For a graduate looking to get into Consultancy is this a good way of breaking down your skills into a core skills section on a CV?I’ve been using the IMC competences framework as a kind of loose guideline to follow. This looks like this:• technical and business knowledge; • business understanding; • change management skills; • ownership, management and delivery of solutions to clients; • project delivery and risk management; • excellent interpersonal skills; • ability to transfer skills to others; • creative and analytical thinking; and • adherence to a code of conduct and ethical guidelines I’m trying to keep it as concise as possible so I have so far chosen the following headings:Information Technology skills:Team working skills:Project management & delivery skills:Interpersonal & communication skills:Are there any other skill headings which people would recommend including? I did think about putting ‘Business/Entrepreneurial skills & knowledge’ as a separate heading but then examples of this are contained in the other headings and I have an Economics degree so hopefully I shouldn’t need to be to explicit about that.I have skills on the creative and analytical thinking which I could mention, but are creative skills really worth a separate heading when applying for consultancy jobs (sorry don’t mean that to sound derogatory)? Maybe if this was necessary it could be another section like ‘Innovation’ instead? Is that a good rough framework to proceed with or am I completely missing the kind of skills Consultancy recruiters are looking for?Many thanks

SIKDER ALI AFZAL1022 Indian Trace Circle Apt 204, Riviera Beach, Florida-33407 Phone: 561-863-1074 sikderafzal@yahoo.comECONOMICS, FINANCE, POLICY & PLANNING FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC ANALYST25+ Years of Experience in Economic, Financial and Socio-Economic Analysis, Management, Writing of Reports, and Research, Interaction, Policy Making & Planning, Sales, etc.Enhancing Financial & Socio-Economic Analysis, Planning, Implementation, Monitoring & Evaluation Services for Growth & ProfitsAreas of Strength in Project ManagementSales of commodities and assistance to Manager in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA.Professional works in socio-economic, marketing, financial, technological & environmental, feasibility studies, baseline/benchmark surveys, data collection, processing & analysis and writing survey/study reports with graphics & recommendations.Appropriate policy & strategy formulation, planning & designing, financial & economic analyses, appraisals and negotiations with financers for individual projects with management of planning, multi-disciplinary consultants, traffic planning & environmental permitting.Extensive assistance in project implementation including: employee recruiting, empowerment & deployment; construction of roads, buildings, etc; procurement of vehicles/transports, plants (with installation), equipment, tools & materials; fund procurements & disbursements. Preparing land use/zoning changes, site development plans and criteria, project research & development. Supervising project operation & maintenance of roads, buildings, vehicles/transports, plants, etc during implementation period.Participating in and leading teams of multi-disciplinary consultants; leading, coordinating, liaison & linking; participation in team work.Assist in quality control management; productivity & efficiency enhancement; sales, marketing & business promotion.Outstanding experiences in effective monitoring & evaluation of projects/ subprojects and assessing project implementation progress and benefits accrued from the projects/subprojects on socio-economic and food & agriculture, forestry, fisheries, livestock and rural development.Training, facilitation & communication skills.Highlights of Experience• Provide services to Local Government Engineering Department in feasibility study, planning & appraisal, socio-economic survey, financial & economic analyses and monitoring & evaluation of Rural Development Projects and Beneficiary Participation & Project Management (BPPM), Small Scale Water Resources Development Sector Project with emphasis on monitoring & evaluation of the benefits from the project interventions (roads, markets, bridges, water management structures, etc.) on socio-economic, food & agriculture, forestry, fisheries, livestock and rural industries development as well as in developing communication and training skills. Discharging duties as Local Counterpart of Expatriate Economists.• Provide services to Ministry of Agriculture in evaluation of Barendra Integrated Area Development Project and North East Minor Irrigation Project with assessment of the benefits from the project interventions on socio-economic and food & agriculture, forestry, fisheries, livestock and rural development in developing rural training & communication skills of different rural institutes.• Provide services to Department of Agriculture Extension in monitoring & evaluation of Integrated Agricultural Production & Water Management Project and conducting Soil Fertility and Fertilizer Use Study and Homestead and Farming Systems Study and in implementation, monitoring & evaluation of Marginal & Small Farming Systems Crop Intensification Project. • Assist Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council in assessing agricultural land loss and utilization.• Provide services to Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation, Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation, Assist Department of Fisheries in feasibility study of Fourth Fisheries Project (DFID assistance), Department of Livestock Services and ATDP-II (USAID) in socio-economic, marketing, financial, technological & environmental feasibility studies & baseline/benchmark surveys; planning & designing, financial & economic analyses, appraisals and negotiations with financers; implementation including: employee recruiting, empowerment & deployment; construction, procurement of vehicles/transports, plants, equipment, tools & materials (fertilizers, chemicals, etc.); rubber plantation & processing and timber extraction & processing; livestock & poultry farming providing veterinary services, training of Fish Feed Millers Association on Financial Management, supervising project operation & maintenance; quality control management; productivity & efficiency enhancement; sales, marketing & business promotion; monitoring & evaluation of projects; discharging duties as Local Counterpart of Expatriate Economists.• Provide services to Bangladesh Water Development Board in conducting Feasibility Study of Muhuri Kahua Flood Control Project (MKFCP), Mitigation Planning for Fisheries and Navigation under Second Small Scale Flood Control, Drainage & Irrigation Project, Benchmark Surveys & Evaluation Studies of Second Small Scale Flood Control, Drainage & Irrigation Project, Agriculture & Fisheries Development Studies of FCD-III Project.