Wednesday 6 May 2015

HOW TO WRITE A GOOD CV / RESUME




A company you want to apply to has asked you to send in a CV and you're thinking, "wait..what?" Don't worry! Curriculum Vitae (CV) means "courses of life" in Latin, and that is just what it is. A CV is a concise document which summarizes your past professional skills and experiences. The purpose of this document is to demonstrate that you have the necessary skills (and some complementary ones) to do the job for which you are applying. Follow these steps to create a great CV--and go get 'em tiger!

DO shout about your achievements

Your résumé/CV needs to position you as the best possible candidate for the job. So without waxing lyrical, let your potential employer know what you’ve achieved in your current role. For example:
Company name * Pipeline Engineer * 2011 – present
Successfully coordinated, planned, scheduled and managed a $200M pipeline under budget and within time scope.
It’s also a good idea to outline your achievements at the top of your résumé/CV as a ‘career summary’ or ‘career highlights’. Recruiters or hiring managers may have lots of résumés to wade through, and if they can immediately see your accomplishments, this can only be to your advantage.

KEY POINTS TO NOTE WHEN WRITING A CV

Know what information a CV generally contains. Most CVs include your personal information, your education and qualifications, your work experience, your interests and achievements, your skills, and references. However, there is no set format for a CV, what you include is up to you.


Consider the job you are applying for.
Research the company. A good CV is tailored to the specific job and company you are applying for. What does the company do? What is their mission statement? What do you think they are looking for in an employee? What skills does the specific job you are applying for require? These are all things to keep in mind when writing your CV.



Check the company’s website for extra information about the CV.
See if there is any specific information they want you to list in your CV. There might be specific directions listed on the application page. Always double check this.



Make a list of jobs you have held.
These can be both jobs you hold currently and jobs you have held in the past. Include the dates that you began and ended your term at each particular job.[2]



Brainstorm your hobbies and interests.
Unique interests or hobbies will make you stand out. Be aware of the conclusions that might be drawn from your hobbies. Try to list hobbies that portray you as a team-oriented individual rather than as a solitary, passive person. Companies want someone who works well with others and can take charge if need be.

Hobbies and interests that paint a positive image: Being the captain of your soccer (or football) team, organizing a charity event for an orphanage, secretary of your school’s student-run government.

Hobbies that imply a passive, solitary personality: watching TV, doing puzzles, reading. If you are going to put any of these things, give a reason why. For instance, if you are applying for a job at a publishing house, put something like: I enjoy reading the great American writers such as Twain and Hemingway because I think their writing gives a unique perspective into American culture at the time they were writing.



Make a list of your relevant skills.
These skills often include computing skills (are you a wiz at Wordpress? Excel? inDesign? etc.), languages you speak, or specific things the company is looking for, such as targeted skills.

Example of targeted skills: If you are applying to be a writer for a newspaper, list that you are fluent in AP style. If you are applying for a coding job, mention that you have worked with Java script.






Create the format for your CV. Are you going to break each section up with a line? Are you going to put each section in its own box? Are you going to list all of your information? Play around with different formats to see which looks most professional. Aim for no more than the front and back of a standard sheet of paper.



List your name, address, telephone number, and email at the top of the page. It is important to make your name a size larger than the rest of the text as it is important for your reviewer to know who he or she is reading about. It is up to you as to how you format this information.[3]

Standard format would be to have your name in the center of the page. Your home address should be listed in a block format on the left side of the paper. Put your telephone number and email below your home address. If you have another address (such as your address while you are at school) list this address on the right hand side of the paper.



Write a personal profile. This is an optional part of the CV that is good for giving your reviewer a more in-depth look at you as a person. This is where you sell your skills, experiences, and personal qualities. It should be original and well-written. Use positive words such as “adaptable”, “confident”, and “determined”.[4]

Example of a personal statement for a CV for a publishing company: An enthusiastic recent graduate looking for an entry-level editorial position that will utilize organizational and communication skills developed as a summer intern at City Lights.



