CAREER

DEVELOPMENT Module 2
Instructor: Valerie Ndiweni
 • Review of Class 1
• Build a Network
MODULE 2 - OUTLINE • CV Writing
• Job Search
Building
a Network
What is Networking?
Go to www.menti.com and
use the code 81 88 04 7
The Benefits of Networking

• Allows you to meet people connected to the hidden job

market
• Opportunity to ask for advice and gain information about
your industry
• It improves your communication skills
• It’s an opportunity to develop your people skills
• Create a lifelong support system
• Make friends and find mentors
The Hidden Job
Market

“Hidden job market” is usually

used to refer to jobs that — for one
reason or another — are not
publicly listed on job boards or
elsewhere. The only way to access
them is through networking or by
having a recruiter or headhunter
reach out to you.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/shining-light-hidden-
job-market-andrew-seaman/
HIDDEN JOB
MARKET

JOB POSTED
ONLINE
How do you access the hidden job
market?

• Networking
• Company research
• Cold calling
• Informational interviews
Networking is the way
to find employment and
build your career.
There are three main types of networking:

• Operational networking involves building relationships with people you do business with
on a regular basis, from suppliers to colleagues.

• Personal networking helps you find support when you go through rough patches in your
career and personal life.

• Strategic networking happens when you target someone who would add a specific
benefit to your network.
“It’s not who
you know, it’s
who knows
you.”
THE
ELEVATOR
PITCH
• Your elevator speech should be brief.
Restrict the speech to 30-60 seconds.
Your pitch should be a short recap of
who you are and what you do.

• You need to be persuasive. Even

though it's a short pitch, your elevator
speech should be compelling enough
to spark the listener's interest in your
idea, organization, or background.

• Share your skills. Your elevator pitch

should explain who you are and what
qualifications and skills you have. Try
to focus on assets that add value in
many situations.

• Practice, practice, practice. The best

way to feel comfortable about giving
an elevator speech is to practice it
until the speed and “pitch” come
naturally
Activity
Activity
How to Build your
Network
1. Be Strategic and have
networking goals

The secret to networking isn't to

attend a networking event and
pass out as many business cards
as you can. It's not meeting as
many people as possible in hopes
something will work out. Instead,
you need to concentrate on the
people who you know will be
able to make a difference in your
life & career.
Consider what your goals are.
Are you looking to connect
with certain types people?
Such as:

-A specific industry
-Certain titles or designations
-Same life stage (or more or
less seasoned)?
-Geographic-specific contacts

Then get clear on why you

want to connect with them.
2. Create win/win situations

It's very important that both you and the other party gain equally when networking. Offer
value - in a networking situations, people expect you to ask them for help. If you turn that
around and just offer some support, your networking partner will be grateful and want to
return the favour.
3. Become a connector.

You don't always have to gain

something in a networking
relationship. If you can introduce
people who can benefit from one
another, it's just as effective. You can
build a stronger rapport with
multiple people and it makes you
very good.
5. Begin where you are, with what you
already know

• No matter your age or current situation,

you already have a network: your current or
former classmates, previous co-workers,
family, childhood friends, and so on. It’s
always a good idea to start growing where
you’ve already planted and cultivated
relationships.

6. Use social networks.

• LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are tools

that you can use to connect in a personal
way to different people in your industry. On
LinkedIn for example, you can get
introduced to new contacts through your
current connections. You can also use
LinkedIn as a professional database to find
people who work in your professional at
various companies you're interested in.
 7. Spread your net wide with
local organizations

The next step is to determine what

type of organizations interest you
(those for startup founders,
business-to-business professionals,
career changers, work-from-home
parents, expatriates, etc) and
create a list of all of them.

Join their newsletters. Attend a few

of their events to see which
resonate with you, and decide
where you would like to invest
more time and energy.

When you choose, go deep there.

Volunteer, take a leadership role,
have one-on-one meetings with
people you meet, and see how you
can grow a reputation as someone
to know in that community by
being someone of service, who
offers value, and follows through.
8. Leverage your network's network.

Connect with your existing contacts

who are involved in the areas where you
are interested in getting more involved.
Ask them whom in the community
would be good for you to know and ask
if they would mind making an
introduction.