• Assist Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge Authority in evaluation of Jamuna Bridge Resettlement Project. Professional EmploymentsEmployer: N&A Petroleum, Inc.(Chevron Gas Statn), 1000 W Blue Heron Blvd., Riviera Beach, FL 33404 Position: Sales Associate; Period: January 2005 to dateDuties: Provide customer services and sell gas & grocery commodities; assist Manager as asked for, etc.Employer: Cumberland Farms, 7228 N Military Trail, Riviera Beach, Florida 33407Position: Customer Service Associate; Period: August 2004 - December 2005Duties: Provide customer services and sell gas & grocery commodities; assist Manager as asked for, etc.Employer: K-Beverage, 2511 Westgate Ave, West Palm Beach, FL 33409, USA.Position: Sales Assistant; Period: July 2004 – August 2004Duties: Provide customer services and sell grocery commodities; assist Manager as asked for, etc., Employer: Kranti Associates Ltd., House 38/3, Road 16, Dhanmondi R/A, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh Position: Agri. Economist (Management/Planning/Monitoring/Evaluation/Survey/Credit Consultant)Period: December 1992 – June 2004Assignments/Duties:1. Benefit Monitoring & Evaluation (BME) Specialist, Rural Development Project–21 (RDP-21), Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), (ADB/JBIC/IFAD/SIDA assistance). 2. Socio-Economics Specialist, Study on Impact of Rural Infrastructure Development Projects on Poverty, LGED. 3. Socio-Economics Specialist, ‘Study on Impact Evaluation of Rokeya Memorial Center Connecting Roads and Linkage Roads, Rangpur. 4. Sr. Agricultural Economist, ‘Soil Fertility & Fertilizer Use Study’, Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).5. Sr. Agricultural Economist, ‘Agricultural Land Loss Assessment Project’, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council (BARC).6. Sr. Evaluation Specialist, ‘Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge Resettlement Project’, Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge Authority (JMBA) (WB/IDA assistance).7. Sr. Agricultural Economist, Kranti Associates Ltd., House # 38/3, Road # 16 (New), Dhanmondi R/A, (supporting and preparing/presenting technical/financial proposals).8. Sr. Evaluation Specialist, Barendra Integrated Area Development Project (BIADP), Barendra Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), Ministry of Agriculture.9. Agricultural Economics & Socio-Economics Specialist, Beneficiary Participation & Project Management (BPPM), SSWRDSP, LGED, (ADB, IFAD & GON assistance).10. Team Leader, Monitoring & Evaluation Services (MES), ‘Integrated Agricultural Production & Water Management Project’ DAE, LGED & BWDB (IFAD assistance).11. Research Economist, ‘Feasibility Study of Muhuri Kahua Flood Control Project’, Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB).12. Team Coordinator & Agricultural Economist, ‘Mitigation Planning for Fisheries & Navigation, SSSFCDI, BWDB (WB/IDA assistance).13. Team Coordinator & Agricultural Economist, ‘Benchmark Surveys & Evaluation Studies, SSSFCDI’, BWDB (WB/IDA assist.).14. Economist, ‘Second Rural Roads and Markets Improvement & Maintenance Project’, LGED (EEC assistance).15. Team Coordinator & Agricultural Economist, ‘Agriculture & Fisheries Development Studies, 3rd Flood Control & Drainage (FCD-III) Project, BWDB (WB/IDA assistance).16. Team Coordinator & Agricultural Economist, ‘Homestead & Farming Systems Study’, Crop Diversification Programme (CDP) (CIDA/GON assistance).Employer: Agro-industries Technologies Dev. Project-II, Gulshan-2, Dhaka, Bangladesh (USAID Support)Position: Agricultural Economist (Part-time); Period: October 2002Duties: Training of Fish & Shrimp Feed Millers on Financial Management, Monitoring & Evaluation.Employer: Implementation, Monitoring & Evaluation Division, Ministry of Planning, Dhaka, BangladeshPosition: Advisor (Part-time) Period: November 2000- March 2001Duties: Evaluation of North East Minor Irrigation Project’, Ministry of Agriculture (ADB assistance).Employer: Lutheran World Services and DAE, BARI, RDRS, Bangladesh Bank (IFAD assistance) Position: Team Leader-cum-Agricultural Economist Period: September 1992-November 1992 Duties: Leading multi-disciplinary team of specialists of Marginal & Small Farming Systems Cropping Intensification Project, survey, training, extension, social development, credit, monitoring & evaluation. Employer: Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation, 73, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000Position: General Manager (Planning & Dev.) Period: January 1982 – August 1992 Duties: Planning, monitoring, evaluation, survey/study, feasibility study, financial/economic analyses. Employer: Planning Commission & Ministry of Agriculture, Bangladesh Secretariat, Dhaka-1000Position: Deputy Chief (NCRT), Planning Commission Period: December 1980 – January 1981 Duties: Project management, study, evaluation and monitoring of rural training, extension & research.Employer: Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation, 23-24, Dilkusha C/A, Dhaka-1000Position: Planning Officer Period: February 1979-December 1980Duties: Planning, monitoring, evaluation, survey/study, feasibility study, financial/economic analyses.Ministry of Agriculture (Fisheries & Livestock Division), Secretariat, Dhaka-1000, BangladeshPosition: Chief Economist (Planning & Evaluation)/Project Director (Study); Period: Jan 1977-Jan 1979Duties: Planning, monitoring, evaluation, survey/study, feasibility study, financial/economic analyses.Tropical Agro-Consult Ltd., 23, Elephant Road, DhakaAgricultural Economist (Planning & Development) Period: July 1973 – December 1976Duties: Planning, monitoring, evaluation, survey/study, feasibility study, financial/economic analyses.Education /CertificationsMaster of Science in Agricultural Economics (Specialization in Production Economics & Farm Management) 1st Class, 1974 (Exam. Held in 1976); Thesis: ‘Comparative Financial and Economic Studies of Different Irrigation Technologies in Bangladesh’ – conducted in 2 years from July 1974 to June 1976); 33 credits.Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics (Honors) 1st Class, 1973 (Exam. Held in 1974); 101.5 credits? Other Training: Agricultural Census, Project Management System; Feasibility Studies; Practices of Project Management Principles; Water Resources Management sponsored by USAID; Group-based Extension of Farming Systems; Project Planning Matrix Formulation; Organization, Development, Banking Plan and Micro-Credit Finance & Management, Participatory Rapid Rural Appraisal, People’s Participation in Project Planning & Appraisal; Feasibility Study of Rural Infrastructures Development Project; Computer Skill: Excellent Reporting using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, PhotoShop.

