“Your Career Advisor” is responding this week to:

• How do I present my CV and what should it include? (b)
• Could you provide me with the job description of an IT Director of a bank? (g)

All reasonable questions related to careers, skill development or employment related issues – sent to advisor@skill-link.com - would be addressed in this section every week.

Q1: How do I present my CV and what should it include?

I wonder if you could guide me with regards to the CV format. I have no idea as to how to produce a good CV, and I have an offer for a good job that I do not want to loose.

W. S. (Lebanon)

Replying:

Dear Mr. S

There is no standard format or layout for CVs, they vary from one person to the other. Our main advice to you would be to keep it reasonably brief, well presented and spell checked. Do not use colors or power point graphics.

To simplify your task, we are providing you with sample CVs. Just follow the model you like.

This is a CV for a young professional with no experience (click here).

And here is a sample CV of a professional (accountant) with some experience (click here).

The third sample CV is for an IT professional with some work experience (click here).

We hope the above was of some use to you.
Good Luck

Q2: Could you provide me with the job description of an IT Director of a bank?

I have had a long and diversified career in the field of information technology. It included working for IT company and in banks, where I held senior management positions in both Egypt and the Gulf. As I am now about to join a public sector bank, undergoing a major restructure program, as IT Director, I would greatly appreciate if you could provide me with a job description that could be adopted for my position.

M. L. (Egypt)

Replying:

Dear Mr. L.

Below please find a suggested job description of an IT Director in a bank. Of course, depending on the situation of each bank, some roles and responsibilities may slightly vary.

ROLE:
The holder of this position is responsible for properly supporting the bank's business development, operational and risk management activities through the smart use of Information Technology. He/she would insure the Bank's IT infrastructure is reliable, secure, cost efficient and strategically sound; reflecting business needs and best practice.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Planning

• Define the Information Technology Strategy/Direction of the Bank.
• Develop plans and budgets in light of internal work needs and other approved units' projects (eg. new branches, new products being launched etc...).

Efficiency & Effectiveness

• Provide (via purchasing software packages, developing in house or through a third party) the necessary application systems to support business and operation needs.
• Select, install, operate, support and maintain the information technology infrastructure of the Bank (i.e. operating systems, networks, telecommunications, hardware and peripherals).
• Provide the infrastructure where Information Technology is successfully exploited to achieve competitive advantage (internally and with respect to client services) for the Bank.
• Set office automation standards within the bank and oversee acquisition, deployment and support.
• Protect the Bank against IT risks: unauthorized access to information, data integrity problems, loss of processing capability and poor service levels.
• Optimize the Bank's return on its investment in IT by acquiring cost justified IT components, this is in relation to: performance, support availability, price, upgradeability and future industry trends.
• Cooperate with Business Development units (i.e. Retail, Corporate, Treasury etc...) in conceptualizing, developing and launching technology based products: electronic banking, phone banking etc...
• Administer the relationship with online information services providers and payment systems (eg. Stock Exchange information service, Reuters, ATM networks, SWIFT, etc..)
• Identify, develop and provide - in coordination with the Bank's Training unit - training and support to various IT users bank wide.

Human Resources Responsibilities

• Supervise, motivate and develop all staff within his area.
• Identify current and future staff requirements for his area (numbers and skill levels).
• Identify training needs and opportunities for himself and staff.
• Ensure Performance Appraisals are adequately and periodically prepared and properly communicated to all staff within his area.

We hope the above was of some use to you.
Good Luck

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Note from the editor: 
Employer names and inquiry sender names were withheld for confidentiality

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