The Careers Centre

THE CAREERS in BUSINESS CV GUIDE

A GUIDE to CV TECHNIQUES for INTERNATIONAL POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS

INDEX
Page INTRODUCTION 1. 2. YOUR CV USING THIS GUIDE TO CREATE A CV AND GETTING HELP 3 3

THE DESIGN GUIDE 3. 4. GETTING STARTED 4 Fig 1. Your Lifeline PROVIDING EVIDENCE THAT 4 CROSSES CULTURES Fig 2. Explaining Your Results COVERING LETTERS 6 Fig 3: Covering Letter Layout Fig 4: Opening Paragraph of Covering Letter Fig 5: Middle Paragraphs of Covering Letter Fig 6: Closing Paragraphs of Covering Letter CV FORMAT 1 PAGE OR 2? 8 IMAGE AND FONTS 9 THE HEADER 9 Fig. 7: Header Fig. 8: Header plus ORGANISING YOUR MATERIAL 9 AND HEADINGS TACKLING WORK PERMIT ISSUES 10 Fig. 9 Nationality and Work Permission Data WRITING PERSONAL PROFILES 12 Fig 10. Personal Profile Statement Fig 11: Career Objective Statement Fig 12: Career Summary Fig 13: Expertise Summary BEAUTIFUL BULLETS 13 Fig 14: Bullet 1 Fig 15: A Powerful Summary SHOWING MANAGERIAL CAPABILITIES 14 REFERENCES 14 Fig 16. References SCANNING YOUR WORK 15 CV EXAMPLES PROFILE EXAMPLES EXAMPLE COVERING LETTER 16-28 29-30 31

5.

6. 7. 8.

9. 10. 11.

12.

13. 14 15. CV EXAMPLES

INTRODUCTION
1. YOUR CV
Welcome. If you are a postgraduate student at The Birmingham Business School, one of the tasks you are likely to want to tackle is the design of a CV to market your skills for the future. Even if you do not intend to try and seek work in the UK, you are likely to find that you can learn from the self-marketing skills our Careers Advisers and Consultants will emphasise in the workshop sessions offered and by working on your CV using this Guide. You are likely to achieve the best result if you review your CV more than once during your course. The review process will strengthen your CV so it reflects your learning, development and changing ideas about work options. MBAs at The Birmingham Business School will be asked to design a Profile, to go on-line. However, this profile format will not suit all job applications so you will also need to work on your own CV.

2. USING THIS GUIDE TO CREATE A CV AND GETTING HELP

1. Read through this guide once and then set aside time to start the design of your own CV. You could work through each section systematically or just look at the examples to trigger ideas. Examples are printed in blue. 2. When you have finished a draft, try and find a student with mother-tongue English to check your work. 3. You may then wish to make an appointment to see one of the Careers in Business Advisers to discuss your draft. The DESIGN GUIDE consists of some ideas for you to consider followed by some minidesign examples. The EXAMPLES SECTION gives full CV examples. Profile examples are given on Pages 29 and 30. None of these CV examples are perfect. They have been incorporated because each example or CV illustrates some useful points. We do not recommend that you copy any model exactly but rather that you try and design a document which works for you. In this Guide most examples are printed in Font size 9 which is smaller than recommended for an actual CV. Size 10-12 is most appropriate.

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3. GETTING STARTED
The first step is to gather ideas. 1. Find your last CV. 2. Then try the lifeline exercise:

Fig 1: Your Lifeline Draw a line representing your life. Give more space to the last few years. Mark crosses above and below the line to indicate life moves, important things which you have done and significant projects or achievements. Some people put events they have viewed negatively below the line and those they view positively above.

X left school (High School exams) 1978_____________________________________2000 X father died

********************************************************************************************************** X Came to UoB X came to England to Learn English Hope to gain MBA Recruited and trained new team X Job Role as Customer Services Manager 2000______________________________________________2005

4. PROVIDING EVIDENCE WHICH CROSSES CULTURES

UK recruitment culture places a lot of emphasis on achievements in the workplace and the professional capabilities that are thus developed (often known as competencies). Other recruitment cultures may differ e.g. in China there is, relatively, more emphasis given to academic achievements. In India having 'the right qualification' is important. In Hungary there is a close association between certain occupations and the degree-subject background. These differences are subtle but crucial to the way we market ourselves.

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In the United Kingdom, and when applying for jobs internationally, it is very important to emphasise your recent achievements and capabilities. As a potential manager, you will be expected to be very aware of the direct contribution you have made to your work roles. This includes: goals set and achieved the ways you have strengthened your professional abilities. Make a few notes on the situations you are proud of to help you give your CV an achievement focus. Try using these headings: THE SITUATION MY CONTRIBUTION OUTCOME WHAT I LEARNT Because of this emphasis on achievement and capability, you may find there are surprises in the content we suggest and that it is helpful to get your CV reviewed by a Careers in Business Career-Development Adviser. In addition, you will need to help the local recruiter to interpret the information you provide in terms of the local education system. Information is provided about the equivalence of qualifications on the website www.naric.org.uk This may help you to understand the UK qualification structure or how to equate your qualifications to those of the UK or another country. In your CV, rather than giving lots of complex information, it is most important to put in brief explanatory details to help the reader of your CV understand your level of achievement.

Fig 2: Explaining Your Results e.g. Yi Li is a fictitious individual who has attended a High School in China prior to going to University to take her first degree. She obtained a broad preUniversity High School education across a wide range of subjects. She has now come to the UK to study for the Masters in Accounting and Finance. She wants to apply to UK investment banks and knows that these institutions tend to screen candidates on the basis of both degree result and pre-University A level grades using a points system. This is how she might give just enough information in the EDUCATION section of her CV to allow the recruiter to assess how her results compare with those of UK candidates. Notice the way she quantifies her degree results. ************************************************************************************************* EDUCATION 2004 2005 MSc Accounting and Finance The Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham to be awarded Sept. 2005 Subjects studied: International Money and Finance; Theory of Financial Management; Graduate Accounting Theory; International Business; International Financial Statement Analysis; Venture Capital Management 2000-2004 First Degree in Economics, Guangzhou University. China Gave strong knowledge of Macro and Micro Economics plus International Trade and International Finance. Average score above 80 academically. High School Education at Guangzhou High School with subject study across 10 major subjects including Maths and English.

