September 26, 2014, by James Jupe

Engineering students — get ahead and polish your CV

To CV or not to CV, that is the question… Shakespeare would have asked if he had been a modern-day engineering student looking to impress employers. He may also have asked; is my CV ready for the world of work? Is it ready to be evaluated by the wide variety of companies that regularly recruit The University of Nottingham engineering students?  Is my CV strong enough to stand out from the competition? And, if not, what can I do?

Come and see us

Let me suggest a very simple solution; talk to us.

On the week commencing 29 September, we will be holding a week-long Open Door CV Review week (Room B.04, Pope Building). There you can meet careers guidance specialists with substantial graduate and placement recruitment experience. Not only that, but while working in industry our careers advisers were actually the ones reviewing CVs. So that means we really know what we are talking about.

Give yourself the best chance you can

CVs are a snapshot of all your achievements, skills and experience. You may have good grades and have some work experience, but do you have the specific competencies a company wants? We can help you to tailor your CV and provide you with ideas to translate your skills in line with a company’s requirements.

CVs are also evidence of your communication skills. Employers will evaluate how well you have documented your achievements. They will expect to see a chronological and coherent timeline as well as your understanding of the different sections required on a CV. Why is this important to them? Well, they may want to see, for example, how efficiently you would be able to write a report or be able to negotiate with a client. Again, we can help – we understand what an engineering CV should look like and how it should be structured to show off your talents.

Now is the time, don’t lose out

And there really isn’t a better time to have your CV reviewed. On 9 October, we will be hosting our Engineering Internship Fair (The Atrium, ESLC 11:30am-2:30pm) where a wide variety of organisations will be attending looking to recruit for both summer internships and year-long placements. You’ll be able to speak with Rolls-Royce, BP, Bechtel, Foster Wheeler, General Electric, and Hoare Lea, among others — have a look at our fair guide for a full list of employers.

All of these organisations have their own distinct company culture and identity. As a result, the competencies they are looking for in their placement students will often differ. One may be focused on leadership, whereas the next may be more interested in individuals with strong negotiation or presentation skills. Come and speak to us about how to adapt your CV to show you understand a company’s identity as well as the industry in which it works.

CVs are our speciality, so take this opportunity to have yours reviewed in preparation for the Engineering Internship Fair or any future role.

Want to know more about upcoming events with engineering? See what’s on and show off your CV. If you need any more advice you can also see our career resources to help you with putting together a strong application, covering letter and CV.

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