Creating the perfect CV: What we’re looking for

Creating an impactful CV adds weight to your application – and helps us to understand your profile better. We encourage applicants to submit a one-page achievement based CV. See the template attached which also has some useful guidance notes. It has been created by our Career Centre team after extensive research and with input from top recruiters.

If you join one of our programmes, the Career Centre will work with you to further refine your CV, as it’s one of your key tools in selling yourself in the job search process.

The importance of your CV

When applying to business school, you have to submit a CV. How much effort are you expected to put into this relative to your application essays? Think about what other applicants might have on their CVs – think about how you can stand out from the crowd. Your CV is often your first opportunity to sell yourself to the Admissions Committee!

• Highlights your achievements
• Identifies what you excel at
• Creates excitement and differentiates you from others

Before starting your CV, think about yourself as a person:

• Who you are
• What drives you
• Your personal achievements

And then think about:

• What you have done
• Which skills are relevant
• Your professional achievements

Writing a CV using the LBS format

If you are selected to join the Programme, the LBS format CV is the CV you will be using when you arrive on campus. All students use the same format. This helps recruiters identify the students they want to meet from the hundreds of applications they receive. Once you’ve compiled one, you will be ready to talk to prospective employers as soon as you arrive in London!

The LBS format CV is designed to highlight your experience, your achievements and your skills in an easy to read layout. Irrespective of how long you have been working, the information you provide should not exceed one page and should be broken down into ‘Education’, ‘Work Experience’ and ‘Additional Information’.

Recruiters have very little time to look at CVs for their first cut, sometimes no more than 6 seconds. Therefore, your CV must have immediate impact, describing your attributes in as succinct a way as possible.

Tips

• Make sure you fill the whole page, but avoid using too much information.
• Company descriptions should be short and not exceed one line.
• Aim to have between 12 and 15 bullet points to describe your achievements.
• Ideally, bullet points should be one-and-a-half to two full lines long and one continuous sentence.
• Your bullet points should be achievement based backed by skills or competencies.
• Use impact verbs to start each bullet point – examples include: accomplished, achieved, advised, analysed, assessed, coached, communicated, compiled, completed, convinced, demonstrated, developed, enhanced, evaluated, executed, expanded, generated, identified, implemented, improved, increased, initiated, invested, mentored, motivated, negotiated, organised, participated, persuaded, presented, produced, proposed, recommended, recruited, revised, shaped, solved, succeeded, transformed, won!
• Try to demonstrate competencies that recruiters look for throughout your CV – examples include: accountability, analytical thinking, client focus, commercial acumen, commitment, communication, creativity, decisiveness, endurance, entrepreneurship, independence, influence, initiative, innovation, leadership, modelling, motivation, negotiation, networking, people management, persuasion, project management,quantitative ability, risk management, stakeholder management, strategic thinking, transaction experience, valuation.

Additional information should, where applicable, demonstrate that you are a rounded person with outside interests, mentorship and leadership skills (e.g. captaining a sports team), compassion (e.g. charitable work) as well as work-related information that is related to the role you are applying for (e.g. own portfolio, knowledge of Bloomberg, regular contributor to finance blogs).

We look forward to receiving your CV, along with your application!

1 comments on “Creating the perfect CV: What we’re looking for”

1. Issac Solomon August 26, 2018Reply