To 1999

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5. COVERING LETTERS
The tradition in the UK is to make a job application with a personal package that consists of CV and associated covering letter. The covering letter: 1. Should use the conventions of formal letter-writing.

Fig 3: Covering Letter Layout ************************************************************************************** NAME OF LETTER RECIPIENT COMPANY NAME COMPANY ADDRESS LINE 1 COMPANY ADDRESS LINE 2 etc PERSONAL ADDRESS LINE 1 LINE 2 etc.

--/--/-- (todays date)

Dear Sir / Madam

or

Dear Named Individual (use Professor, Mr, Mrs or first and family name e.g. Gerald Hopkins) but do not guess title and avoid Ms for females.

OPTIONAL HEADING E.G. APPLICATION FOR POST OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

[body of letter] ends ends

Yours faithfully,

Yours sincerely

**********************************************************************************************

Aim to use no more than the central two-thirds of a sheet of A4 paper for the main paragraphs of your letter.

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2 The opening paragraph of a covering letter typically refers to the specific job applied for and where you saw any advertisement.

Fig 4: Opening Paragraph of Covering Letter ************************************************************************************************* Further to your advertisement on the website planetrecruit.com and in todays Telegraph, I wish to apply for the post of Product Development Manager. *************************************************************************************************

The middle paragraphs of your letter should introduce you and make the case for employing you by drawing attention to your relevant experience, skills and educational background. Put the points which are most important to the job applied for first. Try to draw attention to your strongest selling points, but not to repeat the content of your CV.

Fig 5: Middle Paragraphs of Covering Letter ************************************************************************************************* I am a Dutch national currently studying for an MBA in International Business at The University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. You will see from the attached CV that I have ten years commercial experience. This included five years as Sales Manager for Software Company X during which period I expanded the sales for eight out of ten top accounts by at least 20% year on year. My managerial responsibilities, in this recent role, included the recruitment, staff performance management, training and development of a sales team of 20. I was able to significantly develop my skills as a hands-on manager. My recent move to achieve the MBA qualification reflects my growing interest in strategic marketing and the desire to develop my skills relevant to other industry sectors. ***************************************************************************************************

Before closing your letter, It is usual to say something about why you are interested in the specific role you have applied for and in the specific company that you are applying to. However try and make points which are genuinely interesting and unique to you and dont overdo compliments to the employer. UK culture expects professional applicants to make their case as an equal and recruiters could be suspicious of over-complimentary language. Tackle this quite briefly e.g. in the penultimate paragraph of your letter.

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Finally, close your letter by being as clear as possible about how you suggest contact could be made with you.

Fig 6: Closing Paragraphs of Covering Letter ************************************************************************************************* This role appeals to me because it provides the opportunity to apply my business development experience to the automotive sector which, being characterised by longer lead-in times and intense global competition, will challenge my ability to re-position Car Brand F within key European markets. I can be contacted for interview at any time using my e-mail address and I look forward to hearing from you. *************************************************************************************************

To view this covering letter in full turn to Page 31. In theory, a CV always requires a covering letter. However the current usage of e-mail to send CVs means that covering letters may get detached from a CV and the recruiter may rely on the CV alone. Wise applicants are designing CVs that work with or without the associated letter. This means putting less information in the covering letter and ensuring that the CV communicates your motivation for the specific job and the expertise you have in a very direct way.

6. CV FORMAT 1 PAGE OR 2 ?
You will find both one-page and two-page CV examples in the EXAMPLES SECTION of this guide. Many of you ask whether you should design a one - page CV or can allow yourself an extra page or two to give more detail. There is a place for both approaches. The recruitment market for recent graduates in the UK has been strongly influenced by the use of competency or situational questioning in selection (e.g. Can you give me an example of an occasion where you led a team of people? Please describe the situation and your contribution to that team and to team outcomes?). This approach demands that a candidate gives fairly full evidence of past skills and achievements and has created a trend for more detail in the CVs of recent graduates and those with initial post-degree experience. The typical length for CVs at this level is for two quite full sides. The challenge in creating this style of CV is to ensure a strong profile of relevant capabilities which are well-evidenced and yet to make sure that the CV can still be scanned quickly. At MBA level, the job-market has also been influenced by the resume style used in the USA. This style of CV uses short punchy bullet points in a one-page format. Many MBA students and experienced professionals prefer to try and meet the challenge of creating a one-page CV which both manages to tell its story in one page and is sufficiently strong in the evidence provided of achievements and work-related abilities. If a single page does not do justice to your experience then try using two pages and put priority information on the first page. If you have very significant experience or are applying for an academic or research post then aim for a two - four page CV and make use of appendices. An attached summary

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of publications, a fuller research outline or a summary of research projects attached separately at the back can all help you to provide the detail without making your main CV document very hard for the reader to work through.

7. IMAGE AND FONTS

There will be an expectation amongst employers that an individual with a significant business education will give careful thought to how they come across in the workplace. One method of communicating this is by looking carefully at the image your CV projects through its 'look' and presentation. Consider the following:

i.
ii.

Does the font used, and the appearance of the CV, present an image of clarity and professionalism?
Some fonts e.g. Times New Roman have a more traditional (and possibly old-fashioned) look. The size of each letter is also smaller. It can be worth looking at more modern fonts like Arial or Tahoma that present a cleaner appearance.

iii.