Create a section for your education and qualifications. This section can be at the beginning of your CV or you can choose to list it after other sections. The order of sections is up to you. List your education in reverse chronological order. Begin with university if you attended or are attending it and work your way backwards. List the name of your university, the dates you went there, your major and minor, and your grade point average or A levels.[5]

Example: Santa Clara University, English and History 2009-2013 Subjects include: Medieval Literature, Victorian Literature, Criticism of Poetry, and History of Great Britain. Obtained a 75% on my 2nd year exams. (If in the US- Maintained a 3.7 GPA.)



Create a section for your work experience. This is the section in which you should list all of your relevant work experience. List the name of the company, the location of the company, the years you worked there, and what you did. Start with your most recent job and work backwards. If you have a long list of work experience, only put the experiences relevant to the job you are applying for.[6]

Example: Diablo Magazine, Walnut Creek, CA, March 2012-January 2013. Fact-checked information, wrote articles for Diablo’s blog, assisted in researching of material for articles.



Create a section for your skills and achievements. This section is where you list the things you accomplished at your previous jobs, and the skills you have developed through your experiences. This is also the section where you list any of your published work, lectures you've given, classes you've taught, etc.

Example achievements: Successfully took a national bestseller from manuscript to publication; Received certification in copy-editing from UC Berkeley



Create a section for your interests.
You should list any relevant interests that paint you in the most positive light. Choose several interests from the list you created while brainstorming for your CV (in Part One).



Create a section for other information.
If there is a noticeable gap in your CV or there is some other information you would like to share, put it in this section. This sort of information can include leaving work to take care of children, join the Peace Corps,





Create a section for references.
These are people you have worked with in the past such as professors, previous employers, etc. that have seen your work and can credibly support praises that they give you. The company you are applying to may contact these references to find out more about your previous work. You should talk with the person you would like to list a reference before actually listing them--it is best to double check that they still have the same number, are ok with giving you a reference, or that they remember who you are. Write down their full names and contact information (including their phone numbers and emails).






HOW TO WRITE A GOOD BUSINESS PROPOSAL



How To Write Business Proposal – A proposal is a suggestion, sometimes a written in other to tell a partner what you about to do. A Business Proposal is a written description of your business’s future, a document that tells what you plan to do and how you plan to do it. If you jot down a paragraph on the back of an envelope describing your business strategy, you’ve written a plan, or at least the germ of a plan. before to learn How To Write Business Proposal How To Write Business Proposal - You should know that a Business Proposal is essentially planned. You start here, today, with certain resources and abilities. You want to get to a there, a point in the future (usually three to five years out) at which time your business will have a different set of resources and abilities as well as greater profitability and increased assets. Your Business Proposal shows how you will get from here to there.

Business Proposal is a written offer from a seller to a prospective buyer. Business Proposals are often a key step in the complex sales process—i.e., whenever a buyer considers more than price in a purchase.

Business Proposal puts the buyer’s requirements in a context that favors the sellers products and services, and educates the buyer about the capabilities of the seller in satisfying their needs. A successful proposal results in a sale, where both parties get what they want, a win-win situation.
Types of Proposals

There are three distinct categories of business proposals:

1. Formally Solicited
2. Informally Solicited
3. Unsolicited

Formally Solicited Proposal

A Solicited Proposals are written in response to published requirements, contained in a Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quotation (RFQ), Invitation For Bid (IFB), or an Request for Information (RFI).

Request for Proposal (RFP)

Request for Proposal RFPs provide detailed specifications of what the customer wants to buy and sometimes include directions for preparing the proposal, as well as evaluation criteria the customer will use to evaluate offers. Customers issue RFPs when their needs cannot be met with generally available products or services. RFIs are issues to qualify the vendors who are interested in providing service/products for specific requirements. Based on the response to RFI, detailed RFP is issued to qualified vendors who the organization believes can provide desired services.


Key points that make your business proposal stands out:



  • It must have professional looking document created for an actual real-life proposal situation.

  • Proposal is fully formatted in final submission form with layout and graphics included.

  • Includes a very good one-page Executive Summary that focuses on solutions and benefits for the Client.

