Seminar 2 - Top 10 Skills and Employability - 15 and 18 february 2021

University of East Anglia
Norwich Business School
Management Skills and
Personal Development
NBS-7031X
SEMINAR 2
15 and 18 February 2021
Dr. Fahri Karakas
F.Karakas@uea.ac.uk

Treat 2021 as the year of ASSET CREATION
In your individual project, you will be creating assets for your
future.
1. SEVEN I PROJECT (Kickstarter type project)
2. ENTREPRENEURIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL (Shark Tank type
project)
• Think about the assets you want to
create for your future
• Do not think like a student. Do not
treat this as assignment.
• Do this for your own future.
• Do something real – create something
real and fresh.

4
You will choose Seven I or Entrepreneurial Proposal.
Start working on your asset creation project.
Remember: You need to implement it and share it with
the world.
You will include your asset creation project (3000 words)
in your individual portfolio due on August 26 2021.

5
 25% of your individual portfolio is “Your
Asset Creation Project”.
 The word limit for this part of your portfolio
is 3000 words (The other parts are not
counted).
 Decide which option you will be doing for
the 25% of your individual portfolio
◦ Option A: Seven I Project
◦ Option B: Entrepreneurial Business Proposal

6
 Start creating ideas about your coursework
 Come up with 5-6 ideas that you can choose
from
 Do some initial preparation, research and
brainstorming
 Bring some ideas to work with to the next
seminar - next week
 You will be working on your ideas in the
upcoming seminar.

7
 Employability Tips and Strategies for Navigating the
Economic Crisis
 Top 10 Employable Skills
◦ Create Your Own Evidence
 Job Applications
◦ CV
◦ Cover Letter

8
https://medium.com/datadriveninvestor/you-face-a-very-tough-job-market-now-but-
you-can-still-thrive-2277bbc99660?sk=13fdd31c3d14a3f485d025abd53f36dd

9
1.Take a deep breath and cultivate your inner strength. Your morale, health, and wellbeing
are of utmost priority right now.
2.Stay in top shape. Develop your competitiveness for the job market.
3.Go creative in your job applications.
4.Keep a journal to reflect, learn, develop, and make progress.
5.Be flexible and adaptable. Pivot as needed. Do not give up your hope and rise from your
own ashes like a phoenix.
6.Make sure you take a long term perspective on your life and career.
7.Sharpen your toolkit, knowledge, skills, and perspectives. Invest in your personal
development, learning, and growth. This is the biggest investment you can ever make.
8.Develop rare and valuable skills that are in demand.
9.Establish a system of being creative and productive for yourself.
10.Create your assets for the future.
11.Think and act like an entrepreneur.
12.Find your blue oceans and establish your own game.
13.Take up some hobbies and interests.
14.Use your imagination to escape boredom and surprise yourself every day.
15.Remember that the world needs your creativity, contribution, and curiosity.
15 smart strategies to navigate the economic depression
You face a very tough job market now — but you can still thrive
https://medium.com/datadriveninvestor/you-face-a-very-tough-job-market-now-
but-you-can-still-thrive-2277bbc99660?sk=13fdd31c3d14a3f485d025abd53f36dd

11
 Decide which job will you be applying for as
part of your coursework
◦ Search for jobs at sites such as www.monster.co.uk
◦ Find the job advertisement and attach it in your
coursework
◦ Entry level job
◦ Which department/position?
◦ Customise your job application for this job.
 How will you customise your job
application?
◦ A) Think about the job requirements
◦ B) Think about your own KSAs (Knowledge, Skills,
Abilities) and experience
◦ C) Think about Evidence of Fit between A and B
◦ D) How will you demonstrate this evidence of fit in your
CV and Cover Letter?

 Think of your “dream job” after graduation (your career
objectives, your ideal position, your ideal company).
◦ Suppose your instructor is the HR director of your company. Prepare
and submit a job application package for this job. Differentiate
yourself from hundreds of other job applicants.
 Integrate and apply module learning to your job application.
 We want to see how you progressed since the start of this module
(i.e. in terms of skill development, integration and application of
knowledge, demonstration of learning, depth of self-reflection,
personal branding, creativity)

 1) Job Advertisement
 2) Updated CV
 4) Cover letter (statement of interest, explaining your skills,
knowledge and fit for the job)
 4) Poster: On one A4 page, design a poster that will reflect your
personal brand.

