Skills for Success at University and Improving CV Content

This report discusses the essential skills for success at university, including time management, teamwork, leadership, motivation, problem-solving, and computer skills. It also provides recommendations for improving the content of a CV, such as writing a great cover letter, tailoring the CV to job requirements, highlighting relevant skills and experience, and proofreading for errors.

SSHE

Contents
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY.............................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION..........................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................................8
Appendix....................................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
The time that is spent by students at university is very important for them because they
get to learn a lot of things, enhance their existing knowledge as well as develop new skills. Also,
the students are able to build new networks and learn how to work as part of a team. There are
different skills that are required by the students in order to be successful at the university and
also, these are useful in the workplace (Anderson and Valero, 2020). Time management, hard
work, leadership, adaptability and problem solving are some examples of the skills that are
required by the students to be successful in the university and are also important in the
workplace. Apart from this, in order to get a job, a CV or curriculum vitae plays an important
role. This is because it helps a candidate in convincing the prospective employer about their
employability. Therefore, the report also includes recommendations regarding hoe can students
improve the content of their respective CVs.
MAIN BODY
The six skills that students require to be successful at university and their importance in
the workplace are explained as follows -
Time management – Time management is an important skill for students in the
university and can be defined as the process of planning and organizing the time between
different tasks or activities. effective time management allows the students at university to
complete more tasks in less time and this is because they are focused and hence, do not waste
any time on distractions. Apart from this, time management also helps in reducing the overall
stress and eliminate procrastination (Time management skills that improve student learning,
2021). The students are able to plan and set their goals early and also, work on them at the same
time. In the workplace, time management is important because it allows an individual to not only
enhance their performance, but also achieve their desired goals effectively.
Teamwork – Teamwork can be defined as the collaborative effort of a group of people in
order to achieve a common goal or to complete a task in the most effective or efficient manner.
as far as students at university are concerned, teamwork teaches them essential communication
as well as social skills like active listening and speaking. Apart from this, teamwork is also
required because it assists the students in solving complex issues that they might come across

during their time at the university (Er, Demirel and Cuhadar, 2020). On the other hand, when
work is divided among the members of a team, it is completed faster and also, the team members
develop an increased morale and valued. Teamwork also helps in bringing new and innovative
ideas that can be implemented to achieve success. It also creates a system and ensures that the
deadlines are met and the quality of work is also high.
Leadership – It is important for the students at university to experience the different
leadership opportunities. This is because they get to learn how to build relationships with the
teams as well as achieve the tasks effectively. As a result, the students are able to build
confidence and also, sharpen their skills at the same time (Hunt and Chalmers, 2021). Leadership
is also an important skill in the workplace because an effective leader is able to bring out the best
abilities of their team members and at the same time, motivate them to work more productively
as well as achieve a shared goal. Also, leadership skills allow the leader in keeping the team
performance on track and focused so as to avoid any delays. As a result, the overall efficiency is
maximized and the intended goals are also achieved. Therefore, it can be said that leadership is
an important skill that can help the students to be successful at the university.
Motivation – Students who are motivated to learn are able to achieve their goals in an
effective manner. They are focused and put in high quality effort, learn more deeply and thus,
perform better on tests. In order to be successful at the university, it is important for the students
to be motivated. As far as the workplace is concerned, employee motivation is considered to be
one of the key components for the success of an organization. Employees who are motivated, are
more productive and hence, produce more output. There are many benefits for an organization
that has motivated employees (Katz and et.al., 2020). For example, there is an improved
employee satisfaction as the employees are committed and engaged to their respective jobs.
Also, the employee efficiency is improved and there is a decline in the staff turnover.
Organizations should adopt different measures in order to increase the motivation of the
employees at the workplace.
Problem solving skills – Problem solving skills are also required by students to be
successful at the university. This is because these skills help in determining the potential solution
for an issue in the workplace and implementing the same in order to evaluate the effectiveness.
For university students, problem solving skills are important because they not only learn to

