Cv Writing

[Tonkers]

I think my CV is OK, if perhaps a little to casual with no jargon. However, I have been looking at it for so long now, I am not sure if I can tell.

Has anyone used professional CV writers? I would for someone else to write mine, just to get another view point, sometimes other people can sell you better. It might be a a starting point for a rewrite.

Also, what is a very definite no no (apart from spelling mistakes and bad grammar). I am thinking of breaking the 2 page rule...

[the_duke_of_hazzard]

I am thinking of breaking the 2 page rule...

Don't.

[twatmangle]

I think my CV is OK, if perhaps a little to casual with no jargon. However, I have been looking at it for so long now, I am not sure if I can tell.

Has anyone used professional CV writers? I would for someone else to write mine, just to get another view point, sometimes other people can sell you better. It might be a a starting point for a rewrite.

Also, what is a very definite no no (apart from spelling mistakes and bad grammar). I am thinking of breaking the 2 page rule...

I'm not an expert, but I have recruited staff a few times.

Less is more. Don't go more than 2 pages unless you're citing your published works etc. If you must, treat any additional pages as an appendix. People hate reading guff. They want to evaluate what you can do, and if you can do it. If you can do it, you should be able to let them know within a very short time.

What I have seen and thought was good was a bullet point personal profile or summary at the start of the cv. Such as "Skilled programmer with 10 years of experience of XYZ. Experience of ABC specialising in large government projects" or whatever. Just a few lines with the key skills and experience.

Then list qualifications and experience in reverse chronological order as usual.

The problem is that cv styles go in and out of fashion all the time and I might be talking ******.

EDIT Clarity.

[the_duke_of_hazzard]

I'm not an expert, but I have recruited staff a few times.

Less is more. Don't go more than 2 pages unless you're citing your published works etc. If you must, treat any additional pages as an appendix. People hate reading guff. They want to evaluate what you can do, and if you can do it, if you can do it, you should be able to let them know within a very short time.

What I have seen and thought was good was a bullet point personal profile or summary at the start of the cv. Such as "Skilled programmer with 10 years of experience of XYZ. Experience of ABC specialising in large government projects" or whatever. Just a few lines with the key skills and experience.

Then list qualifications and experience in reverse chronological order as usual.

The problem is that cv styles go in and out of fashion all the time and I might be talking ******.

I shouldn't really say this, but I've been interviewing for nigh on 10 years and I read the CV in the lift on the way up. Doesn't go for all jobs, but in the line I'm in, it's really a reference point and a basis for discussion.

[Guest tbatst2000]

I think my CV is OK, if perhaps a little to casual with no jargon. However, I have been looking at it for so long now, I am not sure if I can tell.

Has anyone used professional CV writers? I would for someone else to write mine, just to get another view point, sometimes other people can sell you better. It might be a a starting point for a rewrite.

Also, what is a very definite no no (apart from spelling mistakes and bad grammar). I am thinking of breaking the 2 page rule...

What type of work are you in? The requirements are very different in different sectors.

[Tonkers]

What type of work are you in? The requirements are very different in different sectors.

Music and Media Account Management plus Marketing. I am also very technically skilled, know my way round legal terms and contracts, and can produce professional financial accounts, it's a lot to put on.

I like to make sure all my skills are listed (rather than only the pertinent ones) as I have added value (perticularly in comparison to people I have worked with who just can't handle anything technical or do basic math), but this is where i think I might be letting the CV down, shoving it all on...

[deadman]

14 pt arial for headings.

12 pt arial for the rest.

The most obvious thing but what a lot of people fail to do is to customise to every job. It's pointless just having one generic CV.

If you're going for a job in auditing, enhance that in your wording, telling them what a fantastic auditor you are, what you've achieved with historical facts and what qualifications you have in that field. Put this towards the top. Wanna be a packer in a meat factory? Include the auditing, but tell them you can pack 100 burgers in 5 minutes.

You get the jist.

[The Ayatollah Buggeri]

To reinforce what others have said:

1. Work to the standard expectations and conventions in your specific line of work. In mine - academia - CVs of ten pages plus are not uncommon for senior profs with a long publications record, but I know that this is an exception to the general rule. That having been said, if they insist on listing every book review and interview on local radio they've done, you know you're dealing with a wãnker.

2. Produce a tailored version to a given job. Start with a generic one, then when it comes to each application, delete qualifications and experience that are totally irrelevant to the job spec and enlarge on ones that are. If you're sending it to an employer or agency on spec to keep on file, focus it on their specific business and how you'd fit in to it.

[Tonkers]

14 pt arial for headings.

12 pt arial for the rest.

The most obvious thing but what a lot of people fail to do is to customise to every job. It's pointless just having one generic CV.

