<b>Aims</b>
CVs and cover letters that spark interest are keys that pave the way to obtaining job interviews: you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Composing an attractive CV and cover letter requires you to strike the right balance between promoting your unique value to a potential employer and explicating the reasons why the position you are applying for is a perfect fit for you. The workshop is aimed at PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows who wish to train their ability to write employment applications that could give them an edge over other applicants in the competitive job market.
Participants receive a script and slides with tips and examples to support/guide them in writing convincing, clear employment documents.
<b>Content</b>
<ul>
<li>Reviewing the structure and content of various parts of CVs and cover letters for a job application</li>
<li>Attending to language conventions in CVs and cover letters</li>
<li>Tailoring the CV and cover letter to each application</li>
<li>ldentifying and describing skills and achievements without sounding arrogant</li>
<li>Fine-tuning CVs and letters to the required length</li>
<li>Reviewing and customising participants' own CVs and cover letters, both by peers and the lecturer</li>
<li>Attending to additional issues identified in participants' own writing</li>
</ul>
<b>Methods</b>
The task-based workshop will include input on CV and cover letter writing, language use and tailoring the employment application documents to the job description. A handout/slides will be distributed. Participants will work on their own drafts and review each other's CVs and cover letters. The trainer will provide advice and review participants' documents in class and after the workshop, if participants choose to submit revised final drafts for further review.
<b>Target Group</b>
All Doctoral Candidates & Postdocs
<b>Requirements</b>
Participants agree to provide written peer review for one fellow participant during and after the workshop.
<b>About the Trainer</b>
Dr. Riana Paola-Roos holds a D Litt et Phil degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. She has taught English in various educational institutions in Switzerland, England and South Africa. Within the field of linguistics and language teaching, she has published and is particularly interested in Academic English and English for Specific Purposes. She offers courses in writing for publication in the Natural Sciences as well as thesis writing courses at the Language Center of the University of Basel.
<b>Workload</b>
7 hours maximum
Pre-workshop preparation (1-2 hours)
Participants write, upload and bring to the workshop a first draft of a CV and letter of application that will be reviewed during the course. Having a copy of a job advertisement for a position the participant would like to apply for is also recommended, as the CVs and cover letters can then be tailored to that specific position. The lecturer analyses these first drafts to identify common issues that could be addressed during the workshop. Participants who do not submit drafts, must bring such along to the workshop, even if these are only rough drafts.
Time spent in the workshop: 4 hours incl. 15-minute break. Post-workshop: 1 hour - optional
Participants have the opportunity to submit their revised CVs and cover letters to the lecturer for comments and corrections.