  • The body must provides an excellent client-focused breakdown of the proposed work into: costs, contract terms, benefits, project management.
  • It is a professional looking document created for an actual real-life proposal situation.

  • Proposal is fully formatted in final submission form with layout and graphics included.

  • Includes a very good one-page Executive Summary that focuses on solutions and benefits for the Client.

  • The body provides an excellent client-focused breakdown of the proposed work into: costs, contract terms, benefits, project management.

HOW TO SET UP A SCHOOL IN NIGERIA




EDUCATION

SCHOOL   SET UP FULL
PLAN AND OUT LAY




INTRODUCTION
1.     WHY SCHOOL?
Nursery and Primary school business in Nigeria has become more profitable these days than ever before due to the number of children that are born every day. With such increase in the number of children born yearly — comes the need for more Nursery and Primary schools that will cater for them, and the need for even more will continue over time.
In those days, a single government or missionary owned primary school in a community would be just enough to cater for the children of the entire community. Then, there was no need for private nursery and primary schools. Today, the story has changed — no single primary or nursery school would be able to take care of the entire kids in a community, especially in urban places like Lagos and Abuja.


2. WHAT IS THE OUT LOOK        (ROI)
It has also become the general perception that the standard of education in privately owned and managed schools are higher compared to that of the ill-equipped and badly maintained government owned schools.

Sending ones children to public schools is equally regarded as evidence of poverty. Therefore, every parent struggle to send their children to any available private school, doesn’t matter if that one is even worse than the public school as long as it is called ‘Private school’. These general trends has combine to make investment into nursery and primary school a worthwhile investment.

I’ve seen someone who only manages to feed few years ago become a millionaire through the small nursery and primary school he borrowed money to start.

Some of the lowest nursery and primary schools in area like Lagos charge nothing less than N7,000 as school fees, while good ones charge from N30,000 to as much as N500,000 school fees per term (I pay N75,000 for my 3years old daughter per term)just to learn A.B.C

If in your school you charge N10,000 per term and you have 200 pupil, the amount you’ll be getting from school fees is 10,000 x 200 = 2,000,000 Naira per term and it wouldn’t take you more than a million Naira to run such school every term. Its an investment no good entrepreneur will want to turn a blind eye


SITE ?
 This is the most important aspect of this plan, failure to adopt a qualitative yardstick in the determination of the Site of the school, will almost if not completely destroy the investment.
Therefore it is imperative to consider the following when looking for a good site for the school
1.     Population of an area
2.     Distance from the town
3.     Closeness of a competing institution especially established ones
4.     Regulatory hindrances that will prevent the school from been registered e.g closeness to factory of effluent discharge point
5.     Proximity to highway
6.     Proximity to offices and business district especially for day care and crèche
7.     Security

RECOMMENDATION:  POACH a good senior staff from a reputable private school in the locality to help with the badly needed intelligence so as to get the appropriate information about the location  to site the school. he/she will also serve as an asset as the school moves from idea to reality


REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Guidelines for the registration of schools differ from one state to another but the complex  ones are provided below:
1.     CAC (corporate affairs commission registration ) note some state require an educationist preferably a PhD holder in education to be on the board
2.     Three years tax clearance (evidence of tax payment )will be required when submitting the form
3.     In the event the construction of the school will involve large earth moving equipment some state will require an environmental impact assessment (EIA)







REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OFPRIVATE SCHOOLS
  
1.The Proprietor/ Proprietress shall write a letter of intent.

   2 The Proprietor/ Proprietress shall attend an interview.

   3The Proprietor/ Proprietress shall obtain an application form

   4Facilities inspection shall be conducted on the proposed school

5.Based on the report of 4 above, interim approval shall be given.

6.The proprietor shall commence the process for the employment of teacher sand admitted students.

7.The registration form shall automatically lapse if not processed within one calendar year of purchase and therefore due for repurchase.

8.It shall be noted that an intending proprietor shall ascertain the proposed name of the school with the concerned (Local Inspector of Education) LIE before such name is finally accepted and submitted to the Ministry to avoid duplication..

The LIE shall ensure that the name is not duplicated within the same local Government Area or state as the case may be .

