The Kwara Emerging Scholars Forum (KESF), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting academic excellence and research among Kwara state indigenes, recently conducted a virtual training session on crafting a winning curriculum vitae (CV).
The training, held on January 26th via Google Meet, aimed to equip KESF members with the necessary skills to write compelling CVs. Afeez Tobi Azeez, founder of Tobie Contents, a content strategy marketing agency, facilitated the session.
Tobi emphasized the importance of mastering CV writing, stating that a well-crafted CV is crucial for securing job opportunities or prestigious scholarships. He highlighted key analytical and technical aspects of CV writing, including recommended formats and best practices, such as the format recommended by Google recruiters—accomplishment, metrics and results.
According to Abdulrahman Abdulganiyu Akanbi, Chairman of the KESF Executive Board, the training was organized in response to the realization that many young graduates miss out on job and scholarship opportunities due to poorly written CVs.
“The session was designed to bridge the gap in CV writing skills among our members,” Akanbi noted. “We observed that many graduates lack well-structured CVs, which hinders their chances of securing opportunities.”
Biliyaminu Manne, a KESF member and training participant, described the session as an “eye-opener.” He gained valuable insights into crafting a winning CV, including the importance of avoiding grammatical errors and using action verbs effectively.
“I have been applying for fellowships and internships, which I mostly don’t use to receive any response from the organizations,” Biliyaminu said. “Now, I realize that for you to win any application that requires a CV, you need a compelling CV that’s free from grammatical errors and personal pronouns like “I and I am.” The training also enlightened me that action verbs with “ed/en” should be used instead of “ing.”
Also speaking, Ayinla Hawau Olorunoje, another member of KESF and graduate of Agriculture on her own part said the training exposed her to the key differences between Resume and CV, their arrangement and structure.
“CV writing has always been a topic everyone desires to know more about, so having someone do justice to that excellently is an opportunity. The training was excellently packed and well delivered, thanks to the facilitator,” she added.
KESF promotes academic development, interdisciplinary research, and training, while providing advice to government and private sectors on matters of public importance. The organization aims to foster peace, unity, and patriotism for the development of Kwara State.