Certify cards

Do's

Review and dissemination

"We give advice by the bucket, but take it by the grain."

Tom Stoppard

Do:

Get inspiration from online examples
Create a video when it's one of the application requirements
Look professional in front of the camera, wear appropriate clothing
Research the company/position you're applying for
Write a script, prepare notes
Get feedback from your peers, family, friends, co-workers (the more feedback the better)
Show your personality
Showcase relevant skills, expertise
Have fun!

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Evaluation

Review and dissemination

"Evaluation is creation: hear it, you creators! Evaluating is itself the most valuable treasure of all that we value. It is only through evaluation that value exists: and without evaluation the nut of existence would be hollow. Hear it, you creators!"

Friedrich Nietzsche

After you finish your video and before you start planning how you can share it, it might be worth taking some time to evaluate your video. While a video CV can help your chances of getting a job it can also hurt 🤕 them. Here’s a short checklist of things to consider before sending out your video CV.

Did you introduce yourself at the beginning?
Did you highlight your strengths and/or achievements?
Did you emphasize why you would be the perfect candidate?
Is the sound quality ok?
Is video quality good enough?
Have you showed your video to at least 5 people (friends, colleagues, family, industry people…?) and got their feedback?
Do you think some people might find it inconsiderate or offensive?
Do you think that core competencies are highlighted?
Do people recognise you in the video? Is the video authentic and personal?

Initiating change

Flexibility

“What you're supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Don't complain.”

Maya Angelou

Flexibility competence could be demonstrated by discussing how one initiates change. For instance:

If you see that something could be improved, would you go out of your way to suggest changes? If you would, do you maybe have an example to give?
Are you the one that initiates change in your organisation?
Do you engage with other people working in your industry and constantly look for networking opportunities that might lead to collaborations?
Do you try to constantly learn new things and then apply them in practice?

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Willingness to listen and understand different points of view

Flexibility

“We all look at the same object in different ways.”

Kehinde Wiley

Listening and trying to understand different opinions and points of view are crucial to ensure effective teamwork. However, this requires a certain level of flexibility and willingness to compromise. Here’s a couple of prompts that might help you demonstrate this skill:

How do you keep an open mind in a workplace?
How do you take criticism?
Even if you disagree with your colleagues are you willing to (for instance) try out their suggestions?
Would you consider yourself tolerant? Why?
Do you consider yourself an fair-minded person? Why?
Are you curious to hear what other people think?

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Won any awards for your creative projects? Remember to mention them!

Creativity

“I don't deserve this award, but I have arthritis and I don't deserve that either.”

Jack Benny

Remember to mention any awards you’ve won for your work! It might help you stand out as well as highlight your interests and expertise. When talking about awards you’ve won remember to 👇

Include the date
Mention issuing organisation
Identify what you received awards for
Prioritise, only mention awards that might be relevant to the position
Keep it short and sweet
Mention how this recognition is relevant to the position you’re applying for

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Communication skills

Collaboration

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”

Mark Twain

Good communication skills are key to effective collaboration in the 21st century. If you can communicate your ideas clearly and concisely, you can reduce the likelihood of mistakes and misunderstandings. If effective communication is your strong suit – be sure to mention it! The question is how, right? Here’s a couple of prompts that might help you get the ball rolling:

Can you write emails, write blog posts and/or other types of messages that are clearly formatted, skimmable and get your point across?
Can you edit information and repurpose content and then adapt it to different platforms/channels?
Are you capable of evaluating your audience and tailoring communication accordingly?
What makes you think that you’re a good communicator?
Can you convey your ideas clearly and concisely?

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Teamwork

Collaboration

"It is the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) that those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed."

Charles Darwin

Even if you work mostly independently, there will come a time when you’ll need to work with others. Here’s a couple of questions that might inspire you to highlight excellent teamworking skills:

Think of a time when you achieved something that was only possible as a team. What was it?
Have you ever joined a project midway? What did you do to blend in quickly? How did you manage to work effectively as a team member?
Would you consider yourself a team player? If you would, why?

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Active listening

Collaboration

“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”

Epictetus

Active listening is a prerequisite for effective collaboration. This can help avoid miscommunication and improves teamwork in the workplace. Here’s a couple of questions you might answer in order to demonstrate this skill:

Do you consider yourself good at actively listening to others? Why?
What do you think takes to be a good listener? Why?
Do you demonstrate concern and try to build trust when you communicate with another person? Do you think that’s important? Why?
Do you observe non-verbal cues when you talk to other people? Do you think it helps to understand people better? Why?
If you don’t fully understand something, do you ask other person to clarify or rephrase?
Why do you think that’s important?

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