8. THE HEADER
It used to be usual to place the latin name 'Curriculum Vitae' at the head of the CV. In the USA this would be replaced with Rsum. An up-to-date alternative is to head the CV with just your name, enlarged and centred. Fig. 7: Header GEORGIOS ROUSSOS

You may also wish to experiment with simple heading and border styles that enhance the attractiveness of your CV without taking up much space e.g. simple underlining. Fig. 8: Header plus GEORGIOS ROUSSOS __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________

9. ORGANISING YOUR MATERIAL AND HEADINGS

There are no set rules about the headings you should make use of within your CV. What is most important is to choose headings in an order that allow you to present your experience convincingly. A very common basic format for all CVs follows this order: PERSONAL DETAILS EDUCATION EMPLOYMENT SPECIFIC SKILLS

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INTERESTS REFERENCES Experiment with additional headings to market what you have to offer e.g. ACHIEVEMENTS KEY SKILLS CORE EXPERTISE Use the headings PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE or EMPLOYMENT and not WORK EXPERIENCE. These headings emphasise the more senior level at which you have been operating! Remember that the most crucial space on your CV is the bottom half of the first page. This is where the eye falls first. This space needs to engage attention. The MBA CV quite often adjusts the typical order to ensure that the emphasis falls on experience e.g. by putting the personal details section at the end. For those applying for work from full-time education, it helps if the CV reveals BOTH the recent educational experience and the recent professional experience on the first page. This way the recruiter's eye absorbs both items of information simultaneously and will, at once, understand that both elements are relevant to what is offered. Don't give all of the crucial Page 1 space to your EDUCATION. Give lists in most recent first order ( i.e. in EMPLOYMENT and EDUCATION summaries) to ensure the stress falls on what you are doing now.

10. TACKLING WORK PERMIT ISSUES

It is possible to waste a lot of your time by applying for jobs without adequate thought about your work permit position and how this affects the way in which you present your application. If you are going to need a work permit in order to work in the United Kingdom (or elsewhere) then it is better to make this clear from the start but to do so in way which emphasises your eligibility. Become an expert on your own eligibility to seek work by making use of the following websites. www.ukcosa.org.uk www.workingintheuk.gov.uk Never assume that the employers you approach will be correctly informed. They may often imply that you should have a work permit in your pocket before approaching them but this is a misunderstanding of the complex rules. You need to try and find out which employers have a high demand for your skills and might welcome international applicants and then to target your approaches accordingly. If in doubt, seek more information from a Careers in Business Adviser.

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Fig. 9 Nationality and Work Permission Data The two examples below show the PERSONAL DETAILS sections from two CVs which give clear, but brief, information about eligibility to work in the United Kingdom. In this first example, the individual has eligibility subject to the rules for new accession countries following enlargement of the European Union. Note that she would need to check details of the new Workers Registration Scheme on the above websites. **********************************************************************************************************

MONIKA NAGY Address 1, Address Line 2 etc Date of Birth: --/--/-Telephone: 0121 123 4567 E-mail: m.nagy@mailaddress.com

Nationality: Hungarian Work Eligibility: Fully eligible to seek work in UK

**********************************************************************************************************I In this second example, the individual does not have eligibility to work in the UK beyond the terms of his student permit but he hopes to emphasise that he would meet the criteria if an employer were prepared to make the case for him. Do not assume that the case he makes will apply to you. You must check your own situation fully. **********************************************************************************************************

HENRIQUE COURY Nationality Work Permit Status Brazilian My student entry clearance allows me to work full-time From Sept Dec 2005 and I meet the UK work permit criteria for continued employment after that date. I am fully mobile internationally. Single --/--/--

Marital Status Date of Birth

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11. WRITING PERSONAL PROFILES
As an actual or potential manager you will be expected to be very aware of where you are heading in your career. The following profiling techniques can help you to focus your application. Personal Profile Statement Profile statements usually appear at the beginning of the CV under the header. The profile is intended to influence the reader as he /she scans the rest of the CV. It seeks to summarise in as few words as possible: Key fields of experience - Your most unique qualities - The job you seek next

Fig. 10: Personal Profile Statement A creative direct marketing account planner with a record of achievement in positioning key brands. Now seeks a promotional move into brand management.

Brevity is crucial to make an impact. You need to consider the impact of every word you use. Avoid over-used labels like 'interpersonal and communication skills'. Avoid being vague or using cliches about the role you seek e.g. 'opportunity with potential in a dynamic, international organisation'. Be very specific about the role that you seek to show that you are focussed and clear about where your experience will best fit. If necessary change the profile and use different versions of your CV for different types of job rather than trying to write something general. Take care not to express interest in too many types of role on the same CV e.g. marketing and HR are seen by employers as being very different. It might however be acceptable to state an interest in both international trade and import and export because they could be seen as part of the same professional field. Career Objective Statement Fig 11: Career Objective Statement OBJECTIVE: My next challenge will be to head a generalist HR team in a public sector context. Statements of career objective only attempt to summarise the job role sought. They usually appear at the beginning of the CV. Be as specific as possible so a recruiter knows where to place you.

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Career Summary Fig 12: Career Summary CAREER SUMMARY: Ten year's experience in the automotive industry with a record of sales achievement in Service, Retail, Petrol Outlets and Leasing. I expect to make my next contribution in a strategic business development role. Career summaries can be placed at the beginning to highlight what follows, or at the end to conclude the CV. Otherwise, the same points apply. Expertise or Achievement Summary An alternative and effective technique to highlight what you offer early in the CV is to summarise by using a few bullets at the beginning. Fig. 13 Expertise Summary CORE EXPERTISE Delivery and design of training at senior management level Design of performance management systems Strategic review of personnel policy Change management with an emphasis on culture change

12. BEAUTIFUL BULLETS

The heart of your CV is to represent what you have achieved in the workplace in the most powerful way possible. Most CVs make use of bullet points in the PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE or EMPLOYMENT section to achieve this. Many individuals when writing a CV will bullet their responsibilities as if providing an extract from their job description. Fig 14: Bullet 1 Conduct market research analysis with key account holders

