The Presentation of "CV Writing" Session at Resala NGO Nasr City

1. Practical Tips 
Sharing Some Experience
By: Taher Abdel-Hameed
https://www.facebook.com/Anwar.Resala.Team

2. Taher Abdel-Hameed
 Graduated from Faculty of Commerce – English
Section – Business Administration
 Got two scholarships .... Business & Managerial Skills
 Worked in Sales and business development in
training industry
 Then focused on my beloved career “Marketing” in
a software company
 And nowadays I am freelance Marketing
Professional
 Oops! and was a Job Seeker for 4 Months & this is
why I am here today

3. 1. .........................
2. .........................
3. .........................

4. Do you think you have to do this?

5. Real?!

6. Know Yourself in General
Know Your Dream Job
Write Your Resume & Cover Letter
Job Searching Techniques
Interviews & Offers
Getting Your Job
Feedback & Sharpen your Skills

7.  A brief history of your qualifications that you
prepare for potential employers.
 It is Not to obtain a job.
 Simply to get an Opportunity to Interview
 Then in Interview SELLING YOURSELF
 It is an advertisement of your abilities .... so
make it Perfect.

8. CV
 Comprehensive.
 3 – 5 pages, but can be much more.
 Emphasizes professional experience, qualifications,
accomplishments & activities.
 European Style
Resume
 Brief.
 1 – 2 pages maximum.
 Summary of personal & educational information as well
as experience, qualifications, accomplishments &
activities.
 American Style

9.  Who will Read it?
◦ HR Professional, Administrative, etc.......
◦ They are Humans   So there is NO one-solution-
fits-all
 KISS: Keep It Simple & Short
 ‫أكتب ما تمتلكة من مهارات و إمكانيات بأحسن طريقة‬

10.  There are many types but the most famous
are:
1. Chronological form:
◦ job experience lists in reverse chronological order
(Latest Positions are the first)
◦ clear & logical
2. Functional form:
◦ arrange work experience according to areas of skill
◦ draws attention to accomplishments
3. Creative Resume: if your career support that
e.g. Media, Marketing, Graphics, etc…

13.  Prepare Your Pen
 Separated white Paper
 Volunteer Please ?

14.  Heading (Name & Contacts)
 Career Objective
 Education
 Experience
 Courses You Can Order it according to
Importance
 Activities Relevance
 Languages Skills Eye-Catch
 Computer Skills
 Awards & Honors
 Hobbies/Interests
 Personal Details
 References

15.  Your Name in a big font
 Your Contacts: Phones , Mobile , Email ,
Online Profiles on Social Media Networks
 Your Address & City
 Hint: Regarding your address details
◦ If it’s far form Company Location write it at the end
of Resume..... Why?

16.  Never put your photo except in
these Cases:
1. Don’t put picture unless it is requested
2. If you will work as Model ???!!!!!!
 What if your name maybe Male or Female
1. You can put your photo
2. Next to Your Name write (Male or Female) with small font
3. You can select a nickname in your business life 
 Examples:
Salama Vs. Salma  Be: Ahmed Salama
Sahar ‫ ساهر‬Vs. /Saher ‫سحر‬
Reda – Alaa – Walaa – Islam – Nour ….etc…

17. Note Address !

19.  No Need for These words at the beginning:
◦ Resume
◦ Personal CV
◦ Curriculum Vita
Why?!

20. ‫هل عمرك شفت قبل كدة مكتوب على بنزنس كارد ”هذا بزنس كارد“!!!!‬ ‫‪‬‬
‫تفتكر ليه؟!‬

21.  What Positions you are looking for ....
 Show two issues:
1. Field you would like to work in ...
Marketing, Sales, Engineering, HR, Customer
Service
2. Career Opportunity, Internship, Summer Training)
 Articulate it with Win-Win
 Just 2 or 3 lines
 Some People (Out Egypt) Prefer to be Just the
targeted Position title !!!!!!!!

22.  An opportunity in Sales department at a
reputable Company to increase company
profits, and developing my skills at the same
time.
 Assistant Marketing Manager
 Avoid General Objectives:
◦ A position allowing me to utilize my knowledge and
experience in different areas.

23.  Bachelor of Arts  BA
 Bachelor of Science  BS or BSc
 Hint: If your grads is Fair don’t write it
 If your Secondary School is a distinctive write it
Example:
 BS. Commerce, English Section, Cairo University,
2000 - 2004.
◦ Major : Business Administration.
◦ Grades: Good.
!!!‫ماذا لو كنت من المعمرين في الكلية؟‬

25.  Starting with most recent position first.
 If you are seeking your first job, list any
relevant work experience, including summer
jobs and voluntary work
 Hint: You can Separate Achievements in
another Section or include it here if it’s
Related

26.  Write your responsibilities
 What you are doing in each position
 Choose Positive Words
 Your Task was  Wiped tables
 Write it in Professional way as
Created healthy environment for customers
and maintained positive image
‫قصة سنان بتقع – تفسير أحالم – ابن سرين‬

27.  Examples: Just Examples feel free to use your own layout
Company Name Jan 2012 : Till Now
Your Title
- Your Main Tasks here
Your Title Sep 2010 : Dec 2011
Company Name
- Your Main Tasks here
Your Title, Company Name Apr 2009 : Sep 2010
- Your Main Tasks here
Keep on: one writing structure/layout for All your Experience entries

29.  You can hide it Only in Resume.
If they ask you in details
 Be Honest in Interview and show… why did this
gap happen?

30.  Certificate of Achievement Vs. Attendance
 Course Name, Training Center/Company, Year
 Example: Marketing , XXXX, 2010
 If you have many courses you can write them as
points regardless center or year
 Also you can categorized your courses by
sub-titles/sections such as:
Interpersonal Skills Courses - Business Courses –
“Your Specialization” Courses ….etc….