If you're going for a job in auditing, enhance that in your wording, telling them what a fantastic auditor you are, what you've achieved with historical facts and what qualifications you have in that field. Put this towards the top. Wanna be a packer in a meat factory? Include the auditing, but tell them you can pack 100 burgers in 5 minutes.

You get the jist.

I will try this, I am using 11 pt in the main. Plus format up something easier to customise. My written pitches for new business are excellent and to the point (and again, I have seen some excrutiating pitches) so this does need to come through in the style of the CV. It is weird I find them such a headache!

[Guest tbatst2000]

Music and Media Account Management plus Marketing. I am also very technically skilled, know my way round legal terms and contracts, and can produce professional financial accounts, it's a lot to put on.

I like to make sure all my skills are listed (rather than only the pertinent ones) as I have added value (perticularly in comparison to people I have worked with who just can't handle anything technical or do basic math), but this is where i think I might be letting the CV down, shoving it all on...

Well, I do a lot of hiring in a technical (not quite IT but related) area so this may well be bogus advice, but I'd say don't worry too much about the value added stuff in the main text of the CV. I'm generally looking for a core set of mainstream skills and I want to see some evidence that a candidate has these quickly without having to read through paragraphs of acronyms and buzzwords. I'd say the first sentence of your reply I quoted, with a bit of padding, would be a good way to start off in fact.

[piece of paper]

In these unhappy times I think that you time would be better spent seeing if you have a family member who recruits on the basis of nepotism.

Too many job hunters, too few jobs.

p-o-p

[deadman]

To reinforce what others have said:

1. Work to the standard expectations and conventions in your specific line of work. In mine - academia - CVs of ten pages plus are not uncommon for senior profs with a long publications record, but I know that this is an exception to the general rule. That having been said, if they insist on listing every book review and interview on local radio they've done, you know you're dealing with a wãnker.

2. Produce a tailored version to a given job. Start with a generic one, then when it comes to each application, delete qualifications and experience that are totally irrelevant to the job spec and enlarge on ones that are. If you're sending it to an employer or agency on spec to keep on file, focus it on their specific business and how you'd fit in to it.

No.2 is paramount and like I said, someting a lot of people fail to do.

[deadman]

I will try this, I am using 11 pt in the main. Plus format up something easier to customise. My written pitches for new business are excellent and to the point (and again, I have seen some excrutiating pitches) so this does need to come through in the style of the CV. It is weird I find them such a headache!

Yeah, see what you think. I recently went on a 2 day CV writing course and the instructor recommended it. Good luck.

[rolf]

What most people don't understand is that the CV is no different to a flyer in the post i.e. you have a few seconds to get your point across and pique their interest.

- as people say, cater your CV to the job. Look at the job description and give them what they are looking for, within reason

In marketing, the headline is the most important thing. Doesn't really belong on a CV but what you can put there is a quick 5 bulleted summary, call it a Mission Statement if you want. "Summary" is probably better.

[Tonkers]

In these unhappy times I think that you time would be better spent seeing if you have a family member who recruits on the basis of nepotism.

Too many job hunters, too few jobs.

p-o-p

I come from the music industry and this is all too true. The other way is get in a position where you can pitch in and help out (fetch and carry), I am doing this to learn video production, but that is more as a personal hobby. I am hoping my skills place me fully in ecommerce and marketing but I am widening my scope which is why the temptation to chuck all the skills on the one CV.

My favourite quote is "people say it's hard breaking in to the music industry, try breaking out!"

[daniel stallion]

I think my CV is OK, if perhaps a little to casual with no jargon. However, I have been looking at it for so long now, I am not sure if I can tell.

Has anyone used professional CV writers? I would for someone else to write mine, just to get another view point, sometimes other people can sell you better. It might be a a starting point for a rewrite.

Also, what is a very definite no no (apart from spelling mistakes and bad grammar). I am thinking of breaking the 2 page rule...

Ensure you cater for the fresh-out-of-school admin assistants that are very often asked to filter CV's, as well as your potential boss. The FT is written so that 13 year olds can easily read it (so I'm told by a FT journalist friend I have) do the same with your CV.

Get someone who has no understanding what you do to read it quickly - just once - and ask them what they think (you'll probably have to press them to get more than 'it was good, yeah'). Apart from industry specific very standard acronyms, if there is anything they don't 'get' re-write it.

[Tonkers]

Ensure you cater for the fresh-out-of-school admin assistants that are very often asked to filter CV's, as well as your potential boss. The FT is written so that 13 year olds can easily read it (so I'm told by a FT journalist friend I have) do the same with your CV.

