(1) What is a CV?
The literal meaning of the term Curriculum Vitae is-“a record of life”

Curriculum vitae are a presentation of your basic academic, personal and work experience details. It is a personal marketing tool presenting your qualifications, skills, attributes to the potential/prospective employer in a way that demonstrates your suitability for the job.

It is not only your historical record, it should also show your potential in relation to a particular role and act as a guide as to where your aspirations lie for the future.
Thus, your CV is your initial opportunity to present yourself to a potential employer. Its sole purpose is to sell you and your skills to a prospective employer well enough so that they want to meet you in person. Your CV needs to be concise in appearance and content.

With employers receiving an abundance of CVs for each position, they will only invite candidates for interviews if your CV stands out from the crowd. Your CV has to make its statement through presentation as well as content.

(2) Basic Framework/Layout of a CV:

Your CV should have the following information

• Name
• Home Address
• Contact Numbers
• Email Id
• Educational Qualifications
• Degree Details
• Work Experience
• References
• Interests& Activities

Points to remember:

• Aim for Clarity and Simplicity
• Avoid using long sentences, use bullet points to get to the point.
• Highlight headings and key words in text by use of Capital/bold type
• Remember italic is a weak typeface, bold italic always stand out better.
• Avoid underlining
• Highlight your Unique Selling Points, for example if you are an IIM graduate, you must definitely highlight it.
• Try not to leave any unaccounted for time in your history.
• Give information in reverse chronological order so that most relevant and impressive details come first and in each section. Be consistent about chronological order.
• Arrange material properly. In describing work experience and activities ,arrange in order that matches importance of employer’s requirements(For example, if the prime requirement is communication skills, put activities indicating that first).
• Use facts& figures to illustrate your achievements.
• Always be truthful in your CV. Fabrication and lying in CVs is on the increase and surveys suggest that as many as a quarter of job seekers deviate from the truth in their CV. The common distortions include exaggerated qualifications, exaggerated pay received in previous jobs or changing dates of employment to hide career gaps.

(3)Writing Cover Letter:

General Guidelines

1. Handwritten or word-processed.
   Some recruiters state a preference. If they don't say, it's up to you – there is no fixed rule. If you handwrite, write neatly and legibly.
   Always use a good quality paper.
   
2. Donot make it too lengthy.
   If you are a current or recent graduate, and the letter is word-processed, the text of the letter shouldnot fill more than two thirds of the page.
   
3. Remember that it is a business letter.
   Put your address and the date top right, the recipient's name, the company's name and their address top left.
4. Address to a named person, never to Dear Sir or Madam.
   If you don't know the relevant person's name, phone the company and ask (receptionists are quite used to this). If you can't do that, then use their job title. 'Dear Graduate Recruitment Manager' is much more welcome than Dear Sir, especially if they're female.
   
5. Be concise.
   Your reader wants to absorb as much relevant information in as short a time as possible.
   
6. State your purpose of writing.
   Are you writing in response to a job advertisement?Or are you writing to inquire whether they might have a job (not advertised)?Or is it to ask for a meeting to get advice/information? Always mention your purpose right in the beginning of your letter,preferably in the subject line.
   
7. Be sure it's clear from the letter or CV exactly when and where you can be contacted.
   Give phone numbers (and fax, if available) for all your addresses. Also, give your email address.
   
8. If applying for an advertised job

(a) Say what job you're applying for and where you saw it advertised.

(b) Say why you want that job or type of job; and why with that company or type of company. Especially if changing direction (second or later job), explain your rationale (what has led you apply to them?) and plans (how working with them fits your interests/intentions)

(c) With reference to evidence in the CV, show that you correspond to the requirements for the job. Make a limited number (say, three) of telling points; don’t repeat the whole CV.

9. Speculative applications
   (a) Refer briefly to your current situation ('Having just graduated from Jadavpur University in history', 'I am currently in my second year of a degree in philosophy at Jadavpur University').
   (b) Be clear about which job(s) you are interested in. Take advice on whether to imply that you'd be willing to do anything; it usually pays to show you have a definite path in view, but are willing to be flexible.
   (c) Say you are willing to work temporarily, part-time, freelance or short-term as a volunteer, as appropriate to the job market in which you're applying (take advice).
   And Finally
   
10. Sign off 'Yours sincerely' with your name typed underneath your signature

(4) Organize your References:

Tucked away at the end of most application forms, it can be easy to overlook the importance of referees. But they are a very(if not the most) important part of a CV.

Hence it is important to give some thought to choosing your referees;
For example, if you only saw your personal tutor once a term, he is probably not the best person to pick. Instead choose a seminar leader or lecturer that you got on well with, and whose subject you enjoyed. But speak to them before you nominate them to ensure that they are happy to be a referee and that they feel they know you well enough to write an accurate reference.

Resist the temptation to put a personal friend or relation as a referee. Most application forms specify that the referees must be professional or academic.