 The advert for the job you will apply for
 A CV
 A cover letter
 Poster (such as a creative CV)
 Consider preparing and submitting a range of
supporting material, including
◦ Your Optional appendices:
 Completed job application forms (if needed)
 Appendix: Short summary of successful projects
 Appendix: Any awards or distinctions

 Familiarize yourself with what the firm does. The web site will
give you info on their strategies, projects, what type of
employees they are looking for
 Customize your application for that specific firm and position.
 Write for that particular position– aim for the reader.
 Always make sure that you include relevant job experience and
knowledge related to that company and position. Converse
with professionals working there. Get their opinions and
advice.
 Need to become familiar with the firm: know the department
itself, its people, what they are doing, what they are up to,
their application guidelines

Workshop@HOME
Job Application Package:
CV & Cover Letter
Please study at home

18
 Nearly half (48.1%) of UK workers do not know how
to write a stand out CV that would boost their
chance of an interview, with a further 16.4%
admitting that they wouldn’t be able to write a
good CV at all.
 New research reveals that 98.5% of recruiters
believe that traditional CVs still hold an important
place in today’s recruitment process

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 Actively manage your career at all times – not just when you need to.
It’s essential to keep on top of this and not let it fall by the wayside.
◦ Keep one eye on the market, company activity and emerging trends to ensure you are
always up to date.
◦ Spend some time regularly developing your network and keeping in touch. Tap into
networking groups or form your own.
 Follow other people’s careers, learn from their journeys and introduce
yourself to new contacts.
 Being seen to be proactive with your career will get you noticed.
◦ Motivation and support during a time of change is the key to not losing focus so meet
with others who are experiencing the same changes to swap tips, contacts and ideas.
 Have a clear and definite career vision.
◦ If you have a career goal, use a time of change to assess how realistic this is and what
your ‘plan b’ may be. If you don’t have a vision, try thinking about what you want from
your career and how you might achieve this.
 Always ensure that your ‘marketing toolkit’ is up to date.
◦ Keep your CV current and regularly review your LinkedIn profile to reflect your
experience. You never know when you may need these.
 Mel Barclay, Head of Career Transition at LHH Penna

20
 I sent out CVs. I heard nothing. I sent out more CVs; still nothing. I
began to feel that the market was against me – this was before the EU
referendum and hiring managers were holding their breath. It became
obvious that finding a job was going to be a lot harder than I’d
expected.
 If your CV is ignored, the best thing you can do is to take a long hard
look at reality. Don’t blame recruiters for failing to respond; don’t
blame the market for not wanting your skills – repackage your
experience into something the market will want. Go with it, you never
know where it will take you.

21
 Do not give up even if you get multiple rejections.
Learn from rejections. If they do not kill you, they
will make you stronger.
 Do not worry if you do not get any response.
Follow up. Then move on.
 Revise, revise, revise your job application. Send for
friendly review to your colleague.
 The fit between your skills and the position
requirements: Hugely important.

22
 Thousands of British job applicants are
limiting their work prospects by failing to
mention volunteering experience on their CV,
research released today has discovered.
 More than half (54 per cent) of job applicants
in the UK have carried out some form of
voluntary work, yet only eight per cent
mention on their CV

23
 Photos – 25.8%
 Jargon – 18.6%
 Generic Hobbies – 10.8%
 Outdated employment history – 9.9%
 Unnecessarily big words – 7%
 School grades – 5.3%
 Personal interests – 4.3%
 Acronyms – 3.1%
 Generic objectives and aims – 2.7%
 Social media links – 2.5%

24
 "My interests include cooking dogs and interesting people"
 "I was responsible for dissatisfied customers"
 "I am a prooficient typist"
 "Socially I like to dine out with different backgrounds"
 "I was responsible for fraudulent claims"
 "While working in this role, I had intercourse with a variety of
people"
 "Experienced sheet mental worker"
 "Highly adept at multi-tasting"
 "I am a pubic relations officer"
 "Left last four jobs only because the managers were
completely unreasonable"

 Name and contact information
 Work Interests or career objective
 Education
 Honors and Awards
 Experience (Job, part-time, NGO, internship)
◦ Point out employable skills (with evidence)
 Courses/seminars/workshops/training/certificates
 Extracurricular activities

