Workshop Game · Ages 18+ · 4–6 players
CV Lab
Master Your Job Application Story
Your experience is valuable. The problem is explaining it.
Expected: October 2026
Photo placeholder — CV Lab in action
The Problem CV Lab Solves
Most students have good experience. They just can't explain it.
They write their CV. They describe what they did. But description is not persuasion.
Before CV Lab
"I worked at a café"
"I was responsible for customer service"
"I helped organise a charity event"
None of these tell an employer why they should care.
After CV Lab
"I managed busy shift transitions, which taught me to communicate clearly under pressure"
"I noticed customers preferred friendly service, so I trained new staff — retention improved"
"I coordinated 5 volunteers across 3 events; I learned to delegate and track progress against deadlines"
Activity → capability with proof. That is what employers hire.
The CV Lab formula: Behaviour → Skill → Evidence. In 60–90 minutes, participants learn to apply it to any experience — and leave knowing how to explain what they have.
Learning Outcomes
What Students Gain
CV Lab does not teach students to write better CVs. It teaches them to think differently about what they have — and then say it clearly.
Understand How Employers Evaluate Candidates
HR does not look for the most impressive person — they look for the best fit. By playing the HR role, participants see firsthand that experience alone does not convince anyone. What you learned from that experience does.
Learn the CV / Interview Translation Framework
Behaviour → Skill → Evidence is the repeatable formula. Every experience — however ordinary it seems — contains hidden skills worth highlighting. Participants leave with a method they can apply to every future job application.
Practice Articulating Your Own Story
Before the interview, you rehearse. CV Lab's final phase applies the framework directly to participants' own real experience. They complete: "I am someone who _____, because I once _____, and the result was _____." By the time they leave, they have practised saying it out loud.
Normalise Imperfect Experience
You don't need a perfect background. You need to explain what you have. Participants with internships, volunteer work, part-time jobs, and university projects all discover that their experience is more valuable than they thought — it just needed the right frame.
Get Comfortable with Self-Advocacy
Speaking up about your skills stops feeling awkward when you've practised it with strangers in a game. CV Lab creates a low-stakes rehearsal space so that the real interview feels like a second run, not a first.
Best For
Who uses CV Lab?
Final-year university students
Preparing for graduate job applications and interviews
Young professionals
Exploring career changes or new roles
University careers services
Running CV and interview skills workshops
Career coaches
Working with clients on job applications and self-advocacy
Professional development programmes
Building communication and self-presentation skills
Gap year programmes
Preparing students for their next step
Specifications
| Format | Physical card game + worksheets + facilitator guide |
| Group size | 4–6 players per session |
| Duration | 60 min (2 rounds) / 90 min (3 rounds) |
| Age | 18+ recommended |
| Language | English / Traditional Chinese on request |
| Reusable | Indefinite (durable card stock) |
The Three-Phase Experience
8 min
Setup & Self-Reflection
Players complete a personal worksheet listing experiences they want to learn to articulate. This becomes the foundation for Phase 3.
45–60 min
The Challenge
A job card is revealed. Players receive experience cards representing fictional candidates. Each player defends an experience — explaining why it proves the candidate fits the job. An HR player judges which explanation was most convincing. Repeat for 2–3 rounds.
10 min
Apply to Yourself
Players use the same framework to rewrite their own real experience. They complete the formula — Behaviour → Skill → Evidence — and say it out loud to the group.
Pricing
Three Ways to Use CV Lab
Option A
Game Only
Complete rulebook (bilingual: English / Traditional Chinese)
Job Cards, Experience Cards, HR Card — all game components
Participant worksheets (printable)
Facilitator guide with debrief talking points
High-quality branded box
Best for: University careers staff, career coaches, and professional development teams running workshops in-house. One investment, reuse year-on-year.
Preorder — £95Option B
Game + Facilitation Video
Everything in Option A, plus:
30-min video: "How to Facilitate CV Lab & Coach Self-Advocacy"
Setting up the game and managing rounds
Giving effective feedback on participants' explanations
Handling imposter syndrome and limited-experience participants
Debrief conversation framework
Best for: New facilitators wanting expert guidance before delivering. Helpful for coaches working with clients on job applications for the first time.
Preorder with Video — £135Option C
Facilitated Workshop
Complete 60–90 min workshop facilitation at your venue
Diana leads the game and provides real-time coaching on participants' self-presentation
Post-workshop debrief with organising staff (15 min)
Full game kit included — yours to keep for future use
Professional documentation / photos if applicable
Best for: Universities, career services, and professional development programmes wanting expert-led delivery. Participants receive live coaching feedback.
Book a WorkshopFree shipping within the UK. Stock also distributed from Hong Kong. Contact us for bulk orders.
Questions
Frequently Asked
Can I run CV Lab for secondary students?+
CV Lab is designed for age 18+ — final-year university students and young professionals. Secondary students have not yet accumulated enough real experience to make the game meaningful. For younger students, try SOLD! or Career Cards instead.
How is CV Lab different from a traditional CV workshop?+
Traditional workshops ask you to write better CVs. CV Lab teaches you to think like an HR person, then articulate your experience differently. The learning sticks because you practice with low stakes first, then apply the framework to your own real experience.
What if my participants have limited work experience?+
That's exactly the point. Even internships, volunteering, part-time jobs, and school projects have hidden skills. CV Lab teaches how to extract them. Participants with less conventional experience often benefit most — they discover their experience is more valuable than they thought.
Can groups larger than 6 play?+
One game supports 4–6 players. For larger groups, run multiple simultaneous games (e.g., break a cohort of 24 into 4 groups of 6). Multiple tables work well and create productive energy across the room.
Do I need facilitation training to run it?+
The rulebook and facilitator guide are comprehensive. If you are confident in group facilitation, you can run it independently from day one. The Option B video adds confidence, especially for first-time delivery or when working with participants experiencing imposter syndrome.
Can you adapt CV Lab for specific industries?+
The Job Cards cover a range of sectors (marketing, engineering, finance, healthcare, etc.) to work for mixed groups. Industry-specific versions can be arranged — contact us to discuss custom options and timelines.
Is CV Lab available in other languages?+
The current version is English with Traditional Chinese available on request. Translated editions can be arranged for bulk orders.
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