Clearly Creative CVs
Media CV Workshop

 

 

Applying for jobs and not hearing back?

Worried your CV isn’t doing you justice?

Too much experience and don’t know how to communicate it?

 

You’re not alone.

 

Imagine sending a CV that producers read easily and quickly. Hearing the phone ring with another interview request. Planning how to fit another week’s work into your schedule. Attending my Media CV Workshop can help make this a reality.

As a Producer, I was tired of reading CVs where crew were making the same key mistakes that meant I actually knew nothing about them – or worse still, I was put off reading them halfway through. Too often the applicant hasn’t expressed their skills and experience in the right way, or with enough clarity.

I set up a Media CV Workshop to help crew rethink the way they wrote their CVs, and how they interacted with potential employers.

With my experience in recruiting, backed up by industry research, I’ve developed a straight forward programme with easily actionable tips to help you join that top 10% of applicants who get interviews, win more jobs and make more contacts, all of which helps them get even more work!

 

Book your place at the next Media CV Workshop

 

“Gavin helped me get some valuable perspective on my achievements and highlight my skills in a concise, direct way. His insights have really helped me focus on my strengths and given me more confidence to approach potential employers. Our small group had diverse skills and experience, but with Gavin’s straightforward guidance we also learnt a lot from each other.”

Rachel, Writer

“When applying for positions in a competitive job market it is always very hard to get the genuine feedback required to improve one’s chances. Through Clearly Creative CVs, I got exactly the pointers needed to update and present my skills through my CV to do myself justice and as a result have had two interviews for very interesting positions.”

C. F., Producer

“Clearly Creative CVs is a fantastic kick up the **** to get your CV into shape. Gavin takes you through his ideas step by step, giving you invaluable advice on what works, what doesn’t, and how to create a stand out CV that will get you the job. If you know your CV usually gets binned – this course is a must!”

Emma, Director

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Spend just two hours with us at the next Clearly Creative CVs session and we’ll give you the tools and strategies to keep employers responding to your CV for the rest of your Career.

What qualifies me to be called an ‘industry expert’ in recruitment issues by the likes of the Guardian? Well, I have over 20 years of experience in the media, from feature films to broadcast television to corporate. I’ve written for magazines, websites, adverts and my own CV book, so I know a thing or two about copy.

I’ve been through periods of unemployment, and pulled myself out of them and now run a London video production company and animation studio. I’ve been recruiting freelance talent (and there is a lot of talent out there) for 15 years. Over that time, I’ve heard the same issues raised by freelancers again and again.

Book your place at the next Media CV Workshop

 

Do these Scenarios sound familiar?

If only I could talk to an employer I’m sure I’d get more work

“I’ve signed up to Production Base, Talent Manager and Shooting People. I email CVs and fill in forms online, but I never get the chance to speak to people. If I could just talk to someone in person…”

The internet has made applying for jobs desperately impersonal. It can feel like you’re sending your CV into the abyss, with no chance to interact with a human being about your application! Let me show you a copywriting technique that can give your CV a voice and has proved to get better results. 

I’ve done many jobs over the years but I still don’t get consistent work

“I’ve got a load of great credits and they’re all down on my CV. I try and stay in touch with the contacts I’ve made, but they move about, change jobs. And I just don’t seem to be able to keep getting enough work in.”

As your experience grows, you often find you become niched, so you only get employed to work on a particular style of show or subject area. I can help you to understand what your niche is, and then create two CVs. In one you’ll show off your niche when applying for a relevant job in that niche. In the other, you’ll underplay your niche to sell your transferable skills when a very different project comes up. No matter how much work you’ve done, you’ve got to have a strategy for getting new work; At Clearly Creative CVs we can help you develop a networking strategy for staying ‘top of mind’ when employers are recruiting by having a strong message, followed up with a great CV.

I’m confused by all the conflicting advice

“I’ve looked at lots of different CV websites and I’m feeling confused by all the conflicting advice”

The key person you’re trying to communicate to is the Producer or Production Manager, since they’re the ones that will be hiring you. However, they’re very unlikely to take your call so you can ask them what they want to read in a CV. When you attend a Clearly Creative CVs session it’s like hearing what 50 employers say in a short two hours session. Get the real inside take on CVs from the people who count – the ones who sign the contacts!

I’m creative, I don’t want to get into all this Marketing stuff

“I chose this career because I wanted to be creative in the work I do. I don’t want to have to sell or market anything, least of all myself”

If you’re not selling yourself, you’re going to lose out. And remember, all programmes are made with a business mind set. Each programme must attract viewers or advertisers. So starting to think about how to sell your creative skills is integral to getting jobs.

