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5 Things You Can’t Put on a CV

By UCL Careers, on 13 November 2015

This post originally appeared on campus.about.me.

To judge a college student by his or her CV would be like judging a YouTube video from its freeze frame. You just can’t get the whole picture.

A résumé is critical for students during an internship or job search. All of the basics, like education, skills, and experience, are important. However, at all costs, avoid being solely defined by the words typed between the margins of a resume.

What about all the other great ‘stuff’ that makes you who you are? Here are five very defining things you can’t put on a CV.

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1. Your Picture

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Jordan Jenkins, Ball State University

Let people see you as more than a bunch of letters. Put a face to your name and make it fun. People like to see you being you, not you in an uncomfortable suit and tie.

2. What Matters Most to You

Do you have your own Etsy store? What about a SoundCloud with awesome music recommendations? Maybe you’re simply looking for your next gig, like George Washington University student Zach Kahn. Use your page to point people to something that matters, even if that’s just having them send you an email.

Corinne Kelly, Bentley University
Corinne Kelly, Bentley University

3. Your Love Of Weird, And Not So Weird Stuff

A bio doesn’t have to be cut and dry. Whether you’re into Beyoncé, college sports, Steampunk, or fly fishing, share your interests and people will want to connect with you. Check out Corinne Kelly’s bio for a little inspiration.

4. Celebrate, Don’t Hate On Your Social Media

Let’s face it, social media is a part of the job search. Embrace it and show off your social media accounts that make you proud. Take awesome photos? Link up your Instagram. Always up to date on the latest scandals and trends? Add your Twitter!

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Pablo Vera, Polytechnic University of Valencia

5. Who You REALLY Are

Résumés typically have a pretty set template, while some people can get creative, some are left in the dust. We don’t all look good on paper. Use your about.me page to show off what your résumé doesn’t. Be true to yourself.

Zoë BjörnsonZoë Björnson is the Editorial + Social Media Coordinator with about.me. She is a graduate of Tulane University.

Are you looking for additional help with your career?

By UCL Careers, on 2 April 2014

This post originally appeared on the Develop your Career blog

If you’re still a current student, then you may well already be accessing your own College careers service.  But if you need some extra help, or have left your College, you may like to take part in a unique careers MOOC.

The Careers Group, University of London is launching the Enhance Your Careers and Employability Skills Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) commissioned by the University of London International Programme on 27 May 2014.

Not sure what a MOOC is? Watch this video:

Hosted on the Coursera platform, The Careers Group’s 6-week course is the first of Coursera’s MOOCs to be aimed at any student who wants to explore their career management and employability skills, regardless of their discipline or background. The aim of the MOOC is to be complementary to any other course of study as it enables students to recognise their own strengths and skills. Participants on the MOOC will also be shown how to best articulate those skills and experiences to future employers and academic institutions.

Laura Brammar, a Senior Careers Consultant with The Careers Group and one of the course instructors said:

The Careers Group has produced a really unusual MOOC in the sense that, unlike many other MOOCs that are all based around a discipline, this Careers MOOC is going to be of interest to pretty much everyone. Because whether they’re at the initial stage of their career or coming up to retirement, who isn’t going to find topics such as self-awareness and skills development interesting?

And also, the fact that often people are doing MOOCs with an eye to their career development anyway, it’s a way of super-sizing the MOOCs you’re already doing by thinking how you could feature them in your future career development.

The Careers Group has produced a really unusual MOOC in the sense that, unlike many other MOOCs that are all based around a discipline, this Careers MOOC is going to be of interest to pretty much everyone. Because whether they’re at the initial stage of their career or coming up to retirement, who isn’t going to find topics such as self-awareness and skills development interesting?And also, the fact that often people are doing MOOCs with an eye to their career development anyway, it’s a way of super-sizing the MOOCs you’re already doing by thinking how you could feature them in your future career development.”

The unique structure of the course aims to help participants analyse their previous experiences, expectations and attitudes, both professionally and personally. Participants will also engage in a range of activities which are designed to help them improve key employability documents, such as their CVs or cover letters. The course syllabus includes the following modules:

  • Week 1: What do you want? – Self Awareness
  • Week 2: What can you offer? – Skills Awareness
  • Week 3: Are you ready to find success? – Career Readiness
  • Week 4: How do you express yourself? – Articulating Your Experiences
  • Week 5: What impact do you make? – Making a Good Impression in Person
  • Week 6: How do you build fruitful relationships? – Networking Online and in Person

To learn more and join the ‘Enhance Your Careers and Employability Skills’ for free visit www.coursera.org/course/career