However, to strengthen your CV evidence you can represent the following different aspects of past experience whilst always putting the stress on the achievements and outcomes which are a result of your hard work. The ACTIVITY engaged in or key RESPONSIBILITY ACHIEVEMENTS completed or OUTCOMES obtained by your direct contribution PROFESSIONAL EXPOSURE or INSIGHT e.g. to an industry sector or client group What I was employed to do

What I delivered

The professional knowledge I acquired

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This is a stronger approach to writing bullets. Fig. 15: A Powerful Summary Responsible for a team of 20 business analysts. Conducted a strategic review of business processes Led the company through the demands of application for ISO9000 Initiated a review of internal procedures and reduced costs by 10k The strength of the summary above is in using the following techniques. Give a measure of the size of your contribution: This helps the recruiter to assess your seniority. Look at the first bullet. Use the first person and past tense to emphasise a completed achievement or contribution. The bullet point need not be written as a full grammatical sentence. It is written as if it has 'I." At the beginning but the 'I' need not be included. Look at the second bullet. Use active opening words to emphasise your initiative. See conducted, initiated, led in the above bullets. Avoid over-using responsible for. Use indicators of success to emphasise your achievement against relevant performance measures. Within the bullet you can, for example, quantify measures like sales targets or profit levels or performance indicators such as 'to time' or 'to budget'. Look at the last bullet.

See also the Applications and Interviews Power Words list on www.prospects.ac.uk for additional ideas for words to emphasise your contribution.

13. SHOWING MANAGERIAL CABABILITIES

__________________________________________________________________________ Many recruiters will recruit to a person specification which includes general managerial competencies as well as more specific technical abilities. These might include: PERSONAL DRIVE - to achieve results for the organisation RELATIONSHIP BUILDING CAPACITY - the ability to build relationships with company clients, customers suppliers etc PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT CAPABILITY - the ability to manage the performance and the development of others. As you take a last look at your CV, make sure you have done justice to the full range of your abilities (competencies) and have shown how you have developed such abilities in previous roles.

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14. REFERENCES
A CV normally ends with a line or two about your willingness for an employer to take up references. In the United Kingdom it is usual for a potential employer to write, phone or e-mail direct to the individual(s) you have named as being willing to speak for you. A reply is returned in confidence to the requesting employer and you do not have a right to see the contents of that reply. It is best to give at least one referee who works or resides in the UK to ensure that your application can be processed quickly. If you give an international referee for a UK job then try and give an e-mail address and choose someone who writes English. References are usually taken up either before or after the interview stage of a selection process. If you do not want your referees to be contacted too often or until you are being seriously considered then use the approach in the example below.

********************************************************************************************************** Fig 16. References Professional and academic references can be made available on request. **********************************************************************************************************

15. SCANNING YOUR WORK

Lastly try the scan test! Take a break from your CV. o When you come back to it, read it quickly dragging your first finger quickly down the page to force you to scan it quickly! What stands out? It is very important that your CV tells the story you intend! __________________________________________________________________________

Written by Liz Seville Independent Careers Consultant Jan 2005 Co-authored by Clare Wright and Sarah Monaghan Careers in Business Advisers

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CV EXAMPLES

This MSc CV uses a classic format which often works well for recent graduates and which uses reverse CV chronology (most recent first) to emphasise what is current. There is some very strong evidence but does it lack design appeal?

NAME
Home Address Home Telephone Mobile EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS MSc Investment 2002 2003 University of Birmingham Date of Birth Nationality E-mail

The course has enabled me to analyse financial statements and value securities and firms, and to know the operations of foreign exchange markets, stock markets, debt security markets and derivative markets. I would be able to function as a trader in the markets or to apply a range of techniques of fund and portfolio management A detailed knowledge of the foreign exchange and international money markets, the investment industry and of the principles of risk management.

1998 2002

BSc Economics with French 2.1 University Name My degree focused on Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Econometrics, in addition to modules from a wide range of subjects including International Economics, Economic Development and Monetary Policy. The final year included an extended essay requiring individual research, interpretation and presentation. I worked effectively on my own, setting my own deadlines and managed my time under pressure. I gained experience in organising work with other students researching similar topics. French University Sorbonne Year abroad, studying Economics at the Licence level. Through living and studying in Paris, I gained personal experience of the ideas, customs and arts of the French people. As a result of my time abroad I became increasingly independent, my self-confidence grew and I developed strong communication skills. Secondary School 3 A Levels Economics (A), Modern History (A), French (B) 11 GCSEs grades A* B Received a prize for excellent grades and a high level of achievement.

2000 2001

1991 1998 1998 1996

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EMPLOYMENT September December 2002 Administrator, Company Name (Middlesex)

CV EXAMPLES

Working in the membership team, my responsibilities included taking calls covering all aspects of the company and updating members records on the database. Through this position I developed excellent telephone and communication skills.

Summer 2002

Administrator, Company Name (Berkshire) Responsible for providing central administrative support to the team. The role included the organisation of itineries including travel and accommodation arrangements. Within the office I was personally responsible for many varied tasks, demanding a degree of flexibility and the competence to focus on a number of duties at one time.

Summer 2000

Camp Counsellor, Camp America (USA) Camp counsellor to 11-19 year-olds during summer vacation, primarily responsible for the overall activity programme and care of a small group of children. Also travelled independently across the US for 4 weeks.

SKILLS Computing Good working knowledge of Microsoft Windows including Word and Excel. Familiar with the internet. Studying Econometrics as part of my degree has involved a high level of computer based study, in particular Excel and E-views.

Languages

Fluent French, written and spoken. Working knowledge of German. Clean driving licence.

INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES Exercising. Attend aerobics classes and have recently participated in a Yoga course. Enjoy music, dance, film and the theatre. Reading popular novels. During Summer 2001, travelled extensively around Europe via inter-rail, including Italy, Spain, Austria, Hungary and Czech Republic. Member of the Charity Committee throughout Sixth Form.