 

Book your place at the next Media CV Workshop

 

Before the Event

Part 1: Qualification

The first step is to send me your CV as I pre-qualify all attendees. If you’re in that Top 10% who are getting it right already, I’m not going to suggest you take the course. If your CV is in that 90% that don’t work hard enough to sell your skills, I’ll invite you to join us.

At the Event

Part 2: Clearly Creative CVs

You will be talked through what a Production Manager or Producer is looking for in a CV. You’ll learn how to grab their attention by how you present your key skills, what personal information you need to give (and what you don’t) and how to make the most of your programme credits to get you on the interview shortlist.

Part 3: Review your CV

In the second half, the group will look through each attendees’ CV to see how they can be improved.

After the Event

Part 4: Revamp your CV

This is the tough bit, where you need to put in the work! After the session, spend the next few days digesting what you’ve learnt. Then sit down and start reworking your CV with our suggestions in mind, and submit it to us for another review.

Part 5: Further Comments

We’ll go through your new CV and offer more suggestions, so your CV is really working hard for you.

 

Book your place at the next Media CV Workshop

 

Worried about the cost?

If you’ve sent out your CV many times in the last two months but rarely had an interview, your CV is not working. With the skills you at the Media CV Workshop, your CV will communicate your skills better, making it more likely that you’ll get invited to interview. That means you can add the people who interviewed you to your networking strategy, growing your leads for new work. If you get the job, you have another credit, more experience and maybe 10 members of crew to connect with. You’ll have been paid to do the job you love.

Over the next year your £60 investment in your career will turn into maybe 5 new contacts, 5 new credits, a wider range of new experience and skills. Which in turn will help you get more work…

And remember, as this is not a free or ‘a cinema ticket’ priced event you can be assured that you are in good company. The people who attend our sessions are those who really value investing in their career and are serious about their future in Television. We never get those who’d just like a cool sounding job, but aren’t motivated to actually find one, and tend to drift into a job in another industry within a year. And the other attendees might not seem like they can get you a job right now, but developing long term contacts with other industry professionals is the key to staying in work.

“I found the CV surgery advice incredibly invaluable. Gavin sees a lot of CVs, so if you want your work noticed above the crowd I would certainly recommend the CV Surgery.The advice is to the point, simple, and helpful. The follow up emails give you further advice tailored to your CV. I think if you’ve been struggling to get interviews this could be the key. I certainly feel a lot more confident about responding to job adverts.”

Dani, Assistant Producer

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Why crew rave about Clearly Creative CVs

Every attendee is Pre-Qualified for the Event.

We pre-qualify everyone who applies, only confirming your place if we feel your CV is in that 90% that doesn’t work hard enough to sell your services. So you know before you book that you’ll learn a lot from the session.

My Clearly Creative lets you take away practical and real-world advice which you can put to use straight away.

You’ll be jotting down notes throughout the session and there are likely to be more than a few light bulb moments by the time you leave.

We don’t write your CV for you. We teach you to write a great CV for yourself!

TV Crew CVs are constantly changing as people can get through 8-10 jobs a year. If I just wrote your CV for you, you’d have to come back to me again and again. So this course teaches you how to rework your CV every time you need to look for work. You can write a great CV, you just don’t know how to yet!

Clearly Creative CVs is not a large conference where you’ll be just one face in the crowd.

There are no more than 8 places on each course, so you will get to talk to all the other people who are attending. You’ll see that other people are making the same mistakes as you, then how to correct them. You’ll feel comfortable asking questions and believe it or not, what you might think are problems very specific to your career are actually relevant to everyone else’s.

Book your place at the next Media CV Workshop

 

 

“Thanks so much again for the great workshop. I’m very glad i found it. It’s really helped me to bring out my strengths and experience and present it on the page for someone to easily take in and comprehend. I was surprised by all my experience!”

Comment by Jody, Editor

If you’re a member of Shooting People you can book a place for a discounted rate of £50. If you’re not, then why aren’t you? Sign up, it’s a great organisation for learning more about your industry and getting work!

If you have less than 2 year’s experience, you can get a New Industry Entrant rate of just £45

Remember, I pre-qualify you before confirming your place. Simply email me your CV with no commitment to taking the Workshop. If we think your CV is performing, I won’t suggest you go on the course. If your CV is in needs an overhaul, I’ll confirm your place.

 

Click here to email me your CV for review

 

Where is the Workshop?

The Workshop takes place at Napoleon Creative, my Production Company and Animation Studio. We’re based near Old Street tube and Haggerston overground stations. For full location details click here.