manage time, but also develop patience. On the other hand, modern day employers expect their
employees to have effective problem-solving skills. This is because it shows that the employees
are competent and possess lateral thinking. Another reason as to why problem-solving skills are
important in the workplace is because the employees are able to identify the issues and develop
options for possible solutions for the same.
Computer skills – With advancements in technology increasing by each passing day,
computer skills have become one of the most important skills students at university should
possess in order to be successful. Computer skills help the students in learning skills such as
sending emails, conducting research on internet, creating presentations as well as work
processing documents (Safitri, Rafli and Dewanti, 2021). These are basic computer skills that
can help the students in achieving success at the university. On the other hand, employers today
expect the employees to have efficient computer skills as this also helps in increasing the overall
productivity. Not only this, computer skills help the organization in saving a lot of time as well
as unnecessary costs and get the tasks done faster and more efficiently.
Six recommendations that could help students improve the content of their CVs are
explained below -
Write a great cover letter – The first and foremost recommendation that could help
students to improve the content of their CVs is that they should write a great cover letter. This is
because a cover letter showcases how the skills as well as experience possessed by the student
meets the job requirement. It is recommended that the students should write a fresh cover letter
for each job that they apply for and highlight their right experiences. Apart from this, it is also
recommended that they should start with confidence and avoid arrogance as this can leave a
negative impression on the employer (Seifan, Robertson and Berenjian, 2020). The language in
the cover letter should be simple and easy to understand. Lastly, it is recommended that the
students should using an appropriate closing as well as sign the letter.
Tailor your CV to meet the job requirements – It is important to note that the
requirement for each job is different from another. This means that different skills are required
for carrying out different jobs. In order to tailor the CV to meet the job requirements, it is
recommended that the students should review the job description in an effective manner and then
compare their CVs to the same (Zhou, Zhao and Dawson, 2020). This will help them in finding

the gaps that they have to fill in. Another recommendation is that the students should keep
updating their skills section and ensure that they match with the skills that are required for the
job that they are applying.
Choose hobbies and interests that are relevant to the chosen career – Another
recommendation that can be made to the students is that they should choose hobbies as well as
interests that are relevant to their chosen career. This is important because it increases their
chances of getting the job that they desire. This is an important recommendation and the students
should keep this in while they are in college. It is also recommended that they should make sure
that they are good or efficient in these hobbies and skills. And putting the same on their CVs can
be helpful for making them stand out from the other candidates who have applied for the same
job.
Highlight relevant skills and experience – In order to highlight the relevant skills and
experience in their CV, the students are recommended to make sure that they review the job
description and highlight the keywords that match with their own skill set. Next, it is
recommended that they should consider two or three of their greatest achievements and mention
the same in their curriculum vitae (Shah, Syeda and Naseer, 2020). Since the purpose of a
resume is to quickly communicate the qualifications of an individual for a job to the employer,
highlighting the relevant skills as well as experience can said to be one of the most important
recommendations for the students improve the content of their CVs. This will help them in
getting their desired jobs in an effective manner.
Work experience – While making their CVs, the students are recommended to list their
work experience in a clear and concise manner. This helps in communicating their experience to
the employer effectively. On the other hand, there can be some students who might not have any
work experience to mention on their CVs. In such case, they are recommended to apply for and
join some form of internship or a job that can help them in developing new skills and at the same
time, gain experience about how to work professionally in a workplace. it is also recommended
that they should mention the same in their respective CVS along with the time duration that they
were employed.
Proofread to check for grammatical errors and typos – Lastly, it is highly
recommended that once the students create their CV, they should proofread the same in order to