Academic and employment references available on request.

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CV EXAMPLES

With relatively little experience, this recent graduate has used a skills-based CV to emphasise what she feels she has to offer.

NAME
Address Telephone: Email: D.O.B: Nationality

CAREER OBJECTIVE: Currently working towards my MSc Marketing. Seeking a career in International Marketing or Market Research. SKILLS AND ACHIEVEMENTS: Communication Good communication skills gained from giving presentations at seminars, issuing clear and concise instructions to suppliers, chairing meetings and dealing with customers tactfully and diplomatically. Advising and instructing customers at Sports Retail Ltd. and counselling teenagers at summer camp. Working on team projects during my course has involved different roles, which have developed negotiation and persuasion skills. Team Work Successful course work was dependent upon participation and motivation of syndicated project groups. Experience of working within a team-based culture involved planning, organisation, coordination and commitment. Problem Solving Development of strong analytic and diagnostic skills as part of degree course. Running the office at Sports Retail Ltd. taught me to find solutions to customer problems in a calm and efficient manner. Languages Fluent German developed through one years study at University Name, Germany. Computing Good working knowledge of several word processing packages including Microsoft Word, Excel spreadsheets and the Internet. EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS: 2003 2004 Named University 1999 2003 Named University 1994 1999 Named Comprehensive WORK EXPERIENCE: 2002 2003 Sports Retail Ltd. Named Town. July-Sept 2000 Camp America Shop assistant and acting shop manager during summer vacations. Camp counsellor to 11-19 year-olds during summer vacation.

MSc Marketing BA (Hons) Combined Arts in English and German (2.1) 3 A-levels - English (B), History (C), German (C). 8 GCSEs.

References available on request

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CV EXAMPLES

This Phd / MSc Marketing student has some significant experience. Notice how she breaks the usual rule of CV chronology (most recent first) to draw attention to her consulting experience. She also emphasises very carefully-chosen work-relevant Professional Skills.

Name
Full postal address Date of birth 01/01/XX Current Education September 2003 - 2004 MSc Marketing Professional Skills Information Management and Analysis Experienced in the selection and appraisal of research methodologies PhD has involved critical review of published research and development of new interpretations Developed strategies to evaluate relevance and value of others opinions and data Numeracy developed through analysis of publications for PhD research Communication Skills Experienced in delivery of oral and written reports to academic and commercial audiences (national conferences) Socially confident through conference presentations and committee responsibilities Self Management and Personal Qualities Successful at working autonomously Adept at designing programmes to meet needs of employers through training and teaching experience Teaching and research responsibilities reflect trust of Department in capabilities University Name Phone number(s) email address@server.com

Consulting Experience July - August 1996 and 1997 Management Consulting Organisation X

Conducting surveys, editing and compiling reports, IT, networking, professional and communication skills. Varied contact with the full range of public sector clients.

Research Experience March - May 2000 and May - June 2001 Research Assistant. Works and correspondence of Named Author. Proof correction, manuscript work and editing skills. University Name

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September 2001 present Teaching Assistant.

CV EXAMPLES
Named University

Seminar leader on first year contemporary literature module using educational and communication skills (responsible for support and assessment of 120 students). Ran training workshop for third year students on contemporary literature. (2001) Education October 1999- 2003 Named College, Named University PhD on the American Novel Nihilism and Anger in the American Novel. Named Author and his contemporaries October 1998- September 1999 Named College, Oxbridge University MPhil in Contemporary Literature RESEARCH COUNCIL FUNDED Average mark 70% October 1995- June 1998 Named College, Oxbridge University BA English Language and Literature. First class honours Named Comprehensive School 1995 GCE A levels. English Literature (A); History (A); French (A); Art (B) 1993 GCSEs. 9 subjects, all at grade A

Professional and Personal Development Professional development: Research Councils Graduate School (2001) Invited speaker at the Research Councils Graduate School Directors Workshop (2001) Administrative: Leader of the intercollegiate Early Modern Reading Group at Named College (2000-2002) One of six co-ordinators of the Oxbridge University Womens Open Day (1996). Responsible for publicity, arranging and implementing programme Oxbridge University Schools Marketing Scheme (1996). Visited state schools to encourage more Oxbridge applications. Annual Freshers Handbook (1996). Illustrator. Voluntary: Work with homeless people in Named City (1999 and 2000) Charities Officer on the Named College JCR Committee (1996-7). Responsible for raising and distributing money. Sport: Rowed in the Named College first eight, winning blades in the 1997 Regatta and coaching and coxing novice crews through 1996 and 1997.

References Full names, addresses, phone number and emails of supervisor and former employer who can comment on performance in management consultancy in summer employment.

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CV EXAMPLES

This MSc student also has some recent experience which is given space early in the CV. Notice the enthusiasm of the opening profile! However, the exact dates and location of this individuals current studies get a little lost on the second page.

NAME
PERSONAL PROFILE I am currently studying for the MSc Marketing and taking modules which include Advertising, Brand Management and Market Research. I love the course, especially being able to relate formal concepts to situations Ive encountered previously. My experience over the past year has proved a great asset to my understanding and has given me an excellent base on which to build a career in this field. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Oct-Dec 2001

Market Researcher, Market Research Agency

Completing questionnaires by speaking to respondents over the phone and in person Trainee Account Manager, Consultancy Design Agency

July-Sept 2001

Working with an Account Director, main clients were financial services organisations

June 2000Vice-President (Internal Affairs), Students Union July 2001 A sabbatical position working for the Students Union as part of a full-time team of 7. As trustees of the Charity we were ultimately responsible for the strategic management and 7m annual turnover and oversaw the provision of student services. Responsible for internal matters within the organisation, particularly communications and democratic liaison. The job is extremely varied, ranging from IT provision and involvement with student media groups to discipline, publicity and marketing. My main projects included website redevelopment, organising the annual sabbatical elections and editing fortnightly and annual publications. April 1999 PR Agency, London Work experience in PR. This involved assisting with event organisation, shadowing Senior PR Partner on a client meeting, and general administration and support. EMPLOYMENT Jan - June 2000 Admissions Liaison, Named University

Part-time work showing prospective students and parents around the University July - Sept 1999 Temporary secretarial work in Named City, Australia Summer 1998/99 Waitress, Restaurant in Named City Summer 1997 Administrative Assistant, Law firm in Named City

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CV EXAMPLES

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCES AND VOLUNTARY WORK Feb 2002 Management Course at Coniston Centre April 01-02 Cross-cultural team building

National Union of Students Conference Steering Committee

Oct 97-June 00

Elected chair of the committee for April 2002 conference

Redbrick, student newspaper

Writer and contributor of several local news and current affairs articles, and music reviews.