In each of those meetings, if you and

your new contact hit it off, ask if there is
another person whom they’d suggest
you know. Be specific to help them
narrow it down.
9. Don't Let Shyness Stop You From Connecting

Those who struggle with shyness are in danger of missing out on the benefits of
professional networking.
10. Seek Out a Mentor

While it's good to know a lot of

people, it's also good to build deep,
long-term relationships. A mentor
can be a touchstone throughout
your career, helping you to
evaluate job offers, know when it's
the right time to leave a job,
negotiate a raise, and generally
help you with all sorts of career-
related conundrums.
Activity
Networking
scenarios for
practice
Create 2 ice-breakers for one of
the following scenarios:

1. Teambuilding meeting with

new co-workers
2. Hackathon
3. Career Fair speaking to a
recruiter
Go to www.menti.com and use the code 81 88 04 7
3 Stages of Networking

First contact:
reaching out Nurturing
• Cold Following up
relationships
• Warm /
Targeted
Following Up
• When: within a few days
• Why:
o To solidify this connection, to
establish your credibility, to
make them remember you
o In the hopes of a “2nd date”

• How: e-mail or LinkedIn

Try offering something, rather than

asking
Following Up: Template
1. Opener: Hi ____, it was a pleasure meeting you at __.
2. Something specific about your conversation: I
particularly enjoyed our chat about__ / listening to your story
about __ / learning from your insights into __ / sharing with
you my experience at __
3. Offer something useful to them: an article, news of a
conference, information about an employer or industry they
should look into, a connection, a Coding Hackathon!
4. Call to action: ask about their thoughts, impressions,
insights, or interest in what you are offering
5. Close with a wish to hear or read from them again, and
perhaps even an invitation to connect again in person
Remember...
• Don’t take it personally
• Keep it warm
• Let them breathe
10 Networking
Guidelines
1. Networking is a marathon, not a sprint

a) Long-term, mutually beneficial

professional relationships
b) First contact is just planting the seed;
it must be watered to grow!

2. Position yourself as a professional

offering value, not a job seeker asking
for a favour

3. Adapt your message to your audience:

you are offering a solution to a need,
not sharing your memoirs
10 Networking Guidelines
• 4. Communicate your value
proposition with clarity,
confidence and consistency

• 5. Your body talks. Stand / sit

upright, maintain eye contact,
smile!

• Professional networking
requires time & trust. You
should only ask for a job or
referral at the 3rd stage
10 Networking Guidelines
7. Maintain an equal-level playing
field How can I miss you if you
won’t go away? value vs.
neediness

• concision vs. wordiness

• ask for meeting within a few
weeks vs. tomorrow

8. Talk “business casual” Your tone,

vocabulary and level of formality
should not say “jeans,” nor “suit and
tie”
9. Show you paid attention -
Remember names and
conversation topic
 10. Grow and nurture your network

10 2 new, pleasant connections / month

+
Networking 2 follow-up e-mails / phone calls per week

Guidelines +
1 in-person catch-up / month
=
You may need a tracksheet!
BREAK
CV / RESUME
WRITING
CV vs. RESUME
CV
A curriculum vitae is an
exhaustive listing of all of the
significant achievements in
your career. This includes
education, research, work
experience, publications,
presentations, and anything
else you’ve done in your
professional life.
Resume
Is a summary of your skills,
experience, and education to one
page—or in rare cases two pages.
VS. That’s because you’re trying to
focus on only the things that are
most relevant to the job you’re
applying to.
Tip: When in doubt always
send a resume. Keep a
master copy (CV) for your
records as you move up in
your career. It will speed up
the process when
reflecting on your
experience to select which
are the most relevant when
applying for jobs in the
future..
 WHY IS YOUR RESUME
IMPORTANT?
• Your resume may be the first
chance you get to make a good
first impression on a potential
employer.

• Your resume may be the only

direct communication you will
have with a potential employer

• A great resume will considerably

boost your chance of getting a
face-to-face interview

• Your resume is a marketing

document
General Guidelines
to Follow

• Functional, chronological or
hybrid
• 1 or 2 pages
• Use common sections
• Easy to read
• Accomplishments vs tasks
• Keep it short and simple
• Consistency
• ATS and SEO friendly
 Key Points to Remember

• Presentation is key!

• Your resume should be carefully thought out, designed and written so that it makes an
immediate positive impact on key decision makers.

• When a reader looks at your resume they should be able to quickly gain a clear
indication of your experiences and potential.

• Remember that the person reading it may not have met you yet, so keep it
grammatically error free and focused, as it will be seen as a reflection of you as a person.
Understanding
Recruiters
and Hiring
Managers
They are looking for:

• A summary about who are

you are (i.e. your elevator
pitch on paper)
• List of skills
• What did you do? Why did
you do it? And what was the
result?
It’s all about you
CVs are an opportunity to show an
employer why you are an ideal candidate
for the job.

A good CV will:

• Stand out from the crowd.

• Draw attention to your relevant skills,
experience, achievements and
potential.
• Create such an impression on the
employer that they will not be able to
turn you down for interview.
How to
Write Your
CV/Resume
1. Pick Your Format - Before
you start typing one single
thing, you have to decide
what you want the overall
resume to look like.

• Chronological
• Hybrid
• Functional / Skills-based
Chronological
A chronological resume lists your
work history in order of date, starting
with your most recent position and
working backwards.
 When to use a chronological resume format
• If you are applying within the same industry as it will demonstrate your career
progression.