31.  Write your activities in your community &
Student activities
 Examples:
◦ Volunteer at Resala NGO
◦ Member in IEEE
◦ Volunteer at Nobel Prize Simulation Model
◦ Delegate Member at STP 2010
◦ Volunteer at Anwar Resala Team
Watch Out!
Don’t mention your political activities

32.  Arabic
 English
 French, Germany, Japanese .... etc....
 Use these words
◦ Native .... Or .... Mother Tongue
◦ Fair >> Good >> Very Good >> Excellent >> Fluent
OR
◦ Elementary >> Intermediate >> Upper Intermediate
>> Advanced

33.  If your job is not a technical in IT .... Just give
a quick view & stress on software related to
your job
 Examples:
 Excellent Word and PowerPoint, Good Excel,
Access, (ICDL) and MS-Project.
 Excellent Microsoft Office
 Good Photoshop, Flash, and Web design.
 Using SPSS
 Using CRM
 Using Matlab

34.  Date of Birth?
 Nationality?
 Driving License?
 Military Status: ‫الجيش‬
◦ Exempted ‫ - معفي‬Postponed 3 years - Finished
 Marital Status: Single or Married
 Address if you didn’t write it above
 No need for place of birth!!!
 Also no need to your gender… Male or Female

35.  It’s about professional people who know you
 Just mention this:
◦ Available upon request.
 You Can mention Name & Title if you have
high and famous references
 Dr. Ahmed Taha, CEO, XYZ Company
 Mr. Ayman Salah, Sales Manager, ABC
Avoid writing their contacts in resume but give
it upon request

36.  Fonts size 10:12 for normal resume body text
 Use simple fonts such as (Arial, Time New
Romans, Tahoma, Verdana)
 Don’t leave much spaces, bold, italics, and
underlining.
 Sending your resume in
PDF (Recommended)
or Word (doc not docx) format

37.  File Name:
First Name + Last Name + Resume
 or First Name + Last Name + Resume +Job Dept
 or First Name + Last Name + Resume +Arabic
 Never write file name names Like:
‫ال تكتب اسم الملف بالعربي حتى لو السيرة الذاتية كانت بالعربي...لماذا؟‬
CV ..... Resume ..... My CV ....... etc...
 It’s better to replace spaces with _ or – Why?

38. 1. Abbreviations
2. Personal Pronouns: I, Me, My
3. Negative Words: Boring , Fired , Hate, Conflict,
4. Colors: Attractiveness is a matter of
content
5. Spelling, Grammar & Punctuation Mistakes
6. Word Arts, Clip Arts, logos & Graphics
7. Don’t use Capital letters in writing
the whole CV.
8. Don’t use Highlight Shadow

39.  Writing your skills as points like:
 Good communication skills
 Good presentation skills
 Team Worker
 Able to work under pressure
 Self motivated
Write it as Situations & sentences in
Cover Letter or in Experience Section in
Resume
examples
1. Participated in many Researches, and
Presentations with many teams.
2. Motivated my team in many hard times

40. HOW?

41.  You can make your resume in creative way
If your career & industry support that
 Use Graphical Design?
 Mind-Map Resume?
 Flash Resume? Animated Resume?
 Video Resume?
 Social Media Resume?
  Using Colors Carefully !!!
 Hint: send it to potential direct manager
rather than HR !!!!!! Why?

43.  It’s a letter attached before the resume to
encourage employer to open your resume
 You can show some of your strengths which
are not appear in resume
 Is it Important?
 Can it make a difference?
 YES it’s more than Important but in Egypt is
underestimated

44.  Dear Mr. XXXXX XXXX
 Intro & position you are interest in
 1 or 2 paragraphs about YOU .... Don’t write
your resume Again .... Just mention some
points why you are qualified for that position
 Last paragraph mention your attached
resume & Closing
 Your Signature (Hand Write if it possible)

45.  Try to customize it for each company esp.
your dream Company
 Try to link between your career goals &
company objectives/Culture/so on......

46.  Subject Lines such as:
◦ Job Application to ........... Dept.
◦ Resume for ................ Dept.
◦ Application for a position in ................ Dept.
◦ Application for ......(Job Title).......
 Avoid subjects such as:
◦ My CV, Resume
◦ ‫السيرة الذاتية‬
 Write the “Job Code” in subject if it’s mentioned
in the ad
examples: Sales Manager SM004
 Avoid misspelling in Subject !!!!

48.  It is NOT all about Resume & Cover Letter
 It’s an Equation
 Good Resume +Cover Letter
+ Job Search Techniques
+ Good Interview Skills
+Career Passion
+ ‫رزق + توفيق ربنا‬
= YOUR Target Position
Watch this Video: Never Give Up

53.  All You need to know about Job Hunting in Egypt is here
http://Job-Hunting-Egypt.4shared.com
 https://www.facebook.com/Anwar.Resala.Team
 CV Writing Course by Amr Hussien from Bayan
 CV Writing Course by Dina & Al Waleed
 Vault Guide to Resumes Cover Letters and Interviewing, 3rd
Ed(2003) (Download)
 )‫دليلك للحصول على وظيفة العمر (تحميل الكتاب‬
 Career Coaching Videos by Dr. Salah Elkashef
http://www.youtube.com/SalahEldinElkashef
 Maaan Team www.maaan.net

55.  Taher Abdel-Hameed
Freelance Marketing Professional
 Mobile: +2 0100 29 64 340
 Email:
www.about.me/Taher.Abdelhameed
www.linkedin.com/in/TaherAbdelhameed
twitter.com/Taher_forward
www.slideshare.net/Taherforward