Oct99-Mar 00

Voluntarily participated in several employer-led skills workshops and business games on campus. Included: Presenting with Presence, Negotiation Skills, Effective Team Working, Enhance your Business & Commercial Skills, Solving the Case Study.

Dec 98-Dec 99 Oct 97-June 00 1992-1997 EDUCATION 2001-2002

Campaigns Officer for Students Union Student Academic Representative Involvement in youth groups, organisations & charities

University of Birmingham, MSc Marketing Dissertation investigating the issue of shock & offensive advertising

1997 2000 1996-1997 1989-1996

University Name, BA (Hons) History 2.2 College Name - A Levels in History (B), Biology (B), Psychology (B) Secondary School 9 GCSEs (6As & 3Bs) SKILLS & INTERESTS Literate in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and the Internet Working knowledge of Microsoft Access and basic French Sports swimming, gym, snow-boarding & kick-boxing

_________________________________________________________________ Telephone Term Address Mobile Date of Birth Email Nationality

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CV 5, PAGE 1

CV EXAMPLES

This is the CV of an Accounting and Finance student with some useful relevant experience. Notice how carefully the CV has been tailored to what is relevant to the accounting world. We are left in no doubt as to this individuals commitment.

Name
Full address Telephone Email Date of Birth Nationality Full, clean driving licence
PROFILE: Currently studying for the MSc Accounting and Finance qualification, and seeking a position as a Trainee Accountant. Reliable, trustworthy, numerate and meticulous. Worked for a firm of chartered accountants last summer and gained a good understanding of what is required of an accountant. Able to work on own initiative or as part of a team and can deal with administrative duties competently. EDUCATION: 2003 2004 MSc Accounting & Finance University of Birmingham

Graduate Accounting Theory Theory of Financial Management Management Accounting Foreign Exchange and International Money Markets International Business Finance International Business Taxation

2000 2003

BCom (Hons) Commerce, 2.1

University Name

Subjects studied: Accounting, Economics, Supply Chain Management, Marketing, Law and European Politics. Secondary School

1993 2000

3 A Levels: Mathematics [B], Economics [C], Chemistry [C]. 6 GCSEs: Mathematics [A], English Language [B], Chemistry [B], Physics [B], Geography [B], Economics [B].

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CV 5, PAGE 2

CV EXAMPLES

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Summer 2002 Administrative Assistant at ACCOUNTANCY FIRM

A vacation job working for a large firm of accountants. Responsibilities and achievements in this 6-week period:

Assisted the Senior Partner who was conducting audits on major companies in the area. Handled incoming telephone calls to the Senior Partner from other companies and members of the public. Organised and maintained the Senior Partner's filing system. Typed reports on an IBM Compatible PC using WordPerfect. Devised a new filing system to maintain the files held by the Department. Solved users PC problems including structuring spreadsheets.

June 2001

Careers in the City of London Work Experience Day

A day organized for c.80 students introducing us to the world of Commodities Broking, Stock Broking and Insurance. It included tours of a large London Stockbrokers firm. Summer 2000 Customer Service Adviser, RETAIL COMPANY

Helped customers with their queries or complaints, working as part of a team in a major high street store. Developed strong communication and problem-solving skills, along with excellent customer service skills.

COMPUTER SKILLS: IBM Compatible PCs running Microsoft Windows, MS-DOS, WordPerfect, Word for Windows, Lotus 1-23 and Microsoft Visual C. INTERESTS: Interests at University included organising a charity quiz for RAG, which raised 5000. Badminton, cinema and theatre.

REFERENCES available on request

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CV 6

CV EXAMPLES

This one-page CV design, used by an MBA student, is close to that given by many CV wizards. It gives room for a photo on the top right. Wizards restrict space so it is often better to attempt the layout yourself. There is also a danger that the address information here will be too small for photocopying. Photographs are not typically provided in the UK but you can provide one if you wish.

e-mail@mail.com

Address line 1, Address line 2, Address line 3. Phone number.

First Name, Family Name

Personal Nationality Date of Birth Immigration status: Mexican -- ----- ---Current valid entry clearance Seeking HSMP work permission University of Birmingham, UK.

Executive Development

September 2004 date

MBA International Business Professional Experience May 2002 May 2004 International Food Company Quertaro, Mexico Brand Manager, Cereal Brand A Team Manager of 12 Liaison with Product Development and Marketing Teams Key instigator of brand concept 2004 Launch of new product across international markets achieved to time and budget Sept 1998 April 2002 Biscuits international Quertaro, Mexico Assistant Brand Manager, Biscuit Brand V Assisting with brand identity formation Full responsibility for relaunch all aspects inc. pricing, packaging, promotion Responsible for training of all team assistants Content Manager of Marketing Plan intranet website Graduate Training Programme Planned placements in Sales, Market Research and Product Development. Awarded Trainee of the Year 1999 Major Market Research competitor analysis project for European markets University Education May 1994 May 1998 ITESM Quertaro, Mexico

BSc Business with French (Distinction) Interests Jazz Music (play Double Bass) and Photography Active Co-ordinator of Student Society (1997/8) Organised a series of Careers in Marketing events for Biscuits International.