Get someone who has no understanding what you do to read it quickly - just once - and ask them what they think (you'll probably have to press them to get more than 'it was good, yeah'). Apart from industry specific very standard acronyms, if there is anything they don't 'get' re-write it.

This is good, so far it has gone by friends in similar industries, and I have not had a wider view yet.

[deadman]

Nah, you want Comic Sans, bold, size 16 and red.

I would recommend Time New Roman or a serif font. Small psychological difference for women, no effect on men. But do whatever you're happier with.

I'll stick to what a CV writing instructor told me but cheers anyway.

[AteMoose]

your cv needs to be customised to meet the job spec and requirements doc. Look at all the information you have on the position, and make sure your CV scores highly on as many points as possible, as concisely as possible, so it is really easy to read. Due to recuitment laws employers need to be fair and they often score CVs based on a small number of criteria. You need to figure out what that criteria is. An employeer will receive 100+ cvs for a position, it is a simple process of getting rid of as many cvs as possible. If it is too hard to read, too long, to waffley, if you have spelling mistakes, there are obvious gaps, or you dont meet all the requirements laid out yours is more likely to be discounted.

You should create a specific customised CV for each job you apply for

[Lone_Twin]

I spent a couple of years as an IT recruitment consultant, a few more as the recruitment manager for an IT consultancy and now I'm an IT manager hiring people into my team. So quite IT specific but if you are interested I would recomend the following:

Keep it to two pages, if you have a great deal of experience then its ok to run on a touch but maybe summarise positions in oneliners on the front page. If you reach the magic 6 pages its going straight in the bin without a read.

Keep jobs, education, qualifications in different sections and always always chronological.

Make it specific, this can be hard after a number of misses but you have to taylor your CV to every role you apply for. Start with a good base CV which you send to agents (include as many keywords as you can this is how they search for your CV when another job comes up). When an agent calls you about a job INSIST that they give you a day to tweak you CV after seeing the full job description. They won't want to do this in case someoone else sends your CV or you go direct, promise them you won't and they should appreciate a higher chance of success.

A short two/three liner about you and what kind of role you are seeking at the top in a summary can help form a picture in the hirers mind about you and is not a complete turn off. The "indian" style "global vice president within 5 years of enterprise class leadership delivery" will not cut the mustard though.

related: Unless you are just starting in work strip out the unecessary. I have no interest in swimming certificates or some obscure programming language you learnt in college.

Get all the prequalifications or "necessary" items onto the front page and as many of the "desired" as you can. Your CV may pass through a recruiter or a work expereince HR bod who is ticking off phrases when they have no idea what they mean. Make their life easier and its more likely they will pass it to the hiring manager with confidence.

But don't for gods sake in an attempt to get a lot of detail forward at the top of the document invent some kind of weird skills vs years exp vs expertise matrix.

Keep the personal stuff and interests short and sweet unless you have a really good talking point (himalayan/antarctic mission etc..) I had one guy put a load of stuff about his messy divorce and battle to see his kids

Arial only, anything else makes you look like a pillock.

Spell check! (this post has not been spell checked )

[Tonkers]

Keep the personal stuff and interests short and sweet unless you have a really good talking point (himalayan/antarctic mission etc..) I had one guy put a load of stuff about his messy divorce and battle to see his kids

Oh dear! No I don't think that I like swimming and horse riding is of any relevance Love to see more of these howlers!

Mind you I have tripped up in interviews stating just what was wrong in my previous job, I have been practising with a friend to avoid over discussion of previous management!

Oh, I did see a friends CV which he had written so entirely in the third person he looked insane.

[Lone_Twin]

Oh dear! No I don't think that I like swimming and horse riding is of any relevance Love to see more of these howlers!

Mind you I have tripped up in interviews stating just what was wrong in my previous job, I have been practising with a friend to avoid over discussion of previous management!

Oh, I did see a friends CV which he had written so entirely in the third person he looked insane.

"LOVE" those ones: "super ted is a hard working reliable IT professional".

Its like your mum wrote it.

[deadman]

The best one I ever saw read (very first line)

"AIM: To provide a stable future for my family and enhance my own personal development....."

Bin!

[Tonkers]

"LOVE" those ones: "super ted is a hard working reliable IT professional".

Its like your mum wrote it.

This guy had put (let's call him Joe Smith) at the top of his CV, in 24pt bold capital type: WHO IS JOE SMITH? He followed that with a little third person biog about himself, he didn't list one skill. I suspected he had never really had a job. Clueless. I tried to help but he's a lost cause.

[AteMoose]

People drop down to the 3rd person in cvs because the cant write 'I'. Either because they are lieing and havent done what they say they have, they are too shy about there achievements, or someone told them you never write I in a professional document (and they have taken it to heart).