 Sample projects
 University Clubs/Leadership
 Professional Memberships
 Appearance in media
 Consulting or executive education or
industrial projects
 Additional Information
 References

34
Checklist for your CV
Please update and
prepare your CV
Apply checklists to
make sure you are on
the right track

35
- Good CV writing tips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYVwhLChAG8
- Making your CV different
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX-RWkveBYg
- Phrases to avoid on your CV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeuQrK_DEXk
- Make your CV more effective
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGU-xIEnaCE

38
http://www.simplyzesty.com/advertising-and-marketing/the-most-
creative-job-applications-in-social-media-and-tech/#
http://print24.com/blog/2011/05/32-amazingly-creative-job-
applications/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jmaureenhenderson/2012/06/01/how-
a-creative-job-application-can-land-you-or-lose-you-your-dream-
job/
http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2011/06/30/6-wickedly-creative-
job-applications-for-the-digital-age/
http://jobmob.co.il/blog/most-creative-designer-resumes/
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/dream-job-with-innovative-resume-
ideas/

39
 Prepare your CV – make it updated
◦ Check out web sites on how to prepare a successful CV
◦ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15573447
◦ Lool at example CVs and prepare yours
◦ https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/cvs-and-
cover-letters/example-cvs
 Apply CV Checklists to make sure you are on
the right track

 Salutation: Dear (Specific Name) or Dear
Committee Members of (Specific Firm)
 1st paragraph: mention how you learned
about the job
 Body: use the structure of the ad to guide
you in your discussion of your qualifications
 Final paragraph: offer to submit additional
information. Let them know how to meet
with you

42
◦ Cover letter is not a cut and paste of your resume. It must be
customized for each and every job you apply.
◦ Cover letters are short and usually must not be beyond one
page view of your email.
◦ Format – no fancy fonts, use around 3 paragraphs and not
more to convey your suitability for the position.
◦ Use bullet points and few highlighted words and phrases –
writing the usual cover letter with lots of paragraphs and
wordy explanation is boring – “everyone else does it and we
don’t have the time”.
◦ Always include the job title or ID as it appears in the job
description in the subject line of the email, you may also
include it in the main text.
◦ At the end of the letter write your full name and contact info.

 Good cover letter is interesting, compelling, focused
 Unique Selling Proposition
 Positioning makes a huge difference
 Find the lead – grab the reader’s attention from the
beginning.
 Demonstrate why you are the perfect employee and
why you are uniquely qualified for this position

45
Match Skills to Job Description Cover Letter
Job Description:
•Successful recruiting, hiring and on-boarding will be this position’s number one
priority.
•Develop and execute recruiting plans and also coordinate and implement college
recruiting activities.
•Perform day-to-day operations of the HR function and duties in employee relations,
training and development, executive administration and employment, employee safety,
workers compensation, welfare, wellness, maintenance of employee files and the HR
filing system, etc.
Requirements:
•Bachelor’s degree preferred; with 3+ years recruiting experience.
•Demonstrated proficiency in applicable computer software.
•Demonstrated excellence in customer/employee service; responds promptly to
employee needs; solicits employee feedback to improve service.
•Demonstrated proficiency in oral and written communications.
Now match your skills and experience to the above job description responsibilities:

46
Dear Recruiter,
In response to the advertised position of Human Resources Specialist (Job ID: HR32459) on your website, I present to you
some strong reasons to validate my suitability for this position.
Please see how my skills and experience offer a good match to the job requirements:
•Bachelor’s degree preferred; with 3+ years recruiting experience.
I have a Masters in Human Resources Management and with 4 plus years of experience in a 400 employee firm, I
have diverse experience in recruiting, employee management and have contributed to developing college recruiting
programs.
•Demonstrated proficiency in applicable computer software.
I am proficient at PeopleSoft HR software – Human Resources, HCM Warehouse, HRMS Portal Pack, Employee
Benefits and Compensation Modules and UltiPro Recruitment, UltiPro Onboarding software applications. With 3 years of
expert level experience I also exhibit fast learning skills to get on speed with any new software.
•Demonstrated excellence in customer/employee service; responds promptly to employee needs; solicits employee
feedback to improve service.
I initiated a smart employee feedback process at my last employment which was very well accepted and resulted in
10% increase in employee retentionover a year (as compared to previous years). I sincerely value excellence in
employee and customer service and have implemented in every aspect of my job so far.
•Demonstrated proficiency in oral and written communications.
I have strong communications and writing skills. In my last employment I worked with the HR director in revising the
new edition of the HR manual and Employee Handbook for year 2010. Please find some writing samples links in my
LinkedIn profile.
I hope you are satisfied with the skills match I bring to this position and my resume (attached here in PDF format) would
highlight other abilities to present my suitability to this position.
I am very excited about this opportunity and look forward to speaking with you further about my qualifications. You may
reach me at (123) 456 7890 or email me.
Sincerely,
ABC XYZ
LinkedIn profile: http://linkedin.com/abcxyz
Ph: (123) 456 7890

