The document provides tips for creating CVs and personal statements. For CVs, it recommends including name, contact details, grades/departments, recent credits in chronological order, relevant skills/experience, and keeping it to two pages or less. For personal statements, it advises demonstrating enthusiasm for the course, explaining why you want to study it, linking it to your experiences/interests, and having others review drafts before submitting. Good writing skills are important as statements may be used in interviews.
How to Write an Effective CV and Personal Statement
1. CVs
• Freelancer – Only most recent film credits (who you’ve work
with and what production
• Basics:
• Don’t needs to put ‘CV’ at the top. This should be obvious.
• Name & Contact details
• Grade and Department
• Recent Credits
• Relevant Skills – Driving License, Languages, First Aid, Health
and safety, Driving Quals
• Passports / work visas
• Membership to guilds (BAFTA / GBCT)
• Relevant Training
2. CVs
• Make sure that your name, grade, department and contact numbers
are clearly visible
• Be honest about what you've done and the level you are at
• Put credits in chronological order
• If you don’t have credits, put down any relevant experience
• Two pages max
• Decent paper
• Attach a covering letter
• Make it relevant – always revisit a CV for every job you are applying
for
• If you’re sending a CV to someone who is not expecting it, either
inform said person or apologies for unsolicited mail
3. Personal Statements
• Uni:
• Demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment
• Explain why you want to study the course
• Might be used at the interview stage so remember the content
• Undergraduate Admissions Manager at Nottingham Uni: “These
types of skills are the basics that academics will expect from
someone at this level of education. Incorrect spelling, poor
grammar and punctuation can make a poor impression on the
reader. For courses such as English, these skills are of
paramount importance.’
• Sentences no more than 20 words long
4. Personal Statements
• Uni:
• Link to the course profile
• Hobbies and interests that relate to the course
• Mature Students:
• A representative from University of Ulster stated:'a mature
student might have valuable experience (perhaps 10 years
working in the courts service, or a solicitor's office), and this
might form the basis for an APEL (Accreditation of Prior
Experiential Learning) offer. So it is worth seeing if your
experience could count towards an offer.'
5. Personal Statements
• Dos:
• Create a list of your ideas before attempting to write the real
thing
• Expect to produce several drafts before being totally happy
• Ask people you trust for their feedback
• Check university and college prospectuses -
• Be enthusiastic - if you show your interest in the course
6. Personal Statements
• Don’t
• Feel that you need to use elaborate language
• Say too much about things that are not relevant
• Lie - if you exaggerate you may get caught out at interview
when asked to elaborate on an interesting achievement
• Rely on a spellchecker as it will not pick up everything
• Leave it to the last minute
• Give it any les than your full attention
7. Personal Statements
• A representative from Ulster Business School told us:
• 'The presentation of the personal statement is of critical
importance to demonstrate use of English language and
grammar at a standard suitable for entry to higher education.'