Always remember, that in all probability your references will be followed up, so don't try to fake them.
And don't feel anxious about what referees will say about your potential - most employers are only interested in the facts, rather than subjective opinions about how you will do a job in the future. The best references are always those with the most factual information; if you have an academic referee make sure they have your CV so they can draw attention to other aspects of your experience besides your degree.
It's simple; the more positive information employers have about you, the more likely they are to say yes.

HOW TO CRACK AN INTERVIEW:
An Interview is a two-way conversation where the recruiter gauges the abilities and skills of the jobseeker to check whether he is fit for the job or not and the jobseeker sells his skills. It is very important that we as a jobseeker prepare ourselves thoroughly for the interview before we arrive for it. Because an interview could be the first and last chance to impress the recruiter. The recruiter has already read our resume therefore it becomes important for us to not only remember what is written in our resume but also pre-empt the possible questions and rehearse their answers well. But at the same time answer them in a natural and unrehearsed fashion.
Basic strategies to prepare for an Interview

• Always keep your cool. Take a deep breath to ease yourself.
  
• Do some research on the company and if possible also about the interviewer and the industry. Always arrive before or on time for the interview.
  
• Prepare for some basic open ended questions like "Tell us something about yourself", "What are your likes dislikes" and "What are your strengths and weaknesses" etc. These open-ended questions serve as a double-edged sword. By asking such questions the recruiter gauges our communication skills, flow of thoughts and confidence level. At this stage most of the recruiters notice how we are saying things and not necessarily what we are saying. Carry an extra copy of your resume.
  
• Stick to a conservative dress code - Be in a formal dress.
  
• Body language also sends messages. Your posture suggests how much interested you are for the job. For example a person sitting with crossed legs and kicking foot slightly indicates boredom, biting nails indicates that you are nervous. Our posture should be just straight and upright.
  
• Always remember the basic etiquettes. Wish the interviewer the moment you enter the room. Wear a genuine smile on your face.It is unacceptable to chew gum, smoke or use a slang.
  
• Attitude does make a difference. Show that you are confident although feeling confident doesn't make you competent but definitely it does create an atmosphere which is more conducive for success. Look into the eyes of the interviewer when answering a question to show your confidence. Learn to listen.
  
• Never bad mouth your old employer.
  
• Do not ask what the company has to offer you. If you get the offer, at some point, then negotiate your compensation package and any other benefits. Don't commit yourself to a salary or conditions that will make you unhappy.
  

The more we prepare, the more relaxed and confident we feel during the interview; the more relaxed we feel, and the better we perform; the better we perform, the more the chance are that we get the job! . One of the key message to be conveyed to the interviewer is that you are keen for a career in that particular field with that particular company.

RESIGNING FROM YOUR JOB

There are right and wrong ways of resigning from your job. Doing it the wrong way can lead to bad feelings between you and your employer, recrimination or even a bad reference. On the other hand, the correct resignation etiquette will contribute to continued success in both your personal and career development.
Make sure that you know what you are doing, be prepared and be positive

Tips on Resigning:

Resigning Orally

• Work out what you're going to say and then stick to it. The boss will try and probe you for more information – details that you may not want to give at this stage. Don’t be obstructive but simply make it clear that you are submitting an oral resignation.
  
• Emphasize the positives: you never know when your career will mean that you cross paths with your former employers so don’t dwell on the negative aspects of your time at the firm.
  
• Expect a reaction: unless your boss is expecting you to resign, your decision may come as a surprise. The boss may get emotional or even confrontational in which case, stick to your prepared comments.
  
• Retain your composure. The boss may by now no longer see you as a team player and may even feel betrayed. Once again, stick to your pre-prepared comments and try not to rise to the challenge. Speak in measured tones and regulate your breathing.
  
• Always leave the meeting on a good note and be as co-operative as possible. Stress that you will undertake the handover of any uncompleted work to the best of your ability. People remember both the first and last impression you make on them.
  

The Written Resignation

• A written letter of resignation always gives you more time to prepare what you want to say and gives you greater control of your message. Use this opportunity constructively.
  
• In its simplest form, a resignation letter should only include the following information: name, date, the person it is addressed, notice of termination of employment, when this is effective from and finally, your signature.
  
• If you're leaving in good circumstances and feel that you want to say a little bit more, again, emphasise the positive – perhaps thank the boss for the opportunities he / she gave you - you never know when you may need your ex-employer to vouch for you or to give you a reference.
  
• If however, you're leaving in strained or bad circumstances, resist the temptation to badmouth and let off steam. Remember, your letter of resignation may be used as a stick with which to bash you later on.
  
• Don’t get personal. Just because you are now leaving, a written letter of resignation is not the vehicle with which to tell your boss what you really thought of them. It is never polite to include personal remarks in a resignation letter. If you genuinely have differences of opinion with your boss, save the communication of them for another time and place. Never commit these thoughts to paper – your comments will remain in your personnel file and may come back to haunt you.