Skills

Languages: Spanish: mother tongue: French: fluent English: good:

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CV 7

CV EXAMPLES

This MBA has achieved an attractive but slightly cramped design in one page. The content could be extended to two pages for some applications. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name first, Name family

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Address Line 1, Marital Status xxxxxx Address Line 2, Nationality British Postcode Date of Birth xx.xx.xxxx Tel xxxx xxx xxxx e-mail at work xx@xxxxx.com PROFILE I am an enthusiastic HR and Training Manager and a good leader and innovator. I now seek the challenge of leading a sizeable HR team in an environment which will enhance my cross-cultural experience. Management Systems Workplace Counselling Management of Change Training and Development of Individuals & Teams Performance Management Psychometric Testing

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in International Business and Finance (2004-2005) Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham The strengths of the programme are in building financial management skills, the ability to manage diversity and strategic awareness. Dissertation: Cross-cultural Management in a Telecommunications Environment MSc Personnel Management, Named British University (Graduate Member of Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) (1997-1998) ACHIEVEMENTS Accomplished the integration of three management-level training schemes with a saving of over 50k Designed and implemented a cross-Directorate training needs analysis and follow-up training Led my team through the quality process needed to achieve Investors in People Restructured all recruitment procedures and reduced advertising spend by 40% across Engineering Co. Ltd Achieved culture change necessary to introduce appraisal systems at Retail Co. Ltd CAREER SUMMARY Dec 2000 - May 2004 Head of Training and Development, Human Resources Directorate, Major public sector authority. Responsible for the management and co-ordination of the training function. As a Member of the Department Management Team I headed a group of 7 and monitored expenditure of a 500k annual budget. Oct 1999 Nov 2000 Recruitment Manager / Recruitment Officer Named Systems Engineering Co. Limited. Promoted to head the team after three months. Responsible for all managerial recruitment campaigns including Unit Heads and Project Managers. Sept 1998 Sept 1999 Employee Relations Officer, Named Retail Chain. Responsible for design of performance management systems. PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND TRAINING Saville and Holdsworth Tester including OPQ and all Level A and Level B Psychometric tests Saville and Holdsworth Interviewing Skills at Management Level 4 day workshop Training for Trainers Residential programme 5 days Local Government Training Board Professional use of Word, Excel, Powerpoint EDUCATION BA (Hons) English Literature (Upper Second Class), Named College, University of London (1997) Advanced Level: English Literature (A), History (B), Spanish (1994) 9 GCSEs including Maths (1992) REFERENCES Professional and academic references will be supplied on request.

26

CV 8

CV EXAMPLES

This MBA / PhD has designed her CV with the aim of taking her pharmaceuticals experience into the consultancy sector. Note the considerable emphasis on her transferable skills. She could put a little more emphasis on achievements in each job role.

FIRST AND FAMILY NAME PhD

__________________________________________________________________________________ Address Line 1, Birmingham, UK. BXX XXX Tel: 00 44 121 XXX XXXX Email: xxxx@bham.ac.uk
CAREER SUMMARY AND ASPIRATIONS As an experienced Scientific Team Manager with seven years R&D experience and extensive knowledge of both pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, I have recently enhanced my strategic management skills through the acquisition of an MBA. With the combination of scientific knowledge and business expertise my ambition is to deploy my sector knowledge in a specialist consultancy role. MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS Presentation of a highly acclaimed Business Plan for a leading Medical laboratory Managing a team of three consultants to complete a Business Improvement Project Managing a multi-functional team of researchers, engineers and technicians Development of new Bio-products using new technologies Six years experience developing new human antibody technologies Commercialisation of major diagnostics kits KEY STRENGTHS Extensive knowledge of the scientific / pharmaceutical / Biotech sector A results-oriented leader who motivates her team Fully able to analyse complex market situations and define effective business strategies Persuasive ability to engage customers in technological research and development EMPLOYMENT HISTORY 1999 2003 Scientific Team Manager, Major Pharmaceutical / Biotech, Lyons Responsible for the team leadership of the Diagnostics Research Group and the design of project proposals based on customer needs. This includes formulation of objectives and team strategy, development and implementation of new technologies and all aspects of the management of inter-disciplinary liaison and collaboration across international group boundaries.

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CV 8, PAGE 2

CV EXAMPLES

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY CONTINUED: Feb 1996 June 1999 Method Development Analyst, Pharmaceutical Company, Paris Responsible for development and validation of methods for the analytical testing of formulated pharmaceutical products and working as part of company-wide project teams to introduce new products to market. Sept 1995 Jan 1996 Scientific Researcher, Scientific Research Centre, Paris Post-doctoral research role working on antibody protection in the field of thyroid function. Supervised three Research Assistants in all aspects of research, quality control and laboratory procedures. EDUCATION 2004 MBA International Business University of Xxxxxxxxx Business School, UK Main subjects: Strategic Analysis, Strategic Marketing, International Business, Project Management, Finance, Cross-Cultural Management, Human Resource Management Major project on the strategy required to take a leading Medical Laboratory into new business areas. Resulting business plan highly acclaimed and adopted. 1995 PhD, Immunology University of Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, France

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERSONAL COMPUTING SKILLS Nationality French Date of Birth xx/xx/xxxx

Experienced use of MS Office, Powerpoint, Lotus Notes, Sigma Plot, SPSS and other statistical and research packages French mother-tongue, English fluent, German basic From October 2004. Clean driving licence and full mobility.

LANGUAGES

AVAILABILITY

RESEARCH CAPABILITY AND REFERENCES Further information about research achievements and publications can be made available on request. Full references can also be made available.

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PROFILE A

CV EXAMPLES

This profile is taken from the 2004 MBA Profile Book and is reproduced with kind permission of Vinod Deshmukh. This format is designed for School purposes and may not always be the best format for job application but Vinod makes very creative use of the space to show clear career progression through varied roles in one business. Perhaps its one weakness is the repetition of the phrase responsible for.

