Building a CV- The art of Selling

The CV that is required while applying to an abroad university is quite different from the one required while applying for a job. The CV for studying abroad includes academic & professional qualifications, skills, contributions, and achievements. Things that have to be mentioned in CV are:

Personal Details

This section of the CV includes the student's name, contact number, and address. It is very important to mention personal details. You have to mention these details at the top of the CV.

Academic Details

The students have to mention all their previous academic details. Including their qualifications and marks obtained in a proper sequence. Make sure to describe all the academic achievements. The students must mention the stream in which they completed their 12^th standard. If the student has completed their bachelor's or pursued a diploma, they have to mention their major subjects.

Work Experience

Including work experience while writing a CV is a bonus point. The internships you mention give an idea to the admission committee regarding the field you are passionate about. Also, by mentioning the job experience or internships in the relevant field of your course would convince the admission committee to approve the application.

Skills

There are two types of skills, core skills and soft skills. The students have to mention the core skills which are relevant to the course they have applied for. Soft skills are the basic skills that help the candidate to work in every organisation or institution with patience and effective communication. The extra skills of students make them stand out from other students. It would help if the student also mentioned their hobbies and talent.

Research Projects

Most of the world's top universities are research-intensive. The students should mention the details of their involvement in the research study. one should briefly describe all relevant research projects they have worked on till date. Though mentioning research projects is not compulsory for most of the courses, if the students have applied for any research-based studies, then it is compulsory to mention them.

There are various tips that international students need while curating their CV. An attractive CV puts a good impression on the admission committee. This impression increases the chance of an offer letter from the university. Every student has academic qualifications, but the way they present their qualification in their CV is what makes them stand apart. Here are a few points that should be kept in mind while curating a CV:

• It is very important to give details about academic interests but be sure to express all of the important points concisely.

• Try to keep your CV simple and precise. Don't extend it from more than 2 pages.

• Use uncomplicated and professional words while you make a CV. The content should be easily readable and understandable.

• Try to write in bullet points and avoid paragraphs.

• Mention your accomplishments in reverse chronological order. The students have to write their recent accomplishments first and earlier ones last.

• Use positive words in your CV like 'Managed', 'Achieved', 'Conducted', 'Performed', and 'Designed' while mentioning your accomplishments.

• Try to mention some specific skills or co-curriculum activities that make your profile stand out from others.

• It is very important to put the correct details while building a CV. The information you mention in your CV should be genuine and legit. Inaccurate and false information can leave a bad impact on the admission committee.

• Ensure that you proofread your CV, it should not have any grammatical or spelling errors.

• Use an appropriate font that is clearly visible and looks appealing. Throughout your CV, use a single typeface.

• Avoid any grammatical mistakes while writing your CV, and try to write in an active voice rather than a passive voice.

The students have to be very careful while they create a CV. Here are some common mistakes that you should avoid while making a CV.

• While mentioning the academic details, list the pointers and do not explain them; otherwise, it will look like an SOP.

• Avoid using negative words in your CV.

• Briefly mention all the achievements, but draw a line, where to end and what to mention.

• It is important to talk about the course details but only put short and relevant information.

• Avoid using single words multiple times. It might make your CV look a little boring.

• Prepare yourself well to justify if there is any loophole in your CV.

• Only mention the internships that are either relevant to your course or show your skills.

• Many students add multiple lines of text, even in the bullet points, making it less interesting. Each bullet point should not exceed one and a half lines.

• Do not mention your objectives in the starting; it might not look good.

Only the CV is not enough to provide all your details; one also needs to attach the documents with their CV. Here is the list of documents that the students need to attach to their CVs while making an application.

• Academic Documents

• 10th Mark sheet

• 12th Mark sheet

• Bachelors Mark sheet (of each semester and main/provisional degree)

• Masters Mark sheet (of each semester and main/provisional degree)

• Passport (front & back pages)

• IELTS (if appeared)

• LOR (by last University/College attended and workplace)- (1 for UG and 2 for PG courses)

• SOP (Statement of Purpose)

• MOI (Medium of Instruction)

• Portfolio (If you are planning for Architecture, Arts, Fashion, Music, Film, Design, textile, Animation, VFX and etc related courses)

• Work Experience Letters (Gap justification is required with supportive documents)

The students who wish to fulfil their dream of studying abroad may contact our educational counsellors at any branch of Meridean Overseas Education Consultant (MOEC). Our expert counsellors will provide students with all the guidance and support that they need to take admission in abroad universities. For more information or any queries, you can mail us at application02@meridean.org or call us at our toll-free no. 1800-1230-00011.