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jmvail · Newbie Joined: 20 Jun 2008 Posts: 2 Career Advice: +0/-0

Hi everyone,

I’m a MBA graduate and was hoping for some advice/criticism of my CV.

The roles I am looking for are in management consulting and general management.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

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Personal Statement

A recently qualified MBA student with a depth of experience in research and consulting in a small professional team environment. Highly motivated with an aptitude for working under pressure and thinking quickly. Confident communication skills, and discipline in time and work management. Assured ability to lead or work as a team member in a variety of different situations and environments. Specific expertise in a range of analytical tools used in strategic, economic, and marketing thinking.

Key Skills

Research – Experienced in a range of web based research methods including use of databases such as FAME or Cordis, and more generally via Google and other search engines. This is demonstrated in Foreign Direct Investment projects for CM International.

Analytical – Through MBA background combined with experience. Knowledge acquired in applications of analytical tools for strategic, economic, and marketing theory. Examples include use of PEST model and Competitor Arrays in the 2008 Competitor Analysis report presented to CM International.

Communication – Capacity to generate concise reports for management and tutors. Ability shown to present strongly to clients as shown via presentations to the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) or the MBA Strategy Award winning presentation on the Eden project.

Leadership & Teamwork – Demonstrated ability to lead on MBA business plan and is equally as comfortable under instruction from others.

Professional Experience

October 2007 – April 2008 CM International UK Limited
• Position as Junior Consultant in a small professional team environment.
• Gained rapid understanding of client requirements and technical business sectors to use a range of research methodologies in list building for the Performance Lead Generation exercise for EMDA.
• Well developed communication skills allowing free flowing conversations with company CEO’s in different sectors across an array of countries to achieve desired results for both client and management.
• Presented final report to EMDA meeting client expectations.
• 2008 Competitor Analysis report showed use of analytical methodologies in correct circumstances and was presented to management generating discussion on findings.

Jul 2004 – Jul 2005 University of Essex Student Union Council
• Worked as a successful member of the 2005 Election Campaign team focusing on advertising and PR, resulting in the highest ever turnout of Essex University Student Union Election.
• Displayed ability to work as a team member and individual to produce desired results.
• Liaised with students in a general manner and presented any problems students were facing to the Student Union Executive.
• Demonstrated ability to construct and argue effective contributions leading to union decision making.

July 2002– Sep 2002 Zenith Windows Ltd
• Role as a Sales Consultant co-ordinating with a team of 6 sales consultants and management to plan successful implementation of sales targets.
• Exercised strong face to face presentation, sales, and negotiation skills.
• Exhibited abilities to never pre-judge situations, pitch and close, and negotiate product prices to satisfy client and management expectations.
• Excelled in a pressurised working environment, where decision making had to be done ad-hoc and on my feet.

Education

Sep 2005 – Oct 2007 MBA
Cardiff Business School
• MBA Strategy Award Winner, for presentation on the Eden project. Included SWOT analysis, Mission Statement Analysis, and Ansoff Matrix
• Led and worked as part of a team of MBA students in completing and presenting a business plan model.
• Presented report on small business financing to a director of StayMobile Ltd.
• Completed dissertation on the future of CAP after the enlargement process
• Modules include: Strategic Management, Organisational Behaviour, Financial Management, Managerial Economics, Marketing, Industrial Relations, Personnel Management, Operations Management, Management of Change, and Management Consulting.

Sep 2001 – Jul 2005 BSc (Hons) Business Management
The University of Essex
• Modules Include: Business Strategy, Critical Perspectives in Innovation & Technology, and Operations Management

Sep 1999 – 2001 Cowbridge Sixth Form
• 3 A levels in Geography (C); Economics (D); History (E).

Sep 1994 – 1999 Cowbridge Comprehensive School
• 11 GCSE including Mathematics (C); English (BCC)

Interests
Sports
• Regular gym trainer where I enjoy the physical challenge and measured disciplined approach to training.
• Vice-captain of Cardiff Northern Cricket Club, where decision making based on environmental and human resources led to high levels of team performance.
Social
• Enjoy socialising in a number of different situations, whether it be going out with friends or talking current affairs with friends, colleges, and acquaintances.

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Thoughts?

Cheers,

James Vaile

Pauloz · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:52 am Post subject:

jmvail

What you've got there is basically a resume.

It's a bit too much information, and not enough of it is about management.

Imagine you're going for a management job, in any business

Personal Statement- OK

Key Skills- OK

Professional experience- OK

Provided they're adapted to the job you're applying for, and relevant to the position criteria.

The rest of it is basically appendix material. However, some of it is impressive, and can obviously be adapted to target specific management positions.

As an all purpose CV for adaption, you've got it all there in one place, but you can't really use all of it in context with an application.

We encourage people to use targeted CVs as a matter of principle. There's a risk of extraneous material, and the application CV is better built line by line, to make sure you're hitting your targets.

Every job ad contains specific requirements, and that's what the employer needs to see in your application.

Send them the whole thing, not targeted, and they'll just think you didn't read the ad.

Grammar: "Leadership & Teamwork – Demonstrated ability to lead on MBA business plan and is equally..." should be "am equally", because "is" only works in the third person.

Acronyms: Standard practice, (irritating as it is) is that you use full names with acronyms in brackets, then use the acronyms thereafter. The other issue is that the reader might not know what FAME or PEST means.

Very broad general suggestion: Repetitive use of descriptors like "excellent" and other superlatives should be avoided. The repeating of terms can be counterproductive. Use synonyms, like "Strong", "effective", etc.

jmvail · Newbie Joined: 20 Jun 2008 Posts: 2 Career Advice: +0/-0

Pauloz,

Thank you for your feedback on the CV/resume.

I very much take on board your point about targeting the CV more towards the management market.

The issue of space and too much information is something I have worried about and it good to get verification of this issue.

I will put your comments into practice.

I am glad there is at least some impressive material, lol.

Cheers,

James Vaile

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