9.The intending proprietor is expected to fulfill all statutory revenue obligations to the government before approval is granted.

 
10 On no account shall any Proprietor relocate or duplicate the school without due approval from the ministry of education.

11.Proprietors cannot operate schools (Annex) without satisfying all the necessary condition for the establishment of such schools.

12.Clearance shall be obtained from the ministry of works and transport as regards the suitability of the building as well as ministry of Health / Local government on the environmental condition of the site.

13 The provisional Approval granted by the Honorable commissioner may be revoked if the school is no longer run in accordance with the laid down guidelines. In addition, the following photograph shall be provided

14 Photograph of the proprietor(2)

Photographs of the school building-whole. Left, right,& back view

Photograph of each of the classroom

Photographs of the pupil and teachers toilets (female/male).

Photographs of the source of water and electricity.

Photographs of recreational facilities.

Photographs of adjacent buildings showing front, left side, right side and back views.

 


ESTABLISHMENT OF NURSERY SCHOOL FACILITIES

·        It shall be free from any type of danger to lives of the children and staffs

·        It shall be free from heavy traffic, factory and deports where inflammable materials are kept.

·        It shall be securely fenced round for safety of the children.

·        9m x 15m space shall be provided for playground, recreational facilities and future expansion.

·        The school shall be at least 1km away from an existing private Nursery/ Primary school in the neighborhood.

·        The minimum dimension of the classroom shall be 7m x 4m x 3m. Also, approval shall be granted to any school occupying or that intends to occupy any uncompleted building or structure, well-constructed and adequately ventilated. The building shall not be shared with any other tenants.

·        The buildings shall be plastered and painted.

·        The floor covering shall be concrete.

·        Arrangement of classroom shall encourage free movement


SAMPLE OF THE FORM FOR REGITRATION IS ATTACHED

RECOMMENDATION
1.     Determine where the school should be located between Abuja and Niger
2.     Begin the process of registration by obtaining the handbook or brochure and filling the relevant documentation
3.     Purchase or rent a suitable building and or erect some set of classrooms and offices at a site if available.




















FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
 
Advertisement and Awareness

As a way of marketing our services to the target market we should ensure that awareness is created all over the state. Local newspaper, radio jingles, bill boards and posters will be an excellent tool to advertise our services to our targeted clients.

COST

s/no
Media Platform
QUANTITY
COST
TOTAL

1
Internet school website
1
70,000
70,000

2
Radio jingles

15000
15,000

3
Posters
100
5000
5000

4
Billboards
3
25,000 each
75000

5
Pamphlets’
20000
3000
3000


Grand Total


N 168,000













SCHOOL BUILDING
 
SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES
 The school building should be constructed based on the standard issued by ministry of work, land and or  Housing of the chosen state ,

The cost of building depends on the size and quality of the building you intends to construct. An Engineer will be able to put you through in this.
Insist on good structure because, your marketing starts from there. The classrooms should be spacious, at least 3.5m square per child under the age of two, at least 2.5m square per child aged two or at least 2.3m square per child aged three to seven.

Most Nursery and Primary school class rooms used to small and jam-packed. Yours shouldn’t be like that. Water is very essential and you need plenty of it in your school, get borehole that will supply you water at all time.


I will recommend the acquisition of 4 plots and above so as to have adequate space for recreation, playground and parking space.
Having a larger area will ensure that the library, Multipurpose laboratory, conference room, reception, and stores can be accommodated without much stress.
 The playing grounds should as much as possible be sited at the center in between opposite buildings while the reception should be located immediately after the entrance, administrative block is located on the two sides of the conference room.


COST
The cost here will vary greatly Depending on  Weather we intend to purchase a building , rent one or construct the school on an already available site, and the state where the building will be located.

Rent : vary between 350,000- 4million per annum depending on the state for a four bedroom apartment
Purchase: 9million to 100million depending on the state and the location
RECOMMENDATION:
1.Rent an accommodation in a very good location and simultaneously acquire good plots in  FCT , NIGER AND KOGI.
This will enable the school to become popular in a very short time and and provide the needed funds to enable the school cater for its need independently. Movement to a permanent site should be considered under the medium and long term goals.
Its important to note that moving to an unknown site for an unknown school will be very disastrous, Don’t buy in isolated area where people are not living, no parent would want to patronize you in such area.