Vinod DESHMUKH
Date of Birth Nationality 23 April 1962 Indian

CAREER SUMMARY AND ASPIRATIONS I possess more than 20 years of experience in the engineering industry in India and in international markets. I have grown in status from junior engineer to senior management as Head of Profit Centre and currently Business Development Manager. Having developed the skills required to successfully carry out any challenging professional responsibilities, my career aspiration is to continue working in the same industry sector and achieve a Corporate Management position. EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS 2003-04 1978-83 The Birmingham Business School Govt College of Engineering and Technology, Raipur, Chattisgargh, India MBA (International Business) Bachelor of Engineering ( Mechanical), First Class

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Voltas Limited (IOBG), India (A TATA Enterprise) 1985 Present Business Development Manager 2002 Present Head of Profit Centre 1996 2002 Brand Manager 1994 1995 Project Manager 1992 1994 Group Leader 1985 1992 IOBG International Operations Business Group is an international arm of Voltas Limited, offering integrated services in the field of Electro-Mechanical services and projects (Construction Industry), which include HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing, Sanitary, Drainage, Security systems, Fire Alarms, Fire Fighting systems etc. Blue Star Limited,Mumbai, India Production Engineer 1983 1985 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INTERESTS LANGUAGES E-MAIL ADDRESS Sports, Politics and Reading Autobiographies. English(III), Hindi(IV). As Business Development Manager, I was responsible for developing business in the field of Electro-mechanical projects in throughout the Middle East region. As a Head of Profit Centre, I was responsible for formation of Joint Venture and thereafter responsible for overall general management of the company directly reporting to Board of Directors. Interacted with all Government departments, banks to arrange all legal formalities and obtaining bank facilities for the organisation as well as for the projects. Providing technical support to staff to ensure trouble free completion of projects and achieving the budgets with respect to revenue and profitability. As Brand Manager, I was responsible for management of branch operations and reporting to the manager of Universal Voltas Abu Dhabi As Project Manager, my responsibilities included monitoring the project progress and ensuring smooth completion of the project including techno-commercial compliance. As Group Leader, I was responsible for all technical matters of the projects including correspondence with clients and collection of payments. Was responsible for managing shop floor production, planning and ensuring the production of units as planned.

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PROFILE B

CV EXAMPLES

This CV profile is also taken from the 2004 Book and is reproduced with the kind permission of Ian Dale. Notice the way Ian uses his bullet points first to give a size indicator of his responsibilities (this 4 million business). Notice also how he manages to vary the active words used at the beginning of each bullet. Some of his bullets are used to illustrate areas of responsibility and some are used to illustrate key targets he has met / achieved. This combination works well to give the impression of a results-focussed manager.

Ian DALE
Date of Birth Nationality 01 January 1958 British

CAREER SUMMARY AND ASPIRATIONS A successful senior manager and director with a proven record of achievement in both public and private organisations. Profit orientated and customer focused with strong business development, communications and team building skills. I hope to combine this with the knowledge gained on my MBA to return to a position in a large plc organisation. EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS 2003-04 The Birmingham Business School PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE John Ward & Sons Limited Managing Director 1998 2003 Ceilings Distribution Limited Sales Director 1993 1995

MBA (International Business)

Full profit and loss responsibility for this 4 million business. Reorganized the family business, improved gross margins, reduced costs and significantly reduced pre-tax losses. Introduced basic business disciplines including strategy formulation, budgeting and management reporting. Helped prepare the business for sale to a trade competitor.

Safety Distribution Limited Managing Director 1995 1998

Part of SIG plc. Appointed MD shortly after acquisition by the group. Successfully integrated the business into group within six months. Full profit and loss responsibility with a team of three directors. Responsible for strategic planning and business development in line with group objectives. Achieved pre-tax profit levels ahead of group norms. Responsible for the sales and marketing of this multi-site 30 million business which was part of SIG plc. Key tasks included the formulation and implementation of sales policies, sales force management and new product development. Developed strong relationships up to and including board level with key customers and suppliers. Worked closely with a team of senior managers in a highly competitive and developing market.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL TRAINING SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS INTERESTS E-MAIL ADDRESS

Sales management, presentation skills, management by objectives. Director of CDL Ltd which was SIG plc business of the year 1994. Reading, listening to music, swimming and American Football.

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EXAMPLE COVERING LETTER

NAME OF LETTER RECIPIENT COMPANY NAME COMPANY ADDRESS LINE 1 COMPANY ADDRESS LINE 2 etc

CV EXAMPLES
PERSONAL ADDRESS LINE 1 LINE 2 etc.

--/--/-- (todays date)

Dear Sir / Madam

or

Dear Named Individual (use Professor, Mr, Mrs or first and family name e.g. Gerald Hopkins) but do not guess title and avoid Ms for females.

APPLICATION FOR POST OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Further to your advertisement on the website planetrecruit.com and in todays Telegraph, I wish to apply for the post of Product Development Manager. I am a Dutch national currently studying for an MBA in International Business at The University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. You will see from the attached CV that I have ten years commercial experience. This included five years as Sales Manager for Software Company X during which period I expanded the sales for eight out of ten top accounts by at least 20% year on year. My managerial responsibilities, in this recent role, included the recruitment, staff performance management, training and development of a sales team of 20. I was able to significantly develop my skills as a hands-on manager. My recent move to achieve the MBA qualification reflects my growing interest in strategic marketing and the desire to develop my skills relevant to other industry sectors. This role appeals to me because it provides the opportunity to apply my business development experience to the automotive sector which, being characterised by longer lead-in times and intense global competition, will challenge my ability to re-position Car Brand F within key European markets. I can be contacted for interview at any time using my e-mail address and I look forward to hearing from you.

ends

ends

Yours faithfully,

Yours sincerely

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