Creating a CV or filling out an application form can be a daunting task. With the help of CV clinic and further resources listed below you can get yours job ready in no time! Remember if you would like any extra support you can always drop by Room 401 on a Wednesday and speak to a member of the team.
Struggling to write your CV? Need advice on applying for jobs? Does your resume need an update? Then why not attend one our monthly CV clinics & book a one to one slot with an adviser?
Time slots are available throughout the day and are available to book all year round. The session are open to Leeds Conservatoire students across all years and pathways, as well as recent graduates.
To book your individual slot please fill in this online form, or email The Employability and Enterprise team at EaE@lcm.ac.uk.
Opera North is a national opera company based in Leeds, and is a leading UK arts organisation. Rooted in the North of England, international in outlook, we create extraordinary experiences, every day.
Opera North provide case studies/interviews from a variety of their employees, detailing their roles and the skills required to work within the sector.
Access their full video interviews here.
CV Advice
Formatting
There is no right or wrong way to format a CV, and elements of individuality can be effective, but always format dates, operas and organisations in a way that can be scanned easily (i.e. columns/tables/headed sections etc) avoiding long paragraphs with extensive lists of repertoire/ experience. Your guiding principle is that important information should be seen easily in the few minutes a panel actually gets to look at it, making it easy for them to scan the info and see more of your audition. There is an equally short time frame when looking through hundreds of CV's to shortlist for audition in the first place. So make sure dates and repertoire can be seen at-a-glance to help the panel find out quickly what you want them to know about you. I would suggest setting the document over two pages with, primarily, professional experience listed on the front page and education/awards/masterclasses on the back page for context. In this way you can space out the information and format to give most prominence to what you want to draw most attention to. When printing, double-side the document so there’s no risk of pages separating.
Photo & Summary Paragraph
Include a thumbnail headshot on the front page as a visual reference (there’s always the risk photos can be misplaced if sent separately, especially on busy audition days with lots of applicants in the building). Often photos are the only way to trigger the memory if you’ve heard 40 people that day and want to quickly recall a candidate in panel discussions. The summary paragraph can be made relevant to whoever you are applying (and would change as you draw focus to different experience/repertoire). You might also add future engagements here. This is not a biography, but a concise summary of where you’ve come from and what you’re doing now, giving context about you and your journey. Make sure your contact details and voice type are clear above this paragraph next to your thumbnail headshot.
Formatting can be affected when sending your CV, so I would suggest using Word 2016 (or later) and/or Office 365 to maintain the original formatting when making future amends. Always save and send as a PDF when contacting companies however, avoiding formatting changes and photo file sizes clogging email inboxes etc.
Updates
Note that the CV should be a fluid document, updated every year and/or with any significant change. Things will eventually slip off in place of more recent or relevant experience and some sections may be given more prominence or new headings created etc. Remember to date your new CV by month in the file name so you are always amending the most recent version and can easily reference previous versions if needs be. You may also consider having a ‘master’ CV, one you never send out, but which has everything you’ve ever done, so you can easily copy and paste into future versions of the CV if those things are of relevance to a particular application.
This service offers a wide range of general careers support.
CV advice, guidance on how to apply for jobs, and topics such as exploring job markets and transferable skills. It's now easier than ever to book an appointment in the National Careers Service's new venue, Leeds Central Library.
You can now book one to one appointments with our local Careers Advisor, Vic Heritage, or another member of the team.
Phone: 0191 7314750
Email: bookingline@educationdevelopmenttrust.com
- Explore your career options and aspirations
- Understand the local job market
- Develop or enhance your CV, applications and interview skills
- Search and apply for jobs including using social media
- Identify local volunteering opportunities
- Apply for training and online learning
- Review your skills and identify skills gaps
- Redundancy Support
Sessions can be over the phone or face-to-face at Leeds Central Library.
Further support including job profile searches and skills assessments can be found on the National Careers Service website.
Keep up to date with information and online events by following National Careers Service Leeds on Twitter and Facebook.
Smart Works Leeds provide interview and career coaching, alongside high quality workwear and styling advice for women who are trying to gain employment across Yorkshire. Their service is delivered by highly skilled, trained volunteers who dedicate their time to helping their clients succeed.
Leeds Conservatoire works as a referrer for this support, and can put any interested parties in touch with Smart Works after evaluating their needs and completing a short application form.
Who is this for?
Any unemployed woman (or those that identify as a woman) currently studying at the conservatoire can apply for this support if they:
- Are joining the workplace for the first time
- Have been made redundant after a long time in the same role
- Are applying for lots of jobs but not getting interviews
- Have got an interview but just don’t have the self belief to sell themselves
- Are not sure where to even start
Career Coaching Support
Career Coaching is an hour-long session to help women identify tangible next steps in their journey to employment, and chat through any challenges or barriers they are facing in entering or re-entering the workplace.
These sessions are useful for any woman who isn't sure of her next steps including entering the workplace for the first time or having been made redundant from a role they have been in some time. These sessions aim to agree a verbal plan of action and instil confidence and self-belief.
Interview Support
Smart Works' interview support includes an hour-long coaching session to prepare for a specific upcoming/confirmed interview. Their coach can focus on mock interview questions and/or explore any particular areas of concern a client may have, in order for her to feel confident and ready to wow at interview.
When a client comes for their Interview Coaching session, she also has a one hour styling appointment, in which she will receive a complete outfit of high-quality clothing and accessories for this interview, to help her feel even more confident and ready to get the job!
Post Job Interview Support
Smart Works are delighted to welcome all clients who achieve a job offer back for a second dressing, where she will receive approximately 5 pieces to help start a capsule work wardrobe for her new job, to feel fantastic for the start of her new career journey.
Contact
If you feel you would benefit from the support offered by Smart Works and meet the requirements for applying, please email James Warrender at EaE@lcm.ac.uk with a brief description of your needs.
We will then refer you to the Smart Works service who will contact you directly.
