Are you an international student? Find out how to get the most out of your CV!

Sandra Grabulosa, IT Talent Acquisition at Talent Search People, knows it well, since she makes a living from head-hunting the best talent in and out of Spain... At the Employment and Entrepreneurship Fair 'MEET YOUR FUTURE', organized by the Professional Development Unit of ESIC Barcelona, she shared some tips to boost your professional opportunities for a career in Marketing, Digital Business, Trade & Sales and Communication. 

“First impressions matter!” –is the first advice Sandra gave to the students wanting to know how to make the primary steps towards employability. “Remember that recruiters only spend five-six seconds looking at CV’s, so you better be sure to prepare a compelling resume with well-written essential information”. A good CV structure is one of the most important things to accomplish. Use the typical “data boxes” to incorporate the most relevant information –personal details and contact information, education and qualifications, work experience and skills. If it is possible, make bullet lists to give a better overview, recommended Sandra. So, following her advice…

• Use easy sentences with super specific data.
• In the 'Work Experience’ section maybe would be useful to add, in brackets, the sector of the company you have work for (especially if it is not a very well-known company).
• If you want to show some of your hobbies and interests, only choose those that add value to your profile.
• If you got a work permit, don’t forget to indicate this in a prominent place!

As for using social networking sites for job search…

• LinkedIn is essential. If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, you just don’t exist as a candidate! It is a powerful professional tool indeed.
• Make sure you put key words in your LinkedIn profile; all recruiters –no exception– use them for headhunting.
• If you want to make an important professional change (regarding position, sector, specialty, etc.), would be ideal to take advantage of the 'Abstract' section. Explain why you want to reorient your career and do it in a persuasive way.
• Be very active on LinkedIn –comment on messages from other users, share them, create blog posts if you are a good writer…– and expand your connections to gain visibility. It is the key!

And for those who are searching for a job now, keep in mind this priceless advice from Dr. Barbara Oakley: “Focus on the process (the way you spend your time) instead of the product (what you want to accomplish)”. Good luck!

*Workshop of the 'MEET YOUR FUTURE' fair held at ESIC Barcelona on October 29 2019*