check for any kind of grammatical typos and errors (Syakur and Azis, 2020). This is
recommended because there can be small grammatical mistakes that can go unnoticed while
creating the CV. And hence, proofreading can help in identifying those mistakes and eliminating
them. There are different tools that can be used during proofreading in order to find these typos
and errors. It is also recommended that the students should scan their CV at least twice to
identify the typos or grammatical errors made while creating the CV. It is suggested that the
students can also ask their friends or the tutor to proofread and review their CV. This is because
it can help in finding the mistakes that are made and they might also suggest ways in which
improvements can be made (Van Ginkel and et.al., 2020). Therefore, it can be said that the
students have to implement all of these recommendations while developing their CV in order to
ensure that they are able to get their desired job by improving the content on their respective
CVs. This will not only allow them to eliminate the typos and grammatical errors, but also
improve the overall quality of the CV.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be concluded that student at university should focus on
developing different skills as this helps them to be successful. The different skills include
computer skills, time management, motivation, leadership etc. All these different skills are
important and can help the student to not only be successful, but also get their desired jobs. This
is because modern day employers expect their employees to possess all these skills in order to
carry out their respective jobs in an effective manner. on the other hand, a CV or a curriculum
vitae is an important document that can help an individual in getting a job that they desire. But
there are different things that they should keep in mind while applying for a job such as highlight
relevant skills and experience and proofread to check for grammatical errors and typos. This is
because these can help in eliminating the errors and improving the quality of the CV.

REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Anderson, A. and Valero, L., 2020. Supporting Academic Vocabulary and Social-Emotional
Skills of Students With Learning Disabilities Through an Arts-Integrated Social Studies
Approach. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 53(2), pp.150-162.
Er, Y., Demirel, M. and Cuhadar, A., 2020. Investigation of leisure management skills and
leisure boredom in university students in terms of different variables. International
Journal of Applied Exercise Physiology, 9(6), pp.49-54.
Hunt, L. and Chalmers, D. eds., 2021. University teaching in focus: A learning-centred
approach. Routledge.
Katz, N.H. and et.al., 2020. Communication and conflict resolution skills. Kendall Hunt
Publishing.
Safitri, H., Rafli, Z. and Dewanti, R., 2021. Integrated language skills materials and varied
activities to improve students' speaking skills. Ilkogretim Online, 20(4).
Seifan, M., Robertson, N. and Berenjian, A., 2020. Use of virtual learning to increase key
laboratory skills and essential non-cognitive characteristics. Education for Chemical
Engineers, 33, pp.66-75.
Shah, A.A., Syeda, Z.F. and Naseer, S., 2020. University Students’ Communication Skills as a
Determinant of Academic Achievement. sjesr, 3(2), pp.107-114.
Syakur, A. and Azis, R., 2020. Developing Reading Learning Model to Increase Reading Skill
for Animal Husbandry Students in Higher Education. Britain International of Linguistics
Arts and Education (BIoLAE) Journal, 2(1), pp.484-493.
Van Ginkel, S. and et.al., 2020. The impact of computer‐mediated immediate feedback on
developing oral presentation skills: An exploratory study in virtual reality. Journal of
Computer Assisted Learning, 36(3), pp.412-422.
Zhou, J., Zhao, K. and Dawson, P., 2020. How first-year students perceive and experience
assessment of academic literacies. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 45(2),
pp.266-278.
Online
Time management skills that improve student learning. 2021. [Online]. Available through:<
https://www.acc.edu.au/blog/time-management-skills-student-learning/>.

Appendix
Cover Letter
To,
Abc
Marks and Spencer,
London, United Kingdom
29th June, 2021
Subject – Application for the role of Marketing Executive
Respected Sir,
I came across your advertisement in the newspaper and would like to submit my
application for the role of Marketing Executive at your firm. I have one year of experience in the
marketing industry and I wish to continue building my career in this field. I have done two
internships in sales and marketing wherein I worked with a dedicated team towards helping the
company achieve its targets. I have the core skills that will be required to carry out the job of a
Marketing Executive. And I am certain that I would prove to be a great asset for your
organization. Please find attached my curriculum vitae attached with this letter. I look forward to
hearing from you soon.
Thank You.
Yous Sincerely,
Xyz