R: nume de familie)].

3. Job Interview – A Few General Practical Tips

Work with a partner and discuss the following “tips” for a successful interview. N.B.
Although they may seem commonplace and boring, experience shows that many
interviewees neglect them or don’t treat them seriously enough.
1) Before the interview, ask a friend to ask you typical questions. In particular,
practise talking about your strong points using concrete examples from your
current job.
2) Before the interview, write to the people who will give you references. Make
sure you do that in time. Remember: some of them may be busy persons, not so
easily available. So don’t leave everything to the last minute.
3) Arrive 30 minutes early on site and 10 minutes early for the interview. Use the
time to walk in the fresh air.
4) When greeting the interviewer, smile, make eye contact and shake hands firmly.
5) Your clothes, shoes and hair need to be tidy and above your normal standard.
6) Before you start, give your CV /Resume to your interviewer to look through.
7) Keep your answers short, simple and relevant – as you would in other business
situations.
8) Interviews are a dialogue so don’t talk for more than 60-70% of the time. If the
interviewer wants more information, let him /her ask for it.
9) Occasionally, take the initiative and ask questions yourself to show you are
interested.
10) Be enthusiastic (but don’t exaggerate!) and positive. Try to look as relaxed and
natural as possible.
11) Never contradict, interrupt or argue with the interviewer.

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 12) Very important: never criticize your current or previous employers during the
interview.
13) Don’t be submissive. Be polite and treat the interviewer with respect, but as an
equal.
14) Don’t ask questions about your future salary. If possible, wait for the
interviewer to mention it. If not, ask for higher than you expect. If in doubt, ask for
your current salary plus 15%.
15) Immediately after the interview make notes. Write down: names, details about
the organization of the company /institution and especially company- or
institution-related key words (“buzzwords”). If called for a second interview, make
sure you use these.
16) Consider writing a short follow-up letter – particularly after less formal
interviews where there was no clear job being advertised:
• express your pleasure in meeting everyone (list them by name and make sure
that the names are correctly spelled),
• comment shortly on one part of the meeting (something that emphasizes
your qualifications),
• mention again the benefits you can bring to the company /institution and
why you would like to work there (include company “buzzwords”).

4. Difficult Questions at the Job Interview and

a Few Related Tips

4.1. Interviewers need to see evidence of the following skills and personal qualities:
a) BUSINESS SKILLS:
ability to make money,
ability to save money,
ability to follow procedures.
b) PROFESSIONAL SKILLS:
honesty,
pride in your work,

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 ability to work in teams,
analytical skills,
reliability (you can be trusted).
c) PERSONAL QUALITIES:
communication skills,
listening skills,
self-confidence,
self-discipline,
motivation and determination,
ability to make decisions,
friendliness and openness,
(you are) right for the department,
(you are) right for the company image.

4.2. Look at the following typical “difficult questions” and at their possible
answers.
Q1: “Perhaps you’d like to start by telling us a little bit about yourself”…
A1: Don’t talk too much. Cover shortly your origins, education and work
experience. Then make a bridge to why you are there.
Q2: “So what have you learnt from your previous jobs?”
A2: You have learned the importance of teamwork and of listening to other
people’s advice. You have also developed a good business sense: everything
has to be justified in terms of cost.
Q3: “What would you consider to be your strong points?”
A3: Give two or three points like honesty, working well in a team and
determination. Say a few words about each one to make your comments
personal and sincere.
Q4: “And your weak points?”
A4: “Maybe I am a little too perfectionist.” “Perhaps I worry too much about
deadlines.” Actually, these could be considered strong points as well…
Q5: “Can you work under pressure — time pressure for example?”
A5: Yes, you find it stimulating. However, you believe in planning and good
time management to reduce last-minute panic.
Q6: “How do you take direction and criticism?”

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 A6: You welcome it and listen carefully. It is necessary in order to learn and
develop.
Q7: “It sounds like you enjoy your work. Why do you want to leave your
current job?”
A7: Your current job doesn’t allow you to grow professionally and you want
more challenges. Also, be honest about your practical things like distance from
your home, job security, etc.
Q8: “So what sort of challenges are you looking for?”
A8: You want to grow and develop, and you want more responsibility. Give
some examples: learning new skills, experience of different areas, being in
charge of projects, etc.
Q9: “And what are your career objectives”?
A9: Say what kind of job you would like about three years from now, and why.
Q10: “Are you willing to go where the company sends you?”
A10: Answer “yes” immediately. Then ask how much travel is involved in the
job. You can always not take the job later if you change your mind.

5. Mini - interview: Your Background and Job

Prepare for the following mini-interview. Work with a partner to find the best answers
to the interviewer’s questions listed below:
1) I notice that your university /higher education course was in ___________
• Which part of the course did you enjoy most? Why did you like that
subject?
• Did you do a project in the final year? Can you tell me about that?
2) I see that after university /higher education you worked in several jobs.
• One of your fist jobs was as a ___________ (job) in ___________
(company). Can you tell me about that?

3) If I’m not mistaken, in your previous job you worked as a ___________ (job) in
___________ (company).
• Can you tell me about that? What exactly did you do there?
• What did you learn from that job?