• If you want to demonstrate growth and maturity throughout an organization.

• If you have a stable, solid career progression through one or, at most, two fields.

• If you do not have many achievements across your career, taking a job by job approach.

• If you want to make it easier for potential employers. It is the favorite format for most
employers, who simply want to get a feel for your career to date.
Functional
A functional resume focuses on your skills
and experience, rather than on your
chronological work history.
 When to use a functional/skills resume format
• If you have changed jobs frequently,

• If your experience comes through unrelated jobs

• If you have several career gaps.

• If you are changing industry.

• If you are a more mature applicant, a functional resume will take the spotlight away
from your age.
Combination/Hybrid
A combination/hybrid resume uses
both work history and skills to capture
the employer's attention.
When to use a combination/hybrid resume format

• If you have a strong career progression with many achievements.

• If you want to showcase your strengths as well as your experience.

• If you are a senior level applicant and have a lot of working experience and
achievements to demonstrate
2. Tell Us Who You Are

• Name In general – DO NOT PUT YOUR PICTURE

• Address (full /partial)
• Email
• Telephone number
• LinkedIn profile link, portfolio,
personal website

You can be creative!

 3. YOUR UNIQUE VALUE
PROPOSITION
Objective | Profile | Professional
Summary

• You have got to get the audience to

engage with your resume quickly.

• Keep the profile to no more than four or

five lines.

• Make sure you say something original

and memorable about the personal
qualities that define what makes you
great at your job
Further Learning

• Use a Personal Value Proposition to Land

Your Next Job

• How to Find Your Value Proposition

• 8 Tips For Developing A Killer Personal USP

(That’ll Get You the Job You Deserve!)
4. SKILLS Hard Skills
Hard skills show you’re great for a specific job

• A mix of hard and soft skills. • Budgeting

• Project Management
• Emphasize the skills you have acquired • Business Development
from your various jobs or activities. • Logistics
• Remember to add skills that are being • MATLAB, SAP, Accomba, Quick
sought out for the job you are applying Books, Linux
to.
Soft Skills
Soft skills prove you’d be a great fit anywhere
• Research and analysis
• Customer Service
• Excellent communication skills
Activity Word Board
Here’s an example of a good skills section for someone who is looking for work as a designer:

Visual Design: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere, XD, Animate,
Lightroom
3D Modeling & 2D Drafting: Rhino, VRay, AutoCAD, Vectorworks, Autodesk Fusion 360
Programming: Grasshopper, Processing, HTML, CSS
Interests: Sailing, running, cooperative board games
Software Developer Skills
Back-End Developer Skills Front-End Developer Skills Full-Stack Engineer Skills

• Application Scaling • Back-End Data Display • CircleCI

• Back-End Framework • Coding • CSS
• Back-End Programming • Create Web Pages • Docker
Languages • CSS • Git
• Database Administration • Dynamic Web Page Design • Go
• Front-End Web Technologies • Framework Templates • HTML
• Hosting Environment • HTML • JavaScript
• Java • JavaScript • Node
• Load Changes • Search Engine Optimization • Postgres
• PHP • Software Workflow • Python
• Python • Styling and Color Design • Ruby
• Ruby • Website Content Display • SASS
• Security Compliance • Website Navigation • SQL
Optimization
4. Add in Your Work Experience

• This section will most likely be

the bulk of your resume. Even if
you’re changing careers,
employers still want to see where
you’ve worked, what you’ve done,
and the impact of that work to get
a sense of your background and
expertise.

• Your “Work Experience” might

be one entire category, or you
might choose to break it up into
“Relevant Experience” and
“Additional Experience” to
highlight the jobs that are most
important for hiring managers to
focus on.
Listing Tasks &
Responsibilities
• Use standard bullet points
• Start of each line with a strong
action verb
• Present tense if currently
employed
• Past tense if no longer employed
• Vary your choice of words
• Tailor skills and experiences to
the position for which you are
applying
• Be concise while providing
enough detail
• Use the SMART method
Tip: Your resume bullets should
be in past tense if you’re referring
to past jobs and present tense if
you’re talking about your current
roles. In addition, your bullets
should always start with a
strong action verb that best
describes what you did.
Examples of Action Verbs
Leadership Create Changed or Accomplishments
Improved
• Chaired • Administered • Accelerated
• Controlled • Built • Centralized • Achieved
• Coordinated • Charted • Clarified • Advanced
• Executed • Created • Converted • Amplified
• Headed • Designed • Customized • Boosted
• Operated • Developed • Influenced • Capitalized
• Orchestrated • Devised • Integrated • Delivered
• Organized • Founded • Merged • Enhanced
• Oversaw • Engineered • Modified • Expanded
• Planned • Established • Overhauled • Generated
• Produced • Formalized • Redesigned • Improved
• Programmed • Formed • Refined

https://www.themuse.com/advice/185-powerful-verbs-that-will-make-your-resume-awesome
EXPERIENCE
FORMAT
Position/Title, Department Date
Organization, Location

• Bullet points of tasks and accomplishments

• On average 3 or 4 points

EXAMPLE
Director of Operations , 2014 - 2018
X Company , Montreal

• Development and management of strategic partnerships with external stakeholders.