47
 Outside Sales Rep
Our client, a fast-growing, Staten Island, NY-based software company has an opening
for an outside sales professional.
Requirements:
◦ A minimum of 3 years' outside business-to-business experience selling enterprise
software
◦ The ability to develop a list of prospects, build a pipeline of opportunities and close
business
◦ A proven background working within a quota and exceeding sales targets
◦ Ability to demonstrate software and manage a complex sales cycle
◦ Strong verbal and written communication skills
◦ Availability to travel at least 50%
◦ Bachelor's degree preferred
 Compensation:
◦ Competitive base salary plus commission and company car.
◦ Average first year income $85K+.
◦ Full benefits
◦ Quarterly sales contests
 If you are a true sales hunter and an energetic self-starter with the desire to
be part of a fast-growing software firm, submit your resume and cover letter
to Brandon Marks at BMarks@somedomain.com. Reference #28903888.

48
October 28, 2016
Re: Outside Sales Rep Opening (#28903888) advertised on Monster
Dear Mr. Marks:
Your client's need for a top-performing, results-proven outside sales "hunter" caught my attention -- the position is an
excellent match to my qualifications. As an award-winning technology and B2B sales specialist, I offer:
•Five years of outside B2B sales experience selling enterprise software solutions. In my current position as an
outside sales representative for XYZ Company, I sell their full suite of enterprise software solutions to businesses
throughout the northeast territory.
•Adept skills in prospecting, pipeline building and closing business. I am one of the top-ranked outside sales
professionals within the region (ranked #5) and the only B2B sales professional to earn top 10 placement while
launching a new territory. My ability to capitalize on new opportunities and close deals enabled me to build my account
portfolio from zero to 257 within one year.
•Proven success working within sales quotas, with a history of awarded recognition for delivering excellent revenue
results with minimal ramp-up time. I always meet and frequently exceed monthly quotas at XYZ, surpassing goals by
as much as 150%.
•Expert abilities in demonstrating software and managing complex sales cycles. I am equally successful
conducting presentations and demos for technical and nontechnical audiences, with a talent for translating technical
concepts into easily understood terms and powerful benefit statements.
•Persuasive communication skills, with strengths in responding to RFPs, negotiating deals and articulating the value-
added benefits of my represented solutions. I also possess a bachelor's degree in communications from New York
University.
•A strong network of business contacts throughout the NY metro region.
Currently a "road warrior" sales rep, I am comfortable and experienced with extensive travel. I would welcome the
chance to discuss this opening and ways in which I would contribute to your client's sales operation. My resume is
enclosed, and you may call me at 718-555-5555 or send an email to susanmills@somedomain.com to arrange an
interview. I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Susan Mills

