CV Adviser
Joe Barton, PhD Film Studies
Why I got involved
I applied for the CV adviser role as I was looking for some part time work alongside my PhD studies. The Careers Service was the ideal place to work, as it was on campus and part of the wider Newcastle University community.
Main roles and activities
My role involved greeting students, enquiring about how their CV or covering letter fitted into their wider career plans and then agreeing on a goal for the session. I would then check through their CV/covering letter and offer feedback on how to further improve and target it, as well as offering relevant advice about the Careers Service’s resources and facilities.
Most enjoyable aspect
Speaking to students from diverse backgrounds, different countries and with various ambitions and career aims is particularly interesting, but the Careers Service generally is a really friendly, enjoyable environment to work in.
Most rewarding aspect
When you feel that you’ve been able to make a real difference to how a student feels about their CV or covering letter - sometimes it might be a set of minor changes that improves their confidence in a particular application, whereas other times it’s about more general principles. When a student lets you know that you’ve been a help, it’s a great feeling!
Fitting it around my degree
There was never an issue managing the CV adviser role alongside my degre. The Careers Service team ensured that work rotas were as convenient as possible for our various, and often conflicting, work patterns and obligations! Opportunities to work at additional events, such as careers fairs, were always offered with our academic commitments in mind.
How I've benefited
Working in the Careers Service has deepened my awareness of the challenges that graduates and undergraduates face in making the next step from their studies into the world of work, as well as giving me a wealth of information about career paths that I would otherwise know nothing about!
Find out how you could become a CV adviser.