Due the inherent risk involved in child’s movement, parent will prefer a school that is within their home, and for easy pick up of their children.
I will therefore advice against such. 
NB: I could leverage in Kogi using my good contacts in Lokoja and with your influence we could secure good hectares for the future Development of the school.










EQUIPMENT AND TEACHING AIDS

Apart from the normal chairs and tables (which you can get Carpenters to do for you at a very reduced price) you also need to equip your classrooms with computer and other learning aids, parents will be happier to pay when they see that your classes are properly equipped.

You need plenty of toys and other gadgets that is used for children’s education ,You need video and large screen TV in all the classrooms, not to play movies but for playing educational videos and sometimes, cartoon depending on the class and the children’s age.

Buy a school bus if you intend to offer pick and drop which almost compulsory for every school since most parents would demand for it. A nice Tokunbo bus goes for about N900,000-2 Million Depending on its capacity .
Get a decent bus that will speak well of your school, and avoid jam-packing children in a bus.

If one bus isn’t enough buy two, parents are paying you extra for the service, give them the best they deserve. Besides, it’s irritating seeing children packed up in a bus that is not fit for transporting animals let alone human being.

COST
Chair ,Desk, marker boards etc  = 500,000-1,000,000
Office equipment = 200,000- 200,000
Computers and other electronics = 200,000-300,000
School Bus =1,000,000
Multipurpose laboratory = 180,000
Swings =25,000
Merry –go- round =40,000




ACADEMIC AND NON ACADEMIC STAFF

Ass a proprietor of the nursery and primary school, you do not need any formal qualifications but the school manager must have a minimum of NCE and experience in educational administration.

All Teachers should have minimum of NCE and experience in childcare education or play-work. Teachers who are passionate about children are preferred.

NYSC Members will be great source of cheap and experience Labour force .

Note a good command of English language without any form of compromise is not negotiable teachers are a reflection of what to expect from a school bad PR is not good for any business.

 

HUMAN RESOURCES REQUIREMENTS

Academic staff 

Headmaster/Headmistress

Qualification: B.Ed. Education
Experience : 5-10 years working experience in a well-established private school
Responsibilities: She shall be responsible for the day to day management of the school and report directly to the proprietress.



Assistant Headmaster / Head mistress (optional)

Qualification: B.Ed. Education
Experience:3 years working Experience in managerial field.
Responsibilities: He or She shall assist the headmaster on academics and administrative issues and report directly to her.



Teaching staff 

Qualification: NCE/B.ED/B.
Experience: At least 2 years working Experience and registered with teachers’ registration council of Nigeria (TRCN).
Responsibilities: Coordinate and teach the students.
Non-Academic staffs

Non-academic staff 
Secretary/PRO (optional)

Bursar/Accountant

Librarian (optional)

 
Medical staff  (optional but not negotiable for a boarding school)

Technical team( can be out sourced )

Sport Coordinator (delegated to a teaching staff )

Auxiliary Staffs

Nursery Assistants ( very important )

Bus drivers ( non alcohol drinkers and smokers )

Security Men

Gardener

Cleaners (very important)


COST  ANALYSIS


Designation          No          MonthlySalary (N)                  Salary PerAnnum (N)

Head Mistress       1              60,000                                     720,000
Assistant               1              35,000                                             420,000
Teaching Staffs    7               30,000                                             2,520,000
Secretary/PRO      1              30,000                                             360,000
Bursar/ Acct          1              30,000                                             360,000
Nursery Asst         2              12,000                                             288,000
Bus Drivers           2              15,000                                             360,000
Security Men        2              10,000                                              240,000
Cleaners               4               7,000                                               336,000


TOTAL                                                                                                  5,964,000

The average monthly wage bill for a private school ranges from N 120,000-500,000 depending on the class on of staff qualification and grade of the school.