49
From: BLOCKED
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2013 1:14PM
To: BLOCKED
Subject: Summer Internship
Dear BLOCKED
My name is (BLOCKED) and I am an undergraduate finance student at (BLOCKED). I met you the
summer before last at Smith & Wollensky’s in New York when I was touring the east coast with my
uncle, (BLOCKED). I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to talk with me that night.
I am writing to inquire about a possible summer internship in your office. I am aware it is highly
unusual for undergraduates from average universities like (BLOCKED) to intern at (BLOCKED),
but nevertheless I was hoping you might make an exception. I am extremely interested in
investment banking and would love nothing more than to learn under your tutelage. I have no qualms
about fetching coffee, shining shoes or picking up laundry, and will work for next to nothing. In all
honesty, I just want to be around professionals in the industry and gain as much knowledge as I can.
I won’t waste your time inflating my credentials, throwing around exaggerated job titles, or
feeding you a line of crapp (sic) about how my past experiences and skill set align perfectly for an
investment banking internship. The truth is I have no unbelievably special skills or genius
eccentricities, but I do have a near perfect GPA and will work hard for you. I’ve interned for Merrill
Lynch in the Wealth Management Division and taken an investment banking class at (BLOCKED), for
whatever that is worth.
I am currently awaiting admission results for (BLOCKED) Masters of Science in Accountancy program,
which I would begin this fall if admitted. I am also planning on attending law school after my master’s
program, which we spoke about in New York. I apologize for the blunt nature of my letter, but I hope
you seriously consider taking me under your wing this summer. I have attached my resume for your
review. Feel free to call me at (BLOCKED) or email at (BLOCKED). Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
BLOCKED.

50
Checklist for your
Cover Letter
Please update and bring
your Cover Letter to your
next seminar!
We will have a Cover Letter
clinic in our next seminar.

 Do multiple re-drafts.
 Writing style matters – edit and reduce.
 Have several people (both professors and
colleagues) review it before you submit your job
application.
 Solicit pre-submission reviews from colleagues
and authorities in the field.
 Pay close attention to spelling, grammar, and
punctuation
 Make sure references are comprehensive and
accurate
 Avoid careless mistakes
 Read and conform to job application instructions

Cover Letter Tips and Samples
Please study at home

55
Bad Example:
I have 10 years of experience in domestic and foreign procurement
in the consumer products sector.
Better fit:
My 10 years of procurement experience in the consumer products
sector, especially in sourcing goods from foreign counties, can be of
immense help with your expansion into Asian markets.
Bad:
I have excellent communication and team work skills.
Good:
In 2007, our CEO John Smith said my "dedication, attention to
detail, and strong communications skills with our Asian suppliers
were instrumental in helping us gain 15% in market share in that
region."

57
GOOD
Cover letter
Sample 1

58
GOOD
Cover letter
Sample 2

59
GOOD
Cover letter
Sample 3

63
 Please download and look at sample Cover
Letters on Module Blackboard (Seminars 2021
Section).
 See the ‘bad’ and ‘improved’ cover letter
sample (this was a real-life example)
 See good student coursework (Cover Letter
Matched Evidence)

64
Checklist for your
Cover Letter

65
 Choose your job advertisement and copy-paste
it at the top of your portfolio
 Update and customize your CV
 Update and customize your Cover Letter
 Add your CV and Cover Letter to your portfolio
 Both your CV and Cover Letter should
demonstrate a very good match for the job
requirements.

66
66
Michael Goldhaber, Wired

68
http://metro.co.uk/2016/10/06/this-guy-dressed-as-a-courier-to-hand-deliver-cv-disguised-as-a-box-of-doughnuts-6174378/
RESULT:
Landed about 10
interviews with creative
agencies

69
Read more at http://www.look.co.uk/list-for-life/work-life/cv-amazing-gq-intern-without-interview-33245#ZEcP6p8XZYfKMBUf.99
Instead of just
mirroring the style
of the magazine,
Sumukh turned his
CV into an actual
20-page magazine
complete with
features about his
accomplishments,
life and education.

Seminar Activity 1
Top 10 Employable Skills

 Looking at samples, come up with your own
evidence for each skill
 Think of specific examples/cases for skills you
have used in and outside classes
 Make your evidence rigorous and specific
 Try to incorporate numbers, the context, and your
role
 Write them down – take notes quickly

 Each team: Share your evidence with one another
 Discuss the following:
◦ 1. Is the evidence credible, rigorous and specific?
https://www.totaljobs.com/careers-advice/cv-and-cover-
letter/application-sample
2. Does evidence address context and specifics; such as questions of who,
what, where, when, why, how, how much
◦ 2. How can your friend improve the evidence?
◦ 3. Compare and contrast your evidence

 Choose the job that you will be applying for
 Attach the job advertisement
 Finalize your CV and Cover Letter
 Finalize your Top 10 Skills Evidence Table
 Get feedback from your friends to improve all
 You will attach them all to your coursework

Seminar 2 - Top 10 Skills and Employability - 15 and 18 february 2021

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