• Researching and developing new strategies to achieve corporate goals and objectives.
• Responsible for the company’s IT: Point of Sale systems, databases, and internal ordering
platform, and mobile app.
 SECTION 5 - EDUCATION

FORMAT
Date
Program, Faculty
University/School, Location

EXAMPLE
Bachelor of Science, Biology 2009
Central Connecticut State University, USA
 Professional Development

Volunteering/ Community Engagement

ADDITIONAL Conferences / Professional Affiliation

SECTIONS

Publications / Awards

Interests/hobbies
 DESIGN TIPS

• Be creative , however think about what your resume will look like printed in black and
white.

• Using Software such as Canva, Illustrator, etc …

• Add numbers and signs to catch attention (#$%)

• White space - your resume should be easy to scan instead of data heavy.

• Formatting - use italics, bold, and caps to add meaning and attract the eye.
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

• Is your resume saved in an approved format (.docx, PDF, txt)?

• Is the resume designed with for robots and humans? Have you included clearly
defined sections with common titles?
• Is there important information in your graphics, tables and images
• Did you keep important contact information out of the headers or footers?
• Has the file been thoroughly edited and spellchecked to ensure there are no
errors?
• Did you use the full, spelled-out version of a term in addition to abbreviations and
acronyms [Certified Public Accountant (CPA)]?
• Have you incorporated relevant, targeted keywords and phrases for the type of
position being sought (with variations like Photoshop” and “image-editing
software”)?
The SMART Method
Specific: You need to have specific ideas about what you want to
accomplish. To get started, answer the “W” questions: who, what,
where, when, and why.

Measurable: To make sure you’re meeting the goal, establish tangible

criteria to measure your progress. Define what success means for you.

Attainable: Think about the tools or skills needed to reach your goal.
If you don’t possess them, figure out how you can attain them.

Relevant: Why does the goal matter to you? Does it align with other
goals, values, interests? These types of questions can help you
determine the goal’s true objective — and whether it’s worth
pursuing.

Time-bound: Whether it’s a daily, weekly, or monthly target,

deadlines can motivate us to take action sooner than later.
The SMART Method & Your Resume
Specific – Specifics make a difference and help to differentiate. In as concise a
manner as possible, list the things that you’ve done that made a difference - the
things that were most helpful or most important that set you apart. This may
include skills that were obtained or used, efforts that went above and beyond or
tasks that were especially appreciated and were well received. What were your
specific contributions?

Measurable – Numbers, percentages, dollars and symbols draw visual attention

and help to focus the reader on the accomplishment being presented. Employers
seek people who can provide measured, tangible, and verifiable results and even
day-to-day tasks should be presented with some kind of measurement that adds
credibility. What value did you add?
Achievements – If you are entry level, your achievements thus far may relate
more to your training, education and skills. What actions have you taken to
prepare yourself to be a productive employee? How will your training be of
benefit to an employer? Things like working while going to school or
volunteering for a worthy charity may be framed as achievements.

Ask yourself questions like:

• Was I given any added responsibilities, assignments or special projects?
• In what way did I improve things?
• How did I grow? What was I most effective at?
• Did I exceed goals or expectations?
• Were there any especially challenging problems that I solved?
• Did I contribute to team activities?
• Was I sole contributor who works independently? What were the
challenges? What actions did I take? What result did I get?
Relevant – The hiring manager’s job is to match people with positions and it is often
that special combination of activities, qualities or skills they’re looking for that
makes the difference. Focusing accomplishment statements on the most relevant
knowledge, skills, abilities and work activities of the position Prioritize and highlight
your most relevant accomplishments.

Timeframe – One of the most critical performance indicators is timeframe, and if

your accomplishments are completed on or ahead of schedule, noting this on your
resume will make a huge difference. Getting projects or tasks done on time is a
highly prized quality and when you convey this, it will add a sense of energy and
results-orientation.
 Your Resume
1. What unique COMBINATION of professional, educational
and personal experiences make you who you are today?
2. How do these speak to your core values,
professional/personal motivations?
3. What technical and soft skills do you have AND how do
these tie in to your TARGET position(s)?
4. What is the potential positive impact and/or value added of
your work?
Tip: Use Jobscan to improve
your applications.
That’s it!