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 • Why did you stay so long /so little time in that company?
• Why did you leave?
4) So, your current job is as a ___________ (job) in ___________ (company).
• Can you tell me a little about the company? What exactly do you do
there?
• What have you learnt in your current job?
• What personal and professional skills have you developed?
• How have you kept up to date with new techniques?
• What experience do you have of ___________ technology?
• How would you describe your management style?
• Why do you want to leave your current job?
5) I see that you are currently unemployed.
• Why are you not working? How have you spent your time since you’ve
been unemployed?
• Have you had other interviews? Why do you think you weren’t
successful?
6) Tell me something about yourself.
• What do you do in your free time? What hobbies and interests do you
have?
• What are your strong points?
• What are your weak points?
• Can you work under pressure? Can you give me an example?
• Are you a persistent and determined person? Can you give me an
example?
• What have bee your greatest achievements during your career?
• Can you describe an important challenge in your life?
• Can you describe an important change in your life?
• What are your career objectives? Where do you see yourself three years
from now?

6. Mini - interview: The Job Itself

Write down the job that you are applying for as follows:

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 Job title _________________ (e.g. Marketing Director)
Company ________________ (e.g. The “Happy Kids” Toy Manufacturing
Company Ltd. Singapore, Bucharest Branch, Romania)
Example: Prepare for the following mini-interview. Work with a partner to discuss
how you would answer the questions and defend your own arguments:
Q1: “Why did you apply to The Happy Kids TMC?”
A1: “Toys and games have always been my hobby and I know quite a lot of
things about them.”
Q2: “What do you know about the toy business?”
A2: “I know who the recipients are – children of different age-groups and even
young adults – and the type of demand they generate on the market. I also know
the main terms in which this demand is reflected in the toy manufacturing
company’s business policy.”
Q3: “What do you know about this market?”
A3: “Apart from the fact that toys are my hobby, I am a senior economist and I
can give a qualified opinion on the evolution of offer & demand of toys &
games on the Romanian market. Figures show that the demand has been
constantly on the increase over the last decade.”
Q4: “What do you know about our products?”
A4: “I find them very interesting and appealing. Coincidentally, I have a 3
years-old daughter, a 9 years-old pair of twins and a 14 years-old son.
Therefore, apart from my general interest in toys & games, I am constantly
faced with the variety and dynamic of my own kids’ demand. I can say that, in a
way, my sons and daughters (and, of course, their peers) are my best advisors.
They, too, find that the products of Happy Kids TMC are the best.”
Q5: “What interests you most about this job?”
A5: “The fact that I could bring joy and happiness into a kid’s heart. Every kid
deserves that and it’s worth every effort. I did not have a happy childhood and I
know the difference.”

Q6: “What can you bring to this position?”

A6: “When it comes to business, planning and figures, I am known as a
scrupulous person. Nevertheless, I am also known as an imaginative and willful
person who is constantly looking for improvement, new solutions and
challenges. So I feel that this position could happily reunite both these aspects
of my personality.”

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 Q7: “Why do you think we should employ you in preference to other
candidates?”
A7: “Possibly because, due to my specific professional, personal and familial
background, I should be prepared to meet this challenge with more
determination, dedication and imagination.”
Q8: “You have little experience in actual toy manufacturing and related issues.
How will you deal with this?”
A8: “I know a profession is different from a hobby. So I’m ready to give what it
takes to learn as much as possible about it. I am aware that learning has become
a life-long commitment in today’s society and that it will soon become our very
way of life.”
Q9: “You appear to be a little too young /old for this position.”
A9: “I do not know what your specific age criteria are. What can I say? I find
that being 35 years-old is a privilege: I am old enough to know what discipline,
responsibility and hard work is, but I am not too old to understand the
aspirations and tastes of my children.
Q10: “Are you prepared to travel?”
A10: “Yes, I am. My spouse is a housewife and my parents live next to us and
often help us with the kids. I can always count on them.”

7. Mini - interview: Your Management Abilities

Example: Prepare for the following mini-interview. Work with a partner to discuss
how you would answer the interviewer questions and defend your own arguments:
1) TEAM WORK. Give an example of when you were part of a team. What was
the occasion? What were the objectives? What was your contribution? How did you
encourage other team members?
2) PERSUASION and NEGOTIATION. Give an example of when you attempted
to persuade other people. What was the occasion? What preparation did you do? What
actions did you take? What was the result?
3) PLANNING and OBJECTIVES. Give an example of when you created a plan
to meet specific objectives. What did you have to plan? What preparations did you

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make? How did you check progress? Was there a deadline? Did you achieve your
objectives by the deadline?
4) DECISION MAKING. Give an example of a situation where you made a
complex decision. What was the situation? What information did you use? Why did
you choose this information? What did you consider before making your final
decision? What was your final decision? What were the advantages and disadvantages
of the decision?
5) DEVELOPMENT of OTHERS. Give an example of a situation where you
encouraged other people. How did you know they were not performing effectively?
What did you do? Why did you do this? What was the result?

8. Mini - interview: Using a Case - Study

Example: Prepare for the following mini-interview. Work with a partner to discuss
how you would answer the questions and defend your own arguments:
1) Choose one specific problem you have faced in your job and explain it briefly.
2) What was the solution?
3) Which professional and personal skills did you use to help solve this problem?
4) How did your company benefit? (Try to give figures /percentage and dates if
possible.)
5) Re-examine your own role in the process. What exactly did you contribute?

GOOD LUCK IN YOUR FUTURE JOB INTERVIEWS!!!

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