CV writing

see pages 344 to 346

Make Mary/John's SWOT analysis for the following job advertisement.

Advertisement for Administrative Assistant, European Commission

The successful candidate will have the following tasks in DG X:

Task 1: Training sessions (3 times per year)

  • Give briefings on administrative application routines, Q and A
  • Preparation of information files for participants
  • Registration and updating the database

Task 2: Programme Working group

  • Assistance during meetings with the European working group
  • Taking notes and the minutes (3 to 4 times per year)
  • Development and updating the calendar for the working group

Task 3: Various ad hoc work

  • Web page: back-up for updating the department's web pages
  • Travel accounts and financial accounts for the team

Profile:

  • Minimum education: Bachelor's degree
  • Good knowledge of spoken and written English and French. Some knowledge of Spanish is also required
  • Can handle MS Office tools, database and web

This is a demanding job requiring a high degree of responsibility.

Interviews in Brussels starting May 20XX.

Key: Example of Mary/John's SWOT analysis (this could be you):

Strengths

  • Bachelor’s degree (good grades)
  • Training skills (student assistant work)
  • Computer skills (MS Office, C++)
  • Responsibility (ran the buddy system)
  • International meetings (Erasmus student network)
  • Team work (my sport, active in student politics)
  • Languages (English and French, some Danish)

Weaknesses

  • Financial skills
  • Limited Spanish

Opportunities

  • Can get to an interview in Brussels in May
  • Time to study Spanish before the interview

Threats

  • My competitors are business school graduates

Follow-up work:

Consult The Routledge Student Guide to English Usage, pages 341 and 344–346 and write your own job application letter and CV. Note the tip about an online template on page 344.