Career Advising Programme (CAP) - Guideline to Writing CV and Cover Letters

A1. Curriculum Vitae (CV) Samples

For CV sample, please click the following link according to your major/curriculum:

A2. Guideline to Writing CV

Nature of CV

A marketing tool for yourself
Highlight things of interest to a potential employer

Purpose of CV

To obtain an interview
To supplement an application

CV Writing Guidelines

No such thing as a perfect CV
Customise CV for each position
Reflect employer’s needs by making it a strong reflection of one’s qualifications, experiences, skills and qualities
Limit to one page
Reverse chronological with the recent experience first
Use action words
Use a font style that is easy to read (e.g. Arial, Times New Roman)
Use a font size of 12, try not to go below 10
Avoid jargon and abbreviations
Do not use unprofessional email address (e.g. hellokitty@abc.com)
Keep to standard headings

Education
Work Experience
Extra-Curricular Activities
Skills

Layout of CV

Personal Details

Name
Address
Telephone
Email

Example

CHAN Tai Man

Room 808, Kwun Lung Lau, 8 Lung Wah Street, Kennedy Town, Hong Kong

Tel: 8088 8808 E-mail: tmchan@hku.hk

Personal Statement

Optional

Example

University undergraduate with highly developed analytical and computer skills ready to contribute during the period of internship

Educational Information

Name of Institution
Period attended
Programme of study
Grade
Relevant courses taken

Example

The University of Hong Kong	Sep 2012 – Jun 2016
B Sc (Major: Statistics) CGPA: 3.50 / 4.30 Relevant Courses: Survey designing, business Statistics, Data Mining, Stochastic Models, SAS programming

Working Experience

Include full-time / part-time jobs, volunteer work & internships
Provide information such as job title, employer and period of work
Summarise under each experience key responsibilities and accomplishments
Focus experience to the key requirements of the job applied

Example

Financial Analyst, ABC Bank	Jun – Aug 2015
Conducted quantitative analysis of the financial investment in local stock market. Analysis formed the basis of recommendation to Business Development Manager

Extra-Curricular Activities

Include any activities if they are directly related to the position
State position and the name of clubs/societies including period
State responsibilities and accomplishments

Example

External Vice-Chairperson, Statistics Society, HKU Student Union

Dec 2013-Dec 2014

Arranged 10 alumni as mentors in providing career advice to 50 years 1 – 3 undergraduates
Organised 6 alumni sharing sessions to a total of 200 students in the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science

Skills

Draw a match between skills (computer and language) and the employer’s requirements
List familiarity with computer systems, applications and programme
State degree of proficiency in speaking and writing

Example

Language: Cantonese (native); fluent in both written and spoken Chinese and English, Spanish (basic)
Computer: Programming (C++, Java); Applications (Microsoft Word, Excel & Power-point)

B1. Cover Letter Samples

For Cover Letter sample, please click the following link according to your major/curriculum:

B2. Guideline to Writing Cover Letters

Purpose of Cover Letter

Express your interest in a position
Detail why you are a good match
Demonstrate your abilities
Draw reader’s attention to specific qualifications on your CV
Provide a sample of your written communication
Is a complement to CV
Get an interview

Cover Letter Writing Guidelines

About 3-4 short paragraphs

1st para : explain why you are writing
2nd para : why you
3rd para : ask for an interview

Highlight qualifications / skills / competences related to the positon as shown in the job advertisement
Prove that you align well with the organization and that you meet the job requirements
Make you stand out from other applicants
One page

Layout

One inch margin on all sides
Use single space throughout
Use one blank line between paragraphs

Structure

Salutation

At the top of a letter in which one greets a person one is writing
Do not use “To Whom It May Concern” nor “Dear Sir / Madam”

Opening Paragraph

Grab reader’s attention
State the position you are applying for
State where you saw the job advertisement
Explain why are writing

Example

As the enclosed CV attests, the Data Analyst position advertised on the JIJIS is a perfect fit with my qualifications. My experience working as a summer intern in the Research Department of L & M Ltd from June to August 2015 and my study of Statistics in HKU have prepared me for the analytical ability this job requires, making me an ideal applicant for this position.

Body Paragraph

Write 1-2 concise paragraphs, each for a distinct skill or a set of related skills or experience relevant to the job that the company will benefit from hiring you
Use phrases and descriptions from the job advertisement

Example

The experience of offering high quality of analysis on big data in the Research Department of L & M as a summer intern was transferrable. It has not only given me a solid background in handling complex data, but also exposed me to making presentation to senior management. Thus, I am confident that I will contribute as a data analyst once on board.

Final Paragraph

Ask for an interview
Include contact information
Thank the reader for their time and consideration

Example

In essence, I have good education background, sophisticated analytical and technical skills to be a data analyst at your company. Whilst I am pleased to enclose my CV, I would like to further discuss this position in person at an interview. I can be contacted at 8088 8808 or via email at tmchan@hku.hk. Thank for your time and consideration.

Closings

The closing is the short line at the bottom telling the person that the letter is about to end

Example

Salutations	:	Dear Mr Chan
Closings	:	Yours sincerely