Thanks for that. Very useful. For everyones questions on the forum.....!

Be a bit more concise than Mr. Afzal. I would argue one page is plenty for a fresh graduate. If two pages then it should have lots of white space to make it easy to read.When you mention skills it must be in the context of tangible evidence. No point saying you have communication skills. Better to say you have participated in a debating society or edited a magazine, or whatever.Unlikely you can really impress in this way with entreprenurial skills as a fresh graduate. So only mention it if you have evidence.

I agree. As a new graduate what you are "selling" is largely potential and your ability to apply skills you have learnt. As mentioned in other post you must present evidence of how you used such skills as far as possible not just list them. Use of skills might not be just "academic" but can be shown by Duke of Edinburgh Award activity; football team captain/ coach and so on - think about everything you do and what skills you use to get results.

Let me start by saying that I'm actively involved in my firm's recruitment of freshly-minted MBAs, and review probably several hundred resumes every year. Here are 3 pieces of advice:1. Unless you have >10 years of professional experience (internships excluded), your resume should fit on 1 page. Why? I don't need to see every single job task and every single accomplishment you have since you graduated from high school. Your resume speaks to your ability to prioritize and summarize...two key attributes of MCs. Plus, it's kind of pompous. I know many Partners who still fit their resume into 1 page. 2. Have plenty of white space. If I get cross eyed reading your resume, I have no qualms tossing it in the "no" pile. It's all about presentation and coherent, concise thought. Your resume is technically the "first round" of interviews.3. "SAR". No, not the deadly flu. "Situation, Actions, Results". Each bullet point in your resume should explain the situation/context, what you did, and the results of your actions. Example: for an unprofitable $500mm division of a Fortune 100 CPG company, led a multi-disciplinary client team composed of marketing, manufacturing, product design, and quality that identified, developed, and implemented strategies to reduce annual supply chain costs by $100mm per year. This example is vague, of course, but you get the picture.